[FO:E] The Southern Wasteland of Equestria 1

[Rebonack]

((This thread covers all locations south of Canterlot. Map! (http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y102/Ironack/FOEMV9.jpg?t=1351207762)))

War.

War never changes.

Except when the war involves pastel colored magical talking tiny horses.

In which case war changes quite a bit. But only in so far as it looks a little cuter. Otherwise the horror of war is all too familiar.

Two hundred years ago war raged between Equestria and the Zebra Empire. A war ended decisively with megaspell strikes on each nation, devastating the land and poisoning it with necromantic radiation. The Pegasus sealed up the sky with an omnipresent curtain of clouds, shrouding the surface in perpetual gloom. Survivors retreated into the Stables, massive fallout shelters to protect them from the radiation storm above. Some offered salvation. Others became nightmarish death-traps. But the Stables opened and descendants populated the blasted, blighted wastes.

Some Stables remain closed, forgotten by the world.

The Princesses are dead.

Fell things watch from the Stars.

Unity seeks to consume all.

A new order rises on the backs of slaves.

Harmony is shattered and forgotten.

Discord warps fragile virtue.

And Friendship is dying in the hearts of ponies.

Can light be returned to the Equestrian Wasteland?

Or is suffering and hate its only future?

This can only be answered in the course of time.

This is Fallout Equestria.

[Rebonack]

[Smile! Ruins]

The Talons wait!

And listen.

Waaaaaaaaiting.

And upon returning?

"So I take it the pony we need to talk to is stuck and probably dead on the other side of the door we want to get through?" Heim inquires.

Akwellen looks generally irritated.

But then... looking generally irritated is what he usually seems to do.

[Chaotic Bob]

[Smiling Ruins]

Rusty returns with some rather worn-looking, a crudely patched saddlebags.
Clearly they've been very abused over the course of their existence, but remain functional enough.

He looks faintly frustrated.
"Well...by pre-war procedure, yes. Best I can tell, there doesn't appear to be any badges or cards in her office. So if she had clearance, that probably wasn't the way."

[Benson]

Road to New Appaloosa

Lucky sighs. "Not if we're lucky."

Har har, name puns.

"Never been to New Appaloosa? Nice place. Martini runs the bar, Sawbones runs the 'hospital,' and Ditzy runs a nice little mercantile. Word of warning - Ditzy's a walleyed ghoul, so try not to stare or scream or anything," he grunts. "She's nice, and should be treated as such."

He looks back over his shoulder, then back at the path ahead. "By the way, can we not broadcast my former Legion-ness to everypony we meet? I'd rather not make enemies with everything," he groans wearily.

[tag: Benson, Purity]


Gwendolyn had nothing to comment here on, this seemed a conversation between Bright Eyes and Lucky. She simply continued to hover overhead.

[Dark Elf Bard]

Killing Some Time Before The Killing Time

Shadow listens thoughtfully. "I see. My condolences for your families. Stories such as yours are why we prefer to capture raiders alive. A bullet is too good for them; crucifixion is a much more fitting alternative," she says with some satisfaction.

She then idly gestures her hoof towards Elestre. "I can tell you, though, that the Legion would welcome you with open arms. The scars of the past make us who we are. They show what we have been through, and what we have overcome. A lesser pony would have been broken irreparable by your experience. And yet here you are. The Legion would not view you or your form with disgust... but rather with respect," she muses.

Her cloaked head then turns towards Luka and Night Jewel. "And what of you? I am particularly curious as to how a Stable Pony wound up leaving the luxury of his home to come to this Celestia-forsaken hellhole."


[Tag: Everyone but Tychris. :smalltongue:]



Eledwhen looks at Shadow Stride in confusion. What's a cru-si-fick-shun?

[Tag: :Lycan, Luka, Drowlord, anyone who wants to explain the concept of crucifixion to a seven year old :smalltongue:]

[Rebonack]

[Frowning Ruins]

"Horseapples..." Heim curses. "Well, I can't say that I'm surprised. We'll need to make the trek to Baltimare in which case. Probably a decent idea to head by Shattered Hoof and see if there aren't any caravans departing from there that'll need the protection."

May as well get paid for the trip, right?

Getting paid for the trip makes everything better!

"It'll be nice to be home for a little while at least," Sivr comments, readjusting her rifle a bit. "No doubt Eagle Eye will want me to do some touchup work on the sensor equipment as usual."

"And I finally have enough caps to grab that new gun I've been looking at!" Akwellen nearly squees with delight.

[PurityIcekiller]

Lucky sighs. "Not if we're lucky."

Har har, name puns.

"Never been to New Appaloosa? Nice place. Martini runs the bar, Sawbones runs the 'hospital,' and Ditzy runs a nice little mercantile. Word of warning - Ditzy's a walleyed ghoul, so try not to stare or scream or anything," he grunts. "She's nice, and should be treated as such."

He looks back over his shoulder, then back at the path ahead. "By the way, can we not broadcast my former Legion-ness to everypony we meet? I'd rather not make enemies with everything," he groans wearily.

"Oh, all right. It's not like who you served actually means anything any more, right?"

Bright Eyes nodded. "I've heard that the local shopkeeper was kind of strange-looking, but you're not Mr. Pretty Face yourself, so I think I can accept it. I'm always polite to shopkeepers. It's a good idea, you know!"

[Dealin' With Slavers, Ze]

Night Jewel glanced at Eledwhen. "Crucifixion is killing ponies by nailing them to things, basically. It's not as pleasant as it sounds."

She then thought for a bit. "Well, I've lived by my wits for most of my life. I never knew my parents; they either died or abandoned me. I used to live in the little town of Bridle Shores. Such a nice place, but there wasn't much to do there. As soon as I was ready, I embarked into the wastes to put my skills to better use. And now, here I am." She chose to leave out a few parts, such as the actual reason she had left her home, but her story was mostly accurate.

[Lycan 01]

Road to New Appaloosa


"Oh, all right. It's not like who you served actually means anything any more, right?"

Bright Eyes nodded. "I've heard that the local shopkeeper was kind of strange-looking, but you're not Mr. Pretty Face yourself, so I think I can accept it. I'm always polite to shopkeepers. It's a good idea, you know!"


Lucky rolls his eyes. "Well, gee, thanks for reminding me that I'm ugly. I don't exactly know where to find a good plastic surgeon, ya know. And even if I did, I don't have near enough caps, and I'm pretty sure they don't accept Celestines as payment. Seriously, what am I gonna do with those?" he grunts.

He then gets an idea. With a sly look in his eyes, he turns to glance back at Gwendolyn. "Hey Gwendolyn... You ever used coin shot before?"

[Tag: Purity & Benson]




Plotting and Planning and Waiting



Night Jewel glanced at Eledwhen. "Crucifixion is killing ponies by nailing them to things, basically. It's not as pleasant as it sounds."

She then thought for a bit. "Well, I've lived by my wits for most of my life. I never knew my parents; they either died or abandoned me. I used to live in the little town of Bridle Shores. Such a nice place, but there wasn't much to do there. As soon as I was ready, I embarked into the wastes to put my skills to better use. And now, here I am." She chose to leave out a few parts, such as the actual reason she had left her home, but her story was mostly accurate.

"That's the 'cleaner' way of describing it, really..." Shadow muses. "Leg breaking and strategic use of branding irons are also options we sometimes take into consideration."

[Luka]

Eledwhen looks at Shadow Stride in confusion. What's a cru-si-fick-shun?


He doesn't really know how to explain it to her
"[Intelligence] It's a form of punishment used in ancient times that consisted of hanging the convicted onto a cross-shaped device; as far as accounts tell, it was terrible: pretty painful and lasted a long time before dying"

Then turns to Shadow
"Oh, You mean me? not much to say, I'm from Stable 54, used to live there with dad, but he escaped, so I came out here to look for him; went through the Everfree and met Lamia, Eledwhen and Finder; then to New Appaloosa and found out Dad went to Manehatten, we were about to go there, but on the way we heard the gunfire last night so we went back to the town, then I learned about Old Appleloosan slavers, and here I am"

[Tag: Dark Elf Bard and Lycan]

[Drowlord]

Road to Old Appleoosa

Elestre blinked. This mare had very quickly changed long-ingrained patterns in the colt's personality.

"Well then, it might not be a bad idea to rest my magic until I have to use it..."

He drains his illusion away, leaving his body, skeletally thin, virtually entirely covered in huge scars and missing its mane and most of its tail, exposed. His broken horn flared for a few seconds more after he dropped it.

"I guess I'm too good at hiding for my own good."

He silently listens to the discussion on crucifixion, filing it away for later use.

[Chaotic Bob]

[Smiling Ruins]

Rusty glances back at the buildings behind him, mulling over a thought or two.
"Well, this place isn't exactly going anywhere. Probably do me good to get some more traveling underhoof."

Get more properly used to the life of a tripod, as he suspects this is going to be the way of life for quite awhile yet.

Taking a moment to adjusts his newly-acquired bags, the earth pony gives a little hop and a shake to get himself prepped.
"One short and painful failure here, and one quick and easy failure here. Hoping for a long and dirty success next."

[Dark Elf Bard]

Eledwhen looks horrified! She steps back toward her cousin.

But... No! That's horrible! Why would anypony do that?

[BladeofObliviom]

Roadside Confessions

Ebon has mostly been silently listening for this conversation, seemingly staring up into the clouds as if to find the stars. Suddenly, however, he speaks up toward Eledwhen.

"Because they can. In some cases, they're right, too. I can think of a few ponies I've encountered over the years that deserved much worse than a speedy death by fire."

[Tag: Eledwhen]

[Benson]

Road to New Appaloosa

Lucky rolls his eyes. "Well, gee, thanks for reminding me that I'm ugly. I don't exactly know where to find a good plastic surgeon, ya know. And even if I did, I don't have near enough caps, and I'm pretty sure they don't accept Celestines as payment. Seriously, what am I gonna do with those?" he grunts.

He then gets an idea. With a sly look in his eyes, he turns to glance back at Gwendolyn. "Hey Gwendolyn... You ever used coin shot before?"


"I beg your pardon?" The griffon asked.

[Dark Elf Bard]

Roadside Confessions

Ebon has mostly been silently listening for this conversation, seemingly staring up into the clouds as if to find the stars. Suddenly, however, he speaks up toward Eledwhen.

"Because they can. In some cases, they're right, too. I can think of a few ponies I've encountered over the years that deserved much worse than a speedy death by fire."

[Tag: Eledwhen]

Eledwhen shakes her head in denial. Nuh uh. No-one deserves to die, not even with a gun or a crucksifixion. They just need... uh, less violent punishment!

[Drowlord]

Road to Old Appleoosa

Elestre magicked his trunk of books into place here, pulling out a few spellbooks and browsing through them, looking for useful spells.

"Life's nice, most of the time. But there are things in it that one could do to make it very painful, and yet make the one who undergoes suffering able to repent. I'm young and I might be naïve, but there are only a very few things worth killing for. There are better things to do to monsters. Make them depressed, make them see their faults, so many options that don't kill. They only make one shaken up enough to see one's error."

[Lycan 01]

[Handloading Hoofloading Lessons on the Way to New Appaloosa]



"I beg your pardon?" The griffon asked.

Lucky points a wingtip at her shotguns. "It's a custom ammo sort. I said I was good at tinkering, remember? 'Hoof-loading' falls under that." He pauses to look over at Bright Eyes. "Before you ask, 'hoof-loading' is when you make your own bullets.."

Looking back at Gwendolyn, he continues his explanation. "Anyhoo, coin shot is a type of hoof-load where you cram a shotgun shell full of coins. It doesn't have as much armor penetration as proper buckshot or a slug, and but it causes horrendous soft-tissue damage, and packs a lot of stopping power. Making it is tricky, though. Caps are too malleable and lightweight, and while pre-war bits are great for it, they're pretty scarce. But Legion coins - Celestines - work perfectly. And guess who's got a sack full of 'em?" he asks with a hint of mischievous glee.

[PurityIcekiller]

Lucky points a wingtip at her shotguns. "It's a custom ammo sort. I said I was good at tinkering, remember? 'Hoof-loading' falls under that." He pauses to look over at Bright Eyes. "Before you ask, 'hoof-loading' is when you make your own bullets.."

Looking back at Gwendolyn, he continues his explanation. "Anyhoo, coin shot is a type of hoof-load where you cram a shotgun shell full of coins. It doesn't have as much armor penetration as proper buckshot or a slug, and but it causes horrendous soft-tissue damage, and packs a lot of stopping power. Making it is tricky, though. Caps are too malleable and lightweight, and while pre-war bits are great for it, they're pretty scarce. But Legion coins - Celestines - work perfectly. And guess who's got a sack full of 'em?" he asks with a hint of mischievous glee.

"Ah, clever! Reminds me of the time I killed a griffon with a backpack." Bright Eyes laughed. "Of course, it's not so good against poorer targets, since they don't pay back the ammunition used, but if you're, say, stopping bank robbers, it's brilliant!"


Eledwhen shakes her head in denial. Nuh uh. No-one deserves to die, not even with a gun or a crucksifixion. They just need... uh, less violent punishment!

Night Jewel nodded. "Good ideals. Stick to them. It'll keep you from becoming a brutal maniac. I can only do so much about the killing others do, but I've never actually taken another pony's life, and I don't intend to. It's more fun to drive them to paranoia instead."

[Rebonack]

[Smile Ruins ==> Road to Shattered Hoof]

"Hopefully so. It would be a let down if this whole mess ends up being a waste of time. But my gut is telling me that's far from what we have to look forward to," Heim replies as he sets off toward the road once more. "Usually my gut doesn't lie. Unless I have indigestion, then there's no telling what it might be gurgling about."

Stupid gut.

Cease your indecisive gurgling!

"Hey, Rusy right?" Sivr pipes up. "How did you get involved with that Ministry hellhole, anyway? Who was looking to cash in on the little operation you had going on down there?"

[Benson]

Gwendolyn

"Sounds like we have something to do in our free time," She simply commented with back and faintly smiled.

[Lycan 01]

Road to New Appaloosa

Lucky nods to Gwnedolyn, a little bit of shine back in his eyes.

He then stops dead in his tracks. "Wait," he turns to Bright Eyes, "You killed a who with a what!?"



[tag: Purity & Benson]

----


Road to Old Appaloosa

Shadow looks over to the little filly. "I will stay with her during the attack. I am too weak to be of much use in a forward attack position, but I can certainly keep her protected from stray rounds. For now, though, I shall rest to regain some strength," she muses.

Shadow lays down to take a nap, while everyone else presumable relaxes, meanders about, or otherwise kills time until Lamianos returns.

And eventually...

Who's that on the horizon, trotting towards the group? It's Lamianos, of course!


[tag: Tychris, Purity, Dark Elf Bard, and the rest of the team]

[PurityIcekiller]

Lucky nods to Gwnedolyn, a little bit of shine back in his eyes.

He then stops dead in his tracks. "Wait," he turns to Bright Eyes, "You killed a who with a what!?"

"Gee, do you have hearing problems? This one rogue griffon tried to eat me once, and I was prepared. Haven't you had to deal with that kind of thing before? ...Oh, right, you've got memory problems. Never mind that, then!"

((I'll let the rest of the Old Appaloosa group catch up a bit. Just don't skip too far ahead, okay?))

[Luka]

Night Jewel nodded. "Good ideals. Stick to them. It'll keep you from becoming a brutal maniac. I can only do so much about the killing others do, but I've never actually taken another pony's life, and I don't intend to. It's more fun to drive them to paranoia instead."

The stable pegasus nods
"That or just scare them with superior firepower, but not shooting at them, just around to scare them, like fireworks.
But yeah, a pony shouldn't be killed because of stuff, it's preferable that they learn how bad were the things they did"

He turns to face Lamianos when he arrives

[Tychris1]

What a wonderful day!

Lamianos begins to trot back to the group, looking very happy (and surprisingly helmetless, strapped to his side). He begins whistling a tune as he starts to bend the curve and looks at Luka with a grin before saying "Good news everyone! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1D1cap6yETA) I scouted out the slaver base and discovered a few things. For starters, the slaves are held in these buildings," he returns to the map and points out a few of the lesser buildings, "And it would appear their defences are down. Seemed as if they were partying after they defeated the Legionneighres. With this information we can continue with the plan without risking hitting the slaves with fire balls or having to hunt around with them." pleased with himself he begins to draw on the map, re enacting the battle plan like he was taught to do as a young foal, repeating the process over and over again until he could see it unfold infront of his very eyes.

[Luka]

What a wonderful day!

Lamianos begins to trot back to the group, looking very happy (and surprisingly helmetless, strapped to his side). He begins whistling a tune as he starts to bend the curve and looks at Luka with a grin before saying "Good news everyone! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1D1cap6yETA) I scouted out the slaver base and discovered a few things. For starters, the slaves are held in these buildings," he returns to the map and points out a few of the lesser buildings, "And it would appear their defences are down. Seemed as if they were partying after they defeated the Legionneighres. With this information we can continue with the plan without risking hitting the slaves with fire balls or having to hunt around with them." pleased with himself he begins to draw on the map, re enacting the battle plan like he was taught to do as a young foal, repeating the process over and over again until he could see it unfold infront of his very eyes.

[Old Appleloosa's crusade For Great Justice and Freedom!]

The colt brightens up after the news
"That's great! alright, we should use the 3 plans then, we should move out already and go like we planned"
He sat down for a bit, grabed his pistol with a hoof and pulled the hammer with the other
"I'm ready over here"
He says with a sigh, but with adrenaline noticeable in his voice.

[Benson]

Road to New Appaloosa

Lucky nods to Gwnedolyn, a little bit of shine back in his eyes.

He then stops dead in his tracks. "Wait," he turns to Bright Eyes, "You killed a who with a what!?"


"Gee, do you have hearing problems? This one rogue griffon tried to eat me once, and I was prepared. Haven't you had to deal with that kind of thing before? ...Oh, right, you've got memory problems. Never mind that, then!"

Gwendolyn had nothing to say on the matter, even if she was a griffon, le shrug and all that. She wasn't a pony eater herself even if she enjoyed meat. Mmm....she could go for some molerat.

[Lycan 01]

[Road to Old Appaloosa]

Shadow Stride is still asleep. She was apparently quite tired. Someone should probably wake her up.

Carefully.

[Tag: Everyone or no one.]

---

[Road to New Appaloosa]


"Gee, do you have hearing problems? This one rogue griffon tried to eat me once, and I was prepared. Haven't you had to deal with that kind of thing before? ...Oh, right, you've got memory problems. Never mind that, then!"

((I'll let the rest of the Old Appaloosa group catch up a bit. Just don't skip too far ahead, okay?))


Gwendolyn had nothing to say on the matter, even if she was a griffon, le shrug and all that. She wasn't a pony eater herself even if she enjoyed meat. Mmm....she could go for some molerat.

"Actually, most of my memories have return, thank you very much," Lucky replies with an obvious lack of enthusiasm. "But now that you mention it, I seem to recall that most of my encounters with griffins have been quite amicable. In fact, now that I think about it... I think I-"

Lucky freezes. His eyes go wide in shocked realization, and a noticeable blush forms around his eyes on the only parts of his face not covered by magical bandage. Perhaps some of the blush is even visible through the bandages, such is Lucky's luck and the depths of his awkward embarrassment.

The pegasus gives a loud cough, and then begins to stride purposefully along the path, resuming his trek with gusto. "Let's talk about something else," he suggests briskly, his voice slightly tense and an octave higher than normal.

He is also quite obviously avoiding looking at Gwendolyn.

[tag: Purity & Benson]

[MCerberus]

Old Appleoosa Planning Committee

"All well and good then," Finder responds to the good news, everypony. "These slavers are just a notch above the berserk raiders, put one through the skulls of the organizers, and the rest'll falter. Just better armed from their income."

The unicorn takes out his revolver and spins the cylinder.

[Benson]

[Road to Old Appaloosa]

Gwendolyn stiffened in derp and simply just cocked a brow, beak slightly agape riddled with confusion. Ooookay, that was odd. The griffon shook her head in brief thought, best not to sit on it, not when there was the possibility of mole rat meat to eat upon arriving in town.

Mole rat meat, over a spitfire, that actually made the meat seem better than it actually tasted.

[BladeofObliviom]

Assault Planning

"I suppose no one here is likely to understand my point of view on this particular subject, given that it was formed while I was tied down and forced to watch my father, mother, and sister's hides peeled off slowly, to hear their screams as they begged for somepony, anypony to help them.

The ponies that did it weren't even raiders. They were just a group of bandits that decided that they wanted to see somepony suffer. Ponies like that don't deserve to live. They don't feel regret, nor sympathy. You can't make them guilty. Ponies like that don't even deserve a quick, painless death. It just feels wrong, giving them such easy peace when all that they've ever done is cause pain in the lives of others."

That second paragraph is positively dripping with venom. And then Lamianos shows up.

"Ah, this is good. In that case, I'll focus my blasts in these areas -"

He points out what he assumes to be the Slavers' barracks, utility structures, and living areas.

"- and hit the streets too just to be safe. I'm hoping for a devastating first strike that will disable a portion of their forces and distract the rest from the armory raid. Once we are inside, it is no longer wise for me to rain artillery from the skies, so I'll circle around north and see where I can best lend support."

[PurityIcekiller]

[Plannin' The Attack, Ze]

Night Jewel decided not to comment on Ebon Flame's speech. She was too disturbed. "Well, I'd better get the infiltration started. I'll meet you shortly."

With that, she made her stealthy approach to the camp, disguised with magic in case she should be spotted.

[New Appaloosa Road, Ze]

"Well, if you'd rather talk about a different subject, I can tell you of some of my other deeds, like that time I defeated a mad life-making mage! Are you interested?"

[Lycan 01]

[Road to New Appaloosa]


[Road to Old Appaloosa]

Gwendolyn stiffened in derp and simply just cocked a brow, beak slightly agape riddled with confusion. Ooookay, that was odd. The griffon shook her head in brief thought, best not to sit on it, not when there was the possibility of mole rat meat to eat upon arriving in town.

Mole rat meat, over a spitfire, that actually made the meat seem better than it actually tasted.


[Plannin' The Attack, Ze]

Night Jewel decided not to comment on Ebon Flame's speech. She was too disturbed. "Well, I'd better get the infiltration started. I'll meet you shortly."

With that, she made her stealthy approach to the camp, disguised with magic in case she should be spotted.

[New Appaloosa Road, Ze]

"Well, if you'd rather talk about a different subject, I can tell you of some of my other deeds, like that time I defeated a mad life-making mage! Are you interested?"

"Yes! Sure! Whatever! Tell me all about it!" Lucky over-enthusiastically proclaims. He then lowers his voice and mutters to himself. "Because I am not drunk enough to talk about that other stuff."

[Dark Elf Bard]

Planning Attack, with a Bored Little Foal

Miss Stride? Missssss Striiiideeee... Eledwhen whispers and nudges her new companion.

[Drowlord]

Road to Old Appleoosa

Elestre hissed between his teeth. "I do know how you feel, if only in a little way."

He raised a hoof and images glittered around it.

A tiny colt was reading a book, his horn glowing with blue magic. He dropped it with a squeak as he saw a pack of grim Raiders galloping towards their group of tents, led by a glittering white alicorn. The colt shouted a warning, and his family leaped out of their tents, horns glowing or wings fluttering, but completely unprepared.

The Raiders charging the tents, murdering his family with guns or long knives, a huge Earth pony toying with a defiant pegasus who charged again and again, trying to save her family, before the Earth pony just clubbed her to death and went towards the other members of the family. A thin, scarred pony doing something that should never be done to a female pegasus. Another burly pony burning an elderly unicorn out of a tent.

The tiny unicorn roaring with loss, charging the alicorn and stabbing at it with his horn. The alicorn throwing the colt to the ground and motioning the band at him. Arrows, axes, daggers flying at the defenseless, half-conscious colt before utter blackness.

"I just prefer to sent them to Tartarus the long, hard way. Cruxifiction's too quick. I vow that if I can, I'll help you eradicate them."

[Benson]

[Road to New Appaloosa]

"Yes! Sure! Whatever! Tell me all about it!" Lucky over-enthusiastically proclaims. He then lowers his voice and mutters to himself. "Because I am not drunk enough to talk about that other stuff."

Gwendolyn just shakes her head and continues to hover overhead, its not long until New Appaloosa can be seen. But, plenty of time for this Bright Eyes to tell a story.


[tag Purity]

[Tychris1]

To Battle! Old Appleoosa

Lamianos stares at the disturbing illusion created by Elestre, fascinated by the images playing infront of him, only to shake his head and stamp his hoof down on the map "Alright, let's get this show on the round. Men, you know your part's in the plan, so let's roll out."

[Drowlord]

Road to Old Appleoosa

Elestre quickly made the illusions vanish. "Ready when you are, Ebon."
He grimly dug his hoof into the dirt, ready to go charge into the gates of Tartarus if needed.

Assume he moves out into his proper position when Ebon does.

[BladeofObliviom]

Road to Old Appleoosa

Ebon nods respectfully to Elestre.

"I am ready. I'll give everyone three minutes after arrival to get into position. You'll know when it starts."

Presumably, Elestre and Ebon get moving about now, circling out west toward a small knoll, coincidentally also an ideal firing position for arc-based weapons.

[Tag: Lycan; One last chance for surprises before this goes into action. :smalltongue:]

[Luka]

[Road to Old Appaloosa, about to start the plan]

The stable wanderer was obviously shaken by both Ebon and elestre's pasts, also extremely furious at the moment, getting both's rage, but then just shakes his head when the illusions go away.

"there are still better ways to deal with those; really, it's a LOT harder, but as far I know, it has made ponies like that break down, collapse into guilt and be very, very regretful. Sometimes mercy is worse than death"

Then turns to Lamianos

"We're ready to go then?"

[Tag: Drowlord, Bladeofobliviom, Tychris1]

[Tychris1]

Road to Old Appleoosa

Lamianos nods his head to Luka and motions for him to follow to Old Appleoosa.

[TAG Lycan]

[Lycan 01]

[Old Appaloosa]

The party moves out......


Old Appaloosa is a shadow of its pre-war self. Once a thriving trade hub and agricultural center, it is now naught more than ruins and a few dilapidated structures.

The railroad runs through the center of town. There are two large multi-level warehouses and a few storage sheds on the left side. On the right side, there's an old grain silo sporting a blanket-covered hole in the top, another large one-floor warehouse (the armory), and a large two-floor railway depot. Most of the other buildings in the town are burnt husks or collapsed piles of rubble. On the far side of town beyond the warehouses, though, are two small structures, probably once houses or stores. According to Lamianos, the slaves are held here...

The town looks almost deserted. Near the front of the town, a hundred feet or so in front of the warehouses, are bodies. Lots of bodies. Bullet-riddled and burnt corpses, as well as the rotting hulks of two dead brahmin - the remnants of the Legion caravan, and probably other unlucky souls. Thousands of shell casings litter the earth, and several craters are still smouldering - a testament to the intensity of last night's battle.

And a testament to the victory is also clearly visible. Several slavers are sprawled out near the entrances of the buildings, apparently asleep or in a drunken stupor. Empty alcohol bottles and drug containers are scattered and strewn everywhere. It seems they had quite the party. Drunken laughter can be heard coming from the open windows of the rail depot, and the warehouses on the left - as well as the occasional scream of a terrified or agonized mare. However, there do not appear to be any patrols, guards, or snipers in position...

A large number of boulders, fallen trees, hunks of wreckage, old craters, and ditches are scattered in and around the town, providing possible cover. Unfortunately, there are no hills, ridges, knolls, or other terrain features of note - just flat land for several hundred yards.

Night Jewel manages to avoid detection as she enters the outskirts of the ruined town and nears the warehouses. She's almost to the pile of bodies.



A few hundred feet away from the warehouses, the rest of the group is approaching the far outskirts of town, using the boulders and ditches and wrecked vehicles to cover their approach. Shadow Stride jumps into one of these ditches as the near the outskirts of the town, and motions for Eledwhen to join her where they'll be safe. For everypony else... it's show time.



((Ebon and Elestre have yet to move into position since there is no hill to the west. I wasn't sure if that would effect your plans or not, so I didn't move you out there.))


[TAG: EVERYONE.]

[Tychris1]

Old Appleoosa

Lamianos begins to sneak through the wreckage and holes, using every trick he knows to avoid making too much noise in power barding. Squatting down behind the burnt and blown remains of what might have been a chunk of house he motions for Luka to follow in suit. He looks at the pony dead in the eyes and begins to whisper "Alright kid, it's me and you. We're going to try and work our way to the armory as best we can, there's piles of wreckage that we can follow from here until we get close to the armory. From their we make sure no one's watching, pray to Celestia's, and gun for the door, once we're at the door the majority of Appleoosa won't be able to see us, then we get in and the fun starts. Got it?" he points out the different places with his hoof before waiting for Luka to aknowledge the plan.

Looking towards a chunk of wreckage he moves to the side and jumps into a hole before moving towards the wreckage quickly. He continues to make his way towards the armory, following his plan and waiting for Luka to catch up.

[PurityIcekiller]

[Story Time]

"All right, then! You see, it all started with some little insignificant island, where the mage ended up getting shipwrecked..."

The background for the story didn't actually involve Bright Eyes that much, and was more about the mage augmenting himself in forbidden ways. The mare herself only entered the scene when the mage returned to the mainland to cause havoc. The part about the fight itself was clearly exaggerated, such as Bright Eyes getting the mage's summoned creatures to kill each other with just one well-timed jump.

By now, they were probably getting closer to the town.



Night Jewel looked over the massive pile of bodies. [I]My, those Legion types aren't nearly so fearsome when you've seen their failures.

Then she got a rather sneaky idea.

First, she looked for any especially intact, recognisable corpses. Then she approached the actual camp, making sure to stay out of sight, and cast an illusion spell. A false version of one of the dead Legion{HOWEVER IT'S SPELLED}s appeared, translucent, pale and faintly glowing.

"All right, ghost," she whispered, "Let's see what you can do." She then moved the illusion onward, ready for some haunting.

[BladeofObliviom]

[Old Appleoosa]

Seeing that the knoll that his player was hoping for doesn't actually exist, Ebon Flame looks for a rock or tree husk or something else large enough to hide the pair without being too tall to peek over.

After safely behind some cover, a mildly disconcerting omen appears:

"Three hundred. Two hundred Ninety Nine. Two hundred Ninety eight..."

Also, his horn begins to glow dimly, emitting a level of heat equivalent to an uncomfortably warm breeze in a radius large enough that Elestre likely notices it.

[Luka]

[Old Appleloosa, Wreckage run]

"Alright, I'm with you"
He says and follows him, trying to keep low and rushing for cover whenever they're on an open spot.
He's not really happy about the corpses left out like that.

[Lycan 01]

[Finally Back to New Appaloosa]

Lucky quietly listens along to Bright Eyes, occasionally casting a dubious, confused, or incredulous glance in her direction. He doesn't say anything. He wouldn't even know where to begin.

Eventually, shortly after Bright Eyes concludes her story (or another story, if she's feeling particularly chatty), New Appaloosa becomes visible on the horizon. "Oh thank Luna..." Lucky grunts, quickening his pace. "There's a bottle of whiskey callin' my name..."

[Tag: Purity, Benson, anyone who wants to roleplay an NPC in New Appaloosa]

[MCerberus]

Old Appleoosa

While he may not be as sneaky as some, Finder packs light, and not in bulky armor. You'd be surprised how a pony that pays attention and isn't burdened just disappears. He makes his way from cover to cover, peeking out when he can. His trusty revolver is at his side. The stallion knows things aren't going to be pretty and a decent shot with this thing is more dangerous than a squad of raiders with assault weapons.

[Drowlord]

Old Appleoosa

The colt tilts his head. He whispers.
"What are you doing right now? I don't want to mess you up with illusions if I would, but if illusions are a go, I'll start."

[Dark Elf Bard]

Old Appleloosa

Eledwhen creeps her way over to the older mare. Miss Stride, what are the others doing?

[Tag Lycan]

[BladeofObliviom]

Old Appleoosa

Ebon looks up just a bit.

"I am gathering magical energy. And also conveniently giving the others time to get into position. I'd wait until the pyrotechnics start before you draw attention to us, though. I imagine our chances of survival will be better if they're properly taken by surprise."

He then puts his head down and continues gathering energy.

...Is that a corona of plasma around his horn?

"One hundred and one. One hundred. Ninety-nine. Ninety-Eight. Ninety-Seven..."

[Lycan 01]

Lamianos and Luka are almost to the armory. Darting from cover to cover, they're both now hunkered down behind a wrecked sky-car a few dozen feet from the entrance of the armor. They're actually right in front of the train depot now, and they can clearly hear uproarious laughter and the clinking of bottles from some of the open windows, as well as terrified screams and sobbing. One quick sprint, and they can make it to the door of the armory. Hopefully it's unlocked...


Night Jewel's "ghost" rises from the "grave" and staggers towards the half-dozen or so slavers scattered around near the entrance of the warehouses. However, they don't seem to react to it. They're probably too drunk or stoned to notice, or care. As she moves forward and gets closer to the pile of bodies, the stench is practically overwhelming. Wait... did she just hear a whimper?


Elestre and Ebon don't seem to have attracted any attention. Or at least, they haven't come under fire. Yet.


Finder slinks through cover and concealment, making his way through the outskirts of town. If he moves quickly, he can join with Night Jewel. Or if he outright gallops, he can probably catch up to Lamianos and Luka.


Shadow Stride telekinetically pulls a set of binoculars from her saddle bag. Crouching low, the raises the blue-glowing optic tools to her hood, and peers out into the ruins. "I believe your friends are trying to 'play the hero' as the term goes..." she idly responds to Eledwhen.


[Tag: Everyone]

[Benson]

[New Appleloosa]

And so there they were, that certain trio, there in New Appleloosa. They walked passed the guards who nodded their heads in acknowledged greeting.

"So, I think I hear the faint whispers of that whiskey bottle calling out to you, Mister Lucky," The griffon commented with a small tired, smile.

[Tychris1]

Invading the Armory!

Lamianos takes a glance at the armory, ignoring the laughter and the sobs of those poor poor mares, looking back at Luka he signals with his hoof to go and begins a mad gallop to the side of the armory, sliding to a stop in order to barely avoid hitting against the wall. He begins to walk towards the door as Luka follows in suit and lifts his hooves up to open the door, if all else fails one can just kick the door down eh?

[Lycan 01]

[Old Appaloosa]

The door to the armory creeks open. All Lamianos and Luka have to do is go inside...



[New Appaloosa]

Lucky turns back to Gwendolyn. His bandages conceal the weary smile, but his eyes probably express his feelings well enough. "Yes, I think so. You offerin' to join me?"

[Tychris1]

Old Appleoosa

Lamianos looks to Luka, waving a hoof and says "Go on in kid, I got your back. I'll make sure no one follows us in."

[TAG Luka, Lycan]

[Dark Elf Bard]

OA

Eledwhen sighs and sits. I'm boooored.

[BladeofObliviom]

Old Appleoosa Attack - Western Front

Ebon Flame seems to be practically grinning, the glow around his horn having graduated from a small corona to a radiant glow that would probably have given them away were it not for the illusions involved here.

"Four. Three. Two. One."

Ebon stands to his full height now, actually fairly impressive, and takes one last look at Old Appleoosa. Then, in an instant, the glow disappears. It seems for just a moment as if his spell fizzled, too much for one horn to perform. Then, something terrifying happens.

Gouts of an unnatural fire, black as pitch, begin erupting from what seems to be thin air, traveling in high arcs to land in various locations over the slaver hub, mostly in the areas that Ebon already pointed out when planning. Each one carries force equivalent to a small boulder landing at high speed, but that's not the real threat: It is fire, but at the same time, much more. It burns the body, for sure, but meanwhile seems to burn the very soul of its victims, causing more pain than a body can even relay back to the mind.

This is the kind of thing that happens when a pony whose special talent is destruction gets a chance to unleash his full strength, three minutes of raw focus and rage turned into an instant of death and agony.

This is the true face of Ebon Flame: Rage, seeking to escape from its mortal shell and bring wrath upon those who most deserve such suffering.

"Bwahahahahaha!"

A burst of maniacal laughter escapes his muzzle as the Voidfire begins to strike down upon the buildings, and no doubt panic begins to set in.

...Also, that's probably the cue. Signals don't get much more obvious. :smalltongue:

[MCerberus]

Old Appleoosa

Finder sneaks around moving towards the slave pens, unaware of the unending torrent of red-hot hatred and flame about to descend upon everyone. Hopefully he can meet up with Night Jewel there, with nothing insane happening.

[Luka]

Old Appleoosa

Lamianos looks to Luka, waving a hoof and says "Go on in kid, I got your back. I'll make sure no one follows us in."

[TAG Luka, Lycan]

The colt nods and would peek inside, then slide in, next action would depend on what is inside.

[Drowlord]

Old Appleoosa: Western Front

Elestre gives a coughing roar that almost seems like it was from the throat of something other than a pony. His horn glowed incandescent grey, shedding sparks of the light shade. From the west, a large group of very detailed, heavily armored and armed ponies charged (his illusion), imbued with beguiling magic that attracted anybody who saw them to attack the illusions and believe they were true. An invisible shield arced out in front of them, meaning anybody who stood against the charge would get hit back by a powerful force.

[Benson]

[New Appaloosa]

Lucky turns back to Gwendolyn. His bandages conceal the weary smile, but his eyes probably express his feelings well enough. "Yes, I think so. You offerin' to join me?"


"Passing down free whiskey seems like a fool's choice."

[PurityIcekiller]

[I]Well, that takes the fun out of things. Night Jewel shook her head and continued on, holding her breath so as not to get overwhelmed by the stench.

Then the explosions began.

"Dagnabit, couldn't they wait a little longer? Seems the part about sabotaging beforehoof was completely forgotten."

[Bright Eyes]

"Well, nothing like a good drink to get a group of adventurers together, right? I've met some good companions hanging around in bars. Let's do this!"

[Chaotic Bob]

[Smile Ruins ==> Road to Shattered Hoof]

"Hopefully so. It would be a let down if this whole mess ends up being a waste of time. But my gut is telling me that's far from what we have to look forward to," Heim replies as he sets off toward the road once more. "Usually my gut doesn't lie. Unless I have indigestion, then there's no telling what it might be gurgling about."

Stupid gut.

Cease your indecisive gurgling!

"Hey, Rusy right?" Sivr pipes up. "How did you get involved with that Ministry hellhole, anyway? Who was looking to cash in on the little operation you had going on down there?"

Rusty peers at Heimdalr for a moment, after the gut comment, but shrugs and continues on normally after a moment.
"Well here's to hoping you don't have indigestion then. I'm gonna be kind of upset if this ends up being some sort of epic quest with nothing more than a moral lesson as the reward at the end."

Those stories are all absolutely terrible, in his opinion.

And then Sivr pipes up!
The tripodal pony's eyes glaze over, momentarily, before he shakes his head and frowns.
"Gray...
Was doing some independent research on the Ministry of Morale, curious about its Mare and...activities. You can learn a surprising amount just by peeking through the right terminals."

He pauses, staring down at his stump, visibly picking his next words.

"I've been researching the Ministry of Morale for awhile. Funded by an unnamed source for most of it, as soon as I poked around about hired hooves for the trips. Pointed in a direction, I followed, and several computers later I ended up poking in this direction.
Said hired hooves never really got that far...but some lovely fellows sent by a 'Gray' decided to nudge me along a little faster. Sleip's was part of that, although not really anymore, hm?

Gray's interested in the downstairs and pointed me in the direction as a means to an end, I guess.
The 'how' and the 'who'. Can't really help you with info about Gray, since I don't have any."
A moment of pause, before Rusty gives a little nod, seeming satisfied enough with his brief, largely vague explanation.

"I'm interested in the Mare, so I may have ended up here on my own anyway. Somepony just gave me the caps and directions to guarantee it faster."
Also the threats. But they've been over that already.

[Lycan 01]

[Old Appaloosa]

Luka slinks into the armory.

It's empty.

Literally empty, devoid of both life and content. There are a few weapons and pieces of equipment scattered around - a pump-action shotgun, two 9mm pistols, a few sets of cheap combat barding, and an old Stealthbuck. But all the shelves are empty, the lockers are open, and every ammo crate is open and devoid of contents.

The armory is empty.

The slavers are armed.

And as the door shuts behind him, and the sounds of gunfire suddenly begin to echo throughout the city outside, Luka finds himself shadowed by the heavy armored and heavily armed form of Lamianos.

---

In the ditch near the outskirts of town, Shadow Stride is looking through her binoculars. "Something doesn't feel right..." she mutters to Eledwhen. And then, as she passes her binoculars passed a window of one of the warehouses, she finds herself staring down the barrel and into the scope of a hunting rifle. "IT'S A TR-"

Her warning and her shield spell are both interrupted by a bullet ripping through the hood of her cloak, splattering blood across Eledwhen's face. The cloaked Legioneighrie crumples down into the ditch beside her, writhing and groaning weakly as blood pools in the dirt beneath her. Gunfire erupts through-out the town, and bullets begin to whine over the young pegasus' head and kick up dirt along the top of the ditch.

---

Ebon manages to cast his spell. As the flaming spells begin to fall from the sky, and just as he begins his maniacal laughter, a half-dozen snipers open fire in unison from the windows of the warehouses. They have been waiting for him to pop out, steadying their aim and training their scopes on where he will be. The exposed and weakened unicorn finds himself the target of several .32 caliber rounds from hunting rifles, and a single .308 round from a sniper rifle wielded by a crack marksman.

There is a very high probability that at least one of those bullets - likely the .308 - is going to leave a rather nasty mark on him.

Elestre is slightly more lucky, as he's less of a priority target. While several slavers open fire from the windows, they are less skilled in their aim and less well armed than the ones targeting Ebon. Still, there are a few hunting rifle rounds and some buckshot pellets that, if they hit, will really ruin his day...

And then things get worse.

The dark flames of Ebon's rage rain down upon the the warehouses and other structures. He spared the small structures at the end of the town, of course. That's where the slaves supposedly were. As the magic strikes its targets, screams fill the air.

But not the screams of slavers...

The agonized and horrified shrieks of dozens of slaves echo from within the warehouses and train depot as dark magic smashes down upon them. While the yells and howls of slavers can be heard, the screaming mares and crying foals are much more audible. It is a hideous, heartrending sound to hear...

Should Ebon survive the sniper fire, he may wish he hadn't been so fortunate...

---

Night Jewel manages not to gag. As she makes her remark, though, gunfire echoes through-out the ruined town. Thankfully, no one is targeting her yet, due to her stealth and her magic.

However, severally of the rotting corpses next to her, including the large brahmin bodies, are suddenly telekinetically lifted into the air, and hurled straight at her. "FOUND YA, BITCH!!"

As the bodies are hurled, three figures jump out from under them. One is a muscular dark-green stallion with a black mohawk and a kevlar SWAT vest on his chest - he's an earth pony, and is gripping a large-calibur pistol in his mouth. The other is a pale silver unicorn with a dark red mane, an insane grin on her face, and several bloody knives levitating on either side of her. And between them...

Between them is a hulking brute of an stallion, clad from head to hoof in thick metal armor, and with two shotguns mounted to his sides via battle saddle. However, his most distinguishing feature is most definitely the three foals bound, gagged, and strapped to his armor with rusty chains. A colt is strapped to the front of his body, covering his chest and neck. And then a filly and a colt are strapped to his flanks, to protect the rest of his body.

Yes. Rusty Chains, the leader of the slavers in Old Appaloosa, is clad in full body armor, and on top of that, has foals strapped to him. This is really happening.

"YEAH, TEAR 'EM APART!!" he howls excitedly, before turning towards where Night Jewel was to see if the bodies hit her or not.

---

Finder is slightly more lucky than everyone else. He's still making his way from cover to cover when the spells and the bullets start to rain from the sky. The blanket covering the hole in the top of the grain silo is suddenly ripped away, revealing a light-machine-gun nest. The crew turn their weapon towards where Finder is scurrying, and open fire.

Fortunately, the scavenger is still in cover, and the bullets whiz overhead or smash against whatever object he's decided to hunker down behind. Unfortunately... going forward is going to be quite difficult...



((Luka is cornered in the Armory by Lamianos.
Lamianos is a bastard.
Shadow Stride is severely wounded.
Ebon Flame just brought down the sky on slavers and slaves alike, and is targeted by several snipers, and is very likely wounded - perhaps mortally.
Elestre has summoned an illusion, which the slavers ignore because they knew it was coming, and he has a few slavers taking potshots at him.
Night Jewel is possibly knocked down/hurt by several dead bodies hurled at her by the psycho unicorn.
Finder is pinned down, but okay.
Eledwhen is no longer bored, at least.
....sorry. :smallsigh:))



[Tag: Everyone.]





-----

[New Appaloosa]

Lucky wordlessly makes a beeline for the bar.

[Tag: Purity, Benson, whoever is playing Martini.]

[Rebonack]

[The Long Walk to Shattered Hoof]

Heimdalr gives a bit of a grunt in reply. Hippogriffs are pretty good at this, it should be noted. The whole grunting thing. No doubt due to mixed griffon and pony anatomy. ...or something.

Sivr nods slowly, shoving a few stray orangeish feathers out of her eyes. "One of Heimdalr's rules is that you don't enter into a Contract with anypony who won't meet with you. Good way to get yourself bucked up pretty bad. All that cloak and daggery stuff is nasty business."

The griffoness makes a rather sour face at the concept of cloak and daggery stuff in general. She seems to prefer the good old fashioned alternative of shooting somepony through the heart instead of stabbing them in the back.

How very noble of her.

"But the Mare? Why so interested in her? Those posters of her all over the place put my feathers on end."

[MCerberus]

Old Trappleoosa

Always work alone. ALWAYS BUCKING WORK ALONE. Grouping up has never once seen returns for Finder, or at least in his recent memory. Alright, he's trapped behind a convenient rock, but they don't seem to have much trigger discipline. Finder levitates his stormchaser hat off his head and takes a deep breath. This trick might work... once...

His eyes glaze over with the sheen of magic as he casts his focus spell, lifts his hat over the cover, and jumps the opposite direction towards a box. During the dive, the stallion gets a shot off. His revolver may not be a .50 caliber, but it still hurts and is pretty accurate.

[Luka]

[Old Appaloosa]

Luka slinks into the armory.

It's empty.

Literally empty, devoid of both life and content. There are a few weapons and pieces of equipment scattered around - a pump-action shotgun, two 9mm pistols, a few sets of cheap combat barding, and an old Stealthbuck. But all the shelves are empty, the lockers are open, and every ammo crate is open and devoid of contents.

The armory is empty.

The slavers are armed.

And as the door shuts behind him, and the sounds of gunfire suddenly begin to echo throughout the city outside, Luka finds himself shadowed by the heavy armored and heavily armed form of Lamianos.

The stable colt is very confused, the armory wasn't supposed to be empty, and guessing from the scattered things.... Oh crap :smalleek:

"What? w-where are the weapons? and where's-...?"
He gets a look of the things scattered around....His eyes pointing at the Stealthbuck for a while, then the battle starts outside, with more guns than what were supposed to be there, he turns to Lamianos
"Wha-....What's going on?"
He asks, starting to doubt.

[Chaotic Bob]

[Back On The Road: To Shattered Hoof]

"Hmmm, yes, that would be the smart thing to do. But I was just getting hoofed money to do what I was going to do anyway, at the start. Seemed kinda silly to complain."
Rusty gives a little shrug, an awkward motion that causes him to have to briefly stop walking, lest he fall due to his uneven hobbling.

"Oh well. I dug my grave. Silly to complain."
Gotta accept what you've done to yourself, at the very least, if you'll accept nothing else.
"As for why...you just said part of it. Why do all of those posters give you the feathery willies?"

[BladeofObliviom]

[Old Appleoosa]

Well, CRAP.

Ebon is very lucky that the shield he cast that morning was still up, or he'd be a very dead pony about now. Even so, two .32-caliber rounds manage to bury themselves in his muzzle, and the .308 punches a nice hole through the shield. Also, his right shoulder.

"BWAHAHA-GAAAHHH!"

The combined forces shove him right off the rock, to a point that is thankfully fairly safe from sniper fire. On the bright side, he's not dead. On the less bright side, he's bleeding profusely and has two bullets lodged in him. Also, one of his legs is useless.

Suddenly, Ebon's mind gives him one clear motive: The healing potions in his saddlebag! Not entirely aware of his surroundings and just doing his best to stay alive, he shouts out painedly to Elestre:

"P-Potions! My saddlebag!"

[PurityIcekiller]

[Old Appaloosa]

Night Jewel was, naturally, behind cover, not out in the open and exposed to flying bodies like a complete failure of a stealthy type. Flying corpses wouldn't hit her easily.

Great. Just great. Maybe I shouldn't have counted on doggish types to actually pull off a plan. Now I just need to salvage this situation...

She fell on her side and lay still, creating an illusion of fatal wounds on herself. With the other corpses around, fitting in would be easy.

All right, you monsters, bring it on.

[Benson]

[New Appaloosa]

Lucky wordlessly makes a beeline for the bar.

[Tag: Purity, Benson.]



A Jump Cut Later

Gwendolyn is at a table with Lucky and Bright Eyes, sharing the free bottle of whiskey.

"No...Mister Lucky....I already said....I will not be dancing on any tables," The griffon ruffled her feathers and gave Lucky a buzzed stink eye.

[Lycan 01]

A Jump Cut Later

Gwendolyn is at a table with Lucky and Bright Eyes, sharing the free bottle of whiskey.

"No...Mister Lucky....I already said....I will not be dancing on any tables," The griffon ruffled her feathers and gave Lucky a buzzed stink eye.

[OH LOOK COMIC RELIEF!!]

Lucky is sitting across from her at the table, woozily swaying back and forth. The bandages around his mouth are pulled loose, and several empty shot glasses are on the table in front of him.

In response to Gwendolyn, he impatiently taps his hooves on the table and lets out a small stream of incoherent and slurred Latin babble.

[PurityIcekiller]

Gwendolyn is at a table with Lucky and Bright Eyes, sharing the free bottle of whiskey.

"No...Mister Lucky....I already said....I will not be dancing on any tables," The griffon ruffled her feathers and gave Lucky a buzzed stink eye.


Lucky is sitting across from her at the table, woozily swaying back and forth. The bandages around his mouth are pulled loose, and several empty shot glasses are on the table in front of him.

In response to Gwendolyn, he impatiently taps his hooves on the table and lets out a small stream of incoherent and slurred Latin babble.

Bright Eyes poured herself some more liquor and watched with amusement. She seemed not to be too intoxicated yet, but with her personality, it was hard to tell. "I'd dance with you, but I have two left feet! Of course, you both do too... Well, I've got a feeling that this'll be a fun afternoon."

[Benson]

"You...had better not be saying...anything in-in-inappropriate there, boy...." She wagged a talon at Lucky as she then put dizzy focus on Bright Eyes.

"And you....stay spunky..." She laid her head on the table.

[Lycan 01]

[Gettin' Drunk At The Bar]

Lucky shakes his head. "Naw, naw, I wasn't sayin' nothin' bad. It was all child friendly... I think..."

He blinks a few times, before his mouth twists into a crooked smirk. "Now, if-if I did want to say surmthin... something inappropriate... heh..."

The drunken pegasus stands up, sways slightly, and then leans forward against the table, using both his forehooves and his wings for support. He levels his eyes with Gwendolyn, grins smugly, and then begins to recite a long stream of rather eloquent and impressively pronounced Latin.

A random Steel Ranger Scribe in the corner blushes furiously, and hastily holds an old book up in front of his now-red face.

Once done, Lucky plops back down into his seat, folds his forehooves over his chest, and leans back in his chair. "Checkmaaaaaate..." he croons drunkenly.

He then turns to Bright Eyes and chuckles. "Technically, no, she ain't got two left feet. She gotz a left paw and a claw left. Ceft flaw. Band saw. Left claw. There we go," he deadpans.

[Tag: Purity & Benson]

[PurityIcekiller]

[Getting Inebriated]

Bright Eyes grinned at Gwendolyn. "Of course! Not like I'm going to get down because of a little drinking, right?"

She then turned back to Lucky. "You and your fancy linguistics. Feet are still feet whoever you meet, you know! Which reminds me of that time I found those ancient texts that turned out to be rather interesting poetry.

"Of course, Doctor Lucky, now I'd like to see you dancing or playing chess or something skilful just to see how you do."

[Tychris1]

Old Trappleoosa

Lamianos sighs, slowly aiming his weapons at Luka before saying "I'm sorry kid, I'm soon what's best for all of Equestria. You wouldn't understand. Our partners are dying so that Equestrias new age cannot be stopped, but do not worry. I will not have you killed.... Atleast as long as you don't try to say run off with a stealthbuck and a shotgun." he stomps a hoof and hollers, causing several armed slavers to come out "Speaking of which, here's the welcoming party. Bind and gag him down..... But don't even think of using him, he's MINE." Lamianos snarls before moving back towards the door "Now to kill everyone else off.... Wonder where Finder and that gal are...."

[TAG Luka, Lycan]

[Luka]

Old Trappleoosa

Lamianos sighs, slowly aiming his weapons at Luka before saying "I'm sorry kid, I'm soon what's best for all of Equestria. You wouldn't understand. Our partners are dying so that equestrias new age cannot be stopped, but do no worry. I will not have you killed.... Atleast as long as you don't try to say run off with a stealthbuck and a shotgun gun." he stomps a hoof and hollers, causing several armed slavers to come out "Speaking of which, here's the welcoming party. Bind and gag him down..... But don't even think of using him, he's MINE." Pamianos snarls before moving back towards the door "Now to kill everyone else off.... Wonder where Finder and that gal are...."

[TAG Luka, Lycan]

The colt's just shocked now, he steps back a bit (closer to the equipment on the floor). But when the slavers come in, he's just furious
"You....Sold us for "the greater good"?...You Bucking traitor-... :smallfurious:"
He's apparently frozen with rage and shock, he tries to see how many of the slavers are there and calculate his chances of doing something.

[Rebonack]

[Back On The Road: To Shattered Hoof]

"Hmmm, yes, that would be the smart thing to do. But I was just getting hoofed money to do what I was going to do anyway, at the start. Seemed kinda silly to complain."
Rusty gives a little shrug, an awkward motion that causes him to have to briefly stop walking, lest he fall due to his uneven hobbling.

"Oh well. I dug my grave. Silly to complain."
Gotta accept what you've done to yourself, at the very least, if you'll accept nothing else.
"As for why...you just said part of it. Why do all of those posters give you the feathery willies?"

Sivr pauses to consider that.

Okay.

Well.

She doesn't pause. She keeps walking. But she considers whilst walking. "I don't know. There's just this weird sense that she's... watching me, I guess? I know it sounds silly but..." a cough from the merc. "There used to be a big billboard of her outside Shatter Hoof. I could always see that damned thing staring in through my window when I was just a cub. I had the creeping suspicon that the giant pink pony was just waiting for me to mess up."

A shrug.

"I dunno. It's probably stupid but-"

"I know what you mean," Heimdalr pipes up. "Feels like she's watching. Glad they blew that ugly thing to splinters years ago."

The hippogriff glances over at Rusty. "Shattered Hoof used to be a prison years ago under the Ministry of Morale. There's all sorts of old pre-war stuff scattered around. Hard to escape that leering pink demon."

[Dark Elf Bard]

Eledwhen jumps about three feet in the air and rushes over to Shadow Stride.

Miss Stride! She starts to panic and grabs a bit of the older mare's cloak in her teeth, trying to rips some off. If successful, she'll try and wrap it around the wound as best she can, clotting the blood.

[Tychris1]

Old Appleoosa

Lamianos sighed as he turned around to look at Luka's rage. He trotted back over to the young colt and said wearily "I understand your anger, really I do. But this is all for your benefit. Look around you! This will be the stepping grounds for equestria's rebirth! I am truly sorry for what you have to go through to help the rebirth, but I will personally vow that you will not be harmed or kept against your will. Neither will Eledwhen, I would never think of that. This is merely a precautionary measure, to make sure you do not disturb this little bout we are having." Lamianos looks down and then back up, a smile underneath his helmet as he begins to say "The ponies outside? They have all made their choice in life. And that choice has been to not aid in this wonderful revolution, but to instead act as detriments. Look at them, Ebon flame is merely a bomb of anger ready to explode he even admitted it himself! Night Jewel, no better then a petty thief, stealing and taking what she wants and not aiding the growth of civilization. Finder is little better, a vulture that pecks away at the carcass of Celestia's once proud land. And poor Elestre, a by product of this necessary step in pony kind, really i'm just putting him out of his misery."

He continues, now with renewed vigor "But you and Eledwhen! You two have not been tarnished by this wasteland! You are still pure and able to see the true light that will save Equestria. Join me, help me in this endeavor, and together we can help better so many lives. A few generations may have to make sacrifices, but with everyone together we can truly fix what has been broken. If you comply, I shall take you in and give you purpose. If you reject, I will still let you free to be corrupted by the wasteland." he begins to circle around Luka now, his voice going into a kind of sing song

Celestia has smiled upon you this day
The fate of Equestria in your hooves!
And blessed be, the ponies we, who fight with all our bravery.
Till only the righteous moves.
I see the distant flames, they bellow in the night.
We must fight in all our names, for what I know is right.
And although this road is hard, and we may not carry on
Though I die, this revolution lives on!

He stops in front of the colt, looking him in the eyes before saying "Please take my words to heart, I mean them."

[Drowlord]

Old Appleoosa

Elestre gasped as his illusions vanished. "Okay, buck this, we're hight-hoofing outta here!"

The unicorn barely avoided a bullet that slammed into the ground beneath him. His horn glowed, then appeared to short out. The colt appeared to drag the heavily wounded stallion away, heading as quickly as was possible back towards New Appleoosa.

In reality, those were illusions, with the real two being invisible. Elestre quickly pulled a potion out of the saddlebag and gave it to Ebon. "I think we're safe for now, but just to make sure-" he whispered.

An invisible shield sprang into existence over the two, and with very focused magic, he slowly strengthened it until it could possibly hold up to some heavy beating. He spoke very softly. "Someone must have tipped them off. My beguiling did no good. I've got no melee spells, darn it! This is bad, very bad."

[Benson]

[Gettin' Drunk At The Bar]

Lucky shakes his head. "Naw, naw, I wasn't sayin' nothin' bad. It was all child friendly... I think..."

He blinks a few times, before his mouth twists into a crooked smirk. "Now, if-if I did want to say surmthin... something inappropriate... heh..."

The drunken pegasus stands up, sways slightly, and then leans forward against the table, using both his forehooves and his wings for support. He levels his eyes with Gwendolyn, grins smugly, and then begins to recite a long stream of rather eloquent and impressively pronounced Latin.

A random Steel Ranger Scribe in the corner blushes furiously, and hastily holds an old book up in front of his now-red face.

Once done, Lucky plops back down into his seat, folds his forehooves over his chest, and leans back in his chair. "Checkmaaaaaate..." he croons drunkenly.

"I...don't...know what you said....but I feel I should...pop...you in the face," The griffon raised a balled talon his way. slightly shaking it.


[Getting Inebriated]

Bright Eyes grinned at Gwendolyn. "Of course! Not like I'm going to get down because of a little drinking, right?"

She then turned back to Lucky. "You and your fancy linguistics. Feet are still feet whoever you meet, you know! Which reminds me of that time I found those ancient texts that turned out to be rather interesting poetry.

"Of course, Doctor Lucky, now I'd like to see you dancing or playing chess or something skilful just to see how you do."

Glub, glub glub @ the Tavern/Bar

"I don't...even.....know...what's up with the chess references...with that fool..." Glub, glub, glub.

[BladeofObliviom]

[Old Appleoosa]

Ebon somehow manages not to cry out in pain as the magical fluid runs down his throat, but an appearance of great relief washes over him as two bullets fall from the entry wounds even as they close up. The more severe wound to the shoulder doesn't quite heal, but the leg's at least usable again.

Then he notices the screaming and resists the urge to vomit. Those aren't the screams of slavers dying for their sins, but foals screaming for their parents and plenty of adults screaming for help, from anywhere.

"Oh, Celestia. No. No. No. This isn't happening."

Images dance through his mind: His father, skinned, with a ghastly scream permanently etched upon his face. His sister, screaming as one of the sociopaths mounted her again. His mother dumbfoundedly staring at her own entrails. Himself, walking tired away from a burning village.

"I... ...they're all dead. The slaves."

Is that... ...guilt?

"Whomever is responsible for this betrayal is going to burn alive."

Maybe then I'll be able to live with the guilt...

Shaking his head, the Unicorn regains his composure.

Can you get us into the city, where the snipers can't pick us off? Perhaps our allies yet live.

[Lycan 01]

[Carnage at Old Appaloosa]

-in the armory-

The four slavers stare. "Did he just sing?" one mutters.

"Yeah, whatever. Let's tie up the kid..."

The slavers begin to encroach on Luka, two of them telekinetically picking up some ropes. "Don't worry kid, boss says we can't hurt ya. Deal's a deal. Just play nice, listen to the Ranger, and don't cause a fuss. Now hold still..."



-Elestre and Ebon-

The sniper fire falters for a moment as Ebon's spell rains down. A moment later, though, it resumes, though with a few less shooters.

The illusionary Ebon and Elestre make a break for it, the ground kicking up around them as stray bullets fall around them. The loud report of a powerful sniper rifle booms, and a .308 round strikes the back of illusionary Elestre's head.

Good thing that wasn't really him...

Though now there are bullets and buckshot pellets striking the boulder and plinking off the shield Elestre is trying to put up. It seems some of the slavers were able to realize that an undying unicorn is probably an illusion...

The firestorm has stopped, but the screams and cries of the slaves can still be heard. They are now less fearful, and more agonized or sorrowful.



-Night Jewel-

Night Jewel plays dead. Probably not a smart choice.

Rusty Chains surveys the strewn out corpses. "Heh. Play it safe. Flay 'em."

"With pleasure," the unicorn purrs with an almost ear-to-ear smile and an insane twinkle in her eyes. Her horn glows, the knives hovering around her begin to spin and whirl. The swirling half-dozen blades fly over to the nearest body, and in the blink of an eye, flay the skin from it's body. The whirlwind of steel then moves on to the next body... and will soon be making its way towards Night Jewel.

Uh oh.



-Eledwhen and Shadow-

Eledwhen rips back the Legion officer's hood, revealing a midnight blue mare with an onyx black mane. Her eyes are closed, and there's a rather vicious gash stretch all the way across the right side of her face, bleeding profusely. The impact seems to have stunned her.

As bullets fly overhead, Eledwhen tries to bandage the mare's face. "Traitor... Steel Ranger... Traitor..." he murmers in her daze. "You... run... Get away... Save... self..."



-Finder-

Finder's beloved hat is cut into pieces by a burst of machine-gun fire. As he shoots and dives for cover, the shooting pauses for a moment.

It resumes a second later, only now the bullets are passing from cover to cover. It seems the gunners have lost track of Finder, and are now just sweeping the gun around in an attempt to keep him suppressed.

The scavenger catches some movement out of the corner of his eye. Several slavers are now piling out of the train depot, whooping and howling as they raise their weapons and look for prey. And one has a rocket launcher.

Wonderful.


((Luka is about to be tied up.
Lamianos is now a Disney villain.
Ebon is wounded and pinned down.
Elestre is also pinned down.
Night Jewel need to think fast or be skinned alive.
Shadow Stride is wounded and dazed.
Eledwhen is leveling up her First Aid Skill.
Finder is slightly pinned down.))

Tag: Everyone.


-----------------


[New Appaloosa drinking party]

Lucky grins cheekily. "I dunno... I can't remember what most of it means, actually. Just... how to say it..." he observes with a slight slur. "Some mares... take it as a compliment though..." He blinks. "Usually."

He then turns to Bright Eyes - almost falling out of his chair from the momentum of the movement - and frowns slighty. "Now listen, ain't I... already toldya I ain't... one them fancy doctor folks? An' naw, naw. You... you don't wanna see my dancin'..." he burbles.

[Tag: Purity & Benson]

[Drowlord]

Old Appleoosa

As soon as the first bullet strikes the illusionary Elestre, it slumps over, blood trickling from the wound.

Elestre swore quietly. He said, "We'll for the nearest entrance to the city. I'll hold the invisibility up over us as long as I can here, and when it breaks, I'll fight them to the death. I'm just a useless kid. You're our only hope. If it comes to that, just leave me."

He moved away fom the shield, but still maintained it, as if they were still desperately holding out under it. He half ran, half dragged the stallion towards the town center, drawing as little attention as possible.

[PurityIcekiller]

[The Trap]

Night Jewel quickly put her magic to work. One of Rusty's guns shifted and fired straight at the other unicorn's flank.

You should know that using firearms around mechanism-manipulators is a very bad idea.

She immediately darted for safety, eager to watch the results.

[Drinking Up]

"Come on, you silly colt! Dancing would be fun! Certainly more fun than just falling over from drinking too much, right?"

[BladeofObliviom]

Old Appleoosa - West

Ebon nods before going with Elestre. It's not necessary to drag him; He can at least trot.

Assuming that the pair makes it into the city, Ebon feels out for life signs, looking first for slavers and then for wounded or dying ponies that he might be able to drain life from.

[Tychris1]

Joining the Battle of Old Appleoosa

Lamianos smiles at the slavers as he finally starts leaving the armory, readying his systems and turning on his E.F.S. and S.A.T.S. Looking around he begins to assess threat priorities Let's see, Luka has had his wings theoretically clipped. No fireballs raining death and destruction, so Ebon and Elestre are probably out of the equation, which leaves Finder and Night Jewel. he begins to check his E.F.S. to find Finder and Night Jewel, ready to test out his new Grenade Launcher gun on live subjects.

The traitor goes on the prowl.

[Tag Lycan, MCerberus (If I find you), PIK (If I find you)]

[Benson]

Gwendolyn- What was in that whiskey??!

The griffon lady lazily drew a smile from her beak and tilted her head in a buzzed manner.

"I kinda...do...want to see you dancin'.....I...got a deals...I'll dance....if you dance....haha....." Derp. All coolness and dignity the griffon once had an air of, gone.

[Lycan 01]

[Booze, Glorious Booooooze]

Lucky stares at Gwendolyn for a moment, before grinning lopsidedly. "Oh, you're on..." he croons drunkenly.

The pegasus, who is quite buzzed, shakily clambers up on to the table. He extends a hoof for Gwendolyn to grab if she needs help, and turns to the third member of their little group. "Hey Bright Eyes, be a doll... get us some music goin'..." he mutters, staggering slightly and giving a few flaps of his wings to find and keep his balance. "Something... swingy..."

[Tag: Purity, Benson]

[MCerberus]

Old Trappleoosa

Funny thing about being in the insane focus spell is that you get the blessing of not hearing massive screams or anything like that. He just needs to back up and go back the way he came. Plus with one of the gunners presumably hit, they're going to have some issues reloading... or something.

Oh look, more fun. Finder begins eying the next chunk of cover moving back. After a sweep of bullets goes past where he is, the stallion takes a shot trying to hit the launcher itself and begins running. He doesn't see or notice Lamianos, but hey a grenade launcher isn't exactly the wisest choice against a unicorn.

[Benson]

[Booze, Glorious Booooooze]

Lucky stares at Gwendolyn for a moment, before grinning lopsidedly. "Oh, you're on..." he croons drunkenly.

The pegasus, who is quite buzzed, shakily clambers up on to the table. He extends a hoof for Gwendolyn to grab if she needs help, and turns to the third member of their little group. "Hey Bright Eyes, be a doll... get us some music goin'..." he mutters, staggering slightly and giving a few flaps of his wings to find and keep his balance. "Something... swingy..."

[Tag: Purity, Benson]

Gwendolyn takes his hoof, though with lack of proper control, digs her talons into his hoof a bit. A bit on the wibbly wobbly side herself as she stands on the table. "You...my friend...are the one..who will be on'd....ah.."

[PurityIcekiller]

Lucky stares at Gwendolyn for a moment, before grinning lopsidedly. "Oh, you're on..." he croons drunkenly.

The pegasus, who is quite buzzed, shakily clambers up on to the table. He extends a hoof for Gwendolyn to grab if she needs help, and turns to the third member of their little group. "Hey Bright Eyes, be a doll... get us some music goin'..." he mutters, staggering slightly and giving a few flaps of his wings to find and keep his balance. "Something... swingy..."

"What? Do you think I carry an instrument with me everywhere or something? ...Oh, right! I do! Never mind that, then!"

Bright Eyes retrieved a fiddle from her supply of miscellaneous items she was holding onto just in case they came in handy and started up a tune.

[Lycan 01]

[Drunk in New Appaloosa]

Lucky flinches slightly as Gwendolyn's talons dig into his hoof. Thankfully, the bandages around his hooves still has some magic in them, and quickly heal the scratches before they even start to bleed. "Yeowch. Hey now... I don't like it rough," he grumbles blearily, before grinning playfully. "Sorry to disappoint ya... like I did those last griffins..."

He then raises an eyebrow. "Wait, what... what's gettin' on me?" he asks warily. "Or who? Who... what? Thing..."

And Bright Eyes starts playing the violin. "Huh?" Lucky looks down at her. "I meant... turn on the radio... But, uh... That works too. I think..." he mumbles, swaying slightly as the alcohol starts to fully take effect.

[Tag: Purity & Benson]

[Benson]

Appleloosa Tavern

Gwendolyn stared at him in an intense drunken manner, beak slightly open. "I.....oughta....pop...you...in the mouth for that kind of language.....but...I won't...I must think of the younglings..." Regardless of Bright Eyes' age, Gwendolyn thought of her as a youngling still...rather..she thought of many folk as youngling, but still. Whatever, she don't have to make sense, she be derped, haha..

She began to move, sway her hips a bit to the sound of the fiddle.

[purity, yer up with Nails in the other thread]

[Luka]

Old Appleoosa

Lamianos sighed as he turned around to look at Luka's rage. He trotted back over to the young colt and said wearily "I understand your anger, really I do. But this is all for your benefit. Look around you! This will be the stepping grounds for equestria's rebirth! I am truly sorry for what you have to go through to help the rebirth, but I will personally vow that you will not be harmed or kept against your will. Neither will Eledwhen, I would never think of that. This is merely a precautionary measure, to make sure you do not disturb this little bout we are having." Lamianos looks down and then back up, a smile underneath his helmet as he begins to say "The ponies outside? They have all made their choice in life. And that choice has been to not aid in this wonderful revolution, but to instead act as detriments. Look at them, Ebon flame is merely a bomb of anger ready to explode he even admitted it himself! Night Jewel, no better then a petty thief, stealing and taking what she wants and not aiding the growth of civilization. Finder is little better, a vulture that pecks away at the carcass of Celestia's once proud land. And poor Elestre, a by product of this necessary step in pony kind, really i'm just putting him out of his misery."

He continues, now with renewed vigor "But you and Eledwhen! You two have not been tarnished by this wasteland! You are still pure and able to see the true light that will save Equestria. Join me, help me in this endeavor, and together we can help better so many lives. A few generations may have to make sacrifices, but with everyone together we can truly fix what has been broken. If you comply, I shall take you in and give you purpose. If you reject, I will still let you free to be corrupted by the wasteland." he begins to circle around Luka now, his voice going into a kind of sing song

Celestia has smiled upon you this day
The fate of Equestria in your hooves!
And blessed be, the ponies we, who fight with all our bravery.
Till only the righteous moves.
I see the distant flames, they bellow in the night.
We must fight in all our names, for what I know is right.
And although this road is hard, and we may not carry on
Though I die, this revolution lives on!

He stops in front of the colt, looking him in the eyes before saying "Please take my words to heart, I mean them."

"That... Is not.... the Equestria I want... Nor what most ponies want or deserve, and don't you DARE touch Elestre! :smallfurious:"
He would just remain still, still furious, but with enough reason to know that pulling out his pistol on him wouldn't achieve anything, even at point blank.


[Carnage at Old Appaloosa]

-in the armory-

The four slavers stare. "Did he just sing?" one mutters.

"Yeah, whatever. Let's tie up the kid..."

The slavers begin to encroach on Luka, two of them telekinetically picking up some ropes. "Don't worry kid, boss says we can't hurt ya. Deal's a deal. Just play nice, listen to the Ranger, and don't cause a fuss. Now hold still..."

He begins calculating: 4 of them, closed spaces, stealthbuck and shotgun but no ammo.... Crap

The screaming slaves would be heard from there, including the gunfire and the burning around... Lamianos made the slaves die, is anger increases. But still... closed space, 4 well armed slavers, not counting the tons of red dots on his E.F.S.'s compass, most likely going down if he tries shooting there....

He just lowers himself a bit while the slavers approach, clenches his eyes close, his teeth and a forehoof (if he even could), still extremely furious, but looking defeated....looking /=)

[Tychris1]

The Future of Equestria, Now!
Old Appleoosa

Lamianos continues his hunt, but swiftly gives up as he remembers one key element he forgot.

Eledwhen is sitting in a hole.

That's been shot at.

By snipers and several guns.

Suddenly an anvil drops in Lamianos' conscious as he begins to gallop towards Eledwhen where he last remembered Eledwhen being, hoping to bump into a maimed Shadow and not a maimed Eledwhen.

[Tag Lycan, Dark Elf Bard]

[Dark Elf Bard]

Hole

A bullet grazes Eledwhen's wing and she falls in pain. Nuh uh... c'mon, ouch...

[Lycan 01]

[Old Appaloosa]

-Luka-

Unless Luka chooses to resist, the slavers will tie him up. Two will leave to go join the fray, while a unicorn mare and an earth stallion will stay to keep an eye on him. "Tough luck about your friends, kid..." the unicorn shrugs.

"Yeah. Kinda weird you're the only one he wanted spared..." the other mutters.

"Well, the unicorns are tagged for 'dead or alive,' just like all the rest..." the mare gives another shrug. "But they'll probably go down fighting rather than give up."

"Pity..."



-Elestre and Ebon Flame-

The two unicorns manage to sneak closer to the warehouses on the western side of the city. Elestre's invisibility and shield keep them safe, though a few stray bullets cut it pretty close. The enemy fire has lessened dramatically. Only the occasional shotgun blast or SMG burst is hurled in their direction.

Ebon Flame reaches out with his magic. Fatigue and pain keep him from seeing beyond the nearest warehouse, but it is apparently filled with at least two dozen life forms. About ten of them are wounded or dying, though whether they're slaves or slavers, he can't tell.



-Night Jewel-

Rusty Chain's left shotgun begins to wiggle loose from its harness. He looks down at it, and realizes what's going on just as it twists towards his comrade. "Shield up!" he barks to the unicorn.

Her eyes go wide, and she abandons her grip on the knives, sending them spiraling off in random directions. She manages to throw up a shield, just in time to block most of the shotgun blast. The impact, though, still sends her staggering a few feet sideways.

Rusty Chains takes a few steps forward. "Oh, you little bitch. I'm going to-"

The armored brute suddenly freezes in his tracks. "What?" he asks quietly. "What do you mean- Yes, I know what he said! How... What?!" he barks at seemingly nopony.

"Wha's she sa'ing, 'oss?" the kevlar-clad stallion growls through the grip of his gun.

While Night Jewel conceals herself behind a nearby boulder and listens to Rusty Chains have an mental breakdown of some sort, she notices Lamianos. He's galloping full speed...... away from the battle. And nopony is shooting at him.

How odd.


-Finder-

The RPG-toting unicorn collapses to the ground, most of his brains decorating the wall behind him. Unfortunately, Finder's crack shot brought a lot of attention back to him.

The scavenger soon finds himself hunkered down behind a partially collapsed concrete well, with a wide variety of bullets and buckshot streaking overhead. The machine-gun nest and the slavers pouring out of the depot are all trying to keep him pinned down.

Oh hey, there's Lamianos, running straight towards Finder! Wait, why's he running away from all the slavers shooting? And... why aren't they shooting at him?


-Lamianos-

Oh hey, Finder is pinned down by a whole lot of gunfire. And Night Jewel is probably tangoing with Rusty Chains and his top soldiers. Lamianos notices these things... but does he even care?

Good question.

Eledwhen should be a few ditches up ahead, though that pesky Legioneighrie may put up a bit of a fuss if she's still alive.




-Shadow and Eledwhen-

Shadow rolls over in the ditch, and looks over towards Eledwhen. She's wincing in pain, and her eyes keep going in and out of focus. She likely has a concussion of some severity. "Eledwhen... La... Lamianos is a traitor. Don't let... don't let them find you!"

A blue aura of light flickers around Shadow's horn. Eledwhen feels a strange tingle over most of her body - and then she turns invisible. Having used up every remaining ounce of her power and strength, Shadow's horn flickers and loses its glow. The mare slumps against the wall of the ditch, her eyes glazing over. "Run... Get... Get away..." she murmurs. "Don't... let them..."

((Luka is tied up in the armory.
Elestre and Ebon Flame are concealed near the western warehouses.
Lamianos has a moral dilemma to deal with.
Night Jewel has a possible opportunity to escape.
Finder is pinned down, as usual.
Shadow Stride is barely conscious.
Eledwhen is wounded and invisible.))

[Tag: Everyone]

[Dark Elf Bard]

Eledwhen is heard sobbing, Lamianos might find him. No! No, I can't leave you!

[Tychris1]

The answer to all questions: Rage

Lamianos decides he doesn't give a flying buck what happens to the other two, it's Eledwhen he's worried about. He begins to continue galloping, finally finding the ditch where Eledwhen and Shadow are. Looking down he only sees an unconscious Shadow.

And no Eledwhen.

"This little bitch must have convinced her to run off before I can explain anything....." Lamianos begins a few slow steps towards Shadow, grinning sadistically "And it's all. Your. Fault." he rears his front hooves up and slams them down in an attempt to splatter the Legionneighres brains all over the place. Of course, if he spent more time listening and less time being pissed he could probably hear Eledwhen's whispers, but gunfire and rage call to his mind and he has more pressing things to do.

Like get pissed.

Pulling away from the hole in the ground he turns back to where he remembered Finder and Night Jewel being before hollering"ALRIGHT! IT'S TIME TO DIE!". His eyes gain a mad glint to them as he instinctively pumps Buck into his system, revving his Minigun up and preparing himself to fire at Finder the moment he spots the pinned bastard.

[Luka]

[Old Appaloosa]

-Luka-

Unless Luka chooses to resist, the slavers will tie him up. Two will leave to go join the fray, while a unicorn mare and an earth stallion will stay to keep an eye on him. "Tough luck about your friends, kid..." the unicorn shrugs.

"Yeah. Kinda weird you're the only one he wanted spared..." the other mutters.

"Well, the unicorns are tagged for 'dead or alive,' just like all the rest..." the mare gives another shrug. "But they'll probably go down fighting rather than give up."

"Pity..."

In a warehouse, even more pissed than Lamia, but different

He would try to step back to resist, just that it wouldn't be enough, because resisting for it to be enough would get 4 foes on him, and he's underpowered at the moment.

What they say shocks him: His friends were also in danger! and he put them in it by making the whole group go there instead of just him! how didn't he remember that??

Of course, the first parts sinks his heart with guilt, including how the slaves were getting anhilatted because he trusted Lamia, but he's able to gather enough will to try to escape, he wouldn't leave his friends to die like that.

He takes a deep breath to extend the ropes, disguised as a sigh. Also tries to move his legs inside them, now there were just 2, it shouldn't be as hard as before.... Depending on where they put his pistol.

[BladeofObliviom]

Old Appleoosa - Warehouse

Ebon Flame, still wounded, continues reaching out before focusing on the ten that seem to be dying. It doesn't matter to him whether they're slavers or slaves: The Slavers deserve death for what they have done, and the slaves at least deserve an end to the suffering that he has put them through; He owes them that much.

Touching each mind in turn, Ebon uses one of the darkest, most forbidden spells in his repertoire: Enervation. Each one of those ponies may well feel the cold hand of death silently and painlessly snuffing them out, before channeling what remains of their vitality to himself and Elestre.

Meanwhile, assuming nothing too unexpected happens, Ebon's wound closes more completely and his magical reserves begin to refill, while Elestre experiences much the same effect. In fact, the other unicorn probably feels better than he has in some time.

Afterward, Ebon silently directs Elestre toward the armory on the most stealthy path he can find.

"With luck, Luka lives and that bastard isn't paying attention to what's behind him..."

[Tag: Lycan01, Elestre]

[PurityIcekiller]

Rusty Chain's left shotgun begins to wiggle loose from its harness. He looks down at it, and realizes what's going on just as it twists towards his comrade. "Shield up!" he barks to the unicorn.

Her eyes go wide, and she abandons her grip on the knives, sending them spiraling off in random directions. She manages to throw up a shield, just in time to block most of the shotgun blast. The impact, though, still sends her staggering a few feet sideways.

Rusty Chains takes a few steps forward. "Oh, you little bitch. I'm going to-"

The armored brute suddenly freezes in his tracks. "What?" he asks quietly. "What do you mean- Yes, I know what he said! How... What?!" he barks at seemingly nopony.

"Wha's she sa'ing, 'oss?" the kevlar-clad stallion growls through the grip of his gun.

While Night Jewel conceals herself behind a nearby boulder and listens to Rusty Chains have an mental breakdown of some sort, she notices Lamianos. He's galloping full speed...... away from the battle. And nopony is shooting at him.

How odd.

The purple unicorn was amused, but checked herself from laughing. Huh. I knew these guys were crazy, but I didn't realize how much.

Carefully, Night Jewel crafted an illusory double, then sent it running off in one direction. However, the real her slunk off in a different direction to find out what Lamianos was up to.

Not like him to run away from combat, but I suppose he has some sense... Then again, he did "scout" with surprising ease for one so clumsy, and the information wasn't as accurate as it could have been. It doesn't take a genius to realize that he's no good.

She decided to leave that alone for now, however. The less he knew she knew, the better. For now, she was just going to catch up with him.

[MCerberus]

Old Trappleoosa

Finder's still sort of unaware of the treachery, or where the traitor is at the moment. He's got some pretty short-term concerns. Like, when does that thing need to reload, and did he put enough distance to not be in 'instant murder' zone. Well with no other option, the latter question is hopefully 'yes'.

At any lull in the fire, Finder pops a couple suppressing shots at the tower and keeps moving backwards, away from the town.

[Drowlord]

Old Appleoosa

Elestre gives Ebon an odd look before following to the armory. As they go, he whispers, "Got any assault splls you can teach me? I have a good knife, but if anybody I attack can resist one knife blow, I'm done for."

[BladeofObliviom]

Old Appleoosa

Ebon looks back at Elestre and whispers to him:

"Nothing I could teach without drawing attention. If you're strapped for options in a fight, try using your knife telekinetically."

He's still focusing on the Armory right now, trying to estimate how reasonably the pair could navigate across the railroad without being discovered...

[Dark Elf Bard]

Old Appleloosa

Eledwhen shrieks rather loudly. As Shadow Stride is killed, presumably her magic goes with her and Eledwhen is visible again, bleeding wing and all.

Lamia! Why did- what's going on?!?!

[Lycan 01]

[Old Appaloosa]

-Luka-

The slavers took Luka's pistol and saddle-bags, and set them on a nearby table.

"You hear all that screaming?" the unicorn frowns.

"Yeah, sounds like they're killin' the slaves," the earth stallion scowls.

The unicorn looks down at Luka and raises an eyebrow. "I thought you folks were supposed to be 'the good guys' or something." She seems genuinely confused.



-Elestre and Ebon Flame-

Hunkered down behind the corner of a warehouse, the two unicorns can see a clear path to the armory, across the tracks. The fact that the path is clear is the problem - they'd be completely exposed to everything.

Elestre suddenly hears Eledwhen screaming in the distance.




-Night Jewel-

As Night Jewel's illusion makes a run for it, the kevlar-clad stallion raises his gun. Rusty Chains steps in front of him, though. "Let her go," he growls. "New orders."

Night Jewel begins to make her way back towards the outskirts. Off to the east side of town, she can see Finder pinned down by heavy gunfire. And suddenly in the distance, Eledwhen begins to scream... from where Lamianos ran.



-Finder-

Finder manages to crack off a few shots, and slink back to the next piece of cover. A few bullets cut it awfully close, though.

And then he hears Eledwhen screaming, from where Lamianos ran off to.



-Lamianos, Eledwhen, the late Shadow Stride-

As Lamianos raises his hooves, Shadow Stride smirks. "Ave Celestia," she whispers, before the life is crushed from her.

Sure enough, Eledwhen is splattered with the blood and brains of the unicorn who tried to protect her, and the magic spell around her falters and fades.

Well. Lamianos is gonna have a helluva time explaining this one away...



((Luka is tied up.
Elestre and Ebon are concealed.
Night Jewel is falling back.
Finder is still pinned.
Lamianos is a bastard.
Shadow Stride is dead.
Eledwhen is visible, wounded, and probably traumatized.))

[Tag: Everyone.]

[Drowlord]

Old Appleoosa

Elestre barely restrains himself from swearing, then turns to Ebon. "You go look to see if you can save any of our team in the city. I'll see what's wrong with Eledwhen."

He waits for three seconds for Ebon to disagree, and if he didn't, he invisibly sprints towards the scream's source.

[BladeofObliviom]

Old Appleoosa

Ebon might have protested under different circumstances, but he knew that tone. Consequences be damned, he wasn't about to deny a stallion the opportunity to rescue his kin from a horrible fate.

"May our paths cross once more, friend."

As Elestre presumably runs off, Ebon replaces the shield spell that shattered when he was previously hit by snipers, and sprints off toward the armory.

Hopefully that invisibility spell doesn't wear off early.

[MCerberus]

Old Trappleoosa

Taking the opportunity of not being in the open, Finder starts reloading the four shots he let off earlier, having dropped his spell to save on juice. Not knowing what's going on with the now-traitor and the little filly, the scavver motions Night Jewel towards the turret whose operator hates him.

It's like he shot at his friend or something.
"Do something about those mules, then we can talk to the Ranger... Find out what the flying feather went wrong."

[Drowlord]

Old Appleoosa

The colt, his horn under invisibility fizzing with grey energy and effort, raced towards the place where he had heard the scream. As he came close to the Stel Ranger and his sister, he almost gasped. Turning invisibly to his sister, she saw four words in glowing grey in front of her eyes.

What happened? It's Elestre.

[PurityIcekiller]

[We've Got To Get Out Of This Trap Before This... Decadence Saps Our Wills]

Oh, crud. If that monster's doing anything to harm her, he'll be even more screwed when I'm through with him.

Night Jewel carefully took out a concealed dagger, dipped it into some of the narcotics she bought earlier, then put it away and headed towards Eledwhen. She knew it was better to be prepared to need somepony unconscious.


Lucky flinches slightly as Gwendolyn's talons dig into his hoof. Thankfully, the bandages around his hooves still has some magic in them, and quickly heal the scratches before they even start to bleed. "Yeowch. Hey now... I don't like it rough," he grumbles blearily, before grinning playfully. "Sorry to disappoint ya... like I did those last griffins..."

He then raises an eyebrow. "Wait, what... what's gettin' on me?" he asks warily. "Or who? Who... what? Thing..."

And Bright Eyes starts playing the violin. "Huh?" Lucky looks down at her. "I meant... turn on the radio... But, uh... That works too. I think..." he mumbles, swaying slightly as the alcohol starts to fully take effect.

"Why? Haven't you got confidence in my musical skills?" Bright Eyes winked. "Now get lively!"


Gwendolyn stared at him in an intense drunken manner, beak slightly open. "I.....oughta....pop...you...in the mouth for that kind of language.....but...I won't...I must think of the younglings..." Regardless of Bright Eyes' age, Gwendolyn thought of her as a youngling still...rather..she thought of many folk as youngling, but still. Whatever, she don't have to make sense, she be derped, haha..

She began to move, sway her hips a bit to the sound of the fiddle.

"I don't reckon there's ponies that are too young in here. Oh well, best to be safe, right?"

[Lycan 01]

[New Appaloosa drunken revelry]

Lucky grins crookedly, and sways drunkenly. "My 'pologies. Though, there ain't no... young'uns around." He idly gestures a hoof at Bright Eyes, and nearly loses his balance. "She... got right irked with me... fer treatin' her like a young'un earlier... re-remember?"

The pegasus watches Gwendolyn sway her hips for a moment, a curious look in his bleary eyes. "And you... said you couldn't dance," he smirks. He then extends his right hoof, and tips his hat with his left, flaring his wings open to maintain his balance. "May... I have this dance... m'lady?" he asks with a mix of drunkenness and politeness.


[Tag: Purity & Benson]

[Benson]

"I don't reckon there's ponies that are too young in here. Oh well, best to be safe, right?"

"Uh....right....yesh.."


[New Appaloosa drunken revelry]

Lucky grins crookedly, and sways drunkenly. "My 'pologies. Though, there ain't no... young'uns around." He idly gestures a hoof at Bright Eyes, and nearly loses his balance. "She... got right irked with me... fer treatin' her like a young'un earlier... re-remember?"

The pegasus watches Gwendolyn sway her hips for a moment, a curious look in his bleary eyes. "And you... said you couldn't dance," he smirks. He then extends his right hoof, and tips his hat with his left, flaring his wings open to maintain his balance. "May... I have this dance... m'lady?" he asks with a mix of drunkenness and politeness.


"Whatsh?....you mean..we weren't....danshing?...." She tilts her head and grasps his hoof with her talons, grippy grippy and begins to move with drunkern fervor.

[Lycan 01]

[Slow Dancing On a Table in New Appaloosa]

Lucky takes Gwendolyn's talons, and yanks her in close so that they're almost pressed against each other. They wobble, but maintain their balance. The stallion stares into the griffin's eyes, and smirks charmingly. "Yes... But dancing is always better with a partner," he croons in a drunk-yet-kinda-suave manner. "Now, let us-"

And then the table breaks.

Bright Eyes better move fast unless she wants a drunk pony and a drunk griffin on top of her.


[Tag: Purity]

[Luka]

[Old Appaloosa]

The slavers took Luka's pistol and saddle-bags, and set them on a nearby table.

"You hear all that screaming?" the unicorn frowns.

"Yeah, sounds like they're killin' the slaves," the earth stallion scowls.

The unicorn looks down at Luka and raises an eyebrow. "I thought you folks were supposed to be 'the good guys' or something." She seems genuinely confused.

The stable colt is now even more shocked, Lamia made the group actually attack the slaves!???

It would now just fill him with guilt, and tons of fury, righteouss fury, now Lamianos' chances of looking "good" to him were virtually gone, and his desire of making him pay were risen so much, that if it manifested physically it could possibly push the moon away.

"You....Monster...! :smallfurious:" he mutters, crap the guns are pretty far away, but he would be in, rage-like effects already; if he could escape he wasn't going to just run off without making the slavers regret it.

[Tychris1]

Crap to explain
Old Appleoosa

Lamianos looks back down at Eldwhen, rather shocked, confusedly stumbling on his words as he tried to grasp at the right words "Listen, I... She did.... I mean.... erm.. umm... Ahhh... damnit, just shut up, SHUT UP. Ok, i'll be right back, just hide away for me to get you, i'll explain everything to you in time..." he kneels down to Eledwhen, emotion boiling up in his voice "Just... just trust me okay?" he sighs, turns back towards the town and begins to trot back to where he remembered seeing Night Jewel/Finder/The evil misfit squad and prepares himself for the fight of his life. His trot picks up pace until it reaches a full gallop, missile pod sliding out of it's docks with guns a blazing, and even more combat drugs pumping into his Chimera form (Dash and Stampede join in on the fun with Buck).

[TAG Lycan, Dark Elf Bard, Drowlord, Mcerberus, PIK]

[Dark Elf Bard]

Old Appleloosa- Traumatized Foal

Eledwhen flinches when Lamianos yells for her to shut up. Okay...

Elestre, helphelphelp, Lamianos killed Miss Stride's head, I don't want him to kill me, help... The foal squeezes her eyes shut and curls up into a little ball.

[Lycan 01]

[Old Appaloosa]

-Luka-

The slavers look down at Luka. "Of course, a lot of those slaves ain't exactly saints, either..." the unicorn muses.

"A good number of 'em are slavers, actually. Karma can be a bitch..." the stallion grins.

"Everything's not always black and white, kid..." the mare muses with a sigh.



-Ebon Flame-

~Gallop gallop gallop, gallop for your life!~

As Ebon races across No Pony's Land, his hoofsteps kick up dirt, vaguely revealing his position. The heavy machine gun, as well as several rifles and shotguns, begin to hurl a storm of lead in his general direction, as the slavers take notice of the dust trail. The ground around him is violently chewed up, and he can hear the whine of bullets and buckshot as they pass within inches of him. He's going to be cutting it awfully close...



-Night Jewel and Finder-

Oh hey there's a whole lot less lead being thrown at Finder all of a sudden. Wonder why?

With only a few guns cracking shots at his cover, the scavenger should have a much easier time fleeing now.

Both Finder and Night Jewel both notice Lamianos jumping up out of the ditch near the edge of town, drenched in blood and brain matter. He's also priming his weapons and arming them. Eledwhen has fallen silent.

Well that's ominous...



-Lamianos-

Finder is still pinned down. No sign of Night Jewel. No sign of Elestre or Ebon Flame either. Snipers must have got 'em...

Though, with all those drugs pulsing through his system, Lamianos' perception and intelligence are probably shot to hell. He's likely naught more than a lumbering beast at this point...



-Elestre and Eledwhen-

Lamianos trundles off, likely to kill the rest of the team. Eledwhen and Elestre find themselves alone in the trench, with only Shadow Stride's decapitated body to keep them company.

Oh hey, what's that shining in the dirt? Looks like a necklace. Must have fallen off when she kinda lost her neck....



((Luka is still tied up.
Ebon is being shot at. A lot.
Finder is only slightly pinned down.
Night Jewel is concealed.
Elestre is invisible.
Eledwhen is terrified.
Lamianos is now a drug-addled bastard.))

[Tag: Everyone]

[Luka]

[Old Appaloosa]

-Luka-

The slavers look down at Luka. "Of course, a lot of those slaves ain't exactly saints, either..." the unicorn muses.

"A good number of 'em are slavers, actually. Karma can be a bitch..." the stallion grins.

"Everything's not always black and white, kid..." the mare muses with a sigh.

He just snorts
"And it's supposed to chastise the dark part..." He murmurs, showing that he really, REALLY didn't believe in "not always black and white", it's not? then add more white or a lighter shade of gray :smalltongue:.

TL;DR: 2Idealistic2believe that :smallbiggrin:

[Tychris1]

Fuel for the Fire
Old Appleoosa

Lamainos, his lumbering drug fueled body, pulsing with rage, begins to foam from the mouth at the sight of Finder. His weapons already primed and Finder infront of him he roars and stomps his hoof into the dirt, dirt flying up as he fires his minigun into the sky with 2 rockets in tow, rearing up on his forehooves he screams a clearly anger fueled and painful scream "YOU WISH TO DIE? GO BACK, BACK TO THE BEGINNING! LEAVE MY REALM!" although it seems he's used up most of his brain cells in that sentence as he soon slams his hooves down again (sending up some more dirt) and begins snarling like a rabid beast.

[TAG Lycan, Mcerberus, PIK, basically the whole Old Appleoosa gang except Luka]

[Dark Elf Bard]

Eledwhen peeps her head out of the hole, views Lamianos, and begins to cry silently as her wing bleeds.

[Drowlord]

Old Appleoosa

Elestre ran incredibly fast towards the drug-maddened beast, leaped high with all his muscles, and slashed downwards with vicious energy, rage, and anger at Lamnios, roaring, "YOU. DON'T. DO. THAT. TO. HER!". It may hurt the others, but it violates his base principles, shocked his only relative in the world, killed all the slaves in the town and a possible friend, and now endangered all of his group. He'd not let the traitor live. He wasn't joking around; he aimed straight for the heart under that armor.

[PurityIcekiller]

[Old Appaloosa]

Night Jewel pondered the situation. Well, there goes any hope of pretending I don't think he's a complete monster.

She considered various things she could do to Lamianos, but decided against them. She'd only get one shot with a drugged knife, and he had too many weapons to sabotage quickly. For now, it would be best to simply stay out of sight, but in more open terrain, it was harder...

Hold on. What he's doing is raising a significant amount of dust!

She used an illusion spell to make the dust clouds look thicker and hard to see through, then used them for cover as she crept toward the wounded foal.

[New Appaloosa, Bar]

With sharp reflexes, Bright Eyes rolled backwards away from the collapsing table. This resulted in her crashing into another table, but at least she didn't get crushed.

"Whoa! You two are a little enthusiastic! You make a funny-looking couple, that's for sure."

[BladeofObliviom]

Old Appleoosa - Railroad Tracks Sprint

Well, this isn't exactly good. Ebon quickly weighs his options after experiencing a few grazes against his shield, thankfully turned aside before they did harm.

First, he is invisible, and tracking by hoofstep is by no means easy when your bullets are throwing plenty of dust in the air themselves. Secondly, he is moving, and moving targets are more or less invariably harder to hit. Third, he is at a fair distance, meaning that much more precision is required to hit and more leading is necessary. Finally, the shield enveloping him, while certainly not strong enough to simply withstand a mass of bullets being hurled at him for any significant length of time, could at least stop any inaccurate, stray bullets from biting him in the flank.

The downside was that the slavers likely have a lot more bullets than he has magic to support his shield with.

Thinking quickly, Ebon emits a telekinetic pulse, too weak to move anything substantial, but widespread enough to throw much of the nearby dust into a cloud about four feet into the air. He then started moving more erratically, eschewing his previous straight line for slightly more erratic maneuvering, preventing him from being easily tracked by looking at the movements in the dust.

With any luck, he'll make it to the armory without being perforated.

[Benson]

[[New Appaloosa, Bar]

With sharp reflexes, Bright Eyes rolled backwards away from the collapsing table. This resulted in her crashing into another table, but at least she didn't get crushed.

"Whoa! You two are a little enthusiastic! You make a funny-looking couple, that's for sure."


"oOmppph.....gaahk....bhwak...." Gwendolyn let out an embarrassing squawk as she fell backwards hitting the back of her head. Lucky would fall right on top smacking his face/head against her chest plate.


"Hey! You guys are paying for that!" Shouted a concerned citizen with some scruff.

[Tychris1]

Going Super Drug Saiyan
Old Appleoosa

Lamianos looks at the dust thickening around him and thinks Damn tricksters before turning towards Elestre's screaming form, his drug fueled mind acting on impulse as Dash makes him pick out the unicorn before the dust dilutes his image a bit. Screaming bloody curses and profanities back at Elestre he lunges forward and does the one thing his impulses command him to do.

Attack

And so he does, propelling his armored helm straight at the scarred unicorn, his minigun firing in the process as he does his charge, and despite the violent sensations coursing through his body he retains enough common sense to not fire explosives at a target right in front of him.

[TAG Lycan, Drowlord]

[Lycan 01]

[New Appaloosa]

Lucky smacks his face into Gwendolyn's breastplate. Quite forcefully. "Ow, my face!" he yelps, before exasperatedly adding: "Again..."

The stallion is left sprawled out on top of the mercenary, rather dazed by the impact. His eyes are spinning in circles, and his head is resting on the center of the griffin's armored chest.

[tag: Purity & Benson]

[MCerberus]

Old Trappleoosa

Well, when some drug-fueled chem fiend starts screaming and fighting everyone on their own volition, you naturally assume the sober ones are in the right. Finder takes aim directly at the Ranger's minigun itself, popping 6 bullets into it hoping to hit a mechanism.

[PurityIcekiller]

"oOmppph.....gaahk....bhwak...." Gwendolyn let out an embarrassing squawk as she fell backwards hitting the back of her head. Lucky would fall right on top smacking his face/head against her chest plate.

"Hey! You guys are paying for that!" Shouted a concerned citizen with some scruff.

"Well, looks like there's something for me to pay for after all!" Bright Eyes laughed and took out her money pouch. "Make sure you get one with better reinforcement!"


Lucky smacks his face into Gwendolyn's breastplate. Quite forcefully. "Ow, my face!" he yelps, before exasperatedly adding: "Again..."

The stallion is left sprawled out on top of the mercenary, rather dazed by the impact. His eyes are spinning in circles, and his head is resting on the center of the griffin's armored chest.

"Golly, that's got to hurt!" The earth pony skipped over to help Lucky and Gwendolyn up. "At this rate, I'll be surprised if you've got anything left in that skull of yours by the time we're done here."

[Benson]

Tavern Hijinks

The patron was rather surprised that someone didn't go and give him grief about his comment. Usually adventurers out here in the waste were full attitude and lip. So this wasn't a pleasant surprise. "Uh..bluh...cool.." He lamely pointed that she should go give the caps to the tavern owner who was kinda just shaking her head with a sigh.

Gwendolyn uttered a thank as she clutched the back of her head with a claw.
"Bhuh...my head....ow....that was lame dancing Mister Lucky.."

[Lycan 01]

((Old Appaloosa post is currently being decided upon. It may take awhile.))



[New Appaloosa Tavern Party Woo!]

Lucky looks up at Gwendolyn blearily. "Hey. Not my fault the table broke. I coulda... swept you off yer feet. Paws. Whatever..." he murmurs. He rolls off of the griffin, and accepts a hoof from Bright Eyes. "Thank you..." he tells the young mare as she helps him to his feet. Staggering slightly, he turns around and extends a hoof to help Gwendolyn up. "I think... we were off to a good... good start, though. Want to try... again? Bar seems... seems like it'd be more stable," he muses blearily.


[Tag: Purity & Benson]

[Benson]

[New Appaloosa Tavern Party Woo!]




"Feh...you couldn't....you couldn't sweep yourself off your own hooves Mister...Lucky," she blah'd reaching for his hoof. She got up and grasped his fore leg and shoulder hard to keep balance for a sec.

"You know...I don't think we need to..dance on a bar...the floor...is much closer......blergh."

[Lycan 01]

[New Appaloosa]

Lucky staggers and sags slightly as Gwendolyn leans her weight on him, but he manages to stay standing. "Bah. I can... totally... sweep you off yer..... uh.... paws," he murmurs, reaching up with his free hoof to adjust his crooked hat. "You wanna... do a swing... swingin' fast dance... or... a close, slow dance?" he asks, his unfocused eyes apparently looking through Gwendolyn. "Actually... Bright Eyes... can pick."

He turns to Bright Eyes. "Play us a... tune of yer choice... darlin'."


[Tag: Purity]

[Dark Elf Bard]

Eledwhen eeps a high squeak. Lamia! Lamia, no, he's my brother, stopstopSTOOOOPPP!!! She covers her head and burrows down slightly.

[Lycan 01]

[Old Appaloosa]

Luka is still tied up. Poor guy.


Night Jewel is still concealed.


Finder's bullets plink off the armor housing of the chaingun's firing mechanism. A .357 is powerful, but not powerful enough to penetrate the strongest parts of the power armor.


Eledwhen, Night Jewel, and Finder all witness the following scene unfold.


Elestre leaps through the air, intent on stabbing Lamianos with a knife. Why he thought that was a good idea, no one knows. Lamianos turns towards the source of his screaming, chaingun blazing. Due to the dust storm and the fact that Elestre is invisible, though, his aim is not perfect. However, a few rounds do rip into the unicorn mid-leap. A few organs are struck, likely including a lung. Eledwhen is likely splattered with her cousins warm blood. Ew.

And then something bizarre happens. A loud metallic groan is heard; black energy wraps around Lamianos' chaingun, freezing it in place. Elestre's broken and bloody form slams into the power armored brute, bounces off, and rolls a few feet away. The energy is still flickering around the weapon, keeping it from firing.


Meanwhile, across the battlefield...

Ebon gallops as fast as he can. He manages to avoid the hail of gunfire being hurled at him. As he nears the armory, though, the gunfire suddenly ceases. Completely.

And then Ebon is likely stunned and staggered by the loud resound voice that suddenly booms within the confines of his mind.

Inside Ebon's head:

WE HAVE SEEN THE POWERS YOU WIELD.

DARK MAGICS, FORBIDDEN POWERS OF THE STARS.

WE HAVE USE OF YOU. NEED OF YOU.

SURRENDER YOURSELF, AND WE WILL SAVE YOUR FRIENDS.

THEIR LIVES ARE IN YOUR HOOVES. WILL YOU ADD MORE BLOOD TO YOUR CONSCIENCE?

OR WILL YOU SEEK ATONEMENT?

OFFER YOURSELF TO THOSE WITHIN THE ARMORY AND YOUR FRIENDS WILL GO FREE.

YOU HAVE OUR WORD.



((Luka is probably bored.
Lamianos is having technical difficulties.
Elestre is barely clinging to life.
Eledwhen is further traumatized.
Night Jewel is concealed.
Finder needs to find a better target.
Ebon has a hard choice to make.))

[Tag: Everyone]

[Dark Elf Bard]

Eledwhen shrieks, only partially because of the blood.

ELESTRE!

She runs over to him, limping. Elestre get up, get up, you're my brotherdon'tdie She'll take Shadow Stride's hood and try to clot his blood, not sure what to do to save her brother.

[MCerberus]

Old Trappleoosa

Seeing Lamianos crossing the line requiring him to be put down, Finder puts a couple of bullets back into his gun. He needs to get closer to the allies in danger, oh and away from those stupid slavers still taking an occasional pot-shot. The scavver runs towards the temporarily-jammed Ranger, but decides it's more appropriate to go get an injured foal out of the way.


"Got to get him out of the way, kid," he explains to Eledwhen.
He gently tries to telekentically drag Elestre a bit out of the way. "Got clean bandages, just try not to draw attention to him."

[PurityIcekiller]

[Old Appaloosa]

Ugh. Night Jewel shook her head as Elestre fell. That was clumsy of him. Well, at least there's someone else with the right idea.

Just to be sure, she concentrated her magic on locking the firing mechanism of Lamianos's gun. If whoever was making that energy stopped, it wouldn't do to leave his work unfinished.

As soon as she was finished, she noticed Eledwhen. Oh, great. Stop getting into plain sight. You'll get yourself killed doing that!

[Drowlord]

Old Appleoosa

Elestre gives a bloody cough as the bullets pierce him. His lung was indeed pierced, along with a few ribs and a leg.

"Yes! He got distracted! Time enough to do..."

His horn blazes with grey energy, and Lamnios' eyes are blocked by illusionary darkness. Unless he counters with magic, he cannot see.

"... that. Nobody else died, mission ac'mplshd. T'rd now..."

His eyes flicker and close.

[Luka]

[Old Appaloosa]

Luka is still tied up. Poor guy.

((Luka is probably bored.))

[Tag: Everyone]

Yes, he is bored, plus guilt, rage and annoyance: guilt for getting his friends into the trap, rage towards Lamia for his betrayal and attempt of taking down the group, annoyance for not being able to fight and protect his friends and boredom for the same reason.

Though, even if he didn't offer much resistance at being tied up, nothing said he gave up, the sees his stuff on the table and was about to try getting towards it, with his foreleg still mid way to getting free, he tries to find a way there... And ends up falling down on his flank :smallbiggrin:

He would find trying to roll pretty hard in the state and shape he was in already and only manage to roll a bit then recoil back, so the slavers wouldn't have to worry that much.

[BladeofObliviom]

[Old Appleoosa - The Stars?]

Just as Ebon notices that the sound of gunfire has ceased, he tumbles over his own hooves as an a voice violently erupts within his mind.

It was almost such an easy choice; Luka, Elestre, Night Jewel, Finder, Eledwhen, and even the very morally questionable Shadow Stride deserve to live more than Ebon does at this moment. It would have been so easy to give in, to offer himself up so that his... ...no, friends was the wrong word. As much as he respected these people, he had done nothing to deserve their friendship. That was a right that he would have to earn. Himself.

Managing to stand, he thinks right back, practically growling.

"You are right; Their lives are in my hooves. So why should I let YOUR hooves guide me instead? I don't even know that you aren't one of the slavers trying to get in my head. The last time I blindly trusted someone, countless slaves paid the price. I will not make the same mistake again."

Assuming the voice has nothing more to say, Ebon attempts to burst into the armory and quickly disable anyone who isn't a blue pegasus with firebolts.

[PurityIcekiller]

[The Tavern]

"Looks like you both got swept off your feet, actually!" Bright Eyes laughed and finished paying for the table.

"Now, something too energetic might have you both falling over again, but then again, it'd be more fun that way. Decisions, decisions. Well, unless we've got a harpsichord in here to provide backup sounds, I guess I'll go with this one."

With that, she began a slow, steady piece that would gradually grow more and more energetic.

[Lycan 01]

[Inter-Cranial Chat in Old Appaloosa]

Ebon:

WE ARE KEEPING THE TRAITOR'S WEAPONS FROM FIRING.

WE CAN UNLEASH HIM.

OR WE CAN SAVE YOUR FRIENDS.

GIVE YOURSELF TO US. SURRENDER. AND THEY WILL GO FREE. UNHARMED.

CHOOSE.



[Tag: Ebon]

[Benson]

[The Tavern]

"Looks like you both got swept off your feet, actually!" Bright Eyes laughed and finished paying for the table.

"Now, something too energetic might have you both falling over again, but then again, it'd be more fun that way. Decisions, decisions. Well, unless we've got a harpsichord in here to provide backup sounds, I guess I'll go with this one."

With that, she began a slow, steady piece that would gradually grow more and more energetic.

This Apple Martini looked at Bright Eyes warily and thanked her for caps, perhaps tomorrow she'd see if Ditzy had any sort of replacement tables. " I don't mind if your friends have fun and dance, I just would rather they not break any more of my tables." She forced a chuckle and smile. "If you could pass the message on. Its good and all they got my Caps back and helped me out tons, but still."

Gwendolyn in the meanwhile stared at Lucky and then at Bright Eyes with a slight tilt of her head. Hopefully the griffon would not remember these shenanigans.

"That' sounds like....a good.......idea...let's do that.." She flopped her head back to looking at Lucky. She then pulled him close to her aggressively so he'd hit his chest against her chest plate and began to slow dance, shabbily.

[BladeofObliviom]

Something cracks in Ebon's resolve as his eyes go wide; He's not ready to give in, but a few chinks definitely appear in the armor of his willpower.

[I]"What... what do you want with me? And how do I know that you will keep your word?"

[tag: Lycan01]

[Lycan 01]

[Old Appaloosa]

Ebon:

YOU ARE TOUCHED BY THE STARS!

A RARITY! PRICELESS!

WE CAN SAVE THEM, IF YOU OFFER YOURSELF!

SURRENDER TO THOSE IN THE ARMORY, AND YOUR FRIENDS GO FREE!

ONE LIFE, FOR MANY!

VENGEANCE ON THE BETRAYER!

EVERYTHING, OR NOTHING!

CHOOSE!


[Tag: Ebon]



[New Appaloosa]

"Alright, we won't break any- ack!" Lucky gets the breath knocked out of him when Gwendolyn slams him against her chestplate.

"Hurk. Watchit," he burbles. However, despite being drunk - or perhaps because of it - he does not back down from the challenge of dancing with her. "Alright, lemme show ya... how its done..." he smirks.

The stallion wraps his left forehoof around Gwendolyn's waist, and takes her left talon with his right hoof. He then proceeds to dance with her.

Normally, it would be quite a good show of dancing skill. But there is much staggering, swaying, missteps, and stumbling, though not all of it is Lucky's fault. After a few more turns and steps, and as Bright Eyes begins to pick up the pace of the song, Lucky stares deeply into Gwendolyn's eyes. Under better circumstances, the stallion could have complimented her on how beautiful or mesmerizing her eyes were, or thanked her for her friendship and reliability through what they'd been through, or told her how glad he was to have someone to support him through the last couple of days.

Instead, he smirked and said: "You smell like whiskey."


[Tag: Benson & Purity]

[Benson]

New Appaloosa-Tavern


Gwendolyn stared drunkenly intensely at his pale crystal blue eyes and clutched his right hoof hard with her talon for a moment as his words kicked in. "Well you smell like carrion and whiskey." And she continued to dance with him and there was much more staggering, swaying, missteps, and stumbling, and it was mostly her fault.

[Lycan 01]

[New Appaloosa - Tavern]

Lucky rolls his eyes. "Well excuuuuuuuse me fer not bein' one of them namby-pamby ponies.... who... who don't wanna eat meat. But I ain't eatin' none... in weeks. An' you were the one who... ate that lizard thing last night... I think it was a lizard... So... So if anyone smells like carrion-breath... it ought to be you," he states indignantly.

Stagger stagger turn. Stagger hobble turn.

"Besides... I wasn't insultin' ya. Just... makin' an observation," he drunkenly informs her, before grinning. "It's a good trait... good... thing... fer a gal to... to be able to hold her liquor. At least, that's what... my poppa always said."

Hobble stagger turn.

Lucky raises an eyebrow. "Of course, my poppa said a lot of things... Even a few things 'bout griffins..."

[BladeofObliviom]

[Old Appaloosa - The Greater of Two Evils]

Ebon's mind echoes with a sound not entirely unlike a scream. Images flash through it once more, some familiar and some new. No, not new. Willfully not remembered in full, for the pain that they brought.

His parents once more, skinned and violated. A city in flames, Ebon walking away from it at a relaxed pace. The image of the bandit Bladeweaver, looking on in helpless horror as Ebon mutilated her with her own signature knives. Another bandit, a pegasus sniper known as Lethal Precision, incoherently gibbering as Ebon boiled his eyes, vitreous humor oozing down his face. A third bandit, a greedy earth pony by the name of Sticky Fingers, began weeping with resignation as Ebon slowly but surely crushed her to death under a pile of bottlecaps. A vision of Ebon setting flame to his once beloved village, for the crime of failure to protect those dearest to him.

A single night spent under the stars, merely watching the vast abyss in a place where the Enclave had no longer bothered with cloud cover.

A memory all too recent surfaced: The screams of countless dying foals, tortured in a new and agonizing way that even the slavers could never have imagined.

A new one, not a memory but a fantasy, of Rusty Chains being slowly asphyxiated by his own fetters, wrapped around his neck.

One worthless pony, consumed by hate, an empty shell, in trade for the lives of five ponies of infinitely greater worth. Is that not the deal of a lifetime?

"...Father, Mother, Sister, I am sorry. I surrender."

And thus it was that Ebon Flame complied...

[Tag: Lycan01]

[Benson]

[New Appaloosa - Tavern]

Lucky rolls his eyes. "Well excuuuuuuuse me fer not bein' one of them namby-pamby ponies.... who... who don't wanna eat meat. But I ain't eatin' none... in weeks. An' you were the one who... ate that lizard thing last night... I think it was a lizard... So... So if anyone smells like carrion-breath... it ought to be you," he states indignantly.

Stagger stagger turn. Stagger hobble turn.

"Besides... I wasn't insultin' ya. Just... makin' an observation," he drunkenly informs her, before grinning. "It's a good trait... good... thing... fer a gal to... to be able to hold her liquor. At least, that's what... my poppa always said."

Hobble stagger turn.

Lucky raises an eyebrow. "Of course, my poppa said a lot of things... Even a few things 'bout griffins..."

She narrowed her eyes as she swayed, trying to keep focus on making eye contact. "Like....what?" She asked after another hobble stagger turn.

[Lycan 01]

[New Appaloosa]

"He said," Lucky smirks, "That griffins are ugly... stubborn... aggravstin'... and rude..."

Another step and turn sends the stallion nearly tumbling over, but he manages to keep his balance. He then grins mischievously. "Seems he got three outta four right..." he winks.

Incoming fist to the face in 3... 2...

[Benson]

[New Appaloosa]

"He said," Lucky smirks, "That griffins are ugly... stubborn... aggravstin'... and rude..."

Another step and turn sends the stallion nearly tumbling over, but he manages to keep his balance. He then grins mischievously. "Seems he got three outta four right..." he winks.

Incoming fist to the face in 3... 2...[

Gwendolyn flashed angrily at him as derp drunk became well, a bit more aggressive drunk.

1! One fist to the face indeed. "You watch your mouth boy!" grammar

[Tychris1]

Old Appleosa

Lamianos begins snarling and looking wildly about as the field covers his whole armor. He tries to thrust and move about, but he soon begins to give up as darkness covers his eyes and his senses begin to give out.

Guess those illusions had more of an effect on him then intended?

And there Lamianos sat, his head face down, legs stiff, and his whole body motionless. Looking almost like a giant wind up toy with the key taken out. A murdering traitorous chimera bastard of a windup toy. The drugs coursing through his veins did quite a toll on Lamianos senses, and he could only see darkness and hear his own mind as he sat there in that dark energy field.

And with the effects of Dash slowing his perception of time he had quite a bit of time to think. And so he thought, his mind coursing with information before he finally said "Celestia, is this you? I know many great ponies of their times have had visions of you before they ascend so I can only believe it is my time." he stops for a moment before continuing "If this is you, then I have to ask. Am I still good? Has my campaign to restore your land no matter the cost gone awry? I've looked at my hooves today, I should probably get them cleaned sometime but that's beside the point, and I only see something that breaks and destroys. I have done all this, all of these atrocities, because I know that they are necessary. But when I looked into Eledwhen's eyes, saw true unadulterated fear, and knew it was me who did that....."

He sighs and his mental self shakes a moment "My faith wavered. That is all I can say happened today. My beliefs and my aspirations, the convictions I have had in them and the duty that I know you have given me. All of it, shook underneath the total weight of what I have done. Yet, have I not made the ultimate sacrifice? Forsaking and damning my chance at friendship and as close to normal or a life I can get, just to ensure this wonderful plan goes on?" Lamianos listens to the empty darkness, quietly waiting for something, anything to come to him.

And just like that, it comes.

A beautiful and divine voice, one of truly great power and benevolence. It soothes the bloody Chimera's worries and caused himself to relax as he felt it wash over his body. It told him to be calm, that the path to his destiny was paved with hardship. He had never really heard the voice of Celestia before, but he had a feeling that he just knew it was her voice. Smiling, his voice entered a sort of lullaby.

"Oh I belieeeeve....."

And thus, the Drugged up, magically screwed up, power armored up Chimera beast began a long inner discussion (With the occasional jovial tune).

[Lycan 01]

[Old Appaloosa]

Luka is still tied up. Boo.

Wait. Something's happening.

"GAH!!" the unicorn suddenly yelps, nearly falling over in shock.

"Okay, okay, we're on it!" the earth pony yells, staggering backwards. "We'll let him go!"

"Get out of here, kid!" the unicorn snaps, untying him with her telekinesis. She then tosses his gear - except his pistol - to him from off the table. "Just go! Don't cause trouble, and you won't get any!"



Outside, Ebon suddenly feels sleepy. Very sleepy. As fatigue overtakes him, his mind is filled with what sounds like the laughter of a thirsting god. And then silence.


Silence over the entire battlefield.


All the guns are silent. No yelling, no screaming, other than the occasional wail or sob from the warehouses.


Lamianos does, in fact, hear a voice. It is not the voice of Celestia. Or at least, one could hope that Celestia does not sound like a cackling banshee. The voice inside his mind is not loving, tender, or maternal. It is haughty, snide, smug... and victorious.

Inside Lamianos' mind:

"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!"

"OH YES, BRAVE STEEL RANGER, YOU HAVE DONE WELL!!

YOUR ACTIONS HAVE WROUGHT HORROR AND DESTRUCTION!!

PAIN AND DESPAIR!!

BUT THROUGH IT ALL, GOOD HAS COME OF IT!!

WE HAVE FOUND ONE WHO IS OF GREAT USE TO US!!

AND FOR THAT, STEEL RANGER...

...THE GODDESS IS PLEASED!!"


Lamianos feels something stirring within him.

Not an emotional stirring.

A literal stirring, as something grips his heart, locks it in a vice-like grasp, and brings it to a grinding halt.

And so, Lamianos' life ends. Not with a bang, but with a metaphorical whimper.


And as his armor-clad body tilts and slams to the earth, it adds even more dirt to the swirling cloud of dust and smoke. However, the obscuring cloud is suddenly blasted back by what sounds like a whipcrack, as a figure materializes beside the Steel Ranger's corpse.

The creature looks like a pony, with dark midnight blue fur and a long flowing mane and tail of jet black, and eyes of the deepest blue. However, it is much larger than a normal pony, with a much taller and lithe build. One could even say it looks dangerously elegant. Its most striking features, though, are the massive, majestic wings flaring out from its back, and the long, glowing horn rising from its forehead. The identity of this creature, as many of the intrepid heroes will no doubt realize, is the term "alicorn."

The alicorn's face is twisted into something of a smug smirk of dominance. Its eyes flicker dangerously back and forth between Eledwhen, Night Jewel, and Finder, as well as the broken form of Elestre. It then takes a step forward, stares at them intently, and bellows... directly into their minds.

LEAVE THIS PLACE AT ONCE, AND NEVER RETURN. THE PEGASUS SHALL REJOIN YOU. THE NECROMANCER STAYS, AS PER OUR AGREEMENT. THE GODDESS HAS SHOWN MERCY ON THIS DAY. GO NOW, WHILE WE EXTEND SUCH LENIENCY.

The alicorn then disappears with the sound of a whipcrack.

At this point, Ebon (if he has not already) finally loses the struggle to stay awake, and falls into a deep, magical slumber.



((Luka is free to go.
Ebon is magically sedated.
Lamianos is dead.
Eledwhen needs some serious therapy.
Elestre may or may not be dead.
Night Jewel and Finder might want to flee.
Blackheart won't give them another chance.))

[Tag: Everyone, even Lamianos if he wants to have a dying through or two.]



---


[New Appaloosa]

Lucky is... well... lucky.

Somehow, the drunken stallion manages to see the fist coming before it hits him. He turns to the side, leaving Gwendolyn off balance as she slugs at thin air. Still holding on to her, Lucky spins the griffin around in a fancy dancing twirl, before pulling the (probably dizzy) mercenary in close. Bright Eye's violin playing has no doubt grown to a much more speedy pace by now, and their drunking dodging and twirling is likely done perfectly in time to the music. With a suave smirk, the drunk stallion leans in and flirtatiously states: "Eh... I'm havin' fun watchin' other things right now..."

Bet he can't do the same trick twice...

[BladeofObliviom]

Old Appleoosa

The sedation takes its toll, and despite his prodigious willpower, Ebon falls silent and collapses to the ground with a hard *thump* noise.

...This is probably a bad thing.

[Tag: Lycan01, maybe Luka, since he'd probably spot the unconscious unicorn not far from the armory's door]

[PurityIcekiller]

[Old Appaloosa]

...Great. Night Jewel sighed. So much destruction was exasperating, especially when she'd never get a chance to use her vengeance plan.

Still, there was no point in arguing with a nigh-unstoppable killing machine. She trotted over to Eledwhen and beckoned. "Come on. I'll get you to safety. You can ride on my back, if you want."

The way Lamianos had fallen did give her an idea for something, but she quickly put it aside. She didn't want to end up experimenting with a hypothetical trick that could put lives in danger. Right now, what really mattered was getting out of there and taking care of that filly.

[New Appaloosa, Somewhat More Optimistically]

"Whoa there!" Bright Eyes paused in her playing, seeing a perfect opportunity. She sent out a leg to trip Lucky up, this time properly.

[Luka]

[Old Appaloosa]

Luka is still tied up. Boo.

Wait. Something's happening.

"GAH!!" the unicorn suddenly yelps, nearly falling over in shock.

"Okay, okay, we're on it!" the earth pony yells, staggering backwards. "We'll let him go!"

"Get out of here, kid!" the unicorn snaps, untying him with her telekinesis. She then tosses his gear - except his pistol - to him from off the table. "Just go! Don't cause trouble, and you won't get any!"

He looks up confused, but after the slavers seemed to be just terrified, he could think Elestre or somepony casted a spell to screw them up.
He would catch his gear while rushing outside

He would reach the door, ready for a continuing battle, and then.... Nothing, no shooting or anything, just complete silence.

He would just turn and see the unicorn sleeping, he would rush towards him, readying just in case he had to use his medkit.

"Ebon! what's going on?..."

He would just approach, looking for vitals and everything..... But he just seemed like sleeping, and that just confused him; he still kept an eye out, in case it was an ambush.

[Benson]

[New Appaloosa]

Lucky is... well... lucky.

Somehow, the drunken stallion manages to see the fist coming before it hits him. He turns to the side, leaving Gwendolyn off balance as she slugs at thin air. Still holding on to her, Lucky spins the griffin around in a fancy dancing twirl, before pulling the (probably dizzy) mercenary in close. Bright Eye's violin playing has no doubt grown to a much more speedy pace by now, and their drunking dodging and twirling is likely done perfectly in time to the music. With a suave smirk, the drunk stallion leans in and flirtatiously states: "Eh... I'm havin' fun watchin' other things right now..."

Bet he can't do the same trick twice...

She opens her beak in disbelief derpness, feathers rustled and finds herself about to again drunkenly pop Lucky one when---




[New Appaloosa, Somewhat More Optimistically]

"Whoa there!" Bright Eyes paused in her playing, seeing a perfect opportunity. She sent out a leg to trip Lucky up, this time properly.

In which she does indeed throw him into the trip instead.

[BladeofObliviom]

[Old Appleoosa]

There is no response from the unicorn; Either he's dead, an illusion, or bewitched into sleep.

[Lycan 01]

[New Appaloosa]

Lucky is, as previously mentioned, a very lucky pony.

But his luck just ran out.

Bright Eyes catches him completely off guard. Especially with Gwendolyn pushing him back into the oncoming leg-sweep.

Naturally, upon finding himself swept off his hooves, Lucky's first impulse is to yelp in terror and frantically flail his wings and hooves in an attempt to grab onto the nearest object for support.

The nearest object, of course, being Gwendolyn.

Though ought to be interesting.....

[Tag: Benson & Purity]

[Drowlord]

Old Appleoosa

Elestre hears the voice in his mind. And it was glorious. It gave him will beyond even what he had, and that was a lot. He had determination and strength and loyalty for his cousin, who probably now was scarred for life. He couldn't give in to the endless sleep that was so close...

"Alicorns are real, then..."

The broken unicorn rose to his hooves with stubborn energy, though his voice was wheezing and different then it had been. He swayed slightly, but his eyes were bright with grit and vigor.

[Luka]

[Old Appleoosa]

There is no response from the unicorn; Either he's dead, an illusion, or bewitched into sleep.

The colt would drag the unicorn behind some cover and try shake him awake, kind of holding/cradling him between his forehoofes.

"Hey! wake up! C'mon you can't do that over here!"

He would look around, he would notice signs of wounds on his muzzle and back, but they were already healed, most likely by a healing potion; he would search for signs of a sedative dart or something, but finding it would be pretty hard, so he pretty much sits there, trying helplessly to wake Ebon up, he would be either unconciouss/K.O. or asleep.

"I got to get you out of here, wonder where are the others...."

[Tag: BladeofObliviom, Lycan in case he's going to do something]

[MCerberus]

Old Trappleoosa

Alicorn. ALICORN. ALICORN. That pretty much superseded any other thoughts in Finder's mind. There were, of course, still questions that needed to answer, easy-to-carry chems on the corpse of the Ranger, injured foals, and other stuff...

But also an alicorn. "Go... we need to go NOW," Finder exclaims with a slight tremble to his voice. Given any sign of delay, he'd just put Elestre on his back and get going.

[Tychris1]

Old Appleoosa

Lamianos heard the diabolical voice, but instead o cringing in fear or reacting terribly he merely... Smiled. And then he laughed. And then be laughed some more. Tears building up in his eyes as the voice reverberated in his head. He thinks "Luna...... Thank you... That is all I ever wanted..." and as his heart slowly (Atleast to him) gives out he bgins to think back on all he's done, all the horrors he's been through. But despite it all only a sense of accomplishment and joy remains. His mind begins to hum as he gives one last go at it.

Oh Lamia booooy Celestia, Celestia is caaaalling.
From pony to pony, and down the mountain side.
The dream is done, and oh your heart is dyiiiiing
Tis you, Tis you must go and I will abide.
But I'll be BACK when history looks upon this meadow
Or when the world has been hushed and hope can grooow
Tis I'll be there in sunshine or in shadooow
Oh Lamia Boy, Oh Lamia booooy, how I love thee soooo.


And with that the Steel Rangers life was snuffed, his throat emitted a groan as he began to slump over, his last moments of life staring at the Alicorn before saying with but a whisper ".....Thank....y-you...."

[Drowlord]

Old Appleoosa

Elestre started away, then turned to the body of Lamnios. He whispered.

"I will remember."

He then followed Finder, his wounded leg jolting awkwardly as he did.

[Dark Elf Bard]

OA

Eledwhen starts hyperventilating and runs over to her dead father figure.

LAMIA! Wake up, wake up now! She jumps up and down erratically! Someone HELP!

[PurityIcekiller]

[Old Appaloosa]

"Leave him. He needs his rest." Night Jewel shook her head. "I've got a lot to tell you, but first we have to get out of here. Now come with me unless you want to wait until you're killed." Night Jewel attempted to pick up the small pegasus and put her on her back.

[Dark Elf Bard]

No! The filly is light and easily picked, up, but still struggles. No, wait! We have to help Lamia!

[Benson]

[New Appaloosa]

Lucky is, as previously mentioned, a very lucky pony.

But his luck just ran out.

Bright Eyes catches him completely off guard. Especially with Gwendolyn pushing him back into the oncoming leg-sweep.

Naturally, upon finding himself swept off his hooves, Lucky's first impulse is to yelp in terror and frantically flail his wings and hooves in an attempt to grab onto the nearest object for support.

The nearest object, of course, being Gwendolyn.

Though ought to be interesting.....

Gwendolyn squawked as she was pulled down with the mummified stallion, heads managing to smack against each other.

She lay on her side, eyes with swirls, tongue hanging out of her beak. Totally uncool.

[Tag the players part of this scene]

[Lycan 01]

[Old Appaloosa]

Luka runs out of the armory. No one shoots at him. Weird.

Then he notices Ebon's unconscious form. But as soon as Luka approaches him, there is a loud cracking noise, like the lashing of a whip.

And the alicorn reappears, stooped over Ebon like a lion defending its kill from carrion-eaters.

The midnight blue creature fixes Luka with a stern glare, her expression twisting into an angry frown. Her voice, regal yet haughty, booms within his mind. YOUR FRIEND HAS OFFERED HIMSELF TO THE GODDESS, SO THAT OTHERS MAY LIVE. LEAVE NOW WHILE WE LET YOU, FOOLISH PEGASUS, AND NEVER RETURN. DO NOT INTERFERE, LEST YOU NULLIFY THE PACT.






-----

[New Appaloosa]

Lucky falls flat on his back, having been face-smashed by Gwendolyn. While dazed from the impact, he manages to remain conscious, though perhaps not coherent. "WHY!?" he howls, his forehooves flying up to massage his forehead. "Why is it always the face?!" he wails, writhing in pain on the floor.

[Tag: Purity & Benson]

[PurityIcekiller]

[Old Appaloosa]

Night Jewel gently placed Eledwhen on her back and left her. "He doesn't need help any more. The best thing you can do for him is stay safe."

Besides, at this point, it's not worth it to help that monster, she added silently. He crossed the line straight to 'irredeemable", and saving him just for revenge is petty.

"It'll be all right, but only if you let him be. I can take care of you for now. Let's just get out of here." With that, she started off.

[New Appaloosa]

Bright Eyes laughed. "That's why you don't question my competence, Luck-Luck."

She turned to the other patrons. "Say, have we got any stretchers around here? Those head injuries might not be too good for them."

[Luka]

[Old Appaloosa]

Luka runs out of the armory. No one shoots at him. Weird.

Then he notices Ebon's unconscious form. But as soon as Luka approaches him, there is a loud cracking noise, like the lashing of a whip.

And the alicorn reappears, stooped over Ebon like a lion defending its kill from carrion-eaters.

The midnight blue creature fixes Luka with a stern glare, her expression twisting into an angry frown. Her voice, regal yet haughty, booms within his mind. YOUR FRIEND HAS OFFERED HIMSELF TO THE GODDESS, SO THAT OTHERS MAY LIVE. LEAVE NOW WHILE WE LET YOU, FOOLISH PEGASUS, AND NEVER RETURN. DO NOT INTERFERE, LEST YOU NULLIFY THE PACT.

"what the...!?
Just as she appears he jumps backwards pretty fast, on a more-or-less defensive stance, and a pretty mad grin

"What "Goddess"?! Who are you?! a slaver?! .... He's my friend! I ha-!"

then he notices the figure is an alicorn, and it's resemblance

"W-Wait....P-Princess Luna?"

He's kind of frozen there by the shocking surprise, confused enough to not know whether he has to bow or not (Black mane :smalltongue:)

[Dark Elf Bard]

Eledwhen will sob quietly into Night Jewel's mane.

[Tychris1]

Old Appleoosa
A spark of Life

And so, as Lamianos laid there with his heart stopped, his healing talisman kicked in. An electrical shock coursing through his veins. Thrumming through out him until it reaches his heart. A slight nudge and the iron behemoths heart begins to slowly pump again.

Life anew.

His form is too weak now to do much, but he atleast breathes shallow breathes, unable to move the armor much in his current state.

[Dark Elf Bard]

OA

Eledwhen stares at Lamia...

A breath!

JEWEL! Jewel he breathed! She attempts to scramble off the older mare's back and trot over to Lamia!

[Benson]

[New Appaloosa]

Lucky falls flat on his back, having been face-smashed by Gwendolyn. While dazed from the impact, he manages to remain conscious, though perhaps not coherent. "WHY!?" he howls, his forehooves flying up to massage his forehead. "Why is it always the face?!" he wails, writhing in pain on the floor.

[Tag: Purity & Benson]



[New Appaloosa]

Bright Eyes laughed. "That's why you don't question my competence, Luck-Luck."

She turned to the other patrons. "Say, have we got any stretchers around here? Those head injuries might not be too good for them."

"No, not really, got some boys though who can drag them away to the clinic if its that bad, or rent a room for the night," The tavern owner replied.

Gwendolyn looked over at Lucky and grimaced. "I hope this is not what you meant by sweeping me off my paws.....otherwise....blegh.."

[Lycan 01]

[Old Appaloosa]

The alicorn takes a threatening step forward, and intensifies her glare.

YOUR FRIEND HAS OFFERED HIMSELF TO THE GODDESS. DO NOT INTERVENE. LEAVE AT ONCE, OR SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES.







---

[New Appaloosa]

Lucky looks over at Gwendolyn and smirks. "I was... gettin' to that part..." he winces.

He then looks back up at Bright Eyes, and glares. He then flares his wings, in an attempt to sweep Bright Eyes' hooves out from under her.

Unfortunately, due to his drunkeness, he doesn't realize that he should only flare one wing. So while one wing sweeps out to smack Bright Eyes' legs, the other sweeps out - directly into Gwendolyn. Specifcally, her chestplate, unless she manages to somehow dodge the wing-smack. Which would be nice, since slamming your wing against armor tends to hurt a lot...

[Tag: Purity & Benson]

[Luka]

[Old Appaloosa]

The alicorn takes a threatening step forward, and intensifies her glare.

YOUR FRIEND HAS OFFERED HIMSELF TO THE GODDESS. DO NOT INTERVENE. LEAVE AT ONCE, OR SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES.

After that he just stood there, gritting his teeth of anger, but those slavers didn't let him have his gun back, and that adds to his rage and a new objective for when he comes back.

He could figure out she wasn't Luna, but still dangerous since it's an alicorn, even so he still had to rescue Ebon. He was about to open his mouth and demand proof that he traded himself for the others, but he remembered how the slavers panicked and just let him go.

He was thinking, he would rescue him already with a high chance of going into the big sleep or he could leave and leave him.... But then he thought: those were the choices the alicorn gave him, so he picks his own, and possibly the most likely to suceed: leave.... for now.

He just lowers his head and "sighs resigned", then begins to step back a bit but slowly, hoping it makes the alicorn thinks he's starting to leave and that it gives him more time to think and calculate his chances.

"I....Ugh..."

He really wants to save Ebon, empy shell full of hate or not, but he's trying to calculate his chances.

[PurityIcekiller]

[Old Appaloosa]

"What? Oi!" Night Jewel was starting to get rather exasperated at this filly who seemed to put sentiment over self-preservation. "He's not worth it. He's a monster, and you'd die before you could do anything. This is your last chance. Come with me, and leave him for later."

She continued on, letting the little pegasus decide for herself whether to follow her to safety or not.

[New Appaloosa]

Bright Eyes had the advantage of a clear head, and sidestepped the wing-sweep. "Whoa! Nice try there, buddy. Looks like you won't need those stretchers, though."

[Tychris1]

Old Appleoosa

Lamianos broken frame is still lying there in the dirt. He finally musters the energy to open his eyes, several flashing red lights and warnings appear on his visor telling him he had a heart attack and telling the appropriate steps to correct that.

Wow that would have been helpful before the heart attack happened.

He doesn't have much energy in his body, but it doesn't take much to access his medicinal systems and get them going properly. Medicinal (Instead of the crazy combat ones he had pumped himself with) drugs begin to work their way into him as the healing talisman works harder and harder to get the Steel Ranger back on his hooves. In the mean time he takes a moment to glance at his E.F.S. which now has A LOT more red dots then before.

Well buck.

The Chimera sighs, his lungs finally strong enough to take decently sized breathes. His mind begins to play that same message he heard before over and over again. And every time it focus' on the last 4 words "The Goddess is pleased!". "Goddess.... Like hell that was a god. That bucking Alicorn is going to DIE for what it did. I know what makes a true goddess, and that is no goddess." he snorts before thinking "Can't see the others, guess they must have left. Which means theirs nothing standing between that Alicorn and me..... BUCK. I got to get the buck out of here before she pulls that magic on me again." and so, in perhaps not the most medicinally best plan Lamianos begins to force himself up, constantly working his systems to their best capacity and even sliding a little Buck in at a place or two to give him the kick start in order to get out of here.

[Chaotic Bob]

Sivr pauses to consider that.

Okay.

Well.

She doesn't pause. She keeps walking. But she considers whilst walking. "I don't know. There's just this weird sense that she's... watching me, I guess? I know it sounds silly but..." a cough from the merc. "There used to be a big billboard of her outside Shatter Hoof. I could always see that damned thing staring in through my window when I was just a cub. I had the creeping suspicon that the giant pink pony was just waiting for me to mess up."

A shrug.

"I dunno. It's probably stupid but-"

"I know what you mean," Heimdalr pipes up. "Feels like she's watching. Glad they blew that ugly thing to splinters years ago."

The hippogriff glances over at Rusty. "Shattered Hoof used to be a prison years ago under the Ministry of Morale. There's all sorts of old pre-war stuff scattered around. Hard to escape that leering pink demon."

"Of all the Ministry Mares, she's the one that seems to be everywhere. Her face is a better representative of the Old World than any of the others."
Rusty thinks for a moment, giving his saddlebags another little adjustment-hop.

"I don't suppose Shattered Hoof would mind if I poked around those pre-war stuff, maybe?"
Wasn't he supposed to be answering a question?
"Maybe there will be something that could be helpful."

Judging by that look in his eyes, this little pony is already thinking of somewhere other than the present.

[Benson]

[New Appaloosa]

Lucky looks over at Gwendolyn and smirks. "I was... gettin' to that part..." he winces.

He then looks back up at Bright Eyes, and glares. He then flares his wings, in an attempt to sweep Bright Eyes' hooves out from under her.

Unfortunately, due to his drunkeness, he doesn't realize that he should only flare one wing. So while one wing sweeps out to smack Bright Eyes' legs, the other sweeps out - directly into Gwendolyn. Specifcally, her chestplate, unless she manages to somehow dodge the wing-smack. Which would be nice, since slamming your wing against armor tends to hurt a lot...

[Tag: Purity & Benson]


[New Appaloosa]

Bright Eyes had the advantage of a clear head, and sidestepped the wing-sweep. "Whoa! Nice try there, buddy. Looks like you won't need those stretchers, though."


Nope, Lucky ain't so lucky, he gets a wingful of chest plate. Bwahahahah.

[Lycan 01]

[Bar Antics in New Appaloosa]

Lucky's eyes go wide as there's a very loud clang from his wing full-force smashing against the armor. This is swiftly followed by his mouth opening wide and him screaming at the top of his lungs.

The wounded pegasus rolls over on his side and writhing in agony, holloring repeatedly. "OW OW OW OW OW BUCK BUCK OW!!" he yelps, the bruised wing pinned tightly against his back. "AW BUCK IT THAT HURT!"

Somebody should shut him up...


[Tag: Purity & Benson]

[Benson]

[Bar Antics in New Appaloosa]

Lucky's eyes go wide as there's a very loud clang from his wing full-force smashing against the armor. This is swiftly followed by his mouth opening wide and him screaming at the top of his lungs.

The wounded pegasus rolls over on his side and writhing in agony, holloring repeatedly. "OW OW OW OW OW BUCK BUCK OW!!" he yelps, the bruised wing pinned tightly against his back. "AW BUCK IT THAT HURT!"

Somebody should shut him up...


[Tag: Purity & Benson]


"Don't be such a baby Mister Lucky," Gwendolyn scolded, totally ignoring the fact of his previous still healing injuries. She got up and sat on her haunches and rolled him over to face her as sh grabbed his wing and gave it a sloppy massage.

Apple Martini winced at all the hollering. She had a enough. "Uh...could someone get those two out my bar?"

[Lycan 01]

[Drunk Antics of Never Ending Stupidity]

Lucky's eyes go wide as his wing is grasped, and he's forcefully yanked into a sitting position. "YEOOOOOOWW!!" he howls. "Gwendolyn, what are you-?! OW!!" he yelps as she begins to a-bit-too-forcefully massage his wounded wing. "Ow ow ow ow OW!!" he winces. "Dammit! That.... that...." Lucky begins to look more confused than agonized. "Ow. Ow. Okay, maybe you should.... You need to.... Urk... Ow... Gwendolyn, I think you ought to..."

Okay, this was weird. Very weird. He was getting a forceful yet enjoyable wing massage. In public. From a griffin. While drunk. And he was liking it. There was so much wrong with this situation.

"Why am I enjoyin' this?" he mutters, before a goofy grin forming on his bandage-wrapped features. "Oh well. Rrrrk. Keep goin'..."


[Tag: Purity & Benson]

[Benson]

[Drunk Antics of Never Ending Stupidity]

Lucky's eyes go wide as his wing is grasped, and he's forcefully yanked into a sitting position. "YEOOOOOOWW!!" he howls. "Gwendolyn, what are you-?! OW!!" he yelps as she begins to a-bit-too-forcefully massage his wounded wing. "Ow ow ow ow OW!!" he winces. "Dammit! That.... that...." Lucky begins to look more confused than agonized. "Ow. Ow. Okay, maybe you should.... You need to.... Urk... Ow... Gwendolyn, I think you ought to..."

Okay, this was weird. Very weird. He was getting a forceful yet enjoyable wing massage. In public. From a griffin. While drunk. And he was liking it. There was so much wrong with this situation.

"Why am I enjoyin' this?" he mutters, before a goofy grin forming on his bandage-wrapped features. "Oh well. Rrrrk. Keep goin'..."


[Tag: Purity & Benson]


The griffon paused, and stared intensely, mind clouded with herp and derp. "It seems.... I'm done though..*hic*.based on...your reaction....and stuff."

[PurityIcekiller]

[New Appaloosa]

"You make a cute couple," Bright Eyes joked.

"Now, let's go find ourselves a place to rest off this liquor and these injuries you took, shall we? We sure don't want to disturb anyone, after all!"

[MCerberus]

[Old Appaloosa]

"What? Oi!" Night Jewel was starting to get rather exasperated at this filly who seemed to put sentiment over self-preservation. "He's not worth it. He's a monster, and you'd die before you could do anything. This is your last chance. Come with me, and leave him for later."

She continued on, letting the little pegasus decide for herself whether to follow her to safety or not.

Finder's pretty ready to just start dragging ponies away from the town at this point. He's lost pretty well all of the 'seen everything' scavenger outlook and just really really wants to leave.

"Listen. Alicorn. Anypony left there is going to die horribly... If they're a unicorn, worse than that."

[Lycan 01]

[Old Appaloosa]

The alicorn watches Luka like a hawk. However, when she notices Lamianos staggering to his hooves in the distance, she scowls deeply. The midnight blue alicorn bends her head down, and bites Ebon by the scruff of the neck.

With another sonic crack, the alicorn disappears - along with Ebon.




[Tag: Everyone but Ebon]

---

[New Appaloosa]

When Gwendolyn stops her massaging, Lucky sighs with disappointment, his shoulders slumping and his wings drooping. "Aw... But it was nice..." he mutters.

And then Bright Eyes makes her remarks. "Hey!" Lucky points an accusatory hoof at Bright Eyes. "We are not a cute couple. Because we're not dating. Or... hooking up. Or any other relationship... things," he grunts. "I'm not... in... any sort of couple." The pegasus pauses, a slight look of clarity appearing in his eyes. "Not... anymore, at least. She's gone. That's... part of why... why I'm so damn drunk..."

A moment's pause.

And then Lucky spins around, throws his hooves around Gwendolyn, and begins bawling onto her shoulder. We're talking full-on manly-tears breakdown. It is not a pretty sight.


[Tag: Purity & Benson]

[Tychris1]

Old Appleoosa

Lamianos finally staggers to his feet, turning his head to see the scene unfolding before him. He looks down at Eledwhen, beckoning her to follow with his head, but before he can fully wait for the young foal the sound of the wicked whip scares the bejesus out of him and sends him galloping painfully away from Old Appleoosa.

[TAG Dark Elf Bard]

[Benson]

[New Appaloosa]

"You make a cute couple," Bright Eyes joked.

"Now, let's go find ourselves a place to rest off this liquor and these injuries you took, shall we? We sure don't want to disturb anyone, after all!"

"A couple of fools..maybe....but nothing else.." She wagged a talon Bright Eye's way all loopily.
--

[New Appaloosa]

When Gwendolyn stops her massaging, Lucky sighs with disappointment, his shoulders slumping and his wings drooping. "Aw... But it was nice..." he mutters.

And then Bright Eyes makes her remarks. "Hey!" Lucky points an accusatory hoof at Bright Eyes. "We are not a cute couple. Because we're not dating. Or... hooking up. Or any other relationship... things," he grunts. "I'm not... in... any sort of couple." The pegasus pauses, a slight look of clarity appearing in his eyes. "Not... anymore, at least. She's gone. That's... part of why... why I'm so damn drunk..."

A moment's pause.

And then Lucky spins around, throws his hooves around Gwendolyn, and begins bawling onto her shoulder. We're talking full-on manly-tears breakdown. It is not a pretty sight.

Gwendolyn found herself startled and surprised even in her buzzed stupor by Lucky's sudden emotional breakdown into sobbing. Her glazed over eyes went wide, her fore legs/arms slowly and lightly wrapping over him in an awkward hug. "Bhwuh....ah....uh....perhaps Mister Lucky...we should....take...this up...in a private room?...."

[Luka]

[Old Appaloosa]

The alicorn watches Luka like a hawk. However, when she notices Lamianos staggering to his hooves in the distance, she scowls deeply. The midnight blue alicorn bends her head down, and bites Ebon by the scruff of the neck.

With another sonic crack, the alicorn disappears - along with Ebon.

[Tag: Everyone but Ebon]

"Tch! Ebon! :smalleek:"
The colt eyes go wide after the alicorn teleports with his friend, he looks around, pretty confused and desperate, no idea where she might have took him off... Great, something else to weight on his guilt and a third extra objective.

He would just try to search for a clue where she teleported, but that would be REALLY unlikely, so after doing extensive search himself, he would just jump into the air and try to find the ditch where they started all this and Eledwhen and Shadow were hidding in.

[Lycan 01]

[New Appaloosa]

Normally, drunk or not, Lucky would have made a quip about Gwendolyn trying to seduce him by suggesting they get a room.

But he's too busy hugging the griffin and messily bawling into her neck feathers to really say much of anything right now.


[Tag: Purity & Benson]

[Benson]

[New Appaloosa]

Normally, drunk or not, Lucky would have made a quip about Gwendolyn trying to seduce him by suggesting they get a room.

But he's too busy hugging the griffin and messily bawling into her neck feathers to really say much of anything right now.
[Tag: Purity & Benson]


"C-come...on...we'll rent...a room upstairs..." She winced feeling his wet warm tears seep into her feathers. Blegh.

[Rebonack]

"Of all the Ministry Mares, she's the one that seems to be everywhere. Her face is a better representative of the Old World than any of the others."
Rusty thinks for a moment, giving his saddlebags another little adjustment-hop.

"I don't suppose Shattered Hoof would mind if I poked around those pre-war stuff, maybe?"
Wasn't he supposed to be answering a question?
"Maybe there will be something that could be helpful."

Judging by that look in his eyes, this little pony is already thinking of somewhere other than the present.

He seems to do that a lot.

Thinking of all those other things. Aside from what he's being asked about. Seems to have this uncanny knack for dodging questions.

Anyhoof!

Sivr shrugs her wings slightly. "I doubt anyone would object to you poking around at some of the old junk. If you found anything that would be potentially useful I'm sure Gawd would love to hear about it."

Heim rubs his chin with a talon briefly. "Come to think of it, if you could figure out how to get into that Ministry vault down in the mine she would probably be willing to pay well."

Might even cover some of the cost for his leg!

[PurityIcekiller]

[So, A Pony Walks Into A Bar...]

"Aw, really?" Bright Eyes shook her head. "You really aren't living up to your name. You lose half your face, you lose your lover... I'd really like to help you out.

"Well, let's get a room and let you two sober up, and then we can work on making things better. I'll handle checking in."

[Lycan 01]

[New Appaloosa]

Lucky stops crying, and turns to stare at Bright Eyes for a moment.

He then lets out a horrific wail, and turns around to bawl even harder into Gwendlyn's plumage. "Ooooooh, she's riiiiiight! I'm terrible! I suck! I can't do anything right! My name is a lie! A lliiiiiiiiie! Just call me Break from now on! I'm broken. That's all I do, is break. Break break break. Bwaah-bwubuwuhuuuu..." he blubbers.

[PurityIcekiller]

[...And The Bartender Says "Why The Long Face?"]

"Hey, it's not your fault! It's not like you shot yourself in the head!" Bright Eyes trotted over and nuzzled the sobbing pegasus. "It's just the way things are. Some days, you're lucky, and gained much without expecting it. Some days, you get as much as you worked for. Some days, you get unexpected misfortunes. And then there's the fourth category of luck, but that doesn't come up much.

"Anyway, what I'm saying is the bad things that are happening to you? They don't mean you're a failure. They just mean you're down on your luck. Maybe soon, you'll get a stroke of good fortune and balance things out! Or maybe you'll actually earn things from success instead of luck! Come on, be a little brighter!"

[Benson]

[So, A Pony Walks Into A Bar...]

"Aw, really?" Bright Eyes shook her head. "You really aren't living up to your name. You lose half your face, you lose your lover... I'd really like to help you out.

"Well, let's get a room and let you two sober up, and then we can work on making things better. I'll handle checking in."

"Yes...please...hurry...I don't want to...deal with this...not completely sober...!"



[New Appaloosa]

Lucky stops crying, and turns to stare at Bright Eyes for a moment.

He then lets out a horrific wail, and turns around to bawl even harder into Gwendlyn's plumage. "Ooooooh, she's riiiiiight! I'm terrible! I suck! I can't do anything right! My name is a lie! A lliiiiiiiiie! Just call me Break from now on! I'm broken. That's all I do, is break. Break break break. Bwaah-bwubuwuhuuuu..." he blubbers.


Squawk! She grabbed him stiffly by the legs and pushed him six inches away from her. She then raised her claw and gave him a smart smack on his cheek. "Get..a hold...of yourself...!...You're making....being drunk...no fun, Mister Lucky."

[Lycan 01]

[New Appaloosa]

Gwendolyn's smack is a bit harder than intended.

Lucky twirls around, the force of the blow spinning him a full 360 degrees. He staggers back on his hand legs, and slumps against a table. "Ow..."

He then listens to what Bright Eyes says. "Yeeeeah..." he mutters, before sniffing. "Yeah, you're right... Sorry for that outburst folks."

He then grabs another shot glass, and begins looking around for the whiskey. "Join me for another round, Miss Gwendolyn Beak? Let us resume our recreational drinking, and put this sloppy and unstallion-y blubbering behind us..."

Somebody stop him. Quickly.

[Chaotic Bob]

[Towards Shattered Hoof]

Rusty's attention, it is had.

He's snapped back into the present with a little quirk of his ears and looking straight at Heimdalr.
Also trips over himself.
But that doesn't seem to faze him much!
"A Ministry vault in a MoM prison! Well why didn't you say so? Chop chop, let's go! Gawd can say she has a faithful employee jumpin' to go!"

Being paid to do what he would have done anyway. Griffin debt-settlement can be rather nice sometimes, the silly creatures.

[Rebonack]

[Ghastly Gorge]

What a place to wake up to.

When Ebon's eyes flutter open, as groggy consciousness seeps back into his mind, he'll likely notice three things.

First?

He isn't in Old Appleloosa anymore.

Second?

He's laying on a rather perilous rock shelf jutting out over a massive, winding canyon that stretches out below him. There doesn't seem to be any way to even get onto the spit of stone without flying.

Which leads him to the third observation he's likely to make.

The false-goddess sitting there none too far away. As with her 'sister' she's huge compared to a normal pony. Regal and terrible to behold. Deep purple coat and a mane so dark that it's nearly black. Though... something about her is a bit different from the being Ebon had encountered in Appleloosa.

Your heart holds great sadness and pain, Ebon Flame. the alicorns says, her lips remaining still all the while. Instead of a booming, imperious voice full of arrogance and contempt it instead sounds almost... concerned? Weird. We believe that Unity will bring you the peace and rest you need.

[Toward Shattered Hoof]

"Had the feeling you might be interested in it," Heim laughs. The hippogriff catches Akwellen's attention and nods off in a seemingly random direction. The griffon nods, clicks his mini gun into single-fire mode, and BLAM!

Somewhere off in the distance a hungry radscorpion is reduced to a nasty smear. Eeww...

"We've honestly got no idea what's down there. But no one has been able to crack the vault thus far. Figured your expertise might be just the thing we need."

[BladeofObliviom]

[Ghastly Gorge]

Ebon doesn't try to stand because falling would be terrible about now, but at least he isn't acrophobic or anything like that. Turning toward the alicorn, he speaks aloud. No point in just thinking at her like in Old Appleoosa.

"Spare me the pity. This was never about my interests. You wanted me for your own purposes and I had the lives of six others sitting in my hands.

Shadow Stride wasn't the best pony, but she at least had a conscience. Luka isn't the strongest pony, but he has endearingly relentless optimism. Eledwhen can't be older than seven, but still deserves a chance at life. Elestre is one of the bravest ponies I've ever met, and devoted to his family. Night Jewel I never knew, but her morals were strong. Even Finder never killed a pony for the pleasure of watching their suffering.

I don't care what you believe your Unity offers; I agreed because every one of their lives was more valuable than mine, and the simple fact is that this was the option least likely to shed the blood of those who still deserve to live."

[Rebonack]

[Ghastly Gorge]

Ebon is regarded with a sad, almost pitying look by the alicorn. All pony life is of great value. But We are not yet ready for all of pony-kind to be joined in Unity. The Goddess believes that your magic may help Us be ready.

Why is she telling him this, anyway?

And why are they resting? Does that mean the monstrous pony is tired?

If so she might be vulnerable right now...

You are willing to give up your identity to save others. This is a noble trait, Ebon Flame. A strength of resolve that will serve Unity well.

[Drowlord]

Old Appleoosa

Elestre sighed. "Let's get this over with. I'll send up a beacon to get anypony who is still alive over here, and then we get this over with."

His eyes, filled with pain and confusion, glowed slightly in reflection as he sent up a giant, blazing beacon of grey light that only those who had been part of the attack crew could see. His leg gave out under him, but he stood up with grim determination that matched his labored breathing. His eyes also, of anypony watched closely, were filled with dogged effort; he was dying, but he was willing to give all to his cause.

[MCerberus]

Old Trappleoosa

"Comeon kid, he's not right in the head. We've got to get that wound looked at," Finder tries to coax a certain little filly away from the crazy bat-ranger. It might have helped if he had been able to stop freaking out about the Alicorn, but the fact is he's likely going to have to get really freaking drunk before that happens.

[BladeofObliviom]

[Ghastly Gorge]

Potential vulnerability noted. However, Ebon knows that he wouldn't get a second opportunity to escape if he screwed the first one up. So, he merely observes, trying to figure out if there is some way that this can be made easier. Maybe there's a conveniently elevated train car nearby or something.

Trying to keep the Alicorn talking, Ebon changes the subject.

"If Unity values pony life so much, why does it cavort with Slavers, who treat other ponies as nothing more than a commodity? You had the power to rescue those slaves yourself and trounce anypony who tried to stop you. It doesn't take a genius to understand that there's something more ahoof here."

[Rebonack]

[Ghastly Gorge]

No train car.

But there is a huge boulder several hundred feet above the rock outcrop precariously balanced atop a spire of stone. Who knows how long it has been sitting there. But enough of a nudge? And down it would come.

The alicorn winces at Ebon's reply. Wow? Really? Aren't these things supposed to be remorseless monsters?

There are... many evils in this wasteland that We wish to right. But We do not have the power yet to accomplish Our ends. The pony who controls that settlement is Our ally, one of the few to ever approach the Us as anything other than monsters. We cavort with Red Eye because he is the first to treat Us as ponies.

The alicorn stomps a hoof in frustration.

We desire only to make the Wasteland safe for pony-kind. And to make pony-kind strong enough to endure its hardships. You... will better understand once your apotheosis at Maripony is complete.

[PurityIcekiller]

Gwendolyn's smack is a bit harder than intended.

Lucky twirls around, the force of the blow spinning him a full 360 degrees. He staggers back on his hand legs, and slumps against a table. "Ow..."

He then listens to what Bright Eyes says. "Yeeeeah..." he mutters, before sniffing. "Yeah, you're right... Sorry for that outburst folks."

He then grabs another shot glass, and begins looking around for the whiskey. "Join me for another round, Miss Gwendolyn Beak? Let us resume our recreational drinking, and put this sloppy and unstallion-y blubbering behind us..."

Somebody stop him. Quickly.

"Oh no you don't!" Bright Eyes made to snatch the shot glass away. "In all this confusion, I've lost track of how many shots you've taken myself, but I've got a feeling it's too many. You're just going to feel worse from it in the long run!"

[BladeofObliviom]

[Ghastly Gorge]

Ebon's response is perhaps unexpected. He begins laughing uproariously, tilting his head back a bit, conveniently hiding his horn from view as he delivers a quick telekinetic shove upon the boulder above, directly towards the Alicorn. His voice quickly takes on a serious, almost angered tone as he begins to talk more, hoping to distract the Alicorn before it realized the danger that it was in.

"In that case, you clearly haven't seen how Red Eye treats ponies! He doesn't think of ponies as ponies; In Fillydelphia, ponies are nothing but tools for the glory of Red Eye's New World Order! Even the Alicorns, I'd wager, are only tolerated because of their power. If you lacked magical strength and mighty wings, I do not doubt that you would be granted a life of naught but slave labor among the herds that Red Eye imprisons for his 'greater good!'

I do not doubt in the slightest that he would attempt to destroy you were it politically convenient. Red Eye is nothing more than a warlord, albeit one charismatic enough to make others eat his rhetoric like good little servants!"

Hopefully the Alicorn doesn't charge him. Or move, for that matter.

[Lycan 01]

[Bar Room Antics]

Lucky glares pointedly at Bright Eyes for a moment, before sighing in defeat. "Yeah, yeah. You're right, you're right..." he grumbles.

The stallion staggers away from the table, plants his four hooves firmly on the ground, and shakes his head a bit. "Blek. Yeah, I need to go sleep this off. Bright Eyes, you said you'd handle the room check-in? Go ahead an' get one fer me, an' one fer yerself. Me and Miss Beak can share. I'll pay ya back in the mornin'..."

The drunk pegasus swaggers over to Gwendolyn, extends his right wing, puts it around her shoulders, and pulls her close. "Come along, Miss Beak! We need to rest and prepare ourselves for the coming hangovers. You can have the bed. I'll be fine on the floor."

As he pulls her towards the stairs, Lucky whispers in Gwendolyn's ear. "Ya still got that whiskey, right?"

[Tag: Purity & Benson]

[Benson]

"Aack...!" Gwendolyn grumbled and gruffly yelped as she was pulled towards the stairs. ".............Yes...I do..."

[Lycan 01]

[New Appaloosa]

Lucky narrows his eyes mischievously. "Excellent."

Lucky half-climbs, half-crawls up the stairs, his wing still draped over Gwendolyn. At times he leans on her for support, and other times he drags her along with him. "By the way... I want to apologize..." he suddenly burbles as they near the top of the stairs, pausing mid-step and reeling slightly. "About something I said earlier... I... I think it came out wrong... An' I wanna clarify things... Cuz yer my friend..."

Lucky. Lucky no. Quit while you're ahead!

[Benson]

[New Appaloosa]




"What....are you going...on about...Mister Lucky?" The griffon asked as she looked up the stairs, it seemed to feel like it took forever to get up there.

[Lycan 01]

[Old Appaloosa - creaky staircase with a long fall]

Lucky sways slightly, and blinks twice. "First of all, wait until... I'm done before ya hit me. If yer gonna hit me. Anyhoo. Well, when I said that stuff... 'bout... what my dad said about griffins. And I said... he was right... about some of it..."

He shifts his gaze to the side.

"I wasn't callin' ya ugly, if that's what ya thought..." he quietly mutters.

He looks back at her for a second to smirk and playfully state: "I mean, ya are stubborn an' stuff..."

But then he awkwardly averts his gaze again. "But ya ain't ugly. An' I don't feel right lettin' you think that's what I meant..."

A pause.

"Okay ya can hit me now, if ya want."

[Benson]

[Old Appaloosa - creaky staircase with a long fall]




"Aack....I won't hit you....if I did....we'd both just fall down the stairs and...that..wouldn't do us any good..." She half muttered half out-of-it said. She stared at the step in front of her before turning to Lucky. She raised a brow and tilted her head back. "Thanks...for not calling me ugly....you're...not so....I mean....I'm sure when ya heal up....you won't look like crap." Much of the moment and stuff going on was lost on her right now.

[Lycan 01]

[Drunk Stairwell Camaraderie]

Lucky tilts his head back and laughs heartily, nearly losing his balance in the process. "Oh, oh wow," he chuckles. "Thanks for... the vote of confidence. But nah, nah. I know I look like crap. I'm over it," he gives a dismissive hoof-wave, almost toppling in the process. "Though... y'know... I used to be pretty handsome. Or so... all the gals said. Heh... But whatever," he shrugs. "I'll take survival over... a pretty face... any day."

He takes a few more shaky steps up the stairs, before pausing to look indirectly at Gwendolyn. "But nah. Nah, you ain't ugly. Quite... quite attractive actually. Pretty. For a griffin," he mutters offhandedly.

A pause. Then a quizzical look. "Wait... Did I say that out loud?" he murmurs mostly to himself.

[Rebonack]

[Ghastly Gouge]

Ebon will probably notice some rather stiff resistance when it comes to trying to move the boulder. The source should be pretty obvious. The alicorn's horn has lit up a deep, nearly black shade of purple.

Please do not destroy the landscape in a futile attempt to kill me. There are few things of beauty remaining in the Wasteland. It would be regretful to ruin them for such petty ends.

Oh. Ummm... How did she know...?

I chose this location intentionally. Now that I know you seek to take my life I will need to make sure that you slumber for the remainder of our travels together.

Ah. Well. That makes sense? Wonder why she isn't referring to herself in the plural anymore.

We understand that Red Eye is a despicable pony. We work with him out of necessity, not out of any love for him. When the time is right he will be removed so that the Goddess might take her rightful place as the ruler of Equestria.

Oh, wait. There she goes again. Though when she speaks up once more...

I... had hoped that I could impress upon you the importance of the Goddess' work that you might join with Unity willingly. The apotheosis is much less uncomfortable if you do not fight it. I... do not wish to see you suffer any additional pain, Ebon Flame. You have suffered enough.

[BladeofObliviom]

[Ghastly Gorge]

...Uh oh. Backup plan. Now.

As soon as it's clear that the Alicorn knows what he just tried to do, Ebon suddenly rolls left, right off the ledge. Maybe the fall will kill him. Maybe he'll just end up unconscious.

But is the Goddess willing to take that chance? :smallamused:

[Rebonack]

[Ghastly Gorge]

Attempted suicide?

How... ghastly.

The alicorn gives a small eep of surprise and takes flight, reaching out with her magic to shroud Ebon in a field of telekinesis. And in her haste it would seem she forgot to make sure that rock was still stable.

Whoops!

The boulder slams into the stone shelf they had been sitting on, peppering the false-goddess with shards of rock and gashing her hide something nasty. She winces, though maintains her concentration.

"Please! Stop! I'm trying to help you!"

What...? That wasn't telepathy at all this time! What's up with this alicorn? She seems genuinely concerned! But that changes quite suddenly as her whole countenance alters, gaze hardening and posture becoming more dignified. And then the telepathy comes back with Canterlock in full-swing.

INSIGNIFICANT FOALISH WELP! YOU DARE TO SPITE THE MERCY OF THE GREAT AND POWERFUL GODDESS? IF YOU ATTEMPT TO SLAY YOURSELF OR OUR VESSEL THEN WE WILL HAVE NO REASON TO LEAVE YOUR FRIENDS ALIVE!

Well.

Seems the Goddess isn't very happy.

[Benson]

[Drunk Stairwell Camaraderie]

Lucky tilts his head back and laughs heartily, nearly losing his balance in the process. "Oh, oh wow," he chuckles. "Thanks for... the vote of confidence. But nah, nah. I know I look like crap. I'm over it," he gives a dismissive hoof-wave, almost toppling in the process. "Though... y'know... I used to be pretty handsome. Or so... all the gals said. Heh... But whatever," he shrugs. "I'll take survival over... a pretty face... any day."

He takes a few more shaky steps up the stairs, before pausing to look indirectly at Gwendolyn. "But nah. Nah, you ain't ugly. Quite... quite attractive actually. Pretty. For a griffin," he mutters offhandedly.

A pause. Then a quizzical look. "Wait... Did I say that out loud?" he murmurs mostly to himself.


"Yea....you did....and thanks....I think...." Honestly, the older griffon didn't think much of her looks, she was past that age where concern about looking good and fishing for compliments was a thing for younguns'. It did feel a little nice though, but her whiskey addled mind was not functioning correctly to think about these things even now.

"Let's just.....let's just....head up to the room and drink...before...Bright Eyes....steals my bottle..." She half mumbled as she trudged up the stairs.

Back downstairs, Apple Martini cleared her throat and looked at Bright Eyes. "That will be fifteen caps hun'."

[PurityIcekiller]

[The Bar]

"No, drinking will just make things worse for you. Better get yourselves rested instead."

Bright Eyes took out her money pouch and paid twenty caps. "I threw in a little extra because I was feeling nice. Anyway, let's go!"

[Lycan 01]

[New Appaloosa]

Lucky sighs. "Bright Eyes is right. ~hic~ Drinking will... just make things worse..." he mutters as he reaches the top of the stairs. "We'd... have to be stupid... to keep drinking."

He then winks at Gwendolyn. "Good thing I'm an idiot."

And with that, Lucky opens the door to one of the boarding rooms, and staggers in. "Lock the door..." he murmurs to Gwendolyn.

If Bright Eyes knocks on the door (which she probably will) Lucky will loudly proclaim: "This is not a sight for young impressionablebleble eyes!"

[Luka]

[Old Appleloosa - Ditch with a ragdoll in it]

The stable colt would just fly outside the town and approach the ditch the group apparently started the rescue attempt; he sees a red pool from above, so he dives in and finds no Eledwhen.... But robes and a body lying down.

"Wait-Shadow! are you alr-..."

He says while trying to remove the robes and try to "help her up" with his forehooves, thinking she was just covered in them and with a bleeding wound.... Then notes it was more than a bleeding wound, the....Mass around the place and the lack of something where her head should be (or red pulp instead of it, no idea how did it go); great, more input for his guilt.

"....NO!! Damn it!....... I'm sorry for thinking so bad about you... I mean, I didn't like how you were part of a group that used slaves, but I didn't hate you or anything, I-.... (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXpuRIZzJog) *sigh*"
He clutches her (Yes, even with the blood and stuff :smallyuk:), kind of mournful himself over her demise, since it's nicer to bury somepony if they still have a head, and because he suspects it to be because of Lamia too.

He notices she's been carrying a medallion and takes it, kind of thinking it's some sort of dog tag or something.

[Tag: Lycan, if he's going to add something about the medallion or Shadow]

[PurityIcekiller]

[Getting Some Rooms]

Bright Eyes laughed. "I ain't young or impressionable, you know. Still, I'll let you alone to have your fun. Just try not to make too much noise when you hit the sweet spots, okay?" With that, she headed for her own room.

[Lycan 01]

Old Appaloosa - Luka

When Luka clutches the dead Legion officer closes in a mournful embrace, he realizes something. Beneath the robes he can feel hard metal ridges - likely armor. But he can also feel a weapon holster.

C'mon, we all know he's gonna check it. :smalltongue:

It turns out Shadow was packing. An onyx black Colt Revolver, chambered to fire .45 rounds, with silver filigree and Old Equestrian engravings along the barrel - mottos and oaths of the Legion, most likely. It's clearly a custom model, as a red laser sight has been built in beneath the barrel to improve aiming, and the handle/bit has been modified to fit more comfortably and smoothly in a pony's mouth. At the bottom of the handle the title "Lux Nocturna" is engraving in flowing silver script; it is Old Equestrian for "Light of Night."

The medallion is a simple gold medallion with a sunburst icon on the front, and "Umbra Gradi - Decanus" engraved on the back - Shadow's name in Old Equestrian, and her Legion rank.

[Luka]

[Old appleloosa - Random ditch of- Oh look! stuff!]

(Edited previous post to fit with this)
He does indeed feel the stuff below the robes and check it :smalltongue:

He tries to remove the cloth with a hoof while still holding her with the other one.... Suddenly his eyes go wide and a smile grows over the amazing, shiny and utterly wonderful look of the weapon, he almost felt like it was shooting light towards him!

He just picked it up and looked around for it's ammo (finding for 3 reloads unless told otherwise), then holstered it and put enough bullets for a reload on the holster too, he might need to find a speed-reloader later on, or make one :smalltongue:

After putting the last bullet on it with his mouth he remember's
"Oh... right!" he looks at his other foreleg, still holding the fallen mare "...I got to get you somewhere where I can leave you, hold on" he just says and tries to load her on his back.... That's when her and her armor's weight suddenly are all on him, including the "You are over-encumbered and cannot run" message on his E.F.S. :smallbiggrin:

He notices that the medallion seemed to really be some dog tags, so he just puts it in one of his saddlebags, Elestre's beacon would appear after a while and he would begin stepping towards it, still with Shadow on his back so it would take a while :smalltongue:

[Tag: Lycan if he has something else to add]

[Lycan 01]

Old Appaloosa Outskirts

If the rest of the party is willing to wait around long enough, Luka eventually shows up at the meeting spot, with Shadow Stride's dead body slumped over his shoulders.

Eledwhen seems to have disappeared into the smoke and dust kicked up by the battle. Perhaps she got turned around, and will show up in a moment? Or perhaps she chased after Lamianos... That would be bad.

[Chaotic Bob]

[Toward Shattered Hoof]

"Had the feeling you might be interested in it," Heim laughs. The hippogriff catches Akwellen's attention and nods off in a seemingly random direction. The griffon nods, clicks his mini gun into single-fire mode, and BLAM!

Somewhere off in the distance a hungry radscorpion is reduced to a nasty smear. Eeww...

"We've honestly got no idea what's down there. But no one has been able to crack the vault thus far. Figured your expertise might be just the thing we need."

Rusty jumps a bit as the minigun fires, and frowns a bit, rubbing one of his ears.
"Eesh, bullet-guns suck when you're not afraid for your life..."
When you have the adrenaline pumping, the deafening noises just don't seem so bad.
All the other times? Absolutely horrible.

"I'm surprised that no one has been able to get in there at all, if you're living right on top of it. Locked with computer bits or lock bits? The former would be nicer."

[Benson]

[New Appaloosa]

Lucky sighs. "Bright Eyes is right. ~hic~ Drinking will... just make things worse..." he mutters as he reaches the top of the stairs. "We'd... have to be stupid... to keep drinking."

He then winks at Gwendolyn. "Good thing I'm an idiot."

And with that, Lucky opens the door to one of the boarding rooms, and staggers in. "Lock the door..." he murmurs to Gwendolyn.

If Bright Eyes knocks on the door (which she probably will) Lucky will loudly proclaim: "This is not a sight for young impressionablebleble eyes!"


[Getting Some Rooms]

Bright Eyes laughed. "I ain't young or impressionable, you know. Still, I'll let you alone to have your fun. Just try not to make too much noise when you hit the sweet spots, okay?" With that, she headed for her own room.

Gwendolyn looked at Lucky with a tired, narrowed eyed stare. "What are...you two going on about?...Bluh......" Gawd, her eyes were glossy.

[Lycan 01]

[New Appaloosa - bar]

"She thinks we're havin' sex," Lucky deadpans bluntly, his face an expressionless mask under an expressionless mask of bandages. "Apparently she wants us to keep the volume low during our raucous lovemaking."

A pause. He then grins wickedly, and leans back against the door.

"No promises!"

[MCerberus]

Old Appleoosa Outskirts

"Kid, you alright?" Finder manages to get out in something approaching his normal tone of voice. It is immediately apparent that something shook up the unicorn pretty bad.

It's sort of a silly question isn't it? The big protector went chem-crazy and was last seen trotting merrily back into the kill zone. Their contact had gotten pretty... well it's not pretty in the slightest.

"More importantly, what the buck happened before the Ranger injected himself with enough stuff to drop a manticore?"

[Benson]

[New Appaloosa - bar]

"She thinks we're havin' sex," Lucky deadpans bluntly, his face an expressionless mask under an expressionless mask of bandages. "Apparently she wants us to keep the volume low during our raucous lovemaking."

A pause. He then grins wickedly, and leans back against the door.

"No promises!"

Poompf!

Went the wings. The griffon stared with faintly pink blush sticker over her cheeks. She then furrowed her brows and tensed up. "That's crazy...!...Such a silly filly...and stuff....!" She squawked and waved it off "angrily" and looked away.

[Lycan 01]

[New Appaloosa - Love Shack Watering Hole]

Lucky stares for a moment. "Huh. Thought only us pegasi did that under certain circumstances," he muses aloud. "Guess I should feel proud of myself?"

He then averts his gaze and coughs. "Anyhoo, where were we? Oh. Right. Whiskey."

The pegasus casually trots - that is, staggers drunkenly - across the nondescript room, and plops down in a chair near Gwendolyn. "We'll kick the... wall every now and then... or something... to keep up the masquerade..." he quietly mutters. "Did you grab some glasses? Or... we sharin' the... bottle?" he asks with a slight slur. More alcohol may actually be a bad idea for him. But whatever, Lucky's up for it.

[BladeofObliviom]

[Ghastly Gorge]

Ebon can't help but smile as the Goddess plays right into his hands.

"I'm sure your lone ally will appreciate it when you ravage his claimed lands in search of six ponies whom you don't even know the names of."

Suffer the wrath of LOGIC, Goddess! :smalltongue:

Meanwhile, Ebon telekinetically loads the pistol in his saddlebag, assuming that hasn't been taken from him. Whether or not he still has the pistol, he further attempts to counteract the Alicorn's telekinesis with his own. Sure, he's weaker in that area than the Alicorn likely is, but his personal strength is likely at least comparable. Also, gravity is on the underdog's side right about now.

(As Ebon's player, I totally admit to not actually knowing the relative magical strength of an Alicorn, but I'd imagine that the two ranks of Mighty Telekinesis and Translocation as a tag skill on Ebon's imaginary character sheet would give him the power necessary to at least be comparable.)

[Benson]

[New Appaloosa - Love Shack Watering Hole]

Lucky stares for a moment. "Huh. Thought only us pegasi did that under certain circumstances," he muses aloud. "Guess I should feel proud of myself?"

He then averts his gaze and coughs. "Anyhoo, where were we? Oh. Right. Whiskey."

The pegasus casually trots - that is, staggers drunkenly - across the nondescript room, and plops down in a chair near Gwendolyn. "We'll kick the... wall every now and then... or something... to keep up the masquerade..." he quietly mutters. "Did you grab some glasses? Or... we sharin' the... bottle?" he asks with a slight slur. More alcohol may actually be a bad idea for him. But whatever, Lucky's up for it.


"Sharin'....didn't bring no glasses...." The griffon replied and plopped on her back on the bed as she dug out her bottle of whiskey from her pack. She tossed her guns, and pack to the side and then afterwards tossed the bottle of whiskey to lucky. Being all stuffy, and hot, she took off her armor. The subject of woohoo and faking it drifting away from her mind as quickly as her wings had poomft earlier. And they were still poomft and had made taking off the chest armor a bit of a pain.

[Lycan 01]

Lucky catches the bottle in his hooves. "Thank ya."

He takes a small sip, and lets out a contented sigh. "This is nice. Drinkin' with a friend... fergettin' yer problems... an' gettin' drunk. It's... the simple things in life... ya know?" he asks rhetorically and drunkenly.

He then notices Gwendolyn struggling with her armor, particularly her wings. "Need any help?" he casually asks.

A short pause.

And then he blushes through his bandages. "Just tr-tryin' to be nice!" he states defensively, eyes wide from fear of her smacking him. "Not tryin' to be... seductive or nothin'... sketchy like that."

[Rebonack]

[Ghastly Gorge]

Ebon can't help but smile as the Goddess plays right into his hands.

"I'm sure your lone ally will appreciate it when you ravage his claimed lands in search of six ponies whom you don't even know the names of."

Suffer the wrath of LOGIC, Goddess! :smalltongue:

Meanwhile, Ebon telekinetically loads the pistol in his saddlebag, assuming that hasn't been taken from him. Whether or not he still has the pistol, he further attempts to counteract the Alicorn's telekinesis with his own. Sure, he's weaker in that area than the Alicorn likely is, but his personal strength is likely at least comparable. Also, gravity is on the underdog's side right about now.

WE ARE THE GODDESS! the voice booms back. WE ARE ALL KNOWING! NOTHING IS HIDDEN FROM US! BREAK YOUR OATH AND THE LIVES OF YOUR FRIENDS ARE FORFEIT!

The alicorn grits her teeth as a layer of over-glow shrouds her horn to maintain her grip. From the looks of things she isn't going to be able to keep this up for long and even now she's swiftly descending toward the bottom of the gorge.

A massive bramble of coiling thorny vines clutches the bottom of the canyon, all but covering the river of sluggish brown water shimmering with a sickly rainbow sheen. Probably irradiated down there. And worse.

As they draw closer the alicorn screws her eyes shut and when they open again the look of dreadful rage and arrogance has been replaced by one of fear and concern.

I'm afraid our landing is going to be uncomfortable, the alicorn says as she releases her telekinetic grip on Ebon and shrouds him in a bubble shield which shortly there after crashes through the woody brambles and slams into the sticky mire below with a wet thud. The shield should take the brunt of the impact, but that still won't feel very nice.

As for the alicorn?

She can't shield two things at once. That's more of a green thing. She smashes into the thorny bushes with a sickening crunch.


[Toward Shattered Hoof]

Rusty jumps a bit as the minigun fires, and frowns a bit, rubbing one of his ears.
"Eesh, bullet-guns suck when you're not afraid for your life..."
When you have the adrenaline pumping, the deafening noises just don't seem so bad.
All the other times? Absolutely horrible.

"I'm surprised that no one has been able to get in there at all, if you're living right on top of it. Locked with computer bits or lock bits? The former would be nicer."

"I guess you would have your preference toward energy weapons then?" Heimdalr inquires conversationally.

As for Sivr, she makes a scowly face. "Computerized lock. I haven't been able to crack the thing yet. It feels like I'm missing some vital bit of information, but I don't know what it is."

Griffon scowly faces look silly.

"Hopefully you'll be able to supply that insight we need. Gawd will certainly be happy to have it open."

[BladeofObliviom]

[Ghastly Gorge - Canyon Floor]

Uh oh. Radioactive sludge and thorny vines are not a pleasant thing to land in.

Ebon feels a pang of guilt as he finally comes to the conclusion that the Alicorn he's been speaking to is not necessarily the same pony as the Goddess. Close to being the same pony, perhaps, but not quite. Whatever remnant of the pony that the Alicorn had formerly been certainly didn't deserve the kind of suffering he'd planned to inflict; perhaps not even the Goddess truly did.

It didn't matter anymore as the unicorn crashed through the brambles, thankfully protected from severe injury by the shield. He doesn't lose consciousness or anything, thankfully. Perhaps even more thankfully, he's fairly tough by unicorn standards; He's certainly sore and his genes are probably crying in response to the radiation in the area, but there's nothing that's going to keep him from walking about now.

Ebon didn't think too much before his next action: He attempted to slice through the foliage with beams of magical energy before shoving it aside telekinetically, moving at a steady pace in the direction opposite the Alicorn. It was imperative that he get out of this radiation, but RadAway is an excellent tool. UnityAway, on the other hand, doesn't actually exist.

Still, given the opportunity, he'd certainly prefer a rocky, dry path to the mire of flux and radiation.

[Rebonack]

No-Name. Anoma.

It was... a joke. To begin with. There are so many names drifting about in our dreams. So many names and thoughts and figments and phantoms that finding one's own is all but impossible. Some loose themselves in the sea of voices. Others build a new self of all the drifting memories and images.

I didn't know which name was mine. And I didn't wish to take somepony else's. So I made one, as some of my sisters have as well. No one. No name. Anoma.

Despite being more of a name than those who lost themselves have.

I didn't say it was a very funny joke...

[Ghastly Gorge - Canyon Floor]

A psychic cry of pain sounds through the gorge, echoing through the minds of all the ponies present.

Which is to say, one.

As Ebon slogs through the irradiated, tainted muck he'll feel a rather horrible crawling sensation. As if something were creeping about under his skin. It'll require a few minutes, but eventually he should be able to heave himself out of the tepid slew and onto a wide rock-shelf that winds its way along the bottom of the canoyn.

Behind he'll hear the sound of several fizzling pops as the Alicorn attempts to teleport to safety. Seems she isn't having much luck at the moment.

Please! Do not leave me here!

[Chaotic Bob]

"I guess you would have your preference toward energy weapons then?" Heimdalr inquires conversationally.

As for Sivr, she makes a scowly face. "Computerized lock. I haven't been able to crack the thing yet. It feels like I'm missing some vital bit of information, but I don't know what it is."

Griffon scowly faces look silly.

"Hopefully you'll be able to supply that insight we need. Gawd will certainly be happy to have it open."

[Towards Shattered Hoof]

"Yes, actually. Much more...gentle on the ears. And I can actually sort of play with those."
Rusty is knowledgeable in the department of dismantling and putting together energy weapons...but not more physical guns. His repair skills are sort of focused.

"Putting together an energy pistol is almost like putting together a tiny computer. Wires and matrices, it's fun!"
Such a nerd.

But at least he doesn't go off on a complete tangent on it, since Sivr also has interesting things to talk about. Interesting, MoM-related things.
"Hmmm, well I can't really promise anything, but I will certainly try my best.
Know anything about that missing information?"

[BladeofObliviom]

[Ghastly Gorge - Canyon Floor]

Psychic screams. Fun. Another pang of guilt strikes at the unicorn's subconscious, but he manages to continue forward.

Also, yuck at that crawling feeling under the skin. RadAway cannot come soon enough, and one of those Taint-cleansing operations at Tenpony Tower would be great too. As long as that damned crawling would stop!

After some effort, Ebon does indeed manage to clamber onto the shelf before attempting to scrape off as much of the gunk as he possibly could without a bath or an inordinate amount of time wasted.

Once the immediate threat of the muck is dealt with, the Alicorn's cries finally cause something to snap. Against his better judgment, Ebon tries to identify the Alicorn's rough location, and will even travel towards it if such a thing does not involve touching any of that muck ever again. Yech.

"I can't believe I'm doing this. Try anything and you'll get a hornful of voidfire, though."

[Benson]

Lucky catches the bottle in his hooves. "Thank ya."

He takes a small sip, and lets out a contented sigh. "This is nice. Drinkin' with a friend... fergettin' yer problems... an' gettin' drunk. It's... the simple things in life... ya know?" he asks rhetorically and drunkenly.

He then notices Gwendolyn struggling with her armor, particularly her wings. "Need any help?" he casually asks.

A short pause. And then he blushes through his bandages. "Just tr-tryin' to be nice!" he states defensively, eyes wide from fear of her smacking him. "Not tryin' to be... seductive or nothin'... sketchy like that."

"Its...alright...I have it...you ain't uh...very seductive anyhow, not looking like a mummy, a smelly, whiskey addled mummy....but ah...thanks anyway Mister Lucky," She replied, as if this wasn't a big a deal, the whole time she kept her back facing Lucky. She had a tired drunk look, but the faint pink blush sticker was still there. She reached over to a wing and tried to massage it down, to get it to relax.

[Lycan 01]

[New Appaloosa Drunken Romance Antics]

Lucky blinks twice. With her back turned to him, he has an amazing view of Gwendolyn's fully flared and outspread wings. Sputtering slightly, her averts his gaze as a small blush rises to his cheeks. He then chuckles softly as he realizes what she said. "Gee, thanks. It's nice to know... you think... I'm so bad... bad at... seduction. Is... is that a challenge, Miss Gwendolyn?" he grins playfully.

[Benson]

[New Appaloosa Drunken Romance Antics]

Lucky blinks twice. With her back turned to him, he has an amazing view of Gwendolyn's fully flared and outspread wings. Sputtering slightly, her averts his gaze as a small blush rises to his cheeks. He then chuckles softly as he realizes what she said. "Gee, thanks. It's nice to know... you think... I'm so bad... bad at... seduction. Is... is that a challenge, Miss Gwendolyn?" he grins playfully.

"A challenge, bhwuh? What are you......going on about?..." She dared to look behind her with the corner of her eyes. "Wha---what is with that grin?"

[Lycan 01]

[New Appaloosa - Alcoholic's Paradise]

Lucky smirks, and gives a dismissive wave of his left hoof, clutching the whiskey in his right. "Oh, ya know. What you said about me... bein' a whiskey-scented mummy... thing. You were sayin'... I ain't seductive. Implyin'... that I can... can't seduce ya. And I was askin' if... if that was a challenge," he playfully remarks, leaning forward in his chair - but not too far, since he doesn't have nearly enough balance for that right now.