[FO:E] The Southern Wasteland of Equestria 2

[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.

[BladeofObliviom]

(Moved here because thread rollover.)

[SCIENCE!!! with free basement included]

It's just as well that she waits for a pause. He wouldn't even have noticed otherwise. Even as it is, he visibly jumps a bit when Night Jewel begins speaking, though he's careful enough with his equipment that there is no completely ridiculous slapstick moment.

The sand dog lifts his welding mask and turns toward Night Jewel, revealing a face mostly resembling that of a normal prewar Diamond Dog, with one rather obvious exception: The upper right quarter of his face has been replaced by metal, and one eye is a piercing blue light rather than an organic structure as she no doubt expected. His chest also seems to be nearly entirely artificial, though it is possible that the plating is simply a very form-fitting armor.

His voice even seems very slightly metallic when he responds, as if it is echoing over metal rather than a purely organic lung.

"Leg is practice. What does pony want?"

Not much for pleasantries, it seems. It's probably becoming apparent to Night Jewel just why this individual happens to be a hermit.

[Chaotic Bob]

[Cake Warehouse - Below]

Time to run! Sivr isn't sure if this is a good or a bad revelation. Maybe the vault will be full of ghouls? That could be potentially terrible. Ghouls aren't the nastiest of foes. But against somepony like Rusty? They would rip him apart.

Surprise will be found sitting in front of the entrance to the vault.

She's peering at it.

Peeeeeering.

"Party ponies... If this was some sorta place for training party ponies then why didn't I ever hear about it?" the cyborg muses aloud. "What were you doing down here Pinkie..."

Oh hey!

There's everypony else!

Surprise waves a cheerful hoof!

The not-cheerful (and rotten) hoof that had been on the floor has been replaced with a pile of pink ash. Surprise had apparently decided to clean up a little.

[Cake Warehouse - Entrance]

Unsurprisingly (or maybe surprisingly), Pinkie Pie does not answer Surprise Party's question.

Nor does Check Mark seem particularly concerned about any of the piles of ash or anything. But that's because she has something important to say!
She thinks.

Peering into the empty entrance-room with a touch of confusion, the ghoul moves towards the security desks.
"I forgot earlier, Miss Party. There was a shelter drill the day...um, the day I can't remember any more. I think everyone should have been down here when things went bad."

Which probably means something. She's hoping it's something good.
Maybe they survived down here? It might as well have been as secure as Stables...

[Benson]

Steel Creel's House

Sparky nodded. "Nice drawing! Anyway, after we... um, have breakfast I guess... I told you I'd take you to see the sun? Would you like to do that?"

Steel Creel's House

Mags looked at the fibber with a smile. "That would be awesome."



=============
Wild Rabbit Woods

Suddenly, their campfire was out, just like that, just out.

[Rebonack]

[Cake Warehouse - Entrance]

And no lucky...

Surprise is moving cautiously. And... muttering to herself every now and again. Moving cautiously? More like moving hilariously. The cyberpony is standing on her hind hooves and scooting along walls as if expecting somepony to see her at any moment. Once she gets close to the security desk she'll dive over the counter and pop up to examine the consoles on the other side.

Anything displayed on the screens?

Regardless of the answer to that she starts reaching toward them-

-only to stop.

"Twitchy-twitch... Somepony will see... Don't fiddle with the computers. Somepony is still down here," she wrinlkes her nose and peers off at... nothing. "I don't think Rusty is anywhere nearby, either. This would be a lot easier if he were hiding from me!" the pegasus pouts.

Sivr quirks an eyebrow. "Why would Rusty hiding help?"

"Because then I could sneak up on him! Duuuuuh!" Surprise laughs as if that were the most absurd question she had ever heard.

[Chaotic Bob]

[Cake Warehouse - Entrance]

Check Mark looks just a touch confused (http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m98ojagmWs1qc5ffho1_1280.png) by Surprise Party's antics, until she remembers reports of Miss Pie.

Then she's just slightly more confused.

"Um...okay...well, I know the computers down here were supposed to be integrated into the security system. Maybe that's what you're thinking of?"


Meanwhile!
There only one open window on the terminal, evidently something Rusty's pulled up:

Delivery Manifest #478F349

-Classified: Ministry Mare Approved Access Only-

Note: Fritter's crew is responsible for making sure this gets secured down in the Black Ward. Keep the halls clear between 1300-1400.

[PurityIcekiller]

[Trolls Diamond Dogs At Work]

Night Jewel didn't seem too put off. "You see, I had this idea. Since you're so good at making legs, I was wondering if you could make a set of wings for me?"

I wonder who made the adjustments to him? It's not that easy to repair yourself, is it?

[Rebonack]

[Cake Warehouse - Entrance]

Surprise recognizes that look. She used to see it all the time. The cybermare grins cheerfully at Check Mark. "Surprising ponies is my special talent! That's why Pinkie made me a party technician! I think that's why she put me in the Party Poopers, too... But throwing parties was always way more fun!"

The what now?

"Buuuuh! If the EINet connection were still up then my status would have been updated here. And I'll bet that would come in really hoofy just in case..." Surprise reasons, holding up her hooves like a pair of balances. "But on the other hoof the naughty somepony would notice me if I tried to update them myself... I think I need another opinion!"

Surprise looks at Sivr!

The griffon waves her talons in front of herself. "Don't look at me!"

The cybermare then spots a little plastic plant sitting on the desk! She grabs it in her hooves, yanks the fake flowers out, and then begins to shake it upside down rather vigorously.

After several moments of this absurdity a Mister Gutsy painted bright pink may come tumbling out of the physically-too-small-to-contain-him pot.

[Lycan 01]

[Cake Warehouse - Entrance]

~CLANG~

A Mister Gutsty with a garishly pink paint scheme, yellow and blue balloon decals, and five or so robot limbs with various weapons and claws attached comes tumbling out of the pot, and lands in a heap on the floor. His three optic sensors are all showing a series of multicolored bars. He promptly lets out several filly-like screams.

"WHAT'S GOING ON?!" Sergeant Sprinkles gruffly yelps between terrified shrieks, flailing his robot limbs wildly in panic and confusion. "WHAT'S HAPPENING?!!? AAHH!! AAAH!! AAAAHHH!! I SAW TIME AND SPACE!! WHY AM I STILL OPERATIONAL?! WHY AM I PROGRAMMED TO SURVIVE THIS?!? IS THIS A BUG OR A FEATURE?!?!? AAAHHHHHH!!!!!!!!"

And then he notices Surprise.

His eyes revert to neon pink, and he stops flailing wildly. His thruster fires up, he hovers a few feet back off the ground, and he lets out a small cough. "Oh. Hiya Miss PV. Need some assistance?" he dutifully inquires.

[Chaotic Bob]

[Cake Warehouse - Entrance]

Check Mark looks a little leery about this idea.
Updating the security herself? What would that accomplish other than probably tripping every alarm in the place or something?

"I'm not really sure that's a very good...idea...miss...buh?"

Suddenly robots.

The ghoul's face contorts (http://th05.deviantart.net/fs71/200H/i/2012/194/4/1/twilight_sparkle_with_a_funny_face_by_megacody2-d572tu9.png).
"...Miss Pie is here somewhere, isn't she?"

[BladeofObliviom]

(Spent a while looking at the setting and trying to figure out if mechanical wings are actually a thing. Sorry for the wait.)

[Diamond Sand Dogs at Work]

Bauhaus stares a moment. His fleshy eye blinks, just an instant before the mechanical one refocuses.

"What pony suggests is not... ...impossible."

However, that kind of diction and pause usually indicates bad news.

"However, pony would also need galvanized spine for wings not tear out, lots of wire anchoring, motor cortex implant for new function, repair talisman, digestive upgrade for fueling talisman and implant, and also metal wings. Pony would go under knife for three days. Five months for full recovery. If no infection."

Well, that's kind of disappointing. Wing upgrades are possible, but the kind of materials here are not sufficient to actually build one that would last inside a pony. While building cyberlegs is good practice, it would be irresponsible to give a pony one that didn't have some way to deal with wear and tear, as well as a power source.

Not to mention that this would be a large use of resources and time for a procedure on a complete stranger. It's nice that they asked politely, but there are limits on what that can get you.

Obviously the question about Bauhaus' own augs gets unanswered because it wasn't actually asked. :smalltongue:

[PurityIcekiller]

"Huh. Maybe I'll wait on that. Still, being dissected and incapacitated for almost half a year is at least a better alternative to losing one's free will," Night Jewel joked.

[I]Seems that world conquest scheme won't be happening too soon.

"In that case, can you make a weapon that can disable spellcasting or at least stun creatures instead? My current throwing knives just aren't cutting it."

[Tychris1]

[Wild Rabbit Woods]

Ducard stops dead in his tracks. That second blip... Unnerved him. There were two of them now, or the fjrst one duplicated itself. Not to mention one of them disappeared, and he's pretty far away from camp........ THE CAMP!

Turning around Ducard moves as fast as his hooves can carry him back to camp. Finding the fire out and his companions lying in weakened position the valiant Steel Ranger stomps his hoof and barks "Alright everypony. We got to leave NOW. This place aint safe anymore, there's... something that's circling us. And there might be more of them around. I don't know what it is but i'd rather be safe then sorry."

[TAG Luka, Drowlord, MCerberus]

[Ponyville]

Lamianos grins as he approaches the bandits, marching back and forth, occasionally stoping for a frantic spasm, but quickly resumes his pacing.

"If fighting is sure to result in victory then you must fight! Celestia said that, and I think she knows a little bit more about fighting then you do pal. Because she invented it, and then she perfected it so that no pony would have to fight on the field of battle." He says gruffly. "Umm, what does that have to do with anything?" An inquisitive bandit asks, unsure of what is happening. Lamianos smiles and trots towards him "I'm glad you asked! Do you know how to fight?"

At this point the bandit is just utterly baffled, motioning to his gun he says "Well of course...." Lamianos headbutts him, sending the bandit reeling, snaps the harness for the bandits SMG free, and puts his iron hoof on his throat in one fluid motion. He aims his minigun downward, putting it's multiple barrels against the bandits head"Really? Cause from where i'm standing you don't seem to know jack ****." He breaks into a little manic laughter as he starts kicking in the bandits ribs, smacking his face into the ground, and lacerating his body with cuts. Eventually Lamianos drags the pulp of a pony away into an alley and walks oit, his bloodstained armor clinking all the while "That right there? That was your bosses old weakness. Your under new control now. I'm going to personally sculpt you all into brutal bastards. One broken rib at a time," he growls "IS THAT UNDERSTOOD?"

It's good that they learn there place.

Still, despite his brutal onslaught Lamia left the bandit pony alive, barely, but alive. He was trapped and bound by pieces of debris and whatever Lamianos could find in the alley, essentially trapping and silencing the poor pony.

[TAG Drowlord]

[Southwestern Equestria- The Underground Facility 5:00 PM]

Maul Steel hacks up a bit of blood but he's still pretty unconscious. Perhaps they should get the bloodied pony away from the irradiated sight? Wouldn't want to have him be too irradiated.

[TAG Benson]

[Rebonack]

[Ponyville]

"Eehhehehehehee!" comes a tittering laugh as a sickly green unicorn mare with mismatched yellow and red eyes comes sauntering out from around a ruined thatched roof cottage. She's looking awfully healthy for a pony that just got killed pretty darn hard.

Oddly enough if anypony decides to check her corpse they'll find a grey earth pony stallion instead of the insane unicorn. What's up with that?

She points a hoof at Lammy. "You! I like you! You're going to be fun! You're the singing guy, right? Ehehehehehe! Blackheart told me aaaaall about you!"

Wait... Blackheart? Wasn't that the alicorn from Old Appleloosa?

"Yeah. I think we're going to get along great! Love the decoration you did here! These weaklings have really let the place go to Tartaurus since the Goddess stuck that bit in my mouth! But nooooow the reeeeeeigns are broooooken and its tiiiiiiiiiime to pop some heaaaaaaads agaaaaain~!"

...

Yep.

She's totally cracked.

That grin stretches a little wider that seems physically possible. "Allow me... to introduce myself! I-" she gestures with a hoof to herself. "Am Delirious Hex. The biggest, baddest Raider that has ever lived if I do say so myself! Hehehehe*snort*HAHAHAHAHA! Which I do!"

[Cake Warehouse - Below]

Sivr is about as incredulous as Check Mark is. Though without the benifit of being aware that the things the party pony is pulling off apparently aren't unique to her. So... yeah. Griffon is sitting there with her beak hanging open. "I've seen a lot of weird things in the Wasteland..."

And then a question from a robot!

"I sure do Mister Sprinkles. This is some Ministry of Morale facility that I didn't know about. The connection to the EINet must have been severed when... the Bad Thing happened. So this facility hasn't gotten the updated security from the Manehattan hub designating me as the acting Ministry Mare Morale yet," Surprise explains. "It would probably be super-duper helpful to have a little extra security clearance but if I fiddle with the computers there's a Naughty Pony somewhere in here that would know about it!"

Not a Naughty Pony!

"So do you think I should just leave the computers alone? Or should I try to update them anyway?"

Then a question from a ghoul! That question leaves Surprise sounding a little more somber. "No... I had Mister Sprinkles burn Pinkie Pie's remains and scatter the ashes over Manehattan," a small, sad smile tugs at the corners of the cyberpony's mouth. "I'm sure she's having a nice party with her friends in the Everafter."

[Benson]

[Southwestern Equestria- The Underground Facility 5:00 PM]

Maul Steel hacks up a bit of blood but he's still pretty unconscious. Perhaps they should get the bloodied pony away from the irradiated site? Wouldn't want to have him be too irradiated.

[TAG Benson]

[Southwestern Equestria- The Underground Facility 5:00 PM]


"Come...on...we gotta get out of here," Foxfire ordered as she levitated out a small wipe from her pack and cleaned him off of the blood he hacked. "My wagon has all my medical supplies...come on let's go." She ordered Tough Stomp to carry his buddy and so he did so and picked up the meat sack that was Maul Steel.

"What happened?" The little earth pony foal named Half Pint asked with fretting eyes.

"I'm not sure. Might be sick or something, I can't really diagnose it here." Foxfire replied and gesturing for the foal to get on her back.

Chief Green Spike stared at the four with narrowed scrutinizing eyes. "No, you do not leave until he has returned the water talisman. I don't care what that stallion says. This creature will be continued to be use in powering it, my people will have their water returned to them!"

[Lycan 01]

Underground MoM Facility - Entrance

Sergeant Sprinkles waves at Check Mark. "Howdy Miss Mark. Long time no see. Nice to see you're still around, and in your right mind," he cheerfully observes.

He also notes the other griffin. "Oh hey, another griffin."

And then he turns back to Surprise. "Hmmm. Well, you still have yer super-high clearance level from the Pink Voice Project, don'tcha?" the gruff old soldier asks. "Maybe that's good enough. And if we do run into any problems, why not just backtrack and update the status once they know yer here? That way ya don't blow yer cover before ya have to..."

[Tychris1]

[Ponyville]

Lamianos looks at delirious hex, watching her whole introduction, and a wolfish grin grows across his face. Inspecting the unicorn mare he circles around her and says "Oh it's so good to know my reputation precedes me. The singing guy. Heh. Blackheart? I think I remember somepony like that, gave me a bit of heartache. HOHOHUEHUEHUEHEHAHAHA! *cough* Blech, urgh, anyway I thought those punks over there killed you to death, but then again, who am I to talk about cheating the reaper?" he breaks down into manic laughter with her, stiffeling it after a few seconds.

Blackheart eh? This is alot of implied knowledge that could be pried further into, well if sensible Slaver Lamianos had the reigns. But right now Raider Lamia just wanted to have a good time with lots of head popping. Still, his subconcious was making an impression, and it forced him to atleast address it. "I aint so sure how to feel about the baddest raider being in my presence. Specially since I still need a bunch of weaklings to kick around and do stuff. But hell, you only live once right? Well, unless your us." And then more laughing.

Yup.

A cracked bloody pair made straight in Tartarus. Sweet Celestia have mercy on their souls.....



Maul drifts off into a kind of hallucination, his memory going fuzzy as he begins to relive something....

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Doesn't seem to be much around, just a old shack in the middle of the wasteland, not much to it save for some supplies strewn about and a single brahmin tethered to a pole outside. The top of the shack erroded away a long long time ago, and the front door seems to have seen better days. Lurking inside of the shed is an orange red unicorn and a decrepid brown ghoul mare. Her legs having rotted away to the bone and her mouth in a similar state of dismay. Yet still it seemed she managed to smile at the young unicorn as he played around with a ball, floating it too and fro.

The young unicorn looks up and says "...I'm hungry..."
The smile disappears from the ghouls face, her eyes looking over their meager rations "I know Maul... I know... I'll go out foraging again tommorow. Maybe even go to New Appleoosa, see what I can get from Ditzy...." She lies her head down, staring at the rusted wall of the shed as the unicorn curls up beside her.

A few hours pass and night begins to fall, yet all is not quite on the homefront. Grunts and growls are heard outside, 3-4 voices with most of them sounding like they're complaining. As they get closer what they say is more apparent

"Ugh, we've been walking all day. We gotta sit down and rest eventually."
"Are you kidding me? That raid was such a bust that we need to make up lost time."
"Well how about we just sit down in that shed and rest for 3 hours, just enough to get our legs ready again?"
"Hmmm.... Fine. But you get first watch."

The young Maul Steel begins to promptly freak out, sweat rolling down his head as he glances to his ghoul guardian. Her face turns stern, she goes into the corner of the room, picking up a long shotgun and her assorted knives. Mounting herself she readies herself at the door for their abrupt entrance. The raiders approach the shed with greater speed and one of them opens the door, only to find.....

A face full of lead. Horrid bloody lead soaring through his skull and neck, his corpse stumbling backwards from the sheer force of it. The ghoul mare growls as she looks down the 3 others, who promptly brandish there own weapons and engage in a fight. It was quick and brutal, shotgun shells flying, baseball bat swinging, and pistol rounds soaring as they meet their bloody finish. Another raider slumps to the ground dead, but the ghoul is lying on the ground, clinging to life as she can barely hold her head up. Maul screams, looking at the display infront of him. [I]"Just stop fighting, stop fighting, STOP FIGHTING!" He mentally screams as his horn glows and something taps into that moment of desperation that would scar him forever. Something dark and malevolent, Eldritch Horrors infathomable, the stars. His eyes glow unnaturally as his horn blazes, a streak of star powered light surging forward and covering all that lied infront of him.

He certainly got them to stop fighting, the Raiders and whatever they wielded burnt to ash. But at the same time the ghoul was gone aswell, her frame reduced to nothing, the only piece left of her being the knives she kept at her side. Looking upon his work the young unicorn broke down in tears, crawls into the corner, and lies there alone for the rest of the night........

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[Southwestern Equestria- Underground Facility 5:05 PM]

Maul Steel awakens, his eyes still fuzzy from exerting all of his reserved strength. He looks to Chief Greenspike, defeat covering his face, and he submits to the bastard Chief's demands. With what little energy he has left he picks up the water talisman and limply throws it at the Chief "You want it? Take it....." There was nothing left to do, he couldn't kill the ponies infront of him, and yet he couldn't just let the ghoul rot. Still, if he failed to kill them they'd just do the ghoul in anyway. Oh how wonderful the wasteland can be at times.

[MCerberus]

Wild Rabbit Woods

Finder kind of shivers at the sudden lack of warmth. This quickly passes and he continues sleeping. Then there's voices that cause him to stir, but he's still pretty tired and sleeping is nice.

So the scavver is still asleep, dreaming he's not in the middle of nowhere.

[BladeofObliviom]

"Huh. Maybe I'll wait on that. Still, being dissected and incapacitated for almost half a year is at least a better alternative to losing one's free will," Night Jewel joked.

[I]Seems that world conquest scheme won't be happening too soon.

"In that case, can you make a weapon that can disable spellcasting or at least stun creatures instead? My current throwing knives just aren't cutting it."

[Do Tell!]

"Better tools, materials make easier. Dog have neither."

And then the subject is changed.

"Drop spells? Like EMP?"

Bauhaus reaches into his coat and casually pulls out his EMP rod.

"This one mine, but could make another with blank talisman."

[Drowlord]

Wild Rabbit Woods

[Here might be changes.]

Steel Creel's Place

Sparky chuckled quietly. "Great! Now, just to get Steel up. So, Mags, should I wake up mister sleepyhead the easy or hard way?"

Ponyville

Doc Patch's eyes set in a laserlike glare upon the huge pony. A huge, deliberate grin crossed his face, almost feral, for a moment. The non-pulped ponies almost grimaced in dread. They knew that Doc's smile meant somepony was going to die if they could die, and they would not like their death. It was a fact, though, that this crazy behemoth was powerful enough to grind their leader to bloody bits if he got close. Either way, it was not going to be pretty.

Until he got revenge, though, there was the matter of the poor pony who Lamnios had pulverized. The doc quickly pulled a bunch of bandages, pieces of wood, five healing potions, and a stretcher out of a saddlebag. Trotting into the alley, he applied the medical supplies and potions expertly after getting the rubble off of him. He'd probably saved Bent Barrel's life, but he couldn't guarantee that. He spread the stretcher out under the pony and went back to his group. They were so angry at Lamnios they were almost fuming, but they held back. One especially, a powerfully-built mare in incredibly heavy barding, was literally hissing with rage. He spoke quietly to his group.

"Is he right? Is the pony who's saved your lives hundreds of times weak because he doesn't fight always? Because he's made you rich and great?"

There was a swift and affirmative shaking of heads.

"Bella, you can show him your stuff. Double dose of Dash for you tomorrow, and extra Stampede. He'll be willing to take you on. This kind always is."

The powerful mare slammed her hoof on the ground. "He better be."

[Chaotic Bob]

Ponyville

Crush.
Kill.
Destroy.
Swag
Unless the raider pulls out some crazy ninja moves, is lucky, or something else, it really isn't an issue of 'if he'll kill the raider'. It's more 'will the dead thing that remains still be vaguely pony-shaped'. Since he's already killing, might as well indulge the crazy urge in his head. Razoreye will probably come-to in a few seconds at least.


[Ponyville]

Well, since flipping Pineapple is something that requires moving her without being able to take advantage of one's own weight, the first thing the mare is likely to notice is that Ms. Blast is ridiculously heavy. On top of already being in excellent physical condition with a large amount of dense muscle built up, she's carrying a grenade launcher and three saddlebags filled with (thankfully stable) explosives and chemicals for making explosives. The act of forcing Pineapple's bulk off of her might take a lot more energy out of her than she would have expected it to.

Assuming that she actually has the strength to successfully do that, though, Pineapple's defenses against being smacked in the face are notably absent. The mare is still snarling in a rather berserk manner, though, and certainly isn't down yet. The vicious attacks find their mark, though, and Boxhead-mare now has a momentary tactical advantage!

At this point, the aforementioned wound between the eyes has been torn fairly wide, and there is quite a bit of blood flowing out of it. She's not about to die from blood loss anytime soon, but it's going to need stitches regardless of healing potion availability. There's also some blood in her nostrils, and she'd be spitting up some too if she were in a position to spit anything properly. One of her ears looks a bit battered, but will probably perk up again in time. Overall, though, it seems that the mare's face is notably resistant to smashing-in, though that doesn't mean she isn't going to be seriously injured by the end of this fight.

In any case, while said battering is occurring, Pineapple tries to viciously disable Boxhead-mare, striking at the soft muscle underneath the shoulder on the leg she's using to attack before attempting to slash across her underside for proper disembowelment. :smalleek:



[Ponyville]

Oh hey, Hex is still here.
Anyone surprised? No?
Yeah...


Razoreye's target is most definitely going to be dead.
One way or another. If anyone had bothered to notice, blood was already starting to seep out of his ears...the griffon merely offered a more violent end.

Probably deserved it, really.


Meanwhile, inside!
The strength of dying insanity is immeasurable...but so is its lack of observation.

Smash smash smash...boxhead-mare is very focused on trying her best to make Pineapple's face stop being on the outside, and start being on the inside, even if she has to sacrifice an arm for it.

So much so, that she doesn't really notice the contents of her stomach doing the exact opposite.
Pineapple will feel the warmth of that particular choice, in time to feel the now one-armed blows lighten.

Smash smash smash! Smash smash! Smash! Smack! Smack. Pat.

Almost everything that should be inside the mare is ceasing to be so, and even madness can't imprison the spark of life within her body longer. After a hateful glare, and another puff of cloud from the broken box on her head, the lights dim, and she quits the world in a bloody slump.


Another spark from the box, and the psychic scream dims further.

[Cake Warehouse - Entrance]

Check Mark isn't saying much right now.
She was just being a bit incredulous, staring at what happened. It never really got any easier when she saw Pinkie Pie do it, why would it be easier now?

And then hearing, rather clearly, that Miss Pie's body had not only been confirmed, but burned and spread to the winds...

There's a sharp intake of unnecessary breath, and the ghoul walks right back out of the warehouse.

She doesn't go very far, just to stand near the stares. But she needed to look at something other than balloons and cupcakes for a moment.

[Benson]

[Southwestern Equestria- Underground Facility 5:05 PM]

Maul Steel awakens, his eyes still fuzzy from exerting all of his reserved strength. He looks to Chief Greenspike, defeat covering his face, and he submits to the bastard Chief's demands. With what little energy he has left he picks up the water talisman and limply throws it at the Chief "You want it? Take it....." There was nothing left to do, he couldn't kill the ponies in front of him, and yet he couldn't just let the ghoul rot. Still, if he failed to kill them they'd just do the ghoul in anyway. Oh how wonderful the wasteland can be at times.

[Southwestern Equestria- Underground Facility 5:05 PM]

The unicorn warrior lifted up the broken water talisman with his telekinsis and handed it over to Chief Green Spike who looked at it with glee.

"Oh, don't be like that. This is for the good of my people. If I only have to sacrifice this creature, in a manner of speaking, then I can save my people. What is more important? The needs of the many outweigh the so called needs of one."

Tough Stomp and Foxfire looked him feeling a little sick, and it wasn't from the radiation poisoning either.





Steel Creel's Place

Sparky chuckled quietly. "Great! Now, just to get Steel up. So, Mags, should I wake up mister sleepyhead the easy or hard way?"



"Mmmm....let's be nice, so easy....he's been good, so I want to go the nice route!" She said nuzzling the sleeping stallion.

[PurityIcekiller]

[Here It Is (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqei7NWIseE)]

"What kind of materials would you need? Maybe I can find them for you."

Night Jewel then sniffed at the rod. "Hmm. Looks like I could work with that. I think I know where to find a talisman, actually."

In fact, I think I've got a plan that will at least make getting the wings easier if I can pull it off. Plus, it'll mean a chance to deal with a little bit of unfinished business. I just need to figure out how to do it. This is going to be fun.

[Benson]

New Appleloosa

As Bright Eyes and the refugee ponies wandered closer to New Appleloosa, they would find themselves stopped by the new guards stationed at the gates. Above waaaay on a catwalk ledge was a sniper, not particularly pointing at them, but keeping a watchful eye on them.

"Halt. Identify yourselves and reason for entry." An earth pony guard asked of Bright Eyes and the refugees. Even if she had been here, didn't mean she was recognized.

[Chaotic Bob]

[New Appleloosa]

Oh look, town guards.
Not particularly weird.

The refugees remain fairly quiet here, shuffling their hooves and generally looking not-threatening.

The vocal mare glances at Bright Eyes, expecting her to be the voice here.
But if Bright doesn't go for it, the mare is happy to take the mantle of spokespony once again...

[MCerberus]

Ponyville

After a bit too long ensuring the corpse isn't presentable, Razoreye looks up. Now that's he's... indulged... things look just a bit clearer. The griffin takes to the skies and tries to figure out where everypony is... and his going over towards Lamianos is quickened by the sight of the strangers.

[Rebonack]

[Cake Warehouse - Below]

The cyberpegasus nods sagely as the robot speaks. "That sounds like a great plan Mister Sprinkles! And that's Sivr! She's a friend of Sven's!"

The griffon in question coughs slightly. "Closer to business associates. I don't know him that well, honestly."

"The best of friends!" Surprise repeats, apparently having completely glazed over Sivr's remake. The griffon rolls her eyes. "There's another pony who was down here with us, but he seems to have wandered off on his own. Probably looking for that."

She points a hoof at the entry that had been called up on the computer. "Sivr thinks that we should get some more help and come back later. And I don't think it would be very nice to leave Rusty here all alone."

Sort of lethal, too.

And hey, look at that. Checky is wandering off on her own! Surprise bites her lip, glances at the others, and follows the ghoul out. She'll sit down next to her without a word.

Sivr coughs awkwardly. "So... I take it you know Surprise Party? What... is she?"

[Ponyville]

Oh yes.

All sorts of fun!

"There were plenty of weaklings until you went and killed them all! But you know what they say. Can't raise a depraved army of Raiders withing slaughtering a few dozen ponies for the fun of it."

Hex begins to laugh. Her tittering insane giggles slowly rising into increasingly maniacal shrieks. And should any of the other ponies nearby begin to nervously laugh along with her she suddenly stops and fixes them with a dangerously enraged glare.

"What are YOU laughin' at?"

Yep.

Absolutely bucking insane.

[PurityIcekiller]

[New Appaloosa]

Bright Eyes stopped obediently and smiled. "Relax, I'm Bright Eyes. I was here earlier, and I don't mean any harm. I'm just helping these refugees here find a place for themselves.

"Did something bad happen? This town wasn't so on guard when I last visited."

[Chaotic Bob]

[Cake Warehouse - Entrance]

Check Mark wants to cry.
It's plain in her posture, the miserable look in her eyes, and the gloomy silence around her.

Her body just can't.
And this fact isn't escaping her, making it even worse.

Just another horrible part of this new world she's been pulled into.

It takes a moment before she actually acknowledges Surprise, to put the effort into using her scratchy voice. Not her voice...just...this body's voice.
"Why did you have to wake me up?"
She can't change the world the way Surprise wants her to, so why bother? Mark's just a paper pusher who happened to work under the world's most reality-defying pony.

[Rebonack]

[Cake Warehouse - Entrance]

Yeah...

Surprise found out recently that her tear ducts were gone. Which was fairly jarring. Wanting to cry and being unable to cry really hit home just how... changed... she is.

Is she even really a pony anymore?

"I had retreated into Pink Voice. Buried myself in it," the cyberpony responds slowly. Deliberately. "Because it hurt too much to acknowledge what had happened. A few days ago some ponies came to the Ministry Hub in Manehattan and woke me up. It..."

She clinches her teeth.

"It hurt. It hurt so much. I had eyes all over Equestria, Checky... I saw the world burn. I watched those ponies die. And there was nothing I could do. And when they woke me up all those memories came rushing back. Everything that I had hidden in a deep, dark pit was exposed. And it broke my heart. But..."

Surprise looks over at the ghoul, her eyes glimmering with hopefulness. "But I don't want to go back to being asleep. Not now. Not since I've seen that there are hurting ponies left to help."

She reaches out tentatively to put a hoof on the ghoul's withers.

"I thought... maybe... you would feel the same way I did. I'm sorry if you don't..."

[Lycan 01]

Warehouse Of Doom - Entrance

Sergeant Sprinkles idly hovers in place, and adjusts one pink optic sensor to focus on Svir. "Miss PV is not a what," his synthetic voice growls. "She is a pegasus, a cyberpony, a veteran of the Great War, a veteran black ops agent, one of Equestria's top assassins, and one of Pinkie Pie's most trusted operatives and advisors. Oh. And she's the new Minister of Morale."

The robot's eye tilts back into position, disregarding the griffin. "So show some respect."

[BladeofObliviom]

[Ponyville]

Yikes! Pineapple's definitely going to have some serious blunt force trauma and also a concussion after that flurry of blows! Lacerations have appeared in some of the softer places where the flesh can tear a bit more easily, and there is now blood pooling in one of her eye sockets. (The eye's still there and intact, but there's blood all over it.)

For that matter, there's plenty of blood and much, much creepier things all over her now, given the effects of gravity and a massive hole in the underside of the pony immediately above her. Even as the flurry of blows stops, the still-angry mare attempts to throw the corpse off of her, no longer even caring that boxhead-mare is about as dead as dead gets.

From there, she begins mercilessly stomping, stabbing, and generally making a mess out of said mare. That rage spell's still active, after all, and Pineapple's in enough pain to justify being goddamned sure that the other mare is dead.

She survived a Grenade to the face, after all. Who's to say that she's not also resistant to disembowelment? :smalltongue:

Note that she's currently delusional enough to consider the box on the boxhead mare's head as part of said head, and another good target for smashing.


[Not Bad, but Sounds Too Upbeat; I'm Thinking Moribund World (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoOnO5AEHzI)]

Bauhaus raises an eyebrow. Coincidentally, it's also just dawned on him that he's talking to some random unicorn that stealthily appeared behind him while he was working. Hmm.

As some small measure of courtesy, the dog takes the gem battery he had been using to power the arc welder and attaches it to a light talisman. He might be able to see in the dark just fine, but his guest shouldn't have to maintain a light spell for the duration of the conversation.

[Rebonack]

[Cake Warehouse - Below]

The (unarmed) griffon backs up a few steps and holds her talons in front of herself in a 'hold on' gesture. "Woah, calm down! That all sounds really impressive. But I mostly meant..."

Sivr glances toward the entrance.

"I mostly meant how does she do those things she does? She just pulled you out of a potted plant for Icarus' sake! That isn't even possible."

And yet you saw it happen, didn't you Sivr?

You experienced it.

Doesn't that make it quite possible?

[Lycan 01]

Warehouse of Doom - Entrance

"The twin Princesses Celestia and Luna combined their powers to shatter the soul of Discord, the god of Chaos, into controllable fragments of reality-sundering madness," Sergeant Sprinkles explains in a hushed, reverent tone. "These fragments were grafted onto the souls of a select few ponies, who were of pure heart and strong will, and were willing to sacrifice their lives, sanity, and immortal spirits if Equestria so demanded. Many did not survive the rituals, their souls destroyed or their minds lost forever to Chaos. Pinkie Pie absorbed the largest fragment of the Mad God's essence. The second largest... went to her..." he whispers, pointing a claw out the door.

Pause for dramatic effect.

"Nah, I'm just kiddin'. I have noooo idea how she does it!" the robot cheekily exclaims.

[Chaotic Bob]

[Cake Warehouse - Entrance]

The contact draws Check Mark's gaze over to Surprise, with just a trace of whatever counts for a bemused smile on her face.
"You're cut from the same cloth She was. Guess that explains a lot."

Watched the world burn, and still desperately holding to an idealistic messiah complex.
Laughter was a weird thing.

She looks away, back towards the stairs.
"There's no way we could help everypony. If the whole Ministry couldn't help them...how could just a couple of miserable survivors?"

[Rebonack]

[Cake Warehouse - Entrance]

At first?

At first Sivr just sits there in wide-eyed disbelief. Discord? The Discord? She had heard stories about him when she was just a cub. Of the insanity that he had laid upon the world in the ages before the Great War. Of how he had been diminished and shattered and now slunk about the Wasteland like a mischievous imp, playing pranks and filling old drawers with caps and ammo.

So he really was broken... and if Surprise-

Oh.

Wait.

He was joking.

Sivr's eyes narrow and the feathers on her head stand up, a clear sign that a raptor isn't very happy. "That isn't funny."

Meanwhile!

"Nah! Cloth was a Ministry of Image thing! Maybe Pinkie and I were baked from the same batter!" Surprise chirps cheerfully. "And we can't. We can't help everypony. After I joined up with the Party Poopers there was this one mission that went really really bad. And some good, nice ponies died because I made some terrible dumby McStuperson mistakes. You know what Pinkie said to me afterward? She said-"

There comes a slight crackle from Surprise's throat. "We can't make everypony smile and be happy, Surprise. Sometimes ponies are sad. And sometimes ponies die. But if we give up and don't try then it'll be a lot worse! So do your best Surprise! Make as many ponies smile as you can!"

The cybermare coughs slightly. "Then she climbed out the window and walked down the side of the Ministry Hub with suction cups on her hooves. I'm not really sure where she went..."

[Chaotic Bob]

[Cake Warehouse - Entrance]

Mopey thoughts, mopey thoughts, mopey thoughts what.

Check Mark's face is dangerously close to becoming permanently etched into a look of bewilderment, although hearing Pinkie Pie's voice causes her to freeze completely.

She'd only actually met the Ministry Mare twice, but...she left an eternal impression.

A moment is spent just there, frozen, before one of her hooves traces a spot of nothing on the floor.
"A lot of ponies thought she was crazy..."
Towards the end, most of them. Because she was.
"Sometimes I think she might have been a little bit of a genius, too."

[Lycan 01]

Warehouse of Doooooooooom - Entrance

"Heh. No. It's not. Heh heh," Sergeant Sprinkles chuckles darkly.

"I'm not programmed to understand it. I can run theories. Blessed by the Princesses, touched by the God of Chaos, a fluke of nature, a flaw in the space-time continuum... The probability ratios are split across the board, oddly enough. It seems there are just some mysteries of the universe that just can't be explained," the robot sighs. "Like whether or not Changelings have souls, or why toast always lands butter-side down," he mutters with a shrug of his robot limbs.

[Tychris1]

[Southwestern Equestria- Underground Facility 5:06 PM]

Maul brandished his teeth in anger, making a rather crude gesture with his hoof, one often used by the slavers in Old Appleoosa at each other. Yet he was in a weakened state, looking away from the ghoul he sighs and nudges Tough Stomp with his muzzle "Come on.... Let's go..." he says weakly.

[TAG Benson]

Ponyville

Well then. Delirious was really starting to grow on the Raider. Not like a fungus though, more like a tree. A black twisted and destructive tree. He laughed along, albeit not nervously, but with great vigor. Still, this was SERIOUS business he had to get to, and as the psychic scream and the drugs began to slowly go away his head became clearer and clearer.

First things first, need to set up shop and get a basic structure going, then he'll pick up Eledwhen, and then he'll sleep (Or not :smallwink:) while planning on further expanding his current roster of raiders and eventually going out to raid. And would you look at that! Razoreye was coming on in to do his awesome griffon thing. Motioning the griffin over with his head Lamianos waits for his sergeant to arrive infront of him before addressing the griffin "Alright Razoreye, i'm going back to campto gather up the kid and whatever supplies we left. Keep the ponies in line and be sure that they're in fighting condition, when I return we'll set up some infrastructure and get to work on fixing this place. Understood?" Well, for a pony who's just crashing from his high the Chimera seems to have a good grip on his military stature in his past life. Assuming the griffon doesn't greatly oppose this course of action for one reason or another Lamianos will turn about face and prepare to leave, heading back towards where the camp was.

[TAG MCerberus, DEB (For what Lamianos finds when he arrives)]

[Rebonack]

[Cake Warehouse - Entrance]

Sivr seems skeptical. And she has no idea what toast is. Or changelings. But she decides to stay quiet on both of those topics as they're apparently quite mysterious to begin with.

"I'm not terribly fond of that answer. I'm a griffon that likes things to make sense. Guns? Computers? Machines? Things I can take apart and repair? That I can handle. But this reality breaking stuff is a bit much. And Minister Pinkie Pie was like that too? Geeze... that explains a lot..."

Like.

Say.

Why her posters are so unnerving.

Meanwhile!

"Yeah... Pinkie was something special. A pony who helped change the world. I'm sure if she were here she wouldn't want us to mope around and give up, either!"

Surprise hops to her feet and canters is place. "C'mon Checky! We'll find some great party stuff and take it to one of the nearby towns! We'll throw them the best surprise party they've ever had!"

[Chaotic Bob]

[Cake Warehouse - Entrance]

No, she probably wouldn't.
Probably...

Check Mark sighs and hauls herself to her feet.
"I guess."
She starts moving back towards the opening room, trying to gather what stability she can muster in her depressed mind.

Back to the others!
By that time, she'll have tried to pull herself back together, and extracted a somewhat useful tidbit of information.
"Basic storage was a floor down, so we wouldn't have to go very far."

[PurityIcekiller]

[Speaking Of Which, I Probably Ought To Pick Character Theme Music At Some Point]

Night Jewel turned off her light spell. "Thanks. I think I'm going to like you. I definitely know where to go if I find myself missing any body parts.

"So, if you're going to help me in any way, I probably should help you too. Is there anything I can do for you?"

[Lycan 01]

Warehouse of Doom - Entrance

Sergeant Sprinkles chuckles darkly. "Sorry Miss Griffin. But sometimes, things just don't make sense. Like this!"

And then he pulls the party cannon out from behind his "back," just to mess with her.

[MCerberus]

Ponyville

Seeing as how Razoreye doesn't know anything about the ponies near Fearless Leader, when he lands he does so in a manner to make a good impression. He keeps his wingspan a little wider than normal when landing, making his profile appear larger than his normal impressive form. His body language intends to say 'I kill stuff and don't care', and this is hopefully backed up by the abundant blood on his talons.

The griffin keeps his voice calm and cool when addressing the bandit band. "I don't believe we've been introduced."

[Benson]

[New Appaloosa]

Bright Eyes stopped obediently and smiled. "Relax, I'm Bright Eyes. I was here earlier, and I don't mean any harm. I'm just helping these refugees here find a place for themselves.

"Did something bad happen? This town wasn't so on guard when I last visited."

"Yes, something bad did happened. It was an unpleasant ordeal, but it really shook up the town. We gotta be careful on who we let in now," Railright said as he suddenly appeared, walking up to them.

He looked over at the refugees with a scrutinizing eye and a tilt up of his head. "Where are they from?"



[Southwestern Equestria- Underground Facility 5:06 PM]

Maul brandished his teeth in anger, making a rather crude gesture with his hoof, one often used by the slavers in Old Appleoosa at each other. Yet he was in a weakened state, looking away from the ghoul he sighs and nudges Tough Stomp with his muzzle "Come on.... Let's go..." he says weakly.


[Southwestern Equestria- Underground Facility 5:07 PM]

The weak, dying sack of meat that was the ghoul watched Maul Steel with its good eye and somehow seemed extra depressing and sad, watching the one pony who showed it a kindness in ninety years, leave.

Tough Stomp frowned feeling like crap and lowered his head as he trudged on.

[PurityIcekiller]

"Yes, something bad did happened. It was an unpleasant ordeal, but it really shook up the town. We gotta be careful on who we let in now," Railright said as he suddenly appeared, walking up to them.

He looked over at the refugees with a scrutinizing eye and a tilt up of his head. "Where are they from?"

"...You know, they never actually mentioned that." Bright Eyes glanced at the vocal mare. "Where exactly are you from?"

She then turned back to Railright. "So what exactly happened? Arson? An invasion? Assault with a deadly hairbrush? Or something else?"

[Benson]

"...You know, they never actually mentioned that." Bright Eyes glanced at the vocal mare. "Where exactly are you from?"

She then turned back to Railright. "So what exactly happened? Arson? An invasion? Assault with a deadly hairbrush? Or something else?"

"Some fool ponies dared to disturbed the balance that kept New Appleloosa safe with a game of 'heroes' gone wrong. Got the Goddess involved that endangered the safety of the good folks here," Railright said nickering and deeply sighed.

[Luka]

[Wild Rabbit Wuds]

The stable dweller would just raise his head when the fire suddenly goes out

He brings his SMG closer to him, just in case something appears

[Tag: Benson, Drowlord, MCerberus]

[Rebonack]

[Cake Warehouse - Entrance]

The griffon just stares at the cannon for a few moments before giving her wings a shrug. "You know what? I'm just too overloaded on impossible wackiness for this to phase me right now. What I need are my weapons. And probably Heimdalr and Akwellen, too. Maybe even more Talons beyond my own Wing. I've got the creeping feeling that this place is a death-trap like most everything else the Ministry of Morale made."

A beat.

"No offense intended to present company, of course. I'm sure you were probably a death-trap to those damned Stripes, though."

Oh, hey! Sivr doesn't like Zebras! Wonder why?

Meanwhile!

Surprise waggles a hoof at the item displayed on the computer screen. "What about this thing? It sounds like some sort of super-duper tippy-top secret sort of project. I never knew there was anything that only Pinkie was allowed to know about!" a pause as she suddenly looks thoughtful and taps at her chin with her hoof. "Though... I guess technically the Party Poopers were like that too. I don't know if ponies other than us or Pinkie knew what we did..."

[Chaotic Bob]

[New Appaloosa]

Well that's an unpleasant thing to think about at the moment.
Home. That place that was just burned to the ground, even as they fled in terror and despair. The place they definitely mentioned once already.

There's a collective wince from the group and most of them looking in various directions except at each other.
The vocal mare's brother(?) speaks up this time, in a somewhat even, somewhat bothered tone.
"The late Strawberry Fields, a good several miles down the road."

Strawberry Fields!
That small little town that always kept to itself and generally seemed to not bother or be bothered by anyone else, save the typical occasion raider.
Now ash and corpses.

It probably won't even be missed, just as much as it was unknown.

[Cake Warehouse - Entrance]

Check Mark stares at the screen for a few moments, trying to think.
"Well...it's Black Ward storage, so it's out of my clearance.
I couldn't tell you anything beyond that it would be a few floors down.
Don't even know what that place looks like, let alone what's in it."

Not going to be a whole lot of help there, unfortunately. Top Secret things are a real pain in the flank that way.

[Benson]

Wild Rabbit Woods

Atop his hidey spot on the giant mushroom tree, Swift Star would swiftly throw some ninja stars at vital points in their equipments and exposed weapons, in an attempt to render them useless.

[Luka]

[Wild Rabbit Woods]

A shuriken would embed itself to the SMG!
The colt slightly jumps to a side after noticing the thrown weapon on his gun and would start pulling it out, it would have jammed the gun's magazine, since it would be doubted that one of those would slice/pierce a gun.

[Small Arms] But he would just need to pull the magazine out, check for stuck bullets, then put it back to fix it, which would be somewhat faster than expected.

He still would be fixing it and it still would take somewhat of a while.

[Tag: Benson]

[Lycan 01]

Warehouse - Entrance

Sergeant Sprinkles studies Svir for a moment, before chuckling. "Damn straight. Glad to hear folks still know Zebras are good-for-nothin' monsters," he says, clearly missing whatever insult there might have been in the griffin's remarks.

He then hovers over to Surprise and Mark. "Want me to scout ahead? See if I can find your missin' teammate?"

[Rebonack]

[Cake Warehouse - Entrance]

"It's their fault we're living in this hellhole," the griffon mutters. "Of course they're monsters."

Huh. That's a pretty strongly negative view. Must have come from somewhere. Maybe we'll find out later!

"Hmmm..." Surprise busies herself with staring at the screen and grinning at Mister Sprinkles when he speaks up. "Well Sivvy thinks we should go get help first. But that would mean leaving Rusty here all alone and that would be terrible! Though I THINK he knows what he's looking for here so maybe he knows what might be dangerous down here too?"

She really isn't sure!

"Either way I don't want anypony else wandering off alone..."

[Chaotic Bob]

[Cake Warehouse - Entrance]

Check Mark tries not to agree with Sivr too much.
But that's only because she's still convinced their failure ruined everything.

That and she's too busy staring at the computer screen, trying to remember if she ever saw that order's date somewhere.
"Ah...well. If he knows what he's doing, he's probably safer than us not knowing what we're doing..."

That's all she can really apply to that quandary.
She's no military tactician.

[Drowlord]

Wild Rabbit Woods

Elestre's eyes widened, a tiny shield deflecting a ninja star with a sparklike noise. "What is happening here? A ninj- oh."

Realization!

Steel Creel's House

Sparky rolled his eyes. "Rise and shine, Steel. Your carriage awaits you."

Why he said that, the wasteland may never know. It might have been a very bad joke. But whatever.

Ponyville

Doc Patch looked at the griffin, his eyes steely and full of... anger? Maybe pride?

"I am Doctor Cloth Patch. These are the remaining ponies of my former band, after your ally beat one to a near-death pulp and threw him in an alley. If you are wounded or poisoned, I can tend to you. I am also skilled at fixing and upgrading armor and mechanical devices."

[Benson]

Steel Creel's House

Sparky rolled his eyes. "Rise and shine, Steel. Your carriage awaits you."

Why he said that, the wasteland may never know. It might have been a very bad joke. But whatever.

"Ya better really have that carriage," Steel Creel sleepily grumbled as he woke up.

[MCerberus]

Ponyville

Razoreye takes a short moment to size up Cloth Patch. The fact that he didn't seem to shrink away or back off is always a plus. You can't have weak ponies starting a large undertaking.

"The chems again?" He asks. Going to have to have a conversation about that at a future date if so. "We also seem to be missing our explosive specialist mare since the fighting begins. She's proven useful, so I'd be loathe to not know what happened."

He then extends a talon in friendship towards the doctor. A bloody, bloody talon. "I am Razoreye, doctor."


Wild Rabbit Woods

The deflected shuriken manages to lodge itself in one of the thinner parts of Finder's new barding. This would awaken him with a sharp, if minor, senastion of pain. The scavver gets up and starts looking around, not seeing anything yet...
..
Ow... there's that headache he was worried about.

[Drowlord]

Steel Creel's House

"Well, if you count this..."

From behind him he pulled a strange device. It had plastic cables and reins attached to a metal body that could fit a pony. The device looked homemade, possibly made in the wasteland. Wonder where he got that?

"It's supposed to be a pegasus-powered flying cart for land-bound ponies. It'll make takeoff with you a bit safer."

Ponyville

Patch put his hoof out unhesitatingly. "If the blast mark is any indication, she might have been in action near that house there."

He looked in the indicated direction shortly.

"If it matters, my band is rather highly regarded among bandit circles. I have two more waiting back out of town guarding our vehicle."

[Benson]

Steel Creel's House

"Well, if you count this..."

From behind him he pulled a strange device. It had plastic cables and reins attached to a metal body that could fit a pony. The device looked homemade, possibly made in the wasteland. Wonder where he got that?

"It's supposed to be a pegasus-powered flying cart for land-bound ponies. It'll make takeoff with you a bit safer."


Steel Creel looked at him all buggy eyed. "Did you literally, pull that out your flank? I've heard of metaphorical flank pulls but this one takes the nugget."

Even Mags who was behind Sparky to the side was baffled by that, why didn't she see it before?

[Drowlord]

Steel Creel looked at him all buggy eyed. "Did you literally, pull that out your flank? I've heard of metaphorical flank pulls but this one takes the nugget."

Even Mags who was behind Sparky to the side was baffled by that, why didn't she see it before?

"Yep."

Sparky was nonchalant, shrugging lightly. He acted as if it were no big deal.

"So, you all going to see the sun? I could prob'ly take the both of you at once; Mags isn't that heavy."

[Benson]

"Yep."

Sparky was nonchalant, shrugging lightly. He acted as if it were no big deal.

"So, you all going to see the sun? I could prob'ly take the both of you at once; Mags isn't that heavy."

Well that's something nasty.

"Uh....I don't know...ain't it a dangerous thing?...Going up there?...I kinda like having my hooves on the ground anyway..." He said with uncertainty and glanced away.

[PurityIcekiller]

"Some fool ponies dared to disturbed the balance that kept New Appleloosa safe with a game of 'heroes' gone wrong. Got the Goddess involved that endangered the safety of the good folks here," Railright said nickering and deeply sighed.

Bright Eyes shook her head. "That sucks. Not a lot of ponies know there's more to the heroic path than just charging at the nearest ugly thing. Do you need any help fixing things up?"

[Benson]

[New Appaloosa]

Well that's an unpleasant thing to think about at the moment.
Home. That place that was just burned to the ground, even as they fled in terror and despair. The place they definitely mentioned once already.

There's a collective wince from the group and most of them looking in various directions except at each other. The vocal mare's brother(?) speaks up this time, in a somewhat even, somewhat bothered tone. "The late Strawberry Fields, a good several miles down the road."

Strawberry Fields!
That small little town that always kept to itself and generally seemed to not bother or be bothered by anyone else, save the typical occasion raider.
Now ash and corpses. It probably won't even be missed, just as much as it was unknown.


"That's a shame...just a darn shame when the wasteland decides to just take things away.." Railrght sighed and frowned, shaking his head.


Bright Eyes shook her head. "That sucks. Not a lot of ponies know there's more to the heroic path than just charging at the nearest ugly thing. Do you need any help fixing things up?"

"Naw, there weren't much damage caused by them lot, thankfully the town made it through that ordeal in one piece." He studied the lot with scrutinizing eyes and bobbed his head a little.

[Tychris1]

Southwestern Equestria- Underground Facility 5:07 PM

Maul Steel looks away from the ghoul, ashamed by his actions and wishing to just get away as quickly as possible. But... there was one thing Maul Steel knew for certain.

That chieftain was as good as dead.....

Wild Rabbit Woods

WOW This was escalating way faster then Ducard was expecting. Did bunnies know how to throw ninja stars? It didn't matter, what mattered was running; fast. Ducard stomps his hoof three times to try and get the groups attention before trying to spot the ninja.

[TAG Benson, rest of Wild Rabbit Woods]

[Chaotic Bob]

[Ponyville]

Anybody enjoy headaches? Anybody? No?

Too bad.

As Pineapple decides to end the miserable cloud-box's existence, the psychic keening dies out completely. Guess that was where it was coming from after all.
In its place, a burst of (completely normal) cloud-stuff is poofs out of the box, along with some electrical sparks.

Also what seems to be an immense mental record-scratch., louder than the keening was before, but infinitely briefer.
Out and done, a passing pulse of intense discomfort.


Also the mare's head is probably indistinguishable from tomato paste by now, because that matters.

[New Appleoosa]

"Sucks, but it's the way of things..."
The Wasteland taketh what the Wasteland...reluctantly giveth.

The group is scrutinized!
They all look terrible. Malnourished, miserable, and tired.
Appearance-wise, there's the two orange ponies, who happen to be the particularly vocal mare and stallion.
There's the little gray colt (the only well-fed looking one), unconscious on the back of a darker gray mare standing at the back of the group.
Then off to one side is the dusky purple stallion standing between a very hopeless-looking dirty blue mare.

None of them really look remotely threatening or dangerous, and being earth ponies, it seems pretty unlikely they're gonna pull out some crazy magical shenanigans.
Although the orange stallion looks faintly grumpy, maybe he'll do something crazy like be snarky.

Gotta watch the snark.

[Lycan 01]

Warehouse - Entrance

Sergeant Sprinkles raises his weapon-limbs, and primes his armaments. "I don't think leavin' a comrade behind would be wise, 'specially not in a locked-down MoM stronghold. If he ain't got the proper clearance, he'll likely be sprarkly dust or hamburger meat by the time we get back. Who is this fella, anyway? Some sort of merc?"

[Rebonack]

[Cake Warehouse - Entrance]

"I have noooooo idea!" Surprise replies gleefully to Sprinkles before casting a glance at Sivr.

To which the griffon just shrugs. "A scavenger of sorts. He seemed to know quite a bit about the Ministry of Morale."

Mysterious!

"Hmmm... Well! I guess we'll just have to find this super-special lockdown place where the thingy he's looking for is! Though I can't imagine he could get in if only Pinkie is allowed in there."

Stands to reason at least.

"So! Which way to we go?"

[MCerberus]

Ponyville

After the hoof/talon shake, Cloth would likely need to clean the blood off. It's pretty fresh. Still, it gives the impression that Razoreye won't be immediately shot in the back. The first order of business it seems is to go find Pineapple. The griffin goes over to investigate the doctor's hunch on where the mare would be.

Well if the building collapses, he's going to be the best to dramatically move rubble.

[Chaotic Bob]

[Cake Warehouse - Entrance]

"Were this another time, I'd say he was a spy..."
Check Mark shakes her head a bit, realizing a little slow that thinking about the Old World doesn't help bad thoughts at all.

She glances down at the markings on the floor, directing her thoughts to something more useful.
Like trying to remember what they mean!

"Okay. The balloons lead to the cargo elevator, which offers quicker access to the lower levels. I assume it still works, but it's...kind of loud. Also requires security access, but I guess Miss Party has that covered.
Cupcakes lead to general access, and should have an emergency staircase somewhere. This floor is mostly mundane storage. Food and administrative materials."
Paperwork!


As before, the balloons lead towards an open, concrete hallway with struggling lighting (although it's working much better now), whereas the cupcakes lead towards a pair of security doors with a fried locking mechanism.
They'll open freely and without fuss.

[Lycan 01]

Warehouse - Entrance

Sergeant Sprinkles harumphs. "How smart is this fella?"

[Rebonack]

[Cake Warehouse - Entrance]

"Smart enough to be decent with machines. Dumb enough to go running off into a Ministry of Morale bunker full of Icarus knows what without any weapons or backup," Sivr summarizes.

Yep.

That's about right.

Smart in some ways and dumb in others.

What an interesting (and stupid) pony.

"Hmmm... So one way would be really quickity quick but noisy. And the other way would be sneaky but slower?" Surprise muses aloud. "I think sneaky would be best!"

[Chaotic Bob]

[Cake Warehouse - Entrance]

"That's...a way of putting it."
Check Mark shrugs and moves on over towards the security doors.
"Doubt you have to be very sneaky in a place with nothing but bookshelves and filing cabinets."

And unless someone decides that it's a bad idea at the last moment, the ghoul will be pushing those doors open to reveeeeeeal...

A very trashed looking library, sharing the entrance's decorative scheme.
Easy purple colors and a series of cupcakes decals winding a pathway elsewhere.

It's a single, massive room, apparently having been organized to grant line of sight from one end to the other, with the manner that bookshelves and filing cabinets were placed.
Even easier now, with many of said bookshelves having been knocked over, broken, or apparently burned into blackened ruins.

Many of the filing cabinets seem to have suffered equally unpleasant fates, being dinged up, scorched, or shoved completely out of position.

There doesn't seem to be a rhyme or reason...the place was simply torn apart. Old books and papers have been flung all over the place, left in destroyed pieces on every surface.


Following the cupcakes (which may require moving some trash and wreckage) will lead towards a cracked-in-half security desk in a far corner of the room, right in front of a doorway.
Said doorway is oddly pristine and unmarked.

[Lycan 01]

Warehouse - Wrecked Library

Sergeant Sprinkles hovers in after Mark, idly observing the devastation. "Y'know... This looks purposeful. Like somepony was ventin' their frustration, or lookin' for something. Either I need to have a chat with your friend, or we may have a serious problem..."

[Rebonack]

[Warehouse - Ruined Library]

"Oh wow! Stuff!" Surprise laughs gleefully as they enter this new and interesting place! Boy, everything sure is wrecked down here! Wonder why they would do that? Maybe they got upset about being stuck down here and slowly perishing.

Starving to death would likely bother many ponies.

Surprise begins to rummage through heaps of rubbish at random in hopes of finding something that might be worth looking at.

Sivr just gives the cybermare an odd look.

Weird ponies..

"What was this place for, anyway? You worked here, right? Was it just for storing things?"

[BladeofObliviom]

[Ponyville]

Anybody enjoy headaches? Anybody? No?

Too bad.

As Pineapple decides to end the miserable cloud-box's existence, the psychic keening dies out completely. Guess that was where it was coming from after all.
In its place, a burst of (completely normal) cloud-stuff is poofs out of the box, along with some electrical sparks.

Also what seems to be an immense mental record-scratch., louder than the keening was before, but infinitely briefer.
Out and done, a passing pulse of intense discomfort.

Also the mare's head is probably indistinguishable from tomato paste by now, because that matters.

[Ponyville]

And that's how Boxhead-mare became Tomato-paste-mare. :smalltongue:

In any case, Pineapple tries one last time to shake that horrible screech out of her head, and to her bewilderment, seems to succeed. That damned buzzing is gone, and presumably the rage spell with it. She's free! Finally free!

...Nah, I'm kidding. There's a tear about an inch wide between her eyes that badly needs medical attention, most of her body is going to be bruised in a few hours, it will be a miracle if she isn't concussed, and her jaw's probably broken too. She is so ridiculously delirious that most of this doesn't even properly register.

In any case, assuming she can actually see it and it isn't blocked by rubble or something, the mare clumsily stumbles out the door, covered in blood and trailing another pony's intestines.

Yay? :smalleek:



[Speaking Of Which, I Probably Ought To Pick Character Theme Music At Some Point]

Night Jewel turned off her light spell. "Thanks. I think I'm going to like you. I definitely know where to go if I find myself missing any body parts.

"So, if you're going to help me in any way, I probably should help you too. Is there anything I can do for you?"

[I Don't Usually Do Character Themes, But When I Do...]

"Talismans. Better metal. Better tools. Gems. Sparkle Batteries. Bauhaus use many things."

Well, he's certainly right to the point.

[Drowlord]

Wild Rabbit Woods

Elestre looked in the direction the hoofstomp had come from. He knew it was Ducard, not the ghoul, but couldn't act on his knowledge. He gritted his teeth with frustration, illusionary light flaring around him.

Steel Creel's House

"Not really. We pegasi can stand on clouds and move them whenever we want. I was going to take Mags up anyway, but if you don't want to come you don't have to."

He nodded in emphasis at the grey sky above.

Ponyville

Doc Patch watches Razoreye head over to the building. Not a bad move for him as well, seeing as the explosives expert might be wounded.

Then Pineapple lurches out of the building and he frowns. That might be a problem, fixing her up. He moved closer, trying to get into a position to assess Pineapple's wounds better and hold her upright until he could heal the mare. He didn't talk to her yet; sometimes it was better not to. Her throat could be perforated or anything else.

[MCerberus]

Wild Rabbit Woods

Someone want to fill Finder in on what the hay is going on? He's currently rubbing a hoof against his aching head wondering what kind of severe bug-bite or something woke him up. Wait, everypony seems to be going crazy. The scavver brings up his SMG getting ready for... whatever.


Ponyville

Well Pineapple seems alive. That's a good plus, but one has to wonder if the mare is going to scamper off once patched up considering her 'debt' was payed. Another one of them is covered in somepony else's blood, so Razoreye muses, "Crazy things didn't realize they were dead and kept going."

[Luka]

[Wild Rabbit Woods]

The stable colt would be pulling out the SMG magazine when Ducard arrives, letting the shuriken fall off along one or two bullets. He would raise his head to see the Ranger stomping.

[Tag: the whole group, possibly Benson too]

[Chaotic Bob]

[Warehouse - Ruined Library]

Check Mark shouldn't really be surprised by anything Surprise does anymore, after that thing with Sprinkles...but since when does logic apply to that pegasus?
Still baffled.

"What was...? Oh yes, officially. As far as I was involved, it was just storage and transfer."
Officially! But the ghoul doesn't seem entirely convinced of that.
"But, you don't staff as many ponies as they did just for holding trinkets and secrets. Never seen half of the ponies who's names I saw..."


Meanwhile! Surprise seems to stumble upon some sort of chart for the supplies of a Mister Trim's promotion party. Most of it is illegible, but the storage details of...cake mixes and beach balloons? are present.
They seem to be in kept in the B2 Block 5 #13 and B2 Block 8 #16 respectively.

Not much in the way of variety, but far more than the Wasteland usually sees...

[PurityIcekiller]

"That's a shame...just a darn shame when the wasteland decides to just take things away.." Railrght sighed and frowned, shaking his head.

"It sure is. That's why we've got to cooperate and help each other hold on to what we have."


"Naw, there weren't much damage caused by them lot, thankfully the town made it through that ordeal in one piece." He studied the lot with scrutinizing eyes and bobbed his head a little.

Bright Eyes nodded. "Good to hear that, at least. I'd rather not lose places like this, since they're actually reliable."


"Talismans. Better metal. Better tools. Gems. Sparkle Batteries. Bauhaus use many things."

Well, he's certainly right to the point.

"Sounds simple enough. Basically, the same kinds of things that I like to collect."

Night Jewel was silent for a bit. Now that I know what I'm looking for, the hard part will be actually finding it. I know a certain someone who had some of those things and who I wouldn't mind depriving of said things, but I don't know where he is. I'll have to track him down somehow.

"Say, what do you know of recent events?" she asked after a long silence. It was a bit of a long shot, but she guessed that monsters left trails behind.

[BladeofObliviom]

Ponyville

Doc Patch watches Razoreye head over to the building. Not a bad move for him as well, seeing as the explosives expert might be wounded.

Then Pineapple lurches out of the building and he frowns. That might be a problem, fixing her up. He moved closer, trying to get into a position to assess Pineapple's wounds better and hold her upright until he could heal the mare. He didn't talk to her yet; sometimes it was better not to. Her throat could be perforated or anything else.


Ponyville

Well Pineapple seems alive. That's a good plus, but one has to wonder if the mare is going to scamper off once patched up considering her 'debt' was payed. Another one of them is covered in somepony else's blood, so Razoreye muses, "Crazy things didn't realize they were dead and kept going."

[Ponyville]

Ironically, considering the fight she'd just been in, it is really a wonder that she's still able to walk in a straight line. Most of her body is protected by a suit of leather barding, reinforced to survive explosives at short range. She's still carrying two rather large and heavy saddlebags, though they've become significantly lighter since the beginning of the fight due to constantly using explosives during it. "Thumper" remains at her side, and still has two grenades primed to fire if anybody decides to trigger her battle saddle's mouthpiece carelessly.

However, there are clear signs of things having gone wrong. She was within the casualty radius of a Grenade blast, though her experience with that served her well since she isn't crippled and her fleshy parts generally aren't peppered with shrapnel. There are some holes in her saddlebags where fragments punched through, and a few bits managed to stick to her barding, but the grenade doesn't actually seem to have messed her up too badly beyond a bad manecut.

The other mare did a number on her though, even if she ultimately did much worse to said other mare: Pineapple has a gash between her eyes nearly an entire inch wide, and fairly deep. Said gash is currently bleeding in a manner that could fairly be described as "profuse." While that's probably the most life-threatening injury on her, there are a number of lacerations on parts of her face owing to vicious beating of such, along with some blunt trauma that will almost certainly develop contusion or, in worse cases, hematoma. Oh, and she has a jaw that, while not properly broken, is definitely not fit for use.

While it is not something Cloth Patch is likely to identify immediately unless he has x-ray vision or can just tell it apart from the effects of serious blood loss, she's also concussed.

Of course, she looks a lot worse than she is. Most of the blood covering her isn't actually hers, and part of the other mare's small intestine is tangled around her foreleg, still connected on the other side to where she mashed it into the ground. She doesn't seem to be entirely aware of this fact, though thankfully she hasn't registered Patch as a murder target or anything.



"Sounds simple enough. Basically, the same kinds of things that I like to collect."

Night Jewel was silent for a bit. Now that I know what I'm looking for, the hard part will be actually finding it. I know a certain someone who had some of those things and who I wouldn't mind depriving of said things, but I don't know where he is. I'll have to track him down somehow.

"Say, what do you know of recent events?" she asked after a long silence. It was a bit of a long shot, but she guessed that monsters left trails behind.

[Basement Workshop]

"Dog not go out much. How pony find me, anyway?"

He seems to have partially lost interest in this conversation, as now he's doing something to the leg with a screwdriver. If Night Jewel's looking for news and gossip, though, this Dog is probably not the best source.

[Lycan 01]

Warehouse - Wrecked Library

Sergeant Sprinkles idly pokes at a ruined cookbook. "Looks like yer friend ain't here..." he gruffly observes, before activating his sensors and trying to key in on any sights, sounds, or signatures nearby that would indicate a lost friend or troublesome interloper...

[Benson]

Southwestern Equestria- Underground Facility 5:10 PM

Chief Green Spike just watched as Tough Stomp carried off Maul Steel. He didn't really know what to do himself. He didn't bond quite as much with the ghoul as Maul seemed to do. Foxfire herself was conflicted on this. Do the needs of one really outweigh the needs of many?...Just another example here how the Wastelands just loves jerking around.

Chief Green Spike then ordered his warriors to take the ghoul back on the...throne-thing? pedestal? whatever. Where the ghoul was to be hooked up. Frankly, Chief Greenspike didn't know what he was doing really, he was just going to wing this.
--


Wild Rabbit Woods

Swift Star was out of view, keeping high above them in the giant mushroom tops. Elestre's light did not show him. Finder would find a ninja star piercing his SMG in a vital spot like before.
--

Steel Creel's House

"That's not the danger I'm talking about. I just don't think its smart to risk Mags' life. The clouds above and surrounding New Appleloosa are major territory for enclave and their patrols." He said with a frown.
--

New Appleloosa

"I reckon we may have some space still in the Commons for a group this large....though they'll have to pull their weight around here. We just ain't got the resources for a free ride if ya catch mah meaning."

[MCerberus]

Wild Rabbit Woods

Suddenly there's a ninja star in the SMG's bolt. Who knows if that can be fixed without new parts, but messing with it likely won't be an option right now. Since he had time to rest, he can risk some low-use magic at least... going to make the migraine worse though.

Finder channels a light spell trying to figure out what's going on.

[Drowlord]

Wild Rabbit Woods

Elestre looked relievedly at Finder. "Ninja ghoul is somewhere out there, I'm rather sure."

Who else would use shruikens?

Steel Creel's House

Sparky looked at his weather map again. "What the? This thing doesn't show that for some reason. Oh well then. Sorry, Mags. Would you accept sometime later?"

He sounded a little aggravated that his map failed him, but grateful Steel had warned him.

Ponyville

Doc Patch almost decided to just use Scourge on the mare in retribution for Bent Barrel's condition, but checked his anger. He quickly pulled out an extra-strength bandage and applied it to the wound. He'd make a healing salve once he got back to the ATV. First, to check for concussions or other ailments which could have resulted from her head wound; a good step was see if the mare was capable of responding to speech correctly.

"Excuse me, miss, but you are rather heavily injured. I am a doctor by trade, so I hope you don't mind me healing you."

[Benson]

Steel Creel's House

Sparky looked at his weather map again. "What the? This thing doesn't show that for some reason. Oh well then. Sorry, Mags. Would you accept sometime later?"

He sounded a little aggravated that his map failed him, but grateful Steel had warned him.

Mags pouted that her fun to see the sun was ruined. She pouted at Steel Creel who only looked back at her with a 'wha?' expression.

"I...suppose...okay..." She said with a little sigh.

"Later?....I kinda prefer 'never'...I don't want to risk her life," Steel said with a little frown.

[PurityIcekiller]

"Dog not go out much. How pony find me, anyway?"

He seems to have partially lost interest in this conversation, as now he's doing something to the leg with a screwdriver. If Night Jewel's looking for news and gossip, though, this Dog is probably not the best source.

"A lot of luck. I happened to be passing through the area, looking for a skilled crafter, and I asked around." Night Jewel smiled despite her disappointment. "Anyway, it was nice meeting you. I'll let you know when I find something." With that, she turned to leave.


"I reckon we may have some space still in the Commons for a group this large....though they'll have to pull their weight around here. We just ain't got the resources for a free ride if ya catch mah meaning."

"All right. I'll pitch in, of course."

Bright Eyes made a mental note to find some new tombs to raid soon. She knew she didn't have infinite money, she was just losing more and more all day today, and she hadn't even bought that shovel yet.

[Drowlord]

Steel Creel's House

"I meant later as in when we're not in this area. When we travel outside of the trade area, I'll do it for her."

Sparky was intensely focused, perhaps very oddly so.

"Anyway, any shopping you need to do? I'd be happy to do it for you."

[Chaotic Bob]

[New Appleoosa]

"Of course we'll earn our keep. Just...need to recuperate a little?"
They're pretty much dead on their hooves, no matter how much the lead-mare is trying to keep a positive front for them.

Certainly none of them are going to be saying "nuh uh! We don't do work!" anytime soon, if it means they get proper shelter.

[Rebonack]

[Cake Warehouse - Library?]

Sivr is looking increasingly uncomfortable! "I don't like this at all," she breaths through her beak. "Unarmed, bad plan, no idea what's down here. I'm bailing on this and getting some help. If you're smart you'll all leave too. Rusty knew what he was getting into when he set off alone."

That or he's really stupid.

Maybe a bit of both.

That said the griffon turns to leave.

And Surprise?

She's still picking stuff up at random! And peering at the apparent exit to the room.

[MCerberus]

Ponyville

Not being an experienced and prodigal wasteland doctor, Razoreye can't do much beside stand there and watch. He's worried at what he hears, but doesn't betray this. He's still got to appear intimidating and cold.

[Chaotic Bob]

[Cake Warehouse - Library? Dataland!]

Or something. It probably has an official name, but it's not labelled anywhere.

Dataland seems as good a name as any, considering its contents.


Surprise will be finding a lot of random delivery reference sheets, mostly. Need to know where the cupcake wrappers are, or perhaps the gunpowder stores?
Talk to the cybermare.

What's more likely to be of interest are the employee record snippets for ponies that were otherwise never mentioned elsewhere in MoM databases. Seems a lot of that information was kept here, and here alone.
How secretive.


Check Mark is feeling a little less sure about the situation, now that someone is already ducking out and leaving. This area is pretty trashed, so something bad was happening.
She has no idea what this new world is like, so she doesn't know what danger there is.

Spies? Giant mutant rabbits? Balefire ghosts? Living cakes?


Depending on the sensitivity of Sprinkle's equipment, the best he's likely to get are the sounds of dripping water past the room's apparent exit.
Someone didn't turn off a sink all the way.

[Cake Warehouse - Deeper]

"Alrighty then...yank this wire here, and we have forty-five seconds to get over there, then dash back before Auxiliary flips up all the Security triggers early, or Grimmy appears...
Okay. Route route...four steps back, turn, sixty paces forward, right, thirty paces..."

Somewhere, levels below, something bad is about to happen.

[Lycan 01]

Warehouse - Wrecked Library

"Er, hello?" Sergeant Sprinkles waves at the griffin. "I'm a walkin' armory. Even if I go down, you can just pry my weapons out of my cold dead claws and keep on fightin'. Plus Miss PV has a few tricks up her sleeves. Armored sleeves. Armor. Whatever."

The robot turns to point at the exit. "Somebody needs to fix that leaky faucet. Miss PV, want me to go check it out? Or should we go back the other way?"

If told to go check it out, Sergeant Sprinkles shall do so.

[Benson]

"All right. I'll pitch in, of course."

Bright Eyes made a mental note to find some new tombs to raid soon. She knew she didn't have infinite money, she was just losing more and more all day today, and she hadn't even bought that shovel yet.

"Thank you young Miss, your help with help us help them and them to help themselves," Railright said with a weary smile. They should probably get them checked out by Dr Sawbones, especially the young colt.




Steel Creel's House

"I meant later as in when we're not in this area. When we travel outside of the trade area, I'll do it for her."

Sparky was intensely focused, perhaps very oddly so.

"Anyway, any shopping you need to do? I'd be happy to do it for you."

"Shopping?....Probably...I don't really have a list though...I tend to just....wander into the few shops here until I see something I think I'll need....I admit...I'm an impulsive buyer like that," He said sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head.

[BladeofObliviom]

Ponyville

Doc Patch almost decided to just use Scourge on the mare in retribution for Bent Barrel's condition, but checked his anger. He quickly pulled out an extra-strength bandage and applied it to the wound. He'd make a healing salve once he got back to the ATV. First, to check for concussions or other ailments which could have resulted from her head wound; a good step was see if the mare was capable of responding to speech correctly.

"Excuse me, miss, but you are rather heavily injured. I am a doctor by trade, so I hope you don't mind me healing you."

Ponyville

Well, Patch really should be glad Razoreye was standing near him and pointedly not murdering him. If that little hint weren't there, he'd probably have received two grenades to the face for his trouble. :smalltongue:

In any case, while patching up the obviously life-threatening wound on her face, he'll probably notice that her eyes are slightly out of alignment, though it looks to be a result of concussion-based disorientation rather than a permanent condition.

"...feel...dizzy..."

And then her legs give out from under her as she collapses onto her belly, seemingly completely unconscious.

((Pineapple can be godmodded as seen fit by this point, within reason.))



"A lot of luck. I happened to be passing through the area, looking for a skilled crafter, and I asked around." Night Jewel smiled despite her disappointment. "Anyway, it was nice meeting you. I'll let you know when I find something." With that, she turned to leave.

Strictly Business

The dog nearly immediately turns back to the workbench, switching power back to the arc welder just as Night Jewel reaches the stairs.

"See pony later, then."

What a strange fellow.

[PurityIcekiller]

"Thank you young Miss, your help with help us help them and them to help themselves," Railright said with a weary smile. They should probably get them checked out by Dr Sawbones, especially the young colt.

((Now how old is this guy?))

"Oh, it's my pleasure. I've learned to accept that heroism is more than just finding and shooting bad guys." Bright Eyes laughed. "Helping ponies get settled may not sound glamorous, but at least you get to see their smiles."


The dog nearly immediately turns back to the workbench, switching power back to the arc welder just as Night Jewel reaches the stairs.

"See pony later, then."

What a strange fellow.

Night Jewel smiled and trotted out.

Now this is a novelty. He seems friendly, and he's clearly quite intelligent despite his simple speech pattern. A cut above my usual allies, that's for sure.

She then headed back to town to ask around for information on major events. Eventually, she was bound to find clues to Lamianos's whereabouts.

[Luka]

[Wild Rabbit Woods]

The stable dweller wouldn't be doing much, trying to recover the bullets on the ground and making sure they aren't that dusty, because dusty bullets could cause jams, couldn't they?

[Tag: Benson and the whole group]

[Drowlord]

Wild Rabbit Woods

Elestre telekinetically pulled out his broken knife. It wasn't much, but better than nothing.

Steel Creel's House

"'Kay then. Why not let's do that? We've got decent funds and we might need salt for the mirelurk, Sparkle Colas, stuff like that... don't know how many'd sell Cola, but you'd know better than me."

Sparky was relaxed now, speaking in an informal tone.

Ponyville

Patch is pretty glad he wasn't grenaded, yes. He hates it when his kindness is attempted like that and refused with violence. He gets out cloth, two sticks, a hammer, and nails. Quickly hammering the nails through the cloth into the wood with many precise taps, he looks to Razoreye. "Would you mind if I get her to my vehicle? Her head wound is rather life-threatening, and I need to get her rest. My healing salves are also in there."

[Tychris1]

[Wild Rabbit Woods]

Freaking Ninjas. Or bunnies. Or whatever, Ducard still wasn't a hundred percent sure as to what was happening infront of him or what was assailing them. But he did know that Elestre was hardly in any condition to be running from life threatening dangers, and so the Steel Ranger opts to move forward and try to carry Elestre on his back.

[TAG Drowlord, Benson if he wants to interrupt anything with ninja stars or the like]

Southwestern Equestria- Underground Facility 5:12 PM

After some time walking through the facility (Being carried really), Maul Steel finally works up the energy to prod Tough Stomp and say "Let... me down.... When we get out of here.... I have to do something....." And if Tough Stomp listened to the Stallions wishes he would find that upon letting Tough Stomp stand at the exit of the facility that the Ex Slaver was pulling the rifle and bullets he found in the facility, slowly loading them.

There was no way in sweet Celestia's name that he was letting that scumbag live, and when he popped his ugly head out it was going to eat a lead bullet.

[TAG Benson]

[Benson]

Steel Creel's House

Steel Creel gave Sparky a small smile and nodded. "Salt might fetch a pretty penny cap though, salt licks and all being a commodity, hey, who knows, maybe we'll find us a deal."
---

Southwestern Equestria- Underground Facility Exit 5:16 PM

"What?...What are you planning to do Steel?" Tough Stomp asked worriedly when they got to that point. Even Foxfire stopped at this and by default Half Pint as well.
---
Wild Rabbit Woods

From the direction Ducard was facing to take Elestre and by default the others, there was a silhouette of a pony figure that disappeared.
---

New Appleloosa

"Sadly, I've been finding real genuine smiles a hard thing to come by out here in the wastes. We're lucky we have Miss Ditzy and her never ending supply of smiles to make the day less....sad." Railright wanly smiled and shook his head.

[MCerberus]

Wild Rabbit Woods

Finder retreats back to be with the rest of the group, using his light spell to illuminate his gun. He tries to yank the star out of the bolt then just hopes the thing wouldn't immediately jam when fired.

[Drowlord]

Wild Rabbit Woods

Elestre allows Ducard to pick him up, his eyes narrowing as he saw the silhouette. "Ducard, ahead."

Steel Creel's Home

Sparky nodded. "Well then. Looks like we have some bargaining to do!"

He flexed his wings, ready to follow Steel to wherever he might choose to take the pegasus.

Ponyville

Patch picked up Pineapple as gingerly as possible and laid her on her back on the stretcher. "Bella, you and Lance get Bent Barrel. Bags, help me get this one."

Bags grabbed one end of the stretcher in his mouth while Patch took the other end in his. Bella and Lance quickly retrieved the other pony from the alley.

"Razoreye, if you have no objections, we'll take her back to the ATV to get her fixed up."

If Razoreye did not stop him, he'd start doing so.

[Luka]

[Wild Rabbit Woods]

The colt finishes loading the bullets back after cleaning them of dust, he puts the magazine again into the SMG and begins trying to pull the bolt to load, it's a bit stuckish though.

[tag: Benson, everyone else in the group]

[Tychris1]

[Wild Rabbit Woods]

Ducard will begin to carry Elestre off, looking around every once in a while to see if he can catch anything with his peripheral vision before beginning to leave the Woods. Sleeping in the middle of the forest probably wasn't the best idea. Sleep deprivation or not.

Southwestern Equestria- Underground Facility Exit 5:16 PM

"I'm.... planning... On shooting that bastard when he comes out.... No way he's getting away with this scott free..." He began to aim the rifle, lining the body of it up with his eye for precision.

[TAG Benson]

[MCerberus]

Ponyville

"Go ahead," Razoreye states simply. Funny how luck seems to go along with big plans. Finding a useful mare and then bumping into a pony that saves her.

Wild Rabbit Woods

In a haze of tired and adrenaline, Finder just follows along. His light spell is still going and he's rather paranoid at the shadows.

[Drowlord]

Wild Rabbit Woods

Elestre kept a close eye out in the woods, turning his scarred head from side to side constantly and scanning the woods for shadows. He was actually pretty frightened, one of the first times he'd been scared in a long time.

Ponyville

Doc Patch nodded sharply. "Back, my ponies. We'll have a talk when we get there."

The bandits trotted out of town, closely flanking the two stretchers. As they approached the ATV, a sniper rifle was aimed at them by a pony with a green eye cutie mark.

"Halt! Who goes?"

"The Doctor. One wounded, one allied wounded. Get the tent."

The two guardsponies reached into the vehicle and dragged out a huge cloth structure. They set up several poles under it, making a quick but rather shaky tent. Bella, entering it, pounded the poles into the ground.

"Out of the way, Patch?"

"Yes."

The band headed out behind the tent, ready to guard it if anypony hostile attacked. Meanwhile, Patch carefully selected herbs from a medicine packet, mixing them into a pulp in a glass measure. Gently and delicately removing the bandage on the head wound with his teeth, he spread the healing salve over the injury and, hoping that he'd kept her alive (wouldn't want an angry griffon after him), expertly applied a potion down her throat [Medicine]. As he considered the mare, his expression grew oddly softer.

"You know, I might kill you yet, but not now. Not while Bent still has a chance."

He pulled in Bent as well, removing his bandages to set a broken foreleg. Very carefully, he washed the two of them using a small amount of water from the band's supplies. He cleaned Pineapple and the stallion completely and diligently. Wiping his bandit dry and reapplying bandages, he injected the pony with a tiny bit of Med-X. He then tapped him lightly on the nose.

"Wake up."

The unconscious pony blinked his eyes open slowly. "Wha happ'nd?"

"You got bucked to near death by an ally by asking a question. You're a useless waste of my skills. Get out there unless you're a vurnerable filly, which you might be since you got beaten so easily!"

Bent's eyes widened and he scrambled out of the tent before his leader gave him a taste of Scourge, catching a glancing blow from a hoof on his behind. After he left, Patch dried Pineapple off. He pressed his hoof lightly on her cheek. "Wake up, if you would."

[BladeofObliviom]

Ponyville

Presumably, Patch took Pineapple's saddlebags, barding, and weapons off of her before the whole washing thing, and the rest of this post will continue on that assumption. Otherwise cleaning's not going to do much and she's rather heavy. :smalltongue:

In any case, the wound's had some time to clot under the bandage, and that alone would probably be enough to turn a life-threatening injury into merely a severe one. A decent medicinal salve would further help that on the way to recovery, and a healing potion just about does it, in addition to cleaning up some of those superficial incisions and contusions.

In any case, she's regaining consciousness even before being poked awake.

"Wha-"

The mare stiffens and her eyes go wide as she realizes that all of her stuff is no longer in her possession and there's a strange stallion bearing down on her. This is going to be a running theme with her, I just know it. :smalltongue:

"...Oh, buck."

[Drowlord]

Ponyville

Patch stared at her for a short time, then raised an eyebrow.

"At least I can see your head wound isn't harming you too much. I suppose you might not have heard me while you were nearly unconscious. My name is Doctor Cloth Patch. Your allies let me heal you, which is why you're here; your things are nearby. Are you alright?"

[Luka]

[Wild Rabbit Woods]

The stable colt follows the group after he's finished with his SMG, pulling the loader back, he still pulls the magazine out and puts it in again just in case.

[Chaotic Bob]

[New Appleoosa]

See the smiles of those you help...
Wouldn't that be a treat.


Now, while this conversation is interesting and all, the refugees are looking like they're starting to lose their muster a bit.
"Dead on their feet" probably is closer to being a literal statement than is healthy.
"I don't mean to sound...pushy...but is there perhaps somewhere we could lay down for a bit? Before we get into negotiations or anything like that?"

[Rebonack]

[Cake Warehouse Library]

Nope.

Sivr is already out of there. No waiting. No chatting. Out. This whole place gives the griffon the jeebies and she isn't going to stay down here any longer if she can avoid it. Go tell Heimdalr what's going on. He'll decide how to handle the situation.

Meanwhile!

Surprise has somehow managed to create a tiny house large enough to shelter a single pony out of loose papers and books. How she did whilst nopony was looking at her for a few seconds isn't readily clear, but she pulled it off none the less.

"Nah! We should wait here just a little long!" the cybermare replies. "I have the feeling something good is about to happen!"

[Benson]

[Wild Rabbit Woods]

Up ahead on Ducard's and Co path, there was a figure standing there, just barely out of reach of the unicorns' light spell leaving visual details unclear.

Not too far behind them, Swift Star watched them, trailing and keeping out of sight and sound.
-----

New Appleloosa- Front Gates Area

Well, there was always sitting on the ground, that was a thing :P . "Commons' House, up on the small hill. Run by a pony named Common Sense." Big painted letters saying 'Commons' House', can't miss it, well, if ya can't read, then maybe."
-----

New Appleloosa- Leaving Steel Creel's 'House'

Steel smiled again while Mags jumped on Sparky's back.

"Alright, well, there are a few shops here, and of course Absolutely Everything." He said shutting and locking the door behind him.

"Hey, Sparky, even if ya can't take me to see the sun...I still want to go on a pegasus ride and fly in the sky," Mags said with a big smile.
-----

Southwestern Equestria- Underground Facility Exit 5:16 PM


"Wha?...Isn't that...excessive....I know...what he's doing is...wrong...but killing him?..." Tough Stomp fretted and began to paw the ground if he wasn't already. Of course Tough Stomp didn't know about Maul Steel's more personal and flashback-y reason for his behavior.

"Hauh...you're going to kill...the chief?" Half Pint asked with big round eyes. Sure, from an outsider's perspective, Green Spike may come off as quite some bastard for choosing to keep the ghoul enslaved and siphoned of its magic in order to keep the water going for his people, and having monthly sacrifices of his people out of ignorance and religious belief when he had thought that the water came from the sacrifices made to the Gods. But, for someone like Half Pint, even if Green Spike would have been responsible for his older brother being sacrificed, the chief was still the chief, leader of the people, figure looked up to, to lead them. He was filled with uncertainty.

[BladeofObliviom]

Ponyville

Well, by this point that terror has largely given way to embarrassment. Sometime around the phrase "head wound," the relatively dense mare seems to have figured out that she is NOT, in fact, about to be violated and/or mutilated by angry raiders. Not necessarily in that order.

That's a good thing, of course. It's a lot easier to get someone to listen to you on a friendly level when they're not too busy worrying that you're about to take advantage of them at gunpoint.

"I... ...uh, thanks."

Pineapple's a little dumbfounded, really. She was getting charity from somepony, after all. Either this doctor just decided to help her for the sake of a good deed, or the "allies" that basically press-ganged her decided she was too useful to let die. Hmm. In any case, she quickly scrambles to her hooves, off of the operating table.

"Erm, thanks for fixing me up, I mean. I'll be okay, I guess. Unless I don't look okay. I dunno. You're the doctor here."

Since I don't think I've actually described her properly at any point IC and she's just been newly cleaned anyway, I might as well do so. Pineapple Blast has a dark yellow coat, green eyes, and a darker green mane. Her cutie mark is a cartoonish black spherical bomb with a lit fuse. Her mane is terribly messy by prewar standards, but not unreasonably so considering the apocalypse happened. With all that muck, dirt, blood, and pony viscera cleaned off, in fact, she's actually kind of pretty. Certainly a step above average, anyway.

At the moment, she's also practically spattered with bruises as a result of shrapnel battering her barding, but they look more uncomfortable than serious.

[MCerberus]

Ponyville

Meanwhile, Razoreye was just outside of view being stoic and unapproachable. He briefly in his mind thought of striking a conversation to show some personality beyond 'griffin with the stallion that beat our friend to a bloody pulp' but decided against it. Better to retain the message that screwing with him isn't good for one's health.

Wild Rabbit Woods

The light spell flickers momentarily before being reinforced. The odd mix of how bucked up the situation makes concentration on such trivial things slightly difficult. "What are we supposed to do now then?"

[Drowlord]

New Appleoosa

Sparky grinned, flapping slowly into the air slightly above the town's streets. He got progressively faster and rose some, but made sure Mags didn't fall off.

"Let's go to Absolutely Everything first."

Ponyville

Patch smiled nodded, smiling slightly. "It was no trouble healing you, really. It's better to save a life than end it, when you can. You're free to do anything you want now; you seem to be fine."

He bowed slightly, an odd courteous gesture that seemed very out of place in the Wasteland. "If you wish, you may take a Med-X or two, I can spare them."

The stallion was tall, almost oddly white in color, with a short grey mane that was stiff and pressed forward. On his flank there was a mark of a brown cloth patch. His eyes were golden in color, his smile making them soft and kind. Patch looked very stern at times, but now was not one of them. His frame, angular and thin, was actually handsome in a rather proper way. He did indeed notice that Pinapple was rather pretty; it was one of the few factors that had led to him trying to heal her.

[BladeofObliviom]

Ponyville

"Oh, erm. All right. Thanks again!"

She doesn't actually take any Med-X; The stuff is useful, but very dangerous for the careless. She doesn't really trust herself with it after that fiasco with Dash a few years back. She does take her stuff back, though she doesn't bother putting her barding or battle saddle back on properly. She also doesn't leave, quite yet.

"What happened, anyway? Did we win? The last thing I remember was a knife fight with a crazed mare and this horrible noise."

Well, that explains how she ended up covered in blood and pony organs. Kind of. The extrapolation from there isn't precisely pleasant.

[Luka]

[Wild Rabbit Woods]

The colt tries to get his gun smooth again, pulling the loader back, when Finder mentions that he quickly rushes a bit back, picking up the shrooms, water gas can and the other things/supplies.
"Should we go to the mountain?"

[tag: Whole group, Benson]

[Drowlord]

Wild Rabbit Woods

Elestre nodded slightly. "If we can figure out how to get there without being shadowed every step of the way."

Ponyville

"You won, from what I cleaned off of you, and must have disabled whatever made the noise. It was interesting; I'm trained to resist such things and I still felt it."

Patch looks pensive, his golden eyes lost in thought. The pony organs shook him a bit but didn't make him faint. He was a medic first and foremost, and he couldn't be afraid of anything that prevented him from operating right on a patient.

[BladeofObliviom]

Ponyville

"Hmm. Weird. Well, thanks again!"

And with that, she trots out the door oddly happily considering that she disemboweled another pony less than ten minutes prior. Even if she doesn't really remember it. Razoreye (or Lamianos, if he's back yet) would probably be able to spot her.

[PurityIcekiller]

"Sadly, I've been finding real genuine smiles a hard thing to come by out here in the wastes. We're lucky we have Miss Ditzy and her never ending supply of smiles to make the day less....sad." Railright wanly smiled and shook his head.

Bright Eyes nodded. "She's a good sort. I hope she lasts a long time. I actually think I'll visit her again as soon as I can, since I need to get myself a shovel."


Well, there was always sitting on the ground, that was a thing. "Commons' House, up on the small hill. Run by a pony named Common Sense." Big painted letters saying 'Commons' House', can't miss it, well, if ya can't read, then maybe."

"Well, even if these folks are illiterate, I can read just fine. Even in a few dead languages!"

Some ponies could be said to be a few bricks short of a wall. Bright Eyes seemed to be using those extra bricks to assemble a haphazard and pointless sculpture.

[Tychris1]

Wild Rabbit Woods

Ducard was frantic, he was nearly jumping out of his armor at any bump or shadow. For all his gusto and combat skill Ducard was not trained for this kind of fighting, he was taught to take down threats head on and trust his suit to handle what's left. Not to do mind games and fight those in the shadows.

And then he spotted the figure.

Wasn't much to go on, but this whole situation has been shooting into the dark really, what difference was there now? The Steel Ranger grinded to a halt, not wanting to get any closer to the thing. Staring at it he decided to answer the unicorns question "You want to know my suggestion for getting out of here," he pauses for a moment, taking a single step forward to try and get a better look at the figure "We burn our way out." Not the brightest of ideas, but slash and torch was a semi viable method, assuming the group could run quickly. Very quickly.

[TAG Whole party]

Southwestern Equestria- Underground Facility Exit 5:17 PM

Maul Steel looked back at his bro for a moment "This pony spent months murdering innocent ponies for delusional reasons and now wants to condemn a pony to a lifetime of slavery and you think killing him is excessive," he pauses, turning back to his gun as he lines back up the shot "You of all ponies should know what slavery is like...." Oooo. That's got to sting. The ex slaver stallion probably didn't mean to be so mean, but sometimes you needed some tough love in order to get your friends to see what's happening infront of them.

[TAG Benson]

Ponyville

Lamianos began to trot back to town, apparently he sent Eledwhen on her way to town with a few simple instructions before he decided to do some checking around. As he walked he noted the ATV and decided to check it out, not yet knowing that everyone seemed to have congregates there. Nodding his head to Razoreye he addresses the griffin with a gruff hello before turning towards Pineapple Blast "Good to see your not splattered brain matter on the walls of some broken down house. A grizzled mare like you is a valuable asset for my cause, and it'd be a shame to have you down after the first mission." He inspected the mare, looking her over to make sure the doc didn't say plant a bomb inside of her while she was in surgery, and once reasonably satisfied he took one last note of her (For more personal reasons) before returning to Razoreye.

"So, we got a broken down base of operations, some bandits of varying degrees of skill, a psycho unicorn, and an ATV. I'm thinking we should raid any towns or old world facilities we can get our hooves on. Avoid any big fish while we rebuild this place and start training the bandits. Raiding expiditions would be lead by either you, me, or anyone we trust enough to competently pull one off. We should probably set up some more well monitored patrols and keep most of our forces home so that we're not defenceless. Given time more raiders, slavers, and psychos will come knocking here: the unicorn and the bandits are proof of that. We just need to start stockpiling and preparing ourselves while ponies trickle in. Thoughts?" Lamianos was fully down from his high and his Slaver side was fully kicking in, he'd put alot of thought into this even though his initial plan was to just sieze an already established slaver operation. This wasn't ideal but it would work.

[Tag Obliviom, MCerberus]

[MCerberus]

Wild Rabbit Woods

The one problem with that plan is that then they'd be trying to outrun two things. Finder's spell looks over a dead tree and some sickly underbrush. Then there's the matter of how flammable those spores are. (un)Luckily, the scavver isn't thinking too well at the moment.

"You think we can avoid getting burned?"

Ponyville

So it's time for a tactical and strategic assessment by the griffin, sort of his specialty... well a certain point of view that he thinks about a lot anyway.

"We may want to avoid spoiling long-term prospects by treating random wastelanders too harshly. Take what we can from those in the immediate area since they no longer need to fear a slow death from this town yes, but a restrained claw may yield more."

The griffin takes a moment to think before continuing. "New leadership at this town will be seen as an opportunity by others. The roads that bypass the forest were too-long closed off. We can gain allies and money I think by allowing travelers, and even more material by taking from those that do not pay."

[BladeofObliviom]

Ponyville

Lamianos began to trot back to town, apparently he sent Eledwhen on her way to town with a few simple instructions before he decided to do some checking around. As he walked he noted the ATV and decided to check it out, not yet knowing that everyone seemed to have congregates there. Nodding his head to Razoreye he addresses the griffin with a gruff hello before turning towards Pineapple Blast "Good to see your not splattered brain matter on the walls of some broken down house. A grizzled mare like you is a valuable asset for my cause, and it'd be a shame to have you down after the first mission." He inspected the mare, looking her over to make sure the doc didn't say plant a bomb inside of her while she was in surgery, and once reasonably satisfied he took one last note of her (For more personal reasons) before returning to Razoreye.

"So, we got a broken down base of operations, some bandits of varying degrees of skill, a psycho unicorn, and an ATV. I'm thinking we should raid any towns or old world facilities we can get our hooves on. Avoid any big fish while we rebuild this place and start training the bandits. Raiding expiditions would be lead by either you, me, or anyone we trust enough to competently pull one off. We should probably set up some more well monitored patrols and keep most of our forces home so that we're not defenceless. Given time more raiders, slavers, and psychos will come knocking here: the unicorn and the bandits are proof of that. We just need to start stockpiling and preparing ourselves while ponies trickle in. Thoughts?" Lamianos was fully down from his high and his Slaver side was fully kicking in, he'd put alot of thought into this even though his initial plan was to just sieze an already established slaver operation. This wasn't ideal but it would work.


Ponyville

So it's time for a tactical and strategic assessment by the griffin, sort of his specialty... well a certain point of view that he thinks about a lot anyway.

"We may want to avoid spoiling long-term prospects by treating random wastelanders too harshly. Take what we can from those in the immediate area since they no longer need to fear a slow death from this town yes, but a restrained claw may yield more."

The griffin takes a moment to think before continuing. "New leadership at this town will be seen as an opportunity by others. The roads that bypass the forest were too-long closed off. We can gain allies and money I think by allowing travelers, and even more material by taking from those that do not pay."

[Ponyville]

Pineapple does not look entirely comfortable with being eyed down as such, and shies back just a bit, though she doesn't run for the hills or anything.

"Er, thanks, I guess?"

That... ...sounds like a compliment, at least? Then, of course, the stallion and the whatever male griffons are supposed to be called start talking about tactics for the future. She probably isn't the best judge of what ponies are going to do, but she does have some information that might be useful.

"I know that the Slavers at Old Appleoosa paid a toll to the raiders to get through this area. I'm sure they'd be even more willing to pay if they didn't have to worry about those same raiders breaking the deal because they wanted to shoot somepony. They probably wouldn't mind setting up trade either, since the pony who makes most of their slave collars deserted recently."

Hey, that's an implication! But will anypony catch it? Then something on a completely different subject clicks in her head. That happens once in a while, believe it or not.

"Wait, what was that about a Psycho Unicorn? That sounds like something to worry about."

[Tychris1]

Ponyville

Lamianos nods his head, looking back at Ponyville as he soaks up the new information "I'm not sure whether or not I'm on good relations with Old Appleloosa. On the one hoof I was with that party of heroes, and on the other I did betray them to help Old Appleloosa who in turn betrayed me for some reason or another. Alicorns are mysterious like that. Still, setting up trade and tolls is never a bad plan, and what was that about Slave Collar pony leaving? I didn't spend tons of time in the workshop for the Brotherhood, but I know my way around a wrench..... Even if they do have a problem with me they still would need Slave Collars anyway...." He scratches at the dirt in contemplation, trying to decipher how exactly to go about this.

And then Delirious Hex is brought up. Turning to Pineapple, Lamianos' black reflective eye shades mask his intense look "Aren't we all a bit crazy? You were there in Ponyville with us, I doubt you didn't feel the surge of bloodlust like I did. Clobbering ponies to death, blowing them up, or tearing their minds asunder: It makes no difference. The mare will be kept in check, I can assure you of that," He takes a step forward, this time even his helmet can't mask the stern and restrained anger that lay underneath "Unless, of course, you doubt me?" He stays there for a few seconds before pulling away, his stiff and rigid stance relaxing slightly as he returns to a more calm state of self rather then the brutal easily snapped Stallion from before "Her name's Delirious Hex, she's a talented Unicorn at that. Aside from being the self proclaimed, ahem, give me a moment." He changes his posture and raises a hoof as he attempts to mimic Delirious "The biggest, baddest Raider that has ever lived if I do say so myself!"

The stallion does a half decent job at mimicing the unicorn. Kind of hard to make yourself sound feminine when your a deep baritone but hay, it's the thought that counts right? In any event Lamianos continues "Aside from that, she doesn't seem to be too focused. Shouldn't be too hard to point her at things we want dead and watch their heads explode."

[TAG Obliviom, MCerberus]

[Benson]

New Appleoosa

Sparky grinned, flapping slowly into the air slightly above the town's streets. He
And so they traversed the catwalks, well Steel Creel did, the other two bypassed them as they headed to Absolutely Everything.

It was still a little quiet in the dirt streets and pathways, most folks still in their homes or just staying inside. They wouldn't see anything unusual on their particular path.

At Absolutely Everything, Ditzy was floating around taking inventory stock.

[Tag Drowlord]
-
New Appleloosa

"Well, if there's anything else ya'll need...I'm here. Ya'll have a good day and keep your noses clean and out of trouble," Railright said with a tip of hos imaginary hat.

[Tag PurityIcekiller and Chaotic Bob]
===============================

Wild Rabbit Woods

There was a crackling sound of electricity from some off behind them. From in front of them was the glowing magic of a unicorn horn.

[Tag The Four of you]
===============================

Southwestern Equestria- Underground Facility Exit 5:18 PM

Tough Stomp frowned and looked away, those words hitting deep. "F..Fine.....I'll just ...." He softly gulped and shook his head as he began to walk away.

"No...I...you can't let him kill the chief...he's not...a bad person.......just...not smart..on some things.." Half Pint pulled at Tough Stomp who just brushed him aside. He then ran to Foxfire who only gave him a pitying look. She didn't know what to think about this. Though to her this sounded too vendetta-y and it was difficult for her to determine where her feelings on this lied. He never wanted him dead, the little colt was just so confused and overwhelmed here.

[Luka]

[Wild Rabbit Woods]

The colt reacted to the electricity and just grabbed his SMG with one foreleg, holding it close enough to make TK'ing it away as hard as possible; he was finding this pretty annoying, aiming his SMG at the figure

"Hey! stop that if you're causing it, it's annoying!"

[tag: Benson, rest of the group]

[Tychris1]

Wild Rabbit Woods

"The kid can fly, so he's fine, and I can keep pace just fine with him on my back. How about you... You seem, tired." Ducard said, his initial fear induced attention slowly slipping as the full state of him not gettif enough sleep kicks in.

And then electricity

Ducards tiredness is shoved away in place of fear again and he quickly resumes his frantic pace "Bwah! Geh. We gotta do something fast before the thing does more crazy stuff.... You ready?" Ducard was seriously ready to just pull the trigger and run. He felt like a nervous race horse when inside of his starting box, closed in and surronded by strange and unnerving sights and sounds.

[TAG Whole group]

Southwestern Equestria- Underground Facility Exit 5:18 PM

Maul sighed as he looked at Tough and said "I'm... I'm sorry. I promise i'll explain more later. I just... have to do this now." He resumes his aiming, not even wanting to look at Foxfire, he was feeling bad enough for doing this, the last thing he needed was the added sight of her questioning him and putting doubt untop of his actions. Taking a breathe in he tightens his body as he stares down the dare, horn itching to pull the trigger the first moment it gets.

And in the midst of Maul Steel fully soaking in the action he's about to commit Half Pint gets forgotten, much like his name would imply. Maul didn't have the time or the energy to perfectly explain his position to the small colt, and even if he did have it he wouldn't stop preparing himself for a serious act just to further wallow in it by talking to someone it will directly effect.

[TAG Benson]

[Drowlord]

Wild Rabbit Woods

Elestre peered at the electricity, eyes slit and intensely watching. "I think it's the ghoul mage. He disn't try to capture us last time, so why now?"

New Appleoosa

Sparky settled down, letting Mags off. "Hi, miss Ditzy! How are you doing today?"

His eyes were vibrant and cheery, his voice matchingly bright.

Ponyville

Patch listened from the tent without interrupting. He needed to know his new allies/enemies' plans. The doctor's mind was whirring, trying to think of ways to undermine the huge stallion and press his importance upon the group.

[BladeofObliviom]

Ponyville

Hmm. As a player, I'm a little surprised Lamianos didn't pick up on that hint, since he (correctly) guessed that she was a deserter from Old Appleoosa when they first met and shaped explosives are a key component of Slave Collars. Maybe he's just being equally evasive with the facts, though.

Anyway, the mare backs away slightly from Lamianos in sheer terror as her eyes go wide.

"-No! No, I'm not questioning you! Where would you get that idea?!"

A bit of nervous laughter sneaks out after that last sentence. The protest seems just a tad too vocal, though, more likely motivated by fear than genuine trust. It doesn't really help that she's a horrible liar. Quickly, she tries to change the subject, hoping to avoid needing to revisit the medical tent too soon.

"Hey, didn't Razoreye also say something?"

I don't believe she and Razoreye were ever properly introduced, but she was definitely there when Lamia started shouting orders at the start of the battle.

Patch is not noted because he's behind an opaque barrier and not making noise. :smalltongue:

[Tychris1]

Ponyville

Lamianos nods his head, looking to Razoreye as he says "Yes, yes he did. If we're going to be on good terms with the folks around here we might aswell take the initiative and open relations first. Razoreye, I think it'd be best if you tried to work things out with Old Appleloosa, my face might not be the first thing they'd want to see, and it's better to have a third party step in instead. We should clean this place up, make it more attractive for passerbys. Spend our time fixing the defences over the next couple of days....." He checks his map to see if there are any other establishments to open communications with. Standing their in contemplation he eventually moves over to the ATV and shouts "Hey! Doc! I got to talk to you." He didn't see Cloth Patch hiding in the tent and juś hoped he was still around his vehicle.

[TAG Drowlord, MCerberus]

[Lycan 01]

Warehouse - Library

Sergeant Sprinkles follows Surprise's lead, and hunkers down in front of the book house. "So am I the dog or the robot butler, Miss PV?" he playfully asks her, implying that they're playing House.

[MCerberus]

Ponyville

Pineapple seems evasive. That's really to be expected with this group of ponies from everywhere with dark pasts and etcetera. Hell Razoreye can actually empathize with that. First thing's first though. "I'll set out tomorrow. I think it would be wise for me to stay the remainder of the day to keep things stable, however. Also we need to speak privately."

Yah, the griffin's got to talk about the chem use and keeping fearless leader from being completely fried or needing to shove Fixer down his throat every half hour.

When Lamianos leaves, he turns his attention to Pineapple. "For what I'm concerned, the past can remain the past unless it becomes an issue." Razoreye doesn't look like he's going to press for confessions.

Wild Rabbit Woods

Well he's not panting yet, and adrenaline is a wonderful thing for not falling asleep. "I'm fine it's just-" *lightning*. Finder fires back into the dark. Unfortunately the gun jams after a single shot goes off. Stupid ninja throwing stars.

"I think who it is is kinda irrelevant now."

[BladeofObliviom]

Ponyville

Well, Razoreye has balls of steel then. Pineapple fears Angry Lamianos slightly less than the Pale Horse, and in her eyes the two seem to be allied anyway. And, well...

...You just saw how he handles criticism. :smallamused:


Anyway, Pineapple just nods to Razoreye, trying and badly failing at putting on a poker face. She's still shaking just slightly, and a bead of sweat is rolling down from under her mane.

At any rate, she trots off since she doesn't seem to be needed here, looking for a relatively intact building to set up shop in. Ponyville has a few buildings that aren't quite rotting out, right? [Perception/Explosives/Repair(for traps)]At any rate, she's still VERY careful. Raiders were living here; They do crazy things like leaving landmines all over the walls.

[Tag: Chaotic Bob]

[Drowlord]

Ponyville

Doctor Patch silently comes out of the tent, advancing towards the behemoth. "Yes?"

He looks closely at Lamnios's armor, noticing missing spikes. "If you have time and it matters to you, I could fix that armor. I suspect that's not what you want me for, though."

[Tychris1]

Ponyville

Lamianos looks at Cloth Patch "No, if I wanted my armor fixed I'd plop down next to some scrap metal and let magic take it's course. I need to discuss business with you, and make sure we don't get off on the wrong hoof...." He looks back at where Razoreye and Pineapple Blast were "Mind if we take this conversation into the tent? I'd prefer someplace more private." Well, even if Cloth Patch objected the hulking stallion would just feign tripping on a pebble and "fall" into the tent anyway, shoving Cloth Patch with him. Otherwise he'd walk into it like a normal pony would in any other scenario.

As he entered the tent he took up a spot in one of the corners, slowly taking off bits of his armor now that the fighting was done "Just a personal peeve of mine. Don't like doing too much business without having it done face to face. Get more honesty out of it," he continues to dis assemble his armor but keeps his eyes mostly trained on Cloth "Now, I know what you're thinking. 'Lamianos, the cruel heartless bastard. Lamianos, that bucking jerk who beat up my friend Rent Carol' Or was it Kent Jarrel? Whatever. I'm trying to do something good here, trying to get a real city going ontop of this festering pile of crap in the middle of the crappiest place in the world. It won't be pretty, ponies will be hurt and ponies will be used to do work against their will. But the result? The result would be a place ponies could call home, where law and order actually mean something amid crazy shoot outs and adrenaline pumping explosions. Yes, there will be a Trent Parolle every once in a while, but I want you to know that I do have limits, and I do respect a ponies word. If you truly wish to stay in touch with your group then I won't lay a hoof on them. That'll mean inflicting it on others, but I will refrain from your gang. I'm going to need your trust though, the mutual agreement that if we turn on each other it'll be the end of us. Cause we'll tear each other apart, I can assure you that much." He finally dismantles the upper part of his armor, revealing his bat wings, pale white hair, greasy mohawk like mane, and razor sharp teeth. Staring at the doctor with his blood red eyes Lamainos raises an eyebrow and says "Understood?"

[Benson]

[New Appleloosa]

Ditzy smiled broadly upon seeing and hearing them come in. She scribbled down on her chalkboard. "Welcome again! I'm doing just dandy!" She hovered over to the pair.
====


Southwestern Equestria- Underground Facility Exit 5:19 PM

"No...don't..don't let him....!" He tugged at Foxfire who painfully looked away.

"Come on sweet heart...we have to go......your older sibling must be worried about you..." She gestured at Tough Stomp with a turn of her head as he walked behind the colt and bonked him hard on his little head to knock him out. "Not what I meant...but it works too."

Tough Stomp just sheepishly flushed and picked up the colt and placed him on his back. The two plus colt started to walk away to leave Maul Steel behind to his vendetta.

Back inside the main room in the underground facility, trying to reconnect the wires and figure out how to put things back together proved harder considering how earlier Maul carelessly ripped them out.

"Urgh...this is annoying...one of you...go fetch that Steel pony...he did this mess, try to get him to see reason here. He couldn't have gotten too far." Chief Greenspike nickered and furrowed his brows. Getting water returned to his people was proving the difficult task than he expected.

"Yes sir," Said one of his warriors, as the stallion took to a canter out down the corridors.
=========

Wild Rabbit Woods

Well, Swift Star had his fun but he had other ways of getting his task done that actually didn't involve violence. Naturally the figure in front did not answer Luka, it wasn't real after all.

Swift Star then randomly for funsies and to startle them, teleported from behind way them, since they were all focused on the false figure in front, and popped up in front of them with his head bowed low submissively.

[Drowlord]

Wild Rabbit Woods

Elestre was about to look for the first teleporting sound's source when the ghoul teleported in front of them. His brain was getting seriously confused here. What was the ninja doing? Was he playing with them? Whatever the case, he got ready to hurl his knife hilt.

New Appleoosa

Sparky nodded. "Great! So, first, I think some salt would be in order! Maybe ten small packets?"

Ponyville

Cloth Patch followed Lamnios into the tent normally and, after the huge pony's speech, smiled slightly.

"You want to make a little bit of the world a better place for ponies to live, and I respect that. In fact, I don't have any ill will towards you at all. In all honesty, I was only angry with you at all because I thought I'd lose Bent Barrel or have him crippled. I thought you were the kind who would kill a pony just for fun, not thinking of the advantages of having an extra hoof to work for you. Now that I know he's fit to work again soon, and that you are actually quite intelligent, he's yours to do what you want with. I see you're amply capable of handling the group, and you have my loyalty if it matters. Oh, and Bella wants to challenge you to a contest of strength. She might be mad at you for hurting Bent, but she respects power."

[Chaotic Bob]

[New Appleoosa]

Sitting on the ground was an option!
It's what they were already doing, for the most part.

But that's not particularly comfortable, when they've already been doing that for heavens-knows-how-long as prisoners.
Proper rest is needed!

The vocal mare offers a somewhat good-natured smile at Bright Eyes' jab, before bowing her head to Railright.
"We can read just fine, and thank you for your hospitality. Promise we'll be no trouble."


Well then. Now that that detail is out of the way.
Onwards?

[Cake Warehouse - B1 Library]


Warehouse - Wrecked Library

"Er, hello?" Sergeant Sprinkles waves at the griffin. "I'm a walkin' armory. Even if I go down, you can just pry my weapons out of my cold dead claws and keep on fightin'. Plus Miss PV has a few tricks up her sleeves. Armored sleeves. Armor. Whatever."

The robot turns to point at the exit. "Somebody needs to fix that leaky faucet. Miss PV, want me to go check it out? Or should we go back the other way?"

If told to go check it out, Sergeant Sprinkles shall do so.


[Cake Warehouse Library]

Nope.

Sivr is already out of there. No waiting. No chatting. Out. This whole place gives the griffon the jeebies and she isn't going to stay down here any longer if she can avoid it. Go tell Heimdalr what's going on. He'll decide how to handle the situation.

Meanwhile!

Surprise has somehow managed to create a tiny house large enough to shelter a single pony out of loose papers and books. How she did whilst nopony was looking at her for a few seconds isn't readily clear, but she pulled it off none the less.

"Nah! We should wait here just a little long!" the cybermare replies. "I have the feeling something good is about to happen!"

Buh-bye, Sivr! Have fun fleeing.

Meanwhile, Check Mark is trying really hard to not stare at Surprise too much.
Also trying really hard to not think too much on the fact that she's now alone with a weaponized robot-from-no-where and very clearly insane cyberpegasus.
Nopony here is sane. Not even her.

This reeked of terrible.


Probably doesn't help that shortly after Surprise speaks, things change.

A shallow whine pulses through the walls, shortly before all the lights simply shut down, plunging the library into an bleak darkness.

A little bit of light, traveling from the surface to the door, perhaps, but not nearly enough to illuminate the entirety of the room.
It is not a perfect darkness, but all the more to breed shadows splaying out across the ruined shelves and books, pooling in corners and along spaces of rare cleanliness.

Accompanying the umbra is a sudden stillness immediately settling into the area.
Circulation of that minty-fresh air seems to have halted along with the lights.


Check Mark doesn't seem to be particularly perturbed by this event.
Instead, she becames...wistful.
"I remember the first time they tried to test the backup power generators.
They forgot to warn half the stuff, and everypony started to panic. Didn't help that the entrance doors auto-locked, and the generators didn't actually turn back on for a couple hours. Some sort of electrical fault.
Fixed it though, after most of the unicorn employees were exhausted from being living flashlights."


Meanwhile, outside the room, there's the whirring clicks and groans of blast doors sealing.

[PurityIcekiller]

"Well, if there's anything else ya'll need...I'm here. Ya'll have a good day and keep your noses clean and out of trouble," Railright said with a tip of hos imaginary hat.

"Got it! I won't do any harm to anyone who doesn't do any harm to me." Bright Eyes tipped her actually-existent hat back. "Have a great day!"


The vocal mare offers a somewhat good-natured smile at Bright Eyes' jab, before bowing her head to Railright.
"We can read just fine, and thank you for your hospitality. Promise we'll be no trouble."


Well then. Now that that detail is out of the way.
Onwards?

"Good! I expected you could read, but I wasn't quite sure." Bright Eyes grinned. "So, want me to stick around a bit longer, or should I go pick up my shovel?"

[Chaotic Bob]

[New Appleoosa]

Oh yes, that thing.
Probably should have given that back, hm?

The mare gives a little shake of her head, before glancing back over her companions.
"I think we can find our way, if you would like to take care of your business.
Thank you very much."

[Benson]

New Appleoosa

Sparky nodded. "Great! So, first, I think some salt would be in order! Maybe ten small packages?"

Her eyes lit up as she quickly hovered to a small bin on top of a high shelf. She then returned with a big ol' smile and a bundle of salt packets.
=============================

[Another part of New Appleloosa]

And with that Railright let the group be and continued on his patrol around the town.

[Tychris1]

Ponyville

Lamianos smirks as he kicks off another piece of armor "A contest? I can never deny a mare a chance to get acquainted with me. I'll look into that. But there's something else I need to talk to you about. We're going to be doing some relations making with travellers and other established towns and such, but I'm not content with just sitting around playing house. You seem to have a silver enough tongue, and i'm entrusting you with communicating with travellers and minor tribes and such. Anyway, before you came here where were you planning on raiding next after this? We could certainly use the supplies." Lamianos says, at the end of it he kicks off one last piece of armor, his whole frame exposed to the world. Gathering up his armor he begins to drag it along as he listens to Cloth's answer. Unless the doc had a question then Lamianos would leave the tent and see what it was Razroeye wanted anyway.

[TAG Drowlord, MCerberus (If Drow doesn't have a question)]

Wild Rabbit Woods

So

Scaring a Steel Ranger is bad.

Teleporting right infront of an already unnerved and jumpy Steel Ranger is even worse.

Panicking, Ducard sends one of his fore hooves swinging to hit the ninja ghoul with great force. Well, atleast he had enough restraint to not open fire. Bonus I guess?

[TAG Benson]

Southwestern Equestria- Underground Facility Exit 5:20 PM

It was starting to feel like hours since Foxfire and Tough left. Or maybe it was minutes? Kind of hard to tell when your only form of time is staring at a metal exit. Wait, were those..... hoof steps? Maul checked his rifle to make sure it was loaded properly and that the safety was off, and he resumed aiming at the exit.

He didn't expect for it to be one of the guards. The stallion hesitated a moment as he looked at the guard, but he quickly steeled his resolve and in a hushed tone he hissed "Bring me to the chief. Now."

[TAG Benson]

[MCerberus]

Ponyville

Some time in the future, when Razoreye and Lamianos are free to speak, the griffin will give the answer to 'what he wants'. "I believe it would be wise to tone down on the chem use."

Well that was straight-forward. "They are useful, and I wouldn't judge anypony that uses them. Overuse would cause issues down the road though." The griffin isn't going to point out the complete unnecessary use of chems after being hit with shotguns at medium range earlier though, that could make him mad.

Wild Rabbit Woods

Finder also goes in to attack the mystery assailant. He can't use his gun at the moment, so the natural reaction would be to come out swinging.

[Benson]

Wild Rabbit Woods


The ninja mere jumped back a foot backwards as Ducard's strong swing wound up hitting the dirt hard kicking up debris and earth into the earth while Finder in his exhaustion would have stumbled forward from the lack of hitting something solid. Elestre's knife hilt bounced harmlessly off his chest protector and no doubt evading Luka's likely attack. He still kept his head bowed submissively.

"..i...cOMe bEarINg nO iLl wILL..." He managed in his guttural ghoul like manner. "bUT wiTh a MeSSagE..."
=====


Southwestern Equestria- Underground Facility Exit 5:24 PM

"Perfect...he wishes to see you too, though, I suggest you lower your weapon, this is not a meeting of hostility," Replied the unicorn warrior as he popped back down into the hatch.

[Drowlord]

Wild Rabbit Woods

Elestre didn't attack with his knife hilt, but kept it handy. "A message? What is it?"

He made sure to keep a polite tone to the ghoul.

New Appleoosa

Sparky nodded. "Thanks! Looks good to me for the salt. I'll have a look around, see if there's anything else I need."

He moved off some, freeing Steel to buy something if he wanted.

Ponyville

"We'd been aiming for a town near Canterlot where the Pink Cloud isn't as thick. Been there before, managed to get a little before we lost a pony to the ghouls. I got Scourge there, so I know it wasn't completely looted already. This time we're better armed and prepared, so we can get a better angle on it."

Patch simply nodded at Lamnios's placement of the local deals into his hooves. He considered himself a pretty able diplomat.

[Tychris1]

Ponyville

Lamianos looked at the griffin indignantly "Are you saying I have a problem? I assure you I can stop whenever I want. I'm not some trashy junkie who goes around begging ponies for a needle to shove into me. I don't need any of them. I'm perfectly fine without them." Lamianos actually looked rather annoyed, but that's just his blind junkie reflexes kicking in. "Fine. I'll show you, I'll stay off everything until a fight breaks out. Sound good?" He extends a forehoof to the griffin, trying to seal the deal on a pact he probably couldn't keep.

But heck, there's a first time for everything. Right?

[TAG MCerberus]

Wild Rabbit Woods

"Well geez, most messengers don't throw metal at their recepients. Excuse me for not having that be my first reaction." Ducard says, not all too happy at the Ninja Ghoul. That message better be good.....

[TAG Benson]

Southwestern Equestria- Underground Facility 5:25 PM

Well. That was unexpected. Still, Maul didn't lower his weapon, instead ipting to carefully keep it raised and follow the warrior, keeping his eye peeled for the other warrior and the chief. He wasn't about to let them get the drop on him. Now if only he could get at the Chief without killing the guards.......

[TAG Benson]

[MCerberus]

Ponyville

"Consider it a way to make the chems have more of an effect when you DO use them then," Razoreye responds shaking the pony's hoof. He'd be worried if he were a psychologist or something, but nothing has been said about Lamianos using chems just because he likes them.

"I will set off to Appleoosa in the morning."

Wild Rabbit Woods

Finder's tired, can't use much magic, and his gun is broken. All he has is glaring powers, hopefully he can just smite the ninja with those... oh wait he can't. Doesn't stop him from trying though.

Oh, and he's keeping on guard 'having a message' is often code for 'about to shoot a stallion'.

[Luka]

[Wild Rabbit Woords]

The colt doesn't shoot at the ghoul at first, but even so, was he going to try to evade Luka (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TheGunslinger)'s SMG (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MoreDakka)? also his S.A.T.S (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ImprobableAimingSkills)?....
........Yeah, sure. Unless he teleports.

He just stays there aiming, just in case
"What kind of message? what did you do with the mare?!"
he still seemed pretty mad

[PurityIcekiller]

The mare gives a little shake of her head, before glancing back over her companions.
"I think we can find our way, if you would like to take care of your business.
Thank you very much."

"Got it. I'll stop by later to make sure you're getting on all right, okay? So long!" Bright Eyes waved and headed over to Ditzy's shop.

When she got there, she quickly spotted the newcomers. "Oh! Hi there! What are you up to?"

[Benson]

Wild Rabbit Woods

Yes, yes he was, SATS and all, likely countering it with his SATS, because that would be rule cool trumphin' all, j/k. Swift Star held up his leg to himself and lifted up his head. He glanced at his pipbuck, amused at seeing red blips. Hahahaha heho hahah, amusing.

"I dID noT thrOw tHeM aT YoU, thEY wERE ThrOwN At yoUR WEapONs," Hey, get it right Ducard and stop makin' up stuff ;P....One could almost sense the cheeky smile underneath his mask, almost. He then looked at Elestre, the only one he so far tolerated still, or liked rather.

"tHe ONe nAMed ReD EYe of FiLLYDelphia SEEks aN aUDIence wiTH THRee oF YOu, You WIll nOT Be HARmeD In hIS CaRE."
===========

New Appleloosa-Absolutely Everything

And packets, Benson means those small little restaurant type packets, haha. Anyways! Ditzy Do nods her head keeping a big smile on her face. Steel Creel himself didn't know what to get.

Mags on the other hoof was looking at some neat toys, like this hoofmade doll, which would have made a great companion for own.
===========


Southwestern Equestria- Underground Facility 5:25 PM

When Maul Steel entered the chamber he would see that ghoul the throne-ish thing. The second warrior trying to fiddle with the wires and Chief Green Spike right there.

"You, how did you disconnect them wires and stuff? I can't get the water talisman to work and my people need their water." He demanded.

[MCerberus]

Wild Rabbit Woods

In normal circumstances, such a declaration would be really funny. Nothing about this is normal though. Finder's light spell flickers for a second. "And he actually expects us to believe that? And you?"

[Lycan 01]

Warehouse - Library

Sergeant Sprinkles doesn't seem bothered by the dark. "Huh. Well that's ominous. You got a light, Miss PV?" he asks, before raising his flamethrower arm and activating the pilot light. It creates a fain aura of flickering light around the robot. "That any better? Hard for me to tell - got my Night Vision on."

[Chaotic Bob]

[New Appleoosa]

And so the little group of refugees begin the DARING and FANTASTIC journey to the Commons' House.
What adventures and excitement will they find along the way? What dire secrets shall the learn of the world, perils they shall face?

Probably none. None at all.

This will be a very dull walk.

[Ponyville]

Hey, this place where fantastic things are going down, at the hooves of utterly terrible ponies.

Another guest will be appearing shortly, the enwrapped pony from the hill-top who so generously lent Lamianos his binoculars.
Seems he's decided to observe more closely, going so far as to boldly trot right into town.

[BladeofObliviom]

[Ponyville]

Hey, Pineapple isn't THAT terrible of a pony! Sure, her previous occupation might have been less than entirely ethical, but caps are life, right?

In any case, since she's trotting in that general direction anyway, she likely spots him. She considers ignoring him and going on her way, but curiosity gets the better of her and she soon diverts to approach the other pony.

"Hey, you're alive! I was worried raiders nabbed you, or you got eaten by bloatflies or something horrible like that. Good to see I was wrong!" Pineapple says, with a smile on her face far too wide for those words.

He'll probably notice that she looks kinda different from the last time they met. She's not wearing her barding at the moment, since it's stashed in the saddlebag where she got that oversized Plastic Explosive from. She is wearing a battle saddle, but it's not on quite straight and isn't properly locked in; using it would probably cause it to fly off her back. Oh, and all that wasteland dirt and grime that had been caking up for a month or so is gone. That's nice too.

[Benson]

"Got it. I'll stop by later to make sure you're getting on all right, okay? So long!" Bright Eyes waved and headed over to Ditzy's shop.

When she got there, she quickly spotted the newcomers. "Oh! Hi there! What are you up to?"

Steel Creel looked at Bright Eyes like a deer caught in the headlights. "S-shopping?" He had been poking his muzzle through a bin of scrap metal and old bolts and nuts.
----



[New Appleoosa]

And so the little group of refugees begin the DARING and FANTASTIC journey to the Commons' House.
What adventures and excitement will they find along the way? What dire secrets shall the learn of the world, perils they shall face?

Probably none. None at all.

This will be a very dull walk.


Yep, nothing at all. The building they seek, is around two fused trains wide, two cars tall, with four more fused depth wide. It looks like it could use a paint job, just like most of the 'buildings' in here. There are three lanterns strung together over the sliding door.

[Drowlord]

Wild Rabbit Woods

Elestre was deep in thought. "Finder, if we don't do as Red Eye wants, he's probably going either to take us by force or kill us. So... Maybe it would be a good idea just to go along and be prepared?"

New Appleoosa

Sparky grinned at the newcomer. "Nothing much right now, although might be shopping some soon. You?"

[Dark Elf Bard]

Wild Rabbit Woods

Ducard was frantic, he was nearly jumping out of his armor at any bump or shadow. For all his gusto and combat skill Ducard was not trained for this kind of fighting, he was taught to take down threats head on and trust his suit to handle what's left. Not to do mind games and fight those in the shadows.

And then he spotted the figure.

Wasn't much to go on, but this whole situation has been shooting into the dark really, what difference was there now? The Steel Ranger grinded to a halt, not wanting to get any closer to the thing. Staring at it he decided to answer the unicorns question "You want to know my suggestion for getting out of here," he pauses for a moment, taking a single step forward to try and get a better look at the figure "We burn our way out." Not the brightest of ideas, but slash and torch was a semi viable method, assuming the group could run quickly. Very quickly.

[TAG Whole party]

Southwestern Equestria- Underground Facility Exit 5:17 PM

Maul Steel looked back at his bro for a moment "This pony spent months murdering innocent ponies for delusional reasons and now wants to condemn a pony to a lifetime of slavery and you think killing him is excessive," he pauses, turning back to his gun as he lines back up the shot "You of all ponies should know what slavery is like...." Oooo. That's got to sting. The ex slaver stallion probably didn't mean to be so mean, but sometimes you needed some tough love in order to get your friends to see what's happening infront of them.

[TAG Benson]

Ponyville

Lamianos began to trot back to town, apparently he sent Eledwhen on her way to town with a few simple instructions before he decided to do some checking around. As he walked he noted the ATV and decided to check it out, not yet knowing that everyone seemed to have congregates there. Nodding his head to Razoreye he addresses the griffin with a gruff hello before turning towards Pineapple Blast "Good to see your not splattered brain matter on the walls of some broken down house. A grizzled mare like you is a valuable asset for my cause, and it'd be a shame to have you down after the first mission." He inspected the mare, looking her over to make sure the doc didn't say plant a bomb inside of her while she was in surgery, and once reasonably satisfied he took one last note of her (For more personal reasons) before returning to Razoreye.

"So, we got a broken down base of operations, some bandits of varying degrees of skill, a psycho unicorn, and an ATV. I'm thinking we should raid any towns or old world facilities we can get our hooves on. Avoid any big fish while we rebuild this place and start training the bandits. Raiding expiditions would be lead by either you, me, or anyone we trust enough to competently pull one off. We should probably set up some more well monitored patrols and keep most of our forces home so that we're not defenceless. Given time more raiders, slavers, and psychos will come knocking here: the unicorn and the bandits are proof of that. We just need to start stockpiling and preparing ourselves while ponies trickle in. Thoughts?" Lamianos was fully down from his high and his Slaver side was fully kicking in, he'd put alot of thought into this even though his initial plan was to just sieze an already established slaver operation. This wasn't ideal but it would work.

[Tag Obliviom, MCerberus]



When Lamianos found Eledwhen she was bruised, bloody, and unconscious. And her gun was missing.

Assuming he carried her to a hotel or something she wakes up now.

...What? Lamia? Where am I?

She trots downstairs and goes outside to look for her surrogate father, unless topped by the manager.

[PurityIcekiller]

Steel Creel looked at Bright Eyes like a deer caught in the headlights. "S-shopping?" He had been poking his muzzle through a bin of scrap metal and old bolts and nuts.

Bright Eyes laughed. "A bit jittery there, are we?"


Sparky grinned at the newcomer. "Nothing much right now, although might be shopping some soon. You?"

"You've come to the right place! I'm doing a little shopping myself. I just learned a little while ago that getting caught without a shovel is bad news. Anyway, the name's Bright Eyes. I look forward to getting to know you!"

[Chaotic Bob]

[New Appleoosa]

Not the prettiest building in the world.
But then again, there are very few pretty buildings left.

"Come along everypony...time to get our hard earned rest."
A little glance, amongst the party. Pieces of hope, pieces of doubt.
How could it be as bad as what they left?

...but what if it is?
"That thing Bright-"
"No. Stop. We passed the damn test. Now shut up and get inside. Everything will be fine."
The angry wall of the lead stallion's will prevents further vocal dissent and the group shuffles into the Commons.


[Ponyville]

Caps are life.
Oh yes, that sounds like the peak of morality...

The pony takes Pineapple in for a moment, a swift study of a passingly interesting oddity.
"Evidently I did not. I am looking for the armored pony."
He seems a blunt one, as always.
"You too, perhaps. What was your opinion on the decrepit ponies that were here previously?

[Rebonack]

[Cake Warehouse]

There comes a whine of motors and a sudden blaze of light from Surprise's wings. Seems like they function as more than just speakers! How very useful.

The sudden light reveals that several more book-houses have been constructed in the fleeting seconds of darkness. That's... umm... interesting?

We'll go with interesting.

"Ooooh! This is spooky! The perfect time to tell ghost stories! But I guess we're supposed to be finding Rusty, right? Hmmm..."

Which way to go...

"Well. If the power is out that means that most of the security protocols should be a bit wonkey now, right? Kinda surprised there aren't backup lights and power down here."

Y'know.

Redundancies and all?

[Luka]

[Wild Rabbit Woods]

The colt just becomes slightly more stern, but more of untrust than Stern, Eye mean, he was helping the slavers

Then
"W-Who is "Red Eye" anyways?" He kind of asks.

[tag: everyone in the group, Benson]

[Chaotic Bob]

[Cake Warehouse]

Check Mark continues to be rather nonplussed by the situation.
At least until Surprise pipes up, and then she just smiles slightly.
Or...whatever passes for a smile on a ghoul's face.
"Give it a moment."

In a time span of sliiiightly less than a minute, every other light begins to flicker back on, slowly at first, but with extra strength before too long.
Even better than before, somehow.

The effect, unfortunately, is diminished a bit by the fact that there's overall less than before. Likely because the backup systems can't (or deliberately won't) try to power everything that should be normally.
"After the first failure, the Ministry invested a good deal into assuring that it wouldn't happen again. Backup power here is quite secure.

Or, so I hear. Most of my knowledge is secondhand."

[BladeofObliviom]

[Ponyville]

Morality is for ponies courageous enough to risk scavenging, ponies rich enough to always have the caps for what they need, and very dead conscientious objectors. Pineapple is none of these things, so she plays the hand she's dealt regardless of the consequences.

"Oh, him. Of course. He's a bit outside town. Look for the big tent, you can't miss it."

She visibly frowns as she says this. Maybe her opinion of the stallion is fairly low? However, she seems more confused than anything at the actual question. Despite this, she answers earnestly.

"They're completely bonkers. Even the slavers do what they do for the sake of living, not for some sick thrill they get out of stabbing other ponies to death. These ones were weird, though. Didn't even really respond to anything until we tried to talk to one, then they all went berserk!"

[Tychris1]

Wild Rabbit Woods

Ducard remained silent, this wasn't his place, and this wasn't his call. Whatever the other three decided to do would be up to them. Him? He had a mission.

Southwestern Equestria- Underground Facility 5:25

Deep breathes, steady aim, don't flinch. Deep breathes, steady aim, don't flinch. Deep breathes..... The words repeated themselves in Maul's head as he finally entered the room. He gritted his teeth as he looked at Greenspike.

"You, how did you-"

Bang

That's about as far as the Chief would have gotten with before a trigger was pulled, sending several mechanisms turning and cracking before letting loose a metal round from the chamber of Maul's rifle. He quickly began to reload as he backed up and aimed at the guards, trying to keep them at bay.

[TAG Benson]

Ponyville

Well, now that his "Drug Free Week" was in action, Lamianos needed something to distract himself for the next 7 days or so. Eledwhen should do. Trotting back to town he goes to a broken down house on the outskirts of town where he had kept Eledwhen..... Who's apparently wandering around outside of the house. Great. Smiling, Lamia approaches the foal, still dragging his power armor along, and drops it off at the house.

"Hello Eledwhen. We're home now.... a nice place we can call home."

[TAG DarkElfBard]

[MCerberus]

Ponyville

Razoreye would stick around to keep things stable for a while, but he has things to attend to before leaving. One of them is getting food. The ponies could just eat grains or grass or whatever, but long journeys require something a bit more substantive for a griffin. He makes his way over to Doc. The griffin intends to share, but has to dance around the subject that can get icky for ponies.

"I'm taking a short trip into the forest. I need to know if any of your number would want to eat what I bring back."

Wild Rabbit Woods

The whole Red Eye situation would make anypony uncomfortable. And now it seems the colt doesn't even know just why they might still be dead. In any case, Finder's not going to stumble head-long into obvious death here.

"Then you tell him he can do this chat through a radio," he states defiantly. "I've been thinking on something to smooth over this mess, but I'm not dumb enough to just go trotting into bucking Filly."

[Benson]

Wild Rabbit Woods

The ghoul stared for a moment and listened to them. "iT woULd Be WIsE." He briefly looked at Luka and subtly shook his head. He could not answer the question. He himself didn't really know Red Eye, Red Eye was but a name, a pony he never met before face to face.

In response to Finder, the ghoul shakes his head. "i'M AFraiD I CaN't Do that, LIkE, I ReaLLY Can'T dO THat, PHysIcaLLy." He didn't have the equipment or knowledge of the channel to patch through to Red Eye personally. That was asking the realm of the impossibility.


--

[New Appleloosa-Absolutely]

"Well....I'm not used to a stranger asking me what I'm up to...Well Miss Bright Eyes...a pleasure," He said plucking out a small bolt that got caught in his little beard.

Mags suddenly hopped on Bright Eyes' back causing Steel Creel to wince in minor embarrassment. "Hiya, my name is Mags, yer very smiley, I like that, wanna see the doll Mister Creel is gonna buy me?"

"Wha what?"

Ditzy heard all the ruckus and quickly flew over to give her previous customer a hug. She smiled broadly at Bright Eyes. "Hiya! Nice to see you again!" She scribbled down on her chalkboard.
===

New Appleloosa-Commons

Inside was a relatively roomy place with a catwalk along the walls and the appropriate stairs to get to them. Up there were the rooms with the loads of beds. There were three worn but kinda comfy looking couches. There were already a few ponies chilling on them, three of them in total looking worse for wear.

"Hiya! Welcome to the Commons strangers, and hopefully we can remedy that last bit hahah," A hearty voice from their right said to them. The voice came from a slightly chunky earth stallion with a light pink mane and and lemon colored coat.
=====


Southwestern Equestria- Underground Facility 5:26

The sound of the gunshot seemed to echo forever in there. The unicorn fiddling with the wires sported a look of shock and ran over to Chief' Greenspike's corpse. "Brother...!...No......No....." He bent over his head and found himself sobbing a bit. "No no...ya ain't dead...get your ass up....please..!" He tensed his body and sharply looked at Maul Steel with a deadly glower. "You damn bastard."

The other warrior had a similar look of shock which turned into anger as he floated his spear and pointed it at Maul Steel. "You killed the chief, an act that can't be accepted, you will die right here for your actions!"
===

[Dark Elf Bard]

Ponyville

Well, now that his "Drug Free Week" was in action, Lamianos needed something to distract himself for the next 7 days or so. Eledwhen should do. Trotting back to town he goes to a broken down house on the outskirts of town where he had kept Eledwhen..... Who's apparently wandering around outside of the house. Great. Smiling, Lamia approaches the foal, still dragging his power armor along, and drops it off at the house.

"Hello Eledwhen. We're home now.... a nice place we can call home."

[TAG DarkElfBard]

H-hi Lamia... Her bruised face manages a weak smile. Where were you?

[Chaotic Bob]

[Ponyville]

A big tent.
Noticeable enough.

The pony peers off in the distance for a moment.
"Very well. So the prior ponies did nothing, until specifically addressed? If that is unusual for their kind, what is to say they were not different?"

Some things just can't be learned from observing.
To get a pony's opinions of other ponies, questions must be asked!

[New Appleoosa - Commons]

Ponies! Lots of other ponies! In closed space!

The refugee group condenses slightly.

Trying to not look as uncomfortable as the rest of her group, the lead mare swiftly maneuvers over towards the greeting stallion.
The fellow in charge is always good to approach right away, no?
"To be remedied quite soon, I hope! Hello, are you in charge of the Commons?"

Be friendly, smile, avoid looking slightly ill.
Diplomacy go.

[Tychris1]

Ponyville

Lamianos lies down, looking at Eledwhen as he says "I was in town, clearing it of bad ponies..... Tell me, who did this to you?" he points his hoof at her bruisings, clearly not pleased by them as he continues to study them.

[TAG DEB]

Southwestern Equestria- Underground Facility 5:27

Maul begins to back up, his rifle still raised to the guard pointing the spear at him as he says "Don't make me do this!...." He continues back away, another rifle round sliding into the chamber of the hun ss he floats it to aim at the warrior. He was tryingto nudge his way out of the room, hopefully so he wouldn't have to fight the guards. They disn't do anything wrong, they shouldn't have to die.

[TAG Benson]

[BladeofObliviom]

[Ponyville]

And some things can only be learned by experience.

"Nothing, but it doesn't matter. We tried to talk first, and they responded with violence. Lots and lots of violence. Honestly, we're lucky that Doc Patch showed up; I don't know if I'd have lived otherwise."

Pineapple grimaces slightly at the memory of so much blood. To be fair, she doesn't remember clearly how much of it exactly was hers.

[Drowlord]

Wild Rabbit Woods

Elestre looked at Luka. "Red Eye is a pony trying to rebuild Equestria upon the blood and sweat of a city of slaves, whose population we were destined to join before we escaped the slaver train. Apart from that, his reasoning and his plan, I don't know. That's why I'd decide to go along. I guess I'm too curious for my own good, but knowledge is power."

He turned to Finder. "You see? He can't get us in touch via radio. That means either we get captured roughly before talking to him, or we go along quietly. Which one should it be?"

New Appleoosa

Sparky grinned. "Yep, I'm definately in the right place. I'm Stormy Skies, but you can just call me Sparky. Stormy Skies is a gloomy name. Nice to meet you too!"

[Benson]

[New Appleoosa - Commons]

"Indeed I am. Name is Common Sense," He said grabbing the lead mare's hoof and shaking it vigorously. "What's all yer names?"
===\\\


Southwestern Equestria- Underground Facility 5:27 PM

"Make you do what?? Murder us too?" The more emotional warrior spat glowering at Maul Steel full of hatred. He raised his own spear and pointed it Maul, it was at a farther distance, but it was ready to be hurled at him the moment he tried to make a dash for it.

The other one kept his spear raised, following the non verbal cues of the other one. Seemed like there was a pecking order or something, anyways.

[Dark Elf Bard]

Ponyville

Lamianos lies down, looking at Eledwhen as he says "I was in town, clearing it of bad ponies..... Tell me, who did this to you?" he points his hoof at her bruisings, clearly not pleased by them as he continues to study them.


Well, I was practicing, and a pony came up and I said hello and he started to hit me and he took my gun and I fell asleep.

[Chaotic Bob]

[Ponyville]

"Violence is the way of this place."
So neutral, the pony really seems to be reading off a general script than actually caring about the situation.

Although the topic of surviving seems to bring a ghost of a smile under his wrappings.
Why? Because he seems to know something everyone else forgot about.
"Somepony may wish to disarm the bomb in the bakery. I'm perplexed it hasn't detonated yet."

...huh?

Meanwhile, Razoreye ponders a somewhat valid point. Why didn't the raiders shoot at him?
Perhaps the answer arrives a little quicker than desired, as the rifle-bearer smoothly adjusts his grip to swing it like a bat at the griffin just as he approaches, while the other one baps a button in the explosive pile before turning to grab at his arm.

"If you'll excuse me."
And now he seems to be wondering off to go find Lamianos, what meager information he desired from Pineapple apparently sated.

[New Appleoosa - Commons]

There's the faintest twitch in the mare's...everything, at the hoof-shaking contact, but she restrains most of the impulse behind a slight smile.
"Erm, hello Common. I'm First Trace. My younger brother here is Fleeting Trace."

Said brother, the lighter orange stallion, doesn't look particularly pleased, but at least politely bobs his head.

From there, First begins gesturing a hoof towards the rest of the group in turn. First the slate gray mare (complete with little red colt on her back, snoozing), then the dusky purple stallion, and finally the dirty blue mare dismally standing behind the others.
"Slim Strand with Low Holder, he's just Forager, and she's-"
"Candy Crown."
The other stallion interrupts, as he seems inclined to do when the blue mare gets brought up.

First just rolls her eyes.
"Yes, Candy Crown."

[BladeofObliviom]

[Ponyville]

"Wait, what? Oh, buck!"

And she runs off...

...toward the bakery? Hmm. Maybe she does have some tiny bit of loyalty after all.

Meanwhile, she tries to find a bomb! The fate of Ponyville rests on one mare!

...They're screwed. :smalltongue:

[Rebonack]

[Cake Warehouse]

Woohoo!

The lights are back!

"Alright! Now we can continue our grand adventure!" Surprise declares as she deposits an olive-drab pith helmet on her head and goes bouncing off toward the 'library's' exit.

Eerr...

Shouldn't you be a little more cautious Surprise? Just in case there's something horrible waiting for you behind that door?

"Nah! I think we'll be just fine! I've got a really good feeling about this!"

[Tychris1]

Wild Rabbit Woods

Ducard begins tapping his hoof softly, raises his head, and continues eyeballing the ninja ghoul. "Yeesh, that's a freaky thing, even by Red Eye's creepy standards...... Maybe I should learn how to dance? I've always wanted to do the stomp, or do the Watusi. Hmmm...." Ducard begins contemplating what exactly to do with all his free time on missions, well, aside from armor maintenance and practicing of course. Besides, not like he had much influence on the course of what these three were doing, and it looked like they were taking the non idiotic course anyway.

[TAG The dancing gods. Or no one]

Southwestern Equestria- Underground Facility 5:28 PM

Maul was beginning to sweat, hyperventilation would probably start in a minute or two. "Uhh.. um... uh... eh...." He stammered as he continued inching his way out, rifle still aimed at the closest guard. His horn flared a little more as he floated out a single knife, bouncing it left and right to prepare to fence off one spear and shoot the other guard. This didn't look good "DON'T MOVE OR I'LL SHOOT!" He barked, his eyes growing in surprise by his own loudness, but adrenaline and fear were causing his body to act weird and he couldn't really handle all of this. The trigger began to get tighter as he prepared to shoot the first guard who moved.

[TAG Benson]

Ponyville

Lamianos stared at Eledwhen sternly, his face resembling more of an angry dog then a pony as he heard what happened "I am.... disappointed by you, I gave you a gun and the mission to use it. You failed. First rule, ponies don't say "Hello" Every pony is out to kill you or use you if they're not me or somepony I've checked over. You learned that today, the only ponies you can trust, we can trust, is us." He picks himself up and motions for Eledwhen to follow as he continues giving her his rules "Second rule, the only thing you should feel when you pull the trigger, is the recoil...." And off he goes, leading Eledwhen to Cloth Patch to get a once over now that she was awake.

[TAG DarkElfBard, Drowlord (For when we arrive)]

[MCerberus]

Wild Rabbit Woods

Are these ponies serious? Well the two colts could just be sort of naive about this, but Finder's not getting the necessary backup from Ducard. He just sort of sighs and realizes he's not going to win this because he's outnumbered. "If you're going to give up and trot into a trap, then fine. I still think it's smarter to smooth things over then get with somepony else in the organization but buck it."

[Luka]

[Wild Rabbit Woods]

As soon as Elestre mentions Red Eye is the slaver's leader Luka is slightly surprised by being called by the slacer's leader; aaaaand also very very VERY angry, hearing about what Red Eye does with the others, but instead of rampant rage, it would be a held back one, kind of like what others call "hatred", but it's not hatred, it's held-back aimeable fury. His smg holding hoof trembles a bit, possibly giving away that fact to the others.

[tag: everyone there]

[Dark Elf Bard]

[
Ponyville

Lamianos stared at Eledwhen sternly, his face resembling more of an angry dog then a pony as he heard what happened "I am.... disappointed by you, I gave you a gun and the mission to use it. You failed. First rule, ponies don't say "Hello" Every pony is out to kill you or use you if they're not me or somepony I've checked over. You learned that today, the only ponies you can trust, we can trust, is us." He picks himself up and motions for Eledwhen to follow as he continues giving her his rules "Second rule, the only thing you should feel when you pull the trigger, is the recoil...." And off he goes, leading Eledwhen to Cloth Patch to get a once over now that she was awake.

[TAG DarkElfBard, Drowlord (For when we arrive)]

Eledwhen bites her lip.

I'm sorry. I thought he would be nice, like you.

She looks down.

[PurityIcekiller]

[Somewhere In The Wastes]

Night Jewel suddenly felt very, very disturbed. I have got to find that monster, and quickly. Figuring out how to use experimental powers safely can wait.

[Absolutely Everything]

Bright Eyes was a little swarmed, but took it remarkably well. "My, they're getting friendlier all the time around here!" She collapsed, smiling.

"Anyway, nice to see you all! Keep doing your part to keep optimism alive! So what's this doll like?"

[Tychris1]

Ponyville- Teaching ALL THE LIFE LESSONS!

Lamianos pauses and looks at Eledwhen "That's another thing you have to learn. No one is going to be sincerely nice to you except me. I've seen it all before, they put on fake smiles, act pleasant, and the next thing you know they're branding you a freak and getting your Steel Hooves wannabe brother to hunt you down. Bastards the lot of them.... Anyhoo, come along my little pony. It's time for you to ante up." And so Lamianos continues, continuing to teach Eledwhen the secrets of life.

Lamianos' Rules and Guides to the wasteland:

1) No pony says "Hello", They actually want to kill you and take your belongings

2) The only thing you should feel when you shoot somepony, is the recoil. Leave "feelings" back at home.

3) The only pony you can trust, is your pal Lamianos.

4) Double Tap. You shoot a pony once? Have him eat another bullet just incase. It'll save yah from ghouls quite easily.

5) Cardio, the wasteland has alot of moving about, and the last thing you need to do is run out of breathe galloping from an Alicorn.

6) Fight dirty. This aint the golden days of past, so don't fight like it is. "Honor" aint worth crap (Despite what Ducard might say). An opponet exposes his belly? Tear it to shreds, same goes for throwing dirt in the eyes and using your environment.

7) Take what you need, when you need it. The only thing standing between you and a full stomach is some jerk pony without the guts to call it quits and submit. Show him why he's wrong.

8) Improvise, reuse, retool. Nothing is just "One thing". You see a broken bottle? I see a melee weapon. Or a shrapnel bomb. Or a way of alerting yourself if an enemy tries to sneak up on you. Resources are hard enough as is, don't let things be wasted by your imagination.

9) A nice face and a kind smile are good ways to get in. When push comes to shove and you have to be subservient to some punks then the first thing you need to do is act like you believe in their cause, brown nose and offer all the aid you can give. Then backstab them the instant you get the moment to, it'll make it all the more catastrophic for your enemies.

10) Don't use drugs. Ever. Give them to papa Lamia, they make him feel good, and you want Lamia to feel good right? Besides, they build nasty habits and such, better let older ponies look things over for you before taking any rash actions.

[TAG DEB]

[Benson]

New Appleloosa- Commons

"Well its a pleasure to meet ya all," He said eventually done with shaking First Trace's hoof.

"Well, now that introductions are over, time 'ta lay down the rules. No fighting, biting, or stealing from here or each other." He chuckled at his own rhyme. "Everyone's expected to help out around the place, dinner's at six pm and Clean up after yourselves, no one ain't yer maid." He finished with a smile.
--

New Appleloosa- Absolutely Everything

Mags then went and showed Bright Eyes the doll in a tub of old toys for sale. It seemed to be an old patched up donkey with blue shorts with white polka dots.

"Ain't she peeerty?" Mags asked swooning over the doll. "Its just so incredibly amazing and so cute."

Meanwhile, Steel Creel looked at Stormy Skies with a sheepish smile. "Good thing we did that job yesterday hahah...." he started to count in his head the Caps he would likely have to spend.
=============

Wild Rabbit Woods

"ONe..THiNg...THOugH....i CaNNoT gUAraNtee tHE sAFeTY oF YOUr aRmorED FriENd ThOUgh....aS hE Is NoT oNe thAT ReDEYe SEeks aN aUDIencE wITH....hE....COUld bE iN DANgeR..." Swift warned them. Red Eye only wanted to meet with Elestre, Finder, and Luka, he would not be held responsible for what happened to Ducard.
=============


Southwestern Equestria- Underground Facility 5:28 PM

"My brother welcomed you with open legs and you killed him. I don't know what I'm going to tell my nieces and nephews now," The warrior who had been fiddling with the wires gritted his teeth. "Put down your weapon now, you will bound and brought before the people to confess your crimes! And before that you will fix these wires and return the water to my people!" He nickered and shook his head in frustration.

The other warrior kept his spear pointed at Maul Steel and throatily nickered at this wasteland intruder.

[Chaotic Bob]

[New Appleloosa- Commons]

"These all sound perfectly reasonable."
After gingerly reclaiming her hoof, First smiles a little more.
"We're rather capable of cleaning up after ourselves."

Oh yes, very good at that.
Fleeting purses his lips and takes to looking over their surroundings, sentinel-style.

"What specific jobs would there be to do, other than obeying the rules?"

[Ponyville]

As tends to be the way with things that do not have a means to move on their own, the raider's bomb is still exactly where it was left: sitting just on the other side of the building's window.

Tick tock ticking away.
A complicated mess of mines, grenades, plastic explosive, and tangled wires.
Whoever designed and compiled this...thing was very clearly completely out of their mind.

Which sounds about right.


At a somewhat placid pace, the other pony continues his little journey to hunt down Lamianos.

[Lycan 01]

Cake Warehouse of Doom

Sprinkles follows after Surprise, not really having much to say right now, since he's just along for the ride and/or to kill things.

[BladeofObliviom]

[Ponyville]

That really shouldn't be a surprise, considering who built it. Pineapple blanches at the sight; She doesn't always build to specifications herself, but this is simply absurd.

Thankfully, she's pretty darned good with things that go boom. If anyone in town is likely to be able to disarm this thing, it's her.

She edges over towards the device, listening carefully for the beeping of landmines and looking for the flashing red lights; It would be unfortunate to die because one of the proximity mines was still on, after all.

[Explosives] If she does spot one in time, she knows how to turn them off with a touch to the right spot.

Assuming she doesn't end up a grease stain from a poorly-integrated mine, she starts looking over the wires and trying to find whatever device is managing this pile of detonating death.

[Chaotic Bob]

[Ponyville - The Bomb]

It's amazing really, none of the grenades have a pin, and by appearance, every single mine has already been activated.
Yet none of them are exploding.

Whichever madpony put this together, at least knew what he was doing.
In an inelegant, completely absurd manner of the term.

So Pineapple won't be exploding just by proximity.

There's other ways for that to happen.


Like during the search for the coordinating system, in the bomb.
Which would go a lot more smoothly if the wires weren't horribly tangled around each other and the various other explosives.

They do seem to lead inside the mass, which...contains yet more explosives.
And somewhere within, a larger block of plastic explosive.

That piece looks like it has a timer, although it's been shattered and no longer functional, visually. Likely also delaying the explosion itself.


Unfortunately, this means it could be very literally preparing to detonate at any given moment.
Or if Pineapple even pokes it too hard.


Risk it?


[Cake Warehouse - The Library->Cafeteria]

Onwards through the door then.

Which, amazingly, continues to not be trapped or hide anything extraordinarily dangerous.
It just opens into a wide cafeteria, full of broken tables and...well mostly just that. Doesn't seem to be any sign of chairs, food, or garbage.

Off to one side is the entrance to the kitchen, an open-doorway next to a rather long serving counter.

It is from within there, that the tripping sounds, droplets of water sluggishly freeing themselves from a sink tap.


Further Down

"Okay, that's all hooked in there...and without one security freak out."
A pause, to allow any vindictively-timed alarms to start blaring.

After a distinct lack, Rusty Coil smiles and returns to the work before him.
"So then we just have to push this button here..."


Everywhere

An announcement begins over the intercom system, the return of that bubbly pink voice from the past.
"Hey again, everypony! This special announcement is super duper important, so listen up! All Morale ponies need to have their IDs ready to go and be ready for a good scanning. All naughty ponies should stay riiiight where they are.
Susurrus Protocol is in effect and I have absolutely not idea what it does! Twilight said it would fix whatever problem popped up, but didn't really say how, so it's probably gonna be a party. A justice party! Or judicial cakes.
Or just execution of bad ponies. Who knows!

Security's gonna lock up the exits in [10 minutes], so everypony make sure you're where you're supposed to be! I've got a whole bunch of announcements I'm supposed to say for this here, so I'll be back after the doors shut!"

[Lycan 01]

Warehouse

Sergeant Sprinkles looks back and forth between himself, Surprise, and Mark. "Huh," he shrugs. "Guess it sucks to be anypony here who isn't us."

[Dark Elf Bard]

Ponyville- Teaching ALL THE LIFE LESSONS!

Lamianos pauses and looks at Eledwhen "That's another thing you have to learn. No one is going to be sincerely nice to you except me. I've seen it all before, they put on fake smiles, act pleasant, and the next thing you know they're branding you a freak and getting your Steel Hooves wannabe brother to hunt you down. Bastards the lot of them.... Anyhoo, come along my little pony. It's time for you to ante up." And so Lamianos continues, continuing to teach Eledwhen the secrets of life.

Lamianos' Rules and Guides to the wasteland:

1) No pony says "Hello", They actually want to kill you and take your belongings

2) The only thing you should feel when you shoot somepony, is the recoil. Leave "feelings" back at home.

3) The only pony you can trust, is your pal Lamianos.

4) Double Tap. You shoot a pony once? Have him eat another bullet just incase. It'll save yah from ghouls quite easily.

5) Cardio, the wasteland has alot of moving about, and the last thing you need to do is run out of breathe galloping from an Alicorn.

6) Fight dirty. This aint the golden days of past, so don't fight like it is. "Honor" aint worth crap (Despite what Ducard might say). An opponet exposes his belly? Tear it to shreds, same goes for throwing dirt in the eyes and using your environment.

7) Take what you need, when you need it. The only thing standing between you and a full stomach is some jerk pony without the guts to call it quits and submit. Show him why he's wrong.

8) Improvise, reuse, retool. Nothing is just "One thing". You see a broken bottle? I see a melee weapon. Or a shrapnel bomb. Or a way of alerting yourself if an enemy tries to sneak up on you. Resources are hard enough as is, don't let things be wasted by your imagination.

9) A nice face and a kind smile are good ways to get in. When push comes to shove and you have to be subservient to some punks then the first thing you need to do is act like you believe in their cause, brown nose and offer all the aid you can give. Then backstab them the instant you get the moment to, it'll make it all the more catastrophic for your enemies.

10) Don't use drugs. Ever. Give them to papa Lamia, they make him feel good, and you want Lamia to feel good right? Besides, they build nasty habits and such, better let older ponies look things over for you before taking any rash actions.

[TAG DEB]

Okay, I can do that... what're drugs?

[Rebonack]

[Cakewarehouse]

This sure does sound like loads of laughs!

"I hope Rusty isn't getting into any trouble," Surprise mutters as she works at righting a nearby table. Not really sure WHY she's cleaning things up but then again it probably isn't worth the effort to try to figure out what goes through the crazy pegasus' mind.

"Because unless he stole somepony's ID I don't think the scanners are going to be very happy with him."

Wuh oh!

"I can probably still security over-ride stuff if we have to. But hopefully he's okay. Do you have any idea what this is about Checky?"

[Chaotic Bob]

[Cake Warehouse]

Check Mark frowns at the announcement, glancing around the room for any change in their scenery.
Upon noting none, the frown deepens and she sits next to the table that Surprise props up.

"I have no idea what the 'Susurrus Protocol' is. I wasn't even aware that we had a joint project with MoAS. Kinda thought the Mares didn't like each other..."
Didn't Pinkie Pie and Twilight Sparkle fall out with each other at some point?
Check's memory is a little foggy on that.
"We don't even use IDs here, anyway...we have hoof implant marks."

The ghoul tilts up one of her forelegs, where a little balloon image can be faintly seen around the decay.

[BladeofObliviom]

[Ponyville - The Bomb]

"Oh buck."

Fighting back the sudden urge to scream and panic, Pineapple takes a deep breath as she forces herself to think. As has been demonstrated, Pineapple is not a smart pony, but right now she's deep in her element.

[Explosives] If all of these Grenades and Mines are already primed to go off, the safest solution would be to take each individual device and remove the explosives from the detonators without taking the risk of messing with the wires. Touching any wire the wrong way could set them off, and then she would be dead.

However, there probably wasn't time for that. Wracking her brain for a better solution, she remembers that all timers, even magically powered ones, need a mechanism to keep counting down.

[Repair] Gingerly, she attempts to remove the damaged screen so she can get at the internal components, before attempting to make the countdown stop without triggering the bombs.

Because that would be bad. Just don't ask how she's doing any of this with hooves.

(Earth Pony Magic, obviously.)

[Benson]

[New Appleloosa- Commons]

"These all sound perfectly reasonable."
After gingerly reclaiming her hoof, First smiles a little more.
"We're rather capable of cleaning up after ourselves."

Oh yes, very good at that.
Fleeting purses his lips and takes to looking over their surroundings, sentinel-style.

"What specific jobs would there be to do, other than obeying the rules?"

The other three ponies on the couch look over at Fleeting and then go back to listening to the radio.

"Well, chores and stuff, general help out around the house. If yer looking for work, work, ya best see what's up in town." Common Sense replied.

[Drowlord]

Wild Rabbit Woods

Elestre looked at Ducard. "I don't even know if he's coming along, but if he is, I think he can protect himself."

New Appleoosa

Sparky grinned, fluttering somewhat back. "Well anyway. How are you doing, miss Bright Eyes?"

[Tychris1]

Ponyville

"Hmmmm... Well.... Drugs are like..... Well, we're almost at the tent anyway. The doc has plenty of drugs there and you can learn there. But, before we go, I just want to tell you that none of those rules apply to Razoreye or any other pony I look over and inspect. That means Pineapple too, the new ponies.... I'm not too sure of, just be cautious around them. Alright?
Lamianos said as he finally looked up to see the tent not too far off "HEY! DOC! I GOT SOMEPONY I NEED YOU TO CHECK OVER!" he shouts rather gruffly.

[TAG Drowlord, DEB, Chaotic (If the stranger pony has arrived at the tent yet)]

Wild Rabbit Woods

Ducard merely let out a laugh at the suggestion "I can handle myself. I don't intend on stepping foot inside that scumbags land anyway. If you ponies go in, I aint gonna back you up." He says rather flatly, a mere fact really. Besides, there was a Steel Rangers base not too far away from Red Eye's anyway, he would just report in there and give them the location of the rail gun.

[TAG Everyone]

Southwestern Equestria- Underground Facility 5:29 PM

Well then, this was escalating rather quickly. Maul may have a gun and a knife, but he wouldn't bet on himself in a 2 on 1. He continued edging himself, until finally he lowered his knife, and did what he did best. Act really really afraid. Well, this time it was more like pretending, since there was nothing there, but he would put on quite a show. "LOOK OUT! THE GHOUL IS GETTING UP! IT'S GOING TO EAT US!" He shouted, his eyes enlargened, and sweat rolled down his temples. For extra disorientation he quickly shoved a pot over with TK and letting out a single shot in the air before turning to run like all hell. He put the rifle away, expending any energy he could to throw things backwards at the guards to stall them while he tried to get out.

[TAG Benson]

[PurityIcekiller]

Mags then went and showed Bright Eyes the doll in a tub of old toys for sale. It seemed to be an old patched up donkey with blue shorts with white polka dots.

"Ain't she peeerty?" Mags asked swooning over the doll. "Its just so incredibly amazing and so cute."

Meanwhile, Steel Creel looked at Stormy Skies with a sheepish smile. "Good thing we did that job yesterday hahah...." he started to count in his head the Caps he would likely have to spend.

Bright Eyes smiled warmly. "Yep, that's cute, all right. Reminds me of a little toy I had back when I was a little one."


Sparky grinned, fluttering somewhat back. "Well anyway. How are you doing, miss Bright Eyes?"

"I'm pretty well. Not as good as I could be, since I got stuck cleaning up some bandits' messes without pay, but heroism isn't always a glorious business."

[Benson]

Southwestern Equestria- Underground Facility 5:29 PM

Pots? I don't even know why there would be a pot just there and I made the darn place, I should know........! Wakka wakka!

Anyways.

The warrior that apparently was the late Chief Greenspike's brother did not look behind him, instead he was more furious at Maul Steel and telekinetically tossed the stuff back at him and went after him merely just blinking in a flinching manner at the gunshot.

The other warrior did however take the moment to look only to see nothing. The ghoul was there...slumped there, unmoving as it always had been. Seeing he was duped informed the other there was nothing there as he too went after Maul Steel.

"You murder my brother and now you condemn my village...! You bastard..!" Greenspike's bro shouted galloping after Maul Steel and jumped with great athleticism over whatever Maul was throwing at him, he hadn't been referred to as a warrior just for funsies and onion rings.

Rabble rabble wakka wakka!
==========

New Appleloosa- Absolutely Everything!

"You're a hero? Coooooool," Mags said, fangirling over Bright Eyes just as Steel Creel had been fanboying over Stormy Skies yesterday.

[MCerberus]

Wild Rabbit Woods

"Yah, I don't blame you." Finder still isn't big on going into Fillydelphia, but still outnumbered. Who knows what they'd think of a sudden ranger appearance.

"You have a place or radio frequency to arrange a meeting if and when we make it out?"

[Drowlord]

Wild Rabbit Woods

Elestre nodded silently, ready to go. He ran through his inadequate repertoire of spells, making sure to keep each one in his mind.

New Appleoosa

"Well then! That's just no fair! SOMEpony's got to be a hero. Don't want to be discouraging the few who are willing. But if you're up for any more heroism in the future, I'd be glad to help."

He grinned.

Ponyville

The doctor nodded to Razoreye. "Go ahead."

As Lamnios roared at him, Patch cantered swiftly towards the duo, stopping a few yards away. "Yes, I see. Maybe just surface wounds and bruising, but perhaps infection. I'll see what I can do."

His statement was oddly devoid of any greeting or emotion.

"Come along."

[Dark Elf Bard]

Ponyville

"Hmmmm... Well.... Drugs are like..... Well, we're almost at the tent anyway. The doc has plenty of drugs there and you can learn there. But, before we go, I just want to tell you that none of those rules apply to Razoreye or any other pony I look over and inspect. That means Pineapple too, the new ponies.... I'm not too sure of, just be cautious around them. Alright?
Lamianos said as he finally looked up to see the tent not too far off "HEY! DOC! I GOT SOMEPONY I NEED YOU TO CHECK OVER!" he shouts rather gruffly.

[TAG Drowlord, DEB, Chaotic (If the stranger pony has arrived at the tent yet)]




Ponyville

The doctor nodded to Razoreye. "Go ahead."

As Lamnios roared at him, Patch cantered swiftly towards the duo, stopping a few yards away. "Yes, I see. Maybe just surface wounds and bruising, but perhaps infection. I'll see what I can do."

His statement was oddly devoid of any greeting or emotion.

"Come along."

Eledwhen trots over! Hi! What's your name?

[MCerberus]

Ponyville

Alright, with the doc not turning down a free meal, Razoreye floats for a moment before taking off into the sky. The nearby forest should be able to provide non-fauna edibles with a bit of work. [Survival]Luckily the griffin should be able to get something without doing something stupid.

[Luka]

[Wild Rabbit Woods]

The stable one's smg would be slowly lowered, still trembling, he doesn't say much else.

[Tychris1]

Wild Rabbit Woods

Ducard nods his head "There's a base of operations not far from Fillydelphia. Inside an abandoned Stabletech building. I'll be holed up in there until you come out or I get re-positioned somewhere else. If you do manage to get out alive, I'll find you." The stallion says as he finally glances at the nervous Pegasus. Alot quieter then he would have expected from someone his age. Not like that was a bad thing though.....

[TAG The whole group]

Southwestern Equestria- Underground Facility: 5:29 PM

Well, anything that could have been broken really would have worked. A beaker, stapler, and anything that would have been on a desk. Pots are just the first thing to come to mind...... Wakka Wakka.....

In any event, the Stallions plan worked partially. But the brother seemed pretty determined to gut the ex slaver. He kept running, his horn glows once more as it stops throwing random things and instead he draws 3 knives from their holsters. Turning about face he skids to a halt and puts on a show, knife spinning in circles, business end first, another quickly thrusting and pulling back, and the last one creeping its way underneath until it would fly upward and attempt to stab the Unicorns leg. The instant the bottom knife went flying the other knifes followed in suit and attempted to sink themselves into his sides or his legs.

A crippled chaser is a slow chaser.

[TAG Benson]

Ponyville

Lamianos nods his head as he says "Alright Doc, take care of her. I'm going to need her again after your done, I'll just wait out here..... Oh, and would you be so kind as to educate on what your "Medicinal Supplies" are?" He puts on air quotes at saying Medicinal, just to get the point across that he was taking about all drugs.

Sitting down the stallion begins drawing pictures on the ground and practicing his crude sign making skills before he begins to mumble something under his breathe in a slow, rhythmic tune, almost depressed like.......

[TAG Drowlord, Chaotic (If Mystery Pony shows up)]

[Drowlord]

Wild Rabbit Woods

Elestre looked soberly at Ducard. "Thanks for the vote of confidence."

Ponyville

"My name's Doctor Patch."

He smirked as Lamnios mentioned his 'medicinal supplies'. "Oh, lots. Got Med-X if you're interested in that, I've got Dash and Rage and can make more. If you're really interested, I've got a couple of rarer types I might share. Buck... I think I still have the Stampede. Need to conserve those, though."

Anyways! The doctor headed off into the tent, beckoning for Eledwhen to follow.

[PurityIcekiller]

"You're a hero? Coooooool," Mags said, fangirling over Bright Eyes just as Steel Creel had been fanboying over Stormy Skies yesterday.


"Well then! That's just no fair! SOMEpony's got to be a hero. Don't want to be discouraging the few who are willing. But if you're up for any more heroism in the future, I'd be glad to help."

"Thanks. It's not like I've been slaying dragons, but I've been fighting off bandits, protecting refugees, and burning strange monsters to ash, so that counts for something." Bright Eyes smiled. "Once I'm done helping a few folks get settled in, I'd definitely be up for more adventures."

[Benson]

New Appleloosa-Absolutely Everything


"But fighting bandits totally counts as heroism," Mags fangirled. Steel Creel laughed and rubbed her head, mussing up her mane.

"Indeed, it totally counts."

In the background, Ditzy Do watched them and smiled as she dug around in a box o' junk for something.
====

Wild Rabbit Woods

The ghoul stood there and partially listened, he was more interested in a funny shaped rock he saw on the ground. he waited for them to stop discussing and inform him when they were ready to go, time was of the essence, or something. Hey....that rock kinda looks like---
====


Southwestern Equestria- Underground Facility: 5:30 PM

The other warrior took note of the flying daggers and entered a burst of speed, he thrusted his spear which would strike the floor in front of Maul as he ran. He would find it to be absurdly sharp as it stuck in the ground. Anyways, as the spear was thrown, that warrior jumped in front of Green spike's brother and took the knives' hits for himself as he grunted.

"Don't worry about me sir, just get that son of mule.." The unicorn fell to the ground with a wincing grunt. The other spearspony nodded his head and continued to pursue his brother's murderer.

[MCerberus]

Wild Rabbit Woods

Well then, it seems it's quite decided then. Finder addresses the others. "Well if you all think this is smart..." then he turns to the ghoul-ninja. "You can tell whoever's pullin' your leash we'll come in."

[Chaotic Bob]

[New Appleoosa - Commons]


The other three ponies on the couch look over at Fleeting and then go back to listening to the radio.

"Well, chores and stuff, general help out around the house. If yer looking for work, work, ya best see what's up in town." Common Sense replied.

Fleeting frowns slightly at the attention (however brief) and takes a half step closer to his companions.
Not a very personable individual, it seems.

"Well, that's what I expected to hear. I don't suppose you'd have any advice in that regard? Places that always need able hands?"
Guaranteed jobs are the best jobs.


[Ponyville - The Bomb]

"Oh buck."

Fighting back the sudden urge to scream and panic, Pineapple takes a deep breath as she forces herself to think. As has been demonstrated, Pineapple is not a smart pony, but right now she's deep in her element.

[Explosives] If all of these Grenades and Mines are already primed to go off, the safest solution would be to take each individual device and remove the explosives from the detonators without taking the risk of messing with the wires. Touching any wire the wrong way could set them off, and then she would be dead.

However, there probably wasn't time for that. Wracking her brain for a better solution, she remembers that all timers, even magically powered ones, need a mechanism to keep counting down.

[Repair] Gingerly, she attempts to remove the damaged screen so she can get at the internal components, before attempting to make the countdown stop without triggering the bombs.

Because that would be bad. Just don't ask how she's doing any of this with hooves.

(Earth Pony Magic, obviously.)

Well that seems the quickest answer, doesn't it?

As long as she can avoid jarring any of the explosives in the way too much, this route doesn't immediately blow up in her face.
More importantly, it seems that...well, it probably worked?
It's kind of hard to tell, but at least the little tick tocking seems to have stopped.


Which leaves Pineapple with a pile of completely armed mines and grenades in front of her, without a timer governing them.

[Ponyville - Stranger Pony]

Conversation delayed a little longer.
May or may not be keeping an eye on that bomb.

[Dark Elf Bard]

Ponyville

"My name's Doctor Patch."

He smirked as Lamnios mentioned his 'medicinal supplies'. "Oh, lots. Got Med-X if you're interested in that, I've got Dash and Rage and can make more. If you're really interested, I've got a couple of rarer types I might share. Buck... I think I still have the Stampede. Need to conserve those, though."

Anyways! The doctor headed off into the tent, beckoning for Eledwhen to follow.

Eledwhen follows! Bye, daddy Lamia!

[BladeofObliviom]

[Ponyville - The Bomb]

That nerve-wracking tick is gone! Only to be replaced by a foreboding, nervous silence. Yay?

Hopefully the timer IS still governing them and just not counting down. Because the alternative would be very bad. Really, she'd have just pulled out the wires if she thought disconnecting them from the timer would work.

At any rate, the good news is that proximity mines are actually pretty easy to disarm one by one thanks to the fact that somepony's clever design involved having them loudly beep before exploding and, unless these are a different model than the common ones, there's a button hidden on the shell that disengages the mine's activity regardless of how close it is to going off.

The grenades are a little more worrisome, because disabling those would require either that the pins be replaced or that they be individually taken apart so that the detonation trigger could be separated from the actual explosive. Unless whichever crazy pony built this kindly left a nice bundle of grenade pins nearby (or left them scattered on the floor where they're easy to reach), the latter method will likely be necessary.

The plastic explosives would be the easiest to disarm, actually. The whole point of them is that they're easy to mold, so unless she's unfortunate enough for the builder to have been competent with telecommunications for detonating without a direct connection, it should be a simple matter to dig the detonator(s) out of the putty safely.

Thinking a bit, Pineapple checks the ground for any handy pins or pin substitutes that she can use. If she can find some, she starts working from the outside in to reduce the risk of jostling active explosives carelessly, properly disconnecting the ones she successfully disarms and gingerly placing them off to the side where they are not an immediate threat to her.

If she has no such luck, she takes the mines first from the outside in before going straight for the Plastic Explosives. The grenades are the hardest ones to safely disable without pins, so she simply does her best to not disturb them while she takes apart and sets aside the rest of the deadly ordinance.

[Chaotic Bob]

[Ponyville - The Bomb]

Foreboding silence, just waiting to be interrupted by a life-ending explosion!

But not yet. Clearly this still isn't the appropriate time, since Pineapple is still there, debating with herself and hunting for grenade pins that don't seem to actually exist.
There's little twigs, if she's particularly desperate, but they're certainly not very sturdy.

On the brighter side of things, these seem to be completely stock-standard mines so those are pretty easy to fix up.

Wow, this sure is going well so far.
Time to dig into that plastique!

Good news, Pineapple!
You found the grenade pins.
They all seem to be sticking out of that peculiar little thing that probably used to be a plastic explosives detonator.

Huh, wonder why?

[Lycan 01]

[Cake Warehouse]




Check Mark frowns at the announcement, glancing around the room for any change in their scenery.
Upon noting none, the frown deepens and she sits next to the table that Surprise props up.

"I have no idea what the 'Susurrus Protocol' is. I wasn't even aware that we had a joint project with MoAS. Kinda thought the Mares didn't like each other..."
Didn't Pinkie Pie and Twilight Sparkle fall out with each other at some point?
Check's memory is a little foggy on that.
"We don't even use IDs here, anyway...we have hoof implant marks."

The ghoul tilts up one of her forelegs, where a little balloon image can be faintly seen around the decay.

"They were still friends in the end..." Sergeant Sprinkles quietly muses.

Pinkie Pie had died holding on to a statue of Twilight Sparkle. Whatever conflicts had existed between them had clearly been forgotten and forsaken in those last few moments.

[Rebonack]

[Cake Warehouse]

"Pinkie was just... really confused. Her friends didn't like her using the Party Times. But she needed them so her sense would be more sensey. That's sorta why the Pink Voice project was started. So somepony could still be sensey for Pinkie once she got better," the cyber pegasus replies.

Surprise's next course of action?

Peer at the balloon mark!

"Oooh... I don't think I have one of those! Unless they put one in me when I was asleep. They put all sorts of neat stuff in me while I was asleep!" she chirps, bouncing in place whilst waiting for the scanny thing to do whatever it is supposed to be doing.

In other news, any obvious exits from the cafeteria? Anywhere they might continue their journey?

[Chaotic Bob]

[Cake Warehouse]

Check Mark peers at her hoof (trying to withhold revulsion) and shakes her head.
"Unless they lied to us, these were an experiment restricted to our facility. Pretty new, shortly before the..."
The ghoul waves her hoof a bit, the creepings of that despair flickering across her poorly-aged face.
"...before what happened."

Nope, still can't finish that statement.

"Uh, anyway. I don't really know much about the Mare politics, I'll admit.
Didn't really seem...important at the time."
Just ponies being silly with each other, right?


As for exits!
There's the kitchen over there.
And inside the kitchen...well, there's a lot of sinks and counters and refrigerators and cabinets and little vats and pretty much everything else a large kitchen could ever possibly need.

Even a really massive walk-in freezer in one corner!
Although it isn't very cold. And has a stairwell in the back.

And the top half of some pony's skull neatly placed in a corner.


The speakers sputter active again.
"Oooookedokelokey. Waiting for those doors to close is BORING. Sure, from my end they aren't doing anything, and this could just get played at the right time, but that's no fun! Also I'm the boss, so I vote for an announcement right now.
So! For anyone that hasn't spent the night in Cakeland before, doooon't worry! It's totally not scary at all. The smart ponieStart cutt up lights all over the place, and you're definitely not alone! When you get to your designPatrol alert status, as always for extraneous events. Additionally, B4 need to sweep the upper levels, B5 assist B6 with the pest rerouting the power. Confirmed passings on 3, 5, and 6. Ghost as necessary. End cutl for now, I guess! Back in a few more minutes!"

[Lycan 01]

Warehouse - Kitchens

Sergeant Sprinkles' eyes turn vibrant crimson.

"Radio interference indicates possible hostile contacts. Decapitated and mutilated skull indicates very hostile contacts. I suggest we continue with caution. And possibly murder everything that isn't loyal to Equestria," the cybernetic soldier deadpans. After a moment, he gives a shrug of his weapon-laden limbs. "But that's just my opinion."

[Tychris1]

Ponyville

Lamianos throws a smile towards Eledwhen's way before resuming his monotonous, grim beat. His hooves began to do a slow thump in time with his humming before he queitly sang "Look down.... Look down.... Don't look'em in the eye....." His voice a whisper as he continued on.

Southwestern Equestria- Underground Facility 5:30 PM

Well crud. That was unexpected. With another sharp weapon at his disposal Maul yanks he knifes from the warriors corpse, begins pulling at the spear, and attempts to flay/gut the last remaining warrior.

[TAG Benson]

Wild Rabbit Woods

Ducard nods his head "No problem. I'm always willing to assure confidence in those who need it." He says, oblivious to the sarcasm inherent in the scarred and brutal looking Unicorn's statement.

[Benson]

New Appleloosa-Commons


"Able hands? Are those mutated hooves? I've never seen able hands. Fascinating," Common replied with an enthusiastic smile. "Are those like talons? You know, I once knew a griffon, non Talon, when he was a young one. Kinda of an idiot, but well meaning." Now look you what started Fleeting from misspeaking, tsk tsk.


Wild Rabbit Woods

The sarcasm did not go over Swift's head, he just didn't care, it didn't amuse him enough or get him gems. He only stared at Finder though his opaque goggles saying nothing. After hearing Ducard speak but not listening, the aloof ghoul touched his own armored chest as his horn glowed. His eyes focused at a far distance from the direction he had traveled from.

The light enveloped the five of them as they found themselves teleported....halfway through the forest and then instantly teleported again to the edge of the mushroom forest where the train tracks would be seen just over yonder.

Swift Star had no silly radio, oh pshaw...uh...errr...uh..yea.


Southwestern Equestria- Underground Facility 5:30 PM

Corpse? Maul Steel may find himself in need of glasses and clarity, panic does no one no good, makes ya hallucinate. Anyway, Maul Steel would find his tug at the knives hampered, hindered, as the not dead fallen warrior grunted as he TK'd them back, not allowing Maul his precious knives, conducting a tug of war. He shot him an angry look and tugged hard, not caring that he was hurting himself.

This would unfortunately for Maul cancel out tugging the spear which also implies that the bro warrior was just standing there like a derp letting him or some such silliness. But that's silly. 'Bro warrior' gritted his teeth and pointed his spear at Maul Steel.

"Enough of this! You will surrender and I won't kill you as much as I would like to avenge my brother." He angrily said wrapping his TK around the other spear. Like he'd let some evil outsider taint and steal their sacred weapons.

[BladeofObliviom]

[Ponyville - The Bomb]

...Yeah, twigs ain't gonna cut it. Believe it or not, Pineapple learned particular lesson that the hard way a few years back. The springs in those safety levers will cut right through any twig or splinter thin enough to fit through the pinhole. Given that, honestly, she learned most of these lessons the hard way, it's really a wonder she isn't dead yet.

Then again, she's never had to deal with something quite this deranged in its construction.


Naturally, when she finally spots the actual grenade pins stuck into the central detonator, her jaw drops. Then she takes a look at the wires and grenades. Then back at the pins.

Cue facehoof.

A rational pony might notice that there is no way that those pins would actually be doing anything while stuck to the detonator, considering that said detonator is in no way designed for use with grenade pins, and thus it should be pretty much safe to just take them. However, this insane contraption has left Pineapple less than rational. Thus, she proceeds with her initial plan: One by one, from the outside in, unscrew the explosive and shrapnel sections of each grenade from its firing apparatus! If it hadn't fired yet, after all, this shouldn't cause that to happen. Hopefully.

[Drowlord]

Wild Rabbit Woods Edge

Elestre almost grinned, then decided not to. "Nice 'ports. But you need the train, don't you?

New Appleoosa

"Great! Well then, Mags. To the buying of this doll."

His attention had shifted rather fast there, hadn't it? Oh well. Sparky kept the thought that an adventurer was ready to join them in the back of his mind.

Ponyville

Doc Patch quickly opened a pack of sterile bandages and got out a clean cloth. Making the cloth wet, he spoke softly.

"This might hurt a bit."

He started gently cleaning any open wounds on Eledwhen's coat, asking the filly in nature of a distraction:

"So, how did a good filly such as yourself wind up here?"

[MCerberus]

Wild Rabbit Woods

The sudden teleportation didn't set well with Finder's current sensory capacity. His tired brain just has him stumbling around aimlessly for a few seconds after.

[Tychris1]

Southwestern Equestria- The Underground Facility 5:30 PM

Well, you know what they say: When in doubt-

"OH SWEET CELESTIA PLEASE DON'T HURT ME! I'LL DO WHATEVER YOU WANT!"

......Give up and retreat like a cowardly mewl.... Well then, seems like Maul Steel has had enough opposition for now. This stallion could easily kill him, which means the ex slaver just falls back on his routine "Cower and scurry away from the big bad slaver boss man" that he did to all the higher ups back at Old Appleloosa. Not exactly heroic or epic, but hey, baby steps.

[TAG Benson]

Wild Rabbit Woods

Being an earth pony who rarely interacted with unicorn magic Ducard was highly discombobulated by the teleportation. This was only worsened by the fact that he was turned slightly upon arrival, and thus his heavy metallic form fell sideways against the dirt below. Releasing an audible grunt the Steel Ranger begins picking himself up as he says "Well then, I guess i'll be heading off to my brothers. Best of luck to you, natives, and may the wasteland have mercy on your soul." He bows his head courteously before heading off, accessing his map to get a better idea of which direction exactly he was facing.

[TAG The whole group]

[Dark Elf Bard]

Ponyville

Doc Patch quickly opened a pack of sterile bandages and got out a clean cloth. Making the cloth wet, he spoke softly.

"This might hurt a bit."

He started gently cleaning any open wounds on Eledwhen's coat, asking the filly in nature of a distraction:

"So, how did a good filly such as yourself wind up here?"
Oh, well I lived in the woods by myself until Lamia found me and we made friends like Luka and Finder, and Doc Sawbones. Do you know Doc Sawbones? She's a nice doctor, like you. Then I found my long lost cousin, I didn't even know he existed! Then... They went away, and I came with Daddy, and I for beat up while he was somewhere else. She smiles at him!

[Chaotic Bob]

[New Appleoosa - Commons]

Yes. Mutant hooves, and not a mistake. That is the correct assumption.

The mare gives a little hoof waggle, twisting her face up a bit.
"Not very attractive things, really."
Go look in an Old World book and look up "monkeys". Dreadful.

"Kind of similar to griffin talons, I guess..."
This isn't a complete derailment of everything at all.

((Shhh, I have difficulties with mixing words up. >.>))

[Ponyville - The Bomb]

And so, a single act of utter insanity inspires Pineapple to dismantle the bomb in what is likely the most tedious, and time consuming manner possible.

At least she should hopefully know exactly what's she's doing.
Piece by piece, grenade by grenade...

Click.

One of the grenades rolls away from the central mass, trailing the end of what seems to have been an improperly attached wire.
Must have gotten knocked loose while she was doing her work.

[PurityIcekiller]

"But fighting bandits totally counts as heroism," Mags fangirled. Steel Creel laughed and rubbed her head, mussing up her mane.

"Indeed, it totally counts."

In the background, Ditzy Do watched them and smiled as she dug around in a box o' junk for something.

"Eh, everyone gets attacked by them. I guess we're all heroes sometimes. Still, glad you think that!"


"Great! Well then, Mags. To the buying of this doll."

His attention had shifted rather fast there, hadn't it? Oh well. Sparky kept the thought that an adventurer was ready to join them in the back of his mind.

Bright Eyes nodded. "Right! Might as well get on with it. And I still have my shovel to get, too. You can never be too prepared!"

[Benson]

Wild Rabbit Woods Edge

Swift Star chose not too acknowledge Elestre's comment, he was too busy collecting his bearings, group teleporting was not easy for him, it took a heavier toll on his gems. They still had a loooooooong way to go. At least an hour or so by teleport and many hours by hoof simply. And Ducard decided to prematurely leave the group and take the long route. Meh, Swift didn't care that much, Ducard wasn't a priority like the other three. He stared at Ducard for a moment and then looked north along the train tracks and teleported the other three again leaving the steel ranger behind at the edge of Wild Rabbit Woods.

Anyways, eventually, the four after a large number of series of teleports, the four found themselves looking at the entrance to Fillydelphia and its large walls and gates. The sky behind seemed a perpetual hellish red, an industrial jungle grown on the backs of suffering.
----

New Appleloosa- Absolutely Everything

Mags happily cheered at the prospect of the acquisition of a new doll. Steel Creel finagled with his Pouch of caps. Hard on an earth pony, had to use the mouth and tongue,

Meanwhile, Ditzy popped down in front of Bright Eyes with a big smile and a shovel in mouth and hooves.
----

New Appleloosa-Commons

"Just missing that extra weird digit....You know...talons are weird too...You know, I kinda have talon envy. Hold things with my hooves. You know, I use tape sometimes and tape a spoon to my hoof, hahah." Derailment? Perish the thought, this is highly important and intelligent topic!
---

Southwestern Equestria- The Underground Facility 5:31 PM

And this completely took that warrior stallion by surprise, the confused expression on his face was of the comically exaggerated/cartoont variety.

"Wha?...What sort of trick is this? Are you really giving up?" He demanded pulling back his spear with TK and held it in the air in attack position.

[BladeofObliviom]

[Ponyville - The Bomb]

At the sound of a soft *click*, Pineapple immediately drops what she's doing and leaps out the dilapidated window, covering her head and really hoping she isn't already dead!

"Horseapples!"

At least she had the forethought to move all those mines and other disabled explosives safely away from the pile of grenades. Massed grenades like that can do a lot of damage, but she's probably reduced the overall payload by at least half.

Naturally, if nothing happens after ten seconds or so, she sheepishly lifts her head up and feels really, really stupid.

""

[Luka]

Wild Rabbit Woods Edge

Swift Star chose not too acknowledge Elestre's comment, he was too busy collecting his bearings, group teleporting was not easy for him, it took a heavier toll on his gems. They still had a loooooooong way to go. At least an hour or so by teleport and many hours by hoof simply. And Ducard decided to prematurely leave the group and take the long route. Meh, Swift didn't care that much, Ducard wasn't a priority like the other three. He stared at Ducard for a moment and then looked north along the train tracks and teleported the other three again leaving the steel ranger behind at the edge of Wild Rabbit Woods.

Anyways, eventually, the four after a large number of series of teleports, the four found themselves looking at the entrance to Fillydelphia and its large walls and gates. The sky behind seemed a perpetual hellish red, an industrial jungle grown on the backs of suffering.

The stable colt doesn't really comment on anything, still trying to hold back his wrath, then after many teleports he's kind of achieving on doing it... Until they reach Fillydelphia, the general place seemed no exactly what he would take, and all that rage would be trying to spark again.

So yeah, silence, but now he's visibly grimmacing.

[Tychris1]

Southwestern Equestria- Underground Facility 5:31 PM

Maul Steel slowly nods his head at the guard, still cringing in fear as he explains "Well.... Yeah. I'm knifeless, gunless, spearless, toothless, and like my ol' boss used to say "spineless gutless piece of sh**".... If... If your going to hit me, please don't hit me in the face. I like my face and I need that for Foxfire.... Here... You can try and kick in my knee, b-b-boss did that whenever he got really mad or bored...." He extends a hind leg and reveals his lower left knee cap for full view. Nice and exposed for kicking.

[TAG Benson]

Edge of Wild Rabbit Woods

Ducard harumhs as he hears the teleportation "Going to get themselves killed, fools......" He proceeds to continue walking down the path of life alone towards the SR base, trying to tune into any Steel Ranger radio he can so that he can request an immedieate escort (Stating his name rank and title whenever applicable).

Ponyville

Lamianos eventually begins to get dreary eyed, bored of not being able to do anything constructive. Yawning he pushes himself up, extends his bat wings, and begins to flap them as he starts heading towards town to strike up that dame's offer on trying to break his face in (How could he say no?). Oblivious to the potential bomb arsenal not too far away.

[TAG Drowlord]

[MCerberus]

Near Fillydelphia

Being discombobulated before a teleport does little to help with the discombobulations from being teleported. Finder stumbles a bit before falling flat on his side. Once again, this is a good time to have not eaten recently.

[Chaotic Bob]

[Ponyville - The Bomb]

Pineapple's self esteem is completely safe!

The grenade will explode pretty much immediately, there to trigger a movie-worthy chain-explosive in the bombmass that is likely completely fueled by its designer's insanity.

What's left of the window is doomed, the wall is doomed, and most of the building is probably pretty doomed after all the structural damage is accounted for. If it was just frag-grenades, it probably wouldn't have been too bad...
But alas, whatever stability the plastique had seems to have vanished as well.

Kaboom.

If Pineapple stays just outside the window with her dive, the mass of ensuing shrapnel and debris is going to be incredibly unhealthy.
Otherwise, she can get a nice view of the shockwave tearing apart what was once a nice, ruined room.


The nameless observer shakes his head from where he was hiding and moves on.
She almost had it.

Oh well, time to go find Lamianos.

[New Appleloosa-Commons]

"Unicorns certainly have it easier than us, in that department.
Heh, can't say I've ever resorted to tape though..."

One of the other refugees coughs a bit.
"Um...weren't we going to find a place to rest?"

[BladeofObliviom]

[Ponyville - Now Directed by Michael Bay]

Well, thankfully basic physics indicate that the actual metal shrapnel will lose the vast majority of its energy as it punches through a wall. Pineapple would be very dead, no questions asked if there were no wall present.

The mare scrambles across the ground, keeping her head down, but she doesn't get too far before the blast of hot air catches up with her. To her immense fortune, the stuff hitting her is mostly concussive force and slow, blunt bits of wall instead of razor-sharp metal that would take her apart in milliseconds.

Less fortunately, she's not wearing her armor at the moment, so there's nothing absorbing the force of the blow. It, along with her battle saddle and saddlebags, were left behind in the street when she went galloping off to defuse a bomb.

In any case, her injuries aren't as severe as they could be, but she's out cold and even more bruised than she was on the way in.

[Benson]

Southwestern Equestria- Underground Facility 5:31 PM

The warrior looked at him confused a little and then looked at him angrily and shoved his spear up close to his face. "S-shut up, you don't get to be all boo hoo and woe...!" He got a little bit flustered. "Y-you're going to fix that water talisman thingy or so help me....!"
======

[New Appleloosa-Commons]


"Didn't you find it?" Common Sense said with a gesture of his hoof, pointing out to the place they were in. He kept a smile on his face.

[Chaotic Bob]

[New Appleloosa-Commons]

Yer caught in yer own ignorance!

Well, not quite.
"Well...sort of more specifically...like which spot."
Nudge nudge, leader-mare. Stop engaging in your frivolous hand-hoof-talon talk and get to the important stuff!

"Ah...yes. We probably should find a little place to tuck ourselves away to."
Feel free to supply recommendations Common Sense.
Like where they can go that won't have them getting stink-eyed by outsider-haters or something.

That'd be terrible.

[Ponyville]

Physics is a nice thing to have on your side sometimes.
Shame unicorns tend to mess it up a bit.
Good thing there weren't any present at the moment.

Hooray for Pineapple not dying horribly?


Back to hunting down Lamianos finally.

[Lycan 01]

Fillydelphia

Ah, Filly. Such a nice city before the War. Now, it's... well, by Wasteland standards, it's pretty nice! Massive walls to keep it safe, an actual economy and infrastructure, safety, education, order... peace... Yeah, there's a massive radiated crater of doooooom in the center of it, and yeah there's a lot of slave labor, but every bottle cap has too sides. Besides, slavery doesn't last forever. Many of the guards, workers, and soldiers in Red Eyes service were once slaves, but earned their freedom through deed, potential, guile, or fanaticism.

The giant Pinkie Pie balloons scattered around and full of snipers are a bit of an odd touch, though... There's also the occasional alicorn standing guard or flying over to carry out a patrol.



A few moments after Swift and the 'heroes' arrive, a griffin and a unicorn approach them. The griffin is black-feathered, clad in bulky combat armor, and holding an assault rifle. The unicorn is a pale-blue mare with a misty-green mane pulled back into a pony tail, clad in light combat barding and armed with two levitating revolvers.

"Hey there!" the griffin cheerfully greets them in a deep baritone. "Stern said to keep an eye out for you, but we didn't think you'd be back this quickly."

"Huh, he doesn't look too good..." the mare observes with a frown, nodding towards Finder. "You think we should go get him a medic?"

The griffin frowns as well. "Maybe. Keep an eye on 'em, Chamber. I'll go let Stern know Red Eye's guests are here, and they might need a doc to check 'em out before the meeting."

"No problem!" the mare nods with a cheerful smirk. "They shouldn't be any trouble." She tilts her head slightly and looks back and forth between Luka, Elestre, and Finder. "You won't be any trouble, right?" she asks cautiously.

The griffin gives a nod to to "Chamber" and Swift, before flying off to go find Stern.

[Luka]

[Fillydelphia]

He notices the whole infraestructure thing, but also the tons and tons of slavery, he does not accept 2 sides on a coin, at least like this, however now he's trappen between 2 emotions: Anger, at the mere existance of slavery around the place; and depression, again, because the slavery actually had a somewhat nice product, which would practically break him and his values pretty hard. Though in the middle there's confusion and he tries to keep them at bay, trying to stay in the middle one from the risk of the first, and the pain of the second.

He would just lower his head, and when the unicorn asks, he would give a kind of slow shake with his head.

[Drowlord]

Fillydelphia

Elestre was... intrigued, to say the least. His knowledge had led him to think that the city would be a lot more grim than this, but he'd take civilization over the wasteland any day. Maybe he'll even warm up to the place?

"No, we're not troublemakers. Usually."

His voice was raspy and dry, his throat not allowing for normal talk and lowering his statement to a softer tone.

New Appleoosa

Sparky didn't miss a beat at Bright Eyes' proclamation of buying a shovel, but instead mused to himself if a similar implement could potentially be useful to him. Deciding on no, he nodded at Steel.

"Need any help?"

Ponyville- the Tent

Patch nodded gravely as the filly related her story, then softly searched with his eyes for bullet wounds just in case. [COLOR="DarkSlateGray"]"That's an interesting tale. I don't think I know of a Doc Sawbones, but maybe. Been over most of this wasteland at one point or another." [/COLOR

Ponyville- Lamnios

As the ex-Steel Ranger wandered away from the tent, an almost equally huge mare, clad in heavy barding that appeared custom-built, approached him.

"So you're the one who I'm going to be fighting."

She pointed a hoof away from the tent. "Let's get going now. Don't want to destroy Patch's precious junkmobile by being too close to it."

[MCerberus]

Fillydelphia

Finder gets up just as 'genuine interest' in his condition is displayed. He can't hide just how tired he is, and that doesn't just apply to needing sleep. "I'm fine," the scavver simply states. It's not quite a lie, he's not bleeding or anything.

He had some dealings with the Red Eyes in the past, seeing as how they're one of the few groups of ponies willing to pay for the kind of stuff he specializes in. It's just that the stallion always had the common sense not to head into their doom fortress.

Everfree Forest

[Survival]Well that's a dead wolf... and he managed to find one made of flesh! Razoreye wipes some blood of his talons. It's likely he'll make it back at some point dramatically important.

[Benson]

New Appleloosa-Commons


"Why don't ya'll head up stairs and make yourself comfortable, relax your tired hooves, there be beds upstairs." Common Sense replied with a smile. "Then we can figure out later what ya'll are gonna do."
==

In West Fillydelphia were I was shipped and enslaved, in the crater is where I spent most of my days..~

Swift Star listened, watched and found that weed in the ground really interesting. Anyways. He stood there in his silence and waited with everyone.

[Tychris1]

Southwestern Equestria- Underground Facility 5:32 PM

Maul Steel shrugs at the guard "Dude, I just ripped the thing out of it's holster. I have no idea how exactly it works, let alone how to fix it. I just know it makes alot of pure water and that's about it....."

Ponyville

Lamianos smiles at the mare as he rustles his body "Yes, wouldn't want anyone to s-" And then Hollywood explosion all up in the hizz house!

Ahem

Lamianos stops, staring blankly back at town to where he heard the big boom "What the buck........ WHAT THE BUCK. Who di.... Wait, explosions....... Bucking Pineapple, great," He gruffly states as he turns towards the mare he was about to duel "I apologize, it seems as if there is a problem I must attend to first.... I'll be right back." And with that he unfurls his wings again and sets off into the sky in search of Pineapple. Eventually, after a bit of searching (Which to be honest wouldn't take too long, considering the fact that finding a fresh explosion of hollywood caliber shouldn't be too hard) Lamianos finds the destroyed house. Sneering he looks down and begins to descend "Celestia dammit Pineapple. You just had to go around messing with stupid *** explosions and l-, oh...." He notices her current unconscious state and begins to fret.

"Buck buck buck buck buck, uuuuuuh. Oh, the Doc! Right, he can fix her! Probably... Buck. Hello? Wake up. Come on, don't make me beat you into waking up..... Please?.... Grrrr, alright, your coming with me. Hopefully the doc can wake you up..... And also that your not too ugly afterwards...." He says the last part mostly to himself as he bends over and puts Pineapple Blast on his back. Sinking downward he loses his breathe as he's caught off guard by her weight "Damn, your alot fatter then you look. Yeesh." He complains as he gets a slow start and eventually jumps into the air, ready to fly back to his fight and the Doc's tent.

[TAG Blade (For any unconscious thoughts I guess), Drowlord, Chaotic]

[PurityIcekiller]

[Absolutely Everything]

"Oh, thanks!" Bright Eyes took out a money pouch to pay for the shovel. "No muffins this time, but I'll be sure to pick some up next time!

"Well, now I'm prepared in case an evil fairy teleports me into a volcano or something. Can't believe I didn't think to get this earlier." She laughed. "So, anything else you think might come in handy?"

[Lycan 01]

Filldelphia

Chamber looks Finder over. "Eh, I dunno. Still probably a good idea to have you checked out by a doc. If you go passing out in front of Red Eye, he'll think me and Perry had something to do with it. And that would be baaaaaad," she says with a cheerful but slightly nervous smile. "So yeah, better safe than sorry."

She then turns to Elestre, and looks him over as well. "Usually, huh?" she smirks. "Well, don't go pulling none of that crap you did in Old Appleloosa here. Just a friendly warning, since, well..." she points a hoof up into the sky, where the various Pinkie balloons hang lazily. Each hot air balloon's basket seems to have either a machine gun or anti-materiel rifle crew stationed in it. "Stupidity around here is hazardous to your health. Granted, since you're Red Eye's guests, you won't be shot at the drop of a hat like most troublemakers. But still, don't push your luck," she advises with a friendly smile. Awfully perky for a slaver...

Finally, Chamber looks down at Luka, and frowns. "You okay there, little guy? Need a snack, or something like that?"



[Tag: Luka, Benson, Cerberus, Drowlord]

[Luka]

[Fillydelphia]

He would just inhale silently, then say while exhaling

"No, I'm ok"

Then would just slightly lower his head and move a bit away from her. Not exactly ok, but not like a slaver would brighten him up, would it?

[MCerberus]

Fillydelphia

"Well it's not like he or any of us are the ones that started shooting." The truth won't get them shot right now right? At least according to general knowledge the colts are safe. "And I'm fine unless you want me to put on a magic show."

Not going to tell about how his concentration was broken that jarred his magic supply though.

[Drowlord]

Fillydelphia

Elestre grins almost dryly. "Well, it's to be expected. Stupidity kills you pretty fast in the Wastes."

He nodded at the blimps. "Well, I don't think we could pull any crap 'round you guys anyway. Balloons, of course, and a disciplined, smart military..."

Not-so-obvious flattery, but what the heck. Can't hurt to bring up as much favor as possible.

New Appleoosa

Sparky tilted his head. "Let's see. Screwdrivers, maybe a small paddle that could fit in your saddlebags, feathers, dye, scrap wire and metal... I don't know. I guess I'm a pony of simple tastes."

He shrugged, his gleaming red eyes lost in thought for the long entirety of three whole seconds.

Ponyville

Bella frowned slightly as Lamnios came back with Pineapple. "Hope you not gonna be tied up with her for much longer. Hate to let it get in the way."

Doc Patch, inside the tent, grins at his patient. "Well, I think that you can go now. I'll talk to your 'dad' about stuff, and then you can go. You're lucky you only got those wounds."

He opened the flap of his tent, stepped out, and saw Pineapple. He grimaced, almost facehoofing but thinking better of it.

"Does this happen on a routine basis?"

He sighed.

"I'm still offering my services, so whatever. Bring her in here, do your buisness with Bella."

[Tychris1]

Ponyville

Lamianos shrugs at Cloth Patch "This is the first time i've seen her get this bruised. Then again, today is the first time I ever saw her. Just keep it in the back of your head that this'll be a recurring theme." Trotting into the tent the chimera drops off his payload. Looking her over he smirks and says "Kind of wish I was back with the Rangers just so that everyone had bloody power armor to protect them."

But, that was a sentiment for another time. Exiting the tent Lamianos smiles at Bella, tips his head, and says "Now, about that fight....."

[TAG Drowlord]

[Dark Elf Bard]

Ponyville

Bella frowned slightly as Lamnios came back with Pineapple. "Hope you not gonna be tied up with her for much longer. Hate to let it get in the way."

Doc Patch, inside the tent, grins at his patient. "Well, I think that you can go now. I'll talk to your 'dad' about stuff, and then you can go. You're lucky you only got those wounds."

He opened the flap of his tent, stepped out, and saw Pineapple. He grimaced, almost facehoofing but thinking better of it.

"Does this happen on a routine basis?"

He sighed.

"I'm still offering my services, so whatever. Bring her in here, do your buisness with Bella."

Eledwhen follows Lamianos! Wait up!

[Benson]

Southwestern Equestria- Underground Facility 5:32 PM

The warrior glowered, mostly at the casual shrugging gesture. "Well, you're still going to go fix it now, put back everything as it was before, before you touched it...!"
--

New Appleloosa-Absolutely Everything

"Naw..its fine...darn Caps and their smallness," He blargled and yoinked out a mouthful of caps with his mouth. He finally got the required caps and put them on the counter...and then started to count them.
--

Ditzy continued to smile during her transaction with Bright Eyes and doubly smiled at the mention of muffins, she rubbed her belly approvingly of them.

Anyways, she tapped her chin in thought about useful items and then had a eureka moment. And then it went away. Big frown.

[Chaotic Bob]

New Appleloosa-Commons


"Why don't ya'll head up stairs and make yourself comfortable, relax your tired hooves, there be beds upstairs." Common Sense replied with a smile. "Then we can figure out later what ya'll are gonna do."

Relief and gratitude crop up pretty quickly on just about every face in the group.
That's exactly what they were hoping to hear.

"Ah...thank you. I think that would do quite a bit for our spirits, after today."
A smile! A couple smiles, even, and the group will rather quickly (sort of, considering their state), go to claim their spots.

Sleeeeeeeep.


Ponyville

Lamianos smiles at the mare as he rustles his body "Yes, wouldn't want anyone to s-" And then Hollywood explosion all up in the hizz house!

Ahem

Lamianos stops, staring blankly back at town to where he heard the big boom "What the buck........ WHAT THE BUCK. Who di.... Wait, explosions....... Bucking Pineapple, great," He gruffly states as he turns towards the mare he was about to duel "I apologize, it seems as if there is a problem I must attend to first.... I'll be right back." And with that he unfurls his wings again and sets off into the sky in search of Pineapple. Eventually, after a bit of searching (Which to be honest wouldn't take too long, considering the fact that finding a fresh explosion of hollywood caliber shouldn't be too hard) Lamianos finds the destroyed house. Sneering he looks down and begins to descend "Celestia dammit Pineapple. You just had to go around messing with stupid *** explosions and l-, oh...." He notices her current unconscious state and begins to fret.

"Buck buck buck buck buck, uuuuuuh. Oh, the Doc! Right, he can fix her! Probably... Buck. Hello? Wake up. Come on, don't make me beat you into waking up..... Please?.... Grrrr, alright, your coming with me. Hopefully the doc can wake you up..... And also that your not too ugly afterwards...." He says the last part mostly to himself as he bends over and puts Pineapple Blast on his back. Sinking downward he loses his breathe as he's caught off guard by her weight "Damn, your alot fatter then you look. Yeesh." He complains as he gets a slow start and eventually jumps into the air, ready to fly back to his fight and the Doc's tent.

[TAG Blade (For any unconscious thoughts I guess), Drowlord, Chaotic]

[Ponyville]

Flying above?
Well that makes for a pretty easy track-job.

He stares up as Lamianos takes off with Pineapple for medical aid.

Very well then.
Perhaps he can catch them over there...


Or not!
Lamianos is presently talking to somepony else.

The observer-pony seems to be content to wait out of sight for this business to conclude.
He has time.

[Lycan 01]

Fillydelphia

Chamber tunes out Elestre's flattery, and gives a small look of concern to Luka again, before returning her attention to Finder. "Hey, I dunno the details about what happened at Old App, but if you wanna claim innocence, I ain't the mare to talk to," she informs him with a somewhat playful grin. "I figure that's what Red Eye wants to talk to you folks about. Though since he actually wants to talk to you rather than send the mercs, then you've probably got credibility to your claims of 'we didn't shoot up the place.' That, or you know something important. And if you know something important..." she leans in a winks, "Be smart and take whatever deal he offers."