Celestia's Finest: The Sun Always Rises

[D.KnightSpider]

"That remains to be seen." Sniper Scope replied.

Their cover had been partially blown. The hacker knew that another player had entered the game and where said hacker was. It would probably be for the best to determine whether they were engaged with a friendly or no.

A quick check of the area did little to assuage his paranoia, but there was no time for a more thorough search. Sniper Scope moved to the intercom, raised himself upon his hind legs and pressed a hoof over the intercom's camera. His other hoof motioned for quiet.

"Does anypony care to engage our guest in conversation?"

[DigoDragon]

"I'm not particularly chatty, but I'll do it. Are they friend or foe?" Rose says.

[DigoDragon]

Rose answers the call. "Hello?"

[Miltonian]

For a moment, there is no response. But then, a sickenly smooth voice, the same one from the video in the briefing, comes out of the intercom. "Hello, ponies. My, my. Celestia finally sent some more of her precious subjects to try and defeat me? I suppose I should be flattered. Or did she finally agree to my terms? After all, isn't self-sacrifice one of those virtues she never shuts up about?"

[DigoDragon]

"Well the good news is that we're not here to sell you virtues," Rose says sternly. "Just gonna put a bullet between your eyes and see what color you bleed. I got ten bits riding that it'll be green."

[Miltonian]

The black screen attached to the intercom turns on. Chrysalis, eyes glowing bright green, leers at the camera. She appears to still be in her cell. "Got it in one. Why don't you come up here and get your medal?" she says venomously, "But please don't tell me I spent two centuries dreaming up witty remarks only to waste them on you. That insult was, frankly, unoriginal."

She bares her fangs. "Besides. What is the 'Royal Guard' going to do? You can't fight me. But come and try anyway. I'm always looking for more ponies to feed upon. My children do get so very hungry, you know."

[D.KnightSpider]

His free hoof cracked against the control panel, ending the transmission.

Sniper Scope said: "We must move quickly. Chrysalis knows our location. The longer we stand here talking, the more time we give her to array her forces against us."

So much for the element of surprise.

[Miltonian]

With a snarl, Chrysalis' voice returns, though this time throughout the entire station and not just one intercom. "Now hear this," she says, "It seems Celestia has sent us some company. All forces are to retreat from Storage immediately. That includes you, Sulmandeer! Their numbers are, as of yet, unknown and I do not expect even your scales could stop an entire legion of the Royal Guard's bullets. If I know Celestia, she is trying to cover her mistake by overcompensating. I am sending a special pony to deal with them and I want collateral damage kept to a minimum. And to Celestia's slaves: if you're here for the Elements, all you had to do was ask." She cackles and kills the transmission.

On the bright side, Love still has those two files of security footage, if she should ever find the time to review them.

[DigoDragon]

Rose frowns at Sniper. She really wanted to kick him, but that wouldn't make her feel any better. "Fanbuckingtastic. Like, what was the point of asking me to talk to her, if you're gonna hang up the phone? I could of gotten some info on what her plans are," she says as she picks up her stuff. After Chyssi makes her announcement over the intercom, Rose doesn't feel any better. "Bah, well now we know the dragon is nearby. Doubt she'd send the Elements to us free of mind control though. Special pony..."

Her voice becomes a low incoherent growl at this point as she reads her pistol and awaits to see where the team wants to go.

[Elbeyon]

Love puts her hoof to the back of Scope's head. "She's a little cray cray. We could have provoked her into making mistakes." Sorta like Love's mistake. "We know how she plans. That special pony must be built like a tank if she's sending it against a guard legion. If I had to guess she's trying to minimize her minion casualties."

"If you're thinking what I'm thinking Rose. I want to set up an ambush. If we ditch our current location, we can hide."

[DigoDragon]

"If you're thinking what I'm thinking Rose. I want to set up an ambush. If we ditch our current location, we can hide."

Rose nods. "Works for me. Where's a good hiding spot?"

[Elbeyon]

She's silent for a second before energetically saying, "Let's work on that together. We're both equal tacticians." She brings up the local map in AR. "Where do you think we should hide?"

"Scope. We'll try to get us in the most advantageous position. You're good at hiding things. Can you whip up some cover for us?"

[DigoDragon]

She's silent for a second before energetically saying, "Let's work on that together. We're both equal tacticians." She brings up the local map in AR. "Where do you think we should hide?"

Rose looks the map over, glancing for spots that would be good for firing positions.

Spoiler: Skill checks?

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to help the GM determine where rose ends up~

Soldier (3d6)[14] vs. 13 (for basic tactical ideas on a good hiding spot)
Stealth (3d6)[14] vs. 11 (for her effectiveness in hiding)

[Miltonian]

Hey, there's a hallway! And when in doubt, make Fort Book!

Honestly, Rose does not see a whole lot of tactical options here. The station was designed to stave off prisoner riots, yes, but the general assumption is that the guards have ranged weapons and the prisoners won't. That means long hallways and clear firing lines. Which is good for a certain Sniper, but not so good for the others.

However, this is also the storage area. And the best idea Rose can come up with is making a fort of some kind with the boxes and containers stored in the main warehouse. How they will do that, who knows? Probably Brazen.

[DigoDragon]

However, this is also the storage area. And the best idea Rose can come up with is making a fort of some kind with the boxes and containers stored in the main warehouse. How they will do that, who knows? Probably Brazen.

Rose goes over to the boxes and begins constructing the EDF Box Fort.


'Do you wanna build a box fort
Come on, let's camp and hide!
I never see you have some fun
Come on just one
It's like your heart has died

We used to be close squaddies
And still we could
I wish you would open up!

Do you wanna build a box fort
It doesn't have to be a box fort...

[D.KnightSpider]

Love puts her hoof to the back of Scope's head. "She's a little cray cray. We could have provoked her into making mistakes." Sorta like Love's mistake. "We know how she plans. That special pony must be built like a tank if she's sending it against a guard legion. If I had to guess she's trying to minimize her minion casualties."

Sniper Scope dropped to all four legs, pulling away from Love's touch. He hoped the action would cover his discomfort at her touch.

"Understandable. I accept my error." Sometimes protecting the squad meant taking a bullet and sometimes it meant taking the blame. He'd be banished if he let them lose the same time squabbling that they had just gained from disconnecting the call.

"Cover." He repeated. He swept the room anew, this time looking for alcoves, access hatches, anything a pony could use for concealment.

"I might also suggest setting a booby trap for our new foe."

[Miltonian]

In this room, Sniper can MAKE his own concealment!

Spoiler

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But if he insists, there are some perches up among the rafters that have a good line of sight and a solid floor that he could lay down on to conceal his body.

[userpay]

"Well this is a fine mess... But ah suppose that's what we're here for." Brazen looks for materials to help protect the squad. If necessary he'll be the bulwark but that would mean he couldn't take the fight to the enemy.

Spoiler

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I guess soldier is the most relevant skill I have for setting us up?
(3d6)[10] skill 12

[Miltonian]

With Brazen's help and acumen, EDF Fort Box takes shape. More of a pillbox than a classical fort, though. Brazen's idea to put himself at the fore to take the brunt of the assault means that the fort is designed to have one entrance, wide enough for him to enter and leave from but not enough so that anypony could slip around him and get to the more vulnerable combatants inside.

Spoiler

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Once I have an idea what Love is doing during this time, the battle will begin!

[Miltonian]

The last box is set in place. Brazen, Love, and Rose take up their positions and wait. Sniper goes through his routine, preparing to nail the first thing that comes through the door. Suddenly, he becomes aware of a presence beside him. Aiming a giant candy-cane down at the ground, an unmistakable pink pony lies uncomfortably close to him in a perfect imitation of his posture. She leans over and whispers in Sniper's ear. "Psst! Psssssst! Who are we waiting for?/"

[D.KnightSpider]

All Sniper Scope could do was stare at the interloper. His brain misfired as it attempted to make sense of the situation. How had she--? What was--? Answers eluded him.

It was the invasion of personal space that registered first. Still stunned, Sniper Scope tried to inch away from Pinkie Pie.

"The-- the next pony to come through the door." It was the straightforward, honest truth and the best he could produce.

[Miltonian]

"Oooh. This is going to be a long wait then. Cupcake?" Whether he wants it or not, Sniper finds a cupcake shoved in his face. "I already checked the entire module and there are no other ponies here except that one vampire pony but I'm not sure he still counts as a pony! I still threw him a party but I don't think he likes lemon pound cakes! Who doesn't like lemon pound cakes? It's a crime against nature, I tell you, even for a vampire! Ooh! Ooh! I did run into Derpy and Time Turner, but that was on my way over here. I don't think she liked my special knock-out muffins. I mean, I wanted to bake pumpkin ones, but have you seeeeeen the state of the kitchens in this place? They don't have even half the baking ingredients I need to whip up the Pinkie Pie special! And I have so many parties to throw! These prisoners haven't celebrated their birthdays in years!"

She seizes Sniper's shoulders and shakes him. "YEARS! Have you ever heard anything so sad?!"

[DigoDragon]

Rose was fairly sure this was not anything but the genuine crazy mare herself up there.

"Excuse me, Pinkie? Hi, we're the EDF and we've been tasked with rescuing you. Are you... well, alright?"

[Miltonian]

Pinkie Pie glances down and waves at Rose. "Hellooooo! I'm Pinkie Pie! And I don't need rescuing. I've already been set free of all my limitations!" Her grin is a just a little too wide and she says the word 'limitations' in a very different tone of voice than the rest of the sentence. "Yeeeeah. Actually, I was looking for some ponies from the Royal Guard, but you're the Epic Defenestration Force, not the Royal Guard. Wow. Rainbow Dash would LOVE you ponies! If you were the Royal Guard, I'd totally have to capture you right now!"

[DigoDragon]

Rose switches ammo to an SJA clip and cycles out the bullet in the chamber because nope, this will not end well.

"Pinkie, would you allow me to perform a quick medical checkup on you?" Rose asks her.

[Miltonian]

"Sure!" Pinkie hops down and lands with a loud 'BOING!' It's a good ten-meter drop. She doesn't seem harmed by it at all. She hops over to Rose and sits down, humming happily. "No needles, though. They tickle."

As Rose begins to work, Pinkie sings softly to herself.

"When you're rife with devastation, there's a simple explanation,
You're a toymaker's creation trapped inside a crystal ball,
And whichever way she tilts it, know that we will stay resilient,
I won't let her break my spirit as I sing my little song"

"When I was a little filly, a sonic rainboom flew over my city,
I ran away to Ponyville. Of fun and games I've taken my fill.
So I'm called the party pony, and I make all my friends smile wide.
But the changeling queen has taken over me,
So please you have to run and flee!
For my memories are blurred, and my friends obscured,
And I can only sing this song."

Spoiler

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Go ahead! Give Pinkie Pie a medical check-up.

[DigoDragon]

Rose checks Pinkie over, looking for any injuries or perhaps signs of something wrong.

Physicial (3d6)[10] vs. 14
Firat aid (3d6)[9] vs. 18

"But the changeling queen has taken over me,
So please you have to run and flee!
For my memories are blurred, and my friends obscured,
And I can only sing this song."

"Uh, gang? I suddenly have this really insightful feeling that maybe we shouldn't be here."

[D.KnightSpider]

Cupcakes, sugar, rambling, vampires-- Get it off, get it off, get it off!

Mercifully, the hyperactive pink monstrosity vanished as quickly as she appeared. Without the deluge of new data, it took Sniper Scope a few moments to process that bizarre encounter and make sense of it. It took him several more moments to steady his breathing.

Once back in control of himself, Sniper Scope dropped to the edge of his perch. The electrolaser rifle in his hands would prevent him from realizing the murder in his eyes.

"Maybe. But she's the target." Sniper Scope hissed into the comm link. "And she's right where I need her to be. Targeting."

[Miltonian]

Star Chaser's voice whispers back. "Be veeery careful, Sniper. All of you, actually. Pinkie Pie's not the most stable pony even under normal circumstances."

[userpay]

While most ponies, Brazen included, would love the chance to hang out and party with the party master herself these circumstances... Suffice to say a chill went up Brazen's spine at the appearance of Pinkie Pie. [I]So it begins[/I.] The stallion pulls a box down to block the choke point so that he could turn around safely to keep their quarry in view. Ah'm still safe from her... Right? One could never be sure. "Ah get the feeling running wouldn't help us at this point." Brazen says dryly as he takes a few steps towards Pinkie and Rose, one part to protect her and one part getting her out of firing line, even if his shotgun was pointed slightly to the side rather than directly at Pinkie. "Still bonus points for cupcaking Sniper, he isn't easy to sneak up on. Hoof bump?" He holds up a leg towards Pinkie.

Spoiler

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Welp, first attempt lets go. If Pinkie Pie does the hoof bump Brazen will trigger the zap glove, not his preferred way of going about it but the safest even if he hates doing it this way.