Fallout Equestria: Pie and Predation

[Hazuki]

Viridia's little undead ninja buddy looked completely baffled.

"Are you saving it or something?" she asked, tilting her head to the side slightly, "I get that he's just a old stallion, but unless you want to switch the cloud for some gas and a lighter I don't know a cleaner way to deal with a teleporter."

Viridia shrugged.

"Viridia, if one pony says they won't listen to you and you know that they're going to do bad things, that doesn't mean you can just break their legs." River said, desperately trying her best to ignore the presence of Fan Knife, "Are you just going to kill members of his gang until you get one who'll do what you say? I mean, he's the leader of a gang, they're going to be gangers who fight other gangers, just killing that one guy who has his act together and talks like he ties mares to railroad tracks won't cause the system to crash."

"Y'know what? I'm just not going to talk to you until you stop misrepresenting what I said. It wasn't telling him what to do. That makes it sound like I told him to do something, and it wasn't. You're presenting me as some tyrant wanting to kill somebody because they didn't go and kill on my command, and that's bull****."

He takes in a deep breath and flicks some stray hairs away from his eyes. "Alright, I'm... I just don't see the need to kill this Armoise guy right this moment. Fan Knife doesn't think he's a problem and I trust her judgement. None of the other passengers I picked up in there even mentioned him. We got two places to be in short order. If the gang leader really needs to die, I don't see why it couldn't be done tomorrow. We'd have an empty bus; pick up a couple robots at Cabbage Town for support, then come here to spend a couple days after killing him to vet a replacement that'll better serve the area. I doubt his gang would get very far if they tried anything slick here or even if they all up and walked out. Ain't much within a day's walk other than abandoned buildings and feral ghouls. It took us two to get here from Cabbage Town on hoof, and we were a small group with sleds and good weather."

"Doc, as much as I like Fan Knife, she doesn't give a **** about much anything outside of Stitcheart's hospital. And, actually, I'm tired of arguing about this, so, I'm going to go mess up his horn some and then we can go. Good? Good." Viridia said, then flew up to the clouds to grab some lightning for her Blueblood Blade.

[DigoDragon]

"Doc, as much as I like Fan Knife, she doesn't give a **** about much anything outside of Stitcheart's hospital. And, actually, I'm tired of arguing about this, so, I'm going to go mess up his horn some and then we can go. Good? Good." Viridia said, then flew up to the clouds to grab some lightning for her Blueblood Blade.

Doc gives a nod that Viridia made a good point about Fan Knife's priorities. He looks to Moonshadow and Stellar. "Well, use your wings to your advantage and maybe talk Armoise's gang out of their loyalty to him. I can watch the passengers so they don't end up hurting each other until y'all get back."

[Dalinale]

Er, yeah. That and I don't think I could bring myself to kill someone in that way. It's beyond nasty. Also, why are there so many Nightmare Moon worshipers? Like, why is that a thing? She existed for like five to six hours total til Luna stopped trying to kill everyone.

"Eh, there wasn't any sunlight up here for about a decade after the bombs fell. Too much smoke and ash in the air." Fan Knife replied, sounding as if that was still a rather silly reason.

He takes in a deep breath and flicks some stray hairs away from his eyes. "Alright, I'm... I just don't see the need to kill this Armoise guy right this moment. Fan Knife doesn't think he's a problem and I trust her judgement. None of the other passengers I picked up in there even mentioned him. We got two places to be in short order. If the gang leader really needs to die, I don't see why it couldn't be done tomorrow. We'd have an empty bus; pick up a couple robots at Cabbage Town for support, then come here to spend a couple days after killing him to vet a replacement that'll better serve the area. I doubt his gang would get very far if they tried anything slick here or even if they all up and walked out. Ain't much within a day's walk other than abandoned buildings and feral ghouls. It took us two to get here from Cabbage Town on hoof, and we were a small group with sleds and good weather."

Viridia shrugged.

"Y'know what? I'm just not going to talk to you until you stop misrepresenting what I said. It wasn't telling him what to do. That makes it sound like I told him to do something, and it wasn't. You're presenting me as some tyrant wanting to kill somebody because they didn't go and kill on my command, and that's bull****."

River quickly detached herself from Viridia, her face aghast and her legs shaky, as if she had been struck. She quickly transitioned from looking pissed to saddened, however, and she quietly stepped over towards the bus, head low, and lifted up the suitcase her brothers had been struggling with just one hoof and stomped inside. The Moss brothers glanced over at Viridia, both just looking confused.

"Doc, as much as I like Fan Knife, she doesn't give a **** about much anything outside of Stitcheart's hospital. And, actually, I'm tired of arguing about this, so, I'm going to go mess up his horn some and then we can go. Good? Good." Viridia said, then flew up to the clouds to grab some lightning for her Blueblood Blade.

Besides some light zapping, Viridia found herself perfectly fine after she dragged down five wonderful little balls of electricity.

Doc gives a nod that Viridia made a good point about Fan Knife's priorities. He looks to Moonshadow and Stellar. "Well, use your wings to your advantage and maybe talk Armoise's gang out of their loyalty to him. I can watch the passengers so they don't end up hurting each other until y'all get back."

"You guys are safe? Great." Fan Knife said blandly, glancing back at the bus before looking back at the hospital, "Alright, I have stuff I need to do. If you're going to get messy with it, take it outside. Cyberponies might want to set up a appointment the first time their legs stop working or they get blasted with lightning. We're good, right?"

[Hazuki]

With her lightning in her feathers and a firm determination to ignore the guilt of making River feel bad, Viridia headed off to Armoise.

[DigoDragon]

"You guys are safe? Great." Fan Knife said blandly, glancing back at the bus before looking back at the hospital, "Alright, I have stuff I need to do. If you're going to get messy with it, take it outside. Cyberponies might want to set up a appointment the first time their legs stop working or they get blasted with lightning. We're good, right?"

"Yeah, we're good. Again, thanks for your help on the trip." Doc turns and will follow River to the bus. He'll usher her little brothers if they didn't already start heading inside.

He'll take up a watch by the door. To the passengers, Doc clears his throat. "Pardon the delay, the pegasi are just tying up a loose end of business. We'll be on our way shortly."

[Dalinale]

With her lightning in her feathers and a firm determination to ignore the guilt of making River feel bad, Viridia headed off to Armoise.

Armoise was exactly where she had last left him; at the moment, he was holding a small colt in his magic and looked to be telling some encouraging joke to a rather young unicorn couple with two foals around the stallion's legs and the mare looking like there was another on the way. Armoise, looking like he was running for mayor of mobsville, glanced up at Viridia's shimmering, slightly glowing form and did very little as the crowd of ponies slowly parted, making a clear path to the unicorn near the big rock and Viridia. Armoise, after a rather quick assessment, swept his hat off his head and took a rather stiff bow. When he looked up, the old stallion's contempt, his sneer, was disquieting.

"So it's like that, eh?" the short, brutish stallion said, voice whimsical; he didn't produce a weapon, not even a pistol, "You'd suppose I'd do well to depart before matters go too far?"

"Yeah, we're good. Again, thanks for your help on the trip." Doc turns and will follow River to the bus. He'll usher her little brothers if they didn't already start heading inside.

He'll take up a watch by the door. To the passengers, Doc clears his throat. "Pardon the delay, the pegasi are just tying up a loose end of business. We'll be on our way shortly."

Doc's reply was a booming roar of silence. Northern Light and the pegasi sisters, being the closest to the front of the bus, seemed to be the most skeptical of Doc's words but they were also the only ones who seemed like they had a plan B in case the bus blew up or something, so their opinions could probably be discarded. The ones that really mattered, like the horse who took up about a tenth of the floorspace and the zebra commander who knew kung fu, seemed to be accepting of the situation. Everyone else was either asleep (Choro and Madeline) or currently passive (the Moss family and the rest of the zebras).

[Hazuki]

Armoise was exactly where she had last left him; at the moment, he was holding a small colt in his magic and looked to be telling some encouraging joke to a rather young unicorn couple with two foals around the stallion's legs and the mare looking like there was another on the way. Armoise, looking like he was running for mayor of mobsville, glanced up at Viridia's shimmering, slightly glowing form and did very little as the crowd of ponies slowly parted, making a clear path to the unicorn near the big rock and Viridia. Armoise, after a rather quick assessment, swept his hat off his head and took a rather stiff bow. When he looked up, the old stallion's contempt, his sneer, was disquieting.

"So it's like that, eh?" the short, brutish stallion said, voice whimsical; he didn't produce a weapon, not even a pistol, "You'd suppose I'd do well to depart before matters go too far?"

Viridia didn't give Armoise a chance to teleport and immediately lashed out with her lightning-imbued blueblood Blade, intent on taking as many hits as it took.

Spoiler: Actions

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Yep, going for all three of Pretty Awesome and expending a charge on all of them, if that's what it takes, on shots at his horn.

Attack: (1d100)[24] vs one gajillion
Sword damage: (1d10+17)[22]
Lightning damage: (1d10+15)[23] x2

Attack: (1d100)[99] vs one gajillion
Sword damage: (1d10+17)[18]
Lightning damage: (1d10+15)[21] x2

Attack: (1d100)[96] vs one gajillion
Sword damage: (1d10+17)[18]
Lightning damage: (1d10+15)[22] x2

[Dalinale]

Viridia didn't give Armoise a chance to teleport and immediately lashed out with her lightning-imbued blueblood Blade, intent on taking as many hits as it took.

Spoiler: Actions

Show

Yep, going for all three of Pretty Awesome and expending a charge on all of them, if that's what it takes, on shots at his horn.

Attack: [roll0] vs one gajillion
Sword damage: [roll1]
Lightning damage: [roll2] x2

Attack: [roll3] vs one gajillion
Sword damage: [roll4]
Lightning damage: [roll5] x2

Attack: [roll6] vs one gajillion
Sword damage: [roll7]
Lightning damage: [roll8] x2

Viridia heard the screams of the crowd, the discharge of lighting somehow making it seem as if a bolt of lightning had came down from the hole in the ceiling and struck her sword the same time it touched the old stallion's skull, and the crack of horn. It wasn't until when she pulled back for the second swipe that she would've saw that her victim was grinning.

Armoise made a move to catch Viridia by her hair, possibly to jerk her to her knees, until they we nose to nose. His horn was not alight but it was clear from the stallions pugilist stance that he was intending on shaking her down like a dog would shake a rat caught in it's jaws. For a few brief horrible moments, all the focus was on him and from Viridia's perspective the stallion might as well have been wearing a black robe with a necklace of equine skulls jangling on his chest, like some horrible ancient unicorn sorcerer that had, over centuries, assumed the form and countenance of ponykind.

Then Viridia, far too clumsy but with enough force to back up her swing, nicked the stallion's stumpy horn. It shattered like a cheap glass and Armoise hit the floor with a scream of pain that could have very well have shattered glass itself. The illusion of power, if the stallion had any, was gone and it was clear that he wasn't going to be giving any stupid speeches any time soon. Blood and other paler fluids bubbled up from the ruin that was his horn and Armoise seemed keen to cover his shame with his tophat, slightly scorched, before he got up on all fours again. The room was quiet and now smelled deathly of ozone. Nopony moved.

[Forum Explorer]

Moonshadow hurried after Viridia, cursing quietly under her breath. Dammit Virida, give a mare a chance to get in position before you go all lightning blade frenzy on her.

[DigoDragon]

Doc's reply was a booming roar of silence.

That... that's actually a pretty good response all things considered.

Doc continues to keep watch over the occupants, watching the outside for anything. He's hoping that the pegasi would return, unharmed, with a satisfactory conclusion and not badgered with gangers coming out of the hospital. Positive thoughts!

[Forum Explorer]

Moonshadow paused before arriving on the scene. Deciding quickly it would be better to stay unnoticed she decided to just watch for now rather then jumping out to support Viridia.

Spoiler

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Stealth (1d100)[67] vs 96

She managed to catch Virdia's speech and grinned. You don't **** around, do you Viridia? she said to herself as she watched the crowd, preparing to prove Viridia's point if anyone in the crowd decided to try something.

[Dalinale]

Doc continues to keep watch over the occupants, watching the outside for anything.

The giant concrete blocks that counted as the local skyline wasn't particularly interesting and looking inside the bus... well, it sort of hurt to think about, given that he'd have to squeeze into it at some point.

[roll perception]

"If I could be serious for a moment," Viridia said, addressing the entire room "We are not going to tolerate any ****. If you think this was bad," She used her sword to gesture to Armoise. "Take a moment and remember that I'm just one member of our group. I've got a mare who did what I just did, to a robot twice the size of all of you put together. I've got a mare who can disintegrate you before you ever see her coming. I've got a stallion who knows just which part of your spine will paralyze you for life - and can hit it from a hundred paces. I've got a wizard with more talent in the tip of her horn than your boss had in all of what will now be known as his stump. And we've got friends all over Tauronto, from the badass that guards this hospital to the horse that's soon to run this city to a ****ing dragon. So, when I tell you not to go around killing innocent ponies, your answer is going to be 'Yes ma'm!' Got it?"

Viridia got a lot of silent stares from the crowd; some were really just scared, some looked angry, and more than a few really just looked like they wanted the crazy pegasus to leave so they could go back to eating their semi-thawed slop from a can, with the rest being foals or ponies still processing what had just occurred. The couple that Armoise was speaking to just a few seconds ago had pale faced and their colts were hugging their legs, staring at Viridia like she was some sort demon. There really wasn't any noise in the room for few solid seconds except for Armoise's pained, quiet wheezing. Nopony seemed to be biting.

Then a stallion wearing a ratty jacket and a stringy mane, exactly the sort of stallion who looked like he spent half his money on drugs and the other half on beer, raised his hoof.

"So, uh, which horse is that, ma'am?" the stallion asked, sounding like this was actually the first time he had called someone 'ma'm' and was hoping he had got it right (he hadn't).

Moonshadow paused before arriving on the scene. Deciding quickly it would be better to stay unnoticed she decided to just watch for now rather then jumping out to support Viridia.

Spoiler

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Stealth [roll0] vs 96

She managed to catch Virdia's speech and grinned. You don't **** around, do you Viridia? she said to herself as she watched the crowd, preparing to prove Viridia's point if anyone in the crowd decided to try something.

Watching on from her spot right in between where a tattered banner once hung and a cleared-out storage room, Moonshadow could see a small group of earth ponies approach the indoor park from the same hall she was standing in. A big red stallion with a massive iron axe on his back and a red-on-black checkered jacket, a rather normal green stallion with a shaggy blond mane wearing a simple grey hoodie, and a mare wearing a blue tartan scarf with a yellow coat and green mane, stomping down the hall in heavy leather boots. They seemed to be in a involved conversation, with the green stallion sounding cheerful in the face of some rather nasty-sounding retorts from the mare, while the big stallion with the beard continued to march down towards the ruined park.

[DigoDragon]

The giant concrete blocks that counted as the local skyline wasn't particularly interesting and looking inside the bus... well, it sort of hurt to think about, given that he'd have to squeeze into it at some point.

[roll perception]

PER (1d10)[8] v. 7

Doc wasn't particularly fond of so many passengers at once. Everyone is about to know what being a can of sardines is gonna feel like.

[Dalinale]

PER [roll0] v. 7

You know, apparently the sky used to be blue, once, if some of those old murals he had seen back home was any indication, instead of grey. Wonder if ponies before the war wanted ugly grey buildings because everyone around them were multicolored.

Doc wasn't particularly fond of so many passengers at once. Everyone is about to know what being a can of sardines is gonna feel like.

Unfortunately, unless Halva somehow managed to become less of a horizontally inclined individual, the space ollotted for Doc was really just a five-foot cube that Mirror was already currently sitting in.

"You'll find out." Viridia said. "Now, I'll say again: When I tell you not to go around
murdering innocent ponies, what's your answer?"

Spoiler: Speech

Show

Really hate it when I'm made to feel like a complete loser in the one area Viridia is actually meant to be good at. Do I really have to roll every time so you won't do that?

Speech: [roll0] vs a lot

Viridia was quickly met with a flurry of 'No's and 'Nope', and some ponies briefly glanced at each other in apparent confusion before they answered positively as well. One group even looked like they were kow-towing in front of her, even the unicorn who really couldn't bring his forehead to the ground but seemed doing his best.

Spoiler

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Viridia's not talking to gangsters, but a group of literal charity cases of the sort that used to occupy the lobby of the hospital. The tepid reaction with some fear and loathing mixed in is because the ones who know they didn't just witness anything more than a pegasus they'd seen before walk up to the guy who was feeding them are terrified. She'd get a more immediate positive response from the gangsters if she gave the same speech.

[Hazuki]

After cutting of Armoise's horn, Viridia left the room with no further comment and returned to Doc.

[Dalinale]

After cutting of Armoise's horn, Viridia left the room with no further comment and returned to Doc.

Minor issue; the hallway was blocked by some familiar-looking ponies. The big guy with the axe, the youngish mare with the fugly fashion sense, and another stallion wearing a rather nice fuzzy hat. They were Armoise's ponies and while their wasn't a horde of baseball bat-wielding gangsters behind them it was clear that they meant business. The younger stallion and the mare were having a heated conversation but they paused when Viridia entered the hallway. The big stallion, also somewhat taken aback, seemed rather cautious.

Neither of the three said anything, but the mare in the boots sidestepped out of the way for Viridia to pass by quietly. The stallion with the beard and the axe on his back, in comparison, seemed to be looking at her sword. He seemed to have words on his mind but seemed inclined for Viridia to act first.

[DigoDragon]

You know, apparently the sky used to be blue, once, if some of those old murals he had seen back home was any indication, instead of grey. Wonder if ponies before the war wanted ugly grey buildings because everyone around them were multicolored.

Unfortunately, unless Halva somehow managed to become less of a horizontally inclined individual, the space ollotted for Doc was really just a five-foot cube that Mirror was already currently sitting in.

Huh. Doc thought maybe all the paint faded away over the decades, but it could have been an entirely then-current style the city wanted.
Oh darn, having to squeeze in next to Mirror. Such hardship... said Doc never.

Well, maybe the young ones could share a lap if we really need the space, but otherwise there's not much that can be done other than everyone think slim thoughts until the party reaches Cabbage Town.

[Forum Explorer]

Moonshadow took careful aim at the stallion with the ax. First sign of hostility from him and he was getting a face full of lasers.

[Hazuki]

Viridia stepped through the space left by the mare and back to the caravan, hopefully without anybody committing suicide or accidentally snapping a baby's neck.

[Dalinale]

Well, maybe the young ones could share a lap if we really need the space, but otherwise there's not much that can be done other than everyone think slim thoughts until the party reaches Cabbage Town.

Doc saw Viridia emerge from the hospital after about five minutes; no Moonshadow, though.

Viridia stepped through the space left by the mare and back to the caravan, hopefully without anybody committing suicide or accidentally snapping a baby's neck.

Luckily, it appeared that a cleaning robot had passed by through the hall since the last time Viridia had to go down it, so there was no transient drug addicts laying on the floor or any piles of abandoned newborn foals or anything like that.

Anyway, Doc was right outside, looking kind of zoned out, like he was thinking about paint drying or Mirror Armor.

Moonshadow took careful aim at the stallion with the ax. First sign of hostility from him and he was getting a face full of lasers.

Moonshadow saw that the trio waited for Viridia to be at a suitable safe distance before they started talking to each other; the sound of Armoise's muffled screaming was loud and clear and they seemed to be perturbed. They huddled together and began to speak quietly to themselves.

[Moonshadow's about thirty feet away from them. She can sneak away from them without a roll or she roll perception to hear what they're saying.]

[Hazuki]

Anyway, Doc was right outside, looking kind of zoned out, like he was thinking about paint drying or Mirror Armor.

Is there a difference? Viridia thought, as she approached Doc. "All done, nopony's dead, how's that for a slice of fried gold?"

[DigoDragon]

"All done, nopony's dead, how's that for a slice of fried gold?"

Doc tilts his hid slightly to the left. "So... did you just scare him into behaving, or rough him up like Fan suggested?"

[Hazuki]

"I shattered his horn." Viridia shrugged. "I know that Unicorns hate that, so. Seems like a pretty good threat."

[Forum Explorer]

Moonshadow decided against eavesdropping. If they were planning for some immediate revenge, well that was best solved by not being here. If they wanted long term revenge, then they could deal with her robot army first.

She headed by to the bus. Alright, that was fun. Lets get going.

[DigoDragon]

"Hate seems a bit mild, but it is darn effective," Doc says to Viridia. "Well, guess that'll end his career as a fashion model."

When he sees Moonshadow he nods. "Yeah, while the weather holds." Doc will begin the task of squeezing into the bus like a Tetris piece trying to find a spot by Mirror.

[Dalinale]

Is there a difference? Viridia thought, as she approached Doc.

Technically, one's choice of paint can indicate aspects of one's personality if you try and apply color theory to it.

She headed by to the bus. Alright, that was fun. Lets get going.

Moonshadow saw Strawberry dart out from inside the bus and quickly fly up on top of it, stopping just shy of actually touching it. She seemed to be checking the makeshift harnesses attached to the front of it, possibly making sure there was wasn't going to be any problems.

When he sees Moonshadow he nods. "Yeah, while the weather holds." Doc will begin the task of squeezing into the bus like a Tetris piece trying to find a spot by Mirror.

Mirror seemed rather well adjusted for being somewhat wedged in between the large goat-begotten pile of stuff taking up a decent amount of the right side of the bus and Halva, who was currently wearing earmuffs and blinders in a attempt to ignore reality for a while. There was just enough room for him to squeeze through to get to her without poking the horse, and there was about half a elderly chair cushion that Mirror was currently sitting on that looked marginally less hard than the floor of the bus.

[DigoDragon]

Mirror seemed rather well adjusted for being somewhat wedged in between the large goat-begotten pile of stuff taking up a decent amount of the right side of the bus and Halva, who was currently wearing earmuffs and blinders in a attempt to ignore reality for a while. There was just enough room for him to squeeze through to get to her without poking the horse, and there was about half a elderly chair cushion that Mirror was currently sitting on that looked marginally less hard than the floor of the bus.

Cool. Doc will make use of the tiny space he can squeeze through and settle in for the ride. "Alright then, I think we can get going now."

[RCgothic]

the trio waited for Viridia to be at a suitable safe distance before they started talking to each other; the sound of Armoise's muffled screaming was loud and clear and they seemed to be perturbed. They huddled together and began to speak quietly to themselves.

"This is now a gang-free zone," Stellar calls to the trio as she walks casually after Moonshadow. "Anyone we find causing trouble will wish they weren't. So you all behave now!"

[Dalinale]

Cool. Doc will make use of the tiny space he can squeeze through and settle in for the ride. "Alright then, I think we can get going now."

Doc found himself wedged in between a dragon skull, the collection of books and writing materials Halva brought with her, the thin metal wall separating him from the cold, cruel outside, and Mirror Armor. Mirror seemed somewhere between confused and pleasantly surprised, apparently finding the presence of the horse who was occupying most of the space in front of her and the zebras who were now clogging up the front just as interesting as the additional pegasi.

"I have questions." she said, specifically glancing at the now-dozed off Cassidy, who had apparently taken some sleeping pills at some point and was sleeping on three legs, with on simply propping up her head near a window, "I feel as if we are at the bottom of a ship, where they keep captives. What will be done if there is a fire?"

"This is now a gang-free zone," Stellar calls to the trio as she walks casually after Moonshadow. "Anyone we find causing trouble will wish they weren't. So you all behave now!"

Stellar got some odd looks back from the trio; the younger stallion just looked concerned, the young mare looked somewhere between confused and... pleasantly surprised (?) while the big red guy just narrowed his eyes and shook his head.

Anyhow, Strawberry seemed to currently be making sure that the harnesses for the pegasi didn't have any issues, as according to the standards of Strawberry Surprise, noted Dash-addict, while the bus seemed fully loaded and, honestly, probably now needed at least three sets of wings to get off the ground, which presumably meant that it was just a matter of getting another pair hooked up so the metaphorical show could get on the metaphorical road. While it would be funny to just tether the bus to either of the two giant flying robots that were hovering contently up in the air, that would be a project for a different time.

[DigoDragon]

"I feel as if we are at the bottom of a ship, where they keep captives. What will be done if there is a fire?"

"Well if it's small we put it out. If we can't put it out... we both grab onto Choro and she teleports us to safety," Doc says, glancing over where Choro is.