Fallout Equestria: Pie and Predation

[Dalinale]

In short order he gets his group to the stairs with the others.

The stairs were made of stone; they were pre-war, thankfully, and looked perfectly usable. They led further down, where light was far more scarce and where activity might have been even more prevalent than above, hidden by the shade of the makeshift bridges above.

One major problem he immediately faced, though, was the plume of smoke he suddenly saw himself caught within. The acrid, noxious smell of the fumes was foul, and they sickened as much as they obscured.

[roll Endurance.]

Viridi glanced at her immediate surroundings, after having taken some time to contemplate the weird stacked town they found themselves in.

"I think I've got to be the most stylish pony around, right?" Viridia asked, to whoever could hear. "That's got to get me some rep here. Or some muggings. Whichever."

"We've been pretty and we're also rich now, so all we need to do is get famous." River said in a jokey tone, smiling sheepishly as she squinted at the sight of the city, the dim sunlight apparently enough to cause her to wince at what was being reflected by what remained of the glass towers. "Honestly, if we just say we're with Abbas, do you think those guards wouldn't believe us?"

Halva seemed slightly nervous at the turn of the conversation, but went through her bags until she produced a small square bronze badge of sorts that was covered in weird squiggles but was overwhelmingly dominated by the image of what was either a crescent moon or a curved sword of some kind.

"I have a emblem that identifies me as a lawyer." Halva said, causing River to blink a few times and give a baffled glance over towards Moonshadow, as if she needed the word explained, "If anything becomes problematic, I can request direct passage to the embassy. However, with our funds, I do not believe we would need to do so immediately."

[Hazuki]

"We've been pretty and we're also rich now, so all we need to do is get famous." River said in a jokey tone, smiling sheepishly as she squinted at the sight of the city, the dim sunlight apparently enough to cause her to wince at what was being reflected by what remained of the glass towers. "Honestly, if we just say we're with Abbas, do you think those guards wouldn't believe us?"

"I dunno. What I do know is everypony loves this gorgeous face." Viridia waggled a hoof at herself. "I could probably talk them into letting us pass, no problem, but, uh, official means might be a good idea here."

"I have a emblem that identifies me as a lawyer." Halva said, causing River to blink a few times and give a baffled glance over towards Moonshadow, as if she needed the word explained, "If anything becomes problematic, I can request direct passage to the embassy. However, with our funds, I do not believe we would need to do so immediately."

"What's a lawyer?" Viridia asked. "Can I be one?"

[Dalinale]

"I dunno. What I do know is everypony loves this gorgeous face." Viridia waggled a hoof at herself. "I could probably talk them into letting us pass, no problem, but, uh, official means might be a good idea here."

River nodded, apparently reconsidering which horse they should say they were with.

"What's a lawyer?" Viridia asked. "Can I be one?"

The smile Halva gave in response was almost insufferable in it's pure joy.

"The laws of Saddle Arabia are respected most by the water merchants and ponies of the Stable that they are allied with." Halva said, sounding like she'd rub her hooves together in glee if that wouldn't cause her to tip over, "You see, the Stable were designed for a wide variety of inhabitants, but due to a ancient error was populated only by ponies, and the Stable's food and water modules were designed to scale in what they produced for each individual inhabitant on a basis of species and wealth. Due to a technical quirk that had the files related to accessing the luxuries available to the inhabitants in unaltered Arabian, the inhabitants only knew of this feature of their domain until after they opened their Stable to the outside world and lost access to several luxuries that they had come acquainted with. The arrangement is simple; horses and camels and others register themselves as inhabitants of the Stable, giving the ponies within access to wonderful things that were designed in the previous era to cater to Equestria's finest citizens, and in exchange the excess water produced within the Stable is sold to us at a pittance. Due to the nature of the Stable's defenses and systems, however, they are meant to comply mainly with the laws of Saddle Arabia, as according to the Stable's systems, the vast majority of it's inhabitants are horses and camels. Accordingly, individuals trained in the ancient laws and customs of the kingdom are needed. You could very well become one, and I do not believe there are any pegasi who are members; perhaps if you travel there, I could introduce you to the stallion who trained myself?"

Viridia could see River shaking her head slowly at the end of the horse's speech, and looked slightly disturbed as a whole; Viridia might've been reminded of how she looked when she caught wind of one of Livewire's rants.

[Hazuki]

The smile Halva gave in response was almost insufferable in it's pure joy.

"The laws of Saddle Arabia are respected most by the water merchants and ponies of the Stable that they are allied with." Halva said, sounding like she'd rub her hooves together in glee if that wouldn't cause her to tip over, "You see, the Stable were designed for a wide variety of inhabitants, but due to a ancient error was populated only by ponies, and the Stable's food and water modules were designed to scale in what they produced for each individual inhabitant on a basis of species and wealth. Due to a technical quirk that had the files related to accessing the luxuries available to the inhabitants in unaltered Arabian, the inhabitants only knew of this feature of their domain until after they opened their Stable to the outside world and lost access to several luxuries that they had come acquainted with. The arrangement is simple; horses and camels and others register themselves as inhabitants of the Stable, giving the ponies within access to wonderful things that were designed in the previous era to cater to Equestria's finest citizens, and in exchange the excess water produced within the Stable is sold to us at a pittance. Due to the nature of the Stable's defenses and systems, however, they are meant to comply mainly with the laws of Saddle Arabia, as according to the Stable's systems, the vast majority of it's inhabitants are horses and camels. Accordingly, individuals trained in the ancient laws and customs of the kingdom are needed. You could very well become one, and I do not believe there are any pegasi who are members; perhaps if you travel there, I could introduce you to the stallion who trained myself?"

Viridia could see River shaking her head slowly at the end of the horse's speech, and looked slightly disturbed as a whole; Viridia might've been reminded of how she looked when she caught wind of one of Livewire's rants.

"I could. How long would it take? 'Cause I learned how to do lightnig ninjutsu in, like, one afternoon, and that's been really helpful so far." Viridia said, as she rubbed her jaw in a musing manner.

[Dalinale]

"I could. How long would it take? 'Cause I learned how to do lightnig ninjutsu in, like, one afternoon, and that's been really helpful so far." Viridia said, as she rubbed her jaw in a musing manner.

"Well, I began my training when I was six, and I finished when I was twenty five." Halva replied. "First you must read the main principle texts of Arabian law, and must be able to recite the entirety of it's contents. You must then write a dissertation on a subject of your choosing, which then must be judged before a body of peers. If possible, you may then either choose to serve as a representative of a horse with standing and land, or serve the merchants guild. If all the qualifications are met, than you are then allowed to enter the Stable as you choose. However, this is all up to whoever would serve as your adviser and tutor. I am aware of many cases where leniency has been made in the cases of particularly knowledgeable individuals with discretion."

[Hazuki]

"Well, I began my training when I was six, and I finished when I was twenty five." Halva replied. "First you must read the main principle texts of Arabian law, and must be able to recite the entirety of it's contents. You must then write a dissertation on a subject of your choosing, which then must be judged before a body of peers. If possible, you may then either choose to serve as a representative of a horse with standing and land, or serve the merchants guild. If all the qualifications are met, than you are then allowed to enter the Stable as you choose. However, this is all up to whoever would serve as your adviser and tutor. I am aware of many cases where leniency has been made in the cases of particularly knowledgeable individuals with discretion."

"Knowledgeable and discrete?" Viridia asked, as she stretched out her legs in her shining crystal armor. "That's so me!"

[DigoDragon]

Doc quickly backs off from the smoke.

Endurance (1d10)[5] vs. 7

[Forum Explorer]

Viridi glanced at her immediate surroundings, after having taken some time to contemplate the weird stacked town they found themselves in.

"I think I've got to be the most stylish pony around, right?" Viridia asked, to whoever could hear. "That's got to get me some rep here. Or some muggings. Whichever."

Maybe we should go looking for the most important looking ponies around. Scope out Abaas' guests before the meeting. Moonshadow suggested.

[Dalinale]

"Knowledgeable and discrete?" Viridia asked, as she stretched out her legs in her shining crystal armor. "That's so me!"

"I mean, besides how you did that one thing with your wings, I don't think you have any big secrets, right?" River asked, then proceeding to waggle her eyebrows and give Viridia a big cheesy grin.

Halva seemed to be lost as far as what River was implying but otherwise looked as if she was trying to appear supportive to any suggestion anyone was going to make. Madeleine, meanwhile, looked at the horse and seemed like she was considering about a possible career in pre-law.

Maybe we should go looking for the most important looking ponies around. Scope out Abaas' guests before the meeting. Moonshadow suggested.

Halva stiffened slightly, as if the phrase 'Abbas' guests' triggered some instinct in the horse that required her to suddenly lose any ability to be carefree in the slightest, and rather seemed incredibly concerned with the amount of mud on her hooves.

"Did Abbas say anything about talking to the ponies who run this place?" River asked, nodding at Moonshadow's idea but sounding slightly uncertain, "I mean, is this supposed to a secret meeting that nopony knows about, or did he tip off the mayor here and stuff about what's going to happen? I'd just not want to get us in trouble if we say we're with him and we end up getting guns pointed at us and stuff."

Doc quickly backs off from the smoke.

Endurance [roll0] vs. 7

As Doc found himself stepping down the stairs, the source of the deeply offending smoke, some sort of little dinky cart that was made of metal trash can on wheels bustled past him, being pulled by a hurried pair of mules. The smell of burning plastic mixed with something sweet was somewhat familiar to him; it smelled like Dash fumes.

After his eyes were clear, Doc found himself standing at the precipice of a steep descent further into the ruins. Directly below him, perhaps forty feet down in a irregularly-shaped pit that appeared to have sunken into the ground more than simply collapsed, was a hive of activity that undoubtedly involved as many individuals as the markets directly above, although instead of commerce there was labor. Any indication of what the area once served before the bombings had long since been stomped out by thousands of sets of hooves and only the occasional dull ceramic tile still clung to the terrain. Indeed, while dimly lit even with the smattering of sunlight that peeped down from above, the area was alight with various flames; oil lamps, smoking furnaces, and roaring pit fires were all alight and glowing, with some giving off glows that were less than traditional in terms of color. While there was plenty of ponies trying to scamper across some of the remains of the floors above the area that contained the pit, the vast majority of bodies he could see were clustered below.

This light illuminated a place of work; Doc could see teams of ponies adding to some of the great piles of scrap and garbage that were arrayed around the area as some were picking said scrap piles, while coming and going out of of three great pits in the ground arrayed around the edges of the place were teams of scavengers, some wearing heavy, all-enclosing protective gear while others were coming bruised and bloody as they emerged with full saddlebags. Doc could see that there were some organized groups with guns and other gear below, but if they were simply teams or groups making attempts at staking out specific areas of the pit for themselves, it was hard to tell from his current perspective; that was to say nothing of some of the shops and post-war construction that clung to the sides of the walls and served as shelters and bases for makeshift petty groups of scavengers and their probably leaders. One group of ponies with guns were apparently guarding a set of stairs of pre-war construction that apparently led further inside a part of the ruins that had been claimed, while one group of zebras led by a mare with a megaphone was shouting orders about what piece of rubble to place where, and one horse in a simple white outfit that was improbably clean was being given what appeared to be a tour of a squared-off area of the place in one corner of the room that appeared to be reclaimed marble counter tops by a dirty-faced pony stallion in a hazmat suit, helmet off and top section peeled off and flopping around on his back.

There were about a dozen more sights of interest like that, some coming and some going. The low light and the flames that hid more then they revealed served as a constant antagonist in trying to view anything for too long.

Turning to his right, he saw Andante talking to a pony who was standing in front of a literal hole in the wall, no bigger than five feet wide and with about six feet of solid ground and a small plastic mattress sign separating it from just being another odd opening in the ruins. The mare who she was talking to mostly filled up said hole and she glowered down at Andante with distaste, but Andante barked some words at the mare that was barely audible over the dull roar that filled Doc's ears which caused the big mare to retreat and Andante to quickly usher the colts first, and then the rest of group in turn. After they had mostly entered, she flashed a glanced at Doc and motioned towards him and Choro, apparently beckoning them to follow.

[DigoDragon]

'A recycling mine, I guess?' was Doc's thought. Digging out scrap from below seemed to be a big project.

He steps into the passage Andante waves him in, glancing over at her. "Anything I should be concerned about? Seemed like a disagreement just now."

[Dalinale]

He steps into the passage Andante waves him in, glancing over at her. "Anything I should be concerned about? Seemed like a disagreement just now."

Andante's hard frown softened and she gave him a quick nod after he approached.

"It was a simple disagreement on prices." she replied, ""They said they were full, and I said they were not, and quite suddenly they had a unused space."

Andante soon darted inside, and it quickly became apparent that 'unused space' was perhaps a better term than anything else he could've thought of, for indeed he had just entered a semi-reclaimed bit of ruins with a sagging roof and a slight slope to the floor, but he was still standing in what appeared to be the remains of a ancient retail store of some kind and indeed it was mostly full. There were perhaps thirty beds, couches, and simple mats all around the room he found himself in and all were occupied. The air smelled heavily of cigarette smoke. Following Andante was hard until it wasn't; he had to duck a few times as she meandered down a nearby tunnel, turning twice and going up once, until he found himself in a comparatively much nicer room, perhaps a actual pre-war bedroom of some kind, that wasn't occupied by any semi-conscious drug addicts and, indeed, seemed quite clean. The room consisted of six beds and almost nothing else, and it wasn't too noisy and there didn't appear to be any obvious fleas or large stains on any of the sheets. A single dingy yellow overhead lamp illuminated the room.

The legionaries seemed already keen to unload their things, while Mirror looked over at Doc and looked at him with the clear hope that he knew what he and Choro were doing, the chest in tow. Strawberry seemed pleased at the turn of events and was currently bugging her sister, while Northern Light was basically guarding the Moss brothers from Shade, who was standing about two feet away from them. Meanwhile, Andante was suddenly back to talking with the large mare who led them in, apparently discussing what counted as a lease around here. There was another quick exchange, Andante handing over what looked like a single pearl earring, and the big mare nodded and walked out, shutting the flimsy wooden door behind her.

[Forum Explorer]

Halva stiffened slightly, as if the phrase 'Abbas' guests' triggered some instinct in the horse that required her to suddenly lose any ability to be carefree in the slightest, and rather seemed incredibly concerned with the amount of mud on her hooves.

"Did Abbas say anything about talking to the ponies who run this place?" River asked, nodding at Moonshadow's idea but sounding slightly uncertain, "I mean, is this supposed to a secret meeting that nopony knows about, or did he tip off the mayor here and stuff about what's going to happen? I'd just not want to get us in trouble if we say we're with him and we end up getting guns pointed at us and stuff."

Everypony is going to have bodyguards and entourages during the meeting. How secret can it be? Moonshadow asked. As for the mayor, who knows? I don't think Abbas said anything about talking to them specifically.

[DigoDragon]

Doc claims one bed for Mirror, with a secondary purpose of having space under to put thing away since there are no night stands or dressers to utilize. He'll move it over to one side with space enough for sleeping bags and blankets on the floor. Doc gives Mirror an optimistic look. "This'll be temporary. Abbas might find us something a bit more private later."

And that raised a good question. Why are the legionaries still with them? Convenience? Probably convenience.


Once his group's stuff is settled down, Doc will walk over to Andante. "How long a stay did your earring buy us?"

[Hazuki]

Everypony is going to have bodyguards and entourages during the meeting. How secret can it be? Moonshadow asked. As for the mayor, who knows? I don't think Abbas said anything about talking to them specifically.

"I hope we don't get guns pointed at us. But, I should probably make sure I go and grab some lightning before the whole thing starts. Just in case." Viridia said.

[Dalinale]

Everypony is going to have bodyguards and entourages during the meeting. How secret can it be? Moonshadow asked.

River shrugged again.

"I mean, I think ponies are going to notice you guys no matter what." she replied, raising a eyebrow, "But there's a difference between saying we're here to hang out with Abbas and to be with Abbas when he shows up, y'know?"

As for the mayor, who knows? I don't think Abbas said anything about talking to them specifically.

"I hope we don't get guns pointed at us."

"Well, I mean, I knew you guys were hear for Abbas and whatever it is he's doing, but I'm also with you guys, so I'd just want to know, uh, I'd need a all-clear from him to drop his name if I thought that'd help." River said, her cheeks reddening slightly, as if slightly embarrassed, "I mean, he's really rich, and I'd just not want to do anything that'd annoy him, especially because you guys are working for him."

"But, I should probably make sure I go and grab some lightning before the whole thing starts. Just in case."

Viridia said.

It was a rather pleasant day out. To ascent up to the clouds, clung in shining armor and flying upwards in a shaft of soft light, was possibly how pegasi were supposed to live, possibly. Was this what the Enclave was hiding? Waxing about the freedom to fly where one wished under scenic conditions was a thing that had fueled thousands of tomes of pre-war poetry, and Viridia would likely have her own thoughts on the matter.

Frustratingly, however, the field of white puffballs she found herself flying under under seemed remarkably light and fluffy, instead of dark and thundery. And she was looking for good thundery patches.

[Survival rolls to acquire balls of lighting are currently Hard.]

Doc claims one bed for Mirror, with a secondary purpose of having space under to put thing away since there are no night stands or dressers to utilize. He'll move it over to one side with space enough for sleeping bags and blankets on the floor. Doc gives Mirror an optimistic look. "This'll be temporary. Abbas might find us something a bit more private later."

Mirror giggled after a few moments of thought, clearly relieved and somewhat humored after after Doc started bringing out the sleeping bags.

"I have slept on ships in storms and in cold towers, this is fine." Mirror said, pointing up at the mostly-intact roof with a hoof, as if to prove her point.

And that raised a good question. Why are the legionaries still with them? Convenience? Probably convenience.

Caesennia seemed to be the only one who didn't seem intent on settling down on the beds avaliable, with the two ponies apparently picking one for themselves and the zebra colts picking one right next to them. The zebra shaman was just standing still, while Luapula had also basically collapsed on the remaining bed that the side the group had claimed, although it was more like he had just fell on it and didn't seem to actually notice that he wasn't on the floor.

The commander, meanwhile, seemed more than ready to leave; she had produced a small brown saddlebag that was currently hanging at her side and she was currently putting on a red head wrap around her forehead that made her look rather like a very misplaced pirate.

Once his group's stuff is settled down, Doc will walk over to Andante. "How long a stay did your earring buy us?"

Andante was currently fixing her hair, which had suffered slightly from brushing up against the ceiling, and glanced up at Doc as he approached.

"Three days." she replied, "And that anyone trying to find where we are will get rebuffed. I have stayed here before, they'll keep their word within their means." she replied, sounding rather tired, although she seemed more winded than upset at the situation, "In exchange, I assume you will supply food and drink for those here who otherwise will be indisposed for much of our stay. Is there anything you have in mind you wish to do here?"

[DigoDragon]

"I have slept on ships in storms and in cold towers, this is fine." Mirror said, pointing up at the mostly-intact roof with a hoof, as if to prove her point.

Doc nods and accepts that. He was just being kind to offer her one of the few beds around.

"Three days." she replied, "And that anyone trying to find where we are will get rebuffed. I have stayed here before, they'll keep their word within their means." she replied, sounding rather tired, although she seemed more winded than upset at the situation, "In exchange, I assume you will supply food and drink for those here who otherwise will be indisposed for much of our stay. Is there anything you have in mind you wish to do here?"

Doc regards the deal as amicable. "I reckon that's fair. We'll need to exchange some of these items for caps though, and then do some shopping for the food, and Mirror will need some gear. Tonight's the meeting so I haven't long, but I think thse two categories should be reasonably done within my time frame."

[Hazuki]

Frustratingly, however, the field of white puffballs she found herself flying under under seemed remarkably light and fluffy, instead of dark and thundery. And she was looking for good thundery patches.

[Survival rolls to acquire balls of lighting are currently Hard.]

Viridia laughed.

"**** that ****. Anyone know where I can get some cheap and dirty lightning?"

[Dalinale]

Doc nods and accepts that. He was just being kind to offer her one of the few beds around.

Mirror nodded back and proceeded to dust off the beds in front of her with magic, wincing every so often after finding a spot that looked more like burlap than cotton.

Doc regards the deal as amicable. "I reckon that's fair. We'll need to exchange some of these items for caps though, and then do some shopping for the food, and Mirror will need some gear. Tonight's the meeting so I haven't long, but I think thse two categories should be reasonably done within my time frame."

Andante nodded, and then yawned.

"I intend on taking a nap. Do you want Shade to go with you? She's lived here more than I ever did." Andante asked matter-of-factly.

Viridia laughed.

"**** that ****. Anyone know where I can get some cheap and dirty lightning?"

Madeleine smiled happily at Viridia as the pegasus descended, and her horn began to flicker with blue magic, looking somewhat like a faulty lightbulb of some kind. The cyber-unicorn's face fell for a few moments, and she then began to tap the base of her horn a few times, causing River to look away from her with apparent light embarrassment. However, she might have been lucky, because then area was soon thrown in a harsh bluish light, the color of a bruise.

After a few seconds, it became clear that there was a strange cloud hovering about six feet off the ground adjacent to Madeleine; it was pitch-black and the lighting that rippled through played on it's surface in a odd manner, making it look rather like some kind of big weird black stone veined with gold. Madeleine appeared to be very proud, while Halva looked like she was trying not to make any sudden movements. Strands of River's mane were starting to rise up in the air slightly, indicative of quite a bit of static, and she glanced over at Viridia with a worried smile on her face.

"I can make thunderclouds with magic!" Madeleine said, sounding very happy with herself, motioning over towards the ominous cloud like she one of those ponies in pre-war advertisements who were showing off a new car behind a curtain or something, "I don't know how magic works, but my horn does!"

[Survival roll to obtain lighting is Very Easy from the cloud, as the thundercloud doesn't really react to anything unless Madeleine wants to hit something.]

[Forum Explorer]

River shrugged again.

"I mean, I think ponies are going to notice you guys no matter what." she replied, raising a eyebrow, "But there's a difference between saying we're here to hang out with Abbas and to be with Abbas when he shows up, y'know?"




"Well, I mean, I knew you guys were hear for Abbas and whatever it is he's doing, but I'm also with you guys, so I'd just want to know, uh, I'd need a all-clear from him to drop his name if I thought that'd help." River said, her cheeks reddening slightly, as if slightly embarrassed, "I mean, he's really rich, and I'd just not want to do anything that'd annoy him, especially because you guys are working for him."

I see what you mean. Please hold off on that for now. Abbas has his official bodyguards, we are a trump card in case everything goes horribly wrong.

[DigoDragon]

Mirror nodded back and proceeded to dust off the beds in front of her with magic, wincing every so often after finding a spot that looked more like burlap than cotton.

Andante nodded, and then yawned. "I intend on taking a nap. Do you want Shade to go with you? She's lived here more than I ever did." Andante asked matter-of-factly.

"That would be nice of her, so we don't find ourselves in circles. Let me take a couple things to exchange for caps and we'll be back with some food." Doc will go into his bags for his gold bars.

"Mirror, coming along? We can get you outfitted in something nice here. The markets up there look like they'll have plenty to pick from."

[Inspector Valin]

Choro is... standing in the corner still a little stunned. That... had been a lot of ponies. Far, far more than the former Stablemare is used to dealing with. She's been in settlements before but none quite this crowded. A little reluctantly the tiny mage moves to join Doc. "Do you mind me coming along?" She blushes a little, "I should probably try and get used to this place, at least a little bit."

[DigoDragon]

"Not at all, C. You're always welcome to join in," Doc answers with a smile.

[Dalinale]

I see what you mean. Please hold off on that for now. Abbas has his official bodyguards, we are a trump card in case everything goes horribly wrong.

River nodded, clearly satisfied that she could simply discard the issue and worry about other things, like her possible electrocution.

"That would be nice of her, so we don't find ourselves in circles. Let me take a couple things to exchange for caps and we'll be back with some food." Doc will go into his bags for his gold bars.

Andante nodded, and walked over towards Shade. The two exchanged some quiet words, Andante handed the other earth pony a small pouch, and the black-clad earth pony quickly raised the hood on her new robes as Andante headed for one of the free beds and seemed intent on collapsing head-first into a pillow and the sheet that had been laid out on top of it.

"Mirror, coming along? We can get you outfitted in something nice here. The markets up there look like they'll have plenty to pick from."

Mirror already seemed like she was ready to leave, given how she was tapping her hooves on the floor and was giving the occasional glance at Caesennia and Shade, possibly due to the unlikely duo not having any bags on them. Caesennia had a knife strapped to her right leg at the shoulder and a small pouch tied around her neck and nothing else, apparently keen on not looking particularly like a military officer and more like a merc; meanwhile, Shade, clad in rough, faded robes and with much of her upper part of her face being hidden by her cowl, somehow looked more like a walking cliche of what a evil pony looked like than the actual ghoul necromancer a few feet away.

Meanwhile, Strawberry looked like she was already going crazy from being a few feet underground and while she wasn't bouncing off the walls she still hadn't really settled down to the ground yet and looked like she'd be ready to bolt out at the slightest possible opportunity. Her sister, meanwhile, was currently taking off her cast and flexing her right wing, which was clearly mostly healed, if not fully, with only a few feathers out of place to indicate any previous problems. Northern Light were helping the Moss brothers prep their beds while giving the occasional grumble after looking at Andante. The legionaries seemed to intend to crash, and Luapula seemed mostly calm and was currently staring at the dim light that illuminated the room.

Choro is... standing in the corner still a little stunned. That... had been a lot of ponies. Far, far more than the former Stablemare is used to dealing with. She's been in settlements before but none quite this crowded. A little reluctantly the tiny mage moves to join Doc. "Do you mind me coming along?" She blushes a little, "I should probably try and get used to this place, at least a little bit."

Around from behind Doc's shoulders, Choro could see Strata, still clad in concealing rags, giving her a big smile and was making silly motions in the air with her legs in a clear and very obvious attempt to cheer her up.

[Hazuki]

"I can make thunderclouds with magic!" Madeleine said, sounding very happy with herself, motioning over towards the ominous cloud like she one of those ponies in pre-war advertisements who were showing off a new car behind a curtain or something, "I don't know how magic works, but my horn does!"

[Survival roll to obtain lighting is Very Easy from the cloud, as the thundercloud doesn't really react to anything unless Madeleine wants to hit something.]

"Sweet. Sure hope this cyborg lightning doesn't mess with my weather magic. But, uh, anyone who doesn't want to get shocked might wanna stand back, 'cause I'm still not perfect at this." She said, as she pulled on her Crunchmunch hoodie to grab some of that sweet, sweet superheated plasma.

Spoiler: Rolls

Show

(1d100)[87] vs 79
(1d100)[97] vs 79

(1d100)[73] vs 79
(1d100)[93] vs 79

(1d100)[57] vs 79
(1d100)[58] vs 79

(1d100)[59] vs 79
(1d100)[60] vs 79

(1d100)[61] vs 79
(1d100)[27] vs 79

[DigoDragon]

With Mirror and Choro on board, Doc nods over to Shade. "We're ready to go," he says to her.

Doc looks around the room, then whispers to Mirror, "By the way, any further thought about hiring the pegasus sisters as body guards? Once I exchange some of this for money, we have the ability to do stuff like hire guards for a few days."

[Dalinale]

"Sweet. Sure hope this cyborg lightning doesn't mess with my weather magic. But, uh, anyone who doesn't want to get shocked might wanna stand back, 'cause I'm still not perfect at this." She said, as she pulled on her Crunchmunch hoodie to grab some of that sweet, sweet superheated plasma.

Spoiler: Rolls

Show

[roll0] vs 79
[roll1] vs 79

[roll2] vs 79
[roll3] vs 79

[roll4] vs 79
[roll5] vs 79

[roll6] vs 79
[roll7] vs 79

[roll8] vs 79
[roll9] vs 79

The hoodie, even over her armor, had a felt-like interior which was still soft even after the centuries, so even though the conspicuous face of the mascot was on the hood it was disarmingly comfortable, When she put it on, the thought of snuggling up with someone on a couch and getting fast food for dinner so she could watch movies all night passed her mind for some reason; the hoodie was also amazingly roomy while still maintaining it's shape, which helped in putting it on over the armor. Madeleine didn't seem to notice the branded apparel, or if she did she didn't comment, but River did and seemed to find it interesting, or at least she was staring at Viridia's back while Viridia did her magic.

Meanwhile, more importantly, picking balls of lightning off the magic cloud was surprisingly like picking fruits off a bush; the cloud was amazingly dense and clusters of lightning came off into her hooves with surprising ease. There were some dudes, but they were few.

Then she accidentally brushed her leg straight into the cloud, up to the knee, which caused every single hair on her body to stand straight up and her armor to make a high-pitched whining noise that sounded like a giant tuning fork, but that's when it vanished in a puff of magic. Madeleine was looking up at her with a worried smile on her face, while River sighed with clear relief. Halva was still staring at Viridia, or the balls of lighting that were clinging to her.

With Mirror and Choro on board, Doc nods over to Shade. "We're ready to go," he says to her.

Shade gave the barest of nods, and slowly opened the wooden door, which creaked ominously now even though it certainly didn't do that earlier.

Doc looks around the room, then whispers to Mirror, "By the way, any further thought about hiring the pegasus sisters as body guards? Once I exchange some of this for money, we have the ability to do stuff like hire guards for a few days."

"The pink one is funny." Mirror said after tilting her head towards him from the side, looking up briefly at Strawberry, who was gliding overhead for some unholy reason with her arms crossed in front of her and muttering to herself, "Her sister should be here and keep guard."

[DigoDragon]

"The pink one is funny." Mirror said after tilting her head towards him from the side, looking up briefly at Strawberry, who was gliding overhead for some unholy reason with her arms crossed in front of her and muttering to herself, "Her sister should be here and keep guard."

Doc nods in agreement. "Yeah, I think so too. I'll need to negotiate pay with them when we get back."

With Mirror and Choro, Doc move to follow Shade.

[Inspector Valin]

Around from behind Doc's shoulders, Choro could see Strata, still clad in concealing rags, giving her a big smile and was making silly motions in the air with her legs in a clear and very obvious attempt to cheer her up.

"Professor..." Choro doesn't know quite what to say to that, but there's a growing smile on her face. That helped. Whatever she ends up doing here, it'll be nice to be able to spend some time with Strata.

First though, she should probably be assisting Doc. It'll be another chance to take a look at the market without panicking. A bit more confident now, Choro moves to follow Doc and anyone else joining him on the shopping trip.

[Hazuki]

Then she accidentally brushed her leg straight into the cloud, up to the knee, which caused every single hair on her body to stand straight up and her armor to make a high-pitched whining noise that sounded like a giant tuning fork, but that's when it vanished in a puff of magic. Madeleine was looking up at her with a worried smile on her face, while River sighed with clear relief. Halva was still staring at Viridia, or the balls of lighting that were clinging to her.

Viridia breathed as she let the lightning slip into her fur and then into her hair, the crackling dimming and dimming until barely a few crackles could be spotted if one stared, you know, like that one episode of Dragon Ball Z? It was after they went into the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, or Room of Spirit and Time if you wanted to use the original, I think the first time, but it might have been the second, because they went in a few times, anyway, Goku, or maybe it was Gohan, but it could have been Vegeta, maybe? It wasn't Trunks, they definitely had black hair to start with, and his is pink, but it's blue sometimes, that's actually because they changed Bulma's hair color between translations and they didn't do it for Trunks, until Dragon Ball Super, where he does have blue hair. Anyway, like that.

"Thanks." Viridia said to Madeleine, as she quickly removed the hoodie stuck her tongue out. "That thing's way too creepy. Feels like a thousand years of consumerism rubbed off on it."

[Forum Explorer]

Viridia breathed as she let the lightning slip into her fur and then into her hair, the crackling dimming and dimming until barely a few crackles could be spotted if one stared, you know, like that one episode of Dragon Ball Z? It was after they went into the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, or Room of Spirit and Time if you wanted to use the original, I think the first time, but it might have been the second, because they went in a few times, anyway, Goku, or maybe it was Gohan, but it could have been Vegeta, maybe? It wasn't Trunks, they definitely had black hair to start with, and his is pink, but it's blue sometimes, that's actually because they changed Bulma's hair color between translations and they didn't do it for Trunks, until Dragon Ball Super, where he does have blue hair. Anyway, like that.

"Thanks." Viridia said to Madeleine, as she quickly removed the hoodie stuck her tongue out. "That thing's way too creepy. Feels like a thousand years of consumerism rubbed off on it."

So now that you're charged up, where should we check out first? Moonshadow asked.