Fallout Equestria: Pie and Predation

[Dalinale]

"I agree, safety is important," Doc stated. "That's part of why I don't mean any offense when I say let me talk it over with my friend and i'll get back to you. We only just met and I don't want any misunderstandings with anyone."

Loose Change might've smirked, although it was kind of hard to tell; too much hair in the way, and his teeth were about the same shade of brown as his beard.

"Give me some time and I'll get back to you with our answer, alright?" he asked politely. "And if you'll excuse us, we got some business to finish before the afternoon's done."

"Okay, alright," Loose Change said, his comrades already moving towards the crowd of moving pedestrians, at least one looking somewhat sullen, "Hope business goes well, I'll keep a eye out for you, I'm here until midnight."

The stumpy stallion shuffled off into the teaming masses, who parted for him like some sort of hobo-prophet able to clear rooms at will. Soon, Doc was just looking at Mirror.

"A normal unicorn!" Mirror said with a mix a disbelief and amusement in her voice, pointing over vaguely towards the crowd, "I did not think there were any here! We should find the zebra and tell her the good news."

Right, I suppose we should talk about the gangs. When and where are we meeting them? Moonshadow asked.

Abbas smiled wryly at the same time Avenida looked weirdly offended, and started drinking from the margarita pitcher in apparent frustration as the other horse began to speak.

"Azalea and her group arrived here a few minutes before I did; I was awaiting reinforcements before I decided to go see her." Abbas said, "She's currently renting a series of rooms in the northern tower, the one that houses the Empire of Love in it's lower floors. She's the most important of the visiting dignitaries due to the size of the organization she represents, and I'd prefer to have all of you meet her and her associates face-to-face. The rest, I imagine, will be here before dark, but they will be coming to me, and to a extent us."

"Who's she?" River asked.

"She's one of the heads of the Ash Vile slaver ring. It is a moderately sized organization based from the mountain town of Ashville, which was notable before the war only because of it's large prison and a few large mines. The organization has about a hundred members from guards to auctioneers, but they control several farms and plantations and oversee the lives of more than three hundred ponies at any one time. They are directly responsible for the vast majority of the slave raids that set out into the more remote parts of southern Equestria for the purpose of supplying buyers ponies who have no ties to the lands they end up. They've only operated in a large scale for a decade or so, but the state of affairs they have has existed for at least a century." Abbas said, apparently making a determined attempt to not mince words; Abbas's words seemed to touch a raw nerve of dismay in River, "Azalea has enough power within the organization to be able to leave it for a month and return and not expect anything out of place. Take that into consideration when you meet her."

[DigoDragon]

and his teeth were about the same shade of brown as his beard.

Soon, Doc was just looking at Mirror.

"A normal unicorn!" Mirror said with a mix a disbelief and amusement in her voice, pointing over vaguely towards the crowd, "I did not think there were any here! We should find the zebra and tell her the good news."

"I know! I'm surprised too," Doc said in agreement. "He wasn't a guild unicorn with weird growths or creepy beady eyes and an evil name. Let's get back to the bank; our zebra might be waiting for us there and we need to buy some food for Andante before we can go do Abbas' job and have a little fun for ourselves." Doc will lead the way back to the bank.

[Forum Explorer]

Abbas smiled wryly at the same time Avenida looked weirdly offended, and started drinking from the margarita pitcher in apparent frustration as the other horse began to speak.

"Azalea and her group arrived here a few minutes before I did; I was awaiting reinforcements before I decided to go see her." Abbas said, "She's currently renting a series of rooms in the northern tower, the one that houses the Empire of Love in it's lower floors. She's the most important of the visiting dignitaries due to the size of the organization she represents, and I'd prefer to have all of you meet her and her associates face-to-face. The rest, I imagine, will be here before dark, but they will be coming to me, and to a extent us."

"Who's she?" River asked.

"She's one of the heads of the Ash Vile slaver ring. It is a moderately sized organization based from the mountain town of Ashville, which was notable before the war only because of it's large prison and a few large mines. The organization has about a hundred members from guards to auctioneers, but they control several farms and plantations and oversee the lives of more than three hundred ponies at any one time. They are directly responsible for the vast majority of the slave raids that set out into the more remote parts of southern Equestria for the purpose of supplying buyers ponies who have no ties to the lands they end up. They've only operated in a large scale for a decade or so, but the state of affairs they have has existed for at least a century." Abbas said, apparently making a determined attempt to not mince words; Abbas's words seemed to touch a raw nerve of dismay in River, "Azalea has enough power within the organization to be able to leave it for a month and return and not expect anything out of place. Take that into consideration when you meet her."

Does that mean most of her slaves are ordinary ponies? Moonshadow asked, frowning.

[Dalinale]

"I know! I'm surprised too," Doc said in agreement. "He wasn't a guild unicorn with weird growths or creepy beady eyes and an evil name. Let's get back to the bank; our zebra might be waiting for us there and we need to buy some food for Andante before we can go do Abbas' job and have a little fun for ourselves." Doc will lead the way back to the bank.

Doc might've remembered a old wartime poster that was plastered up on the side of a Manehattan skyscraper that said that 'Zebras stand together to hide their numbers; always report gatherings that may have five or more' and the rest was a abstract-looking mess of white with black stripes and the occasional evil-looking yellow eye; just one of those stupid things left over from the old world.

Doc might've been reminded of this when he looked at the entrance to the bank; the griffons were gone and instead there was a crowd of at least twenty zebras, some clothed and some not, with no sign of the guards who were stationed outside before. There was some sort of commotion occurring inside the bank, something that was exciting enough that the zebra crowd was chattering away and letting out the occasional cheer, but it was already hard enough to see what was going on without a wall of stripes in front of him.

(Suggesting Agility to work his way through the crowd or Perception to tell what's going on.)

Does that mean most of her slaves are ordinary ponies? Moonshadow asked, frowning.

"Quite so." Abbas said, nodding gravely, "They are a relatively mundane and organized group, and they have no real rivals in the region. Most of the small mountain settlements nearby either ignore or trade with them out of necessity, simply because they have access to one of the few untainted wells in the region, and they recruit from local stock. At most, you could say that Azalea's one of the few with any real pretensions of being more than a slaving ring that operates out of a fortified prison complex; she likes to consider herself civilized."

Avenida stuck her tongue out at Abbas while glaring at him. River Moss looked like she wanted a shotgun.

[DigoDragon]

(Suggesting Agility to work his way through the crowd or Perception to tell what's going on.)

"Oh what now?" Doc tries to get through the crowd for a closer look.

Agility (1d10)[9] vs. 8


Alright then. Seems the crowd was too dense to get through and too rowdy to figure out what was going on. However, Doc was undeterred by this. He stopped and pondered alternative options. Think "outside the box"... he glanced over at Mirror and that was when an idea crossed his mind.

"Sweetie, would be able to levitate me with your magic? Just a head higher than the crowd so that I can see what's going on?"

[Dalinale]

"Oh what now?" Doc tries to get through the crowd for a closer look.

The zebras who noticed Doc weren't rude, but it was basically impossible to tell what was going on past them.

Alright then. Seems the crowd was too dense to get through and too rowdy to figure out what was going on. However, Doc was undeterred by this. He stopped and pondered alternative options. Think "outside the box"... he glanced over at Mirror and that was when an idea crossed his mind.

"Sweetie, would be able to levitate me with your magic? Just a head higher than the crowd so that I can see what's going on?"

Mirror blinked, and let out a little giggle. Doc quickly found himself wrapped up in pinkish energy and began to slowly float upwards in the air; some bystanders stared, but most didn't seem to either notice or care.

Anyhow, the scene inside the shop was... well.

There was a enormous bipedal monster inside; it had a heavily muscled torso draped in a similarly huge leather jacket covered in metal studs, thick arms covered in fine fur sporting large hands hidden by what appeared to be leather gloves with brass studs weaved into them, while it's legs were comparatively short and shaggy but undeniably strong looking and were tipped with small sharp hooves. It's head was bovine, with great jutting ivory horns that curled upwards from it's forehead, but it was simply too tall for Doc to see it's face clearly due to the bad lighting. Lines of red and sea-green criss-crossed what was visible of it's ebony-colored flesh and hair, appearing to be tattoos of some sort instead of natural markings. Written on the back of the creature's leather jacket was the phrase 'Obstacle Eliminator' in rather lettering framed by faded cloth patches and metal spikes. A few feet away from the scene, the rather unfortunate sight of a crumpled griffon was shoved into one of the display cases. Griffon beaks were hard as far as materials go; Doc could see that the griffon guard from before was now missing most of his beak, as if it had been bashed in in a single grotesque sign of strength. The poor bastard was either unconscious or dead; wings really weren't supposed to bend that way, either.

The only other people still left in the store were Lein and Bullion Cord. Lein was pointing what looked like a little industrial ripper-chainsaw attached to a metal pole a hair's breath away from the minotaur's chest; Bullion Cord had a similar ripper spear pointed at the back of the creature's head. The minotaur was standing quite still, but it's horns were still making gouges in the roof of the shop and it's hands were curled into fists that looked like the most dangerous weapons in the area. Most of the zebras looked like they were rapidly making room away from the shop, some turning around outright and others backing up more slowly.

The creature shifted it's head slightly towards Doc, and he Doc could see a single dull orange eye lock on his face.

[DigoDragon]

The creature shifted it's head slightly towards Doc, and he Doc could see a single dull orange eye lock on his face.

Doc tilted his head a bit to one side. His facial expression was inquisitive. Was this creature familiar to him? The eyes? No, doubtful they were... right? Well, this creature was quite intimidating in any case. Doc wouldn't want to get on their bad side on even the best of days. The zebras were parting. Or departing. Dispersal?

He looked down to Mirror and motioned to bring him back down. "Looks like a one-sided fight happened. A minotaur destroyed a griffon in there; broken beak and wings. I can't tell why they fought, but no one wants to challenge the minotaur now."

[Forum Explorer]

"Quite so." Abbas said, nodding gravely, "They are a relatively mundane and organized group, and they have no real rivals in the region. Most of the small mountain settlements nearby either ignore or trade with them out of necessity, simply because they have access to one of the few untainted wells in the region, and they recruit from local stock. At most, you could say that Azalea's one of the few with any real pretensions of being more than a slaving ring that operates out of a fortified prison complex; she likes to consider herself civilized."

Avenida stuck her tongue out at Abbas while glaring at him. River Moss looked like she wanted a shotgun.

Tch. Moonshadow clicked her teeth. I wonder if I could buy all her slaves and then steal my money back. she said.

[Dalinale]

Doc tilted his head a bit to one side. His facial expression was inquisitive. Was this creature familiar to him? The eyes? No, doubtful they were... right? Well, this creature was quite intimidating in any case. Doc wouldn't want to get on their bad side on even the best of days. The zebras were parting. Or departing. Dispersal?

He looked down to Mirror and motioned to bring him back down. "Looks like a one-sided fight happened. A minotaur destroyed a griffon in there; broken beak and wings. I can't tell why they fought, but no one wants to challenge the minotaur now."

Mirror seemed moderately disturbed at the parting of the zebra sea and only seemed to recognize what Doc was saying after she had totally lowered him down. She looked puzzled by his response, but then she looked past him again and made a sound that, rather remarkably, sounding like 'meep'. Her eyes were really quite wide.

Most of the zebras had managed to get to the sidelines now. The minotaur was still staring at Doc, and he began to flex his hands in apparent anticipation. Both of the spear-wielding money cult ponies were standing stock still, while steam billowed out of the minotaur's nostrils.

Tch. Moonshadow clicked her teeth. I wonder if I could buy all her slaves and then steal my money back. she said.

"Quite a good idea," Abbas replied, "Although I imagine she'd try and find some ponies to 'keep' if she found herself running low, as it were."

"This event you organized has already turned into a mess," Avenida said, giving Abbas a skeptical side-eye that could only be pulled off by someone with eyes on the sides of their head, "she and her party demanded food on their arrival and right now they're working through a pork roast that was supposed to be reserved for the Minister of Labor along with three bottles of chilled vodka from the city's cellars for breakfast. That's coming out of your pocket, Abbas, I have never met ponies with a higher tolerance for alcohol in my life, and I had to arrange it so no donkeys or zebras were in the serving staff today, do you know how unpleasant that is? There will be deaths before this is over."

"They're evil, Avendia," Abbas said dryly, "At least they didn't want mutton."

Avendia just looked annoyed as she sipped at her party-sized margarita.

[Forum Explorer]

"Quite a good idea," Abbas replied, "Although I imagine she'd try and find some ponies to 'keep' if she found herself running low, as it were."

"This event you organized has already turned into a mess," Avenida said, giving Abbas a skeptical side-eye that could only be pulled off by someone with eyes on the sides of their head, "she and her party demanded food on their arrival and right now they're working through a pork roast that was supposed to be reserved for the Minister of Labor along with three bottles of chilled vodka straight from the city's cellars for breakfast. That's coming out of your pocket, Abbas, I have never met ponies with a higher tolerance for alcohol in my life, and I had to arrange it so no donkeys or zebras were in the serving staff today, do you know how unpleasant that is? There will be deaths before this is over."

"They're evil, Avendia," Abbas said dryly, "At least they didn't want mutton."

Avendia just looked annoyed as she sipped at her party-sized margarita.

Ugh, good point. Once a slaver sells their 'product', they'll naturally try and get more. Moonshadow said, with disgust. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if she kidnaps a few ponies on her way out, regardless of how the meeting ends.

[DigoDragon]

Most of the zebras had managed to get to the sidelines now. The minotaur was still staring at Doc, and he began to flex his hands in apparent anticipation. Both of the spear-wielding money cult ponies were standing stock still, while steam billowed out of the minotaur's nostrils.

"Well that's an intimidating sight," Doc whispered.


He held up a hoof and waved it in Lein's direction. "Evening, Lein. I came to pick up the account papers. Um, but if you're busy I could wait." He didn't want to approach with that massive minotaur staring him down.

[Hazuki]

Ugh, good point. Once a slaver sells their 'product', they'll naturally try and get more. Moonshadow said, with disgust. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if she kidnaps a few ponies on her way out, regardless of how the meeting ends.

"I don't suppose a very pretty pony would be able to convince her to not do that?" Viridia asked. It was a long shot, but she is a very pretty pony.

[Dalinale]

Ugh, good point. Once a slaver sells their 'product', they'll naturally try and get more. Moonshadow said, with disgust. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if she kidnaps a few ponies on her way out, regardless of how the meeting ends.

"I don't suppose a very pretty pony would be able to convince her to not do that?" Viridia asked. It was a long shot, but she is a very pretty pony.

"If you can get her talking, I'd leave that to you," Abbas said, which got a raised brow from Avenida, "however, I'd rather play her off against the other guests; you'll understand when you see her. Speaking of that, shall we cut this short and head over there? The worm wizard ruined my appetite, I'll arrange for a private affair to make up for this."

River was already scooting off the table, looking like she would've said something if she wasn't in the middle of managing the roughly half pound of leafy vegetables in her mouth like a chipmunk.

"Well that's an intimidating sight," Doc whispered.


He held up a hoof and waved it in Lein's direction. "Evening, Lein. I came to pick up the account papers. Um, but if you're busy I could wait." He didn't want to approach with that massive minotaur staring him down.

"I believe he's here for you." Lein replied, his voice strained and his one eye narrowed on him and very slowly lifting his ripper-tipped spear away from the monster. Bullion Cord did the same, albeit while stepping away from the minotaur.

Meanwhile, the creature shifted it's legs until it was fully turned towards Doc. The frontal view made the creature's shear bulk and wide shoulders look like some unknown few drops of blood dripped from it's right fist. It's eyes glinted in the dull light.

"You are not perspective, pony." the minotaur rumbled, it's voice rumbling out from it's body like thunder, pointing at Doc with one finger before settling into crossing it's huge arms across it's chest, "I am here for you and I will not leave empty handed. You may make your insipid transaction and pass it on to your friend, but then you and the priestess will come with me."

[DigoDragon]

"You are not perspective, pony." the minotaur rumbled, it's voice rumbling out from it's body like thunder, pointing at Doc with one finger before settling into crossing it's huge arms across it's chest, "I am here for you and I will not leave empty handed. You may make your insipid transaction and pass it on to your friend, but then you and the priestess will come with me."

"Well, I had a feeling you weren't staring at me just 'cause you didn't like my hat," Doc said. He Glanced at Mirror, then the remaining zebras. "The priestess and I? May I know who's attention we have that demands my presence so... compellingly?"

Wait, which priestess was he referring to? Shade? Doc was a little confused at the minotaur's request, because someone must of been watching if they wanted Shade and him... and that was a weird combo request. Where was Shade anyway? Doc wasn't in a good position to put up a fight over it at the moment. He doubted the zebras would come to his aid and heck if he knew where the other companions of his flew off to. It be just him and Mirror against two tons of muscle.

[Dalinale]

"Well, I had a feeling you weren't staring at me just 'cause you didn't like my hat," Doc said. He Glanced at Mirror, then the remaining zebras. "The priestess and I? May I know who's attention we have that demands my presence so... compellingly?"

Wait, which priestess was he referring to? Shade? Doc was a little confused at the minotaur's request, because someone must of been watching if they wanted Shade and him... and that was a weird combo request. Where was Shade anyway? Doc wasn't in a good position to put up a fight over it at the moment. He doubted the zebras would come to his aid and heck if he knew where the other companions of his flew off to. It be just him and Mirror against two tons of muscle.

The zebras around Doc didn't look like fighters at all; some had knives and some had small guns, yeah, but he didn't seem to be surrounded by a rowdy gang or prospective allies, either. Half were looking at him and half were looking at the minotaur in morbid fascination. Mirror, meanwhile, seemed like she wanted to scram.

"The Northern Legion." the minotaur said as he took a single step forward while looking downwards at Doc; Lien didn't so much as move a muscle and continued to glare at Doc with one eye, "You were the cyborg traveling with the decanus Caesennia Victricia Variala Vatia, correct? And the priestess of Nightmare Moon is inside the bank? If you fetch her, I will allow you and your partner to leave unharmed, along with your money."

[DigoDragon]

"The Northern Legion." the minotaur said as he took a single step forward while looking downwards at Doc; Lien didn't so much as move a muscle and continued to glare at Doc with one eye, "You were the cyborg traveling with the decanus Caesennia Victricia Variala Vatia, correct? And the priestess of Nightmare Moon is inside the bank? If you fetch her, I will allow you and your partner to leave unharmed, along with your money."

"You're an oddly trusting minotaur, letting me go off to fetch the priestess," Doc replied. An idea was working together in his head. "Sides, she's probably hiding well in the shadows of those big piles of money, right Bullion?"

Doc turns to the bank cultist and gives a single nod. "I wouldn't know which one, but it's your bank. Maybe you ought to escort the minotaur in and let him grab her out of that cash pile? The priestess isn't going to listen to me and come out willingly. I'll follow you, I won't run off."


His plan was to lure the minotaur into one of those mimic nests. He was hoping that Bullion would get the same idea.

[Forum Explorer]

"If you can get her talking, I'd leave that to you," Abbas said, which got a raised brow from Avenida, "however, I'd rather play her off against the other guests; you'll understand when you see her. Speaking of that, shall we cut this short and head over there? The worm wizard ruined my appetite, I'll arrange for a private affair to make up for this."

River was already scooting off the table, looking like she would've said something if she wasn't in the middle of managing the roughly half pound of leafy vegetables in her mouth like a chipmunk.

Sure. Talking about slaves ruins my appetite as well. Moonshadow said, standing up.

[Dalinale]

"You're an oddly trusting minotaur, letting me go off to fetch the priestess," Doc replied. An idea was working together in his head. "Sides, she's probably hiding well in the shadows of those big piles of money, right Bullion?"

Bullion Cord's eyes narrowed and she gave a quick glance up at the shaggy giant before her; the minotaur, meanwhile, seemed to be looking at her bald head with his beady little eyes while flexing his hands.

Doc turns to the bank cultist and gives a single nod. "I wouldn't know which one, but it's your bank. Maybe you ought to escort the minotaur in and let him grab her out of that cash pile? The priestess isn't going to listen to me and come out willingly. I'll follow you, I won't run off."

"A good idea." Bullion Cord said while nodding.

"I am not here for you, pony, I am here for the priestess." the minotaur repeated after turning his huge head towards his, apparently just up and ignoring Bullion Cord's answer, "I was simply told you were with her. Do you have some kind of loyalty to her? If you flee with her, then I will chase you, and that will be your death warrant. Go and get her, or I will break the bald one's neck."

The minotaur gestured over towards where the ruined griffon was still laying; his movement caused a echo twitching flesh, his muscles obscenely rippling with just the slightest movement. Bullion Cord didn't move whatsoever, even as one of the minotaur's gloved hand nearly touched her face.

Sure. Talking about slaves ruins my appetite as well. Moonshadow said, standing up.

Abbas stood up and walked around the table, seemingly keen on not appearing to be in a hurry.

[DigoDragon]

"I was simply told you were with her. Do you have some kind of loyalty to her? If you flee with her, then I will chase you, and that will be your death warrant. Go and get her, or I will break the bald one's neck."

Doc took a step forward. Now concern was upon his brow. "Well now hold on just a minute! There's no need to threaten that mare's life," he said to the minotaur.

"I have no loyalty to the priestess. I don't really know her all that much past aquatinted. All I'm trying to say is that she'd have no reason to come out just because I ask her to. If you're insistant, alright I'll talk to her, but you probably be able to intimidate her better than anyone else out here. Know what I'm saying?"

Ooc:
I'm guessing I need Speech to convince him?
(1d100)[37] (I think Doc's skill is 50 or 55)

[Forum Explorer]

Lead the way, Moonshadow said.

[Hazuki]

Viridia glanced at the departing group, knowing that she had to go with them to lend her silver tongue, then at River. "I'm gonna guess you don't want to be in the slaver talks. Do you wanna stick around here with Stellar or...?"

[Dalinale]

Doc took a step forward. Now concern was upon his brow. "Well now hold on just a minute! There's no need to threaten that mare's life," he said to the minotaur.

"I have no loyalty to the priestess. I don't really know her all that much past aquatinted. All I'm trying to say is that she'd have no reason to come out just because I ask her to. If you're insistant, alright I'll talk to her, but you probably be able to intimidate her better than anyone else out here. Know what I'm saying?"

Ooc:
I'm guessing I need Speech to convince him?
[roll0] (I think Doc's skill is 50 or 55)

The minotaur squinted down at Doc, steam erupting from it's nostrils as it breathed.

Silently, it turned around and faced the door at the end of the shop; it crouched down nearly to it's knees in order to fit inside, although it's horns scraped the steel frame as it passed through, causing sparks to fly, and seemed to have closed it behind him with a incredibly gentle push of a palm, as if int

A few moments of silence passed. Lien, looking increasing redder by the second, just glared at Doc with a single watery eye. Bullion Cord, meanwhile, was staring at the door, as if considering her options. The crowd of zebras behind him has mostly departed. Mirror put a hoof on his shoulder, as if intent on keeping him from going forward.

Lead the way, Moonshadow said.

Abbas ventured forward at a decent pace, out of the busy market square and towards a 'lane' that seemed to lead right down the center of the most makeshift of the cramped roof settlements. Wood cannibalized from long-rotten buildings and blistered iron formed rough frameworks, some resembling tents more than permanent housing, some with smoke coming from holes poked into canvas or makeshift chimneys, although there wasn't much soot being produced at the moment and the smell was tolerable, although the ambient heat was enough to make flying along the natural path a natural one. The path to the grand ruin at the very end, similar to, although a little squatter, then the one that served as the administrative building, was mostly clear of traffic, although those who stopped tended to stare.

Nearer to Moonshadow, Stellar had already taken flight right at the table and was both keeping track of Abbas's position while also looking down at Avenida, who seemed slightly panicked at Abbas's sudden departure and was now apparently keen to accompany the other horse.

Viridia glanced at the departing group, knowing that she had to go with them to lend her silver tongue, then at River. "I'm gonna guess you don't want to be in the slaver talks. Do you wanna stick around here with Stellar or...?"

"I'd rather be around if you're going to shoot her in the gut." River said bluntly as she stepped away from the table, before lowing her voice and continuing, sounding like she wanted to sigh, "I mean, Oakville could've been attacked by them. I can't just ignore stuff I don't like, so I need to know what a actual slaver looks like, and if I'm going to do that I'd rather have a bunch of strong mares with me, y'know?"

River paused, and gave a quick glance around the town before looking back at Viridia with a smile. "Also, I haven't had barbecue since I was twelve. Honestly though, if living here is a bust and it an't worth trying to get involved in all this bullcrap, we could bail and start a farm in the middle of nowhere."

[DigoDragon]

A few moments of silence passed. Lien, looking increasing redder by the second, just glared at Doc with a single watery eye. Bullion Cord, meanwhile, was staring at the door, as if considering her options. The crowd of zebras behind him has mostly departed. Mirror put a hoof on his shoulder, as if intent on keeping him from going forward.

Doc yielded to Mirror's hold and remained in place. He didn't take any joy in this gambit. He just wanted it to work.

"It was the best idea I could think of," Doc whispered to Mirror in confidence. "Maybe the mimics in there would eat him and Shade could escape. Lien doesn't seem happy about it, though I thought that's what the mimics were there for; protect the money and the ponies inside the bank?"

[Hazuki]

"I'd rather be around if you're going to shoot her in the gut." River said bluntly as she stepped away from the table, before lowing her voice and continuing, sounding like she wanted to sigh, "I mean, Oakville could've been attacked by them. I can't just ignore stuff I don't like, so I need to know what a actual slaver looks like, and if I'm going to do that I'd rather have a bunch of strong mares with me, y'know?"

River paused, and gave a quick glance around the town before looking back at Viridia with a smile. "Also, I haven't had barbecue since I was twelve. Honestly though, if living here is a bust and it an't worth trying to get involved in all this bullcrap, we could bail and start a farm in the middle of nowhere."

"The gut's a lame place to shoot. You gotta go for the eye or something they'll really miss," Viridia said. "And, yeah, that's a good point. But wouldn't you rather be in a farm protected by a bunch of Moonshadow's deathbots." She started to follow the blue pegasus. "Like, unless you can grow vegetables that kill raiders."

[Dalinale]

Doc yielded to Mirror's hold and remained in place. He didn't take any joy in this gambit. He just wanted it to work.

"It was the best idea I could think of," Doc whispered to Mirror in confidence. "Maybe the mimics in there would eat him and Shade could escape. Lien doesn't seem happy about it, though I thought that's what the mimics were there for; protect the money and the ponies inside the bank?"

Mirror just looked like she wanted to turn tail and head for the crowd; meanwhile, Lein approached Doc, brandishing his spear and resembling some poor pony's version of the grim reaper.

"I don't know what you did to bring that thing here," the stallion said, his voice hoarse, "But it knew Falling Caesar style and would have killed us all in broad daylight. My other apprentice is with Shade; he will fight if attacked, and he will be dead within seconds. Chase the creature into the ruins if you cannot lead it back outside; if it is careful, it will not alert the guard beasts."

"The gut's a lame place to shoot. You gotta go for the eye or something they'll really miss," Viridia said.

"It's only a bad place to shoot if you like whoever's shooting." River said with a forced half-smile, "Ponies live with one eye or a few teeth, but you can't live with half a liver or a stomach or anything like that. Explosives and high caliber bullets can do some pretty bad stuff to bad ponies, ponies don't like to talk about what happens if a intestine gets holes in it because nopony want's to see it a few days after it happens. It happened to me once when I was younger and I was working with a grenade, it sucked."

"And, yeah, that's a good point. But wouldn't you rather be in a farm protected by a bunch of Moonshadow's deathbots." She started to follow the blue pegasus. "Like, unless you can grow vegetables that kill raiders."

River went from playing at being sadistic to just giggling.

"Maybe? I think you could do anything with a bunch of robots except to make them help you have peace and quiet." River said, sounding like just mentioning the robots was enough to verge the conversation into the absurd, although she was still looking around and appraising her surroundings, "I mean, if there were problem ponies and I was that far into it, I'd just try and keep moving. I don't want to be the pony with the giant robot unless I couldn't be myself without it, y'know? If you have a bunch of giant robots around you on a farm, then the farm's owned by the pony with the giant robots. I don't want to be mean to Moonshadow, but I'd really like to be in a place where all I have to worry about is the small scale stuff, not the bigger stuff, because that always causes trouble, even if you're trying to do good."

[DigoDragon]

"I don't know what you did to bring that thing here," the stallion said, his voice hoarse, "But it knew Falling Caesar style and would have killed us all in broad daylight. My other apprentice is with Shade; he will fight if attacked, and he will be dead within seconds. Chase the creature into the ruins if you cannot lead it back outside; if it is careful, it will not alert the guard beasts."

"Don't foist that trouble on me. The minotaur was here for Shade and no one else. If she wasn't worth the trouble, you would have turned her over," Doc countered, making his point. "Only reason I'm involved is because it knew I was here at the same time Shade was. Now, I just bought us a couple minutes, so what we need to do is get your mimics in there to attack him before he finds Shade. How do we make that happen?"

[Hazuki]

"It's only a bad place to shoot if you like whoever's shooting." River said with a forced half-smile, "Ponies live with one eye or a few teeth, but you can't live with half a liver or a stomach or anything like that. Explosives and high caliber bullets can do some pretty bad stuff to bad ponies, ponies don't like to talk about what happens if a intestine gets holes in it because nopony want's to see it a few days after it happens. It happened to me once when I was younger and I was working with a grenade, it sucked."

There was so much to unpack in those few sentences, but so little time. "What were you doing with a grenade? You just pull the pin and it goes boom."

River went from playing at being sadistic to just giggling.

"Maybe? I think you could do anything with a bunch of robots except to make them help you have peace and quiet." River said, sounding like just mentioning the robots was enough to verge the conversation into the absurd, although she was still looking around and appraising her surroundings, "I mean, if there were problem ponies and I was that far into it, I'd just try and keep moving. I don't want to be the pony with the giant robot unless I couldn't be myself without it, y'know? If you have a bunch of giant robots around you on a farm, then the farm's owned by the pony with the giant robots. I don't want to be mean to Moonshadow, but I'd really like to be in a place where all I have to worry about is the small scale stuff, not the bigger stuff, because that always causes trouble, even if you're trying to do good."

"But you'll never get a farm going if you move whenever there's raiders...Doesn't stuff take a long time to grow? And raiders were a lot more common than viable farmland, contacts to get seeds and sell crops. I mean, you're always going to be dealing with powers-that-be, right?"

[Forum Explorer]

"Maybe? I think you could do anything with a bunch of robots except to make them help you have peace and quiet." River said, sounding like just mentioning the robots was enough to verge the conversation into the absurd, although she was still looking around and appraising her surroundings, "I mean, if there were problem ponies and I was that far into it, I'd just try and keep moving. I don't want to be the pony with the giant robot unless I couldn't be myself without it, y'know? If you have a bunch of giant robots around you on a farm, then the farm's owned by the pony with the giant robots. I don't want to be mean to Moonshadow, but I'd really like to be in a place where all I have to worry about is the small scale stuff, not the bigger stuff, because that always causes trouble, even if you're trying to do good."

Hey, you gotta go big or go home, Moonshadow called back cheerfully, who started to listen once she caught her name being said.

[Dalinale]

"Don't foist that trouble on me. The minotaur was here for Shade and no one else. If she wasn't worth the trouble, you would have turned her over," Doc countered, making his point. "Only reason I'm involved is because it knew I was here at the same time Shade was. Now, I just bought us a couple minutes, so what we need to do is get your mimics in there to attack him before he finds Shade. How do we make that happen?"

Lien looked at Bullion Cord, and then at Doc.

"They will attack if they sense danger from the creature or if he attempts to steal something otherwise they will do nothing." Lien said, sounding like he was carefully choosing his words, "They live off small vermin, but they do not attack on sight. I fear that Shade could be convinced to go with him if he does not resort to violence. What could be done is to occupy the bull until he hits one of the creatures himself, which would trigger a frenzy. But I fear that might not be enough. Diverting it into the deeper ruins and using it's size against it would be optional."

Bullion seemed intent on heading inside the bank, her head turned towards Doc, her spear pointed as if she intended to quickly duck under the door and go on the offence. Lien seemed more defeated, and Doc caught the stallion turned his head slightly to the griffon guard."

There was so much to unpack in those few sentences, but so little time. "What were you doing with a grenade? You just pull the pin and it goes boom."

River shuddered a little. "I was testing some salvage before I was going to try and sell it; you can't just sell dude grenades, so I was taking a few and testing them on the beach. The one that got me didn't even hurt than much, but I totally thought I was in the clear and I lucked out. I'v probably sold two hundred grenades and a few hundred mines since then, and I only know what they do because of some old war movies I used to have, that time with the pirates was the first time I ever saw what they actually did. I always felt okay about selling them because I knew that the only reason why someone on a boat would throw a grenade would be if there was another boat that they wanted totally wrecked, and that usually met that it was full of pirates, so I never really felt too bad."

"But you'll never get a farm going if you move whenever there's raiders...Doesn't stuff take a long time to grow? And raiders were a lot more common than viable farmland, contacts to get seeds and sell crops. I mean, you're always going to be dealing with powers-that-be, right?"

River suddenly had a odd look on her face, and gave a long look at their current surroundings, like she wanted to take in every makeshift tent.

"Aren't you guys doing what you're doing because the payoff would make your lives easier?" she said, motioning vaguely over towards what was either Abbas or the small fat blue colt eating something fried on a stick who was standing off on the side of the road, watching the horse go by with wide eyes; it was probably both, although the kid scrammed over into the tents after Stellar passed by overhead, "Like, I never thought I'd even have so many caps, ever, and I just got a house in what's probably going to be the nicest place I'll ever be in my life. So, I'm kind of thinking about what I'm going to do next; I just never thought I'd have so many caps that I could actually do almost anything I could want to do with money. I said farming, but it could be anything, like, I dunno, raising iguana's or something. Just something that could put all those caps to work and make something happen with them that'd be totally mine."


River looked a little nervous, and fiddled her hooves a little before giving Viridia a nod and a frown.

"Okay, I thought this place ran a pretty tight ship, I expected the tunnels and stuff to be a little rough but I didn't think I'd hear the richest stallion in the city talking about inviting slavers here and his marefriend or whoever talking about getting them in, alright? It just got to me, gutting one like a lamprey shouldn't be something we'd need to debate." she said, sounding like she was trying to come off as apologetic.

Hey, you gotta go big or go home, Moonshadow called back cheerfully, who started to listen once she caught her name being said.

Moonshadow saw River jump a little, and then give her a big smile.

Meanwhile, Avenida was coming up behind River and Viridia and looking like a bit of a mess with a small suitcase in her mouth, in apparent pursuit of Abbas. It would've been kind of funny if it wasn't kind of sad. Meanwhile, Stellar seemed keen to shadow Abbas at the moment.

[Suggesting a Sneak roll if Moonshadow doesn't want to directly follow Abbas and wants to see more of the area, or Perception to check the shantytown for anything of interest or Intelligence if she wants.]

[DigoDragon]

"They will attack if they sense danger from the creature or if he attempts to steal something otherwise they will do nothing." Lien said, sounding like he was carefully choosing his words, "They live off small vermin, but they do not attack on sight. I fear that Shade could be convinced to go with him if he does not resort to violence. What could be done is to occupy the bull until he hits one of the creatures himself, which would trigger a frenzy. But I fear that might not be enough. Diverting it into the deeper ruins and using it's size against it would be optional."

Bullion seemed intent on heading inside the bank, her head turned towards Doc, her spear pointed as if she intended to quickly duck under the door and go on the offence. Lien seemed more defeated, and Doc caught the stallion turned his head slightly to the griffon guard."

"Is Shade not a friend of yours? Are you just going to give up and let the minotaur bully you around?" Doc questioned Lien. He gestured to Bullion. "I'm going inside with her to try and save Shade. I don't know her as well as you probably do, but I know that the zebra culture hated Nightmare Moon and they'll probably not do anything kind to her if they get their way. You should join us."

Speech (1d100)[38]

Doc pat's Mirror's hoof gently. "Will you come with us too? You could test that new sword of yours."