[FO:E] The Southern Wasteland of Equestria 1

[Benson]

A Day's Southwest of Old Appleloosa-Morning 9:49 am

"Uh..oh...okay...here, take it," Tough Stomp had difficulty saying 'no' much of the time. Tough Stomp floated the snack cake over to him as he then untied his bandana from around his neck. He was going to wrap it around his head.

"Uh, alright, when you're ready we can go on and check it out and stuff..." He nodded.

[tag Tychris1]

[Tychris1]

A Day's Southwest of Old Appleloosa-Morning 9:49 am

Nodding his head Maul left the abandoned house and began to trot towards the cactus looking thing. His legs were buckling as he walked, the heat causing his eyes to drop dangerously low. He took a bite out of the cake, trying to find some moisture or nutrition. Neither seemed very prevalent in 200 year old mass produced junk food. Still, he managed not to collapse by the time he got to the green thing.

Dear sweet Celestia above it was a cactus.

A manic grin on his face Maul begins to hoarsely laugh, his body quaking in the process as a knife or two dropped to the ground. Steadying himself he concentrated hard and levitated two of the knives, trying his hardest to cut away the exterior of the cactus. His mouth panting at the notion of fresh water.

Sadly however Maul was hallucinating and was actually cutting into the corpse of a Brahmin. Still, the Brahmin only recently died, and it seemed as if it was better nourished then the two slavers combined. It even seemed to be a bit wet from the water it drank in life.... Perhaps someone should shatter the illusion?

[TAG Benson]

[Benson]

A Day's Southwest of Old Appleloosa-Morning 9:56 am


Tough Stomp was the less....dehydrated of the two, someone had to be in this instance and he accepted that task with sweaty grace.

"Waaah! Wait..." He cried after him with a pant to his voice. "T-that's...blood...!"

[Tag Tychris1]

[PurityIcekiller]

[Leaving Old Appaloosa]

"Well, if you think it's best." Night Jewel nodded and continued.

"Anyway, I'm sure my contacts know that any backstabbing on their part will come back to bite them. So! What do you two intend to do about the slaver situation?"

[New Appaloosa]

"Well, never hurts to be prepared."

Bright Eyes went off to stock up pretty heavily on supplies, including the occasional useful magical item. This and the fact that she stopped to have a chat with Ditzy made her take significantly longer to arrive at the gate.

"All right, then! I've got everything!"

[Lycan 01]

Outside New Appleloosa

The two merchants both go wide-eyed as Gwendolyn approaches.

"Woah," the one on the right says, taking a step back.

The one on the left nods. "Yeah, she's totally badass..."

The two merchants sound young, as if in their late teens or early twenties. Though their bodies are mostly covered by their caravan garb, the parts of their faces that are visible reveal that they have light beige fur and green eyes, and their manes and tails are vibrantly red.

"Told ya," Lucky chuckles.

"You were right Mister Break, you were right..." the left merchant nods. "Look at that rifle..."

"Rifle... uh huh..." the right merchant mutters, slowly nodding. He's not looking at the rifle.

"Yeah, she's pretty good with that rifle. Trust me. Oh good, Bright Eyes is here. What'd ya do, buy up the town? Heh... Anyway, you folks ready to move out?" Lucky asks, hopping up and flapping his wings so that he can hover. "Me and Miss Gwendolyn will take point. Bright Eyes, you stick with Flam and Flim and the brahmin, to make sure our rear is covered. Sound good?"

[Benson]

Outside New Appleloosa

Gwendolyn stared for a moment, trying to keep her stoic "bad ass" demeanor she comfortable with among larger groups. She then looked at Lucky and cocked a brow, and narrowed her eyes for a moment. And then returned to looking all stoic and junk.

"Yes, that is fine with me. We will be the eyes from above, Misters Flim and Flam."

[Chaotic Bob]

[Toward Shattered Hoof]

Just cease to be.

Somehow that just doesn't sit right with the Hippogriff. Isn't Tartaurus a real place? He's heard tell that one can just walk there if they're willing to brave the Everfree Forest. If the place of punishment is real then why would the place of reward be false?

"I know some ponies believe that Celestia and Luna literally became the sun and moon when they died. That one seems to be pretty popular. Part of the reason why there's so much bad blood toward the Enclave. Blocking out the view of the goddesses and all..."

Understandable.

"Heh... I imagine that would be really awkward. Oh hey there my little ponies! Sorry we vanished for two centuries and left you all in this hell-hole. To make it up have some cake."

Rusty frowns a bit at that first idea and shrugs.
"That kind of just sounds like an extra bonus excuse to hate the Enclave to me. Like more of those are needed."

He's pretty sure, that one way or another, that Celestia and Luna really don't matter anymore. Not to their living lives, anyway.
Why bother getting worked up about it?

"...well. Now that you mention it, I could do with some fresh cake. Probably forgive quite a bit for some of that.
Sounds like a pretty great apology to me."

Wonder what's making Heim on religiously-oriented all of a sudden...

[Tychris1]

The RGFF

Lamianos seems to connect the dots rather quickly before saying "Let me guess, were these old compatriots of yours from Old Appleoosa?" He relinquishes himself from standing ontop of her, letting her stand up. As a precautionary measure he maks sure his grenade machine gun doesn't have its safety on. "As if it existed in the first place" he thinks sarcastically. "Well then, it appears you are the newest member of our merry band. Are you ready to prove yourself and reclaim "Thumper"?

[TAG Obliviom]

[QUOTE=Benson;14030651]A Day's Southwest of Old Appleloosa-Morning 9:49 am

Maul jerks backward at the sudden realization of what he was partaking in. His telekentic grip on the knives drops and they clatter against the ground. With the illusion shattered he simply droops his head and looks at it, unable to decide what to do "Stomp, I'm starving here. We need to eat and this is all we got...." he looks to the Brahmin corpse, then back up to Tough Stomp; his eyes using up precious fluids just to start watering. He didn't want to starve but he certainly didn't want to start feasting on corpses like some ghoul.

That wouldn't be funny at all.....

[TAG Benson]

[Drowlord]

Leaving OA

Elestre's eye slowly opens, his voice barely a whisper.

"... Light, don't go 'way... Nnrghh.... What happened? Did... Everyone get to the beacon? Wha..."

He tries to stagger to his feet again but finds he's being carried. Odd.

"Oh. We got out alive? I'm... Okay, I'm definately not fine, but I'll take my burden off you, if you'll let me down."

He doesn't apparently care he's possibly mortally wounded.

[Dark Elf Bard]

The RGFF

Eledwhen clings to Lamia's leg. Can I hold Thumpy?

[Benson]

Maul jerks backward at the sudden realization of what he was partaking in. His telekentic grip on the knives drops and they clatter against the ground. With the illusion shattered he simply droops his head and looks at it, unable to decide what to do "Stomp, I'm starving here. We need to eat and this is all we got...." he looks to the Brahmin corpse, then back up to Tough Stomp; his eyes using up precious fluids just to start watering. He didn't want to starve but he certainly didn't want to start feasting on corpses like some ghoul.

That wouldn't be funny at all.....

[TAG Benson]

A Day's Southwest of Old Appleloosa-Morning 9:56 am

"I know....I'm hungry...and thirsty too.....ya know....I'm starting to regret deserting Old Appleloosa....at least we had plenty of food and water there," Tough Stomp pouted, what a way to go, dying out in the sun from dehydration as that would be the first before starvation.

Off in the distance north west from the direction they scampered from, was something, moving toward them, at least from seventy feet away. It was hard to determine what or who it was because of the heat, but there was something..or maybe not...who can tell really.

[MCerberus]

The RGFF

Assuming Lamianos doesn't stop him, Razoreye will hand the grenade launcher over to the foal. Nothing is quite as happy as a child with insanely deadly weaponry.

Leaving OA

Elestre might also notice Finder's levitation field taking some of the weight off the pony carrying him. The scavver notices him squirming but doesn't let up, making sure to keep the whole effect balanced.

[First Aid]"I can not begin to describe all the reasons that's a terrible idea."

[Rebonack]

[Toward Shattered Hoof]

Maybe that's what he was doing out in the rain?

Praying to the goddesses?

That seems like the sort of thing somepony would want a bit of solitude to do.

"Mm. An occasional sunny day would be nice. It's an amazing feel, the sun on your skin. I've gone above the clouds a few times. Always have to be careful, though. The Enclave has patrols just itching to shoot anyone down with the gale to insist on seeing the sky."

Heimdalr sounds bitter. Can't imagine why.

"Ha. Fresh cake wouldn't be so bad. Fresh anything wouldn't be so bad. Bloatsprite and radhog gets wearisome after a while."

[Tychris1]

The RGFF

Lamianos doesn't object, but he does specifically point out that she shouldn't pull the trigger, and to keep the hole pointed away from anyone.


A Days Southwest of Old Appleloosa- Morning 10:00 AM

Maul stares at the Brahmin corpse, occasionally looking at the blob in the distance. Finally after a bit of contemplation he gives in, tesring a piece off of the Brahmin and succumbing to his survival instincts. He feels wuicjly gratified for it as delicious delicious meat and juices flow down his throat. After partaking in a little bit of it he looks back towards the blob and stares. He turns back to Tough Stomp, almost as if asking whether to go towards the new thing on the horizon.

The Brahmin was enough to push Maul away from the brink of death, but there was only so many Brahmin parts left and he still had to worry about his friend's survival. Nervously, he starts to take a hoof forward towards the north west, slowly building up to a normal walk. He made sure that he was ready to pull his knives out if they were some caravan or unlucky wanderer with supplies.

[TAG Benson]

[Benson]

A Days Southwest of Old Appleloosa- Morning 10:01 AM

Tough Stomp was too chicken to walk forward and actually walked backwards right into the Brahmin corpse, getting its blood on him. Alas the whatever it was that was coming off in the distance became more clear.

There was a pony whose gender was unclear, with something shiny slung over their shoulders and back, sitting on a two Brahmin wagon that was only being pulled by one Brahmin.

"Crap...ah...what do we do, what do we do?" Tough Stomp meeped a bit. Assuming the worse when out in the Wasteland was what kept most folks alive.

[Tag TyChris1]

[BladeofObliviom]

[Unity Outpost]

Spoiler

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[Unity Outpost]

The pony quirks his head off to the side slightly. "Ebon Flame? Interesting. You must be the sort for combat spells. I've never had a head for that myself."

The blue unicorn turns sideways a bit to display his cutie mark, a weird winged stick with two vines wrapping around it. "Pure Touch. I'm something of a prodigy when it comes to healing magic."

Well!

That certainly explains why the Goddess might be interested in him.

"My parents were both members of the Church of Unity. Father was killed... tending to the wounded in a band of ponies he ran across. Turns out they were bandits... after he had done his best to heal them they killed him and took his supplies..."

Sounds... sad. Not bitter. Just sad.

"Mother made The Pilgrimage some years ago. Now I'm following in her hoofsteps. And what of you, Ebon Flame? Why are you here?"

Ebon listens intently, a tear glistening in his eyes but refusing to fall when Pure mentions the fate of his father.

"You are a far better pony than I, Pure Touch. What happened to your father was tragic indeed, and I could relate a similar tale in my own past. I can tell, however, based on the way you speak: For you, it is exactly that. Past. I refused to let go of my childish rage, and spent the prime of my life on meaningless vengeance."

The unicorn sighs, the tears finally falling to the ground beneath him. If Pure Touch is at all familiar with separating the meanings of facial expressions, the one before him is all too obvious: Ebon Flame feels remorse, in an amount so great that it's a miracle he hasn't devolved into bawling his eyes out or suicide yet.

"I have killed three of the five bandits responsible over the last decade, and though I did not see it until recently, my sense of 'justice' was little more than irony used in the most cruel of ways. The fourth one had settled down as a slaver in Old Appleoosa, and I had desired to strangle him to death with his own chains.

The attack was a disaster. One of a number of allies who had come hoping to free the slaves betrayed me, and my initial attack fell not upon the slavers but the innocent slaves who deserved no such suffering. In the end, I bargained with the Goddess so that at least the souls who had come with nothing less than the noblest of intentions could keep their lives and freedom, if, in a sense, at the cost of my own."



The RGFF

Spoiler

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RGFF Merry Murder Squad

"And you might just get it back if you prove cooperative."

Razoreye takes short look over the weapon before ensuring that it isn't loaded. Decent weapon for a raider, but he may not be a raider. "Might want to start by listing off names of who you were talking about."

The griffon goes into his deep, soul-searching stare to size up a pony. This one appeared to be a bit of a spaz.

The RGFF

Lamianos seems to connect the dots rather quickly before saying "Let me guess, were these old compatriots of yours from Old Appleoosa?" He relinquishes himself from standing ontop of her, letting her stand up. As a precautionary measure he makes sure his grenade machine gun doesn't have its safety on. "As if it existed in the first place" he thinks sarcastically. "Well then, it appears you are the newest member of our merry band. Are you ready to prove yourself and reclaim "Thumper"?

The RGFF

Eledwhen clings to Lamia's leg. Can I hold Thumpy?

The RGFF

Assuming Lamianos doesn't stop him, Razoreye will hand the grenade launcher over to the foal. Nothing is quite as happy as a child with insanely deadly weaponry.

The RGFF

Lamianos doesn't object, but he does specifically point out that she shouldn't pull the trigger, and to keep the hole pointed away from anyone.

Well, "Thumper" isn't much of a threat to anypony right now, aside from the possibility of using it as a club. It's empty. The ammo is in another castle. Or saddlebag, as the case may be.

Razoreye, if he's at all familiar with Grenade Launchers, might also notice that it's of unusually good make; It has a scope on it for accurate aiming, nearly perfectly aligned, and there is an enchantment on it that not only enhances the weapon's range, but protects projectiles from being thrown off course by wind or other environmental conditions. Further, its design is somewhat dissimilar to more standard models, though not so much so that their parts could not be used to repair it. It is almost certainly either hoofmade or just very well-preserved.

Meanwhile, Pineapple Blast is still being interrogated. She's rather obviously not comfortable with the fact that she woke up to a pony who didn't seem all that different than Rusty Chains, a Griffin that happened to be holding her weapon, and a foal who, to all appearances, seemed rather trigger-happy.

"...I get the feeling that I'm being mocked."

Good to see that you can recognize clear jabs. Your INT score is still below average, but let's call it at 4.

"You're right though; I left Rusty Chains and his gang because it became kinda obvious that they're crazy. I mean, did you hear about what happened to those Legionneighres? Those guys were supposed to be allies, and they get slaughtered for their trouble. The place is goin' nuts, I tell you! Pretty soon, it'll be another Ponyville full o' violent crazy ponies."

If Razoreye is good at reading ponies as the previous post implies, it's clear that Pineapple is somewhat spastic when nervous, fearful, or excited, though is likely a bit calmer when nothing distressing is going on. She seems to be easily cowed by those obviously stronger than her, and not particularly rebellious. If her defection from the slavers is any indication, though, she's either a terrible coward, something of an opportunist, or just smart enough not to want to be on the Legion's kill list. Or on the slavers', for that matter.

In any case, she does manage to stand without Lamianos' weight on her.

"So, uh, are we leavin', or are ya just gonna corner me here 'till we starve?"


[Tag Razoreye, Lamianos, and maybe Eledwhen]

[Rebonack]

[Unity Outpost]

To say that Pure Touch provides Ebon with a sympathetic look would be quite the understatement. This is the sort of pony that can empathize it would seem. "I'm so, so sorry. Not just for your loss. But that you've sacrificed so much time on such a dark quest. And I can't imagine the most recent betrayal has given you much hope..."

The stallion's expression brightens ever so slightly. "But you saved some at least through the Goddess' mercy. That counts for something at least. Once we've all made the Pilgrimage we'll be the Goddess' hooves to bring about a better Equestria for everypony. Hopefully the time will come when needless death will be a distant memory and nothing more."

"HRPH!" comes a snort from the old nag as she glares venom at Pure Touch. "Don't you listen to him, boy. His words are nothin' but radscorpion poison sweetened up with honey. Those alicorns," she spits on the ground at that word as if it were bitter in her mouth. "Are false goddesses and a blasphemy against the Sisters."

[PurityIcekiller]

"Yeah, she's pretty good with that rifle. Trust me. Oh good, Bright Eyes is here. What'd ya do, buy up the town? Heh... Anyway, you folks ready to move out?" Lucky asks, hopping up and flapping his wings so that he can hover. "Me and Miss Gwendolyn will take point. Bright Eyes, you stick with Flam and Flim and the brahmin, to make sure our rear is covered. Sound good?"

"Hey, you can't be too cautious!" Bright Eyes pulled out what appeared to be a golden stick with a sun disk on the end. "I had to haggle quite a bit on this thing, but it was worth the time and money. Anyway, I'll be fine in the back. Might as well spare what's left of your pride after this morning."

[Lycan 01]

[Leaving New Appleloosa!]

And their off!

Lucky takes flight and rises to a few dozen feet off the ground, and flies a short distance ahead of the group. "Their names are Flim and Flam," Lucky tilts his head back, whenever Gwendolyn joins him. "Traveling salesponies. Seems to run in the family. They're a bit... naive. But they also strike me as more sly than they look. They oughtta get along well with Bright Eyes... I hope..."



Meanwhile, Flam and Flim both ogle the item Bright Eyes pulls out. "Heeeey, what's that ya got there?" the pony on the right asks.

"Looks fancy," the other nods.

"Looks expensive."

"Looks rare."

"What's it do?" they both ask in unison.

[Benson]

[Leaving New Appleloosa!]

And their off!

Lucky takes flight and rises to a few dozen feet off the ground, and flies a short distance ahead of the group. "Their names are Flim and Flam," Lucky tilts his head back, whenever Gwendolyn joins him. "Traveling salesponies. Seems to run in the family. They're a bit... naive. But they also strike me as more sly than they look. They oughtta get along well with Bright Eyes... I hope..."

"Flim and Flam? My, that doesn't sound sketchy in the least," The griffon flew to the right of Lucky. She looked down at the widdle ponies behind them and then straight ahead.

[Lycan 01]

Scouting in the skies

Lucky ascends higher, out of earshot from the ponies below. "Eh, you know what they say. Never judge a book by its cover or its title. I mean... seriously, how often am I actually lucky?" he asks with a lopsided grin. "Discounting the freak accidents of awesomeness, like surviving a bullet to the brain or finding an ancient Rainbow Dash statue..."

[Benson]

Scouting in the skies

Lucky ascends higher, out of earshot from the ponies below. "Eh, you know what they say. Never judge a book by its cover or its title. I mean... seriously, how often am I actually lucky?" he asks with a lopsided grin. "Discounting the freak accidents of awesomeness, like surviving a bullet to the brain or finding an ancient Rainbow Dash statue..."

"I figure you're the exception and meant to be a pile of irony," She deadpanned. It was hard to tell if she was joking or not, but, Lucky could probably guess she was joking.

'So, Mister Lucky, what the exact details of this job? Does it go further than guarding the merchants?"

[Lycan 01]

Skyborne

Lucky rolls his eyes and smiles. "Jeez, and I thought I was brutally honest. I would make a snarky comeback, but you'd probably just hit me in the face. And it's a long way down. But hey, you'd totally catch me... right?" he asks, giving her the heartfelt puppy-dog-eyes look. He then deadpans: "Don't answer that."

With a shake of his head and a soft chuckle, Lucky goes back to scanning the earth below. "And yup, just the standard 'get us from point A to point B alive' sort of gig. We need to get 'em to Tennpony Tower in one piece, and preferably with their brahmin all in one piece, too. We'll be paid based on the quality of our services. Which... in retrospect, probably means it was a bad idea to leave Bright Eyes down there to chatter with them," he says with a playful grin.

[MCerberus]

RGFF

Spastic, excitable, and with a spongy will. One must wonder if this pony they found is reliable enough to use. Oddly seems the type that would hunt them to the ends of Equestria with futility if they just rob and leave him.

That thing about the legion was rather interesting though. Razoreye turns to his Ranger companion. "You know why the town would suddenly declare war on them?"

After he gets an answer or some awkward time passes, he continues. "So what's keeping you from running at the first chance this time?" he asks of Pineapple.

[Benson]

Skyborne

Lucky rolls his eyes and smiles. "Jeez, and I thought I was brutally honest. I would make a snarky comeback, but you'd probably just hit me in the face. And it's a long way down. But hey, you'd totally catch me... right?" he asks, giving her the heartfelt puppy-dog-eyes look. He then deadpans: "Don't answer that."

With a shake of his head and a soft chuckle, Lucky goes back to scanning the earth below. "And yup, just the standard 'get us from point A to point B alive' sort of gig. We need to get 'em to Tennpony Tower in one piece, and preferably with their brahmin all in one piece, too. We'll be paid based on the quality of our services. Which... in retrospect, probably means it was a bad idea to leave Bright Eyes down there to chatter with them," he says with a playful grin.

Eyes in the Sky


"Maybe. Hmmm, I myself am used to going by a flat payment, gives less room for employers to wiggle out of paying less." She commented and stared down below for a moment.

[PurityIcekiller]

Meanwhile, Flam and Flim both ogle the item Bright Eyes pulls out. "Heeeey, what's that ya got there?" the pony on the right asks.

"Looks fancy," the other nods.

"Looks expensive."

"Looks rare."

"What's it do?" they both ask in unison.

"Oh, this thing? It's called a light baton. You aim it at something you don't like..." Bright Eyes pointed the rod at a nearby rock. "...and it can do this!" A comet-like bolt of light shot out and struck the rock, shattering part of it. "Neat, isn't it? And it can take any of a variety of power crystals! When you don't cast spells yourself, something like this can really come in handy."

[Dark Elf Bard]

RGFF

Eledwhen takes the grenade launcher that's bigger than she is and points it towards Lamianos. Is this a gun?

[Luka]

Spoiler

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[Leaving Old Appaloosa]

"Well, if you think it's best." Night Jewel nodded and continued.

"Anyway, I'm sure my contacts know that any backstabbing on their part will come back to bite them. So! What do you two intend to do about the slaver situation?"

Leaving OA

Elestre's eye slowly opens, his voice barely a whisper.

"... Light, don't go 'way... Nnrghh.... What happened? Did... Everyone get to the beacon? Wha..."

He tries to stagger to his feet again but finds he's being carried. Odd.

"Oh. We got out alive? I'm... Okay, I'm definately not fine, but I'll take my burden off you, if you'll let me down."

He doesn't apparently care he's possibly mortally wounded.

Leaving OA

Elestre might also notice Finder's levitation field taking some of the weight off the pony carrying him. The scavver notices him squirming but doesn't let up, making sure to keep the whole effect balanced.

[First Aid]"I can not begin to describe all the reasons that's a terrible idea."

"....I'm not done yet, I'm getting those slaves out....Or what's left of them...."

Then Elestre wakes up, he approaches and puts a hoof over him

"Oh, you're awake!...Don't stand up, just relax, you were pretty badly hurt and shot all over the place, Finder and me managed to stabilize you but we need to get you to the town first, just try not to get yourself even more hurt" He may also notice the Stable dweller's carrying Shadow Stride.

[TAG: Drowlord, Purity, MCerberus]

[Drowlord]

Leaving OA

Elestre smiles, glad his friend's alright.

"Well then, if you agree I shouldn't move, I probably shouldn't."

Then he looks around, his eyes scanning the landscape. He checks again, then looks up and down.

"... She went with Lamnios, didn't she."

It was more of a bleak statement of reality than a question. His skinny frame sagged. His tiny smile vanished, replaced with an expressionless face, save perhaps an odd glitter in the corner of one eye.

[Luka]

Leaving OA

Elestre smiles, glad his friend's alright.

"Well then, if you agree I shouldn't move, I probably shouldn't."

Then he looks around, his eyes scanning the landscape. He checks again, then looks up and down.

"... She went with Lamnios, didn't she."

It was more of a bleak statement of reality than a question. His skinny frame sagged. His tiny smile vanished, replaced with an expressionless face, save perhaps an odd glitter in the corner of one eye.

"Yeah, I think she did...."
He kind of whispers, then says in a more normal tone
"....I think she was with him at first, so I guess she's at least safe if she did, we could still find her"
Then just looks away with an indignated expression
"...That bucking traitor set up a trap to us, when I got to the armory it was empty, he cornered me and made the slavers tie me up and take my gun away.... And offered me to join his "revolution". Pff, like if I was going to support him after that..."

[Tag: Drowlord; Purity and Cerberus if the others react]