Inside 60

[Lord Magtok]

Undisclosed Location

She sighs. "It is a death sentence. With your resources crippled, some are already rushing to take advantage of the situation, and without the means to keep your operations running, they will whittle you down until you're gone, and they clearly do not care who gets in the way. Personally, I don't care to effectively help anyone who tries to drop giant statues on me, but the High Commander will not let it go with no assurances of your change in outlook. We need something more than words, Magtok, and while I will consider any proposals you offer, it had better be good, for your own sake."

Magtok seems suddenly very relieved. Ecstatic, even. They're taking proposals, instead of just firing out a verdict. The worst case scenario has passed us by; he can easily figure out a way out of this situation.

"All of this month's profits go to the victims, then. All of it. I'll live without October, though I might have to lie low for a while, and they'll get their restitution. When the people of the Nexus ask what you did to punish Magtok for his crimes, you can point towards his brief period of terror when a warrant was issued for his arrest, followed by a sizable lump of money paid out to those he hurt. I'll even let them think it was your idea, if you'd like."

Magtok allows himself a grin. Pfft, he was all worried about this like it was the end of the world, but it turns out he just needed to wait a couple of minutes and everything would be fine! His big stupid mouth can easily work out a deal that will sort this all out.

"Not that it changes anything, but those victims were going to die. All of them. Remember that terrorist attack when those people exploded stuff and tried to gas everybody? I think it was the day I visited Vasquez's mother, to try to goad Vyrn into jumping the gun and shooting first so I'd look justified if I had to do anything. Some nonsense like that. Anyways, the Magbots found some people who weren't going to live and there weren't rescue teams coming for them. Again, doesn't change anything, since I was taking advantage of an awful situation, and saving someone only to hurt them is still completely awful. Just thought you should know."

[Rebonack]

[Spooktober Spectacular]

Caelynn

After candy, are they?

Well!

It sure is a good thing that there's lots of candy to go around, isn't it? And not just candy! There are also pastries! And candied fruits! So the question must be asked, what kind of scrumptious delicacies will the pair be seeking? Chocolates? Fudge? Brittle? Bonbons? Ice cream? Cookies? Cakes? Pies? Custards? Taffy? Toffy? Exotic cakes of fruit? Drops? Lolipops? Gummies? Licorice? Fancy sodas? Portraits of themselves made with colorful spun sugar? Because if you can imagine it then someone here at Carousel Court almost certainly specializes in it.

Equestrians are rather renown for their sweet tooth, after all.

So what's it going to be, cosplayer and child?

What kind of candy are you seeking out?

Alaine and Alysha

The Headless Horse got a hug! Wasn't that nice? He waved at Alysha as she departed before being spooky at a middle aged human and his son, the two of them dressed up as Batman and Robin.

And then?

Pie sharing!

Pie sharing is one of the best ways to make friends. Especially with creepy girls holding creepy dolls. While they chat, a dwarf in a pretty spot-on Inspector Gadget costume goes flying past via his hat-mounted helecopter! Wow, some people really go all-out for Spooktober, don't they?

[KerfuffleMach2]

Spooktacular

Alysha watches Alaine's hair with wide eyes. It was awesome to watch. It's pumpkin pie. I love it.

When the dwarf goes by, Alysha giggles. She smiles at Alaine's compliment.

Aw, thanks! I painted them on myself.

Well, I won't call you that, then.

So, what do you wanna do?

[Shadowcaller]

Chadwick's Temple

"I did see him. He attacked me with his host, but left after that failed and his words failed to coerce me." he says, indicating the woman he's carrying. But then flinches.
"Uh, what was that?" he asks.

[Devil's Charm Hospital]

Clara nods as the third transfusion takes place, and her final transformation begins. She twitches and thrashes, bouncing up and down on the chair as her eyes burn blue, fading to reveal that her pupils have become slitted and her sclera pitch black.

Clara screams and thrashes in pain as her form seems to melt, becoming protean, before reforming herself and, with a groan and a deep breath, Clara smiles and says, "Ahh...Is that it? I'm a devil now?"

Chadwick's Temple

"What? What did you see?" Chadwick asks, apparently not having noticed the flying thing. If Arty looks closer he can see that it's some sort of metal bird, made from similar materials as Chadwick's current body. It flies over the channels of the temple quarter, never stopping to look back.

[Devil's Charm Hospital]

The doctor nods slowly, as he looks over Clara's new form. The last dose didn't seem to have changed much besides her eyes. "How do you feel? You have changed quite a lot." He asks with a notebook in his hand.

[Terumitsu]

[Junkyard Junktion]

The muse frowned slightly at the result. Apparently exhaustion was another trigger to undo the transformation. Good to know and probably a safety feature to keep the subject from causing too much harm to themselves. Still, it would have been nice if the task could have been completed but that was generally just a nice secondary objective, all said.

Setting the aircar down next to the exhausted shifter, Riss popped open the door nearest to her as an invitation to get in. Hopefully Sophia didn't need anyone to carry her as the muse's qualms about physical contact would probably amount to her just finding some sort of cane or the like as a stand-in than actually picking her up. Once she was actually in the vehicle, though, the muse's first words would be: "You did well. What are your thoughts on beef curry?" Hopefully they were positive as that was what the muse would be making once they touched down back near the buildings. Sure it was a short enough way that could have been walked but the muse gauged that the shifter would probably feel a bit of resentment with how tired she appeared to be.

"Could you describe to me how you feel right now to the best of your ability?" she asked somewhat impassively. Best to get what she could now while the feeling was fresh. Even if it was something the shifter was used to, things could be glossed over when drawing from biological memory, after all.

[Arkhosia]

[Junkyard Junktion]

The muse frowned slightly at the result. Apparently exhaustion was another trigger to undo the transformation. Good to know and probably a safety feature to keep the subject from causing too much harm to themselves. Still, it would have been nice if the task could have been completed but that was generally just a nice secondary objective, all said.

Setting the aircar down next to the exhausted shifter, Riss popped open the door nearest to her as an invitation to get in. Hopefully Sophia didn't need anyone to carry her as the muse's qualms about physical contact would probably amount to her just finding some sort of cane or the like as a stand-in than actually picking her up. Once she was actually in the vehicle, though, the muse's first words would be: "You did well. What are your thoughts on beef curry?" Hopefully they were positive as that was what the muse would be making once they touched down back near the buildings. Sure it was a short enough way that could have been walked but the muse gauged that the shifter would probably feel a bit of resentment with how tired she appeared to be.

"Could you describe to me how you feel right now to the best of your ability?" she asked somewhat impassively. Best to get what she could now while the feeling was fresh. Even if it was something the shifter was used to, things could be glossed over when drawing from biological memory, after all.

Sophia tiredly climbers into the car, smiling.
Thanks. Never tried it, I'm afraid.
Exhausted and famished, honestly. Apologies, but I might have played it safe and stopped before I overdid it. I'm not sure. It's kinda subconscious.
She replies with an apologetic tone as she follows ot of the car.

[Ionbound]

[Devil's Charm Hospital]'

Clara smiles and says, "Mmmm...I feel amazing. Better than I ever have before." As she says this, she tries to look into the doctor's mind, curious as to what he thinks about her.

[5a Violista]

[Spooktober Spectacular!]
Alaine and Alysha

"We were looking for one of those haunted houses," Alaine says. "You know, the ones where you go in them and the lights are off and there's a fog machine and people dressed up as clowns and scientists and mirrors jump out and shout things and then someone comforts someone else by saying their name and then all the people in the haunted house know your name and then repeat it later through the house in whispers. You know, the really scary ones."

I haven't actually been in one of those for, like, forever. At least two years. I do remember making one with my older brother's help, in the basement of one of my cousins, for my younger siblings and cousins. They were more scared that we turned the lights off and were in the basement than any of the spooky noises we made, though.

"But," she says, looking around at all the candy and people dressed up, "we couldn't find any yet." She squeezes her doll again. If her doll were alive, it would now have suffocated from being squeezed too hard.

[KerfuffleMach2]

Spooktacular

Well, I haven't been in one. Ever.

Alysha grins. That sounds awesome! Let's go find one!

She'll offer her hand for Alaine to take, and then go search for one. There's bound to be at least one here, right?

[5a Violista]

[Spooktober Spectacular!]

If Alaine tries to hold onto Alysha's hand, it means she'll have to let go of her doll with one of her hands! It's really a conundrum.

So, she lets go of the doll with one of the hands, so she can hold Alysha's hand. She still clutches the doll to herself, though, with the other hand. However, apparently it was acting up because she looks down at it and says, "Shut it, Jubaku."

So, off to find a scary spookhouse!

[Rebonack]

[Spooktober Spectacular!]

Alaine and Alysha

Finding the Haunted House shouldn't be too terrible difficult, mostly because someone was kind enough to put up signs and there's already a gaggle of children lining up for it.

No, seriously.

The place has a pretty big line. They're taking folks into the spooky haunted house in groups of six. And people are leaving the haunted house in groups of six, too! Usually via fleeing and screaming and laughing. That suggests that a fun (spooky) time is being had by all! Every few minutes the line lurches forward as the next group of participants heads through the spooky curtains and into, well, we may as well get a description of the place, huh?

It's a mansion.

A pretty big one, too. A huge Victorian mansion with dangling shingles and peeling paint. Its angles all seem crooked and leaning, almost as if the ancient looking building were actively looming over them. It's style of architecture really doesn't fit with Carousel Court at all. This certainly isn't anything like the brightly painted two story stucco villas with thatched roofs that predominate the district. Leaves one to wonder if the equestrians built it specifically for the party. Or maybe the Nexus just grabbed a spooky old mansion in time for Spooktober?

As well.

Alaine and Alysha are slowly moving toward the entrance. Wonder if they'll meet anyone else out here?

[KerfuffleMach2]

Spooktacular

Alysha gives a wide grin and points to the mansion.

There it is! And they did a good job of decorating it, huh? Looks pretty spooky to me.

Alysha will head for it, hopefully leading Alaine's to it as well.

[Deathkeeper]

Chadwick's Temple

"Some sort of bird? Can Radu make a body the way you did?" Arty asks, still thoroughly confused.

[Lost_Deep]

Zafflebrod's Off-Campus

Merissa looks at him oddly, but doesn't ask about what the drink did to him as she guides him across the street. It's probably something malicious like horror-vision.

That poor, naive girl.

The off campus facilities are essentially a giant warehouse with very little adorning the floor. There are boxes and pallets donated by construction companies for target practice and little else. Students are expected to bring their own supplies and tidy up their mess after they're done, but otherwise left alone to cut loose in whatever corner of the massive, open stone space they decide to use.

Merissa, now fully made of chocolate, is setting up to dispel herself and the other two, drawing from that new book she has with her, "It's full of archaic spells, and in the front cover is a cryptogram needed to translate them that I've been studying and turning into the basis for a translation spell for utilities class as a project. I don't know why, but I came back to the project after waking up today and finished it off. Might have had something to do with my dreams, since Tabby says they were pretty out there. Here we go... removing ongoing curses? Might be a bit strong, but it'd work." She's confident it would, in fact, as she looks more intently at the page.

Zaff's Off-Campus

Isaac manages to only gawk and gag a few times at all the poor souls he's being forced to view or risk crashing. Better Merissa never know, for what has been seen cannot be unseen.
Once they enter, Isaac gives Merissa space to cast her stuff, standing off to the side with his hands behind his back, awkwardly trying to keep his gaze in the direction of anywhere but at her.
This is awful. She doesn't even know, but he's far too responsible to gawk at her without her permission! Well, that's a lie. It's more that he knows that if he did she'd totally figure it out and have his head. And that would be no good.

"If you want to try it, go ahead," Tabitha says. She has her suspicions about Isaac's issue, but ultimately decides it's not worth worrying about, "But if you're worried I can likely try a basic dispel?"

[Spooktober Spectacular!]

Bella

The brittle is, unsurprisingly, rather delicious. The sweetness of the chocolate perfectly offsets the salty nuts.

And then?

Over to Bonbon's stand. The funny thing about many of the shops around Carousel Court is that they are, for the most part, the first floor of homes while the living quarters are on the second. It's like a bunch of cottage industries! That must just be the traditional way of setting things up for the equestrians. What a peculiar batch of people. Anywho! Bonbon is a cream colored mare with a rather striking curly cobalt and fuchsia mane who is, unsurprisingly, offering bonbons to the trick-or-treaters. The candies all come in dark chocolate with milk chocolate drizzle or milk chocolate with dark chocolate drizzle. The contents of the hollow chocolate shells are, of course, a complete mystery.

Near the stand a minty colored unicorn bard is playing a lyre whilst regaling a small crowd with spooky ballads from a wide range of various cultures. Seems she has been studying up on spooky harvest festival stories!

I know what you're thinking. No, Bella does not react unusually. The first thing she does is look at the bonbons, choose one of the dark chocolate balls, and bite it.

[5a Violista]

Spooktacular

Alysha gives a wide grin and points to the mansion.

There it is! And they did a good job of decorating it, huh? Looks pretty spooky to me.

Alysha will head for it, hopefully leading Alaine's to it as well.

[Spooktober Spectacular!]
Victorian Mansion

Of course Alaine is led to it; there's no reason yet to pull away her hand.

"It looks perfectly splendid," she says, using a word that I usually don't use in my normal speech. It's too bad the line is so long.

Guess they'll have to wait. Sure, it's a chance for someone else to join in their group of to-be six.

"I like how it's painted," Alaine says.

[Slii Arhem]

Zaff's Off-Campus

Isaac manages to only gawk and gag a few times at all the poor souls he's being forced to view or risk crashing. Better Merissa never know, for what has been seen cannot be unseen.
Once they enter, Isaac gives Merissa space to cast her stuff, standing off to the side with his hands behind his back, awkwardly trying to keep his gaze in the direction of anywhere but at her.
This is awful. She doesn't even know, but he's far too responsible to gawk at her without her permission! Well, that's a lie. It's more that he knows that if he did she'd totally figure it out and have his head. And that would be no good.

"If you want to try it, go ahead," Tabitha says. She has her suspicions about Isaac's issue, but ultimately decides it's not worth worrying about, "But if you're worried I can likely try a basic dispel?"

Zaff's Off-Campus

"No, it should be fine, it's just a bit of overkill to use it on a prank potion. And regular dispels usually don't work so well against potions, remember? Okay, so a three fourths crescent, points at the feet of the person having the curse removed, curse moves into the thickest part of the crescent. I can even have three symbols overlapping to do it all at once." She'll get to work, drawing the chalk crescents onto the concrete floor and tossing some coarse salt over each shoulder while standing one two of the six points.

"That's pretty much the ceremony, but now we should all do it together since the symbols are linked. I can say the words for all of us though. It's going to be exciting, trying out another old spell."

[Deathkeeper]

Zaff's Off-Campus

Isaac lets her go about her preparations, but he does have one question or two.
"Uh, if the curse moves to the other part of the crescent, what does it do then? And are you sure you should be modifying spells like that?I understand old spells can be a bit...rigid." he says, still trying to avoid looking at her too much. Come on, Isaac, discipline!

[Rebonack]

[DART Safehouse]

Or outside it, at least.

It's a perfectly normal looking residential building in a perfectly normal looking residential neighborhood surrounded by people who are probably perfectly normal. Or perfectly normal by Nexus standards, anyway. There are no bars on the windows. No armed guards. No agents in suits and sunglasses. Nothing that would suggest that anything at all out of the ordinary is going on here.

Bella will stop everyone before the house is even in sight.

"DART has monitoring equipment set up near all their safe houses. The plain clothes agents inside will be armed with dart guns. The sedative cocktail that we use is lethal to most humanoids," Bella quickly explains. "Wisteria should be the only child there, everyone else is a DART agent. Don't hesitate, because they won't."

DART agents are pretty awful people.

Bella was a pretty awful person. But even awful people can love their children.

~I can drop an invisibility spell over us,~ Sunder offers. ~It'll end the moment you attack someone, but that should get us close at least, right?~

Bella nods. "One of the PIE units would disrupt the spell, but those usually aren't turned on until after an attack has started," she replies. And then expands on that a bit for those who are thinking of pastries. "Portal impossibility exclude. It's a sort of technological anti-magic shell. Doctor Johnson developed them and DART has been using his designs."

[Darkcomet]

Undisclosed Location



Magtok seems suddenly very relieved. Ecstatic, even. They're taking proposals, instead of just firing out a verdict. The worst case scenario has passed us by; he can easily figure out a way out of this situation.

"All of this month's profits go to the victims, then. All of it. I'll live without October, though I might have to lie low for a while, and they'll get their restitution. When the people of the Nexus ask what you did to punish Magtok for his crimes, you can point towards his brief period of terror when a warrant was issued for his arrest, followed by a sizable lump of money paid out to those he hurt. I'll even let them think it was your idea, if you'd like."

Magtok allows himself a grin. Pfft, he was all worried about this like it was the end of the world, but it turns out he just needed to wait a couple of minutes and everything would be fine! His big stupid mouth can easily work out a deal that will sort this all out.

"Not that it changes anything, but those victims were going to die. All of them. Remember that terrorist attack when those people exploded stuff and tried to gas everybody? I think it was the day I visited Vasquez's mother, to try to goad Vyrn into jumping the gun and shooting first so I'd look justified if I had to do anything. Some nonsense like that. Anyways, the Magbots found some people who weren't going to live and there weren't rescue teams coming for them. Again, doesn't change anything, since I was taking advantage of an awful situation, and saving someone only to hurt them is still completely awful. Just thought you should know."

"I do remember that, and if you'll recall, I was there, pointing a gun at you," the Vice Commander deadpans. "Regardless, that is...a start. It'll certainly pay the therapists. Additionally, I will expect full reports on VIGIL activity within Union territory in the future, lest there be complications to either of our operations. While you might not want to tie VIGIL to us, the alternative involves a lot of unfortunate tensions as long as you remain in your leadership position there, now that we no longer have a major ally in the VIGIL leadership. Will that be a problem?" N'alae asks, in that not-really-asking sort of way.

It's hardly a question when you more or less have someone backed into a corner and are simply trying to act polite about the whole thing.

[Recaiden]

[DART Safehouse Approach]

"What would that anti-magic do to you?"
Tavlii slides to a stop behind the monstrosities, having skated along the ground rather quickly to keep up.
Readies on of their pale blocky energy guns.

This is really a Nai's job. They should keep one at the temple as a guard, for all the trouble that stems from that place.

[ThirdEmperor]

[Red Zone - Zombie Emporium]

There's a new sign in long lane of neon lights promising liquor, guns and comic books - in flickering green it spells out 'The Zombie Emporium'. It's a squat cement block of a building, with a new coat of eggshell white sloshes over the walls and the windows shaded. Could be any number of other buildings on the row, if it wasn't for the airstream trailer parked out front, bristling with anntennas and lightning rods, or the holding pen taking up the rest of the lot. Because inside, the Zombie Emporium's merchandise is on display. And as promised on the smaller sign hung on the door, they are indeed

- 100% Non-Humanoid or Sapient Parts -

They're hideous things, like undead minotaurs. Take a cow and rebuild it to walk like a man, grafting on muscle to the hindlegs and reinforcing them with steel until they're grotesquely out of proportion. Fix up the spine as well for that bipedal shamble, with more metal braces and more bolts to secure them. The hands are covered with thick red gloves, but they are hands, somehow, with four fingers and opposable thumbs just like any human's. The zombie cattle list soundlessly in their pens, shambling to the edges and back in a slow bounce between the walls.

Needless to say, the liquor, gun and comic stores nearby are none too fond of their new neighbor.

[Fenric]

DART Safehouse

Tsukiko listens carefully to the description, then frowns about the antimagic devices.

Those magic defeating devices will certainly complicate matters.

[Rebonack]

[Safehouse Approach]

"They might make us living while we're within them. And... they should suppress our magic?" Bella replies uncertainly.

Sunder gives a wing shrug. ~Antimagic shells don't stop pony magic. Least I've never run into one that does. It'll knock out the nightshade stuff, though. I should be able to bust 'em pretty easy, though. If I don't notice that we're in one, just give a yell and I'll smash it.~

Sunder's stuff-breaking ability is pretty darn useful in that regard. Though there's an unpleasant chance that sundering the field might cause it to blow up like a wild magic bomb rather than just overloading...

Of course, Sunder isn't aware of that!

They'll just have to find out first hand.

It'll be an adventure!

Sunder begins to cast Invisibility over the individual party members and once the baffle is set Bella begins sneaking toward the safehouse!

Sadly, pony hooves aren't exactly quiet. Thankfully there aren't any guards out front to hear the clip-clopping.

[Lord Magtok]

Undisclosed Location

"I do remember that, and if you'll recall, I was there, pointing a gun at you," the Vice Commander deadpans. "Regardless, that is...a start. It'll certainly pay the therapists. Additionally, I will expect full reports on VIGIL activity within Union territory in the future, lest there be complications to either of our operations. While you might not want to tie VIGIL to us, the alternative involves a lot of unfortunate tensions as long as you remain in your leadership position there, now that we no longer have a major ally in the VIGIL leadership. Will that be a problem?" N'alae asks, in that not-really-asking sort of way.

It's hardly a question when you more or less have someone backed into a corner and are simply trying to act polite about the whole thing.

"I'll talk to Cessie and Carrie, see what I can do." Magtok answers, already imagining a dozen or so excuses he could use to minimize the frequency he'd provide such reports, as well as the content within them. He consented to this arrest for the sake of his victims and the MagMarts, not for relations with the filthy empire and their totalitarian control of the city.

"Are we done here?"

[Recaiden]

[Safehouse Approach]

"How convenient. In our world, shadows that go into an anti-magic field stop existing. I would be ready for it to; it stops things that are physical processes in our reality, if it doesn't correspond to theirs."
Speaking of, Tavlii needs to prepare for that as well. She'd probably get only one shot with their gun. Slug-throwers don't work in every physics system either. They should invest in some flamethrowers.
Wings curled up, skating turned off, bayonet attached, mind-instance disconnected.

Creep invisibly up towards the door. Could it be as easy as opening it?

[Darkcomet]

[Unknown Location]

N'alae nods to herself. Yes, this was working out fairly well. "Until I get confirmation on that, current orders will stand, but I'm sure you knew that already. In the meantime, rest assured that should we find out who tried to kill you before I interrupted, they will be treated as any other murderer. Worse, even, since they were foolish enough to try to catch me in the attack. Finally, should you need an exit, I am ready to assist, if you need it."

[Aric Kale]

[Red Zone - Zombie Emporium]

There's a new sign in long lane of neon lights promising liquor, guns and comic books - in flickering green it spells out 'The Zombie Emporium'. It's a squat cement block of a building, with a new coat of eggshell white sloshes over the walls and the windows shaded. Could be any number of other buildings on the row, if it wasn't for the airstream trailer parked out front, bristling with anntennas and lightning rods, or the holding pen taking up the rest of the lot. Because inside, the Zombie Emporium's merchandise is on display. And as promised on the smaller sign hung on the door, they are indeed

- 100% Non-Humanoid or Sapient Parts -

They're hideous things, like undead minotaurs. Take a cow and rebuild it to walk like a man, grafting on muscle to the hindlegs and reinforcing them with steel until they're grotesquely out of proportion. Fix up the spine as well for that bipedal shamble, with more metal braces and more bolts to secure them. The hands are covered with thick red gloves, but they are hands, somehow, with four fingers and opposable thumbs just like any human's. The zombie cattle list soundlessly in their pens, shambling to the edges and back in a slow bounce between the walls.

Needless to say, the liquor, gun and comic stores nearby are none too fond of their new neighbor.

Red Zone - Zombie Emporium

Here's a probable customer.
The figure floats up to the door, wraithlike. nothing can be seen beyond the black and gray cloak, which trails all the way to the ground. A quick glance behind the figure will prove that there is no trail, oddly enough.

The door opens before it, and a chilling voice calls forth. One might describe it as feminine...

What all do you have in stock, besides these cows?

A staff bangs against the ground, making sure that the cloaked figure is heard. The hand gripping the black iron rod is dark...too dark for a normal hand, with silver fingernails.

[Rebonack]

[Spooktober Spectacular!]

Bella

A random bonbon is selected from the bowl, unwrapped, and eaten!

Inside?

A creamy, delectable, rich, fluffy chocolate mousse. When it comes to chocolates, chocolate covered chocolate is hard to beat.

Alaine and Alysha

Welp!

Looks like no one else is headed in. Alaine and Alysha will be joined by a group of four teens wearing what could probably be considered ninja turtle costumes. Just the masks, really. As in the little tie-on strips of colored cloth. They really aren't putting much effort into this. Sadly, that's all too common with the teens...

Unless they get really into it and do some awesome costplaying stuff! But these ones aren't.

A human guy wearing a pretty spot on Igor costume and holding a lantern limps up to the group of six and beckons toward them. "Come with me, and I will show you the terrors that await within..." he says in a perfectly nasally Igor voice.

[The Sewers]

"Ugh... this is the worst patrol in the whole City..." a gloomling batpony grumbles as she wings along through the tunnels, eyes like blazing embers in the darkness.

"Oh come on, Tenebra, it isn't that bad," a second gloomling of the same tribe laughs. She's trotting along the slick, scuzzy foot-path that flanks the subterranean flow of surprisingly clean water. "These are adventurer sewers. Not the sewer sewers. And that means they're just big fancy tunnels full of monsters, molds, treasure, and under-ground rivers."

"Yeah, well, you lived down here, Nyx," the other gloomy batpony shoots back. "You'll have to excuse me if I'm not quite so excited."

Nyx sticks her tongue out at her companion. "Yeah yeah, I used to be a rot-eating ghoul, rub it in. But this beats being a ghoul, easy! I can walk around up on the surface and no one will freak out! I wouldn't mind snacking on a few of my old ghoul acquaintances and converting them over to the pony-side. They're really missing out on this whole 'unliving' thing. Beats the pants off undead."

"I just like the open air back in Midnight Park more," Tenebra sighs. "But I guess batponies are well suited for the whole underground thing. If I could have picked I would have gone with pegasus."

"Pfbbbbt!" Nyx replies with a rather horse-y sputtering sound. "And miss out on cool stuff like shadow magic? Don't be-"

A loud plunk of a stone falling to the water echoes through the tunnels, causing both gloomlings to freeze in their tracks, ears pricked forward. The sploosh is followed by another, then by the distinct sound of claws scrabbling against stone.

"Trouble?" Tenebra asks.

"Trouble, probably. Let's go check it out," Nyx confirms. Darkness shrouds the two batponies, muffling their steps and obscuring them from even the sharpest of nightvision as they begin creeping toward the disturbance.

[KerfuffleMach2]

Spooktacular

Alysha's fangs show as her smile somehow becomes wider. One might think she was excited about this.

This is gonna be awesome!

The peppy vampire dressed as a rag doll happily goes to follow the man dressed as Igor.

Meanwhile, her player suddenly has a huge urge to watch "Young Frankenstein".

[Rebonack]

[Sewers ==> Below an Apartment Complex Basement]

One majorly useful application of shadow magic?

Applying it to one's hooves and using it not only to muffle sound, but also to creep along ceilings! And both Tenebra and Nyx are doing a whole lot of creeping right now. Creeping toward a hole in the ceiling. Claw marks mar the walls of the tunnel and a heap of bricks has been piled up in the water below. Normally they would probably be missed, but a pair of bloated, murky colored cadavers are crouching in the river, their heads barley discernible from the stones that surround them.

To normal dark vision they would have just looked like more rocks. But to the sonar of a batpony? They stand out all too easily. Nyx and Tenebra glance to each other, give a quick nod, and silently drop off the ceiling toward the water below.

The first of the drowned wights never even knew what hit it.

The two gloomlings land on either side of the monster with a splash and launch a buck at it, obliterating its head and much of the thing's torso in the process. The rest of its bloated, waterlogged body begins to decay into dark mist that flows into Nyx' eyes and mouth. Temporarily distracted by feeding, Nyx has trouble reacting to the other wight spewing an acidic torrent of brine at her! Thankfully Tenebra has no such issue and interposes herself, sweeping up a wing and thickening the darkness around herself into a near-solid shield that handily deflects the attack!

"Thanks for the save," Nyx calls before leap-frogging over Tenebra and giving her wings a snap, launching herself hooves first into the other wight and smashing it into the algae covered brick walls of the tunnel. The monster smashes a fist into her face, causing her head to snap to the side and one of her fangs to crack. The gloomling growls back, pins the wight to the wall with one hoof, and begins to repeatedly pummel it with the other. The undead monster can't stand up to the beating and succumbs, wisping away into black fog like the first, only to be consumed by Nyx.

"No fair, you got to eat both of them," Tenebra pouts.

"Urp..." Nyx grunts back as her stomach makes a violently awful gurgling sound. "Don't get jealous juuummmmpphuuuuUGGGGHHHPPPH!"

Now Nyx is vomiting liquid gloom all over the ground. Lots of it. Like... seriously. That's probably more than her total body volume. It's just keeps coming!

Tenebra's face contorts into a mask of revulsion. "Changed my mind. I'm okay with you eating both of them."