Snowfall: Equestria - A Snow Day in the Winterland [IC]

[TheAmishPirate]

Crystalshy composed herself enough to lead the way. "S-she grabbed me on my way here and threatened to blow us both up if I didn't let her into the store room. Now she's just ... sitting there, like it's her living room or something. I didn't know what else to do."

The door of the store room had a convenient little glass window in it. Through it you could see the intruder ... the clearly deceased remains of an old mare with a blinking device strapped around her body. She looked half decayed and nearly frozen blue, but that didn't seem to bother her none. Some ponies just don't get the hint that they're dead.

She was calmly knitting socks in there.

Huh. When Crystalshy had first burst in babbling, Eclipse had thought she was just hysterical, but...no, yeah, that's a dead pony in the storeroom with a bomb. Didn't get much more clear than that.

"Thank you for your help." She studied the calm, elderly zombie through the window. "Now get out of here; keep your head down until one of us comes for you." Once Crystalshy was clear, she took a steeling breath, and opened the storeroom door. "Morning. Room for one more in here?" she asked casually, taking a single step inside.

[Rolling to Read a Person: (2d6)[11]]

[Anarion]

Snow Eyes raced forward, lowering her legs and pulling into a slide to land herself directly behind one of the sleds, then immediately turned and took her shot at the nearest mercenary. A cool blue aura surrounded her horn, but there was no sound as the magical bolt charged up. Snow Eyes had practiced this trick, and she could focus magic from her horn into a charged blast without any of the usual magical thrumming sound. As soon as it was ready, she popped over the sled and unleashed it on the closest mercenary. A perfect shot, he never knew what hit him. [that's using my 10 from go aggro before. I'm shooting him with my 3 harm silenced weapon.]

[Elanorin]

Oh, that's a good question! Who is this crazy zombie pony in your store room? Anypony you know, or has the world gone nuts?

Oh if it isn't that creepy-flank undertaker Hushabye then it's somepony under her orders. That mare is bat-nut crazy and we haven't seen eye to eye since she went and broke in here and put Twisty Tail in a coffin when she was unconscious. I'd have a guard at my door if I could afford it so she wouldn't show up staring through my windows with those twisted beady eyes of hers whenever somepony comes in looking in bad shape. It's distracting. She hates it when I get somepony back on their hooves and I guess she finally snapped and decided to do away with my infirmary alltogether. This, of course, means war. Nopony threatens my lab!

She wasn't dead last I saw her though, but who knows what she gets up to in that creepy place with all those coffins and corpses...

Anyway, I have a pony to save if you excuse me for a second.

Huh. When Crystalshy had first burst in babbling, Eclipse had thought she was just hysterical, but...no, yeah, that's a dead pony in the storeroom with a bomb. Didn't get much more clear than that.

"Thank you for your help." She studied the calm, elderly zombie through the window. "Now get out of here; keep your head down until one of us comes for you." Once Crystalshy was clear, she took a steeling breath, and opened the storeroom door. "Morning. Room for one more in here?" she asked casually, taking a single step inside.

When Eclipse and Crystalshy left to go back to the storeroom, Angel immediately went to work on the bloody Bell Bottom. She assembled the cleaning spirits, gauzes and sutures but first of all she was suspicious enough of what else was wrong with Bell to narcostab her before she started to try to stop the bleeding with deft hooves and large amounts of gauze. Eclipse's blades sure had done their work on the mare and it would at the very least take a good few stitches to get this pony patched up.

[Spending 1 Stock of my Angel kit in trying to stabilise Bell Bottom: 9]

[Deadly]

Charger glared darkly at the door for a moment. She was not happy with any of those answers. She wasn't going to bash this door down like some intemperate brute and then flee through the window like a common criminal. She glanced at the roof - do better, serpent.

Her eyes flashed crimson as she pulled herself to her full height. She took a breath and started to sing again, pressing her face against the door and letting her voice echo through the entire house. Low and seductive, up and down, as irresistible as the tide. Come to me. Come to me. Come to me, my little pony, come and see~

Artful and Gracious: 13. High Pride must come and meet me. Holding 2.

Ah, yes ... Well, good thinking.

Now, there was a bit of a pause before you heard her soft hoof-steps again. Another pause as they stopped on the other side of the door. "I hope you're not thinking I'll let you out, just 'cause I came back," she said through the door.

Huh. When Crystalshy had first burst in babbling, Eclipse had thought she was just hysterical, but...no, yeah, that's a dead pony in the storeroom with a bomb. Didn't get much more clear than that.

"Thank you for your help." She studied the calm, elderly zombie through the window. "Now get out of here; keep your head down until one of us comes for you." Once Crystalshy was clear, she took a steeling breath, and opened the storeroom door. "Morning. Room for one more in here?" she asked casually, taking a single step inside.

[Rolling to Read a Person: [roll0]]

"'Course, deary," the zombie croaked. Her knitting needles tapped as she spoke.

"Now, before ya ask," she said and gave a warning tap at her glowing horn with a knitting needle, then pointed at the identical glow pressing down the trigger of the bomb. "Ah can keep pressin' this thing fer years without tirin' - perk o' bein' dead 'n all - so don't none y'all worry. But if fer some reason or other mah magic should stop ... Ah'm sure y'all get the picture."

And then she was all back to grandmotherly smiles. "Now, what can Ah do ya fer?"

Snow Eyes raced forward, lowering her legs and pulling into a slide to land herself directly behind one of the sleds, then immediately turned and took her shot at the nearest mercenary. A cool blue aura surrounded her horn, but there was no sound as the magical bolt charged up. Snow Eyes had practiced this trick, and she could focus magic from her horn into a charged blast without any of the usual magical thrumming sound. As soon as it was ready, she popped over the sled and unleashed it on the closest mercenary. A perfect shot, he never knew what hit him. [that's using my 10 from go aggro before. I'm shooting him with my 3 harm silenced weapon.]

Cream of Crops went down in a spray of frozen blood. Two down, three to go.

"I'll get you for that, you piece of manure!" Ribcage shouted and opened fire in your direction, quickly backed up from above by Flycatcher. Bullets flew over your head, struck the ground around you, or rattled against the steel of the sleds. Thankfully you had good cover, and none of them hit you.

"You idiots! Stop shooting the sleds!" Curb, the last mercenary to catch up, shouted from her hidey-hole of ice where she had taken cover. "Get the hell down!"

They both dove for cover. Looked like it was down to trench warfare here. What now?

Oh if it isn't that creepy-flank undertaker Hushabye then it's somepony under her orders. That mare is bat-nut crazy and we haven't seen eye to eye since she went and broke in here and put Twisty Tail in a coffin when she was unconscious. I'd have a guard at my door if I could afford it so she wouldn't show up staring through my windows with those twisted beady eyes of hers whenever somepony comes in looking in bad shape. It's distracting. She hates it when I get somepony back on their hooves and I guess she finally snapped and decided to do away with my infirmary alltogether. This, of course, means war. Nopony threatens my lab!

She wasn't dead last I saw her though, but who knows what she gets up to in that creepy place with all those coffins and corpses...

Oh, her ... yes, of course. Delightful.

When Eclipse and Crystalshy left to go back to the storeroom, Angel immediately went to work on the bloody Bell Bottom. She assembled the cleaning spirits, gauzes and sutures but first of all she was suspicious enough of what else was wrong with Bell to narcostab her before she started to try to stop the bleeding with deft hooves and large amounts of gauze. Eclipse's blades sure had done their work on the mare and it would at the very least take a good few stitches to get this pony patched up.

[Spending 1 Stock of my Angel kit in trying to stabilise Bell Bottom: 9]

Even doped up on chillstabs, Bell Bottom kept twitching and kicking like a chicken without its head. At least she had stopped spewing blood and curses, and there didn't seem to be anypony home behind her eyes, but that didn't stop her body from living its own troublesome life.

Keeping her steady while operating was going to be a pain, and unless she could be made to stop kicking around she'd have to be restrained and under close observation for a day or two to prevent her from tearing the stitches.

[You're acting under fire]

[Thanqol]

Ah, yes ... Well, good thinking.

Now, there was a bit of a pause before you heard her soft hoof-steps again. Another pause as they stopped on the other side of the door. "I hope you're not thinking I'll let you out, just 'cause I came back," she said through the door.

"I'm not thinking that," said Charger with a smile in her voice. "I'm thinking something entirely different."

She leaned up against the door and almost purred her words. "Would you like to know what I'm thinking?"

[1 hold: High Pride loves me]

[TheAmishPirate]

"'Course, deary," the zombie croaked. Her knitting needles tapped as she spoke.

"Now, before ya ask," she said and gave a warning tap at her glowing horn with a knitting needle, then pointed at the identical glow pressing down the trigger of the bomb. "Ah can keep pressin' this thing fer years without tirin' - perk o' bein' dead 'n all - so don't none y'all worry. But if fer some reason or other mah magic should stop ... Ah'm sure y'all get the picture."

And then she was all back to grandmotherly smiles. "Now, what can Ah do ya fer?"

A dead-pony's switch. Literally. Somepony was feeling creative this morning.

"There's a few things you could help clear up," she said, stepping into the room proper. She didn't dare sit down. "You're impressively active for being deceased, somepony's lent you a bomb by the looks of it, and you've forcibly chosen a doctor's storeroom for your teatime knitting."

She brushed some red snow from her coat. "Let's start with the last one; what brings you here today?"

[1 hold: What does the elderly zombie intend to do?]

[Anarion]

Cream of Crops went down in a spray of frozen blood. Two down, three to go.

"I'll get you for that, you piece of manure!" Ribcage shouted and opened fire in your direction, quickly backed up from above by Flycatcher. Bullets flew over your head, struck the ground around you, or rattled against the steel of the sleds. Thankfully you had good cover, and none of them hit you.

"You idiots! Stop shooting the sleds!" Curb, the last mercenary to catch up, shouted from her hidey-hole of ice where she had taken cover. "Get the hell down!"

They both dove for cover. Looked like it was down to trench warfare here. What now?

Snow Eyes gave a big smile. She had reached the sleds and the mercenaries had been kind enough to dig into their positions for her. What did she do now? Easy, she decided to see if they could keep up.

She had started a whole set of steam vents going off. That gave her a slope. And the sleds were mostly intact, dog teams and all. That meant all she needed was a catalyst. Fortunately, what she had was a pony in heavy armor. She gave the sleds a push and a shout of "mush doggies!" Then turned to the mercenaries, jumped up and shouted "come and get me boys!" Before jumping up and diving into the ground ahead of the sleds. As the resultant avalanche of half melted snow and ice sent herself and the sleds flying along the walls, she laughed, grabbed onto a sled with one hoof, and reloaded her guns with the other and her mouth.

[Elanorin]

Even doped up on chillstabs, Bell Bottom kept twitching and kicking like a chicken without its head. At least she had stopped spewing blood and curses, and there didn't seem to be anypony home behind her eyes, but that didn't stop her body from living its own troublesome life.

Keeping her steady while operating was going to be a pain, and unless she could be made to stop kicking around she'd have to be restrained and under close observation for a day or two to prevent her from tearing the stitches.

[You're acting under fire]

While Angel was used to seeing a lot of things that would have most ponies fainting, this was new, and disturbing even for her. This twitching wasn't just creepy, it was making her job that much harder.

"Oh for crying out- Crystalshy! Get in here and help me hold her down!"

[Acting under fire: 9]

Also I'd like to get to the bottom of what else is wrong with Bell Bottom, aside from her blade wounds.]

[Deadly]

"I'm not thinking that," said Charger with a smile in her voice. "I'm thinking something entirely different."

She leaned up against the door and almost purred her words. "Would you like to know what I'm thinking?"

[1 hold: High Pride loves me]

D'aww, isn't that nice.

She went silent at that, but then she spoke again, now closer to the door. "Will you tell me?" You could almost hear her heart fluttering in her chest. Pony was crazy for you, whether she wanted to admit it or not. But of course, you knew that ...

A dead-pony's switch. Literally. Somepony was feeling creative this morning.

"There's a few things you could help clear up," she said, stepping into the room proper. She didn't dare sit down. "You're impressively active for being deceased, somepony's lent you a bomb by the looks of it, and you've forcibly chosen a doctor's storeroom for your teatime knitting."

She brushed some red snow from her coat. "Let's start with the last one; what brings you here today?"

[1 hold: What does the elderly zombie intend to do?]

"Why, thank ya, dearie," the zombie croaked at the compliment. Or what she took to be a compliment, at least. "Well, this is an infermary, ain't it? Ah thought to mahself, what better place fer one such as me to settle down? It's nice and cold, but it ain't windy. Keeps mah old bones fresh, it does, and mah mane from tanglin'. And Ah thought, ya must have the occasional pony what didn't make it and be needin' disposin'. They wouldn't be missin' their brains, now would they?

"So Ah said to mahself, I said, this would be a fine place fer me to live. 'Sides, maybe that grump of a doctor could find me a cure fer this here affliction, an' then Ah could go home."

Clearly she didn't count on that ever happening. Curing the Dead would be an achievement, to say the least. No, what she seemed to be doing was make a pest of herself. A dead and rotting pony sitting in the storage room, unmovable. Weeks, months, years ... she could sit here forever, doing nothing, and she plainly intended to. It would no doubt drive Angel insane, and that was the plan.

Snow Eyes gave a big smile. She had reached the sleds and the mercenaries had been kind enough to dig into their positions for her. What did she do now? Easy, she decided to see if they could keep up.

She had started a whole set of steam vents going off. That gave her a slope. And the sleds were mostly intact, dog teams and all. That meant all she needed was a catalyst. Fortunately, what she had was a pony in heavy armor. She gave the sleds a push and a shout of "mush doggies!" Then turned to the mercenaries, jumped up and shouted "come and get me boys!" Before jumping up and diving into the ground ahead of the sleds. As the resultant avalanche of half melted snow and ice sent herself and the sleds flying along the walls, she laughed, grabbed onto a sled with one hoof, and reloaded her guns with the other and her mouth.

Some of the dogs had been hit, and the others were in a frenzy, tearing at their lines and each other. It wasn't hard to cut the lines of the dead ones and get the others to move once the sled was righted back up ... the hard part would be to make them run in the right direction when they were panicking like this, but maybe Snow Eyes didn't worry too much about the "where", as long as it was "forward".

Tell me, are there any ponies left on the sled with you, or did they all fall off earlier?

While Angel was used to seeing a lot of things that would have most ponies fainting, this was new, and disturbing even for her. This twitching wasn't just creepy, it was making her job that much harder.

"Oh for crying out- Crystalshy! Get in here and help me hold her down!"

[Acting under fire: 9]

Also I'd like to get to the bottom of what else is wrong with Bell Bottom, aside from her blade wounds.]

Crystalshy was there in an instant. After having just let a crazy zombie pony with a bomb into the storage room, the poor pony was eager to prove herself a good and dependable helper. She grabbed Bell Bottom's hooves, trying to hold her still for you.

Operating wasn't easy, and the stitching wasn't pretty - this was gonna leave an ugly scar - but with Crystalshy's help, it progressed slowly. She'd need a blood transfusion, but really, that was to be expected.

What wasn't expected was the length of thin, silver wire suddenly sticking out of the wound. That definitely wasn't supposed to be there. Ponies had a lot of things, but thin metal wires weren't among them. You could try removing it - which may prove a bigger operation - or just stick it back in and continue stitching.

[Anarion]

Some of the dogs had been hit, and the others were in a frenzy, tearing at their lines and each other. It wasn't hard to cut the lines of the dead ones and get the others to move once the sled was righted back up ... the hard part would be to make them run in the right direction when they were panicking like this, but maybe Snow Eyes didn't worry too much about the "where", as long as it was "forward".

Anywhere was good. Not off the cliff into the city (though the initial snow melt meant they were probably below wall level unless they picked up enough speed to go over it via an uphill). More perpendicular to the walls, circling away from the mercenaries and around. At least, to the extent this sort of thing could be controlled.

Tell me, are there any ponies left on the sled with you, or did they all fall off earlier?

Pretty sure there were a couple still on the sleds, and if there were any nearby that weren't obvious corpses, Snow Eyes did her best to throw them on the sleds as she was getting them going.

[TheAmishPirate]

"Why, thank ya, dearie," the zombie croaked at the compliment. Or what she took to be a compliment, at least. "Well, this is an infermary, ain't it? Ah thought to mahself, what better place fer one such as me to settle down? It's nice and cold, but it ain't windy. Keeps mah old bones fresh, it does, and mah mane from tanglin'. And Ah thought, ya must have the occasional pony what didn't make it and be needin' disposin'. They wouldn't be missin' their brains, now would they?

"So Ah said to mahself, I said, this would be a fine place fer me to live. 'Sides, maybe that grump of a doctor could find me a cure fer this here affliction, an' then Ah could go home."

Clearly she didn't count on that ever happening. Curing the Dead would be an achievement, to say the least. No, what she seemed to be doing was make a pest of herself. A dead and rotting pony sitting in the storage room, unmovable. Weeks, months, years ... she could sit here forever, doing nothing, and she plainly intended to. It would no doubt drive Angel insane, and that was the plan.

Zombies for psychological warfare.

Did Eclipse mention how much she hated it when ponies got creative? Because this was the sort of nonsense that happened when ponies got creative.

"So, how do you know this 'grump of a doctor'?" she asked, eyes flitting over the bomb.

[1 hold: Is she telling the truth regarding the bomb's trigger mechanism?]

[Thanqol]

D'aww, isn't that nice.

She went silent at that, but then she spoke again, now closer to the door. "Will you tell me?" You could almost hear her heart fluttering in her chest. Pony was crazy for you, whether she wanted to admit it or not. But of course, you knew that ...

"I was thinking," whispered Charger, "that you might like a bath."

[Last hold: High Pride must have my services]

[TheAmishPirate]

"I was thinking," whispered Charger, "that you might like a bath."

[Last hold: High Pride must have my services]

If you'll excuse the interruption, I've got a question; what services does Charger advertise? And what services does she offer?

[Elanorin]

Crystalshy was there in an instant. After having just let a crazy zombie pony with a bomb into the storage room, the poor pony was eager to prove herself a good and dependable helper. She grabbed Bell Bottom's hooves, trying to hold her still for you.

Operating wasn't easy, and the stitching wasn't pretty - this was gonna leave an ugly scar - but with Crystalshy's help, it progressed slowly. She'd need a blood transfusion, but really, that was to be expected.

What wasn't expected was the length of thin, silver wire suddenly sticking out of the wound. That definitely wasn't supposed to be there. Ponies had a lot of things, but thin metal wires weren't among them. You could try removing it - which may prove a bigger operation - or just stick it back in and continue stitching.

Angel said nothing but this silver wire caught her attention so much she momentarily forgot about the bomb in her store room. She paused for a moment as she considered her options, her instinct told her this wire had no place in Bell unless it had been placed there by herself for medical reasons and she was fairly sure she'd have remembered such a procedure. She wondered just how much there was of this metal in poor Bell Bottom. One way or another it would have to come out.

"Hold on tight." She muttered to Crystalshy without looking up.

She tried a gentle tug on the wire to see if it would come out without a fight. If not, she'd go ahead and go in deeper to get it out.

[Deadly]

Anywhere was good. Not off the cliff into the city (though the initial snow melt meant they were probably below wall level unless they picked up enough speed to go over it via an uphill). More perpendicular to the walls, circling away from the mercenaries and around. At least, to the extent this sort of thing could be controlled.

The dogs' instinct was to get away from anything that looked or smelled like a threat. That included the mercenaries, and also the ponies who were now watching from the wall. The result was a curved line along and ultimately way from both.

Pretty sure there were a couple still on the sleds, and if there were any nearby that weren't obvious corpses, Snow Eyes did her best to throw them on the sleds as she was getting them going.

There were a few, wrapped up in coccoons of thick woolen blankets. Some were faintly trembling and their breaths were shallow clouds of mist in the cold, though none of them gave any response to being pushed around. One had been hit in the shoulder, but it didn't look fatal. Still, these ponies don't look so good to me.

Meanwhile, Flycatcher, the last little peggy of the mercenaries, was disappearing into some of the low-hanging clouds above. It was a great position for a sniper. The other two mercenaries hadn't moved from their position back there, from what you could tell.

Zombies for psychological warfare.

Did Eclipse mention how much she hated it when ponies got creative? Because this was the sort of nonsense that happened when ponies got creative.

"So, how do you know this 'grump of a doctor'?" she asked, eyes flitting over the bomb.

[1 hold: Is she telling the truth regarding the bomb's trigger mechanism?]

"Doesn't everypony?" the elderly zombie smiled a rotten smile. "She's the pony what made me dead, to 'put me out of mah misery'. She an' that ungrateful git of a son of mine. Well, he sold everything and moved away he did, but Ah thought I would let mah killer know Ah made it after all. No thanks to her."

The bomb and its mechanism were legit. She - or whoever had given it to her - probably figured that Angel, while not specifically an explosives expert, would be sharp enough to spot even a good fake, and that wouldn't do.

If you'll excuse the interruption, I've got a question; what services does Charger advertise? And what services does she offer?

Oh yes, good question. Let's hold a moment and hear your sale's speech.

Angel said nothing but this silver wire caught her attention so much she momentarily forgot about the bomb in her store room. She paused for a moment as she considered her options, her instinct told her this wire had no place in Bell unless it had been placed there by herself for medical reasons and she was fairly sure she'd have remembered such a procedure. She wondered just how much there was of this metal in poor Bell Bottom. One way or another it would have to come out.

"Hold on tight." She muttered to Crystalshy without looking up.

She tried a gentle tug on the wire to see if it would come out without a fight. If not, she'd go ahead and go in deeper to get it out.

Bell Bottom twitched and twisted around on the table as you tugged on the wire. Crystalshy did her best to hold her down, but the wire wasn't coming out so easily. Following it deeper in, it quickly became apparent that it had to be running all the way from somewhere in the body, up through the neck, to the head. And it wasn't alone in there. Digging around, you found two more, both of which had been cut when she was wounded. And that was only in the wounds Eclipse had given her. There could be others, twisting through her body like tiny veins of metal.

They all had to come from somewhere. And if this didn't have something or everything to do with her frothing and kicking ... well, you'd be the queen of rabbits.

[Thanqol]

If you'll excuse the interruption, I've got a question; what services does Charger advertise? And what services does she offer?

She doesn't advertise or offer anything. She's not some two-dime hooker, reliant on others, transactional. No, her rules are very clear: She does what she wants, with who she wants, when she wants.

For those who she does want to be with, she makes those moments special, though it seems even then that it's because she wants it that way. Sometimes she gives massages, beauty treatment, exotic foods not seen since the snow started falling, intimate companionship. Her temptations are numerous and no one else can match them; other ponies might have hot water, but only Charger knows how to run a spa.

The key, though, is that Charger has a f*cking stranglehold on true beauty - warmth and companionship and joy. And, if you're lucky, and pretty, and brave, she might choose to share it with you for a while. As the line goes, 'Anything beautiful left in this ugly ass world, skinners hold it. Will they share it with you? What do you offer them?'

[TheAmishPirate]

She doesn't advertise or offer anything. She's not some two-dime hooker, reliant on others, transactional. No, her rules are very clear: She does what she wants, with who she wants, when she wants.

For those who she does want to be with, she makes those moments special, though it seems even then that it's because she wants it that way. Sometimes she gives massages, beauty treatment, exotic foods not seen since the snow started falling, intimate companionship. Her temptations are numerous and no one else can match them; other ponies might have hot water, but only Charger knows how to run a spa.

The key, though, is that Charger has a f*cking stranglehold on true beauty - warmth and companionship and joy. And, if you're lucky, and pretty, and brave, she might choose to share it with you for a while. As the line goes, 'Anything beautiful left in this ugly ass world, skinners hold it. Will they share it with you? What do you offer them?'

I see no mention of your more mechanically-minded services in there, which is answer enough in my book. Everypony knows what it is you really do, but they can't afford to get rid of you for what they sometimes ask you to do.

Carry on, no more questions for now.

"Doesn't everypony?" the elderly zombie smiled a rotten smile. "She's the pony what made me dead, to 'put me out of mah misery'. She an' that ungrateful git of a son of mine. Well, he sold everything and moved away he did, but Ah thought I would let mah killer know Ah made it after all. No thanks to her."

The bomb and its mechanism were legit. She - or whoever had given it to her - probably figured that Angel, while not specifically an explosives expert, would be sharp enough to spot even a good fake, and that wouldn't do.

"And whoever helped you 'make it' also gave lend of that little wonder," she motioned towards the bomb. "It's a wonder you didn't settle down at their place; they seem friend enough to me."

[Anarion]

You know the worst thing about being a sniper? Trying to line up a shot when somepony better and faster than you already knew your position. Snow Eyes was tired of death though. She leveled her own weapon, now reloaded, at the exact spot where the Pegasus would need to peak out of the clouds and spoke loudly and clearly, her voice echoing above the din of flying sleds and crashing snow.

"Little merc, whatever you're being paid, you can't spend it if you're dead. Take your buddies and clear out now, and tell your boss that ambushing sled teams isn't a good use of her cash. She can come talk to Snow Eyes herself if she disagrees. Otherwise, I blow your brains out."

[Go Aggro (2d6+3)[13]]

[Elanorin]

Bell Bottom twitched and twisted around on the table as you tugged on the wire. Crystalshy did her best to hold her down, but the wire wasn't coming out so easily. Following it deeper in, it quickly became apparent that it had to be running all the way from somewhere in the body, up through the neck, to the head. And it wasn't alone in there. Digging around, you found two more, both of which had been cut when she was wounded. And that was only in the wounds Eclipse had given her. There could be others, twisting through her body like tiny veins of metal.

They all had to come from somewhere. And if this didn't have something or everything to do with her frothing and kicking ... well, you'd be the queen of rabbits.

Images of little pony puppets on strings came to mind.

Angel froze in her movements when she realised the sheer extent of this... 'infection'. Her rational side argued how impossible all this was while her more pragmatic side was less inclined to question what was clearly straight in front of her. No matter what, though, this was unsettling and strange. She felt the need for a different perspective.

Jade Sun carefully put down the scalpel and the suture pack. She placed her hooves on the side of the cot, supporting herself where she stood on her hind hooves, and closed her eyes.

[Opening my brain using sixth sense: Why is Bell Bottom laced with metal?: 8]

[Deadly]

"I was thinking," whispered Charger, "that you might like a bath."

[Last hold: High Pride must have my services]

Oh, she would like that. She would like that so very much.

But she wasn't born yesterday either.

She leaned up against the door and purred, "You've got a place in mind, sweet Charger? Surely not in my old pa's bathroom. Can you imagine anywhere with worse atmosphere?"

"And whoever helped you 'make it' also gave lend of that little wonder," she motioned towards the bomb. "It's a wonder you didn't settle down at their place; they seem friend enough to me."

The zombie smiled a rotten smile. "And what would Ah do there? Assumin' of course that I didn't make it all on mah own, without anypony's help. Safe among friends is not where you get things done, or do ya disagree?"

You know the worst thing about being a sniper? Trying to line up a shot when somepony better and faster than you already knew your position. Snow Eyes was tired of death though. She leveled her own weapon, now reloaded, at the exact spot where the Pegasus would need to peak out of the clouds and spoke loudly and clearly, her voice echoing above the din of flying sleds and crashing snow.

"Little merc, whatever you're being paid, you can't spend it if you're dead. Take your buddies and clear out now, and tell your boss that ambushing sled teams isn't a good use of her cash. She can come talk to Snow Eyes herself if she disagrees. Otherwise, I blow your brains out."

[Go Aggro [roll0]]

The pegasus poked her rifle through a cloud and saw you pointing in her general direction already. Surprised that you had somehow divined her location, she didn't stick around to listen or heed your warning, instead disappearing swiftly back behind the cloud cover. Your shot tore through the clouds a little off from where she had been, and you heard a distant grunt as it struck some part of her, but with all that gray fluff it was difficult to land a good hit.

And then she had vanished completely in the dense cloud cover once more. While you had seen her when she flew up there and probably got lucky pinning her down the first time, she could have moved to just about anywhere in that gray sky now. From the ground it wasn't easy to tell where she might be. While the shot had hit her, you didn't think it too likely that she was dead or slowly bleeding out on some cloud up there. So unless she had turned tail and flown off without a word, she could be preparing to line up another shot even now.

Spoiler

Show

She chose to suck it up. Clouds give cover for 1-armor, and all the mercenaries wear 1-armor except for their leader (Curb) who wears 2-armor. I shall endeavor to be better at showing my math in the future, and also (as always) better at establishing the details of a scene. That's something I continue to struggle with.

3-harm minus a total of 2-armor: 1 harm total

Images of little pony puppets on strings came to mind.

Angel froze in her movements when she realised the sheer extent of this... 'infection'. Her rational side argued how impossible all this was while her more pragmatic side was less inclined to question what was clearly straight in front of her. No matter what, though, this was unsettling and strange. She felt the need for a different perspective.

Jade Sun carefully put down the scalpel and the suture pack. She placed her hooves on the side of the cot, supporting herself where she stood on her hind hooves, and closed her eyes.

[Opening my brain using sixth sense: Why is Bell Bottom laced with metal?: 8]

Strange and unsettling.

Creepy. Crawling, perhaps, yes?

You could have sworn something just crawled up your spine on swift little legs - way too many legs - and disappeared into your mane. It was in there, hiding in your hairs, tickling and moving all over your head. Things were crawling under you skin, prickling your nerves ...

Nerves, the body's web of electrical impulses, and at its center, fat and bloated ... the puppet master behind your ears.

Tell me, how do you feel about itty bitty spiders?

[Anarion]

The pegasus poked her rifle through a cloud and saw you pointing in her general direction already. Surprised that you had somehow divined her location, she didn't stick around to listen or heed your warning, instead disappearing swiftly back behind the cloud cover. Your shot tore through the clouds a little off from where she had been, and you heard a distant grunt as it struck some part of her, but with all that gray fluff it was difficult to land a good hit.

And then she had vanished completely in the dense cloud cover once more. While you had seen her when she flew up there and probably got lucky pinning her down the first time, she could have moved to just about anywhere in that gray sky now. From the ground it wasn't easy to tell where she might be. While the shot had hit her, you didn't think it too likely that she was dead or slowly bleeding out on some cloud up there. So unless she had turned tail and flown off without a word, she could be preparing to line up another shot even now.

Spoiler

Show

She chose to suck it up. Clouds give cover for 1-armor, and all the mercenaries wear 1-armor except for their leader (Curb) who wears 2-armor. I shall endeavor to be better at showing my math in the future, and also (as always) better at establishing the details of a scene. That's something I continue to struggle with.

3-harm minus a total of 2-armor: 1 harm total

Hmm, pity she was so far out. Still, there wasn't much else to do right now. "Mush doggies mush" as she got the sleds going as fast as possible. She needed to get around the city and away from the flatlands. The terrain got more rugged on the other side, and that would give her a chance to either get into the city under cover or go to ground somewhere and take the remaining mercs by surprise.

Honestly, she was surprised that they even pushed this far. She'd killed 2 and wounded a third out of 5 mercs. Usually, ponies that fought for money wanted to live to spend that money. Snow Eyes grinned broadly. Their employer obviously had a lot of interest in this matter. She'd just have to take one alive.

[Thanqol]

Oh, she would like that. She would like that so very much.

But she wasn't born yesterday either.

She leaned up against the door and purred, "You've got a place in mind, sweet Charger? Surely not in my old pa's bathroom. Can you imagine anywhere with worse atmosphere?"

"Wherever you want," said Charger. "Surprise me."

[TheAmishPirate]

The zombie smiled a rotten smile. "And what would Ah do there? Assumin' of course that I didn't make it all on mah own, without anypony's help. Safe among friends is not where you get things done, or do ya disagree?"

"...no, can't say that I disagree," Eclipse admitted with a short sigh. She'd heard enough. "Ma'am, you know you're going to have to answer for what you've done. You knew that when you strapped on a bomb, no plan of yours was going to survive." She stood ready, but made no motion to draw either of her weapons. Not yet.

[Final hold: How can I get her to give me the bomb peacefully?]

[Elanorin]

Strange and unsettling.

Creepy. Crawling, perhaps, yes?

You could have sworn something just crawled up your spine on swift little legs - way too many legs - and disappeared into your mane. It was in there, hiding in your hairs, tickling and moving all over your head. Things were crawling under you skin, prickling your nerves ...

Nerves, the body's web of electrical impulses, and at its center, fat and bloated ... the puppet master behind your ears.

Tell me, how do you feel about itty bitty spiders?

Spiders? Oh they have their place in the world like most creatures. I don't have a phobia but I wouldn't keep one as a pet either. Then again, I wouldn't keep a pet of any kind, to be honest. I have enough on my hooves. So, nothing against spiders. Itty bitty or otherwise. But... that's normal spiders. Your run-of-the-mill hairy skinny little things with intricate webs that look pretty in the morning dew. Not creepy whatevers that spin metal webs inside ponies. Those... no, I do not like those.

*

Angel's eyes shot open to a huge wide-eyed alarmed stare. The next second she threw herself away from the cot and started aimlessly dashing around the room on hind hooves while furiously rummaging through her mane.

"Get it out. Get it out! Getitoutgetitoutgetitoutgetitout!"

She threw herself on the floor, rolling around and rubbing her mane against the floor. Got up, bucked, rummaged through her mane again and shook her head and mane as fiercely as she could.

"Get it off me! Don't just stand there Crystalshy! Get this f*cking spider off me!"

[Deadly]

Hmm, pity she was so far out. Still, there wasn't much else to do right now. "Mush doggies mush" as she got the sleds going as fast as possible. She needed to get around the city and away from the flatlands. The terrain got more rugged on the other side, and that would give her a chance to either get into the city under cover or go to ground somewhere and take the remaining mercs by surprise.

Honestly, she was surprised that they even pushed this far. She'd killed 2 and wounded a third out of 5 mercs. Usually, ponies that fought for money wanted to live to spend that money. Snow Eyes grinned broadly. Their employer obviously had a lot of interest in this matter. She'd just have to take one alive.

You weren't shot at, so either the mercs weren't following, or the pegasus was only watching - for now - from afar. There were still two sleds and however many ponies you had left back there with the two mercs. You could enter the city at another gate, or turn around somewhere, with or without the sled. Going through the city would take longer, give them more time, maybe even let them get away with what they'd got. But it would allow you to unload your passengers somewhere safe, perhaps with Angel.

The choice is yours. What do you do?

"Wherever you want," said Charger. "Surprise me."

High Pride was silent for a moment, but when she spoke she sounded smug. "As you wish. Meet me at the Stone Oak in the Gardens tomorrow, and I'll show you a little place. I'll know when you're there.

"I'll give the key to your little pet robot, once I'm out of here."

Oh yes, where did you leave your pet?

"...no, can't say that I disagree," Eclipse admitted with a short sigh. She'd heard enough. "Ma'am, you know you're going to have to answer for what you've done. You knew that when you strapped on a bomb, no plan of yours was going to survive." She stood ready, but made no motion to draw either of her weapons. Not yet.

[Final hold: How can I get her to give me the bomb peacefully?]

"Ah see mah plan workin' just fine," the old zombie said, unimpressed. "Either Ah get away wit' it and sit here until Ah feel like Ah've had enough revenge on Miss Angel. Or Ah blow up her place an' have mah revenge all the sooner. Ah can't lose."

She didn't seem like she was bluffing, but perhaps there was somepony she wanted to get at more than Angel. She had mentioned her son, but he had moved away, perhaps beyond her reach, and she had gone for the "next best thing" by targeting Angel. Perhaps she had given up hope that she could find her son and get back at him, and this was why she didn't mind blowing herself up.

But if she had hope of getting her hooves on her son instead, maybe she would reconsider the whole blowing herself up. Even a zombie won't survive being blown to pieces, and why waste her one chance on the "next best thing" if she can have the thing she really wants, yes?

Angel's eyes shot open to a huge wide-eyed alarmed stare. The next second she threw herself away from the cot and started aimlessly dashing around the room on hind hooves while furiously rummaging through her mane.

"Get it out. Get it out! Getitoutgetitoutgetitoutgetitout!"

She threw herself on the floor, rolling around and rubbing her mane against the floor. Got up, bucked, rummaged through her mane again and shook her head and mane as fiercely as she could.

"Get it off me! Don't just stand there Crystalshy! Get this f*cking spider off me!"

Crystalshy tried her best, poor thing, but it wasn't easy to help a pony who was jumping around and shaking her mane like that. "Um, Angel, I don't see any spider," she said after a few moments of dancing around, trying to get a look.

[Thanqol]

High Pride was silent for a moment, but when she spoke she sounded smug. "As you wish. Meet me at the Stone Oak in the Gardens tomorrow, and I'll show you a little place. I'll know when you're there.

"I'll give the key to your little pet robot, once I'm out of here."

Oh yes, where did you leave your pet?

"Fine. Are you going to make me buck this door down or what?" said Charger reproachfully.

And why shouldn't High Pride let her out now? She was giving her everything she asked for. She was clearly in control here.

[Seduce/Manipulate: 9. I think I am acting on the advice of my much earlier read a sitch, though, with regards to bucking down the door and making a big commotion which should push this to a 10. Up to you!]

[Deadly]

"Fine. Are you going to make me buck this door down or what?" said Charger reproachfully.

And why shouldn't High Pride let her out now? She was giving her everything she asked for. She was clearly in control here.

[Seduce/Manipulate: 9. I think I am acting on the advice of my much earlier read a sitch, though, with regards to bucking down the door and making a big commotion which should push this to a 10. Up to you!]

She was just going to let you wait a minute or two until your robot got here with the key. To give herself time to leave, and maybe a little bit for her own amusement. High Pride evidently liked to be in control, and to watch you stew.

"Mare, you are impatient! You must really want to see me again. I'll open the door now, since you can't wait even two minutes, so long as you don't try anything and don't follow me," she relented.

[Thanqol]

She was just going to let you wait a minute or two until your robot got here with the key. To give herself time to leave, and maybe a little bit for her own amusement. High Pride evidently liked to be in control, and to watch you stew.

"Mare, you are impatient! You must really want to see me again. I'll open the door now, since you can't wait even two minutes, so long as you don't try anything and don't follow me," she relented.

Charger opened the door.

As the door swung open, she reached for her scarf.

She slowly pulled it away from her throat, smiling as she stepped forwards.

The curve of her neck, revealed by inches, was fascinating. The softest shade of brown, somewhere between gold and chocolate, that ached with the faint scent of waffles sugar-crisped on a morning when the sun was more than a memory.

She was smiling as the scarf came off, pink and patchwork, like a home-made ribbon.

She was smiling as her hoof wrapped around High Pride's neck.

She was smiling as the dial on her wrist started to whine.

Bzzt!

In a single, sudden flash electricity pulsed through High Pride's body, electrocuting her instantly into unconsciousness.

Charger caught her before she hit the floor. She lifted her up - unicorns were always so delicate - and lay her over her own back. She straightened up, carrying the unconscious mare.

She glanced backwards, once, darkly. She pulled her scarf back into place.

And she started carrying High Pride away, heading home.

[TheAmishPirate]

"Ah see mah plan workin' just fine," the old zombie said, unimpressed. "Either Ah get away wit' it and sit here until Ah feel like Ah've had enough revenge on Miss Angel. Or Ah blow up her place an' have mah revenge all the sooner. Ah can't lose."

She didn't seem like she was bluffing, but perhaps there was somepony she wanted to get at more than Angel. She had mentioned her son, but he had moved away, perhaps beyond her reach, and she had gone for the "next best thing" by targeting Angel. Perhaps she had given up hope that she could find her son and get back at him, and this was why she didn't mind blowing herself up.

But if she had hope of getting her hooves on her son instead, maybe she would reconsider the whole blowing herself up. Even a zombie won't survive being blown to pieces, and why waste her one chance on the "next best thing" if she can have the thing she really wants, yes?

Eclipse breathed out a billowing cloud of vapor. The temperature plummeted.

"Ma'am...you've already lost."

Ice crunched beneath her hooves, blossoming out as she stepped forward.

"You threatened innocent lives. You threaten even more with this stunt. And now you're trapped. In here. With me."

She snapped her wings, and the ice-blades cracked into existence.

"You've lost your revenge; this is your last chance for justice. Listen well, answer truly."

She towered over the zombie, filling her vision totally.

"What is your son's name? What does he look like? What, exactly, did he take from you?"

[Rolling Towering Presence, acting on Read a Person: (2d6+3)[11]]

[Elanorin]

Crystalshy tried her best, poor thing, but it wasn't easy to help a pony who was jumping around and shaking her mane like that. "Um, Angel, I don't see any spider," she said after a few moments of dancing around, trying to get a look.

Angel eventually stopped, coming to stand in the middle of the infirmary, hooves wide, panting and with a positively wild look on her face. She turned slowly and looked at Bell with both fascination and trepidation.

"Shame she isn't dead." She muttered to herself, "an autopsy would have been quicker." She returned to Bell Bottom's side, "and easier."

She took a moment to think this through carefully. She was loathed to let a pony die under her care and there really was no telling Bell would survive a surgery as extensive as she suspected this required.

"But we're going to have to try." She decided with a firm nod. "'Shy, prep for surgery. I'll get the blood packs. And where the hell is Snow Kicker?!" This metal was coming out of Bell Bottom one way or the other and it was coming out now.