Cloudbreak IC: Glimpse of the sky

[Elanorin]

The wiring inside has been tampered with, but not expertly. You can read the hoof-work for the intelligent, but un-practiced sabotage that it was. Everything is strangely ordered though, the wires tied up to one side, and the casings stripped just so. It's almost as if the pony who did it knew the proper methods of damaging the door, but had never really had to get her hooves dirty before.

You're sure of it. Proper Process, the divisional secretary, was the pony who last tampered with the door panel.

In the meantime, the walls continue to close in.

[Yup, AUF to open the door]

Proper Process, huh. Well, that was certainly interesting. Not information she was inclined to act on right now, but useful data nonetheless.

[Rolling AUF to short the door open: 4+3+1=8]

[BlasTech]

Ugh. "You know, I really do try to be nice." My head sags a bit, and I bite back a sigh. "I give you a second chance, a place in my organization, even after you've murdered several of my own. And now, now that I'm trying to make it possible to treat you, you continue to fight. Don't you realize--doesn't anyone realize that I'm their friend? All I want is to make sure that everyone can live together, to make my perfect world a reality. And still, you fight."

The light around my horn means he probably won't notice the shift in the magical frequencies, or the charging spell. He might feel the weakening magic around his neck, though, so I lift him even higher in the air; I'll need a bit of leeway for what comes next. The first sharp zing of ozone starts to fill the air.

"And so, for now--not forever mind, just until I have more time to deal with you--I'm going to have to ask you to die."

And with that, the air turns white with my lightning.

[Seize by force, 6,2, +2. [10]. Inflict terrible harm, take definite hold. If it's possible to inflict terrible harm twice, I'll do that, otherwise go for Take Little Harm. Point is, I'm doing everything in my power to kill this guy right here, right now.]

The diamond dog spasms in the lightning, struggling only involuntarily against your magical grip.

The smirk on his face slips, as the electricity arcs across his body. That tail, armoured and piercing slashes at you - although whether due to an intent to injure, or just a side-effect, it's impossible to say. Either way, it glances off your armour harmlessly as you continue killing the creature.

Eventually, it's done. The diamond dog is dead, and its smoking corpse lies at your feet.

Well while some nerds stood around and used their brains, there were ponies in trouble. Ponies in danger. Ponies in need of a hero.

A hero like...The Scrapscallion.

Donning his goggles, the ruggedly handsome Scrapscallion jacked a nearby stretcher and kicked it - literally - up to speed. "Gangway!" He shouted as he charged headlong into the acid cloud, the foul mist parting around him like magic.

His plan was, as plans go, pretty simple. Scoop up ponies onto his stretcher until it couldn't hold any more, buck it away to safety, pick up a straggler himself - bonus points if she's cute - powerslide away, deliver one-liner, revel in sweet victory. Piece of cake.

[Rolling to Act Under Acid Fire: 3 + 5 + 2 = 10]

Good enough. Luminark's gonna steals it! And the good thing about books is that you can steal the stuff inside without stealing the book itself. Luminark takes a deep breath, proceeds through the fog, grabs an extension cable on the machine and plugs it into his forehead gem with the intention of downloading all its knowledge into himself. It's the same vector ghosts get in to possess him through so it should be fine. Perfectly safe.

Open your brain: 3 woop woop woop. Though that does give me enough XP for an advance and therefore Weird+3

Okay, so here's how this scene is going to go.

Scraps, you're being all awesome. You've got some of the doctors out, some of the patients, and have just located a cute nurse to escort to safety, when something black shoots out of the acid cloud. It wraps around her neck and drags her back into the darkness.

At this point, the HAZMAT alarms go off, and the corner of the room where the gas is coming from starts getting doused with chemicals. The gas dissipates, only to reveal what can only be described as a hellish, electronic, automaton. It's made up out of the bits and pieces of the experiments that had been there - all cables, jars, scrap metal. Its eyes are PDA screens and dozens of electrical cables writhe around behind it like tentacles.

Luminark? One of those, is the one that you just plugged into your forehead. It's still connected and it doesn't want to let go.

What do you two do?

Proper Process, huh. Well, that was certainly interesting. Not information she was inclined to act on right now, but useful data nonetheless.

[Rolling AUF to short the door open: 4+3+1=8]

The door sparks and opens, clanking its way back up into the roof.

"Huh, what's that?" somepony says, from down the hall.

A bunch of hoofsteps start to approach, it'll only be a moment until they arrive. Behind, the walls of the garbage room are continuing to close. You can get out, but then you'll have to get past whomever it is that's out there.

What do you do?

[TheAmishPirate]

Okay, so here's how this scene is going to go.

Scraps, you're being all awesome. You've got some of the doctors out, some of the patients, and have just located a cute nurse to escort to safety, when something black shoots out of the acid cloud. It wraps around her neck and drags her back into the darkness.

At this point, the HAZMAT alarms go off, and the corner of the room where the gas is coming from starts getting doused with chemicals. The gas dissipates, only to reveal what can only be described as a hellish, electronic, automaton. It's made up out of the bits and pieces of the experiments that had been there - all cables, jars, scrap metal. Its eyes are PDA screens and dozens of electrical cables writhe around behind it like tentacles.

Luminark? One of those, is the one that you just plugged into your forehead. It's still connected and it doesn't want to let go.

What do you two do?

Oh heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeck no. No tentaclogical monstrosity steals The Scrapscallion's girl and gets away with it.

With a flip and a flourish he drew his revolver. "Stand back, everypony," he growled around the mouthpiece. "I'm 'bout to give some technical support." He charged through a rain of chemicals into a storm of flailing wires, firing at anything with a screen. All the while his eyes were on the nurse. No shot or cable so much as ruffled her mane, he made sure of it.

[Rolling Seize By Force to rescue the nurse. Roll: 1 + 1 - 1 = 1, choosing It’s safe, secure, and undamaged in the fighting. Dealing 2-harm with a revolver, The Scrapscallion has 2-armor from Daredevil and Impossible Reflexes.]

[Elanorin]

The door sparks and opens, clanking its way back up into the roof.

"Huh, what's that?" somepony says, from down the hall.

A bunch of hoofsteps start to approach, it'll only be a moment until they arrive. Behind, the walls of the garbage room are continuing to close. You can get out, but then you'll have to get past whomever it is that's out there.

What do you do?

Ponyfeathers.

Well, beaten up by a cliche and soaked in soggy stinking garbage with a corpse between her teeth Milliway was not in the mood to play games. The hatch opened on command and with a sloppy flop Power Overwhelming emerged through the hatch quickly followed by Milliway herself, only slightly less soggy. She sat down to catch her breath, hamming up her exhaustion and sorry state a bit.

Let them come.

[Thanqol]

Okay, so here's how this scene is going to go.

Scraps, you're being all awesome. You've got some of the doctors out, some of the patients, and have just located a cute nurse to escort to safety, when something black shoots out of the acid cloud. It wraps around her neck and drags her back into the darkness.

At this point, the HAZMAT alarms go off, and the corner of the room where the gas is coming from starts getting doused with chemicals. The gas dissipates, only to reveal what can only be described as a hellish, electronic, automaton. It's made up out of the bits and pieces of the experiments that had been there - all cables, jars, scrap metal. Its eyes are PDA screens and dozens of electrical cables writhe around behind it like tentacles.

Luminark? One of those, is the one that you just plugged into your forehead. It's still connected and it doesn't want to let go.

What do you two do?

This is why technology is a bad idea. Without sufficient grasp of fundamental arcane principles any piece of sufficiently advanced technology begins glowing red and attempting to exterminate all organic life. Engineers just consistently blunder into designs perfectly suited for possession by demonic forces. It is all their fault, and not at all his. He is a wizard, wise and restrained, and knows the appropriate rituals of countermagic.

"ONE ZERO! ZERO ZERO ONE ONE! ONE ZERO ONE ZERO ONE!" yells Luminark, beating the crap out of it with a fold-up chair. His horn glows as he pours magic down the tube, trying to wrench the knowledge he was originally after out by force.

Seize By Force: 12
- Take Definite Hold
- Take little harm
- Impress, dismay, terrify

[Balmas]

"Bastard," I spit, smoke wisping off my horn. "Couldn't just sit still, couldn't just let me knock you out, had to make me kill you like the stupid child that you are." It's the work of a moment to get the Hellhound's claws off it; grab one claw, use it to sever the other hand, and use the recently liberated hand to cut off the other. I stow them away, and walk to find an intercom.

"Attention. Full Stop, please report to workshop 28B." Full Stop is perhaps a bit slow to react, if memory serves. Still, she's the only person I'd trust to run the freezers; when it comes to both quartermastery and cryostasis, you want a steady hand.

[BlasTech]

Oh heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeck no. No tentaclogical monstrosity steals The Scrapscallion's girl and gets away with it.

With a flip and a flourish he drew his revolver. "Stand back, everypony," he growled around the mouthpiece. "I'm 'bout to give some technical support." He charged through a rain of chemicals into a storm of flailing wires, firing at anything with a screen. All the while his eyes were on the nurse. No shot or cable so much as ruffled her mane, he made sure of it.

[Rolling Seize By Force to rescue the nurse. Roll: 1 + 1 - 1 = 1, choosing It’s safe, secure, and undamaged in the fighting. Dealing 2-harm with a revolver, The Scrapscallion has 2-armor from Daredevil and Impossible Reflexes.]

The pile of parts shudders under your fire, which manages to miss the nurse. Unfortunately, it takes more to put down an ambulatory pile of equipment than a few shots, even though you're definitely chipping away at parts of its body.

Twin tendrils of cabling smack into you, sending you stumbling.

[Take 1 harm]

The nurse is still well within the grip of the monster. And she starts screaming as it pulls her up and away from you.

"Watch where you're shooting, you moron!"

Okay, maybe she's not too grateful that you're still aiming in her general direction. Even though you managed to miss her.

Ponyfeathers.

Well, beaten up by a cliche and soaked in soggy stinking garbage with a corpse between her teeth Milliway was not in the mood to play games. The hatch opened on command and with a sloppy flop Power Overwhelming emerged through the hatch quickly followed by Milliway herself, only slightly less soggy. She sat down to catch her breath, hamming up her exhaustion and sorry state a bit.

Let them come.

So, you're sitting in a hallway. Trash compactor behind you, dead body next to you, and a bunch of unknown ponies approaching.

Sounds like a charged scene. Would you like to read a sitch?

This is why technology is a bad idea. Without sufficient grasp of fundamental arcane principles any piece of sufficiently advanced technology begins glowing red and attempting to exterminate all organic life. Engineers just consistently blunder into designs perfectly suited for possession by demonic forces. It is all their fault, and not at all his. He is a wizard, wise and restrained, and knows the appropriate rituals of countermagic.

"ONE ZERO! ZERO ZERO ONE ONE! ONE ZERO ONE ZERO ONE!" yells Luminark, beating the crap out of it with a fold-up chair. His horn glows as he pours magic down the tube, trying to wrench the knowledge he was originally after out by force.

Seize By Force: 12
- Take Definite Hold
- Take little harm
- Impress, dismay, terrify

The scrap golem cries out in a voice like toneless dirge or a horn from a great depth. In that moment, you get the feeling that it had started its life as just a simple antivirus programme, until mad science and dark magic scaled it all the way up.

You wrench the secrets from its databanks even as you're smashing it over the head. Its tendrils flail at you, but with all the damage you're inflicting, they only deal you the barest of glancing blows. In the end, you manage to get a whole raft of interesting tidbits from its memory banks. The kind of things that would scorch a pony's face red with embarrassment or bleach it white with fear.

Tell me, what's the most embarrassing secret you have? Or the most embarrassing thing you've done?

"Bastard," I spit, smoke wisping off my horn. "Couldn't just sit still, couldn't just let me knock you out, had to make me kill you like the stupid child that you are." It's the work of a moment to get the Hellhound's claws off it; grab one claw, use it to sever the other hand, and use the recently liberated hand to cut off the other. I stow them away, and walk to find an intercom.

"Attention. Full Stop, please report to workshop 28B." Full Stop is perhaps a bit slow to react, if memory serves. Still, she's the only person I'd trust to run the freezers; when it comes to both quartermastery and cryostasis, you want a steady hand.

Full Stop is definitely on station when you get to the workshop, and she takes the deathclaw off your hooves with nary a blink. It's carcass is locked away in moments, which leaves you free to handle whatever next occupies your mind.

At that point, the sound of the infirmary's Hazmat alarms reach where you're standing.

[Thanqol]

The scrap golem cries out in a voice like toneless dirge or a horn from a great depth. In that moment, you get the feeling that it had started its life as just a simple antivirus programme, until mad science and dark magic scaled it all the way up.

You wrench the secrets from its databanks even as you're smashing it over the head. Its tendrils flail at you, but with all the damage you're inflicting, they only deal you the barest of glancing blows. In the end, you manage to get a whole raft of interesting tidbits from its memory banks. The kind of things that would scorch a pony's face red with embarrassment or bleach it white with fear.

Tell me, what's the most embarrassing secret you have? Or the most embarrassing thing you've done?

Luminark once gave the Archmage a mixtape for Hearts and Hooves Day when young. Some of the songs he sung himself. She absent-mindedly catalogued it on the shelves without listening to it. He's still mortified by the thought. It's still there, ominously waiting.

Once he has the data, Luminark runs away like a total coward.

[Elanorin]

So, you're sitting in a hallway. Trash compactor behind you, dead body next to you, and a bunch of unknown ponies approaching.

Sounds like a charged scene. Would you like to read a sitch?

That...

Oh, Princesses, is that smell me?

...sounds like a good idea.

[Rolling to Read A Sitch: 6+2+0=8 Where's my best escape route?]

[TheAmishPirate]

The pile of parts shudders under your fire, which manages to miss the nurse. Unfortunately, it takes more to put down an ambulatory pile of equipment than a few shots, even though you're definitely chipping away at parts of its body.

Twin tendrils of cabling smack into you, sending you stumbling.

[Take 1 harm]

The nurse is still well within the grip of the monster. And she starts screaming as it pulls her up and away from you.

"Watch where you're shooting, you moron!"

Okay, maybe she's not too grateful that you're still aiming in her general direction. Even though you managed to miss her.

The cables came slamming down on the Scrapscallion, but please. He'd spent his life dodging bullets, explosions, and responsibility. Tentacle monsters had nothing on him.

[2-armor negates the harm, 0-harm taken.]

Ungrateful nurses? Those kinda got on his nerves. "More like, you watch where I'm shooting, babe!" He shouted, smoothing back his mane. Seriously, mare had the best seats in the house and all she could think to do was nag at him. That sort of stress cannot be healthy.

He jumped away from an explosion of sparks, lined up a shot on the wires holding her tight, and squeezed the trigger.

[Rolling another round of Seize By Force. (2d6-1)[8] Choosing she's safe and undamaged in the fighting, and I take definite and undeniable control of her.]

With the last cable is shot off, the Scrapscallion will move to catch the falling nurse on his back. With a sweet sliding catch move if he can swing it.

[Balmas]

Normally, I'd ignore screams coming from medical. Just means some horrifying abomination of SCIENCE! has developed sentience and turned against its masters. Nothing out of the ordinary.

However, when half of my senior leadership is there, and are already hurt, I can't afford to leave them alone. Lightning's out of the question. Luckily, I have a shiny new pair of toys to play with.

What do I see when I come in? If I know how, I'm going to see how many ponies I can surround with my shield before wading in to take care of the problem.

[BlasTech]

Luminark once gave the Archmage a mixtape for Hearts and Hooves Day when young. Some of the songs he sung himself. She absent-mindedly catalogued it on the shelves without listening to it. He's still mortified by the thought. It's still there, ominously waiting.

Once he has the data, Luminark runs away like a total coward.

The creature cries out as it feels the data being ripped form it. In its dismay, you're able to unhook yourself from it and bolt towards the exits.

Cables slap at you, trying to grab your legs and trip you up.

[AUF to get clear]

That...

Oh, Princesses, is that smell me?

...sounds like a good idea.

[Rolling to Read A Sitch: 6+2+0=8 Where's my best escape route?]

Straight through. You'll need some kind of distraction though, preferably something that'll blind or disorientate them.

There's a couple of possibilities, be it shorting out the corridor lights, or rigging up something with your cybernetic leg.

What will you try to do?

The cables came slamming down on the Scrapscallion, but please. He'd spent his life dodging bullets, explosions, and responsibility. Tentacle monsters had nothing on him.

[2-armor negates the harm, 0-harm taken.]

Ungrateful nurses? Those kinda got on his nerves. "More like, you watch where I'm shooting, babe!" He shouted, smoothing back his mane. Seriously, mare had the best seats in the house and all she could think to do was nag at him. That sort of stress cannot be healthy.

He jumped away from an explosion of sparks, lined up a shot on the wires holding her tight, and squeezed the trigger.

[Rolling another round of Seize By Force. (2d6)[9] Choosing she's safe and undamaged in the fighting, and I take definite and undeniable control of her.]

With the last cable is shot off, the Scrapscallion will move to catch the falling nurse on his back. With a sweet sliding catch move if he can swing it.

Hold your horses, pony. You've still got to roll your harm move. Here, I'll do it for you.

(2d6)[9]

[Let's go with "lose your footing"]

The tentacles smack into you solidly, knocking you over one of the gurneys and putting a somewhat-comical halt to your attempted heroics.

Normally, I'd ignore screams coming from medical. Just means some horrifying abomination of SCIENCE! has developed sentience and turned against its masters. Nothing out of the ordinary.

However, when half of my senior leadership is there, and are already hurt, I can't afford to leave them alone. Lightning's out of the question. Luckily, I have a shiny new pair of toys to play with.

What do I see when I come in? If I know how, I'm going to see how many ponies I can surround with my shield before wading in to take care of the problem.

Well, when you get to medical, the hallways are clogged with ponies: ones on beds, doctors trying desperately to tend to their injuries, nurses trying to wheel out a few more patients from the danger zone. The hazmat alarms are cutting off automatically, and the water coating the ground shows that they've done their job. It looks as if nothing else needs to be don--

*GWAAARRRRROOOOOOOOOONNNnnnnn*

Or not.

Inside the medibay, you see what looks like a minotaur-sized pile of machinery, electronics and other odds and ends. Magic crackles amongst it, clearly giving it motion, whilst its cables try desperately to grab on to Luminark. The unicorn appears to be trying to escape the metal monster. The only other ponies in immediate danger are an angry nurse, who is both bound by tentacles and being shot at, and the Scrapscallion, who is doing the shooting. You walk in just as the earth pony is sent tumbling into medical equipment. With him down, the monster promptly ignores him in favour of Luminark.

[For any further insights, you'll have to read a sitch]

[Elanorin]

Straight through. You'll need some kind of distraction though, preferably something that'll blind or disorientate them.

There's a couple of possibilities, be it shorting out the corridor lights, or rigging up something with your cybernetic leg.

What will you try to do?

Is that an access panel for the auxillary heat exhaust system?

Watch this.

Milliway shoved her bionic hoof through the thin metal panel, sending sparks flying, twitching at the current shooting up her leg. With a twitch, shove, snag and yank, the regulation valve should be overridden, blasting plumes of thick hot steam in to the passageway from all the vents.

How about that?

So what if it made the passage unbearably hot and humid, it wasn't as if she could smell any worse.

[Thanqol]

The creature cries out as it feels the data being ripped form it. In its dismay, you're able to unhook yourself from it and bolt towards the exits.

Cables slap at you, trying to grab your legs and trip you up.

[AUF to get clear]

7! Luminark is entirely average in his cowardly flight capacity.

[Balmas]

You know, reading a situation right now looks like a good way to get ponies killed through inaction. And that's not just because my beloved is in danger. I immediately throw myself into the fray like an amazon warrior, hellhound claws flashing to do the most damage I can.

(2d6+2)[9] Seize By Force. Inflict Terrible Harm. Hellhound claws are probably something like 3-harm, hand, AP, right?

[TheAmishPirate]

Hold your horses, pony. You've still got to roll your harm move. Here, I'll do it for you.

[roll0]

[Let's go with "lose your footing"]

The tentacles smack into you solidly, knocking you over one of the gurneys and putting a somewhat-comical halt to your attempted heroics.

So. Instead of witnessing a daring rescue, the nurse watched him get sideswiped like a chump. Where the Scrapscallion ought to have hugged her close, he instead embraced a gurney. A shower of admiration and kisses replaced with tongue depressors and shame. Surely this was the Scrapscallion's darkest hour, his lowest moment, his greatest failure.

Or was it?

Was it?

Waaaaaaaaaaaaas it?

Maybe this was exactly where he wanted to be all along.

The pile shifted. One box went atop the gurney. Then another. And another. As the pile of pointy and/or heavy medical supplies grew, they transformed the humble gurney into a vehicle of higher purpose. A more destructive purpose. And yet, still a life-saving purpose. Like, we're talking layers and layers of purpose here. All of them pointed at the becabled jerkwad across the room.

The Scrapscallion mounted his makeshift battering ram, backed up to the wall, then kicked off with all his might. Faster, faster, faster he surged through the maelstrom of cables, taking deadly aim at its center.

[Alright, taking this one step at a time to avoid unnecessary rolls. The Scrapscallion is loading up the gurney and using it as a battering ram. Do I need an AUF for this? Or should I go ahead and Seize by Force? If so, do I use the old result?]

[BlasTech]

So. Instead of witnessing a daring rescue, the nurse watched him get sideswiped like a chump. Where the Scrapscallion ought to have hugged her close, he instead embraced a gurney. A shower of admiration and kisses replaced with tongue depressors and shame. Surely this was the Scrapscallion's darkest hour, his lowest moment, his greatest failure.

Or was it?

Was it?

Waaaaaaaaaaaaas it?

Maybe this was exactly where he wanted to be all along.

The pile shifted. One box went atop the gurney. Then another. And another. As the pile of pointy and/or heavy medical supplies grew, they transformed the humble gurney into a vehicle of higher purpose. A more destructive purpose. And yet, still a life-saving purpose. Like, we're talking layers and layers of purpose here. All of them pointed at the becabled jerkwad across the room.

The Scrapscallion mounted his makeshift battering ram, backed up to the wall, then kicked off with all his might. Faster, faster, faster he surged through the maelstrom of cables, taking deadly aim at its center.

[Alright, taking this one step at a time to avoid unnecessary rolls. The Scrapscallion is loading up the gurney and using it as a battering ram. Do I need an AUF for this? Or should I go ahead and Seize by Force? If so, do I use the old result?]

[Sounds like you're assisting Starlight with her SBF. Go ahead and roll +Hx to assist]

You know, reading a situation right now looks like a good way to get ponies killed through inaction. And that's not just because my beloved is in danger. I immediately throw myself into the fray like an amazon warrior, hellhound claws flashing to do the most damage I can.

[roll0] Seize By Force. Inflict Terrible Harm. Hellhound claws are probably something like 3-harm, hand, AP, right?

[SBF is all well and good, but you need to be seizing something. Be it the room, the high ground, the advantage, the nurse or the initiative. What are you going for here?]

7! Luminark is entirely average in his cowardly flight capacity.

Tentacles snap around your neck as you dive for the exit. They don't get a great grip, but one of them snakes around your possession gem. You can feel magic flowing from it, like fingers trying to grasp at your mind. Desperately trying to pull something back.

You've got a firm mental hold on the blackmail information, that's not going anywhere. But there's a good chance some other tidbit of your knowledge may be left behind if you don't stop to fight off the tentacles.

What do you do?

Is that an access panel for the auxillary heat exhaust system?

Watch this.

Milliway shoved her bionic hoof through the thin metal panel, sending sparks flying, twitching at the current shooting up her leg. With a twitch, shove, snag and yank, the regulation valve should be overridden, blasting plumes of thick hot steam in to the passageway from all the vents.

How about that?

So what if it made the passage unbearably hot and humid, it wasn't as if she could smell any worse.

Steam blasts from the vents, flooding the passageway and making the other ponies there yell in surprise. It's hot, its humid, and there's every chance you might bump into one of them as you try to sneak past. The good news is that if you pull it off, they won't be able to see or smell your escape.

[Roll AUF to get past. +1 bonus from having followed the results of your Read a Sitch move]

[Thanqol]

Tentacles snap around your neck as you dive for the exit. They don't get a great grip, but one of them snakes around your possession gem. You can feel magic flowing from it, like fingers trying to grasp at your mind. Desperately trying to pull something back.

You've got a firm mental hold on the blackmail information, that's not going anywhere. But there's a good chance some other tidbit of your knowledge may be left behind if you don't stop to fight off the tentacles.

What do you do?

Joke's on you, robot! Everything valuable Luminark knows is stored in the library! He keeps running.

[Elanorin]

Steam blasts from the vents, flooding the passageway and making the other ponies there yell in surprise. It's hot, its humid, and there's every chance you might bump into one of them as you try to sneak past. The good news is that if you pull it off, they won't be able to see or smell your escape.

[Roll AUF to get past. +1 bonus from having followed the results of your Read a Sitch move]

Sweat (and other assorted smelly fluids) dripping, dragging a dead horse, Milliway navigated through the steam.

[Rolling AUF to get past: 1+5+1+1=8]

[TheAmishPirate]

[Sounds like you're assisting Starlight with her SBF. Go ahead and roll +Hx to assist]

I mean.

It's not every day a pony gets upstaged by an Amarezonian Princess dual-wielding a pair of freshly-severed Deathclaw claws. The Scrapscallion can live with this.

[Rolling to give mad assistance: 6 + 1 + 1 = 8, bumping Starlight's roll to a 10]

[BlasTech]

Is it valid to say that she's trying to seize its life? She's just trying to kill it quickly so that it can't hurt anyone else.

Oh, and since I have an extra option that I forgot about... Take little damage.

[In the case of something non-specific like that, I think the appropriate move is just to Go Aggro.]

Well, you're more than well equipped to make mincemeat of this robot. Even if you weren't using your blades, this thing is just an animate pile of random metal and experiments - your magic or hooves could damage it. In fact, it's already leaking weird fluids from where The Scrapscallion blasted it earlier.

Weird fluids though.

I mean, it's whole body is basically the medical bay's collective experimental junk pile. Who knows what'll happen if you smash it to bits? That said, if you want to take it down that badly, then go ahead.

Joke's on you, robot! Everything valuable Luminark knows is stored in the library! He keeps running.

The tentacle resists for a moment before you slip out of its grasp.

It does ... something. But it's clearly not important right now.

What is important, is something you notice as you're diving through the exit. In fact, your whole mind twangs as you see it. The Administrator, walking into the room with a pair of Organo Type-1 Diamante Canis Pediloculars held in her magic. That's new ... that's something that didn't come from inside Our Bunker.

Them, and the body they came from, might be a solid addition to your Horde. At least, if that twang was anything to go by, the Archmage has noticed them and paid attention to them.

Sweat (and other assorted smelly fluids) dripping, dragging a dead horse, Milliway navigated through the steam.

[Rolling AUF to get past: 1+5+1+1=8]

The steam vents go on for a few seconds before their automatic cutoffs kick in. The corridor is filled with steam, but it won't last for long as the air systems kick into overdrive and start to clear things up.

Despite this, you're most of the way through the corridor before the probabilities catch up to you and you bump into one of the ponies.

"Wuh? Who's that?" he calls, as his hooves reach out in your direction.

Unless you are able to bound right past him (something that's not possible while dragging a body), he'll probably get close enough to see your face, or get a feel of your bionic hoof. You can always backtrack, but at the rate the steam is clearing you'll probably get spotted in that time.

What do you do?

I mean.

It's not every day a pony gets upstaged by an Amarezonian Princess dual-wielding a pair of freshly-severed Deathclaw claws. The Scrapscallion can live with this.

[Rolling to give mad assistance: 6 + 1 + 1 = 8, bumping Starlight's roll to a 10]

[Gonna hold on this till Starlight decides if she's going through with it or not]

[Thanqol]

The tentacle resists for a moment before you slip out of its grasp.

It does ... something. But it's clearly not important right now.

What is important, is something you notice as you're diving through the exit. In fact, your whole mind twangs as you see it. The Administrator, walking into the room with a pair of Organo Type-1 Diamante Canis Pediloculars held in her magic. That's new ... that's something that didn't come from inside Our Bunker.

Them, and the body they came from, might be a solid addition to your Horde. At least, if that twang was anything to go by, the Archmage has noticed them and paid attention to them.

No time like the present

While the Administrator is distracted with the robot monster Luminark tries to magically blunt-force snatch the paws out of her grip and continue escape before anypony can react. Seize By Force, rolled a 2

[Elanorin]

The steam vents go on for a few seconds before their automatic cutoffs kick in. The corridor is filled with steam, but it won't last for long as the air systems kick into overdrive and start to clear things up.

Despite this, you're most of the way through the corridor before the probabilities catch up to you and you bump into one of the ponies.

"Wuh? Who's that?" he calls, as his hooves reach out in your direction.

Unless you are able to bound right past him (something that's not possible while dragging a body), he'll probably get close enough to see your face, or get a feel of your bionic hoof. You can always backtrack, but at the rate the steam is clearing you'll probably get spotted in that time.

What do you do?

Have you ever seen a pony who's just Had It with absolutely everything around her? Because that's pretty much where Milliway is right now. This has to be her worst day ever, and it just won't stop! Sure, she could ditch the corpse here, sneak past and be done. Or she could try to talk her way out of it and everyone could be on their way. But instead of considering either of those sensible options, she snaps. She grabs Power's back hooves, lifts her up and swings her in a mighty arch like a huge dead pony-shaped bat to smack straight in to the pony she felt herself bump in to in the steam. The aim being to knock them out of the way long enough to get the hell out before the steam cleared or the little stars stop circling around their heads.

[Rolling to Seize My Escape By Force: 5+3+1=9; take definite hold, and suffer little harm]

[Balmas]

[In the case of something non-specific like that, I think the appropriate move is just to Go Aggro.]

Well, you're more than well equipped to make mincemeat of this robot. Even if you weren't using your blades, this thing is just an animate pile of random metal and experiments - your magic or hooves could damage it. In fact, it's already leaking weird fluids from where The Scrapscallion blasted it earlier.

Weird fluids though.

I mean, it's whole body is basically the medical bay's collective experimental junk pile. Who knows what'll happen if you smash it to bits? That said, if you want to take it down that badly, then go ahead.

In that case, I'm going to try to wrestle it back to the corner, away from people before slicing it to ribbons. Yes, there may be some unhappy techs getting at me, but so far as nobody dies as a result, I'll be happy.

No time like the present

While the Administrator is distracted with the robot monster Luminark tries to magically blunt-force snatch the paws out of her grip and continue escape before anypony can react. Seize By Force, rolled a 2

A voice emerges from the cuisinart. "You and I are going to have WORDS, boy." Possibly over Bioscience's newest attempt at wine.

[BlasTech]

Have you ever seen a pony who's just Had It with absolutely everything around her? Because that's pretty much where Milliway is right now. This has to be her worst day ever, and it just won't stop! Sure, she could ditch the corpse here, sneak past and be done. Or she could try to talk her way out of it and everyone could be on their way. But instead of considering either of those sensible options, she snaps. She grabs Power's back hooves, lifts her up and swings her in a mighty arch like a huge dead pony-shaped bat to smack straight in to the pony she felt herself bump in to in the steam. The aim being to knock them out of the way long enough to get the hell out before the steam cleared or the little stars stop circling around their heads.

[Rolling to Seize My Escape By Force: 5+3+1=9; take definite hold, and suffer little harm]

There's something cathartic about smashing ponies about the head when you've had a tough day. The ponies in the mist start to yell, but you're in the middle of them and Power Overwhelming turns out to be just as potent as her name suggests.

They do eventually fight back though. Somepony smashes you in the ribs with something solid, whilst another one takes a swing at you with their hooves. You're fighting a small gang here, but thankfully nopony pulls a gun on you while you get through.

[Take 1 Harm: modified by size to 2 and by "take little harm" back down to 1]

After a few moments, you're past them. But they're almost all still up and awake, not to mention angry. And the mist is about to finish clearing.

What do you do?

No time like the present

While the Administrator is distracted with the robot monster Luminark tries to magically blunt-force snatch the paws out of her grip and continue escape before anypony can react. Seize By Force, rolled a 2

Well, this is definitely one of those plans where the appropriate "worst" seems to be the same as the "best".

Glimglam, and Scraps while we're at it, you both see Luminark's magic wrench your diamond dog claws away from you and float them over to him by the door.

He then bolts.

In that case, I'm going to try to wrestle it back to the corner, away from people before slicing it to ribbons. Yes, there may be some unhappy techs getting at me, but so far as nobody dies as a result, I'll be happy.

Well, left with magic only, you're still pretty potent. And with the help of a well timed cart of medical supplies (which comes barrelling into the monster just as it takes advantage of you yelling at Luminark to regain its balance), you've got it beaten back into the corner.

The tentacles still slap at you, but they'll probably just bounce off your shield.

[Take 1 harm]

Mournfully, it cries out and curls back into itself with each step into the corner. It's getting smaller and smaller every moment.

What do you do?

[Thanqol]

Well, this is definitely one of those plans where the appropriate "worst" seems to be the same as the "best".

Glimglam, and Scraps while we're at it, you both see Luminark's magic wrench your diamond dog claws away from you and float them over to him by the door.

He then bolts.

So Luminark understands the practical ramifications of his situation. He doesn't have enough food to hide out in the library until Starlight dies of old age. He doesn't have the nasal fortitude to hide out in Milliway's... domicile. Hiding does not seem ideal overall.

Meanwhile. The Archmage is curious about the outside. The Administrator does not administratorize the outside. The garbage horse seems to have bathed. Time to commit to the 'acquisition tour' plan.

He reaches the library. Adjusts his headdress, brushes some dirt down off his knees, makes sure he looks presentable. Then he quickly nips inside to deposit these disgusting dog hands and fetch Fluffy. It's adventure time.

[Hunger to 3]

[TheAmishPirate]

No time like the present

While the Administrator is distracted with the robot monster Luminark tries to magically blunt-force snatch the paws out of her grip and continue escape before anypony can react. Seize By Force, rolled a 2

Well, this is definitely one of those plans where the appropriate "worst" seems to be the same as the "best".

Glimglam, and Scraps while we're at it, you both see Luminark's magic wrench your diamond dog claws away from you and float them over to him by the door.

He then bolts.



Well, left with magic only, you're still pretty potent. And with the help of a well timed cart of medical supplies (which comes barrelling into the monster just as it takes advantage of you yelling at Luminark to regain its balance), you've got it beaten back into the corner.

The tentacles still slap at you, but they'll probably just bounce off your shield.

[Take 1 harm]

Mournfully, it cries out and curls back into itself with each step into the corner. It's getting smaller and smaller every moment.

What do you do?

"Oh man, jerk move, Narky!" The Scrapscallion laughed, mid-backflip off his crashing gurney.

So, what's the status of the nurse? The Scrapscallion would love nothing more than to give chase, but not when there's a pretty lady in need of his services.

[BlasTech]

"Oh man, jerk move, Narky!" The Scrapscallion laughed, mid-backflip off his crashing gurney.

So, what's the status of the nurse? The Scrapscallion would love nothing more than to give chase, but not when there's a pretty lady in need of his services.

She's still in the monster's grasp, being held off to the side as Starlight backs it into the corner.

She still looks a bit annoyed - both at her current situation and at you shooting at her, but otherwise doesn't seem to have been hurt.

[Elanorin]

There's something cathartic about smashing ponies about the head when you've had a tough day. The ponies in the mist start to yell, but you're in the middle of them and Power Overwhelming turns out to be just as potent as her name suggests.

They do eventually fight back though. Somepony smashes you in the ribs with something solid, whilst another one takes a swing at you with their hooves. You're fighting a small gang here, but thankfully nopony pulls a gun on you while you get through.

[Take 1 Harm: modified by size to 2 and by "take little harm" back down to 1]

After a few moments, you're past them. But they're almost all still up and awake, not to mention angry. And the mist is about to finish clearing.

What do you do?

There's nothing for it, she really wanted Power's dead corpse, but not at the cost of getting caught by a friendship patrol. Not on her life.

Drop the dead horse.

Milliway reluctantly ditched Power Overwhelming unceremoniously right there and then and then galloped at top speed the hell out of there headed straight home. They'd find Power, of course, but in truth it wasn't her who killed her. So that ought work out absolutely fine.

[Balmas]

Well, left with magic only, you're still pretty potent. And with the help of a well timed cart of medical supplies (which comes barrelling into the monster just as it takes advantage of you yelling at Luminark to regain its balance), you've got it beaten back into the corner.

The tentacles still slap at you, but they'll probably just bounce off your shield.

[Take 1 harm]

Mournfully, it cries out and curls back into itself with each step into the corner. It's getting smaller and smaller every moment.

What do you do?

I seethe. "Luminark!" Then the rat bastard is gone, and I'm left with the business at hand. "Look," I growl, and walk forward until the shield is pressing the monster into the corner. "I can appreciate that you're an abomination of science, and you've only just come to life. For that reason, I'm going to give you this one chance to surrender, come peaceully, and let my little pony there go. Otherwise, I'm going to stomp on you until the only thing left of you is some sparking wires.

[Go Aggro: Surrender, or die. (2d6+2)[12]]