Celestia's Finest: The Sun Always Rises

[Elbeyon]

Love will put away her Heavy and start moving closer. "Can we at least fight Chrysalis in style? Underneath this I absolutely look like a rag doll. What happens if the camera ponies want pictures after the big fight? Where did I put my brush." She sticks a hoof in her saddlebag to grab a riot grenade, but doesn't remove her hoof yet..

[D.KnightSpider]

No point in playing the fool now. When this mission was over, Sniper was going to give Rose a strong talking to about drawing attention to herself on the battlefield. She was a medic. Medics weren't supposed to do front line combat.

He readied his rifle, although he didn't raise it to his shoulder. If this went sour, then he had a perfectly delectable target in mind.

[Miltonian]

Rarity's eyes narrow and she stalks toward Rose. "You, darling," she says, venom in her voice, "Have no authority over me. I will go where I please. Confront whom I please. Besides..." The diamonds fan out behind her and point toward Rose. "Do you really think you have a chance of stopping me?"

"And you!" She points an accusatory hoof at Love. "You told me not a minute ago that one of my best and oldest friend, the pony I could always depend upon when everypony else fled, has died. I am in no mood to give fashion advice to some trigger-happy, whining mare. There are enough of those in the video-game industry. I'm sure you're a complete disaster and would offend all my aesthetic tastes under that helmet, but context, darling! This is neither the time nor place for such things."

She turns toward Brazen, the largest obstacle between her and the elevator shaft leading downward. "Kindly get out of my way." Her horn flares brighter. "Or I shall remove you."

[DigoDragon]

Rose opens fire on Rarity, shooting twice at her left front leg, because Rose will not be ignored.

Spoiler: Attack

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Firearms (3d6)[9] vs. 12 (14 base -2 called shot leg) (oh snap)

Two shots, Recoil of 2

[Miltonian]

Both shots inexplicably miss. Rose is certain her aim was good, but the bullets pass perfectly through the mare's legs. For a moment, the fashionista doesn't move. Then, she slowly turns towards Rose. "Darling," she says slowly, "Of all the things you could have done right now, that was the worst. Possible. Thing."

Rose immediately feels the strongest telekinesis she's ever personally felt try and wrap around her body.

[Elbeyon]

Love rushes into the fray on two legs shouting at Rarity while waving her forelegs. "You're look isn't even original! You stole that style from the princesses. And, I do have to say, they pull it off much better."

Spoiler: OoC

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Grapple
(3d6)[12] vs 13 (Dexterity) -4 (Move & Melee Attack) +/- (Others)

[D.KnightSpider]

If it were possible for Sniper Scope to mentally face-hoof any harder he would spontaneously develop telekinesis. He took quick stock of the situation. Rose was getting to get herself killed. Love was going for a suicide charge. All of them were spouting appearance based insults.

This just had to turn into a cat-fight, didn't it?

He was forgotten. Perhaps it was time for him to do what he did best: disappear.

Taking advantage of the chaos, Sniper tried to collect his electro laser rifle while remaining a sight useen.

Spoiler: OoC

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Stealth Roll:
(3d6)[6][6][3](15) VS 15

[Miltonian]

Rarity doesn't flinch. She doesn't move, even. Love simply misses. She underestimated the distance her charge would need to travel to reach the tall unicorn. "Charming," she says dryly and goes back to ignoring the techicorn in favor of Rose and Brazen.

Meanwhile, Sniper slips out of view, but can't find his electrolaser rifle. Nickel peeks at him from under her hooves and draws her hood up over her head in a futile attempt to disappear from his sight.

[userpay]

"No can do. You'd just be walking into Chrysalis's control even if you're free for the moment." Brazen tries to surge forward at the tall unicorn. Rearing up trying to bring her down.

Spoiler

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Well lets try Wrestling, I thought I took a penalty due to encumbrance but not seeing it now...

Wrestling (skill 15 -encumbrance pen?) (3d6)[8]

[D.KnightSpider]

He'd warned the runt.

Sniper leveled his rifle at Nickel's center of mass and pulled the trigger. The chances of Nickel staying out of the fight were next to none and Sniper couldn't afford to have a sudden stun shot hit any of the team.

Spoiler: OoC

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Attack: (3d6)[4][2][3](9) VS 16 (+1 Laser Sight) - distance penalty

Damage: (5d6)[4][5][1][3][4](17)

[Miltonian]

The diamonds orbiting Rarity's head zip forward and deflect his attempts to grab her. They scour deep grooves into the armor on his legs and drive him back successfully, but do not penetrate. This time. Rarity sniffs disapprovingly. "Did you think I carried these around simply because they were pretty?" she asks, "I'm not that vain, you kn--"

Nickel's scream rends the air as Sniper shoots her in the back. The mare is somehow conscious, that's more from sheer shock blocking the pain than anything. She crawls forward, trying to get away, but her rear legs aren't working and she drags herself with her forelegs alone.

The air around Rarity catches fire. "You...you..." Her eyes burn blue. "I AM YOUR OPPONENT, YOU...YOU BRUTE!" Rose is no longer a concern. Brazen is carelessly ignored. And Love could not be farther from her mind. She blazes a trail right through the middle of them, defending herself with the circling diamonds and eyes fixed on Sniper. He feels a telekinetic grip trying to find purchase around his throat.

Spoiler

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Rarity tries to grapple Sniper with telekinesis. Don't fail the defense roll, DKS.

[DigoDragon]

Rose flips on her laser sight and fires upon Rarity's right hindleg.

Firing three shots. Recoil 2
Attack (3d6)[11] vs. 13 (Base 14, +1 sight, -2 called shot, leg) (two hits!)

[D.KnightSpider]

"Rainbow's alive." Sniper tried to force the words through his rapidly closing throat. It was desperate, but so was his situation.

[Miltonian]

Rarity doesn't even flinch as Rose's bullets miss once more. They pass so close to her yet do not disturb a single hair of her perfectly brushed coat. However, Rose is a smart pony, right? Maybe she can figure out what's going on before it's too late.

"Fascinating how quickly the story changed when doing so was to your advantage, isn't it?" Rarity says darkly as her grip settles firmly around Sniper's throat.

[Elbeyon]

Rarity is a slippery one. Super slippery. Love turns to chase down her escaping prey. She runs on all fours and pounces like a manticore onto Rarity's back. Rawring like one too. "Leave my friends alone."

Whichever way the pounce goes, she'll back up scope, "It's true. We got Rainbow Dash and Applejack to an escape pod. Chrysalis has done something to you. Fight it! Let us help you."

Spoiler: OoC

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Pounce (pp. 371-372)
(3d6)[10] vs 9 (Battlesuit p. 192) + 4 (Pounce p. 372) + 4 (All-out Attack (Determined!) p. 365) +/- (Others)

Damage
(2d6)[10] cr
Jump Distance (p. 352) = 5 = ((2 x Basic Move) -3) / 2 * 2 (Super Jump p. 89) / 2 (All-out Attack p 367)
Velocity (p. 431) = 5 Yards = 10 Velocity
Object Hit Points (p. 558)= ~125 lbs = 20
(HP x velocity)/100 = 20 x 10 / 100 = 2d cr

Recovery (p. 372)
(3d6)[16] vs 9 (Dexterity (Capped by Battlesuit p. 192))

[userpay]

Brazen slowly trudges after Rarity as he focuses on Sniper. Just what was he thinking? Did he not pick up one of the stun grenades? While the effectiveness of his tactic couldn't be ignored Brazen would need to have some firm words with the pegasus if the Princesses didn't get to it first.

[Miltonian]

All but one of Rarity's diamonds whip around and slam into Love's side right as she is about to strike the corrupted unicorn. They knock her off-course, but the magical barrier that shimmers into view and deflects her away entirely is what saves Rarity. The mare's eyes narrow, perturbed by the effort it took to stop Love's reckless charge and she continues toward Sniper. Her telekinesis lifts him into the air but doesn't start squeezing his throat yet, which isn't so bad for a pegasus. Using his wings, he can keep himself from hanging on an invisible rope.

The last diamond zips around until it is right over Love's chest, and then it begins to spin like a drill and bore through her armor. However, when it descends, it comes in at the wrong angle and strikes the floor instead.

Star Chaser's voice comes over the radio. "Pinkie Pie says, 'everypony dogpile her'!"

[D.KnightSpider]

Sniper Scope was a disciplined stallion out of necessity; to that end, he had adopted a simple set of rules. Two of which were the guiding force when it came to the battlefield: 1) Never let the enemy dictate the rules of engagement. Someone grabs your gun? Don't enter a tug of war. Pull a knife. 2) Never play defense. Change the rules. Switch the board. Do whatever was necessary to maintain the offense.

Both of which were abominably hard to put into practice at this precise moment. His neck was stretched to the limit and his wings moved furiously in an effort to avoid strangling on an invisible rope. Motion was out of the question. Attacking was out of the question. That left him but one weapon with which to attack: words.

Wait. He had two weapons.

He toggled his HUD and sent a text message to the team: pinkies right overwhelm gem defenses.

Now to distract Rarity.

"Was it... something... I said?" He grunted in Rarity's face.

[DigoDragon]

Rose, who hasn't said a word since she opened fire, foregoes the gun and opts to follow the Pink One's advice by rushing Rarity for a tackle.

Spoiler: Action

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DX 12
+4 All out Attack (Determined)

Roll: (3d6)[8]

[Miltonian]

The ever-whirling diamonds shift towards Rose and throw her back. But she is not wearing a heavy battlesuit. The diamonds tear through her cybernetic forelegs and leave wires and scraps of metal in the vague shape of a leg in its place.

Rarity doesn't bat an eye. Her gaze is fixed on Sniper, and her eyes are colder than the wastes around the Crystal Empire. He bears the full weight of her wrath. Her face is not one of disapproval. Disapproval is far too tame. Disgust, loathing, as if he were beneath even her contempt, that is more apt. "You shot one of my dear bodyguards when she was no longer a combatant. The youngest and newest one. A promising protege." He feels her grip tighten slightly. "I am going to squeeze every trace of life from your body."

[Elbeyon]

Love breaths a sigh of relief after the diamond drill deflects off her. That could have hurt. She was trying to be the biggest target, but Scope somehow once again pissed someone off. She was suppose to be the disposable unit. Love army crawls the short distance it takes to reach Rarity. It feels like she's in boot camp again. With her two forehooves she tries to help in the dog pile by garbing Rarity's back legs.

Spoiler: OoC

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Grapple (I'm not dong a called shot.)
(3d6)[5] vs 9 (Environment Suit (Battlesuit) p. 192) + 4 (All-out Attack p. 365) +/- (Others)

Note: Love is prone from her flying slam.

[Miltonian]

The diamonds whirl around and slam down right in front of Love's hooves, blocking her and tearing up a small portion of the deck. Her efforts earn her a venomous glower from Rarity. However, Brazen can, if he runs, make it to her this turn.

Spoiler

Show

Spend an FP point to double your speed this turn, userpay, and you can make it to her.

[DigoDragon]

The ever-whirling diamonds shift towards Rose and throw her back. But she is not wearing a heavy battlesuit. The diamonds tear through her cybernetic forelegs and leave wires and scraps of metal in the vague shape of a leg in its place.

"AAAAAHHHGG!!"

"You shot one of my dear bodyguards when she was no longer a combatant. The youngest and newest one. A promising protege." He feels her grip tighten slightly. "I am going to squeeze every trace of life from your body."

Rose is on the ground. She clutches what's left of her leg. The severed nerve connectors in her cybernetics cease their signals, leaving her with pain and numbness. "Yeah, just as I was no longer a combatant and had a gun put to my head! Rose cries out. "We were trying to save you... but apparently you're not her... just... an ugly monster... made by Chrysalis..."

[D.KnightSpider]

coordinate attack as one

Could the squad's crazy be used for checking text messages mid-battle rather than launching appearance-based insults? He would only get one chance at launching a surprise attack with his rifle. He couldn't waste it on anything less than a sure thing.

They needed to split Rarity's concentration beyond her ability to multi-task. That would only happen with everypony striking in unison.

In the meantime. Sniper leveled his gaze as best he could at Rarity. He couldn't help it. He had to reply.

"You'd... be doing... me a... favor."

Hopefully, one day Diamond would forgive him for breaking his promise. That thought prompted a twinge of sadness and a moist eye.

[Miltonian]

Rarity replies, flippantly ignoring Rose's pain, "You're wrong on both counts. Chrysalis didn't make me this way. I always was, deep down. That bug should be careful digging around in pony's heads. You never know what you might bring to the surface. Not a monster, darling. A Nightmare."

Brazen makes his move! But after parrying two attacks, Rarity's gems are out of position. Weighing her options carefully, she tries to dodge to the side. However, she delays a fraction of a second too long and his forelegs wrap around her barrel. Utter disgust comes over her face. "Ugh, dirt."

Her diamonds respond to her will, though Brazen is causing her some trouble coordinating them, and sends them whizzing towards him. Two strike his chest and one almost penetrates his armor. The third misses his visor by the narrowest of margins and goes right on by. However, Brazen's interference is enough to distract Rarity from her assault on Sniper Scope. He feels her hold on him evaporate like morning mist and drops to the floor.

Nickel has (somehow) remained conscious, though she's been reduced to a whimpering wreck. She desperately tries to get away from him. "Leave me alone!" she cries, tears and pain marring her beautiful face, "I didn't...I wasn't going to...why did you...?"

[D.KnightSpider]

He hit the floor hard and started gasping for breath. That was the closest bed ever come to death; even though that witch hadn't actually crushed his windpipe, it left him rattled.

Sniper scrambled to clear his mind and get back in the game. Focus, banish it!

Nickel's words did the trick. He fumbled at his harness, searching for a Stun Grenade.

"Can it, kid." He grunted. He wasn't in the mood for a guilt trip.

---

* post roll count doesn't match database

[Miltonian]

Nickel has no intention of 'canning it'. Her eyes go wide as Sniper pulls out the grenade. "N-no!" she cries and her horn sparks fitfully. It's not enough, and Sniper still has his rifle primed and ready to fire. Nickel draws back. "Don't...please!"

"Stop!" Rarity commands, "Stop! I surrender! Don't kill her. Please, for the love of Celestia, don't kill her!" She strains against Brazen, trying to get out of his grip. "Let go of me, you brute! I'm a seamstress. I can close her wound." To Nickel, she says, "Lie still, darling. Don't move too much or you'll make it worse."

In truth, she was in a very bad position. With Brazen grappling her, she couldn't concentrate properly anymore. Her diamonds fell one by one from the air. And, even tall and majestic as she was, it was clear she did not possess the strength to escape his grip. This end was more dignified than a mad scrambled on the station floor.

[Elbeyon]

Love's ear's drop, or they would if they could, at the sound of Rose's scream. The fight seamingly over she stands up in a fright and gallops over to her friend. "Oh, my moon. Oh, my moon." She repeats over and over as Rose comes into view. By her side, "Try not to move. Here." She grab's Rose's medical bag from her body. Putting it in front of her one good leg. "Here. Make yourself better. What do you need me to do? I don't think kisses are going to fix this." She gives a nervous laugh.

She turns her head and screams at Brazen, "Pin her!" Her true voice can be heard faintly through her power armor, but it comes out loud and clear on the speakers.

[DigoDragon]

Love's ear's drop, or they would if they could, at the sound of Rose's scream. The fight seamingly over she stands up in a fright and gallops over to her friend. "Oh, my moon. Oh, my moon." She repeats over and over as Rose comes into view. By her side, "Try not to move. Here." She grab's Rose's medical bag from her body. Putting it in front of her one good leg. "Here. Make yourself better. What do you need me to do? I don't think kisses are going to fix this." She gives a nervous laugh.

"Need you to.... keep her still..." Rose finally says. It was a weak voice, pained and hoarse.

All's fair in love and war, right? Rose works between her ponykinesis and her one good foreleg, preparing a needle with a full injection of sedative. She ran calculations in her head on dosages and injection points and all sorts of doctor things, though such maths were swimming in a sea of pain. This wasn't the first time she had to work while injured, though, that was a different mare.

Rose crawls over to inject Rarity.

First aid (3d6)[16] vs 15 (18 -3 shock penalty)

[D.KnightSpider]

"If everypony just keeps still and lets Rose do her job, then I won't have to kill anypony." Sniper replied. "But don't think I won't."

If their fear put an end to this battle then he'd utilize it. It wasn't something that he relished, but, then, he did a lot of things he personally disliked. It was the downside to being a hired gun. The gun didn't get to have a lot of say about people's feelings.

For the first time in several minutes, he was able to see everyone's full situation. His face turned into a scowl at seeing Rose hobble around. Now wasn't the time to distract her, but at the first opportunity he was going to make certain that she was alright.