Celestia's Finest: The Wasteland Wailers

[Miltonian]

When Love steps back inside the Thunderbird, she finds Powder Keg curiously poking at Flesh-Love's cheek. She steps away when the armored Love enters. "Did you feel that? So...you really move your mind? It's not like some kind of mystical trance thing?"

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The mare nods. "Well, we won't stop you. Anypony who tries to stop someone leaving's a darn fool."

[DigoDragon]

The mare nods. "Well, we won't stop you. Anypony who tries to stop someone leaving's a darn fool."

Rose waits to ensure Sniper is done with questions before leaving.

[Elbeyon]

Spoiler: OoC

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I think Love will turn her armor (her helmet at least) transparent whenever she starts talking to a pony.

Love marches in as Keg steps back. "Nope. I don't feel a thing." Love shakes her head. "I've only felt a pony through my sleep once in my entire life." She takes her helmet off and puts her feather back in. The gear starts getting collected too. Eventually, Love will put FleshLove over her back like a saddlebag.

"Erm, I'm not sure how to answer your questions Keg. My ability is unknown to me. I know the rules to how it works through experimentation, but the mechanics behind it I've kept private even to myself. It's a poorly kept secret at this point, but it's a secret none the less. I'd like if you didn't go telling everypony. This is my body now though."

"Love, stop the music."

Love shows those whites to Keg. "Thank you, I really enjoyed our meal together. You better eat dinner with me too!" She chuckles.

[D.KnightSpider]

"Can you describe the refugee? Is he still around the area?"

Either they would verify part of Keg's story or find a source of more intelligence. Both options are attractive to Sniper in their own right.

[Miltonian]

"Heh. Won't say no to that," Powder Keg says with her own grin, "And I won't push for your secrets." She pats Love on the shoulders.

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The mare begins to look a little annoyed. "We drove him off. He was a drunk and a bit too grabby with his hooves. Green mane and coat. Some strange symbol for a cutie mark. That's all I remember."

[DigoDragon]

Rose makes note of that too. "Well, you've been most helpful, thank you. Anything else Sniper, or shall we be off?"

[Elbeyon]

"Well, you already have one of my secrets. Keep that a secret, and I'll be happy. I'm going to go take care of my MRE trash." She didn't want to say goodbye in case Keg wanted to hang around, but she really needs to start moving on flipping the Thunderbird.

She'll make her way to base to deposit herself then take a quick look around for Star.

[D.KnightSpider]

"Thank you. I realize it's difficult having two strange foreigners show up and play twenty questions. I didn't have a choice as of we're going to dismantle the Co-Prosperity Initiative, we're going to need all the information we can get. I can tell that you're trying to survive and protect your ponies. I respect that."

Sniper turned and made ready to depart.

[DigoDragon]

Rose nods to the pony and turns to leave with Sniper.

Once outside she muses in whispers with him. "Another army, you think? He tried it with diamond dogs and Wrath at the friendship castle. Might be working out a bigger move here with more anti-elements."

[Miltonian]

Let’s see. Go back to Wildcat and get assigned to do some menial task or hang around a fun (if a little freaky) mare? Powder Keg chooses to follow Love around and look busy, even though she’s mostly just standing behind her and nodding to everything she says.

The base has come along nicely. Very orderly with boxes of supplies set up as cover, just in case. Star is ensconced in the middle of it, setting up the communication equipment to her liking and arguing with Red Tape about it. He doesn’t like the supposed inefficiency of her layout. She says it’s not his business so long as the job gets done in a timely manner. As Love steps in, Wildcat orders them both to shut up and get back to work.

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The wastelanders watch Rose and Sniper all the way out of town, but don’t hinder them from leaving. So long as they cause no trouble, they won’t get any from this particular bunch.

[DigoDragon]

Rose attempts to contact Harrier Squad while she's walking back with Sniper.

[Miltonian]

Right as Love is about to say something from Star, the 'phone' rings and she turns back to the console. "Star speaking. How may I make your day absolutely fabulous?"

Wildcat looks to Love with a raised eyebrow. "Lt," he says, "What's our status?"

[DigoDragon]

"Star speaking. How may I make your day absolutely fabulous?"

"I think a couple bottles of sparkling water and a hooficure would do it," Rose answers. "I got sand in crevasses I didn't know my cybernetics had. Ugh. Anyway, Sniper and I are returning to base camp. We made contact with the local town and forged an understanding with them. Willing to trade with us if we offer food stuffs. We also learned that's a group around calling themselves the Co-prosperity Initiative. They're traveling in packs, wearing heavy armor and forcing recruitment into their ranks. They're originating from a town out west called Ashtown. Pass it along to the commander. I think we got our lead."

[D.KnightSpider]

Rose nods to the pony and turns to leave with Sniper.

Once outside she muses in whispers with him. "Another army, you think? He tried it with diamond dogs and Wrath at the friendship castle. Might be working out a bigger move here with more anti-elements."

"Seems that way." Sniper replied in hushed tones. "Whatever he's up to, it appears to need a lot of hard labor. Or test subjects."

Conjecture was mostly pointless given their overall lack of data, but he was willing to float some crazy theories at this stage of the game.

Rose had the submission of their report well in hoof, so he just kept an eye out for trouble.

[DigoDragon]

"Seems that way." Sniper replied in hushed tones. "Whatever he's up to, it appears to need a lot of hard labor. Or test subjects."

"Crap, yeah... Lars might be looking to replace Magpie. The poor girl. Could of been dead weeks ago for all we know."

[D.KnightSpider]

"If she is, then that will be one more item on a very long list of things they have to pay for." Sniper replied. "I'm looking forward to their day of reckoning."

[DigoDragon]

"That's going to be a frightful day," Rose says. "With the kind of resources he's commanding, it'll make Tartarus Station seem like a birthday party. Perhaps I should focus a bit more on defensive spells. The shield and counterspell magic is useful, but I need to be able to cover more than one squaddie at a time without passing out."

[Miltonian]

"Copy that," Star says, "Thanks for the update. You pick me up any souvenirs while you were out? Any local jewelry or anything like that?"

[D.KnightSpider]

"The shield and counterspell magic is useful, but I need to be able to cover more than one squaddie at a time without passing out."

"It'll come in time. Your magic spells have already come a long way. Give it a bit more time and you'll be a real terror on the battlefield." Sniper said. "Besides, Brazen and Love can tank a hit from just about anything. I doubt they'll need much more protection."

[Elbeyon]

Love salutes, "Commander, Sir! We're ready for final prep to pull her out! Would the commander like to watch?"

[DigoDragon]

"Copy that," Star says, "Thanks for the update. You pick me up any souvenirs while you were out? Any local jewelry or anything like that?"

Rose raises the volume so that Sniper can overhear. "Sorry, but this turned into more of a medical house call than shopping trip. They don't take credit neither, so I'll have to bring my bartering skirt for next time."

"It'll come in time. Your magic spells have already come a long way. Give it a bit more time and you'll be a real terror on the battlefield." Sniper said. "Besides, Brazen and Love can tank a hit from just about anything. I doubt they'll need much more protection."

Rose nods, but is still worried. "They can tank bullets, but I worry about things like mind control. And you know why *I* worry about it."

Her smile was so weak it should of been in the ICU.

[userpay]

Brazen grins under his helmet. "Ah think somethin can be arranged no problem. Don't think our neighbors would appreciate us bein loud."

[Miltonian]

Commander Wildcat nods and rises. "Thank you, Love. Let's get everypony into position. Star, what's Rose and Sniper's ETA?"

"Still a good ways out, sir," she says.

"Well Lt," he says to Love, "Get everything in position. When they get back, we'll flip the ship."

Spoiler

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Don't want to end the conversation before you're done with it.

[Elbeyon]

"Yes, sir!" Love steps out of the command tent with the intent to follow orders. Before starting that whole affair, she takes a stand near Keg and texts Star's personal phone.

"We keep missing each other! I want to bump into you. Let's do dinner."

Love puts her phone away with a smirk.

Keg gets a nice couple taps on the back to get her moving. "So. How about we start gathering up your friends? Anypony winning your heart?" The flower words elicit a chuckle.

She starts gathering the crew. "I don't actually know much about you. How'd you become the leader of the Red Scorpions?"

[D.KnightSpider]

Rose nods, but is still worried. "They can tank bullets, but I worry about things like mind control. And you know why *I* worry about it."

Her smile was so weak it should of been in the ICU.

Sniper blinked hard. The split second of darkness helped him switch minds to his more compassionate side. Rose needed reassurance, not tactics.

"And I know that you shouldn't be worried. Mind control has been thrown at us three times now. Twice it didn't affect us. And the one time it did, the rest of the squad intervened." He gave Rose a smile. "As long as we hang together, we can fight off anything. Even mental influence."

[DigoDragon]

Sniper blinked hard. The split second of darkness helped him switch minds to his more compassionate side. Rose needed reassurance, not tactics.

"And I know that you shouldn't be worried. Mind control has been thrown at us three times now. Twice it didn't affect us. And the one time it did, the rest of the squad intervened." He gave Rose a smile. "As long as we hang together, we can fight off anything. Even mental influence."

"Yeah well... forgive me if I'd like my magic of friendship to back up that claim with a Mind Shield spell and a semi-automatic carbine," Rose replies, though not unfriendly. Okay, now that smile was starting to look right.

[Miltonian]

"By 'do' dinner, do you mean...?" Star texts back, "Okay, okay. That sounds great, Love."

Powder Keg sighs dramatically. "Nopony yet has caught my eye in this group. The one with the chin seems taken. What a shame." She smirks back at Love.

"Oh. I killed the old boss. You know, he was drunk, came after me over something stupid, and I blew him and his personal guard up." She shrugs. "Wasn't good as I am now back then, so was probably more luck than skill."

[D.KnightSpider]

"Can't fault you for that." Sniper said with a grin. "Just remember that it's the pony behind the carbine and the spell making the difference-- not the tools of the trade.

"We should hurry now. They're probably wondering if we're ducking work by this point."

[Elbeyon]

Love stops to reply. "I invited Keg to dinner! We really hit it off over lunch. I wish you were there. :cry:" She didn't know where this crazy train ended. She could hardly give Star the answer.

"That's not what I meant by making friends." She smiles and playfully bumps her hip into her. "I'd give up on the chin. He's glued to his mare."

"Killed him, hm? We do what we must to survive. I'm glad to hear you're better at handling explosions." She chuckles.

"I got scooped up as some fresh meat for some warband, and it turned out I'm really good at killing ponies. I eventually joined the big leagues until I moved to Equestria."

[DigoDragon]

"We should hurry now. They're probably wondering if we're ducking work by this point."

Rose stops walking and does a Sound of music twirl to showcase the miles of sand all around them. "Not my fault they built the town so far from our crash site. If I was consulted, I'd of crashed outside town limits and come out like 'Take me to your leader.' And then set up trade negotiations like we did. Well, I can't do the voice right, but you get the idea."

She starts walking again, but picks up the pace to get back to camp with Scope. "We're gonna need to keep an active radar up if this place has invisible dragons lurking about."