Celestia's Finest: Sombra Went Down to Ashtown

[Miltonian]

(Continued from here)http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showt...7#post23438917

Love's relief is well-founded. When has magic failed her yet?

"I'll do my best," Lullaby promises Sniper. She waves as he steps out and turns to the others in the room. "So, where do I start?"

"Just follow me," Angel tells her. To Love, she says, "We're gonna be busy here for a bit. You don't have to stick around, if you don't want to."

---

Rarity would approve of Rose's new, more polite attitude.

"You said your legs don't take food or something?" Auni asks, "That could...explain things." Now that his attention has been drawn to it, the young zebra stallion is politely looking elsewhere for the time being. His eyes are locked on Rose's face, not any other part of her.

Speaking of Sniper, good thing they saved him cake as he steps in just in time to hear Rose's comments about Night Skye's mission.

[DigoDragon]

Rarity would approve of Rose's new, more polite attitude.

Pfft, Rose is a complex pony of many attitudes and moods.

"You said your legs don't take food or something?" Auni asks, "That could...explain things." Now that his attention has been drawn to it, the young zebra stallion is politely looking elsewhere for the time being. His eyes are locked on Rose's face, not any other part of her.

Rose holds up a leg to study, but the pleasant face is still there to grok. "My legs? It's a little complicated to explain how they work. There is a sort of battery in each leg that powers them, but they also draw on the same signal from my brain as flesh legs do to get instructions on how to move. But they feel... dull. Like, imagine Anaki pokes your leg and my leg with a hoof; same force. You would feel it a lot more than I would. I can't even feel a pinch, because there's no skin on my metal leg."

"That might change in the future. My sister back home found a scientist who is working on growing your own skin to wrap around machine legs. I'm considering it because I've damaged my legs due to not feeling something, like a hot pan. Plus, this desert has reminded me that sand is terrible to get in my joints. Your own skin protects from sand and lets you know your about to touch something hot."

Speaking of Sniper, good thing they saved him cake as he steps in just in time to hear Rose's comments about Night Skye's mission.

Rose waves and returns to her contemplative state.

[D.KnightSpider]

It was a rather awkward moment upon which to enter the room, if only because Sniper didn't share Rose's limitations. The difference between their cybernetics was frightening at times.

Speaking of which... it wouldn't be a bad idea to have his own augmentations adjusted before the Ashtown assault.

Sniper returns Rose's wave. He doesn't say anything immediately as he wants to get a sense of the room's mood first.

[Elbeyon]

She asks the medic, "Are you busy with Emerald? I'd like to say a quick goodnight to her if that's alright. I won't take long or get in your way. I need to start my project in the kitchen soon anyway." She planned to have Happy help her. Love might be alone on this one though.

If Angel gives her permission, Love will go to Emerald's 'room' and audibly say knock knock. "Hey, Emerald. Love here. Would it be alright if I visit for a second?"

If Angel says something to the affect of wait until tomorrow, Love will head off to her body's location so she can switch back into her FleshBot.

[DigoDragon]

Sniper returns Rose's wave. He doesn't say anything immediately as he wants to get a sense of the room's mood first.

Rose will gesture to the slice of cake saved for him.

[Miltonian]

The zebras turn and acknowledge Sniper's presence with a mixture of waves and nods.Happy goes one step further and grabs the cake to give to him directly, just so there's no confusion. "Fancy something sweet?" she asks with a smile.

--

"Sure, go ahead," Angel says, "Just make sure she's not sleeping."

Emerald is not, in fact, sleeping. She looks up when Love enters and smiles. "Good evening," she says, "Here to keep me company?"

[DigoDragon]

The zebras turn and acknowledge Sniper's presence with a mixture of waves and nods.Happy goes one step further and grabs the cake to give to him directly, just so there's no confusion. "Fancy something sweet?" she asks with a smile.

'He's more into something subtle,' Rose's thinks to herself.

"Where's Love?" Rose asks the stallion.

[D.KnightSpider]

"Fancy something sweet?" she asks with a smile.

No.

But he'd seen Happy sulk earlier. There wasn't going to be an end until he ate something she made.

"Thanks." Sniper says as he takes the plate. He looks back at the zebra. "I know it's been a hard day, but we wanted you to know that we appreciate you. You've put up with a lot and overcome a lot and we'd never have gotten this far without you. So thanks."

His gaze fell to the cake. His stomach rolled in a bad way.

"Love's in the infirmary. She wanted to visit with the patients."

[DigoDragon]

"Love's in the infirmary. She wanted to visit with the patients."

Instinct made Rose check her comm to ensure it was on and receiving. "Ah. I hope she doesn't bother them too much. Can't wait for this campaign with Hyper Thought to be over so that we can release them to family."

[Elbeyon]

Love enters when she gets permission. "Good evening, Emerald." She honestly answers, "For a little while. I just got back from a mission. I heard you were listening to some music. Do you want to listen together?"

[Miltonian]

"You're welcome!" Happy says brightly. She begins gathering up the plates and utensils the zebras used, but she is still in the room. Maybe if Sniper can delay long enough, he won't have to break her heart.

The zebras accept his praise with a modicum of humility, though they do swell a bit. "It doesn't feel like we've done much," Oroko admitted.

--

Emerald blinks. "Oh? Was it successful?" She kinda scoots sideways a bit. "Please, take a seat. You'll have to grab the 'earbud' yourself I'm afraid."

[DigoDragon]

"It doesn't feel like we've done much," Oroko admitted.

"I find it's often the little things that make the bigger difference," Rose points out.

[D.KnightSpider]

"And every contribution matters. I think you'll have a chance to shine when we take on Sulmandeer; as I understand it, you're working on some portions to give us an edge against him. That will make a large difference."

Sniper eyeballed the cake and... decided that it wasn't worth making an issue. It was cake. Was a cake really worth hurting Happy over? If he was going to be consistent about not living in guilt then this was a part of that.

Without giving himself time to think, Sniper speared a bite, put it in his mouth and told the back of his mind to shut up.

[Elbeyon]

Love hms at the question. "We made progress. No one has any lasting injuries Rose can't fix up in a few seconds." She isn't sure it was the type of mission a pony can even succeed. When she tries to move Love almost jumps out of her coat. "You don't need to move!" It was too late. A little flustered, Love takes the offered seat. "T-thank you. Ah, excuse me then." Love reaches out to her ear and takes an earbud. She moves in closer if needed and puts it in. The musical mystery will soon come to a close. "Have Merry and you been getting along? Anything you want done?" Love is only here for meals so she wants to double-check that Emerald is able to get along with at least one of the patients. Love seems to ask if she can do something for Emerald every time they spend time together, but Love knows a thing or two about wastelander independence and wants to make sure Emerald has easy access to whatever she wants.

[Miltonian]

“We haven’t had much luck,” Auni admits ruefully, “But we are trying.”

“A Shadow Potion,” Timiti says.

Kichaka clears his throat. The quiet ritualist speaks in a voice barely above a whisper. “Something I learned of once. A potion that banishes light from those who drink it. It is meant for sneaking and stealth, but it might work on the dragon’s breath too.”

The cake is sweet, yes, but not overpoweringly so. It was baked for those who have never tasted chocolate or sugar before (or if they had, not often) and so is toned down a bit from the traditional Equestrian standard. Sniper might actually be able to enjoy this one.

----

Emerald is actually not listening to any music right now, but rather the sound of rain with the occasional rumble of thunder to fill out the background. “There’s not much of it where I grew up,” she says by way of explanation.

She pulls a face at Merry’s name. “I don’t think she likes me. She really doesn’t like Blank and he doesn’t like anyone. I don’t know what her parents were thinking when they named her.” She sighs. “She’s not...rude, but she gives me these sullen eyes whenever we talk.”

“I want to be able to stand,” she says, “Or barring that, hold a book. But you can’t do that for me.”

[DigoDragon]

““A Shadow Potion,” Timiti says.

Kichaka clears his throat. The quiet ritualist speaks in a voice barely above a whisper. “Something I learned of once. A potion that banishes light from those who drink it. It is meant for sneaking and stealth, but it might work on the dragon’s breath too.”

This gets Rose's attention. "Well that might do something. The dragon's breath is light-based, right? That would be one way to get up close without the risk of getting vaporized."

[D.KnightSpider]

"So then the problem becomes how to get him to swallow it." Sniper muses. "Cutting him off from his power source would be helpful. Hm."

He picked at the cake as he gnawed at the problem. It was an alright cake, but he could already tell he wasn't going to be able to eat much of it. Since this was a splurge, he wasn't accustomed to eating like this.

[Elbeyon]

The sound of rain and thunder are comforting. "It's nice. Isn't it? I grew up in the very south. A Junk Town on the coast. It didn't rain much there either. Thunder wasn't too rare though. There was an endless sandstorm away from the city. It lightning and thundered. You couldn't see the lightning unless you were looking for it, but a good clap made it into the city sometimes."

Love shakes her head slightly. "I don't think she dislikes you." She lowers her voice. "Her name is pretty fitting. She loves music and was a big fan of a certain singer. A lot of bad things have happened to her in a short amount of time. She is dealing with a lot." Love frowns.

"I can't do that", Love admits. She doesn't have any magical healing powers. "Did you see that picture I made earlier for Blank? I could put a book in front of you and you could turn the pages with your voice. Or, his helmet could fool your eyes, ears, and nose into thinking it was somewhere else. There are a lot of pretty places you could see or hear." Love doesn't know enough about Emerald's condition to suggest the body stocking. She will have to ask Angel or Rose if Emerald can use it.

[DigoDragon]

"So then the problem becomes how to get him to swallow it." Sniper muses.

"If you or Love are still feeling suicidal, could jump in his maw and toss the potion down his throat," Rose remarks, but not seriously. "Okay, serious, question--Could we put it in a capsule and then Sniper shoot it into his mouth when he opens up?"

[Miltonian]

Timiti, Auni, and Oroko, the three actual alchemists, chuckle. “If you think you can get it down his throat, we will have to make a bigger dose,” Oroko says, “We were thinking you could drink it, since you all can supposedly see in the dark.”

---

“I went down there on a…” Emerald’s face falls. “A recruitment drive. I know what you’re talking about. But this? This is better. I want to see it for myself one day. Just lay down and let the rain fall on me.”

Emerald looks more crestfallen now. “A lot of bad things,” she repeats, “And how many others are like her? Ponies that I...convinced to join.”

By this point, she’s sunk into herself and doesn’t react very much to Love’s offer other than to say, “That does sound nice.”

[DigoDragon]

Timiti, Auni, and Oroko, the three actual alchemists, chuckle. “If you think you can get it down his throat, we will have to make a bigger dose,” Oroko says, “We were thinking you could drink it, since you all can supposedly see in the dark.”

"Oooh. Well it would be easier to just take it ourselves, yeah."

[Elbeyon]

"Oh, you've been to my home town? We should swap stories sometime. I'd love to hear about the old place." She pauses. "I'll help you chase down that rainstorm. I'll find a nice spot for you to lay down." Love smiles at her. "You'll feel it one day."

She says sympathetically, "Emerald, you couldn't have known what the group was doing. They trick and lied to you. They have chips for anyone that disagrees or finds out the truth. If it wasn't you, they would have gotten or forced someone else. You were trying to help ponies and the wasteland. That's an admirable thing that isn't tarnished. Your intentions were good. You were trying to build a better life for ponies, and you can still do that. The future you were building towards with all the other ponies is built by pony hoofs. Wastelanders are capable of building the home you imagined with their own hoofs dreaming of a better future, always have been. Everyone should do their part. This place is my home too, and I'm going to help build a better place to live for everyone."

[D.KnightSpider]

"If you or Love are still feeling suicidal, could jump in his maw and toss the potion down his throat," Rose remarks, but not seriously.

"That's not really funny. I almost did that when Sully was shooting up the Thunderbird. It was the only way to get Brazen's bomb into a place it could do real damage."

Sniper decided that he had his fill of cake, for a variety of reasons, and politely set it aside. "You make a great cake Happy."

"Yeah. That makes sense. It'd be a lot easier to make ourselves immune to his long range attacks. Now we need a surefire way to damage him. He'll still be pretty tough without his lasers. Especially with those augments."

Shut. Up. Brain.

[DigoDragon]

"That's not really funny. I almost did that when Sully was shooting up the Thunderbird. It was the only way to get Brazen's bomb into a place it could do real damage."

"Yeah, I sort of put two and two together that you and Love tend to be ready to make sacrificial plays for the greater good. It's commendable, though I'd recommend letting Love try it first since she has the excuse that she's technically not going to die if she does it."

"Yeah. That makes sense. It'd be a lot easier to make ourselves immune to his long range attacks. Now we need a surefire way to damage him. He'll still be pretty tough without his lasers. Especially with those augments."

"Any chance we can get some armor-piercing weapons? No offense to Love, but offense that all this nonlethal stuff she's acquiring for us is not going to do anything against a dragon and Luna knows what else is gonna attack us in Ashtown."

[Miltonian]

Auni smiles ruefully. "It would be easier. Which means we have to make sure it won't poison you when you drink it."

"We, unfortunately, lost our sword of dragon slaying," Anaki says, deadpan. Rose is pretty sure she's kidding, but not entirely sure.

--

"It's still there. Or it was when I visited," Emerald says. She sighs and settles in, dreaming of rain for the moment.

"Everything you say is true," Emerald says, not sounding comforted, "But the fact remains that I did it, it was me who led them into a trap. And that, that I cannot forget. Or really forgive." She squeezes her eyes shut and lets her head slam against the pillow. "Stars above, I was such an idiot."

[DigoDragon]

Auni smiles ruefully. "It would be easier. Which means we have to make sure it won't poison you when you drink it."

"We, unfortunately, lost our sword of dragon slaying," Anaki says, deadpan. Rose is pretty sure she's kidding, but not entirely sure.

"I have confidence you'll be able able to brew it right and make it work for us. As for the sword... well, it's alright. I don't know how to swing a sword. A nice rocket launcher would be good about now though."

[D.KnightSpider]

Sniper discovers himself in a surreal state wherein he can't discern others' meanings or intentions. Were they being cutting? Funny? Serious? The answer eludes him. So he falls silent and lets the others talk.

Maybe this was a bad idea after all...

[Elbeyon]

The earbud pops out. "Oh!", Love say as she reflexively tries to catch it but leaves it at rest as it slips through her hoofs. "Emerald, it's not your fault." Love goes to hold her hoof. "The people in charge and know what they are doing are the ones at fault for all of this." Love shakes her head. "You weren't being an idiot. Anyone can fall for a trick. If I didn't know what I know now, I would have done the same as you. You are a pony whose hopes were taken advantage of, not an idiot." Love squeezes her hoof. "You're a caring pony, Emerald."

"When you open your eyes. There is going to be a floating image in front of you." Love will turn her phone's holo on to display a lighthearted book about someone stealing lightening and a ponies journey to retrieve the missing bolt.

[Miltonian]

"What's a--" Timiti begins. He sighs. "You know what, nevermind. I'm sure we'll find out eventually."

"For tonight," Anaki says, "We celebrate the lives of those taken from us and create a song to remember them by."

"And none of use are good at new songs," Urur mutters under his breath.

---

"I should have been more suspicious. It seemed too good to be true at first. And surprise, surprise, it was," Emerald says, a bit of cynicism creeping into her tone, a hard cynicism that withers hope and makes the owner suspicious of anything bright and beautiful. "Well, it's a hard lesson to learn," she says more to herself than Love.

She closes her eyes and lets out a sigh. "Tell me when."

[DigoDragon]

"Unfortunately I am not talented at music. I'll let you pen that hymn while I go do a little research on our enemy's technology. Need to find a way to overcome their soldiers without resorting to just shooting them all." Rose slowly gets up.

"Do you need paper and pencils to write your song? I could probably find you some."