[FwM] As Equestria Turns:MLP Without the Kiddy Thread 9

[Luka]

Back at the metalworking Shoppe thing

Luka then just arrives, the shop being noticeably warmer than outside cuz of the blacksmithing stuff.

The he directs to arvadraa, a bit confused by her new white coat
"Hi again, I...um...well someone's looking for you....I think"
he saids a bit like "what the....?"

[Grif]

Originally Posted by MCerberus

Mach places two cards face-down on the table. Aside from the wing-issues that may arise with extended exposure to these cards, if they were playing for bits, Mach does have his goggles to give him an edge. Of course adding money to this mix would just make things awkward.

Clearly.

Tyrol mused for a little, before putting down three cards face-down. Lemongrass rolled his eyes and placed all his cards face down and drew a new hand. (I assume we're playing the variant where we're allowed to discard our hand and draw again.)

[PurityIcekiller]

Originally Posted by Kelvin360

"Um, no. Usually the secondskin is a lot more evilish. Always, actually. Odd. Anyway! What's first?"

"Evilish? It's a matter of opinion. Well, anyway, we've got armour to fix up, which should be easy 'cause it's basically-"

Originally Posted by Luka

Luka then just arrives, the shop being noticeably warmer than outside cuz of the blacksmithing stuff.

The he directs to arvadraa, a bit confused by her new white coat
"Hi again, I...um...well someone's looking for you....I think"
he saids a bit like "what the....?"

"My, ya're back early! Change yar mind about gettin' it fixed properly?" Blades laughed for a bit, then noticed the other pony with him. "Oh, ya brought a friend! That's nice! What's yar name 'n... Wait, why are ya lookin' for my apprentice?"

She quickly drew a conclusion and several potentially lethal metallic cutting instruments, then smiled at Stellar. It was her usual "you'd look rather nice sliced into several pieces" smile. "Were ya sent by that evil pony that's huntin' her?"

[Orzel]

Originally Posted by Benson

"That's just stupid," She scowled. She was was about to comment that she was not his stupid friend, but then she figured he would just say that she was acknowledging herself to be his friend and just warp it in his favor. She bit down her tongue on that matter. "You didn't tell me I could have hit him afterwards."

"But you hit everypony who isn't your friend. I didn't think I'd have to tell you that."

And at the front he was trying to do just that, making the munnies.

That's when two mares in jogging suits walked. "Where's-a Bruce?" asked the shorter older pony.

[TheAmishPirate]

Originally Posted by Mindfreak

Blaze
"..."
"So what can I do to help?"
He very well doesn't want to do nothing...

Sandy had been sidelined by injuries enough to know how little others could do. Visiting, bringing favorite dishes, but those wouldn't help a busted lung. He found himself just watching the rise and fall of Silverpine's chest as he lay there on the cot. A nasty and cruel role reversal from his own near-death a month back with the dragon. Come to think of it, that might've even been his cot too. At least he didn't have to spend the prescribed month in bed, they were running out of cots. Thank goodness for...

"Cap'n?" Sandy started slowly. "D'you...d'you remember that pegasus feller ya'll brought me to a month back? The one with the fancy blood machine?"

[Kelvin360]

Arvadraa/Stellar

Originally Posted by PurityIcekiller

"Evilish? It's a matter of opinion. Well, anyway, we've got armour to fix up, which should be easy 'cause it's basically-"



"My, ya're back early! Change yar mind about gettin' it fixed properly?" Blades laughed for a bit, then noticed the other pony with him. "Oh, ya brought a friend! That's nice! What's yar name 'n... Wait, why are ya lookin' for my apprentice?"

She quickly drew a conclusion and several potentially lethal metallic cutting instruments, then smiled at Stellar. It was her usual "you'd look rather nice sliced into several pieces" smile. "Were ya sent by that evil pony that's huntin' her?"

With a voice and expression of utter, cold, dead, calm.

"No. I'm looking for the *squawk see-reek scree* that stole my best friend's soul." If anyone in the room could speak griffon, they'd probably wince.

Meanwhile Ms. White just looks confused. "Um. Pardon?"

"I don't want to have to use a defensive spell for this. I just want to talk. Unless you want to just sap me and jump out a window again."

"But...who...you..what...what did he do to you?"

"Dr. Horne didn't do anything to me. He just saw my potential, like he saw yours."

"You're corrupted! Like that wolf, like he tried to do to me!"

"Like you succeeded in doing to him." A table, some tea, four seats and four cups appear out of nowhere. "Care to listen?"

--

Elsewhere

"Anypony else feel like they should be saying 'DUN DUN DUUUUUUN?"
They both turned to Taylor for a second between fire blasts and gave him a simultateous WTB look.
"Guess not."

[MCerberus]

Originally Posted by Grif

Clearly.

Tyrol mused for a little, before putting down three cards face-down. Lemongrass rolled his eyes and placed all his cards face down and drew a new hand. (I assume we're playing the variant where we're allowed to discard our hand and draw again.)

Mach puts down his hoof. Three 8s. Three, unspeakable, dirty 8s. It then hits him about too late that they could be playing for potato chips or jelly beans or something so there's some motivation.

[Luka]

Metalworking shoppestill unnamed

"....what?....she?....."

Luka gets surprised by the sudden change in the filly, he completely didn't expect that; and since his father was a griffon, he knows the language, he winces. Nor did he believe Arvadraa was as evil as Stellar described, even less if someone actually sent a corrupted wolf after her.

He sneakily slides the scarf from Stelar's neck, steps away from her and tries to reach his sword with his right hoof just in case she really turns out to be corrupted, then remembers he doesn't have his armor on....again.

when the table appears he whispers to himself
"great! nice job! you just brought trouble!"
He then facehoofs.

[Benson]

Originally Posted by Orzel

"But you hit everypony who isn't your friend. I didn't think I'd have to tell you that."

"But that's not what you told me to do, you said to come at this mentally, so that's what I did, I followed it per instruction," She was a literal sort, as hinted in the past when she did not comprehend some turn of phrases and stuff like it.

That's when two mares in jogging suits walked. "Where's-a Bruce?" asked the shorter older pony.

"Oh uh, good afternoon ladies, I believe he's in the back," He answered looking up at them and putting on his bestest smile.

Originally Posted by TheAmishPirate

Sandy had been sidelined by injuries enough to know how little others could do. Visiting, bringing favorite dishes, but those wouldn't help a busted lung. He found himself just watching the rise and fall of Silverpine's chest as he lay there on the cot. A nasty and cruel role reversal from his own near-death a month back with the dragon. Come to think of it, that might've even been his cot too. At least he didn't have to spend the prescribed month in bed, they were running out of cots. Thank goodness for...

"Cap'n?" Sandy started slowly. "D'you...d'you remember that pegasus feller ya'll brought me to a month back? The one with the fancy blood machine?"

"Mach?....Yea....he's the one these suits belong to," She said slowly, her thoughts going to that iffy questionable blood machine. "What, are you saying you want me to trust Silverpine to that thing?"

[TheAmishPirate]

Originally Posted by Benson

"Mach?....Yea....he's the one these suits belong to," She said slowly, her thoughts going to that iffy questionable blood machine. "What, are you saying you want me to trust Silverpine to that thing?"

Sandy crossed his forelegs and sat back in his wheelchair. "I'm just throwin' out ideas, Cap'n. Whatever that machine did, it got me back on my hooves again. Maybe it'll work for Silverpine too."

[PurityIcekiller]

Originally Posted by Kelvin360

With a voice and expression of utter, cold, dead, calm.

"No. I'm looking for the *squawk see-reek scree* that stole my best friend's soul." If anyone in the room could speak griffon, they'd probably wince.

Meanwhile Ms. White just looks confused. "Um. Pardon?"

"I don't want to have to use a defensive spell for this. I just want to talk. Unless you want to just sap me and jump out a window again."

"But...who...you..what...what did he do to you?"

"Dr. Horne didn't do anything to me. He just saw my potential, like he saw yours."

"You're corrupted! Like that wolf, like he tried to do to me!"

"Like you succeeded in doing to him." A table, some tea, four seats and four cups appear out of nowhere. "Care to listen?"

"Now, hold on here! She's no soul-thief, 'n she hasn't been corruptin' anything. Before she got here, she couldn't hurt a housecat in self-defence... What kind of tea is that?"

Blades put away some of the instruments of murder, but kept them within easy reach, and sat down. "So what's goin' on? Or are ya just as confused?"

Originally Posted by Luka

"....what?....she?....."

Luka gets surprised by the sudden change in the filly, he completely didn't expect that; and since his father was a griffon, he knows the language, he winces. Nor did he believe Arvadraa was as evil as Stellar described, even less if someone actually sent a corrupted wolf after her.

He sneakily slides the scarf from Stelar's neck, steps away from her and tries to reach his sword with his right hoof just in case she really turns out to be corrupted, then remembers he doesn't have his armor on....again.

when the table appears he whispers to himself
"great! nice job! you just brought trouble!"
He then facehoofs.

"I wonder if unicorns ever stab 'emselves doin' that?" said Blades.

[Orzel]

Originally Posted by Benson

"But that's not what you told me to do, you said to come at this mentally, so that's what I did, I followed it per instruction," She was a literal sort, as hinted in the past when she did not comprehend some turn of phrases and stuff like it.

"It figures he time I expect you to be violent, you eschew physical attacks." The stallion facehooved and shok his head.

"Oh uh, good afternoon ladies, I believe he's in the back," He answered looking up at them and putting on his bestest smile.

The older mare took a baseball out of her pocket and played with it gently. "Can you get him for us please?"

[Kelvin360]

Originally Posted by PurityIcekiller

"Now, hold on here! She's no soul-thief, 'n she hasn't been corruptin' anything. Before she got here, she couldn't hurt a housecat in self-defence... What kind of tea is that?"

"Chermanix Green. Technically it's reeds but it tastes like spearmint and chocolate." Stellar has dropped the helpless filly facade entirely, and is now sitting and calmly sipping tea, eyeing Arvadraa with something halfway between fear and burning hate.

Originally Posted by PurityIcekiller

Blades put away some of the instruments of murder, but kept them within easy reach, and sat down. "So what's goin' on? Or are ya just as confused?"

"I...I'm twice as confused. Who...what are you, anyways?" Arvadraa, for her part, looks just fully repulsed.

"Stellar Spark. Dr. Horne's assistant. You probably don't remember me."

"I...wait...you...you came to me in my cage once. You...whispered something, gave me..."

"A toasted bagel riddled with melatonin. You hadn't slept in days. Much as I hate being an exposition-pony, you'll obviously need to know something before you come-"

"What makes you think I'll go anywhere with you?!"

"Because you either have a concience, or I'd be completely justified in dragging you off. You're probably not going to convince me you're not a monster, but how about you convince yourself?" Cold glare.

"...I should kill you."

"You're off to a great start with the 'proving you're not an evil *squa-ee*' thing. Sip.

"I don't have to prove anything to you! He tortured me!"

"Oh, is that what you think? Then we have mountains to move."

Originally Posted by PurityIcekiller

"I wonder if unicorns ever stab 'emselves doin' that?" said Blades.

Aside glance. "All the time."

[Benson]

Originally Posted by TheAmishPirate

Sandy crossed his forelegs and sat back in his wheelchair. "I'm just throwin' out ideas, Cap'n. Whatever that machine did, it got me back on my hooves again. Maybe it'll work for Silverpine too."

"Maybe..." She said swaying to stay up. She was utterly exhausted, the adrenaline rush she had been running on leaving her. She still was a dried mud mess, she hadn't given herself a chance to lay down, relax her hind left hoof.

Originally Posted by Orzel

"It figures he time I expect you to be violent, you eschew physical attacks." The stallion facehooved and shook his head.

"Yea well you should be specific next time, you're in no position to be acting exasperating, hmmph," She furrowed her brows and laid her chin on her crossed forehooves, she had decided to lay across the bench taking up the whole thing.

The older mare took a baseball out of her pocket and played with it gently. "Can you get him for us please?"

"I uh..okay..." He walked to the back of the shop where Big Bruce was at. "Um, there's some mares in jogging outfits who want to see you."

[Orzel]

Originally Posted by Benson

"Yea well you should be specific next time, you're in no position to be acting exasperating, hmmph," She furrowed her brows and laid her chin on her crossed forehooves, she had decided to lay across the bench taking up the whole thing.

His face scrunched up. It was like dealing with nobles, generals, and royals. He hated it. "I guess I can't assume anything when dealing with monsters." Grills brushed back his mane. "Care to try again or should I give you time to study?"

"I uh..okay..." He walked to the back of the shop where Big Bruce was at. "Um, there's some mares in jogging outfits who want to see you."

Big Bruce's eyes widen. His body shiver and he falls under his desk. "Tells them that that I aint here. That I'm gone o' somethin' Get those mare's out of here."

[Benson]

Originally Posted by Orzel

His face scrunched up. It was like dealing with nobles, generals, and royals. He hated it. "I guess I can't assume anything when dealing with monsters." Grills brushed back his mane. "Care to try again or should I give you time to study?"

If she had been looking and saw his scrunched up face she would have given herself a field day at getting one over him, sorta. She turned to look at the just composed stallion, lazily. "What if I decided not to do my homework?"

She gave him a once over, trying to find something anyway to use. She knew he liked mares a lot, she didn't forget when he was in his way hitting on her a long time ago, she just didn't know what to make of it then, but this morning' gave her a different insight. Particularly what she learned about in a certain book's passages as weird as it was. "Your stuff is so small, I bet mares fake it." She didn't really know too much on what she talking about, but hey, she could, well fake it.

Big Bruce's eyes widen. His body shiver and he falls under his desk. "Tells them that that I aint here. That I'm gone o' somethin' Get those mare's out of here."

"Hauh?" Then it clicked when a little word he thought he had heard Bruce saying earlier. He nodded quickly taken aback by this all. Gyak..those mares were mobsters. "Y-yes..right away."

He left the back room and walked to the front with a warm apologetic smile, all that poker facing lately had seemed to come in handy lately.

"Ah...I'm sorry ladies, my mistake, turns out he left a little while ago to run some errands for the shop," He said looking at them in the eyes. "Is there anything else you need ladies?"

[Luka]

Originally Posted by Kelvin360

"I...I'm twice as confused. Who...what are you, anyways?" Arvadraa, for her part, looks just fully repulsed.

Luka just stands there pretty confused, with a bit of anger for falling to Stellar's facade, doesn't say much since he doesn't really know what is it going on about.

[Grif]

Originally Posted by MCerberus

Mach puts down his hoof. Three 8s. Three, unspeakable, dirty 8s. It then hits him about too late that they could be playing for potato chips or jelly beans or something so there's some motivation.

Tyrol snorted and put his hand down. A pair of saucy nines. "I never have luck in these kind of games," he grumbled, thankful that he wasn't putting any money on the line.

Lemongrass tossed down his two pairs of suggestive aces and alluring tens. "Ack! Can we please, please, play something else?" he pleaded.

[PurityIcekiller]

Originally Posted by Kelvin360

"Chermanix Green. Technically it's reeds but it tastes like spearmint and chocolate." Stellar has dropped the helpless filly facade entirely, and is now sitting and calmly sipping tea, eyeing Arvadraa with something halfway between fear and burning hate.

"I...I'm twice as confused. Who...what are you, anyways?" Arvadraa, for her part, looks just fully repulsed.

"Stellar Spark. Dr. Horne's assistant. You probably don't remember me."

"I...wait...you...you came to me in my cage once. You...whispered something, gave me..."

"A toasted bagel riddled with melatonin. You hadn't slept in days. Much as I hate being an exposition-pony, you'll obviously need to know something before you come-"

"What makes you think I'll go anywhere with you?!"

"Because you either have a concience, or I'd be completely justified in dragging you off. You're probably not going to convince me you're not a monster, but how about you convince yourself?" Cold glare.

"...I should kill you."

"You're off to a great start with the 'proving you're not an evil *squa-ee*' thing. Sip.

"I don't have to prove anything to you! He tortured me!"

"Oh, is that what you think? Then we have mountains to move."

"What's wrong with the mountains where they are? Although if ya need 'em moved, there's a pony around here who could do it...

"Well, anyway!" Blades looked at Stellar with her usual unstable smile. "Ya don't expect to just take my apprentice without tellin' me why ya want her 'n what ya'll do with her, are ya? Right now, I'm too curious to kill ya, but keep bein' mysterious 'n I'll get bored with that. "N if ya're just a spy... Well, in that case, what would ya prefer yar bones put in? Tools? Furniture?"

[Kelvin360]

Originally Posted by PurityIcekiller

"What's wrong with the mountains where they are? Although if ya need 'em moved, there's a pony around here who could do it...

"Well, anyway!" Blades looked at Stellar with her usual unstable smile. "Ya don't expect to just take my apprentice without tellin' me why ya want her 'n what ya'll do with her, are ya? Right now, I'm too curious to kill ya, but keep bein' mysterious 'n I'll get bored with that. "N if ya're just a spy... Well, in that case, what would ya prefer yar bones put in? Tools? Furniture?"

"Spies aren't blithe. I'm here to cure Dr. Horne. If she gives him his soul back I'll leave posthaste."

"I didn't steal his soul!"

"His dying a slow painful death suggests otherwise. What do you even have to gain from lying?"

"Good! His slow painful death is just reward for my long painful life. And I'm not lying! I don't even know about his soul, if he ever had one! You and your little mind games, his treachery, conspiring, hurting, destroying! Why should I do anything you say?! What have you ever done but try to kill me? Why shouldn't I kill you?!"

"Me?" She mulls this over a bit. "I suppose you don't have any reason not to. The Doctor, on the other hand...when you were brought in, you and your family were half dead. A horde of...something, bandits, warriors, I'm not sure...they'd razed your home and nearly killed you. One of their mages put curses on you. Slow, rotting tumors. Dr. Horne couldn't save any of the other three...but..."

"You weren't so close yet. He had to open up your skull to remove the tumor. You resisted the anesthetic though, just like the melatonin. But he was too late. You were dying. He was desperate. He tried something that had never been done before. He poured himself into you, sharing your strength. But you woke up sooner than expected, and fought back. You took that essence, and fled."

"Have you ever wondered why you survived? How you got these powers? You took his shadow magic, right? Teleportation, shielding, animation, deconstruction...you might not have tapped it all, but it's there. But I'm here to get rid of it. He needs it back. You're strong, you can live on your own power. But he can't. He needs you. We need you."

...Blink blink blink. "He...no. No, you're lying. You have to be. You all...we...I..."

"I don't care if you believe me. I just want him safe. But I thought you should know the truth."

Arvadraa sits down heavily, dazed. "I can't...I need time to think...I.."

"Time is a luxury he doesn't have. You need to decide now."

[MCerberus]

Originally Posted by Grif

Tyrol snorted and put his hand down. A pair of saucy nines. "I never have luck in these kind of games," he grumbled, thankful that he wasn't putting any money on the line.

Lemongrass tossed down his two pairs of suggestive aces and alluring tens. "Ack! Can we please, please, play something else?" he pleaded.

Mach sweeps his own hoof of cards aside. He had to agree it was too weird playing no-stakes poker with these cards. "Yes, but there's a problem. I don't keep much of anything in the ah, sort of games around the house. The cards were just there because the previous owner forgot them in."

[Luka]

Originally Posted by Kelvin360

"Spies aren't blithe. I'm here to cure Dr. Horne. If she gives him his soul back I'll leave posthaste."

"I didn't steal his soul!"

"His dying a slow painful death suggests otherwise. What do you even have to gain from lying?"

"Good! His slow painful death is just reward for my long painful life. And I'm not lying! I don't even know about his soul, if he ever had one! You and your little mind games, his treachery, conspiring, hurting, destroying! Why should I do anything you say?! What have you ever done but try to kill me? Why shouldn't I kill you?!"

"Me?" She mulls this over a bit. "I suppose you don't have any reason not to. The Doctor, on the other hand...when you were brought in, you and your family were half dead. A horde of...something, bandits, warriors, I'm not sure...they'd razed your home and nearly killed you. One of their mages put curses on you. Slow, rotting tumors. Dr. Horne couldn't save any of the other three...but..."

"You weren't so close yet. He had to open up your skull to remove the tumor. You resisted the anesthetic though, just like the melatonin. But he was too late. You were dying. He was desperate. He tried something that had never been done before. He poured himself into you, sharing your strength. But you woke up sooner than expected, and fought back. You took that essence, and fled."

"Have you ever wondered why you survived? How you got these powers? You took his shadow magic, right? Teleportation, shielding, animation, deconstruction...you might not have tapped it all, but it's there. But I'm here to get rid of it. He needs it back. You're strong, you can live on your own power. But he can't. He needs you. We need you."

...Blink blink blink. "He...no. No, you're lying. You have to be. You all...we...I..."

"I don't care if you believe me. I just want him safe. But I thought you should know the truth."

Arvadraa sits down heavily, dazed. "I can't...I need time to think...I.."

"Time is a luxury he doesn't have. You need to decide now."

Luka slowly comes out of his BSOD and tries to work out the argument.

"wait...she said he sent a corrupted wolf to get her, and it was trying to kill her, and when I seen her first she was practically about to fall into pieces cuz of that dog.... How do you know he didn't tell you that to make himself look like the good guy? just like you did to me?"

He really was skeptic about Stellar's belief that Doctor was really "trying to help" if he left such bad memories into Arvadraa, he could hardly believe anyone would do that.

[Kelvin360]

Arvadraa/Stellar

Originally Posted by Luka

Luka slowly comes out of his BSOD and tries to work out the argument.

"wait...she said he sent a corrupted wolf to get her, and it was trying to kill her, and when I seen her first she was practically about to fall into pieces cuz of that dog.... How do you know he didn't tell you that to make himself look like the good guy? just like you did to me?"

He really was skeptic about Stellar's belief that Doctor was really "trying to help" if he left such bad memories into Arvadraa, he could hardly believe anyone would do that.

"...The Doctor can't corrupt living creatures. That power belonged to his shadow magics, which he doesn't have. And I know because he did the exact same to me. Minus the soul-shift and escape, because I'm not currently under mental duress from having two souls at once."

"You're blaming the wolf on me?!"

"It's hardly a rare specialization. It's more likely you just have an inordinate amount of enemies."

[Orzel]

Originally Posted by Benson

If she had been looking and saw his scrunched up face she would have given herself a field day at getting one over him, sorta. She turned to look at the just composed stallion, lazily. "What if I decided not to do my homework?"

She gave him a once over, trying to find something anyway to use. She knew he liked mares a lot, she didn't forget when he was in his way hitting on her a long time ago, she just didn't know what to make of it then, but this morning' gave her a different insight. Particularly what she learned about in a certain book's passages as weird as it was. "Your stuff is so small, I bet mares fake it." She didn't really know too much on what she talking about, but hey, she could, well fake it.

He nodded approvingly. The taunt barely affecting him. He was able to take a professorial tone with ease. "Oh. Ouch. Oh. Close. Close but you leave yourself open to counter. And erotic taunts aren't distracting unless you actually slept with or know someone who did. But that is good thinking." Grills scribbled on the imaginary chalkboard.

"Hauh?" Then it clicked when a little word he thought he had heard Bruce saying earlier. He nodded quickly taken aback by this all. Gyak..those mares were mobsters. "Y-yes..right away."

He left the back room and walked to the front with a warm apologetic smile, all that poker facing lately had seemed to come in handy lately.

"Ah...I'm sorry ladies, my mistake, turns out he left a little while ago to run some errands for the shop," He said looking at them in the eyes. "Is there anything else you need ladies?"

The younger cuter mare whispers to Ember in a sweet and friendly voice. "Well, you tell him that the security company has noticed a lapse of payment. Services will be put on credit hold tomorrow if his bill is not paid. Kay?"

The two ponies, pegasi, flap their wings, sending a strong blast of wind across the room. Papers fly. Mannequins tilt over. Dust is kicked up.

When everything settles. They are gone.

[PurityIcekiller]

Originally Posted by Kelvin360

"Spies aren't blithe. I'm here to cure Dr. Horne. If she gives him his soul back I'll leave posthaste."

"I didn't steal his soul!"

"His dying a slow painful death suggests otherwise. What do you even have to gain from lying?"

"Good! His slow painful death is just reward for my long painful life. And I'm not lying! I don't even know about his soul, if he ever had one! You and your little mind games, his treachery, conspiring, hurting, destroying! Why should I do anything you say?! What have you ever done but try to kill me? Why shouldn't I kill you?!"

"Me?" She mulls this over a bit. "I suppose you don't have any reason not to. The Doctor, on the other hand...when you were brought in, you and your family were half dead. A horde of...something, bandits, warriors, I'm not sure...they'd razed your home and nearly killed you. One of their mages put curses on you. Slow, rotting tumors. Dr. Horne couldn't save any of the other three...but..."

"You weren't so close yet. He had to open up your skull to remove the tumor. You resisted the anesthetic though, just like the melatonin. But he was too late. You were dying. He was desperate. He tried something that had never been done before. He poured himself into you, sharing your strength. But you woke up sooner than expected, and fought back. You took that essence, and fled."

"Have you ever wondered why you survived? How you got these powers? You took his shadow magic, right? Teleportation, shielding, animation, deconstruction...you might not have tapped it all, but it's there. But I'm here to get rid of it. He needs it back. You're strong, you can live on your own power. But he can't. He needs you. We need you."

...Blink blink blink. "He...no. No, you're lying. You have to be. You all...we...I..."

"I don't care if you believe me. I just want him safe. But I thought you should know the truth."

Arvadraa sits down heavily, dazed. "I can't...I need time to think...I.."

"Time is a luxury he doesn't have. You need to decide now."

"Convenient. Well, that could match up with what she said, but..."

Originally Posted by Luka

Luka slowly comes out of his BSOD and tries to work out the argument.

"wait...she said he sent a corrupted wolf to get her, and it was trying to kill her, and when I seen her first she was practically about to fall into pieces cuz of that dog.... How do you know he didn't tell you that to make himself look like the good guy? just like you did to me?"

He really was skeptic about Stellar's belief that Doctor was really "trying to help" if he left such bad memories into Arvadraa, he could hardly believe anyone would do that.

"Yep, that's a good point. Ya might just be helpin' out, or ya might just be tryin' to do all kinds of nasty experiments after the ones that made her all dra- No, wait, what's the word? Ah, right! Traumatized!"

Blades glanced at Arvadraa, then back at Stellar. "If ya want to take her, ya'd better take me too, 'cause I'm not trusting ya with her alone."

[Benson]

Originally Posted by Orzel

He nodded approvingly. The taunt barely affecting him. He was able to take a professorial tone with ease. "Oh. Ouch. Oh. Close. Close but you leave yourself open to counter. And erotic taunts aren't distracting unless you actually slept with or know someone who did. But that is good thinking." Grills scribbled on the imaginary chalkboard.

"Whatever," She harrumphed and turned away.

The younger cuter mare whispers to Ember in a sweet and friendly voice. "Well, you tell him that the security company has noticed a lapse of payment. Services will be put on credit hold tomorrow if his bill is not paid. Kay?"

The two ponies, pegasi, flap their wings, sending a strong blast of wind across the room. Papers fly. Mannequins tilt over. Dust is kicked up.

When everything settles. They are gone.

Ember frowned, damn them, he had to deal with that stack of papers. He picked up the mannequins and put them back as they were and collected the paperwork. When he was done fixing up what he could, he returned to the back to see Bruce.

"I uh, they're gone," He said furrowing his brows.

[Grif]

Originally Posted by MCerberus

Mach sweeps his own hoof of cards aside. He had to agree it was too weird playing no-stakes poker with these cards. "Yes, but there's a problem. I don't keep much of anything in the ah, sort of games around the house. The cards were just there because the previous owner forgot them in."

"Well, I suppose you could show us around. Those that you care to anyway," Tyrol suggested, shrugging. Lemongrass was trying his best to gather the cards and hand them back to Mach.

[Orzel]

Grills

Grills harumphed and turned away as well. "What? That was a compliment? Don't tell me you are the type who only likes being insulted."

Bruce

"Good. The Wings Mob have been trying to buy me out since forever." Bruce said from the other room. He emerged a mess. His nerves pulled his mane, every which way. "Before, revenue was so low that they didn't care. Now that I can turn a decent profit... I just wonder how they found out about your partnership so quickly."

[Benson]

Originally Posted by Orzel

Grills

Grills harumphed and turned away as well. "What? That was a compliment? Don't tell me you are the type who only likes being insulted."

"Hey, harumphing is my shtick," She harumphed. She glowered at him, the usual. "No...I don't like being insulted at all...especially when its from a lowly creature such as you ponies, but, your compliments have little worth......but I guess...thank you anyway or whatever."

Bruce

"Good. The Wings Mob have been trying to buy me out since forever." Bruce said from the other room. He emerged a mess. His nerves pulled his mane, every which way. "Before, revenue was so low that they didn't care. Now that I can turn a decent profit... I just wonder how they found out about your partnership so quickly."

"Ack...really?......Who even knew about our arrangement aside you, me, Grills and Sweet Victory?" He asked worriedly, starting to fret, blame himself.

[Orzel]

Originally Posted by Benson

"Hey, harumphing is my shtick," She harumphed. She glowered at him, the usual. "No...I don't like being insulted at all...especially when its from a lowly creature such as you ponies, but, your compliments have little worth......but I guess...thank you anyway or whatever."

"Appreciation is one step on your journey away from beasthood. And you are welcome, my dear friend. Wanna hug?" He said with outstretched tongue.

"Ack...really?......Who even knew about our arrangement aside you, me, Grills and Sweet Victory?" He asked worriedly, starting to fret, blame himself.

"Doesn't make sense. It's not making sense." Big Bruce rubs the side of his head. He is definitely frazzled and upset. "I don't want to sell out to them though. We are going to need help."