Harmony.exe

@, "Agh!", he exclaims, covering his eye once you're done. "...I've been trying to help out some ponies with what I earn, but... There's nothing I can do, nor is there a reason to be here..." "... I'm thinking of trying to escape this city. Leave, and then find someone with a cure. I've got more than enough money to fund some research into that..."

@, (S-sorry ;_; ) Roac takes off his eye patch, revealing his eye. It looks more like a pale blue ball of magic than an eye. "This... Is sorta the reason why I have so many flowers. Poppies seem to have some sort of connection to necromancy, and they let me use the abilities of this eye without having a bunch of ghosts try to kill me..." As you examine the eye, it seems dead. Like how a dead pony's eyes are glassed over, or when someone is blind out of one eye because of a wound.

@, He looks at you with alarm, his eyepatched face looking extremely concerned for you. "This might seem like a silly question, but did it happen to be blood magic or necromancy?" The issue that you two had with the necromancer at the Gala suddenly comes to your memory, causing you to wonder what actually happened to his eye.

@, "No problem, friend. It's good to see a friendly face." He seems stressed by what's going on around him, the gray in his feathers having grown. His beak wears a grin, and he does seem truly happy to see you. As you can see, the plight of this city has not truly affected his trade. But, he seems to be feeling the city's pain on an emotional level, though he hides it.

@, "Hey, you teleported into my house. Oh, and in case you were wondering, that was a poppy petal. Not as powerful as the whole flower, but it's easier to get, less addictive, and should help with whatever's causing your aura to go crazy." "As for me... Grand Galloping Gala ring any bells?"

@,You hear a voice shouting in surprise. From what you can tell, it sounds apologetic. "Oh, Celestia! Dammit, I thought you were someone else!" You feel a claw pulling you back onto your hooves, and then your former assailant puts some sort of plant into your hoof. "Here, chew on this. It'll help with the vision."

@, You don't find anything with your spell, except for a small pigeon. She coos at you questioningly, as if to say, "What're you looking at, freak?". At that precise moment, you feel a line of pain appear on the back of your head, blurring your vision if not knocking you out completely.

@, (Hello again~) As you teleport, you find yourself in a dark, smoky room. Beams of light weakly filter through the boarded-up windows, and small pouches litter the room. You see a fireplace, but it's cold... However, it shows signs of recently being lit. Someone's been here, but they're obviously gone. As you examine the room, you can't help but feel as if you're being watched...

"Well, thank you for politely introducing you and your frien--" The odd earth pony gasps comically and teleports to the frosty stallion "You must have eaten one of those Dragon Fruits! Oooooo, it's so rare to find a living specimen!!! Do you mind if I ran a few tests on you?" *squee* The pony then teleports to Lume and starts talking in an extremely fast, rapid-fire way. "You'reconfusedbecauseyoudon'tknowmeandI'monyourshipandIblewupthedoorandstartedsingingandnowI'mtalkingreallyfast? Well, let me explain!" "I was stuck in a barrel downstairs, but it was easy to get out when I woke up. But, the door was locked and I couldn't pick the lock, not even with magic! Sooo, I took some stuff that was lying around and made a Dragon Rifle, and you know what happened after that! *giggle* As for the singing, I don't know why, really. I just really wanna sing sometimes. Some ponies say it's because I'm a lot like my cousin, Pinkie Pie, and others say it's because I belong in a mental hospital..." He pauses and puts a hoof to his chin. "... Then again, the same ponies who say that I'm crazy also can't read... Huh. Food for thought, I guess."

@@Sugar Cuddles, You hear the disembodied noise of somepony playing a piano, and the pony raises his hoof, ending the sound with a discordant note. "Yes, I know that this would be the perfect time for an introductory song, but I am holding a firework gun." He rests the gun against the wall and introduces himself with a bow. "My name is Johnathan M. Rivet, but you may simply call me Rivet. I am a scientist, and..." The piano starts up again, giving you a moment to facehoof before he starts singing. ♪I am the very model of a modern Major-General, I've information vegetable, animal, and mineral, I know the kings of England, and I quote the fights historical From Marathon to Waterloo, in order categorical; I'm very well acquainted, too, with matters mathematical, I understand equations, both the simple and quadratical, About binomial theorem I'm teeming with a lot o' news, *pauses to think of rhyme* With many cheerful facts about the square of the hypotenuse! I'm very good at integral and differential calculus; I know the scientific names of beings animalculous: In short, in matters vegetable, animal, and mineral, I am the very model of a modern Major-General. In fact, when I know what is meant by "mamelon" and "ravelin", When I can tell at sight a Mauser rifle from a javelin, When such affairs as sorties and surprises I'm more wary at, And when I know precisely what is meant by "commissariat", When I have learnt what progress has been made in modern gunnery, When I know more of tactics than a novice in a nunnery – In short, when I've a smattering of elemental strategy – *pauses again to find a rhyme* You'll say a better Major-General has never sat a gee! For my military knowledge, though I'm plucky and adventury, Has only been brought down to the beginning of the century; But still, in matters vegetable, animal, and mineral, I am the very model of a modern Major-General!♪

@@Dovashy, Roac, who is standing on the roof of the control room, looks directly at you as you run to the gate with the rest of the remaining Watchponies. His golden eye bores into you, giving you a mixed look of scientific interest and disappointment at your cowardice. But, no matter what, he does not draw an arrow to shoot at you, nodding as you make your escape. ~... I have a feeling that I'll be seeing more of that one...~

@, The wingless griffon chuckled inwardly, slipping his eye patch back onto his eye . "If everypony in Equestria was like you, then my job would be so much easier... *exhales*... Well... If you happen to need a thief or a bow, then pay a visit to the Clocktower. In the meantime, I think I might help out the colts downstairs in mopping up the remains of this sorry excuse for a guard post. Free of charge." The griffon started to move towards the battle, when the Lord Commander threw off his cloak and cape, revealing a horn and a beautiful set of wings. Roac burned with envy behind his cowl, slipping past the alicorn to ready an incendiary arrow at a larger group of guards. He paused and changed his target, aiming at the wall behind the guards. ~A warning shot, because I'm feeling merciful tonight. Enjoy it while you can, sodheads.~ That arrow did the trick, as the sudden pool of liquid fire, dripping off the wall, causes a panic within the ranks, along with startling a few Syndicate fighters. The guards are routed, scattering to escape out of any nearby exits. "... I hate watching massacres.", Roac grumbles, before climbing up the wall to continue home, back to his Clocktower.

@, Roac steps back into the light, his bow hanging on his shoulder. He looks at the Lord Commander with an intrigued expression, like that of a scientist who has discovered something new in his microscope. ~This pony saw me... Impressive. Perhaps investing in this group could prove to be... profitable ...~ "Well well... I assume that you've seen my "wanted" posters, so you know about our... Mutual enemy." Roac slipped off his eye patch, revealing an ethereal, blue eye, glowing in the dim light of the control room. He sized the stallion up, noting that his aura hinted that the Lord Commander wasn't hostile towards him. All the while, Roac listened to the things quietly being whispered to him. (Darky, you've played Dishonored, so you'll recognize what I'm drawing from here. Feel free to fill in whatever information you want.)

@@Lume WMj, @@Zhooves, @@Sugar Cuddles, Suddenly, you all hear a thumping noise, ccoming from the storage room. The thumping continues for a while, along with a muffled voice. The door comes flying off with the distinct whistle of a firework. It then explodes into a shower of light and color, and out comes a stallion with a large, rifle-like device. He has a khaki coat with a dark brown mane, and he has a pair of copper-rimmed goggles strapped onto his forehead. He also has a bowtie, for some reason. He also has a pair of gauntlets on, which seem to have hands, like a minotaur. He then pulls out a paper rocket, stuffing it into the gun, and starts to wave it around in your general direction(s), shouting in a British accent; "Nopony move! I have a... Sort-of-rocket launcher, and I'm not afraid to use it! I won't be anypony's hostage, especially not Fierce Hook's!" He, obviously, thinks that the late Captain Hook has captured him.

(Since I was asleep when all this happened, I'll just post Roac's reactions to everything that happened.) @, @@Dovashy, @@MisterRe, Roac attempts to catch the Syndicate mare as she falls to the ground, while who appeared to be the leader of the group (Sunset) returned fire. He slowly slid her to the ground, being as careful as he could around the mare's wound. Stepping away as her comrades worked to heal her wounds, he saw the leader suddenly collapse, his face screwed up with a pained expression. Just as Roac moved to attempt to help him up, two stallions, one looking extremely important, teleported in with a flash of light. They grabbed the two wounded ponies and teleported away. ~An extraction team? For them? Who did I just fight with?~ The wingless griffon stood back, having got no recognition. He was just another grunt, completely invisible. And that was just how he was, in a way. He was so good at what he did, that he was able to remain unseen without even trying. It brought a tinge of regret and sadness to him, but also a small laugh as he disappeared into the darkness of the building.

@, @@Dovashy, As Roac made his way back home, to his Clocktower (which had stopped working, and is rumored by many to be haunted), he saw a large fight brewing. It seems that the Watch had a situation on its hooves. He recognized the attacking uniforms as the Lunar Syndicate-- he was not for or against their cause, but the master thief saw an opportunity when he saw one. He climbed into what looked like a control room with two other soldiers already inside, nailing an approaching guard in the eye as he drew his pistol. "That was close." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ((And, because I haven't fully described him;)) Suddenly, a wingless griffon (my avatar) appears in the doorway, aiming a bow towards the other entrance. He's wearing a black, hooded leather outfit, which covers most of his body. He also has an eye patch covering his right eye, and a short cape. As the griffon shoots, you see that his target was a guard, who was about to ventilate Sunset's skull with a musket round. He turns to the two of you, speaking with a deep, cynical voice. "That was close."

~This city is dying. If I didn't know better, I'd feel sorry for these ponies. But I've learned that the only thing that we all have in common... Is that we all have skeletons in our closets.~ One of the unwritten tenets of the late Thieves' Guild was that you never quit the job. And, as a matter of fact, this belief holds a grain of truth. Roac had once known an assassin, who once said, "As long as there are two ponies left alive in the world, one of them is gonna want the other guy dead." And that was true for a thief, or at least Roac thinks so. It was simple equine nature-- no matter what happens, a pony will always want what he can't have, especially if someone else else has exactly that. And that's where he came in. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Roac managed to snap himself out of his brooding just before he fell off the rooftops that he used to get around. ~Gotta be careful. If I fall, that's it. Game over.~ Regaining his speed, the wingless griffon leaped across the alley, and on to the next building. His pupils shrunk and his eyes widened with horror as he felt the roof give way, sending him falling down into the townhouse. He managed to catch a part of the wall, slowing his fall to the point where he hit the ground unharmed. But he wasn't silent. As he struggled to regain his bearings, he heard a voice coming from a nearby hallway. "I hear something. I'm going to go check." Roac swooped behind an overturned table. As he peeked out from behind, he saw a stallion. He was covered in blood from several open bug bites, and his glassy, unfocused eyes stared off into space with a hopeful expression. "Hello? Is somepony there?.. Please, can you help us? I have a wife and a daughter... If you have a cure, or something that we can actually eat, it would mean the world to us..." Roac came out from behind the table. This stallion was sick, and blind, from the looks of it. No medicine could cure his condition. It was for this very reason that Roac started wearing longer sleeves, other than the fact that winter was approaching quickly. The wingless griffon pulled a burlap cowl over his beak, and then grabbed and drew his bow. And then he let the arrow fly. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Walking out of the townhouse with 3 less arrows, he thanked his lucky stars that he hadn't gotten infected. He wasn't quite sure if griffons were susceptible, but he didn't want to find out He didn't feel remorse for what he did. In his eyes, it was a necessary end to unnecessary pain. For those ponies, the night Roac Dustfeather fell through their roof was the most important night of their lives. For him, it was simply Saturday.