Raven Rawne

@Dark Horse

The mare took a moment to rest after tearing the unit apart and hauling it out of the window with her companion. Saffron glanced outside and commented they better get going, and Crystal nodded as she got back on her hooves, then picked up the bottle.

"Aye,  can't wait to get away from this place... WHA?!"

She couldn't help but shriek in surprise as the office doors suddenly grew a huge pincer that missed her just barely. As her eyes focused, it became apparent that it was a Mirelurk's doing, and a mind controlled one at that! The mare got seriously spooked at that and, without thinking,  tossed whatever she had In her hoof in its face. Only when the glass broke on the thick chitin head and dark liquid coated the creature's eyes - something it didn't like apparently - did she realise that she tossed the booze...

"No need to tell me twice!" - Crystal Clear shot the monster an angry look and made an offensive gesture before she scrambled to the window,  as their assailant paused to sort his eyes out.

The lower roof was covered with some kind of fancy looking sheets of metal, and so it was rusted and not really inviting but, either that or getting mauled, so the burgundy mare hastily jumped off the narrow window and immediately felt the roof wobbling under her steps. There wasn't much time to think of her options as a loud bang announced that the Mirelurk was back in the game,  and toppled some metal document containers. Along with the wall separating the office from the corridor. It was all the invitation she needed to make a run for it, spooked as she was, and Crystal hastily decided to run along the roof's length.

As the roof creaked and moaned under her steps,  the mare regained some measure of composure and started looking further for a way down.  While there were no obvious ones, like a ladder,  one walkway led to the building from this side...

"Hey! Maybe we sho- F***!" - Crystal felt the roofing bulge too much under her and before she knew, the mare was falling into a hole that just appeared under her legs. Something crashed to splinters as she landed on it, but Crystal was too busy trying to make sense of what just happened to know what it was. It did soften her landing,  even if just slightly. After a moment of stillness, she threw out a salvo of vicious curses and coughs while she started moving. One leg at a time,  very deliberately as if she had all the time in the world,  the mare came to her senses and sat up, looking blankly around her.

The hole in the roof provided illumination upon what looked like just another empty storage room. And judging from the splinters, she crashed down on a wooden bookcase of sorts. At least there were doors outside so...

"Oww... I'm alive! Sort of. Found a way out though!" - Crystal hollered back at the roof, judging Saffron was still there. The mare git up on her hooves and winced as her hindquarters announced their displeasure at that with some dull pain. "Hope it's not serious..." She mused aloud and balanced her weight on three legs to approach the doors.

Of course they were locked. And she didn't feel like bucking her way out this time. Crystal slammed shoulder first into them and sure enough, the rotten wood gave way. And she landed nose first on the walkway.

"I hate my life..." - She spat as Crystal Clear scrambled back on her hooves and looked around to try and tell what the hay was going on, and where was Saffron Shadow with all that good loot!

@Nightmare Season @Dark Horse

I just wanted to provide some continuity in my narrative. One character leaves the scene and another enters. Crystal is still in town,  in case I run out of toons, somehow...

Natural will stay for a few days to rest and get reacquainted with creature comforts, so it's not like Saffron has to run to get her. A nice fast forward will do the trick methinks, with Saffron entering the inn sometime later.  I'm OK with skipping a turn if needs be.

I haven't thought about a nickname, all my other characters besides Crystal are much less complex than her tbh. Maybe that's why role playing her can be such a pain, literally so.

@Dark Horse

The mare looked impatiently over Saffron's shoulder as he fought the terminal in order to release the Talisman.

"I can live with that risk, even if it fries the monsters heads. Just get the Tali out."

She exhaled with relief once the device died down. Since the sounds of battle continued to rage out, maybe even more fervently so, Crystal Clear decided that apparently the lurks got frenzied. Suits them just fine, she thought.

Crystal smirked at the stallion who got so excited about the talisman. "If we manage to get out and get a good deal, rather than a bullet in the head. Got any way to carry it away?"

She looked outside and replied to his inquiry. "A small cart hidden on the outskirts but nothing at hoof, no. We should grab it on the way out to ease the burdens though. It also contains my supplies." Crystal perked an ear at Saffron's proposal and put the bottle down as she eyed the device.

"Hmm, why not... I'll rip the thing apart while you find a place to stash the electronic parts? So we can get them sometime later. It's good money, unless there's risk of passing the mind control tech to the buyer. I'd rather not see any more of this to pop up. Stand back?"

The burgundy mare looked around the office,  and then inspected the device to make a plan. She then pulled at the antenna and it came off reasonably easy, with some cables dangling from it. It could be sold like that. Next steps were much harder and she banged the device with her hooves to loosen up the screws and pry it open to reach the electronics. Once a few panels were stripped away, she could reach the valuable parts and beckoned Saffron.

"Your turn I guess. If you could take away everything you think has any value? The memory core goes into the swamp though."

After Saffron took his time with salvage, they both tossed the carcass out of the window and into the murky water.

"Now we can make a run from here at last. Let's hope some walkways are still intact though..."

@Nightmare Season @Dark Horse

It's alright, shit happens after all. I pulled back Crystal and introduced Natural BTW. I think she might be either lured by an advertisement, or a character walks into the inn to hire mercenaries, and one of the patrons responds...

@Nightmare Season @Dark Horse

The burgundy mare picked the cue and cocked her head curiously at Peony when Saffron mentioned that she can give them a description of the flower, or point to a book.

"That could work...."

She was still far from sold on signing up on that mad escapade but... couldn't bring herself to up and leave either. Having a concience can be a real handicap sometimes, she decided.

Peony had a book to show them, apparently, and they got up on their hooves to go to her room - Crystal finished her tea before heading out, which meant she was busy drinking when Peony missed the doorway and walked straight into the wall a few steps away. If not for the circumstances, it might have been amusing. The sudden appearance of yet another servant was hardy surprising at this point, it was as if they were hiding just out of sight and sprung to assist on a moment's notice. Or spied on the daughter of the house and her "companions"... The latter semed just as probable to the mare, but she shrugged it off. These Upper Canterlot ponies seemed so petty, and clinging to their appearances it was starting to rub her the wrong way.

Crystal walked the corridors towards Peony's chambers with somber mood, and it probably showed on her coat - always did. The bit purse in hoof, it was a nice reimbursement for her dress, and delay on the current project for those uppity Twinkles. Still, not enough to just cancel the contract and go home, which she would very much like to do right now. The joys of having your own business...

They were met, nay, assaulted, by scent of flowers the moment the doors opened. Just a casual glance at the decor was enough to confirm they were in Peony's room, and Crystal bit her tongue to avoid making a comment. Although upon Peony's invitation, she felt it was prident to show some appreciation.

"I think it reflects on your tastes, in good way."

She stood near the bed and looked at the vines that seemed to have taken hold of it. It would take a lot of effort but, maybe she would be able to make something like that out of crystal? Who knew. The maid found a relevant book soon enough though, and her attention was brought towads it, now laid out on a reading desk by he wall. The pair of ponies looked down on a fat tome to seek the particular entry they were after. Fortunately, there was a Table of Contents...

"Broken Heart Flower. Seems fitting, doesn't it?" - She looked at the drawing provided at the head of the entry, then read on. The book was well written, that Crystal had to admit. She learned that the flowers were found exclusively around the ruins of the old Castle of Two Sisters, and even there they were hard to find. There was a mention that it was possible that they grew only in the area that once consised of the town that hugged the Castle, but lack of excavations made the claim impossible to be verified. Another passage mentioned that some scholars propose that the plant itself was the earth's way of dealing with Celestia's grief after she banished her sister. Lunatic as it might sound, all bets were off when it came to this one really. Few scholars ever studied it, and they would wilt and refuse to grow anywhere except the area they were picked, making any real research all but impossible, unless one fancied a trip to the Everfree.

Once her curiosity has been sated, Crystal finally made up her mind. She  stood up and walked from the desk and owards the bed, sh she wouldn't have to yell across the large room to be heard. With some uncertainty, she looked at both ponies in turn and started. 

"Well... it seems we have enough information to start, and know how the plant looks... All the pieces are in place, it seems. Although...."  she held her voice as she mustered her willpower - "Ugh, I was never good at this. I wish to remain in Canterlot, and resume work for my client. The trip will take several days and that will put me so much behind schedule that I may not catch up before the deadline, so I won't earn anything from this job. And I can't risk that. And speaking of risk, neither of us has any experience in survival, and I do not want to end up as monster food after, well, everything...." - Crystal hung her head low at that, and sighed. She then looked back at each pony in turn, confidently this time. "If I may assist you from here, in a way that doesn't jeopardise me or my project, I'm all ears. I'm sotty miss Peony, but I cannot risk my life like this. You two better get some experienced guide or a trustworthy guardpony. I bet some will be helpful, if the price is right."

Crystal Clear felt somewhat relieved, and felt the tight knot in her chest loosen up a bit as Peony accepted her resignation from following her into the Everfree. "Thanks... You better hire somepony who knows how to handle themelves, yes. I uhhh, have rented a place on Twisted Tail street, first floor above a cafeteria, flat 29. If you need me, that's where I spend my time after work. So... I guess I'll go now, hope you two will come back in one piece. You seem like good ponies, despite being from Canterlot *snort* Thaaat was a joke. Sorry. I'll better go and leave you to planning the trip now."

The burgundy mare made her goodbyes and left the room, led out to the exit by the maid as another servant took her place in the bedchamber. Soon enough, she was on her way back to that rented place she mentioned, pulling her cart and feeling something very bitter in her mouth.

"Damn you, concience. Why you always make it so hard on me?"

Thankfully she knew a way to silence the bugger. And how to treat a nasty hangover on the morning after.

---------------------------------------------- Elsewhere in Canterlot -------------------------------------------------------

Millers Gare.

Upon first glance, just another enrance into the capital, a huge pair of doors in the white wall, flanked by tall towers. Pairs of guards staring on anypony who just as much as went close to it from the outside, it was one of the least used ways to enter Canterlot. In days gone by, traders and farmers would scale the steep mountainous road leading to this gate, out of sight and away from the representative Jerellers Gate that led towards the Castle proper. With the railroads hauling most of the goods and passengers, the Millers Gate fell out of favour. Still, some ponies used it, and one of them just crossed it into the Warehouse Disctrict of Lower Canterlot.

An earth pony, mare. mint coat, bown mane tied in a ponytail. Some unusual hat on her head, and a pipe in her teeth, she pulled a wagon that looked way too big for her lithe frame. She walked towards her destination through the wide, somewhat safe street, as the locals try to take stock of her as she passes. The mint mare stops in "Last Stop", an inn for all sorts of travellers who don't want to spend a fortune on accommodation, and don't mind the occasional brawl in the bar. After renting a room and parking her wagon, she takes some of her things upstairs and orders a meal, then hangs out in the common room, to share stories with other patrons, pick up gossip, place bets on the next bar brawl and simply kick her hindlegs on the table and relax with some mead.

@Techno Universal

Care to toss some references at me? I'm having some difficulties in putting the scene together. Sho me the style of furniture, how the screens should look, maybe even  how you want the scene to look - looking from the side, over his shoulder, straight ahead, something else?

Well, it depends.

In 1x1 there's a possibility of having a PM conversation about the RP, but it could be as well taken to the OOC thread. Group roleplays rely on the OOC more.

Basically, the players are free to act however they see fit on the micro scale, but the macro scale is pre-decided whether there is a DM or they just hash things out as needed in the OOC. If a DM us present,  they will tell the players about the locations, play NPC'S and keep his cards close go his medals about the larger scheme he planned. If the DM is not present,  the players themselves flesh out the locations, and choose who does any given NPC. They may also plan the whole story in the OOC, thus the element if mystery is gone but at least they make major decisions as a group.

Check out the ill fated USS Luna as an example of a DM led group RP. Canterlot Noire can be an example of a DM-less group RP. As for 1x1... try Order of the Flower. All of the above have live OOC threads where you can see how the RP is made.

@Dark Horse

The mare shook her head at the "wake up in a 'lurk belly" part. "Then let's get the rest in here and make some noise while we scurry off this town." - she replied, still leaning on the open window and observing the events below. Saffron took the lead on activating other units and Crystal simply waited for him to do whatever he was supposed to. She was never really fond of terminals anyway.

Once the warning was issued,  she clenched her teeth, closed her eyes and plugged her ears with both forelegs,  but of course the awful noise still somehow drilled her skull. With an unsatisfied grunt, the mare rubbed her forehead to ease the tiny headache she started to have. "All the more reason to get rid of this blasted tech I say!" Crystal Clear sighed and looked out the window, much like her companion was about to, and saw their plan was doing... something. 

"Shit, can't see the last one..." - the mare muttered to herself as Saffron decided it was time to leave. Crystal agreed with his reasoning and nodded. "You took the gun so I'll take the bottle and those notes, and it should be all. Not like we can get away with a huge haul anyway..." She did as she said and soon enough had a notebook sticking out of her Stable suit and nursed a bottle like a foal in her foreleg. Approaching the control device, Crystal said in a decisive tone. "Turn it off,  take the Talisman, then rip off the valuable circuitry and toss the rest out of the window, and into the swamp, so that nopony will ever use it again!" She then added, glancing around with a frown. "...if we can pack it up that is... You don't happen to have a bag or anything?"

I've decided to temporary close the place, and I will not take new requests. I find myself working awfully long on them and guessed it's better to do small batches. Since there are already 3 full scenes on my plate, it will take forever and a half at the current rate, but I will finish them eventually.

Just thought it would be best to give you guys a heads up, recently I find myself pulled away from my pens all too often and it wouldn't be fair to make any new requests to wait indefinitely to be completed...

@Nightmare Season

As the mint mare parked her wagon and was busy with stretching her back right next to it, when she was pleasantly surprised by her employer's impulse to bring her a cup of water. Natural smiled and nodded as she took the cup from the magical grasp of the unicorn. "Sure am, thanks! Still, we better not waste any,  not until we find some stream to refill... Anyways,  I'm a bit curious what grows around here."

She took a walk around their temporary stop, taking in the environment. Amongst the rocky outcroppings there were patches of grass, and some moss and weeds she didn't know, and decided it's best yob leave them alone. There were also some clovers, and the mare simply ate them - saving supplies by living off the land was nothing new to her. Other than that, not much of real interest.

Once both mares satisfied their curiosity with the local flora, Natural Order decided to get moving. Plenty of sunlight left to travel. Now, the road was dull and uneventful. Walking along a snaking path of worn wagon trails, clearly a path of least resistance and all that's left of a proper, well kept road that the mare saw glimpses of in crooked milestones and the sheer width of the flat terrain. Still, whoever made it was probably long gone,  and their work followed suit.

Just like anything in this strange land...

It was getting late when the mares finally reached the platou. The worn paths spread out like sun rays in all directions,  and it was hard to make out where the old road led now, covered by dirt and patchy vegetation. With the sun hanging so low, they would no doubt loose the path in the encroaching darkness.

"Time to set camp. " - said the mint mare in a sure voice and scanned the area for a good spot. She saw one that would do in a pinch and led to a small outcropping, a rocky tooth poking into the sky, shielded by some thick looking bushes on one side. Once they came closer, signs of previous camps were obvious - a ring of rocks for a fire,  dome worn wheel marks where the heavy wagons parked, that kind of thing. The sights of small bones in the bushes, probably thrown away by feasting griffons, disturbed her slightly.

Just why she didn't see any new tracks on the road?

Still, it could be nothing. Who would want to trade with Griffonstone anyway? Natural decided to shrug it off, and noticed that Peony all of a sudden took it on herself to try and set up camp. Amusing as it was, the earth pony helped along to make sure things were done the right way. Especially the fire, which clearly was beyond the unicorn's ability to produce. She sat right next to her companion and took the fire starter kit into her hooves. "Don't be too hard on yourself. It took me years to learn what I know, and I still find myself in deep water sometimes. You can't always be prepared,  you see."

Natural Order lit the fire as the sun was on its last legs before diving under the horizon. She busied herself with prepping a meal and, after they ate, layed by said fire, occasionally throwing a twig into it. The plains were silent,  save for the light breeze that hummed in the tall grass. Peony was, apparently, stargazing, and the other mare also looked up into the sky. It looked... different. The stars were there but... she felt so far away from home. Farthest she ever reached! Too far, it seemed.

Her mind came back to the thoughts why this trail fell out of use. And none of the options were satisfying. Or comforting. The mare made a mental note to hang the axe outside the wagon when they travel,  not just the crossbow.  She couldn't do anything more, save for turning back.

Under the alien sky, she slept her first night.

Sure, what's on your mind? 

@Mickey Adaptus

The mare simply nodded. "Alright, fine by me. Second will get you a blanket and a pillow, so you can make yourself comfortable on the couch. I guess we'll just wrap it up here and get some shuteye too."

As she mentioned her brother,  he looked up from his plate and, somewhat resigned, stood up and went to one of the wardrobes to fetch the aforementioned things. "Yup, got it all in here. I'll put it on the couch for you Jack. The lights are kinda dim anyway so I guess it won't bother you too much as we finish up here."

@Natasha Xalian

Just finished up the latest post, sorry for the chopped reply. 

Alright, I'll see what I can do between my chosen medium and current art skill.

Full scene, screens... More old Star Trek or something straight off a blockbuster film, with holoscreens and whatnot?

@Natasha Xalian

The stallion raised an eyebrow as he listened. "Manticore? Now that's new. And I thought I've seen it all when it comes to leather. May I?"

He took a piece for inspection and put his glasses back on. "Hmm, it's much thicker than the usual stuff, yes,  and harder too. The tanning is a bit rough but, nothing that can't be smoothed out. I think I can find some good use to those small pieces. But I'm afraid I won't find any use for those... other pieces."

He then glanced at the armour and hoof blades. As the stallion took one bladed hoofboot, he looked squarely at the filly. "I can tell this is the real deal, not a toy. And it's well worn from use..." The earth pony then examined the entire set in silence, and spoke up when done. "Despite the obvious patch jobs, there's quite a lot to do. Mostly replacing the worn out straps and re-sewing some pieces properly, just to name the most pressing needs." He thought for a moment. "But I guess I can trade the repairs for those scraps though. It's good leather, no matter what it's from. As for the tools and work,  well..." He ran a hoof through his mane, thinking. "I guess you could help around the workshop to pay up for new tools. Some of these aren't worth repairing if you ask me. They'll only ruin everything you make with them."

"So, are you interested? And if yes, what can you do with leather?"

Thanks! I try my best to make quality drawings, and felt like experimenting with some different styles,  see which way I can go with it. That,  and I love comic book style inks.

@Techno Universal do you have the pose I asked for earlier? You're up next.

@Glacies Frost

Your request is complete. I took the liberty of trying to make it look like a DC comic, I love the solid black shadows and texturing.

@Violet_S

And Your request os also complete! This time, I decided to supplement the ink with pencil texturing, adding shades of grey.

@Natasha Xalian

Natural Order chuckled. "I'm always right, maaaybe except for when I'm not." She walked towards the tannery, navigating the still wide streets of the seemingly sleepy town they walked into. The biuldings were placed rather sparsly on this end of Ponyville and ponies didn't really pay any attention to another visitor, especially since she herself wasn't new to them. As the duo neared their first destination, and Astral noticed the tannery, Natural stopped on her bidding to allow safe embark and picking up all the leather her companion wished to trade. Then the mare waved back to the filly and looked for a good spot to park for a few minutes, so that Astral could see her after coming out of the tannery.

---------------------------------------

The tannery was well lit whrough large, slighly opened windows, letting fresh air to combat the stench of leather, salt, and all kinds of things used with it. The store was composed of a rather small space for customers, separated by a heavy counter. Rows of shelves and racks displayed various ready to sell goods, from pouches through saddlebags to belts and anything in between. Doors leading most probably to the workshop area stood ajar, and there was a humming sound coming from over there. it stopped at the ring of the bell however, and soon enough hoofseps were heard on the creaking wooden floor, occasionally muffled by something. An elderly earth pony stallion wearing a think leather apron emerged through the doors, thick eyeglasses on his nose as he peered over them - apparently he wore them when reading or working. Looking around, he asked: "Yes? How may I... help you?" Only after a moment of looking around did he realise that his customer was as tall as the counter, and that's why he couldn't see them immediately. Once that was out of the way, he approached the filly across said counter, taking no doubt the usual position when he attended the shop. The stallion eyed his customer rather curiously, but whether it was because of her age, race, or his poor eyesight, nopony could really tell.

"Ahem, yes, so, how can I help you, little one? Here to purchase, or maybe repair something...? Rright, I think I've heard something about trading leather, am I right? I thin I can buy some if it's in good condition." He walked around the counter and onto the "customer area" to see what she had to sell.

@Dark Horse

The mare couldn't help but nod at the mention of the device they have found as loot. "If we find a screwdriver I can pull it apart,  extra caps for electronics." - she mused aloud.

She was about to look out the window but Saffron continued, and Crystal cocked her head inquisitively as his intention unravelled. "Are you...?" As the implications of the offer sank in, so did her alcohol assisted mood. She bit her lip and looked at her hooves,  suddenly very intriguing. Obviously mulling hard, she started pacing around, avoiding the stallion's eyes, until he darted to the window,  since something was going on there.

Perhaps out of instinct, Crystal Clear pulled out her gun and aimed it at the windows, then sighed as she relaxed a little.  A quick stroll to the nearest one and she knew what was going on. With a humorless voice, she said. "Pass the popcorn, we have the first row seats."

The mind controlled mirelurk seemed a but slower than the wild one,  but apparently, made it up with aggressiveness and bold attacks. Crystal thought she saw something fall off from the underside of the uncontrolled fighter, and it screeched in pain and fury. The mare tore off her eyes from the fight and decided to use this opportunity to change the subject. "Call the other units, if they have the same parameters. We can cull the opposition with a massed assault and be in the clear to leave before sunset, if they act quick. I don't expect any beds in here..."

@Dark Horse

The mare surpressed a snort at the stallion's comment. "It was a very good school, but, yeah. We didn't really cover Pre-War mad science." She apparently withheld another remark when Saffron mulled about level two intelligence, and nodded when he suggested a recall. "Sure worth trying, as long as we stay alert for any malfunctions. Dumb or not,  whatever is hooked to this thing may not be friendly."

When the command was issued, she winced slightly at the noise from the antenna. Since nothing apparent happened,  Crystal decided to take a closer look at the device, see if there was a way to safely pull it apart for parts. She planned to do it anyway, so...

Crystal just glanced at Saffron as he moved away to the window,  and continued her noninvasive inspection until he called her over.  "Huh? What is it?" - she got up and approached the window, then couldn't believe her eyes. "Heart preserve us..."

After a moment of staring at the living tank making it's way to them, Crystal snapped out of it and shook herself thoroughly,  as if shaking off water. With some alarm in her voice, she called, already taking steps back to the console. "We have to cancel the command or it will break a hole in the entrance! You saw how it rammed the walkways?! We'll be easy pickings for the wild ones after that!" Hurriedly, the mare scrambled to the terminal and tried to reverse the command, but she wasn't as good with these things.

A loud thud announced that the mirelurk just started ramming a hole somewhere downstairs, and Crystal let go of the console to let Saffron do it. "Can't find the damn menu! Make it stop will ya?!"

Thankfully, the pounding ceased after another ear wrecking impulse from the device.  Crystal Clear patted the stallion on the shoulder and decided to take a swing from the bottle she left on the desk. "Friggin hate those gizmos... eugh! Worse liquor I had this month! But sure does it kick, oooh..." She stood and took in the feeling of alcohol spreading through her body, eyes closed. After a moment of indulgence, the mare sighed and returned her attention to her present company with a tiny smile. Her coat looked slightly better too. Less matte. "Sorry for the freak out. Seems we have four thugs at our disposal though. Care to look through the commands some more? Maybe we can use them to fight off their wild cousins? Or at least provide a distraction for us to vacate the premises,  heheh."

Huh a week since I posted my last request? I didn't lie when I wrote I can be slow...

Anyways, here's the newest one:

@Dawn Auroua

I opted for the unicorn version mainly because the self-preening scene didn't quite work out. I need some more practice with feathered wings before they look presentable.

@Nightmare Season @Dark Horse

Then I guess we're set.

@Dark Horse

"Only one way to find out..." - the burgundy mare commented and stepped to the cabinet in order to hold it still. She looked over her shoulder,  expecting her companion would pull immediately, but apparently, he needed to focus first. Soon enough,  the handle lit with magical light and there was a steadily growing pressure yanking it open. As if expecting something,  Crystal hid her face and turned as much with her back to the lock as she could, and waited for the telltale sounds.

As the lock gave away and the cabinet become ajar, Crystal let out a breath she was holding. When Saffron asked if she was injured in any way, she shook her head. "Nah, I'm a professional." Since the stallion beat her to be the first one to open the cabinet, the mare tried her best to peek over his shoulders. Not the easiest task since he was a bit taller, but she saw a big antenna like device and heard it was still online, based on the humming found it gave. Finally she decided to win some space by brushing against his side as she took a spot next to him and opened the other half of the doors fully. Now both were standing side to side and seeing the same thing.

Never an afficionado of Pre-War tech, Crystal looked the device over but haven't had any ideas on what to do with it really. It sure was worth caps,  but, considering what it was, maybe selling pieces would be better... Before she could indulge in this train of thought however, Saffron Shadow pointed out a fairly disturbing piece of info, glaring at them from the terminal screen. "Fair point..." - She started, raising an eyebrow. Maybe this thing will tell us more? It's a control beacon after all."

Without really waiting for confirmation, Crystal Clear tapped the keyboard to open the list of linked units. The device beeped as it processed the command,  and gave them a list:

5149

9874

3451

9001

"Huh, not much to go around. Probably serial numbers." She then entered the first one and  had to wipe her eyes in disbelief. "I don't understand over half of this gibberish, and I went to school okay? So dies it mean that the device is hooked to something that is alive, just... sleeps, and, I don't know what those mean, but I don't think ponies count as non-sapient. Saffron, you read this the same?  I don't know how a front line technician was supposed to even get this wall of text, but there should be some commands too, right? Maybe we could order one unit to come to us, see what happens. Other than that,  my only idea is to take the talisman and try to sneak out or something."

@Nightmare Season @Dark Horse

It seems like the most logical step for Crystal to turn down the camping trip. She won't risk her life for a few more bits, and being an outsider, she has no other agenda in earning Peony's gratitude.

But I have a solution. If the remaining cast decide to go, they can decide to hire a mercenary/guide. My other OC, Natural Order can be conveniently in an Inn where adventurous types gather. She will be on the cast only till they come back to Canterlot,  and go her separate way. Next case would feature my bats as already discussed.