Hazard Time

@@Amorphous As they neared the station, several of the guards took note of the mare watching them from the roof. The guards nearest her both watched her carefully, their eyes inspecting her appearance carefully, inspection passing from one guard to another as they passed. She didn't appear to be the threat that they were briefed on, but no chances would be taken. The possibility of accomplices lurking was made clear to them. For her part, the baroness either didn't seem to notice or care. They were almost at their destination, and the burden of fear was beginning to lift off her shoulders.

"Assuming there were no interruptions, a detachment of my household retinue should be waiting just outside. Thank you." With that, she began to exit the room. Even she wasn't interrupted, she would reenter the lobby to see a small phalanx of heavily armored crystal ponies waiting for her, probably drawing a few glances from passersby. While their armor appeared similar to that which was worn by the royal guards of the Crystal Palace, their uniform contained tints of black and silver, the Koroundio house colors. Strapped to their armor was a xiphos and three flintlock pistols. As soon as their mistress came into sight, every guard in the detachment stood erect and at attention, awaiting her orders. If only other stallions were as attentive as them... "I need an escort to the train station," she stated. Wordlessly, and without any hesitation, the house guards formed a box around Carnelian, keeping a near perfect three meter distance from her at all times. Their eyes scanned the streets and the roofs as they made their way to the train station, conscious to the knowledge that this city was not safe for the baroness they've sworn their lives to.

Damnit, why didn't he just take her word for it?! She was a noble, a baroness! What right did he have to challenge her word? No, no, calm down. Leave the PR suicide to Raze. At the same time, she had a feeling this investigation was going nowhere fast. She wanted Raze rotting in prison, and she wanted it now. "He was with nopony, no," Carnelian answered. "And the security cameras will tell you everything you need to know. There is also another thing, however. During the scuffling in which he mortally wounded me, I was able to stab him twice in the hind leg with a knife I have since lost. You may also wish to check hospital records, in that case." The noblemare stood up, brushing herself off. "Anyway, is there anything else you wish to ask me? For reasons of my own safety, I wish to temporarily leave this city, and the soonest train out leaves in an hour."

Honestly, I don't think what you said will come to pass for a long, long time. Game companies can only charge however much their consumers are willing to pay. Two hundred dollars for a game is incredibly ludicrous, and while there have been games that have sold for similar amounts (like Action 52, which boasted 52 buggy, unfinished, and overall mediocre arcade games), nobody I know believes that a game in this day and age has any right to be above $100. Collector's or Premium editions are a joke and a literal waste of money, especially with games like EA's Battlefront. Before you can sell a game for that price, you have to move the Overton Window forward. Back in the mid 2000's, a AAA game was only $50. When Halo 3 came out, Microsoft and Bungie took advantage of the hype surrounding it (even though it was obvious they were going to make more games) and charged $60 (or was it $70?) for it on release. I remember seeing that at Gamestop and thinking "WHAT THE HELL?! THEY EXPECT ME TO PAY THAT MUCH FOR THAT?!", but then it caught on. We became used to the idea that a AAA game is worth $60, and it's only a matter of time before the base price moves up another $10, and another, and another, until, many years in the future, we WILL have a AAA game selling for $200 on release, and consumers will only be slightly annoyed. To prevent this, the obvious answer is to vote with our wallets. If a game is selling for $60 but it contains recycled assets and mechanics, barely a few hours of single-player content, and obvious bugs and exploits that should never have been in the game... Well, in the end, it's your choice to buy it. I hate the Call of Duty franchise for what it's come to represent in the gaming industry, but in the end, if you find it fun, who am I to judge you for buying Infinite Warfare with the cash you earned? At the end of the day, my advice is thus: Ignore the hype and wait for user reviews; that's the only way to be sure that the game is worth buying, because 90% of the time, any game footage released prior to the full release of the game will be heavily censored to drum up hype among the intended consumer base. Do your research, and don't throw your money at any game that SEEMS good. Shop smart, and don't become the mindless consumer that video game execs take you for.

Carnelian's upper lip curled up in a sneer at his utterly ludicrous suggestion. Did he seriously expect her to just forgive the fact that Raze tried to outright murder her? Oh yes, she'll do that right now in fact! Walk right up to that bastard, smile brightly, tell him how great it feels to leave the past in the past and that she can't wait to put their differences aside and--oops, he just stabbed her in the chest again. I'm sure he didn't mean it. If it didn't mean breaking the illusion that she was the victim, the baroness would have loved to regale this utterly ignorant guard captain with tales of nobles eaten alive for thinking that their code of honor prevented them from being stabbed in the back. The only time she saw enemies become allies was when she was able to present them with a better offer. Friendship...pah! Then, the griff who was to be her instrument of justice entered the room, and her sneer returned to a smug grin. "Detective, your captain said many good things about you. I hope that the overwhelming evidence I provide will be enough. "It began yesterday. I had just arrived in Bangcolt, and I entered the lobby of the arena with one of the door guards. I made a comment about how I felt it could have used a bit more furnishing, which prompted Raze to come out of whatever shadow he was brooding in to verbally assault me. I told him in very kind words to leave me alone and that I meant him no harm. Instead, he proceeded to physically assault me and the guard who was escorting me, destroying his helmet and my crown, the latter of which he then stole. "I and several officers present gave chase, but he was too fast, and I eventually gave up. After wandering the streets for a few hours, I found him again. This time, however, he threatened my life and chased me onto a roof top. I defended myself as best I could, but his skill trumped mine, and he mortally wounded me. Had it not been for the actions of Dame Sunset Shimmer, I feel that I would have died. "In conclusion, the crimes I wish to charge against him are as follows: Third Degree Assault and Battery, Aggravated Assault, Armed Robbery, and Capital Murder. Of course, the guardsponies involved would also probably like to add the charges of Evading Arrest and Assaulting a Royal Guard, and Dame Sunset may even have charges of her own to press."

@@Blitz Boom @@Seamore Sandwich @@Moonlit With Serenade joining the conversation, Succulent turned her attention to her. "That's where politics come in, I'm afraid. Some ponies reason that Iridia only made the Twinkle-Eyes and Crystal ponies in her image, so some have taken that to indicate that we're superior to the southern folk. I don't believe that, though. You girls are alright." She giggled and wrapped her hooves about Ziggy, pulling her close into a hug.

Before I begin, I should probably start with a little bit of information about myself. As someone who's been writing for about 16 or 17 years now, eight of which have involved on and off roleplaying, I thought I'd share a little bit of the wisdom I've accrued in those years. While I have met a lot of people with very interesting ideas (quite a few with ideas better than mine), I've also met a few with some...well, they certainly are interesting ideas, but implemented very poorly. As such, I'd like to have a sit and impress upon you my two biggest personal pet peeves in regards to character creation. First, let's start off with the most common one I've seen, and an archetype that I, myself, am guilty of using at least once in my life: The Traumatized, Chaotic Good Vigilante. Not that it's a bad archetype, especially because the best example of it is none other than the Dark Knight, himself. What gets my goat, however, is the way I usually see it applied. Some people tend to forget that they're supposed to be designing a character with a trauma, not a trauma with a character. Yes, trauma scars the psyche and the character can never really forget that it happened, but it shouldn't be what defines them. They had a personality before, so why are they suddenly cold, unfeeling, angsty murder machines now? Where was the transition? More importantly, however, it's not realistic. Someone who constantly ruminates on past traumas, kicking themselves for things they could have done, and otherwise reinforcing their victim complex will eventually develop a neurosis in the form of extreme anxiety and paranoia. A healthy character (not necessarily a good one) will have found a way to accept what happened and not let it define who they are. Victimhood is a choice, and they choose to be who they are. Either condition is an interesting route to develop a character, feel free to try one! The second character design choice that irks me most is what I like to call "Tumblr Tokenism". As someone who lasted just over two years on that wretched site, I saw plenty of examples of this. What is it? Essentially, like the pet peeve above, their character was based upon one single idea. In this case, however, it was their identity. In my honest opinion, when someone asks you to describe your character, the adjectives that you supply should not have anything to do with sexuality, gender, or race. What effect does that have on their character? What is so interesting about them being gay/bi/trans/agender/black/latino/etc? Why don't you tell me what their favorite color is? Their favorite hobby? What they do for a living? What are their strengths and weaknesses? What are their aspirations in life? Don't get me wrong, a character's identity is an important part of their character, but it shouldn't be a selling point. Create an interesting character first, THEN decide on their identity. If it's common sense that judging a character on the color of their skin or the sex they're attracted to or the gender they identify as is wrong, then why are you making such a big deal out of the color of their skin or the sex they're attracted to or the gender they identify as? Of course, if you're trying to tell a story of discrimination, then there's an obvious exception in that sexuality, gender, and race does matter. Outside of that, though, your character's identity should be the least interesting thing about them. Collective identities do not exist, and those who identify as something don't always share the same experiences. First and foremost, your character is an individual, and if you want to write a more than one note character, then you'll treat them as such. Anyway, that's all that I have for now. Thanks for reading! Give a brohoof if you enjoyed this or leave a comment if you have questions!

Carnelian arched an eyebrow at his complete dismissal of her attempts at flirtation. Was he really that stupid, or did he just have a lot on his mind? Whatever, the war wasn't lost, and there would be plenty more opportunities to seduce him later on, should his loyalty continue to be of prime importance to her. Bringing the tea cup to her lips, she took a few dainty sips as he dressed, nearly spitting it out. Did this dreck seriously pass for tea in this part of Equestria? What did Zenru just steep? Mushrooms?! Out of courtesy, she managed to make her reflex look like a cough as she wiped her lips and pretended to take a few more sips. "The best way to deal with somepony who names themselves your enemy?" she asked back. "A simple answer for a simple question: you give them a reason to believe that it is within their best interests not to be. Exactly what that implies is up to your own personal inclinations.

@@P-Jay The baroness flashed a warm, gentle smile at the ever-so helpful guard captain. "That sounds like a perfect choice, Captain Zenru. I'm glad that at least one stallion in this city wants me alive." Play a tune to his machismo: make him feel powerful and needed. Supplement with eye contact and a smile. Appearance is everything, and your body should always have more to say than your mouth. Keep what you say to a minimum, then let your erogenous zones fill in the blanks. Let him take the bait, and reel slowly.

Succulent's smile once more beamed upon the cultural question. "Oh, where to begin with her!" she exclaimed. "Iridia is the eternal celestial alicorn who created the heavens, the earth, and all ponies in her image. Others believe it was just the Twinkle-Eyed ponies and, by extension, the Crystal ponies that she created, while the Equestrian tribes were created in the image of another deity. I personally don't think that matters, but that's a tangent that I don't want to really delve into, what with the schism it's caused. Anyway, upon created ponykind, Iridia dispatched fourteen angels to watch over her creations and administer her will. Over time, seven of them became corrupted by the power they held, and so became the Seven Sins, while the remaining seven became the Virtues. "As for what she looks like, everypony has a different interpretation. The one that everypony can agree upon, however, is that she's as brilliant as the auroras that light up the cold, dark nights of the Frozen North."

@@P-Jay Zenru's admittance made the baroness grit her teeth. Raze can't be a top priority...how dare he?! That bastard nearly KILLED her! Thankfully, she calmed herself down before she could say anything brash. She could still recover this. If she knew Raze, he would already be back on the prowl, tearing the city apart for her. Since a preempting him was off the table, Carnelian's only option now was to lay low and wait for this investigation to take its course, which shouldn't be more than a week. "If that is the most you can do, I accept. The same for the tea, excellent suggestion." Excellent suggestion, indeed. Aside from the baroness' extreme desire for a slow moment of small talk and refreshment, it was also a prime opportunity to build a network. Simply reading the expression on the guard captain's face, Carnelian could tell that he was stressed. Well then, how much would it take for her to win him over?

Carnelian took a seat in a nearby chair, reclining leisurely. "I wish to make known a criminal. His name is Raze, a black stallion armed with a Neighponese sword. He should be registered here at the arena. I would like to press charges against him, among which include assault in the first degree, destruction of personal property, felony armed robbery...and attempted murder. I have multiple witnesses, including your pick of the guards stationed in the arena lobby yesterday whom, might I add, will more than likely also add the charge of evading arrest and aggravated assault as well. "There is also the mare who saved my life, Sunset Shimmer. From the way the nurses spoke of her, I would assume her word would carry some weight. While we're talking about her, I wish to also add that when we are done here, I ask that you point me to her. I owe her my gratitude."

@@Moonlit @@Blitz Boom @@Seamore Sandwich As Serenade and Ziggy speak about auroras, Succulent finds herself transfixed. As common as they were in the Frozen North, she felt that too few ponies truly acknowledged them. For a moment, she attempted to listen to what Serenade was saying, only find that a good portion of it was flying straight over her head. "I liked it better when everypony said that Iridia was visiting," she sighed. "Science might hold the truth, but it takes away all the awe and wonder. No offense intended, just feeling a bit nostalgic."

@@P-Jay "Yes...A dozen will do...If that is the soonest they can be here, I will accept that. Good day." Carnelian replaced the cell phone in her saddle bags, resuming her trek towards the Guard Captain's office. Whether or not her generous gift had gotten through, she expected something favorable out of him. If not, a dozen of her House Guards would arrive in a matter of hours to protect her. Without knocking, she entered the office, looking around for the stallion she wished to have words with.

@@Fractured @ Light. She could see it approaching fast. Was this the way it happened? But that couldn't be right. If she was seeing light, then her soul was ascending. But she couldn't be ascending, because she had no soul. It had been taken, no, ripped from her body at the moment of birth. She was never given the choice of what she was to become, but how could she complain? Sure, she harbored some wonders about what it would have been like to live a peaceful life, a life without constant blood and debauchery, a life with a soul. And then she'd remember the powers that she had been granted by this infernal contract. Could she live without them? Would she be able to live the same life she told herself she enjoyed? That question would have to wait for another time. The light was beginning to engulf her form, and she welcomed it. And then her eyes adjusted. Things began to take form, and what she thought was paradise looked to be more and more like an emergency room. Could this just be part of the experience? No, it couldn't be. Somehow, she'd survived, but how? The last thing she remembered was Ra- Raze. Carnelian was no stranger to anger, neither was hatred unknown to her. However, this felt entirely unlike any of those emotions. It felt like every muscle in her body had turned to flame, as if her body was becoming engulfed with the flames of her wroth. Raze. A name which shall live in infamy. A name which deserved to be beaten, deserved to be quartered, deserved to be shredded, devoured by pigs, strangled, defiled, STABBED, POISONED, FLAYED, DROWNED, DISINTEGRATED, OBLITERATED, EXTERMINATED, INCINERATED. Judgement was coming for the insect that dared sting her, and when she finally had him, she was going to enjoy bleeding him. Over. And over. And over. And over. And over. And over. Until he learned to enjoy it.

It's probably not as unheard of as I think it is, but I haven't heard ANYONE outside of the niche gaming community even recognize it. Afaik, it was the first RTS that took place in "modern" times, if 1989 counts as modern times. It was also pretty revolutionary in that it didn't involve base building, the mechanic of calling in off-map fire support like artillery and air strikes, and what I like to think is the most badass nuke I have ever seen in any game.

@ As soon as the katana was retracted from her chest, Carnelian fell forward, blood pooling around her. No, she couldn't die! Not like this! She was a baroness! She couldn't die like some petty worthless rat! However, that's what it seemed. Hanging off the edge of the building, her life began to flash before her slowly hooding eyes. She felt so tired, and it was more than likely that Raze had plans to desecrate her body afterwards. Whatever may come, the world was growing darker and darker. Well, her daughter's wish came true.

@ Carnelian's rapier sank into Raze's chest, and for a moment Carnelian couldn't believe. She did it! She actually did it! Her enemy was vanquished, and she was the victor! Justice had prevailed, and she laughed at her triumph. "I thought you were good at dodging," she taunted, twisting the blade inside of him. "Now...come on, dear. Just give up and die for me. The memory of the light leaving your eyes is going to give me so much pleasure later." However, the baroness' sadistic smile was cut short as Raze gripped her hoof. "Unhand me!" she yelled. "Let me go! GET YOUR FILTHY, MUDDY HOOVES OFF OF M-" And then a stiff cold pierced her chest. The air left her lungs, the pain unlike anything she had ever felt in her life. The only sound to leave her mouth was a dry croak as the rapier began to coagulate and disintegrate off her leg.

@ "Shut up!" Carnelian yelled, swinging her rapier once, only for it to miss Raze entirely. "Do you have any idea who I am! My blood goes all the way back to the Twinkle-Eyed nobility! I have power that you can only dream of! I am Baroness Carnelian Clout of House Koroundio, and this ends here, you pathetic, odious insect!" Winding back her leg, she drove forward with one final stab aimed at his heart. This would end right here, right now.

@@Moonlit No longer bothering to hold back, Succulent scarfed her third s'more down, her lips now sticky with melted chocolate and marshmallow. "You do get to see auroras this far south!" she exclaimed. "They're just my favorite! It's like watching nature's light show!" Succulent plopped down beside her, staring up at the sky from her back. "How much longer do you think we have?"

Carnelian's charge ground to a halt as she barely had time to register this sudden change in tactics. Bringing her rapier into a vertical block, she only succeeded in deflecting it off to the side, where it sliced a deep gash. Once more, she screamed in agony, the wound quickly closing up. "Bastard!" she bellowed, resuming her charge. She was going to make him pay for every liter of blood she had wasted trying to put him down.

In her rage, Carnelian ignored the whispers in her mind telling her to dodge until the last second. Dashing to the side, it was still too late, and the sword stabbed into her shoulder. The baroness screamed in pain as she doubled back, once more urging her blood to heal her body. What was her blood level? She'd never used this much before, but surely she had a lot more fight left in her. With renewed anger, she dashed forward, intending to return the stab.

@@Moonlit Upon placing the second s'more onto her plate, Succulent takes Serenade's words to heart and studies her sugary sandwich. Tentatively, she grabs it in her hooves and lifts it to her face, taking a single, small bite. She chews it thoughtfully, allowing the flavor to wash over her tongue before finally swallowing it. For a few seconds, she savors the after taste, deep in thought. And then she scarfed the rest of it down. "...Oops."

With all of her furious slashes, she was easily able to deflect his stab off to the side. Her instincts told her to back off, but she refused. Carnelian was out for blood, specifically Raze's, and would not stop her onslaught until she was covered in it. Swinging her leg back around, she made an attempt to slice across the assassin's throat.

@@Moonlit @@Blitz Boom @@Seamore Sandwich Succulent watched the interaction with interest, eager to see what was in the bag. When she saw it was materials for make s'mores, she cocked her head. She had half a mind to ask what s'mores were, but she felt that she'd learn soon enough. Whatever they were, though, the ingredients sure made them sound delicious, if unhealthy. Still, it was perfectly alright to splurge every once and a while, and she DID burn a lot of calories on her way down south. Once the fire was going, the crystal mare unhitched herself from her cart and laid down beside it. After a long day, sitting about a bonfire on a beach with her new friends, there was something about this new ritual that warmed her bones as well as her coat. More importantly, though, the s'mores! Succulent took one bite and began wolfing it down immediately afterwards. Sugar -- her prime weakness! Who cares if it's a thousand calories, her reckoning could wait until tomorrow. "Hey, Serenade, do we have more of those s'mores? Oh wait...I GET IT NOW! IT MEANS SOME MORES!" The perfumier triumphantly regarded her discovery while still awaiting an answer.