private Darkness over Equestria (RP)

[Chip Circuit 1,842]

Radiant continued walking, viewing amore and red through the corner of his left eye so the majority of his vision was still in front of him. "A political imbalance sounds like a good idea but it could take too long and we shouldn't trust it to finish the job in our stead." He stated to Red, he was glad they were starting to get along and plan ahead.

 

Radiant return his gaze forward. "I would agree, it would be most beneficial to have you in your best shape before we do this but we should set down while we are still a far distance from our targets to avoid patrols." He suggested looking back to the group. "However we have barely started our journey so we still have a ways to go."

[Reaver 350]

"It's a good plan," Strider agreed, addressing both Amore's and Red's. "If it looks like one group hired a changeling to attack another's leader, it will cause huge ripples. But of course, we're going to need your help, Amore, if we do end up doing that." As Radiant pointed out the flaws in the plans, Strider nodded, realizing how right the unicorn was. "You're certainly right. We can't send in just one of us alone. I'm embarrassed to admit I hadn't considered the guards. Again, we'll need to gather information first, but we'll decide how to do that when we stop for Amore's evolution."

[Commander Tangent 861]

"If you want information on the guards, perhapse I can scout the area. I am great with detail and patience, give me a day or so and I can likely get guard rotations and patrols down, as well as a good map of the camp drawn. I'll document everything in my notebook as well, so you can all process the info. It might be something we can do while we wait for Amore's transformation" Lunar suggested. The most powerful tool in any battle is knowledge of your enemy, and knowing how they think and tick. He felt confident this would be highly beneficial too them.

[Chip Circuit 1,842]

Radiant listened to what the others had to say as he continued forward along side Ironeye, even after his previous distaste toward Ironeye's attitude he felt more approving of her after her apology and gratitude.

 

"I agree with information being a highly valuable weapon in our arsenal but we can't have lunar doing several fly overs without drawing attention to him... eventually up to the point of them acting in hostility to Lunar. From Ironeye's previous comment she can assist in stealth as well as Amorè can shapes hut to appear as one of the bandits." He rebuttaled making sure every aspect and angle was being considered.

[Commander Tangent 861]

Lunar let out a chuckle, " You think I am going to fly over them ? There are much better routes to this, and not the first time I have done them. Outer patrols will be easy to map, simply due too the fact they have to leave the city. Everything else can be achieved from long distance viewing, because don't forget, as a griffin my eyesight is more attuned to motion and detail due to our preadatory nature. And I can also use clouds to spy from above without being seen, I don't mind getting a little sticky for stuff like that. Stealth and shape shifting aren't going to help if you don't have a basic knowledge of the area or how their  policing system works and responds" Lunar argued to Radiant.

[Chip Circuit 1,842]

Radiant nodded to Lunar. "Alright u figured you were talking about figuring the routes and schedules of the city along with the leaders. Outside patrols will be easy enough to learn and I will concede the fact your eyes are far more attuned for long distance." He conceded looking back to Lunar. "It would be best to avoid outside patrols the best we can, if a patrol goes missing then it could cause alarm when they fail to return. We still have the matter of learning where the leaders hold themselves as well as what kind of schedule they abide by."

[Unicorncob 5,679]

Tyra, who had stayed uncharacteristically quiet for a while, was listening to all this talk of learning guard patrols and turning leaders on one another. She decided it was her turn to add something.

 

"I understand that less bandits would mean more good for the world," She began, "but, if they are nice enough to offer us passage, and perhaps supplies, then perhaps we could leave them alone?"

 

A smirk crossed her face. "Unless they strike first, of course."

[Alex Van Gamer 230]

Alex glanced over towards Tyra, who suddenly seemed to pop after a long amount of unusual silence. "The point of coming here was to stop the bandits because they were all causing trouble for the rest of Equestria. The town we were in earlier was for supplies... even though a lot of their merchandises were either overpriced or tried trickery..." She waved a paw in the air to brush the last topic aside. "Point is. We're here to knock 'em down. Not make a peace treaty with them that they're very much likely to break... Finding out about their rotations and stuff seems like the best option to do it."

Edited June 24, 2015 by Alex VanGamer

[Reaver 350]

"I believe Lunar's right," Strider spoke up, "we need an idea of the layout. Your suggestion, I think, is a good one--you should fly high enough that ponies won't see you, and get an idea for the structure of the place. We need to find the points of interest. Amore, in the meantime, will evolve in a safe place outside the city, or we'll backtrack until we find one. Once Lunar comes back, we can come up with a more in depth plan." he considered for a moment. "We can find an important pony who's currently not in the city, and Amore could transform into him--this could grant us safe passage into the city. After that, we could split up into small squads and pick out the five leaders. Ironeye, we'll probably want some of your stealth magic. Could you go over the abilities of your stealth magic you mentioned?"

[P-Jay 1,987]

caliber's ear twitched. he had been paying very little attention this whole time, but when they started talking about the five leaders, and scouting out their place, he became interested.

 

"so...we're gonna raid them?" he asked. "cause i can do that in my sleep!"

[Chip Circuit 1,842]

Radiant listened to Strider and then glanced back to him after he finished speaking. "Well we'd have to find such a pony when he is alone. If we eliminate his group and have amore take his place it will look suspicious if she walks in without the squad that left with the pony... especially if she is unharmed." He stated trying to bring to light every risk.

 

As Caliber spoke up after having been silent this entire time, his first comment was a thick headed-egotistical remark. Radiant narrowed his eyes at the remark but did not look back to Caliber. "Can do it all on his own..." He thought to himself slightly shaking his head in disapproval. "What a foolish and reckless notion."

 

"As confident as you are no pony here is entering combat alone." He ordered making sure there was a general understanding that they fight as a team.

[P-Jay 1,987]

"iv been traveling alone for quite some time, now." caliber countered. "and until now, iv never relied on anypony else. and naturally, iv got into situations. which i got out, by myself." he said, annoyed.

 

"who knows, radiant, maybe iv done this kind of thing before...by myself."

[Chip Circuit 1,842]

Radiant glanced back at the fool hearty Caliber. "Whether you have or not is irrelevant, you act as if you are the only pony here who has had to deal with dangers of being on his own but you're not." He argued back, Radiant knew of the task of traveling alone but he to knew the prospects of traveling and fighting with a group. "You are traveling with a group now, meaning we fight for each other and with each other. We can't go fighting alone against unfavorable odds."

 

Radiant didn't approve of reckless behavior and wasn't fond of egotistical attitudes either. It was apparent Caliber was the one that he'd have to hammer the concept of teamwork into whether he approved or not.

Edited June 25, 2015 by Chip Circuit

[Little Red 1,529]

Red watched the back-and-forth between Radiant and Caliber, and sighed. Well, no-pony was getting along. They were all too... different. Teaming up hadn't been a good idea. She and Strider had been fine, she mused grumpily.

 

She shook herself out of it. "Let's not fight right before we get to the city, yes? We need to focus on making a plan."

[Unicorncob 5,679]

"Aye, Red is correct," Tyra agreed, with a sagely nod, "we cannot afford to split apart, despite our differences."

 

She grinned to Lunar. "This idea is sure to work! Once we know what the ponies are like, we can charge in as a more effective force!"

 

She then swallowed nervously, her grin fading a bit. "Besides, there may be unicorn bandits down there..."

[HigurSan 195]

Ironeye Sungazer

 

She decided to stick closer to Radiant for the moment, getting the feeling that he was a bit more favorable to her than the others. Of course, that was mostly her own fault, but she couldn't help feeling put upon. Wasn't her bloody fault that there was legends and destinies flying around like so many flies. She wasn't particularly looking forward to any potential combat either. The others trust in her was tenous as it was, and she wasn't sure it would survive another major hit. "I can cause a distraction while Amore sneaks in," she said. "Could just be a big explosion. But I've plenty of more circumspect items on the roster. And I'm pretty good at stealth all on my own, magic aside."

 

"The most -permanent- solution to the bandits is to make their hideouts unlivable. If they don't have any place to stash their loot and lick their wounds, they'll be forced to move elsewhere. Course, that has its own problems. They wouldn't be above sacking that town and making it a stronghold. We could also just remove all the bandits entirely." She didn't bother to extrapolate on that. "That'd keep them down for a couple of years, at least until new gangs formed. Might give the area some breathing room, enough to let us get on to whatever we're wanting to do in the meantime."

[Chip Circuit 1,842]

As Radiant walked forward his unfavorable attitude toward Caliber was side tracked when Ironeye spoke uo with her own ideas. "Stealth is the preferable route for the time being so we can learn what we can." He said looking back to Ironeye who was still keeping a pace alongside him.

 

Radiant found it surprising she was sticking so close to him, he figured she'd harbor some level of resentment toward him being he had her draped over his back which wasn't the best looking appearance to others. Let alone he wasn't a very social pony and didn't really let others in. The lack of social skills aside, Radiant did like having other ponies around.

 

"We have to eventually take care of them in such a way so they don't choose to relocate, otherwise they will take over the town we just left and only gain another hold on too of the ones they recover." Radiant stated returning his gaze forward from ironeye.

 

Radiant had always been adept at running scenarios through his head, another reason he was chosen in the rebellion to be promoted.

[Commander Tangent 861]

Lunar nodded and listened to everyone. " In any case, scouting would be good, even in iorn eyes suggestion. Give me around 24 to 32 hours and I can have the area mapped out in detail. Give me a few days and I can have patrols and shifts as well. I doubt they change them up much due to the likeliness of being challenged is low for a fortress such as theirs" Lunar said, confident in his own skills and thoes of the others

[Little Red 1,529]

Red was liking this. They were all throwing ideas at each other, each one entirely plausible. "What if Amore were to sneak in with an alias as a bandit and find the location of the leaders, while Lunar discovered the shifts and the layout of the city? Lunar will do an initial fly-over, then, when he comes back and gives us the basic layout, Amore can go in and find the most likely places for bases of operation. Because where there's leaders, there's some sort of meeting place." Red said, mostly to herself.

 

The sun was already  past it's prime, moving down the horizon steadily. Night would be close to falling. Far in the distance, if one strained their eyes through the harsh desert-Discordian sun, one could see high-rise buildings, perched on the horizon.

[Unicorncob 5,679]

"Ooh, perhaps I can go too!" Tyra squeaked, waving a hoof in the air excitedly, "I can travel with Amore and disguise as a bandit! That way, if she runs into trouble, she will have some assistance, yes?"

 

She began bobbing slightly from side to side, as if a nonexistant tune was playing, feeling rather proud of her idea.

[Chip Circuit 1,842]

Radiant glanced back to Tyra. "No offense Tyra but your emotions get the better of you, you'd be the last to go in because your dialogue is also entirely different from those of the region. It would only bring suspicion." He stated returning his gaze forward. "Otherwise red's synapses of the plan is correct. Amore can actually shape shift to best blend in, while lunar can figure out the layout and find our exit points in case a last resort retreat is necessary. The rest of us will have to wait nearby to be able to provide quick assistance if it is required."

 

Radiant continued forward able to see the city along the horizon. It was still a distance away and they were still at a safe distance to be able to rest for the night if they so chose to.

[Midnight_Aurora 571]

Amorè says, "I am not familiar with the use of words by the bandits here. So blending in would be bad unless I was a mute bandit. And disguising myself would also require me to change my disguise in order to be the most effective. But my power of persuasion is best in this and can easily get me in. It can also get me access to the bandit leaders."

 

Amorè follows with everyone.

[Reaver 350]

"Then it's decided," Strider said, "Lunar will do an initial flyover. Amore, you'll go in next to look for each group's base--if  necessary, Ironeye will create a distraction for a quick exit or entrance. This way we can take out the leaders, but I'm intrigued by your idea," he added to Ironeye. "To make the hideout unlivable. Removing all the bandits is a little... extreme." He mused for several moments as the group continued walking. "I motion that while Amore is finding the leaders, we find their water sources and poison it. Not with a lethal poison--that would drive them out completely, and as you said, they would just find a new residence," he said to Ironeye. "Something to mess with their heads. Lead poisoning, perhaps, if we can find enough. But that's an extra--our priority would be to kill the leaders. What do you all think of that idea?" he asked.

[Chip Circuit 1,842]

Radiant turned his head around to look at Strider. "I'm sorry to be punching hokes in every idea but I'd have to speak against poisoning, if we poison the water and they have to vacate then what's to stop them from taking over the town to the north? Let alone if we poison the water it could affect other water sources including wells and underground water causing a danger to the area." He argued not wanting to cause a abandonment of the bandit holds.

 

Radiant's eyes looked upward as if he was gazing at an idea in the air above him. "Faster way to get the bandits fighting each other is we have ironeye and amore sneak in and take any form of clan indication... such as banners and flags. We then attack the other groups and plant these banners as a show of a challenge." He offered as an alternate course of action.

Edited June 25, 2015 by Chip Circuit

[Unicorncob 5,679]

Tyra felt a little dejected at Radiant's shooting down her idea, but she was too determined to give up so easily.

 

"All of this subterfuge and secrecy is beginning to sound a little unnecessary," She admitted, shrugging, "Why can we not simply achieve passage and destroy them from the inside ourselves? Then we do not have to worry about them attacking anypony else!"

 

She dragged her hoof in the dirt, like a bull preparing to charge, and sneered with determination.