private Whisper: The City Of Darkness

[nolongerabout 403]

@@Once In A Blue Moon,

 

Sharp looked at the wide variety of tools in the small smithy, but none were quite to his liking. He wanted something larger, like a sledge, a tool that could break through walls if needs be. He would make do with what he had, and if the others had recovered a red keycard from the manager's office, then any tools would be of little use anyway.

 

Beyond beating somepony to death with them, of course.

 

Nonetheless, Sharp busied himself looking for anything that could relate to what caused the facility to be abandoned in the first place among the researcher's work stations. He had little idea what he was looking for, and doubted he'd understand it even if he found anything, but there must have been something salvageable in the mess, even the slightest clue. This place must have had gossip of some sort, he thought.

[Dust and Memories 557]

Wilhelm, meanwhile, trotted around the room, looking at nothing in particular. Most stuff had been gone over by the others already, and the notes didn't especially interest him. B&C -- Bionics and Cybernetics -- was an entirely different field, and was usually populated by surgeons. Surgeons! Wilhelm faintly whinnied in distaste at the mere thought of medical doctors getting involved in cutting-edge research. Especially with their snobbery about how much money they make...

 

Wilhelm shook his head to clear out the unnecessary digression. This was no time for foaling around. Suddenly, something popped into his mind. "Do you think... Do you think we could use the crystals from the other room to create some kind of... bomb, or breaching charge? We could use the smaller crystal residue to set off one of the larger crystals. Not the airship-scale bombs, but the ones about... yay big?" 

[Chaton 3,765]

"Worth a shot," Bramble said, trotting back to the crystal labs. The door to the office had been barracaded shut from the inside, but the axe made short work of it. Breaking away a chunk of the door, and pushing away a chair on the far side, Bramble stuck his head through and looked around. He immediately swore, pulled his head back thorugh the hole and broke the door open with a few more kicks. Inside the room, hundreds of sheets of papers lay around an open safe, along with the bodies of two unicorns and an earth pony. One of the unicorns lay crumpled on the papers, a horrific injury on the back of their head, whilst the other lay on the ground with its head at a odd angle. The earth pony sat in a corner, a gaping wound in its neck and several blodied shards of glass on the ground in front of it.

Ahh, death. What an awfully wonderful thing. "At least they died relatively normally. None of that, suddenly gone shit like the bodies outside."

 

"They started fighting after they had barracaded themselves in," Bramble observed, "And this one doesn't seem to have decayed," he prodded the unicorn with the broken neck gently, "Dr Igneous Flair, Py Ville, Cr Lot, Er Free... Ponyville, Canterlot and Everfree? Regardless, we have our red card," frowning, he turned Dr Flair over, revealing a small growth on the side of his head, just below the ear, "He must have been affected somehow..."

"Aha! A card!" That is good news.

 

The rest of the office had an assortment of items in it. The desk was relatively neat, with an in-tray and an out-tray filled with papers, but the wall had a large chalkboard on it with assorted barely legible scribbles on it - most apparently concerning magical energy distribution across a crystal, but some more mundane matters such as buying more mugs and to remind staff not to improvise with flasks and beakers were also covered. A small magical observation mirror stood in the corner, although someone had drawn 'aet erom deen' on it in mirror-writing. There were a number of magi-mechanical items laid out on a table, from a motor the size of a hoof to a folded, metal pegasus wing, which included a number of tubes and wires at the base of the wing that would somehow be inserted into a pony's back.

 

I walked over to said desk and saw the documents. Oh, finally something my speed. Magically augmented bio-mechanics! It's beautiful.

[Once In A Blue Moon 895]

 

 

This place must have had gossip of some sort, he thought.

 

Rifling through the papers, a formal letter from the 'Royal Air Fleet, Per Ardua Ad Astra,' caught his eye, as it had an internal memo attached - always good for gauging the mood of a workplace. The letter was from Admiral Heartflight, head of the 1st (and at the time, only) air fleet, to Her Royal Highness Princess Sparkle, and he thanked her for the work of her laboratories in producing the test weapons on time, as well as asking when her labs would be able to put them into production. The memo attached read:

 

Enough, we've done all they asked and we're a lab, not a workshop - sort him out. If he refuses to cooperate I will use my royal prerogative, regardless of what Celestia thinks. A not-so-subtle reminder that 'Ad Astra' can most certainly be arranged, and as much 'Ardua' as you can throw at him, I think. Other than that, keep working on FP.  -TS.

 

 

 

"Do you think... Do you think we could use the crystals from the other room to create some kind of... bomb, or breaching charge? We could use the smaller crystal residue to set off one of the larger crystals. Not the airship-scale bombs, but the ones about... yay big?"

 

One of the crystals had been specifically designed to shatter, and so long as there wasn't any magic stored in it at the time it would do so in a non-explosive manner. It was behind glass reinforced with wire mesh, but it could be lifted from the top of the tank by unlatching the lid and using the pulley.

 

 

 

I walked over to said desk and saw the documents. Oh, finally something my speed. Magically augmented bio-mechanics! It's beautiful.

 

Skimming through, the designs for legs were pretty much done, aside from the internal magic issue with unicorns. The wing designs had substantial drawbacks, and had a very limited flight time, but apparently 'field tests' had shown them adequate for use on the ground to assist mobility - pegasus ponies adapted naturally to using them as they had their lost wing or wings, but a handful of earth pony volunteers had struggled with them. A memo on Wonderbolt-headed paper included a personal thanks from one of the pegasus ponies who had lost their wing, with assurances that the prosthetics were being to to good use.

[Unicorncob 5,684]

Lavender practically pranced around the lab, her bounding fuelled by her leg strength and absolute boredom. The lack of any colours in the lab, along with everypony being busy with their exploring, had left her to her own devices.

 

Which was probably not a good thing.

 

She could only get so much enjoyment out of prodding the crystal cylinders, and there didn't seem to be any chemicals to mix together.

 

"Do you think... Do you think we could use the crystals from the other room to create some kind of... bomb, or breaching charge? We could use the smaller crystal residue to set off one of the larger crystals. Not the airship-scale bombs, but the ones about... yay big?" 

 

Just like that, she was by her tutor's side, tail waggling beneath her cloak with a big grin on her face. "Can I help make a bomb, sir?"

[Once In A Blue Moon 895]

@@Ethan Sawyer,@@Orion Caelum, @@Unicorncob, @@Chip Circuit, @@ForthEorl.

There was a dull thud, and a little plaster fell from the ceiling. The slightly irregular pace of the thing on the roof was quite audible as it prowled across the roof. Moments later similar steps could be hear near the door to the atrium.

"Time to move on," Bramble whispered, holding up the red card and gesturing to the door marked 'Private', "That should be thick enough to hold them back, assuming they even find us."

Unicorncob, on 06 May 2016 - 02:47 AM, said: "Can I help make a bomb, sir?"

"Well, that would be another way of losing them..." Bramble admitted.

Walking carefully through the lab, Bramble pushed the door open as the card glowed. It opened onto a relatively small office with little more than a note-board, desk, bookshelves and a fireplace in the corner that appeared to lack a chimney. Looking through the desk, Bramble shoved piles of promising looking papers into his saddlebags before finally finding what appeared to be a scientific journal, which he also put in his bags. Apparently satisfied, he pushed open the door to the media room and stopped dead. The room's walls were covered in newspapers, including a number with REDACTED - ROYAL PREROGATIVE stamped on paragraphs or whole pages.

"Ah," he whispered, grimacing, "No other exits."

 

Edited May 9, 2016 by Once In A Blue Moon

[Unicorncob 5,684]

There was a dull thud, and a little plaster fell from the ceiling. The slightly irregular pace of the thing on the roof was quite audible as it prowled across the roof. Moments later similar steps could be hear near the door to the atrium.

 

"Time to move on," Bramble whispered, holding up the red card and gesturing to the door marked 'Private', "That should be thick enough to hold them back, assuming they even find us."

 

"Well, that would be another way of losing them..." Bramble admitted.

 

"Losing who-now?" Lavender asked, blinking curiously over at Bramble. Obviously she was just thinking of making bombs for the sake of making bombs.

 

The the noises click in for her, and she pricked up her ears to listen. She recognised them right away.

 

"The knight advances," she muttered, almost to herself.

 

She blinked, and narrowed her eyes to look up at her forehead. "You?" She muttered to herself, "How did you--"

 

Her eyes bulged wide as images flashed before her. Memories that weren't her own. The memories of the voice in her head.

 

"Three greatest demons... Tartarus... Age of Chaos..."

 

She flashed back, eyes still wide but not as dilated. "Everypony, when I say we gotta go, and nopony has mentioned a toilet, then we gotta make for a door flashing an exit sign. Exit is a nice word, I suggest we follow it. Right now. Pls."

[nolongerabout 403]

@@Once In A Blue Moon,

 

Sharp looked up at the roof, watching as dust drifted to the floor. He silently sifted through his saddlebags and retrieved a paper cartridge. He bit the bullet and spat it down the barrel, then reprimed his carbine and tapped the butt on the ground to drive the loose ball down the barrel. The second bullet would add a bigger kick should one of those beasts come at them. He dropped the rest of the powder, and made his way cautiously towards the back of the room, beside the model ponies. He spoke quietly, as to not attract any unwanted attention.

 

"If you have what you want, then let's get out of here. Seems we've lingered too long."

[Chaton 3,765]

There was a dull thud, and a little plaster fell from the ceiling. The slightly irregular pace of the thing on the roof was quite audible as it prowled across the roof. Moments later similar steps could be hear near the door to the atrium.

 

"Time to move on," Bramble whispered, holding up the red card and gesturing to the door marked 'Private', "That should be thick enough to hold them back, assuming they even find us."

Walking carefully through the lab, Bramble pushed the door open as the card glowed. It opened onto a relatively small office with little more than a note-board, desk, bookshelves and a fireplace in the corner that appeared to lack a chimney. Looking through the desk, Bramble shoved piles of promising looking papers into his saddlebags before finally finding what appeared to be a scientific journal, which he also put in his bags. Apparently satisfied, he pushed open the door to the media room and stopped dead. The room's walls were covered in newspapers, including a number with REDACTED - ROYAL PREROGATIVE stamped on paragraphs or whole pages.

 

"Ah," he whispered, grimacing, "No other exits."

 

As the group was moving around, seemingly worried about whatever was on the roof, I was more preoccupied getting to the media room. The door was ajar and as I stepped inside everything seemed to be destroyed or damaged in some way, except a crystal in the corner. I pulled out the mirror I used earlier and tapped it against the crystal and began reviewing the sped up footage. There were three separate events.

 

I need to tell the others.

[Dust and Memories 557]

Wilhelm steepled his hooves together. "No exit, then? We'll have to make one." His eyes gleamed devilishly behind his round spectacles. "Now, Lavender liebchen. Bombmaking 101." He waved for her to follow with one wing, prancing back into the crystal laboratory.

 

"Any one of these crystals has enough energy to work as a bomb. And... this one" -- he gestured towards a purplish-blue crystal six tanks down -- "shatters into manageable pieces if there isn't any energy inside. The real rabbit-from-the-hat trick is to direct the magical force into the door... and not into our faces, por examplé." 

 

Wilhelm did a quick mental inventory of the known abilities of the party, and came up with only one reasonable candidate. "Scarlett? Do you think you could work anything up for that?"

[Unicorncob 5,684]

Wilhelm steepled his hooves together. "No exit, then? We'll have to make one." His eyes gleamed devilishly behind his round spectacles. "Now, Lavender liebchen. Bombmaking 101." He waved for her to follow with one wing, prancing back into the crystal laboratory.

 

Lavender quickly turned her attention back to Wilhelm, who actually seemed intent in showing her how to make bombs!

A giddy, and almost unsettling giggle escaped the unicorn. "Oooh, he's doing the fancy talk! I love when he does that!"

 

She bounded after her teacher, grinning ear to ear.

 

 

"Any one of these crystals has enough energy to work as a bomb. And... this one" -- he gestured towards a purplish-blue crystal six tanks down -- "shatters into manageable pieces if there isn't any energy inside. The real rabbit-from-the-hat trick is to direct the magical force into the door... and not into our faces, por examplé." 

 

Wilhelm did a quick mental inventory of the known abilities of the party, and came up with only one reasonable candidate. "Scarlett? Do you think you could work anything up for that?"

 

"Oooh, shiny explosives," she smirked, tail waggling under her cloak, "The best kind~"

 

She looked up at Wilhelm, a curious grin on her face. "So we're gonna make some pretty door-exploding bombs? Because I can think of quite a few doors in need of one. They all look at me funny."

[Chaton 3,765]

Wilhelm steepled his hooves together. "No exit, then? We'll have to make one." His eyes gleamed devilishly behind his round spectacles. "Now, Lavender liebchen. Bombmaking 101." He waved for her to follow with one wing, prancing back into the crystal laboratory.

 

"Any one of these crystals has enough energy to work as a bomb. And... this one" -- he gestured towards a purplish-blue crystal six tanks down -- "shatters into manageable pieces if there isn't any energy inside. The real rabbit-from-the-hat trick is to direct the magical force into the door... and not into our faces, por examplé." 

 

Wilhelm did a quick mental inventory of the known abilities of the party, and came up with only one reasonable candidate. "Scarlett? Do you think you could work anything up for that?"

 

I stepped into the room and was instantly addressed, about front facing bombs. And how to shield your face from them. "Well you could simply have a few unicorns redirect the force with their own magic, but I'm not sure how strong the explosion would be. This is a lab working with volatile magic though, I'm sure some of the walls have shielding or something. If we could get those and suspend them with magic, they could redirect the force."

[Once In A Blue Moon 895]

@@Ethan Sawyer,@@Orion Caelum, @@Unicorncob, @@Chip Circuit, @@ForthEorl.

 

 

 

"Any one of these crystals has enough energy to work as a bomb. And... this one" -- he gestured towards a purplish-blue crystal six tanks down -- "shatters into manageable pieces if there isn't any energy inside. The real rabbit-from-the-hat trick is to direct the magical force into the door... and not into our faces, por examplé." 

 

 

 

 

This is a lab working with volatile magic though, I'm sure some of the walls have shielding or something. If we could get those and suspend them with magic, they could redirect the force."

 

 

Whilst helping lift the crystal out of the cylinder, Sharp backed into one of the chairs at the central desk. Everyone froze as it toppled over with a clatter, and within moments there was a thud as something hit the door to the atrium from the far side. A couple more blows followed, although none strong enough to break the door, and soon enough a rhythmic thumping indicated that the creature on the far side had stopped and was instead prowling up and down the separating wall. 

 

When the crystal had been winched out, the protective cylinder of gauze came with it. Attempts to levitate the gauze came to nothing, as it appeared to have been made from a magic-resistant material. The creature had hit the door to the magi-tech labs a couple of times as well, although it hadn't broken through there either, but the thudding pace on the roof had stopped during the lifting process.

[nolongerabout 403]

@@Once In A Blue Moon,

Sharp cursed violently as the chair toppled over. Once the crystal was out of its container, he snatched up his carbine. Forgoing the strap that would normally keep the stock tight against his shoulder, he unsteadily reared onto his hind hooves, grasping the carbine in his forehooves. he had seen the technique performed with some degree of success on the parade ground in Canterlot, but had only idly practiced it if he had nothing better to do, and such a method of firing a flintlock had never been used in battle to his knowledge. But it would allow him to switch targets rapidly and move faster, even if he was probably less accurate. But, accuracy with a smoothbore weapon was rather wishful thinking; especially with two rounds loaded. The musket ball was a mad thing- only the bayonet, or the sword, or the spear, knew what it was about.

He would not be able to maintain the stance, a few minutes at most, and while he was all for a good scrap, he had no intention of staying. "Well if you're all done bloody gawking," He snapped at the others, "we'd best get on with whatever this is supposed to do. I doubt those things outside will be there for long. They'll be in here, tearing our damned guts out." He kicked himself for getting angry, again. That Tarot nonsense had given him bad luck, and it was entirely his own fault, so he'd just have to grin and bear it. No sense taking it out on others.

Edited May 12, 2016 by ForthEorl

[Dust and Memories 557]

"Oh, for Celestia's sake," Wilhelm snapped, rather peevishly. "Get out of the way." He drew his saber, and in a blur of steel, there was a sudden hole in the gauze. He repeated the pattern of slashes, cutting the gauze into strips, which he pulled off the crystal.

 

"Get it to the door. I'll help Sharp." With that statement, Wilhelm overturned a desk -- murmuring a silent apology to its former owner -- and took up a firing position behind it, arrow nocked but not drawn.

[Once In A Blue Moon 895]

@@Ethan Sawyer,@@Orion Caelum, @@Unicorncob, @@Chip Circuit, @@ForthEorl.

 

 

 

 

"we'd best get on with whatever this is supposed to do. I doubt those things outside will be there for long. They'll be in here, tearing our damned guts out."

 

 

 

"Get it to the door. I'll help Sharp." With that statement, Wilhelm overturned a desk -- murmuring a silent apology to its former owner -- and took up a firing position behind it, arrow nocked but not drawn.

 

There was a crash of the ceiling coming down in the room behind them, followed a heartbeat later by the door in front of them being smashed open. A large pegasus-mutant charged through like a raging bull, straight for their position. Another one was looking through the broken doorway behind it, wings raised in an aggressive pose.

 

In the other laboratory, a pegasus-mutant crashed straight down through the roof. Charging forwards to meet it, Bramble hit it before it could regain its balance and the pair went toppling over a table. Knife in his mouth, Bramble stabbed repeatedly into the mutant, but the small blade was unable to do much and within moments the significantly larger mutant had recovered enough to stand up and hurl him aside, its eyes focusing on Lavender. 

[Unicorncob 5,684]

There was a crash of the ceiling coming down in the room behind them, followed a heartbeat later by the door in front of them being smashed open. A large pegasus-mutant charged through like a raging bull, straight for their position. Another one was looking through the broken doorway behind it, wings raised in an aggressive pose.

 

Lavender jumped with a frightened yelp, seeing the ceiling and door cave in to reveal a pair of giant mutant pegasi.

 

"Wah-hah!" She cried, shivering a bit, "The terror has been doubled!"

 

 

In the other laboratory, a pegasus-mutant crashed straight down through the roof. Charging forwards to meet it, Bramble hit it before it could regain its balance and the pair went toppling over a table. Knife in his mouth, Bramble stabbed repeatedly into the mutant, but the small blade was unable to do much and within moments the significantly larger mutant had recovered enough to stand up and hurl him aside, its eyes focusing on Lavender. 

 

Her heart skipped a beat as she realised when the mutant emerged from its little table tango with Bramble, to look right at her.

 

"You know this guy?" She asked quietly, to herself, then blinked as she remembered her little episode from before. Her eyes shot wide open in realisation.

 

"The bishop."

[nolongerabout 403]

@@Once In A Blue Moon, @@Orion Caelum,

 

Sharp fired as soon as the door splintered apart. he was engulfed in a cloud of smoke, but that didn't slow him when he reached for one of his grenades, lit the fuse with magic and tossed it in the direction of the door. He shouted for Wilhelm to take cover and threw himself into one of the cubicles along the wall. There was little he could do now, just wait for the damn thing to go off. In the confines of the room, it would be bloody murderous.

[Chaton 3,765]

I turned around and saw total carnage occurring behind me. "I drift off for one minute and everything goes to hell" I muttered to myself, before turning around and seeing the door still needed to go. I placed my hooves on the gauze and applied a small aura of magic around them to assist pushing it towards the door. It turned it a little, and nodded at my work. I turned around and shouted "Any of y'all got that crystal?"

[Chip Circuit 1,842]

Zayoh had simply been following the group the entire time through their exploration of the labs, he had no clue what to make of all this equipment and technology since he came from a small village. 

 

One room caught his attention and without saying a word he walked inside of it, some ominous magic was inside here and it was tinged with the sensation of death. The zebra stepped over the debris littered on the floor and made his way to a bookshelf along the far end of the room. Along the shelves of the book case were dozens of books encompassing several theories and practices that Zayoh couldn't wrap his head around. Soon his eyes caught a small shine as the dim light made its way past him from between two books. 

 

As he was inspecting the small vial he heard a loud crash coming from the other room, he quickly took the vial so he could inspect it later and ran into the other room only to find more mutant pegasi have made their way in through the roof.

[Dust and Memories 557]

Wilhelm turned to the mutant facing Lavender, and shouted "Hey! Over here, you yellow-bellied, broken-winged, misbegotten foal of a syphilitic whorse!" The mutant whirled, bellowing out its rage, and charged Wilhelm headfirst like a bull.

 

Think. Slow. The world seemed to slow around Wilhelm as he pulled back the drawstring on his bow, the charging mutant moving as fast as dripping tar. Compensate for angle of charge... now! The world returned to normal as his bowstring snapped, sending the armor-piercing broadhead a millimeter to the left of its grossly dilated pupil. 

 

The steel punched through its brain, dropping the mutant where it ran. Wilhelm deftly sidestepped the mutant as its corpse was carried onward by its momentum, and nocked another arrow. 

[Once In A Blue Moon 895]

"The bishop."

 

Traitor, the voice could be heard in everypony's head now, barring Zayoh, today I will have my revenge. The alicorn-demon that had once been Luna descended through the hole in the roof, staring down at Lavender with an expression of utter fury. I will burn your mind and destroy your body, I will destroy your world and everything you...

 

 

 

he reached for one of his grenades, lit the fuse with magic and tossed it in the direction of the door.

 

The grenade exploded, sending white-hot metal scything through the room. One of the shards punctured a tank and hit the crystal inside, and for a moment tendrils of raw magic started seeping out of the cracks and through the liquid. A fraction of a second later, the crystal exploded.

 

 

 

I placed my hooves on the gauze and applied a small aura of magic around them to assist pushing it towards the door. It turned it a little, and nodded at my work.

 

The blast sent Scarlett flying straight into the gauze-wrapped crystal, shielding it from most of the blast. Pain lanced through her side as a fragment of something whizzed past her, cutting through her side, and then the ceiling fell on her.

 

 

 

and ran into the other room only to find more mutant pegasi have made their way in through the roof.

 

The alicorn-mutant flew in through the hole in the roof, its hate almost palpable, and stared down at Lavender. Then a pair of explosions in the next room blew straight through the wall and brought down the ceiling, burying half of the room in plaster including the alicorn-demon, mutants and the rest of the group.

 

@@ForthEorl.

 A fragment of a wooden chair hit the foreleg covering Sharp's face, leaving a deep gash filled with splinters. A cursory glance out of what remained of the cubicle revealed that the mutants entering through the door had been less fortunate, completely shredded by the shrapnel from the double explosions.

 

@@Unicorncob.

When the grenade exploded one of the friendly mutants, Arclight, stepped in front of Lavender reflexively. The second explosion sent the pair of them flying across the room, hitting the ground just short of another batch of crystal tanks. Another mutant, the one whose name had never been discovered, slammed into a bookshelf with bone-shattering force and lay still.

 

@@Orion Caelum.

Instinctively ducking after the first explosion, Wilhelm was shielded from the second one by the large corpse of the mutant he had just killed. However, the blast sent it flying into him and threw the pair of them backwards into a cubicle, Wilhelm's head hitting the ground hard enough to reignite the wound. He immediately felt sick, and the world seemed to spin around him. His ears were also ringing, although that could be from the noise of the explosion, his brain supplied.

Edited May 19, 2016 by Once In A Blue Moon

[Unicorncob 5,684]

Traitor, the voice could be heard in everypony's head now, barring Zayoh, today I will have my revenge. 

 

Lavender swivelled her head around a few times, to see if anypony else was reacting, then pointed to herself.

'Me?' She mouthed.

 

 

The alicorn-demon that had one been Luna descended through the hole in the roof, staring down at Lavender with an expression of utter fury. I will burn your mind and destroy your body, I will destroy your world and everything you...

 

Her ears dropped and she swallowed with nervousness as the mutant bore down on her. "D-do I owe you money? I kinda like my mind... my body's alright. Could use some--"

 

 

The alicorn-mutant flew in through the hole in the roof, its hate almost palpable, and stared down at Lavender.

 

"--shutting up."

 

 

 

When the grenade exploded one of the friendly mutants, Arclight, stepped in front of Lavender reflexively. The second explosion sent the pair of them flying across the room, hitting the ground just short of another batch of crystal tanks. Another mutant, the one whose name had never been discovered, slammed into a bookshelf with bone-shattering force and lay still.

 

She blinked as Arclight got in front of her, and before she could open her mouth, she was slammed by mutant and and sent tumbling across the floor, ending up in front of the crystal tanks.

 

She got up and shook herself off. "What a ride." She looked and dropped her jaw from the hole in the ceiling. "Sweet Celestia, they tore the roof off!"

 

She turned her head just to see an unknown mutant flop onto the floor in front of the bookshelf.

Terror struck her chest as she looked at the unmoving creature and bounded over to her. She frowned and lowered her head to the mutant's, getting right in its face. "You were too good for this world..."

[nolongerabout 403]

@@Once In A Blue Moon, @@Orion Caelum,

 

Sharp reeled from the second, larger explosion. Now that he thought about it, setting off an explosion in a room containing what were effectively highly unstable magical bombs wasn't the best idea. he tried to put pressure on his right foreleg, but by the gods, it hurt. He could feel wood grating against bone. Nevertheless, he slowly limped towards the body of the mutant Wilhelm had killed, which had been flung into one of the other cubicles, leaving his carbine forgotten where he took cover. He saw the pony lying senseless on the ground, and attempted to get to him by pulling the corpse aside with his good foreleg.

[Dust and Memories 557]

@@Once In A Blue Moon

Sharp reeled from the second, larger explosion. Now that he thought about it, setting off an explosion in a room containing what were effectively highly unstable magical bombs wasn't the best idea. he tried to put pressure on his right foreleg, but by the gods, it hurt. He could feel wood grating against bone. Nevertheless, he slowly limped towards the body of the mutant Wilhelm had killed, which had been flung into one of the other cubicles, leaving his carbine forgotten where he took cover. He saw the pony lying senseless on the ground, and attempted to get to him by pulling the corpse aside with his good foreleg.

 

Wilhelm looked up at Sharp with the beatific smile of the mentally addled. "I sheem to be in shome difficulty heeeeree..." he said, and attempted to stand. At that moment, a surge of vertigo seized him in its talons, and Wilhelm fell to the ground with a thump. "Time out, refereeeeee... I wash never good at hoofbaaall..."

 

His vision swam like he was underwater, and his ears wouldn't stop ringing. "I heeear bellsh... am I late for classh again?" Finally thinking to check his head, Wilhelm lifted a hoof to the back of his skull to discover that his mane was matted with blood. "Well, shi..."