private Sombra's Shadow

[Randimaxis 8,642]

>jingle<

 

"Too fast."

 

"How was THAT too fast?  I'm ALWAYS too fast!"

 

Trivy kicked aside a rock, venting a bit of the frustration she was undoubtedly feeling.  They had been at this for hours, and it always seemed like there was something or other that Harcourt was never satisfied about: her angles, her silence, her speed - it was never enough for him, it seemed.

 

"You're not being fair, Harcourt!  I've been trying and trying, but this... stupid... vest... is... STUPID!"

 

She was wearing a leather vest, stitched all over with small brass bells.  Every move she made, they jingled merrily; Trivy was in no mood for merriment, though.  She glared at the purple flag at the end of the pathway; it was the beacon she was supposed to reach without noise, yet it seemed to be taunting her mercilessly as she couldn't seem to get even ten feet from her starting point - and she was at least fifty feet from it, at least in her own assessment.

 

"Trivy, the vest is hardly stupid - it has no mind of its own.  It merely reacts to your-"

 

"To my movements, I KNOW that!"

 

The angry teenager sat down hard on the ground and crossed her arms, all the while little tinkles of sound rung out from the ridiculous-looking vest she wore.  This didn't help her mood any.  She then began, in a rage, to yank the vest off herself - and the jangle of the bells only seemed to serve in making her even angrier.

 

"... STUPID... DAMNED... BELLS... DUMB... VEST!!!"

 

With that final word, she slammed it down beside her and stood up, walking a few feet away down the path.

 

"I'll never get any better with that thing!  I'll never get any better at sneaking!  I'll keep making it ring, and I'm a FAILURE!"

 

As she huffed, there was a faint jingle behind her... then, silence.  After a moment, she gave an exasperated sigh.

 

"Look, I know I asked you to train me to be stealthier, but even if you ARE a so-called 'Master Thief', there's no way anypony could wear that thing and sneak around!  It's impossible!"

 

She turned to tell the stallion directly what she thought of it.

 

"All it's good for is..."

 

But Harcourt wasn't there.

 

The angry look on her face vanished, and she began to glance around curiously.

 

"Umm... hello?  Harcourt?  Did... did I chase you away?  I-I-I didn't mean to do that... hello?"

 

"Boo."

 

Trivy nearly jumped out of her horseflesh, as the single, softly spoken word was directly in her ear.  She spun around so fast, she nearly fell over.  Behind her stood Harcourt, wearing the belled vest and grinning from ear to ear.  As this registered, her look was one of utter amazement.

 

"But... how did... I mean, you... when did..."

 

He chuckled and took a sweeping bow; not a single bell gave a ring.  When he looked back up, her face had fallen hard.

 

"... I'll never be as good as you are."

 

Though her words were self-defeating, Harcourt simply gave her a pat on the shoulder in response.

 

"Trivitarius, you CAN do this... especially if I can.  I may have been training for a long time, but you have the raw potential that Gully Fluff always looked for in his recruits.  This isn't a rush to get it done as fast as possible - this is what training is for, my dear."

 

He turned and pulled the vest off, only the tiniest of tinkles could be heard.  Carefully, he held it out to her.

 

"I have faith in you.  Put it back on.  Let's try again."

 

Trivy eyeballed the evil, evil vest for a moment before finally sighing and rolling her eyes... though it was obvious she had vented enough to give it another go.  She took it and, jangling crazily, put it back on once more.

 

"Now, remember what I've taught you: low and slow, go with the flow."

 

She gave another sigh, then hunkered down close to the ground.

 

"Low and slow.  Go with the flow.  Low and slow.  Low and..."

 

She began to creep forward once again, carefully putting one hoof in front of the other.  Not a jingle yet.  So far, so good.

 

"... slow.  Go with the flow."

 

The motions her hooves were making began to show more fluidity, and her inching creep began to become more of a rolling one.  She continued on, almost moving like smoke across the water.

 

"Low and slow.  Go with the flow.  Low and slow..."

 

It had become a mantra, and Trivy almost seemed as if she were hypnotizing herself with it.

 

"Trivy?"

 

"Go with the flow..."

 

"Trivianna?"

 

"Low... and... slow..."

 

"Trivistina?"

 

Her concentration broke, and she stopped with a bit of a low growl in her throat.

 

"What!?"

 

"Look where you are."

 

Blinking, she stood up again.  Roughly ten feet behind her, the purple flag waved in the breeze.  Her mouth dropped open... then she cheered.

 

"WHOOOOO!  I DID IT!  I DID IT!  DID YOU SEE ME, HARCOURT?  I DID IT!"

 

His smile was almost as big as hers, and she ran over to him, embracing him tightly in her excitement.

 

"You were RIGHT!  I just did exactly what you told me, and I did it!  It was amazing, Harcourt!  I didn't even know it, and I did it!  This was a real pain in the neck, but I finally, finally did it!"

 

She looked up at him with happy tears forming at the corner of her eyes.

 

"I'm glad you believed in me!  It was because of *blurblblb*..."

 

Bubbles of sea foam began to drip from Trivy's still talking mouth.  As Harcourt watched in horror, the foam became a slow trickle of brackish water that began running down her chin and soaking the vest of bells.  All the while, she continued on as if nothing were out of the ordinary.

 

"You really *brlbbrblrbb* for me, and *brlrbrbrlrb* could do it... and you were *bblrblrbrrlb*..."

 

The water came out at an alarming rate now, and her eyes and ears began to follow suit.  Looking around in terror, he saw that the entire area around them had begun to flood with the water that was now pouring copiously from every opening Trivy had on her body.  To add to this terrible sight, she began to bloat up like a waterlogged corpse, and her flesh went pale, swollen and rubbery.  Her eyes, water spraying from them, looked like balls of jelly in her skull.

 

"Thank *bbrlrbrlrbrbr* for all *bbrlllrbrlrb*... I never *bblblrbrlb* say it, but I *bbrlrrbrlrb*..."

 

The water was now spinning in a whirlpool, and Harcourt found himself being spun around as he floundered in the mire.  He felt as if he were the one drowning, and yet his legs refused to respond to his wishes.

 

He felt himself go under for the first of what would be many, many times.

 

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

 

In the makeshift pile of blankets he'd put together as a bed, Harcourt moaned a ragged, sorrowful sound as he twitched and shivered in his sleep.  His legs kicked feebly, trying to tread water that wasn't even there as he whimpered softly.

 

Beads of terror sweat rolled down his muzzle as he suffered in his dreams... as he had, every night, for a long time now.

[Pripyat Pony 2,608]

@@Pucksterv, Jinx smirked in purest evil glee as a unicorn mare stumbled in front of her. One thing that had been bothering her about sending the spell in those orbs was that it meant that she couldn't view the pain and mental agony that a pony hit with the torture spell went thru. Now, it seemed as tho Fate itself smiled upon her and sent her a victim. To prevent the mare's escape, Jinx hit her with the spell which applied a magic suppression band around a unicorn's horn. Otherwise, she judged the pony to be too tired from her flight to try and run, and soon, she would be incapable of doing so.

 

"Well, well," Jinx said, in a voice laced with pure malice. "Looks like a perfect opportunity for some entertainment." She fired a blast of her Dark Magic at Trivy, putting the torture spell on her. At the same time, she brought up the viewing screen so that she could watch the strange pony's torment. Lastly, she put a shield around them both so that the entertainment could not be interrupted, and settled down to watch.

[Pucksterv 4,508]

"Er, b-but I... Uh..." His face was even deeper red now that she saw him. But maybe he could just play it off, make it seem like it was nothing. "Ok then, uh, l-lead the way to the kitchen." He said, turning his head and trying to hide the blush covering his face. "I'm, uh, a pretty decent cook, if I do say so myself..." He began following her to the dining quarters.

Winter gave a cute smile as she saw his cheek turn even redder. She walked with him towards the kitchen, continuing talking, laughing.

 

(TIME SKIP! Only for the ponies on the ship)

 

A few days past. The sun was shining brightly, there was a sweet honey breeze in the air as the ship sailed forward. Winter was laying in the crows nest, eyes closed, enjoying the sun's warmth. Underneath her on the deck were drinks and little snack for the ponies interested. The mood was definitely improving but occasionally there was still this small whisper of sadness among everypony. 

 

---

@@Pripyat Pony, 

 

Dark... black... silence.... why can't I open eyes.. why am I not breathing? Eyes flash open. Blue around. I'm surrounded by water.... I here screaming... I... I'm drowning. HELP ME! I try to speak.... water is filling my lungs... I'm kicking my hoofs as hard as I can... SOMEPONY HELP ME!

 

Silence

 

I open my eyes... a figure, a shadow in the dark? ''Who's there? D-Da-Dad is that you?"

 

''You are a disappointment, You are weak. You're dangerous. You are nothing to me. Get out! Get out this house now. I don't want you here anymore. Your mother is scared of you. Everything is your fault. Get out, I don't ever wanna see you around here again. Loser."

 

"but... but dad..."

 

A door opens in the corner of Trivy's eyes. The dark figure, gone. She turns her head away, walking towards the light coming from the door. She steps in/out. ''Where the hay am I now? What is this place?''

 

"What are you doing here?'

 

"Harcourt?"

 

"You are a disappointment. Get out. I don't ever want to see you again. You're weak. You can't do anything. Look at you. Silly little filly."

 

"Why.. why would you say that?'' Trivy started crying.

 

"You are dead to me."

 

She fell to the floor, sobbing, crying as Harcourt walked away. 

 

*Trivy, snap out of it*

 

The light faded. Suddenly she was standing in a dark room, three walls of concrete and the last one made of iron bars. A dark figure was laying on the floor in chains. Trivy's tears were gone like that as she walked slowly towards the pile of misery on the floor. "Who... who are you?''

 

''Trivy, it's me. Twilight.

 

"Twilight? How did you get here?''

 

"I am in your mind remember? Our minds are bonded together with the element of magic. Doesn't matter. You have to snap out of this dream!''

 

"Wait, this is a dream?''

 

"Yes. Now wake up!''

 

Trivy's eyes flew open as she jumped slightly. She looked straight into the eyes of Jinx.

Edited October 25, 2015 by Pucksterv

[Count Paradox 3,548]

Psych was down below, tending to Wing. "Now, if you don't hold still, young filly, I will use my powers to hold you in place as I wash this out of your mane." He sat next to her, levitating a washcloth and a brush. "Seriously, how did you get this much peanut butter in there?" He asked, scrubbing.

[Pripyat Pony 2,608]

@@Pucksterv, "Well, well, an interesting development," Jinx said, staring right back at Trivy. She waved her horn, and the viewing screen, now black, vanished. "I'm sure that there are ponies who would be very interested to learn that useful titbit. Oh, and don't think that your friend can get that suppression band off your horn. Even an alicorn Princess could not get rid of that, and believe me, it has been tested."

 

Jinx had no fear of the pony in front of her. What could a mare like her fear, a mare who had conquered death itself, fear from a rebel? Especially now since she had seen inside that mare's mind and had learned her deepest, darkest fears...

[Pucksterv 4,508]

@@Pripyat Pony,

 

Trivy showed her teeth as she growled at Jinx . She then found herself going weak again, eyes falling back, hoofs giving up as she fell back onto the ground. This time, she was completely out.

 

---

 

Back inside the walls of Baltimare, troops of the royal army started coming from every corner and every street, followed by an furry filled white coated Lady. "RAVE DARKMANE! Get over here you coward!'' Rarity yelled as loud as she could, trying to located the one she addressed.

[Pripyat Pony 2,608]

@@Pucksterv, Jinx smiled in triumph, and pointed her horn at Trivy. Ropes came out of nowhere and tied her from head to hoof. She then nodded to a nearby guard. "Inform Rave Darkmane that I will be taking a rebel prisoner back to the Crystal Empire," she said. "I'm sure that his Majesty would like to deal with her personally."

[Randimaxis 8,642]

 

 

"Seriously, how did you get this much peanut butter in there?"

 

"I was plaaaaaa-yiiiiiiing!" 

 

Lovely Wing squirmed and wallowed in the wooden washtub she'd been placed in - quite against her will, in fact.

 

"It was really good, and I just wanted to play - I mean really, I- HEY!"

 

Psych poured only a small amount of water over her from the levitated pitcher, but she reacted as if it had been a waterfall.  She gave her big brother a glare that melted into a sweet smile.

 

"I'm sorry I made a mess... but Chip was the one who threw it first, and I-"

 

Wing clapped both hooves over her mouth.  She'd spilled the beans about their stowaway; she suddenly reached out and hugged Psych, soaking wet.

 

"PleasepleasepleasepleasePLEEEEEEASE don't tell about Chip!  I'll be good, I PROMISE!  No more peanut bubber fights, I promise!  Really!  Okay?  Okay, please?"

[JonasDarkmane 19,777]

@@Pucksterv

 

Rave watched from afar, however, he was notified of Rarity's presence. 

 

"What? I--- I thought that most of them were dead.... how can she be.... never mind. She will be dealt with. This petty resistance stops. If she has been inspiring the rebels, then I shall crush their spirits here, once and for all". 

 

Sombra's shadow observed Rave's departure to the city. His dark voice rung in Rave's head. 

 

"Make sure she stays dead. I will lend you some of my strength while you fight". 

 

Rave felt a surge of pain course through his body. He stumbled a bit on his way, but soon found himself running a bit faster than before. His visuals hardened as he entered the city, ready to take on the white lady herself. 

 

After a moment, he found himself standing in front of Rarity, flanked by his own soldiers behind. 

 

"Stand down lady, death itself has come to claim this land.....". A smile crept up his face, revealing his fangs, as his red eyes started to glow, purple smoke leaking from them. 

[Pucksterv 4,508]

"Stand back Rave. You know this fight is already over. You're soldiers are running out, the ones remain are tired out from the battle. My stallions here are fresh, ready for battle. Stand down now! Leave this city alone, take your fight somewhere else. The elements have already left the bay, you'll never catch up with them. Nor will I let you." Rarity took a step closer towards Rave, eyes full of fury. 

[Count Paradox 3,548]

 

"I'm sorry I made a mess... but Chip was the one who threw it first, and I-"

 

Wing clapped both hooves over her mouth.  She'd spilled the beans about their stowaway; she suddenly reached out and hugged Psych, soaking wet.

 

"PleasepleasepleasepleasePLEEEEEEASE don't tell about Chip!  I'll be good, I PROMISE!  No more peanut bubber fights, I promise!  Really!  Okay?  Okay, please?"

He stopped in mid scrub. "Wiiiiiing... You know that wasn't a smart thing to do... His brother will be worried sick... But..." He thought for a moment. "Him being a stowaway probably saved his life... So it was probably good that he's here... I will have to tell, but don't worry, I'll make sure you won't get into trouble." He turned his head up to the crow's nest. "Winter, can you come here for a moment, please?" He shouted as he scrubbed Wing more.

[Pripyat Pony 2,608]

@@Pucksterv, Jinx thought to herself, sardonically, that Rave would be glad that she was leaving the battlefield. She had noticed how he had looked at her when she had arrived at Baltimare to take command. Well now, she thought, Now he can claim all the glory for the victory himself, if it means that much to him. Jinx herself didn't much care about personal glory. All she cared about was personal advancement and the means to continue and advance her studies. Jinx was always striving towards her heart's desire; the wish to become an alicorn. So far she hadn't succeeded, but she continued to work towards it.

 

The fact was that Jinx's upbringing had been very unsettled. Her mother had been disinterested in her young filly, save when she failed at schoolwork. Then she was harsh and forbidding, forcing her daughter to stay in after school and study more, not allowing her to have friends. Eventually, the other young ponies stopped their overtures of friendship towards Jinx, and she was left alone. Jinx's reaction to this enforced loneliness was to turn to her father for friendship and love, but her mother had not liked that, either. A proud, spiteful and cold mare, Jinx's mother had grown increasingly jealous of her daughter's closeness to her husband, and eventually her jealously had driven the situation to a terrifying climax. Jinx's mother had murdered her husband and had been imprisoned.

 

Jinx had been shunted from foster family to foster family, but remained withdrawn and friendless, instead immersing herself in her studies and striving to become the best. The troubled filly eventually discovered a book on dark magic, hidden at the back of the town library, and was captivated by the spells within. Soon after, Jinx gained her cutie mark as she realised that her talent was for dark magic and she became even more deeply steeped in darkness. Eventually, she carried out her mother's execution, which she felt her mother more than deserved. Soon after that, as a grown mare, Jinx began her forays into achieving immortality.

 

Shaking her head, Jinx teleported herself and her prisoner to the Crystal Empire. She refused to dwell on her past.

[Randimaxis 8,642]

Wing looked at Psych, and her pleading face began to screw into a crying face.  Tears began to show from the sides of her eyes, but she simply crossed her hooves and put on an adorable pout.

 

"Now I'm gonna get all in trouble... meanie..."

 

She stuck out her little pink tongue at him, and with a single huff she sat in the tub, mad yet so cute.  After a moment, a look of worry crossed her features.

 

"Winter won't... she won't throw him overboard... will she?"

[That One Techpriest You Used To Know 2,286]

En... ough... of...

 

---

 

"THIS!"

 

Lilith opened her eyes as her cloak faded to red. She bolted upright as the gauntlets on her arms clicked and, with a whoosh, out slid a pair of claws. With a grin, she realized that the real Lilith must be sleeping from the previous night of meet-and-greet with the other refugees. "Well, then. This is quite an interesting situation. A whole bunch of time only to myself."

 

What?! Nononono, you'll wake her up and then she'll be really upset! You can't just...

... As much as I wish to agree, we have both had significant time having control over her over the past few days. Let me make this clear, though- no killing. If you want to pick a fight, then pick a fight, but do NOT kill, injure, or maim anyone. This includes throwing them overboard. Have some fun, but don't do anything stupid, alright?

Of course she's gonna do something stupid. It's all she knows how to do.

 

"Oh, be quiet, both of you, and leave me alone for a while."

 

With a bright grin, she stalked around the ship, looking for Harcourt, almost practically skipping, yet emitting the air of a predator waiting for prey. Those seeing her would barely recognize Lilith, but to Harcourt- the one who knew her secret- he would be able to tell. Stopping in front of where Harcourt was himself, she poked her head around to confirm she was there before saying rather loudly, "Hey, old creep! Let's go above the deck of this old, rotting ship and play with some knives so I can have some fun! Unless you've forgotten how?" As she says this, she takes out a dagger out of her belt and flips it around in her hooves as she rounds the corner, the bright red cloak in full view as she takes in what state Harcourt so happens to be in.

[Randimaxis 8,642]

>THUNK<

 

The silver throwing dagger had pinned only a corner of the red cloak to the wall, but it was certainly enough to tell that the old creep was most certainly awake.

 

Harcourt, still sweating a bit from this morning's exercise, raised an eyebrow as he saw the red in Lilith's cloak.

 

"I thought it might be you... yet I thought they rarely let you out to play?"

 

Still, the old stallion found himself eager to duel - eager to do anything but think about the one pony that had been haunting him, day after day.  This would be a welcome distraction, he thought, as long as this one doesn't kill me first, that is.

 

Balancing a second dagger on his hoof, he gave her a grin that he felt only in his face... but it was a very convincing grin.

 

"Hmmmmm... mayhaps I have forgotten how..."

 

He moved past the red-cloaked pony, yanking the dagger from the cloak with a smooth movement as he passed it.  He walked to the stairs, then looked back behind him.

 

"... then again, mayhaps not, eh?"

 

He made his way up to the deck, ready to do what he could to at least forget the rest of the world for a while.

 

After all, if I die I could finally rest in peace...

[Pucksterv 4,508]

He turned his head up to the crow's nest. "Winter, can you come here for a moment, please?" He shouted as he scrubbed Wing more.

Winter snapped out of her drowzy thoughts as she heard her favourite voice calling for her. "Coming!" She said as she jumped out of the crow's nest and flew down. "You called for me Casanova?" She said with a smirk. She looked at the bubble covered Wing with a smile. Cuteness runs in the family.

Edited October 25, 2015 by Pucksterv

[Count Paradox 3,548]

Wing looked at Psych, and her pleading face began to screw into a crying face.  Tears began to show from the sides of hr eyes, but she simply crossed her hooves and put on an adorable pout.

 

"Now I'm gonna get all in trouble... meanie..."

 

She stuck out her little pink tongue at him, and with a single huff she sat in the tub, mad yet so cute.  After a moment, a look of worry crossed her features.

 

"Winter won't... she won't throw him overboard... will she?"

"I don't think that she will, sweetie. But we will have to talk about why you shouldn't have done that."  

Winter snapped out of her drowzy thoughts as she heard her favourite voice calling for her. "Coming!" She said as she jumped out of the crow's nest and flew down. "You called for me Casanova?" She said with a smirk. She looked at the bubble covered Wing with a smile. Cuteness runs in the family.

He blushed yet again, turning to her and trying to pretend that it didn't get to him. "Well, it seems that Wing here told me that she has a stowaway somewhere on board. A friend of hers." He scrubbed her down as he and Winter spoke. "We can't be too harsh on her, though... It will help her to have a friend on the ship besides me."

[Randimaxis 8,642]

"I... I didn't wanna tell, but... it was the peanut bubber fight!  We didn't mean to get it all over, and I-I-I swear I can clean it up!  Please don't throw Chip overboard!  He can fly, but not THAT far!"

 

Wing looked ready to cry... but instead, she stood up and puffed out her tiny chest in defiance.

 

"Besides, you CAN'T throw him off the ship; I'm not tellin' where he's hiding!"

 

She crossed her arms and, with a set and determined scowl on her face, she sat right down in the tub with a small splash.  She scooted around in a circle until she was facing neither Winter nor Psych.

 

"... he's MY friend, and I ain't gonna give him up!"

 

Even angry, she was just adorable.

[That One Techpriest You Used To Know 2,286]

"Oh? Oh... OHOHOHO! YES!"

 

With an almost childlike expression of joy on her face, she performed a flying leap right over Harcourt's head, slamming doors and ensuring that anyone who currently might be trying to sleep would most definitely fail at it at this point. Zooming straight up the ladder, she quickly slammed open the hatch as she jumped out, veering only to avoid completely destroying the snacks. "Everyone, clear the lower decks!" she exclaimed with jubilant glee. "The old stallion's got some spunk in him and he wants to play!"

 

Still practically buzzing with feral excitement, she quickly opened one of the doors to one of the lower deck's cabins and took out a bit of spare ropes, quickly roping off the stairs areas with a loose knot that could be undone quickly in an emergency, glancing up to the upper decks where the others were having their... drama. Yes... pointless gum flabbing... but it'll all end soon! We'll stun them with this display of bladecraft. You ready, Lilith?

 

Mmh... no... not him, too...!

 

I'll take that as a yes. Also, go punch that monster for me, would ya? Let's get this show on the road.

 

As Harcourt made his way up top, she smiled at him, as she drew a brace of daggers from under her cloak, as well as offered forth her gauntlets with the claws sticking out of them, locked in position so that they could not changed to a ranged weapon- she would have five daggers and her pair of claws. "For your examination beforehand, if you so choose. Oooh, this is exciting! It's been too long since this sleepyhead has been in a good fight, let alone a sparring duel against a potential dagger master!"

[Count Paradox 3,548]

@Randimaxis

 

"Wing... I promise, Chip won't be thrown overboard. We just need to talk to him, to both of you, to tell you why what you did was wrong. We won't throw anypony overboard, though we might ground you for a bit." He smiled a bit, then dumped water on her to rinse the last of the suds off. "There, finally clean." He grabbed a dry towel to dry her off with.

[Randimaxis 8,642]

Harcourt ran his talented eyes across the gauntlets, silently marveling at their construction.

 

"These are... exquisitely made, I must say.  They're certainly going to be interesting to deal with.  And I think mayhaps you're giving me a bit too much credit - 'dagger master'?  I wouldn't quite brag about it that way... but I do have a few good tricks."

 

He nodded at the bladed gauntlets.  "These will be fine, by the way... and I do admit, with all of your talk of fighting, I'm intrigued to see what you're like in a fight; I expect to be dazzled, by the way - please don't disappoint."

 

The grin he wore as he made his way to the port-side railing was now a bit feral in nature, and he stopped and turned to face his 'foe'.

 

"Well then... I expect you're tired of talking; let's see some action, shall we?  Take the starboard side, and we can begin."

 

He took a simple-looking defensive stance... yet that smile said it might be more than simple in Harcourt's case...

 

"Whenever you're ready."  

[That One Techpriest You Used To Know 2,286]

She strode rapidly over to the other side of the ship, sketched a simple curtsy, and rose again, "Indeed! My the stars shine upon you now, as well! FOR THE LOST ONES!"

 

With her excited smile now overtaken by an almost-demonic grin, leaving no doubt in anyone's mind anymore that this was, in fact, not Lilith, she quickly took out two daggers and threw them both almost simultaneously, sticking with a pair of loud thuds into the wood by Harcourt's hooves. As soon as they left her hoof, however, immediately started sprinting, seeking to close the distance, with a third dagger in her hooves as a countermeasure or in case of an opening.

 

However, she quickly realized that she was moving slower than she should have gone. Tch. I guess that's why we don't really like to control her while she's sleeping, as well as the wear it puts on her. I'll just have to keep it in mind...

 

You know this is going to end badly if he plays like a rouge is supposed to, right?

Mmh... be ready to force Lilith's personality back into her body. This could get ugly.

I told you guys, be quiet!

Zzzzz... give... back... zzz...

[Randimaxis 8,642]

There was not a twitch as the daggers stuck into the wood at his feet.  As Lilith approached, Harcourt's mind began calculating angles of momentum.  His mind was a steel trap, and the erstwhile Ranger was about to spring it.

 

At the very moment she reached the two-step mark in front of him, he juked to his right; he was faster than a greased Wonderbolt as he slung his dagger swiftly and precisely at a pre-chosen place in the deck - right in front of Lilith's left hoof.  This done, he liquidly slid into place behind her and, as her hoof connected with the jutting handle, he raised his rear hooves and pushed - NOT kicked - at Lilith's midsection in an attempt to shove her off her hooves.

 

"Slow... but precise.  Not bad, not bad!"

 

Rolling forward, they had ended up switching sides.  He hunkered down, like a cat about to pounce.  Lilith (and her 'allies') had never really seen anypony move so fast on the ground before; he most certainly was in good physical shape... even for a pony of his age.  Heck, he moved faster than ponies a third of his age.

 

"Come on... again!  Show me more!"

[-Octavia- 1,176]

More out of wanting something to do than anything, Aria stood at the wheel on this lazy day, keeping the engine off and letting the crisp wind take hold of the ship. Sunlight shared in the excitement of the waves, dancing across the ocean in abandon. Lilting voices carried across the deck as refugees enjoyed the peace afforded by the ship, finally free of Death's looming embrace.

 

With a sigh, Aria's body slumped over the wheel in a mixture of contentment and resignation as she eyed the endearing equines.

 

One manifestation of Death, at any rate...

 

After falling into Despair several nights ago, Aria had awoken to the sight of starry salvation. How peculiar it was that—for the first time since she had lost her magic—she had been visited by those thoughts that had once threatened to dissolve her. Assailed every night thereafter by similar visions, she pondered that in which she had felt assured. Always it was the same question, and always the answer was ever elusive. Insidious imagery instilled illusory identities, insisting iniquities in insipid ideals. Despite these inquiries, she knew she could look to her guiding star to always keep her on course.

 

It was of her she thought as a small smile played upon her lips, steering her away from unwanted ideals as she let the peace of the moment wash over her.

[That One Techpriest You Used To Know 2,286]

Lilith yowled like a cat as she leaped backwards away from him as he reacted so quickly, flinging her dagger at him and just missing, leaving it stuck in the railing near his hoof, leaving his kick hitting nothing but open air. "What the hell?" she growled. "You move faster than a greased pig!"

 

She grumbled to herself, leaving her claws in a defensive stance in front of her while she quickly took the daggers out of the wood, expecting him to try and throw another dagger while she was picking them up. She sheathed them again, and took as step back, slowly circling him with claws extended, closing the distance slowly this time as she tried to get him against either the mast or the ship's railings. Drawing another dagger, she hurled it straight at his chest to keep him on his guard, thrown in such a way that the knife would hit him with the hilt of the blade as opposed to the actual blade as she tried to conceal her movements. Reversing her circling, she bounded at him and swiped, preparing her other hoof for a quick defense or a riposte should he counter attack.

 

By the Old Ones, this one moves like lightning! And he's out of his prime!

Heh. A thief until the end.