open [Still accepting new characters!]Strifes of Pandora

[Hazard Time 1,127]

@@genessee

 

Bronze gave a big smile and patted him roughly on the back.  "That's the spirit," she chuckled, once more taking his foreleg in hers as she dragged him off to the bar.  A few minutes later, they were sitting at a table, a large plate of greasy potato slices smothered in cheese sitting between them while the pegasus chugged from a bottle of scrumpy.  When she came back up for air, she set the bottle down just as a tremor started at the base of her spine and shot up her back.

 

"Oooooooh, lovely," she grunted, beating her chest to aid with the harsh burn.  "You sure you don't want some?"  She held the bottle out to Lance as she shoveled a few cheesy fries into her mouth.

[genessee 535]

@@Hazard Time

 

"No, I'll stay sober for now." Lance replied. His stomach growled. Lance snatched a cheese fry and shoved it into his mouth, and then he took another. And another. Within seconds, Lance had eaten almost half of the cheese fries. He stopped eating and grinned, cheese and potato stuck in between his teeth. "I do like cheese fries, though." Lance was about to warn Bronze to slow down on the alcohol, but thought better of it. She seems like she's having fun, why stop her? Lance WAS thirsty after eating the salty fries though, and stared at the scrumpy, now almost empty. Only a sip. 

 

---

 

A few minutes later, Lance had his own bottle in front of him, chugging nearly as fast as Bronze. Beer dribbled down from his mouth, and finally he slammed the bottle down. "Cheers..." Lance mumbled, and then hiccuped. It was very rare for Lance to become drunk, mainly because he regretting doing so after he sobered up and found himself face down in an alley or bar, penniless. Another reason why Lance didn't drink was because he had no real friends on Pandora, so it wasn't nearly as fun. Lance got up and ordered another drink.

[Hazard Time 1,127]

@@genessee

 

By the time all the fries were gone, Bronze's head was lolling about on the table, the bottle completely empty.  Her body felt like lead, but especially her head.  Heh, that rhymed...

 

"Ach, du lieber Augustin, Augustin, Augustin..."  The mare shifted and began waving her hoof roughly in time to the ditty she sang.  As she did so, her weapon slid from where it was and onto the floor.  She was too drunk to care.

[genessee 535]

@@Hazard Time

 

Lance sang along with the tune, not noticing the dahl rifle fall to the floor. Lance stopped singing for a moment and took another swig of his new bottle. The thoughts of the explosion and Blood completely left his mind the more alcohol Lance drank. Lance found it hard to think straight, so he didn't. His fourth bottle was nearly empty, but Lance continued to sing along with Bronze. "Ach du lieber Augustin, Augusti- Hic!- Augustin..." Lance finished his bottle, but was too drunk to stand up and go get a fifth drink.

Edited December 18, 2016 by genessee

[FancyHorse 1,209]

Darkness. Shit. Breathing? Check?

 

"301?..."whispered. Feeling a sudden weight on him as he asked for his mechanical companion.

 

"I am here." Came the reply, notably caring.

"Vital checks. Pronto."

 

"Vital checks at 47% you've taken a serious injury. Your pelvis has a notable fracture Along with a broken tail. No internal bleeding detected. " he finished.

Struggling slight he pushed away at the metal fragments and debris upon him. With a burst of pain he winced letting out a low growl.

"Syrenette.." he whispered reaching into his travel satchel for his final one. Sticking it near into his torso as before with the rush of liquids and cell producing micro organic machices doing their job.

[genessee 535]

@@Hazard Time

 

As our heroes were in the bar, drinking and eating and singing, the front door to the bar opened, and a large, heavily tattooed stallion walked in. He walks in, and immediately sees the two drunken ponies, Lance and Bronze, having a good time. He scoffs and orders a drink from the bartender, and continues to watch the two. They seem like easy pickings when they leave. All I need to do is beat the crap out of them, and they won't be able to hit me once. Then I can take all their loot. The stallion noticed Bronze's rifle on the ground, unwatched. He smiled and quickly walked by the table the two were sitting at and whisked the gun away as he walked past it. He hid it in his satchel and went back for his drink. Now I wait. The stallion waited for the two to either stagger out of the bar or to doze off. It's a good find to steal not one, but two sucker's stuff. I wonder how much they have on them? And where am I gonna hide their bodies?

[Ranger22 179]

The griffon was to say the least grateful that he managed to make it pas the guard. It would have been a shame having to go loud after wasting hours on foot/hoof trying to be 'stealthy' so to speak. Giving his body some freedom to stretch he had decided to take a look around in the room they were currently in. Various glass domes, or think tanks lined up evenly on tall racks. They housed strangely colored liquids with a single type of organ or body part floating around. The large number of organs, along with the variety of the organs in question made the mercenary wonder why had nobody noticed anything off. But Whitetip quickly reminded himself that he was on Pandora, a planet full of dangerous/killer wildlife and hardy/crazy inhabitants that died often enough that no one asked too many questions unless it was a personal matter. The grisly sight of body parts in front of him was something not entirely new to him, much to the griffon's slight annoyance. It was often that field doctors sold off amputated limbs and dead bodies to the blackmarket to make an extra couple of bucks on certain battlefield locations. At least, that's what he'd observed when he fought on remote planets with his battalion. Suffice to say those doctors were not popular, and often ended up with a close casket funeral due to the courtesy of some angry Dahl marines who saw there buddy not get their bodies sent back home.

 

Taking his mind off the organs Whitetip had heard the options the stallion had offered to the three of them, Take out the generators, assault the armory, or go straight for the head honcho and settle the stallion's personal vendetta. If there was anything else, the griffon hadn't noticed or bothered to think too hard on. All were viable options and would each bring a unique advantage if chosen to be undertook. If he was back in Dahl he would have tooken out the generator and go off from there. However, there was only three people here with Whitetip included and Whitetip honestly wanted to get the mission over with. "I say we go straight for the doc, I assume he's one of the main reasons why this operation is still running. We take him out, we settle your personal matter, and I get to do my business. If not, you tell me what I should do instead and then tell me where to go in order to accomplish it." Whitetip quickly worded out as he slumped his back on to one of the walls, choosing to ignore the stallion's and Rose' luke-warm exchange. Like hell these retarded cyborgs could cause more of a stir up then handsome Jack. If the three of us could take this threat, then sure as hell a team on Pandora could mop the floor with these cyborgs. The crimson lance, cl4p-trap revolution, and handsome Jack's army were three really good examples.

[FancyHorse 1,209]

"Vitals stabilizing. " 301 spoke, the aged canine noting as his health meter returned to its full capacity. 

 

The area around him was littered with smoke, with the quarters behind now a collapsed rubble pile. Son of a bitch, the ... actually that was ... crafty? Although a bit unorthodox? With that finished it was time for a retreat. Contract completed. Taking off back into the direction of reverse he made his way outward. The bandits no doubt will be coming back. 

 

----

 

Felt like an eternity. The sun sparking deep into his eyes as his vision adjusted. Breathing in that sweet sweet molten air and filth. Oh what joy.

"I've detected your signature Fallskir. Nice work down there. I had a good prediction chance of your success. Passed with flying colors!" The satellite spoke with good praise.

"Eh, coulda been better. His goons were more a fight then the actual target. Too easy." He said as he made his fast pace back toward the New Haven gates. The guards will probably be on high alert. Maybe he'll have to explain himself.

 

The gate was just in view after his brief traversal over the rusted hills and jagged junkfields. 

Propped up on his little walkway one of the stallions looked down raising his metallic sunhat as the canine approached at his typical running speed.

"Hey you! Stop there." He raised his hoof, rifle in the other.

"Did I make too much noise?" Fallskir called up to him.

@@BloodDrops

The stallion looked up and back down to him after examining southward.

"You did all that?" He asked.

"One problem gone, another help to your little shit hole I guess?" Fallskir shrugged, as though it were nothing.

"Helena is gonna be pretty stooked about this. Mr. Mayor is a bit busy-" The pony was cut off as Fallskir entered the gate.

"Don't want your approval or your excuse of a leader. Just want me pay." He said making his way barely noticing at the tangled zomb-pony at the center post. 

@@genessee,@@Hazard Time,

 

The sounds of the chatter and loud songs could be heard admist the bar attendants. Taking a quick stop to note at the drunken holligans slobber and sing into the mighty musked air. He shook his head and continued on toward the bounty board. 

[Light of Night 332]

Dusk Rose's ear flicked in annoyance at his tone, but his words weren't lost on her. She had a feeling that she struck a nerve, but it could also just be irritation. At least, going off of what she was currently feeling about how she didn't get the sort of answers she was looking for. But no time to dwell on that, as there was the question of strategy.

 

Just as she opened her mouth to speak, she tasted something foul on her tongue and that was when the lights came on. Her eyes didn't have enough time to adjust, so the walls of preserved parts was a bit of a shocker. The initial shock eventually gave way to curiosity edged with the ever-present sense of foreboding. Slowly with steady steps, she walked by the shelves, reminded of those horror stories she read a lot of. She had an idea of what fiction is like. She had an idea of what the real thing is like. Yet, she could not begin to describe the two coming together.

 

Walking around the room and taking small breaths to keep from tasting the scent, she said,"Well, I believe we should go after the Center Office. Or rather, we go towards Dr. Skinner, I diverge at some point, I make my way there, and, assuming I survive, you get mission control." Then she paused, then sighed and said,"Otherwise, if the path is going to take too long, I'll be with you two all the way. Either way, I'd like to make sure we don't get any surprises."

[BloodDrops 762]

@, @@genessee,@@Hazard Time,

 

Blood had been trapped in her net for several hours now, for the first hour or two she had waited for Lance and Bronze to rescue her, after all she was the one that had given them those medical supply's. Maybe there were not as good as I thought them to be. She had then began to pick at the net trying to bite though it. She had managed to bite though the rope that had bound her to the post.

 

She then began to nibble on the net covering her, if she could nibble though several strings she could escape.Blood paused to look at the lights in the sky, she frowned at the new ponies arriving, she didn't like them one bit. She let out a low growl at them, they were not Bronze or Lance. Though she didn't like Lance or Bronze now either, they had abandoned there herd. The worst crime of all to a Zombie, she would have her revenge later.

 

She stared at the new arrivals, she let out another growl at them "I'm trapped" she called over to them.

[genessee 535]

@@BloodDrops @@Hazard Time

 

Something had been nagging Lance as he sat in the bar, but he couldn't place it. It made it difficult to enjoy himself. So Lance eventually dragged himself out of his seat and headed for the exit. He mumbled something similar to 'Let's go' to Bronze and staggered towards the front door to the bar. He really didn't care right now if Bronze followed or not, he would probably walk back inside after he forgot what he was doing. Behind Lance, a large stallion got out of his seat and quietly followed Lance, who didn't notice. Lance walked out and stood in at the entrance of the bar. He saw a green pony in the town square. Suddenly, memories slapped Lance into feeling semi-sober. Blood! I totally forgot! Lance turned around to get back into the bar and drag a drunken Bronze out of her seat, and ran smack-dab into the stallion that had followed him. "Scuse me..." Lance began maneuvering around him, and the stallion let him go. Lance rushed into the bar.

[FancyHorse 1,209]

Pressing his paw onto the turn in button his HUD popped up with a success screen with a transfer of 32,000 bits into his account.

With a nod of approaval he let out a sigh.

"That was totally not worth it."He said.

 

With a slight disappointment in thought he decided to retreat himself to the bar.

@@genessee

 

Passing by both Lance and and the mysterious stranger he takes his leave into a back table. He pulled back at his hood and his head mesh cover to reveal his graying fur into the slight cool air of the bar.

[genessee 535]

@ @@Hazard Time

 

Lance had almost made it to the table where Bronze sat. Actually, she more of lay on the table, still drunk. Lance noted that the only reason that he could think was because he had seen Blood, and he wasn't fully sober. His vision blurred when he turned and his reaction time wasn't very fast. A hooded stallion passed by Lance, which of whom Lance didn't take much notice. Lance eyed his empty bottle, and noticed that there was still a sip of alcohol left. Lance reached for it, but stopped himself. You're already going to have a nasty time when the hangover comes, don't make it worse on yourself. Lance couldn't help but stare at the delicious liquid. No. None. No more drinks. Let me just get Bronze and go rescue Blood. How long has she been there? Jeez. I hope she isn't too angry. Lance trotted next to Bronze and told her, "Alright, we're heading out. C'mon." Not waiting for a reply, Lance tugged Bronze out of her seat and made his way towards the exit. Huh. That stallion who I bumped into hasn't moved from the door... eh, he's probably waiting for somepony. No big deal. 

[Hazard Time 1,127]

@@genessee

 

With as much alcohol as there was in her, Bronze was amazingly still able to stand, albeit not exactly straight.

 

"'mmm not ready t' go 'ome yyyyet," she slurred.  "There'shhhhhtil good...a goood....a lot lot lot lot left!"

 

She leaned heavily against the other stallion, her cheek nuzzling against his.  "Yer warrrmmmm..."

[genessee 535]

@@Hazard Time

 

Lance stopped dragging and let Bronze lean against him. Not that I enjoy it. No, not at all... Finally, Lance gathered himself and told Bronze, "Tell you what. I'll let you get one more drink. Then we can head out." Lance regretted the words as soon as they came out of his mouth. I'm going to be so tempted to order one more for myself. Lance stuck to his word, however, and ordered one final scrumpy. He handed it to Bronze and then continued dragging her to the front door.

[Hazard Time 1,127]

@@genessee

 

Bronze mustered up the best smile her numb face could put on and reached for the shot glass.  "Fanksh, luv," she murmured, knocking the glass off to the side.  Huh, she could have sworn that one was the real shot glass.  It had to be one of the other two.  She extended her hoof out to grab the other one, yet somehow managed to punch the side of the counter.  The jolt this sent through her body knocked her off balance and she slumped to the floor, her legs feebly stretching out in front of her.

 

"No fairrr..."

[genessee 535]

@@Hazard Time

 

Lance stood and looked at Bronze, and winced when she hit the counter. "Alright, I think that's enough. C'mon, we're heading out." Lance got Bronze to her hoofs and lead her out the door. Behind him, the stallion trotted in position, and tapped Lance on the shoulder when he was a foot outside the bar, Bronze still next to him. Lance turned around, and before he could say anything, the stallion gruffly said, "Lights out, buddy." Lance wasn't sure what happened next. He felt a tremendous pain in his lower jaw, and his mouth filled with the warm taste of blood. He hit the ground. Hard. His drunkenness didn't help him get up. But he did, and he shoved Bronze away from the stallion and himself. "Scoot!" Lance flipped around and faced the stallion, and sent a barrage of attacks at him. They all missed. How's he going so fast? Lance swung, and missed every time. He was convinced that the stallion was using some magic. In truth, Lance was just attacking very slowly. After a few minutes of swinging his fists, Lance grew tired and stopped to rest. This was a big mistake. The stallion brought his hooves down on Lance's head, and Lance collapsed. His last vision before he fell into the abyss of unconsciousness was of the stallion pulling out a dahl assault rifle, and then brought it down like a mace on Lance's head.  

[BloodDrops 762]

@@genessee,@@Hazard Time,

 

(Edited)

 

Blood had been busy in there absence. She had watched the strange pony turn around and leave, she frowned curious. Though she hadn't thought much about it, she instead released herself from the net by biting the main rope. After that she had wiggled out of the net. Then she was ready, she snorted angrily. Her vengeance would come swift and would make her happier, though it would have to wait for now, she had another mission to achieve first.

 

She began walking, and walking. She was a fast walker, and didn't tire like a normal pony. She pushed herself, until she had reached her destination. She found exactly what she wanted, she spent several minutes searching the site and then achieved her first goal. She then started her second goal, she traveled again, back to where her nose took her. Lance and bronze she could track there scent now she had traveled with them. She was indeed a masterful hunter, her escorts thought so as well. 

 

She stopped outside the bar and signaled to her friends about the whereabouts of her former herd members.  Blood snorted at the unconscious Lance, he was not faring any better. She looked at Bronze and Lance her eyes blazing accusingly. She sat herself down and pulled out one of the treats the merc's had brought her, a leftover piece of leg, there former agreement having been re-established. 

 

Three mercenary's trotted after Blood and moved over to Lance and bronze "Dead Hoof sends his regards" the leader grunted, drawing a 10" knife. "Now I'm gonna be having that pretty little head of yours, Both of yours" he grunted at Bronze and Lance, the other two thugs brought up there machine guns, posing no argument. They turned to the stranger "So, you want a reward, or you got a problem as well?" He growled.

 

 

 

Edited December 20, 2016 by BloodDrops

[FancyHorse 1,209]

@@genessee'@@Hazard Time

 

With his ears perked up it was difficult not to notice of the fuss outside. With his mesh hood back on he looked about in the direction with the door still wide open.

"301 do you see this?"He whispered into his ECHO.

"Noted sir. There's a little group of them. Might not be best to tangle." The satellite spoke.

 

Getting up with his Phobia in paw he carefully approached taking seat next to the wall with a closer view as it played out watching at the scuffle.

[Hazard Time 1,127]

@@genessee @ @@BloodDrops

 

Bronze's blood ran cold as she heard the name of her former employer.  How were there still ponies out there serving him?  He was supposed to be dead!

 

"Whu-..." she mumbled, trying and failing to roll over on her other side to get a better view.  "What're...what'ryu talking about...?"

[genessee 535]

@@BloodDrops @ @@Hazard Time

 

Lance's head rang, and he could feel warm blood oozing from his forehead, nose, and mouth. He could not see anything, or move. He couldn't think, either. He could hear and feel, that was it. He felt like a spectator, with no control of anything. All he could do was watch and hope he liked the outcome. He could hear the stallion near him.  He was taking his bits, and any stuff that Lance had been carrying. None of it was important, except for Lance's rifle. Then he heard the stallion dart away, ignoring a drunken Bronze. Now, he could hear other voices. Blood? And Bronze, whom was still drunk. He heard someone mention Dead Hoof. Lance heard somepony unholster a blade, and two machine guns being readied. Lance wanted to scream out and fight, but he couldn't. Invisible chains held him back. He just wanted to help Bronze. Reason with Blood. Get. the. buck. OUT. Lance fought to free himself from his dark prison. Finally, he could feel his head. He could think. He could feel his entire body again. I'm not dead? I'm.. I'M NOT DEAD! Lance tried to jump and rejoice, but as soon as his legs went to push himself up, pain flew through his body. "Nnngh..." Lance grunted. His blood had pooled around him, and he was facedown in it. So Lance forced his limbs to flip his body to be faceup, and when he did, he saw multiple things: Bronze hadn't left. Blood was sitting behind three thugs, and Lance went for his rifle. It was gone. Oh, right. I got mugged. Lance was helpless. He could barely breathe. His own blood soaked into his dark mane and dyed it a scarlet red. The only thing he could do was look. His head was pounding, and his bleeding had only slowed. Lance looked towards the bar in a last ditch attempt to call for help. To his surprise, the hooded stallion stared down at him from the bar window. Lance gave a pleading look towards him. If he doesn't want to help us, we're bucked.

Edited December 20, 2016 by genessee

[BloodDrops 762]

@@genessee, @@Hazard Time,

 

 

Blood smirked "Sorry Bronze, But They gave me a offer i couldn't refuse, after all. A zombie got to eat" she remarked at the drunk mare, she wouldn't eat her liver, it probably wasn't that healthy looking at the state of her, though she and Lance wouldn't be that healthy in several minutes. "They just want your head, though you won't appreciate that since you're dead. Though I get whatever they don't want" she remarked.

 

Blood looked at Lance, "Seems like you've unarmed, defenseless. Now I wouldn't harm you. Though these three might, seems you crossed the wrong mare. You also crossed the wrong stallion as well. Dead Hoof would be proud, well. Whoever is running the joint is will be proud, two more hooves for his collection. Well hooves and head anyway" she snorted.

 

"Take them to the cage, I will drag them back to Dead Hoof." she snorted her eyes narrowed.

[FancyHorse 1,209]

@@genessee,@@Hazard Time

 

This wasnt an idle combat scenario. Urban, close, civies. Hostages and what not.

 

Stealth would be the best approach. Continuing to wait by he put away his Phobia nd awaited for the next move. See were this took him. Nothing he hated more then some bandit scum. And zombes? What was this one on about?

[genessee 535]

@@BloodDrops @@Hazard Time @

 

Blood? Really? That... that's just messed up. Lance could do nothing but hope. He recalled a poster he had seen a long, long time ago: 'Hope is precious... ...don't lose it'  Lance found that hope was very hard to keep right then. Yes, Lance had messed up before. Badly. But every time he got away. Sure, usually he suffered some nasty scars, but he never died on those trips. Welp, there's a first time for everything. Lance looked over at Bronze. Lance wanted someone to blame for this. He was about to shout how it was all Bronze's fault that he was going to die, but he stopped. She had given him the chance to leave. In fact, he could've just not hitchhiked in the first place and he would have been fine. But instead, he was about to die. This was all his fault. In fact, if he hadn't been there, Bronze would have killed Dead Hoof and have been done with it. No zombies involved. But... if Lance hadn't been there, he wouldn't of met Blood, who saved Bronze. Lance smiled to himself before realising that Blood would've went and saved Bronze anyway. Lance had just been an annoyance the entire journey. An extra. If he had beaten the mugger, he could've shot the lot of thugs up and kept Blood at bay, at least enough time to save Bronze. But Lance had to have taken that sip of beer. And then it all came tumbling down. Lance felt that this was his fate. His time was up. Lance stared at Bronze. She was going to die too. It was all Lance's fault. Lance could think of nothing to say except one thing. So he forced it out of his mouth in a raspy whisper, "Bronze... I-I'm sorry." Then Lance coughed on his own blood. 

[Hazard Time 1,127]

@@BloodDrops @@genessee @

 

There was only so much that Bronze's mind could take, as compromised as she was.  Little things began filtering their way through her sodden skull, and what she heard neither helped her sober up nor made her feel any better.  Blood had somehow contacted the late-Dead Hoof's former bandit group and was turning them in for leaving her for dead?  Well, maybe she had this coming.  If she hadn't been so thirsty (in more ways than one), she wouldn't have found herself in this situation.  Heck, maybe Blood would have wandered off and left her well enough alone after that.

 

Well done, Bronze.  You played yourself again.

 

With that, she gave up trying to stay conscious.