open Deception

[EpicApplejack 73]

~From the monotonous static, a voice permeated the nearly inaudible buzzing~

 

   "Hello... Hello?  Is anypony out there?"  Sensiquill had lost hope a long time ago.  The only reason he was away from his abandoned farmhouse was because he found a short wave radio while scavenging for supplies.  He thought that perhaps this could be the salvation he was looking for.  "~sigh~ It's been exactly a year since the war efforts declined.  I just can't stand being alone anymore.  It's so quiet... At least when they aren't around."  A few moments passed as he gathered his thoughts, "Okay listen, if anypony can hear me, meet me in Trottingham.  There should be a bank in the Western outskirts.  That's where I'll be..." 

 

  Sensiquill gazed into the sky as the pale greys transcended into dark indigos.

 

   "We need to work together if we are to outlast this thing...  Be there at dawn"

 

   The pony proceeded to turn off the radio and figured it was too dangerous to trek back to his safe house.  He decided to roll out the mat he slept on and camp the night out on the hilltop at hoof.  After all, he was just outside of Trottingham and his refuge was a couple miles in the wrong direction. 

 

   The pony stared at the stars until he drifted to sleep.  There were no dreams that night.  It was simply silent.

 

(Well here you go guys, it's up and ready to roll.  Godspeed.)

[Trevor Bright 872]

David sat up in his bunker. His radio had turned on, waking him up from a dreamless sleep. Dreamless. Why dreamless? He always dreamed of her. She...No! He wouldn't think about that. He focused on what had woken him...His radio? Why was that on? "-an hear me, meet me in Trottingham.  There should be a bank in the Western outskirts.  That's where I'll be..."  Trottingham huh? That's one place he hadn't been in a while. "I do need to get out more. Staying in this bunker, while safe, is getting pretty dull." He contemplated on his next move. He couldn't just leave, not while the Princess might still have need of him. He was, after all, her loyal shadow. "But a chance to get out, put all this training you've been doing to work." Came a voice in his head. Un-bidden, and un-welcomed. This was the voice that usually got him in to trouble. "Oh, come on. You're always so logical. Loosen up for once." "Shut-Up!" The argument was giving me a head ache. I grabbed a bottle of my favorite hard cider reserve and noticed it was getting low. "Apple Sauce!" I contemplated leaving my safe house to restock on much needed supplies. Truth be told, I was getting stir crazy. With nothing to do, someone like me and my past, the feeling of being safe is quite an alien one. I finally conceded to the little voice in the back of my head. "Fine, we'll go check this out then pick up some supplies and head right back here. No Imperial or changeling trouble!" "Yeah bucking right. You know as well as I do that the moment you step hoof outside that safe house door, something big is likely to happen. We just can't keep our muzzle out of trouble." I rub my temple in frustration knowing that I'm right. I start to walk back to my bed when I realize the radio had been on this whole time. I catch the last line. "Be there at dawn" "Well, night time was always one of our stronger suits." "That's true. At least they were kind enough to chose dawn over dusk. Alright, lets go. But if we get in trouble, I'm telling Luna it was your fault." "And end up in the mental institution? You know she said that she'd lock us up next time we talked about us like that." "Maybe that wouldn't be a bad thing, maybe Doctor Hooves could get rid of you." I had long ago come to terms with arguing with myself. It helped pass the time that I spent alone, which was a lot. Whether I was stalking, running, hiding, or just reading. Having Poe there was actually kinda comforting. Yes, I named my split personality, but what's a pony supposed to do huh? "Correction, my name is Poe, you didn't name me. I did." "What ever pocket, let's go." I magically grab my vest and check over every pocket to make sure all my items were in their places. "Flashlight, knife, another knife, another knife, anoth...How many knives do we need?" "You never can be to prepared!" "Yeah, but three of the same kind? They're not even throwing knives. What ever, I got room to spare." "Field rations, protein bars, favorite hard cider. Check, check, and double check." "So, food, supplies, miscellaneous, everything is accounted for." I push the key pad and enter the code to unlock the door. As I step hoof outside to leave, I stop and look around one more time to make sure I'm not forgetting anything. "David, lets get going!" David merely responds with a nod. Turns around and walks out the door. It shuts with a ominous bang.

Edited November 16, 2013 by Dave Pyro

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

Trottingham- Inquisiton Secondary HQ (Decommisioned)

 

As Moon Crypt paced in an underground chamber, cleverly disguised underneath an apartment, he turned and looked at his supplies. it wasn't much. It probably wouldn't last a month. He needed help. And fast.

 

Suddenly, the large crystal- used in the olden days to intercept radio- sparked to life. 

 

 

"...should be a bank in the Western outskirts.  That's where I'll be..." 

It was another survivor. From his voice, he was not exactly in the best shape. But he had gotten his hooves on a small radio system... how interesting.

 

Well... maybe if we pool supplies, we'll be able to last for longer.

 

Sighing, he gathered up his remaining supplies- consisting of his two daggers, his crossbow, a few packs of rations, and such- and, in a flash of green light, suddenly became a yellow pegasus with brown hair. He smiled before shaking his head.

 

And with that, he began to make his way carefully to the old bank, using the skills that he had used, many, many times before to remain undetected...

[Hive King 2,001]

Skuldaf looked about the remains of Ponyville, saddened by the destruction. Nature had been destroyed in this area, almost to the point of no return. Skuldaf untied a bag of seeds and began replanting. Even if the changelings killed everypony, at least the animals and plants which he loved would survive. His ears heard a crackling beneath a building, pausing his replanting. The bulky pony blasted away the rubble to reveal a small radio, clutched in the hooves of a crushed pony. He listened to the chatter intently before planting the last of his seeds and walking off. He would go to Trottingham so they could remake nature

[Rokkurin 214]

Guardian ran as fast as he could as some....thing was chasing him. The reason was that he found a very rare thing. An untouched apple. What he didn't know was that this monster was actually going to eat it. After taking the food, the monster gave chase. Guardian jumped around, avoiding all the objects in his way.

 

After what seemed like hours, he finally lost the creature. He was just about to take a bite when his radio interrupted him...

 

.......if anypony can hear me, meet me in Trottingham.  There should be a bank in the Western outskirts.  That's where I'll be..."

 

 

After thinking about it, he puts the apple away in an air-tight jar for later. Maybe someone else needed it more than he did and set out towards Trottingham

[pr3datortac0 15]

Lewis crept down one of the many dark streets of trottingham remaining unseen by anything or any pony, not because he was trained or because he was using a spell, simply because he was a very quiet unnoticeable young stallion. As he came to the edge of an alley he heard a faint crackling coming from said alley. He peered around the corner to see a group of changelings sleeping near a small fire to keep warm. The crackling he heard though was no the fire but a radio one of the changelings had left out. "a radio!? I think I can get it if I'm quiet enough... and Celestia knows I could use it....." He slid around the corner and tippie-hooved over to the radio, grabbed it quickly, and left the same way he came. He trotted quickly to a near by building when he heard a voice over the radio say

 

anypony can hear me, meet me in Trottingham.  There should be a bank in the Western outskirts.  That's where I'll be..." 

Lewis thought for a moment "hmm I guess I should at least go and see if he needs help.... Or has food..." His stomach rumbled and he looked down at it then nodded. "I'll go and see if they need any help. The bank is only a few blocks from here anyway..." With that he stepped back outside and quietly made his way towards the bank.

[TheBreech 91]

After the changelings, Cosmo lost everything. He'd experienced this after leaving his clan but this was different. He'd repented his sins and forgiven himself when he joined the Lunar Church. This time he felt no guilt, only the desire to avenge the Princess who'd spared his life, and to serve the goddess who gave it a purpose. As he stood among the bodies of several changelings. His coat was black with blood, yet his sword hovered beside him clean, thanks to another's efforts...

"Another victory..." Fade said without enthusiasm. Cosmo felt the need to fight but his guardian spirit didn't. "Well Fade give me a better idea because by the night I..." Their argument was interrupted by one of the changeling's radio going off with a message from a survivor. "There's one..." Fade said but having looted the bodies for supplies like the radio, Cosmo was already blitzing toward the meet up, his body propelled by his custom spell, Shadow Dance, which telekinetically pushed him for a boost of speed or precise maneuvers. "A survivor! Lady Night has smiled upon me this evening..." In his excitement, Cosmo found the bank hours before dawn, and took up a spot inside to sleep, and left a rune for any pony who wales through to know where he was.

(I can't post during the day because of school but I promise I won't be missing for more than a day at most.)

Edited November 16, 2013 by TheBreech

[pr3datortac0 15]

I reach the bank just a few hours before dawn and I check to be sure I wasn't followed by any changelings. When I'm sure the coast is clear I start for the door of the bank but I stop when I see the rune placed at the door. "It looks like someones already here..." I get down next to the rune but not close enough for its magic to take effect. "I wonder what kind of a rune it is...." sighs "I knew I should have payed attention in class....." I get up and look around then I call softly into the building, "H-hello?... i-is anypony in there?...."

[TheBreech 91]

I reach the bank just a few hours before dawn and I check to be sure I wasn't followed by any changelings. When I'm sure the coast is clear I start for the door of the bank but I stop when I see the rune placed at the door. "It looks like someones already here..." I get down next to the rune but not close enough for its magic to take effect. "I wonder what kind of a rune it is...." sighs "I knew I should have payed attention in class....." I get up and look around then I call softly into the building, "H-hello?... i-is anypony in there?...."

Cosmo learned to sleep lightly a while ago and immediately heard the voice. He crept closer but remained hidden. He projected a message of, "That rune will tell you exactly where I am as long as you're a pony. I'd like to greet a fellow survivor but the changelings kinda bucked the whole concept of trusting faces... Step forward and find me."

Edited November 16, 2013 by TheBreech

[Hive King 2,001]

Skuldaf glared as he saw Changeling corpses sprawled everywhere. Such a waste of life, so senseless. He walked up to each one, closing its dead eyes and muttering a few words in memory of the Changeling. Skuldaf could see the bank and walked for it, scowling at the thought that a pony would kill so many.

[pr3datortac0 15]

Cosmo learned to sleep lightly a while ago and immediately heard the voice. He crept closer but remained hidden. He projected a message of, "That rune will tell you exactly where I am as long as you're a pony. I'd like to greet a fellow survivor but the changelings kinda bucked the whole concept of trusting faces... Step forward and find me."

"o-ok...." Starts to step on it but stops for a second pondering my decidion. "I hope i can trust him...." I step onto the rune and imideatly turn to face you. "O-oh! there you are...." I step fully into the bank now. "A-are you the pony from the radio? Your voice sounds different...." I look aroud the bank to see if anypony else was with you.

[TheBreech 91]

"o-ok...." Starts to step on it but stops for a second pondering my decidion. "I hope i can trust him...." I step onto the rune and imideatly turn to face you. "O-oh! there you are...." I step fully into the bank now. "A-are you the pony from the radio? Your voice sounds different...." I look aroud the bank to see if anypony else was with you.

As the rune kicked in, Cosmo smiled and came into the open, "No, but I am glad to see another pony for the first in a long time. I'm Cosmo Shadesteel, former student and Royal Assassin of Princess Luna. Sorry if I was threatening, but I guess with changelings, precaution doesn't really require explanation. What's your name before I talk the next month away."

[pr3datortac0 15]

As the rune kicked in, Cosmo smiled and came into the open, "No, but I am glad to see another pony for the first in a long time. I'm Cosmo Shadesteel, former student and Royal Assassin of Princess Luna. Sorry if I was threatening, but I guess with changelings, precaution doesn't really require explanation. What's your name before I talk the next month away."

Smiles shyly, "I-I'm Lewis.... I'm not r-really anything special..... I-I somtimes played the my viola for the pricesses but thats about it....."

 

 

Skuldaf could see the bank and walked for it, scowling at the thought that a pony would kill so many.

I hear the clopping sound of hooves on stone. "S-Somepony is coming... I-I hope they're a pony..." My ears fall back and I scoot away from the open door.

[Trevor Bright 872]

David had stopped at the usual supply dump that only members of the Shades had access to. Surprisingly, this one looked like it had been re-stocked. He would've chocked that up to good luck except that the access log showed that it had been opened with in the last week. He opened it with caution, expecting a trap. "Nothing." "Nothing except sweet sweet supplies you mean?" David walked over to the section where he knew his favorite brand of hard cider would be and grabbed a hold of the first bottle he saw. Using his magic, he popped the lid off and took a swig. "Aaahhhh. That hits the spot. So, we'll grab some supplies then we- WHAT THE HAY SEEDS?!?!?!?" There was a loud bamph as a note seemingly materialized out of thin air. "It's a note. No need to freak out. Geeze. You are way to jumpy sometimes." "What ever. Who did this anyway?" he pondered, staring at it as he took another swig from the bottle. "Hmmm. I don't know? Queen Chrysalis? OPEN IT!" "No, if it was Chrysalis, this cider would probably be poisoned, and I know what poison tastes like. Hmmmm. Not detecting any booby traps or spells on the note." "OPEN IT!" "Fine, fine. Just don't rush me." Setting his bottle down he grabbed the note and opened it and immediately recognized the hoof-writing. "Luna?!?!?!?" *reading the note:*

 

My loyal shadow,

 

I knew eventually you'd end up at one of the supplies depots for you trade mark cider. This note is specially enchanted to teleport to which ever depot has your favorite hard cider tampered with first. The reason I do this is because I have something extremely important to tell you. You are the last Shade. And as my shadow, I give you this very important mission. There is rumored to be survivors. Nothing solid, though. I need you to find them and bring them to one of the NLR supply depots. We need them on our side! There should be a bottle of dragon fire hidden in one of the cider boxes. Use it to send me a note as soon as you can get them to safety. Gods speed!

 

Luna

 

David finished the letter about the same time as he finished his bottle. "D'arvit." He reached in to the box and was about to pop the lid off of the bottle he just grabbed when Poe screamed at him "NNNNOOOOOOO!!" He jumped, nearly dropping the bottle but managed to catch it with magic. Looking at it, he saw that the bottle had been emptied of cider and filled with dragon fire, just like Luna had said. "I'm gonna leave this alone for now." He said, laughing nervously and setting it down. He turned around and started to walk away, putting the note in one of his pockets as he did so. "Luckily for us, this depot isn't to far from the bank that our mystery survivor mentioned in his radio message." "Lets get going!" "Just a sec, I don't want everypony to know it's me right off. I'm gonna shift really quick." "Oh, do me! Black coat and Blue mane! Please?!?!?!" "Fine" A flash of blue fire later, I look like a different pony. With a quick check over to make sure everything was still in order and I'm out the door, making my way over to the meeting spot.

[TheBreech 91]

Cosmo cast a quick invisibility spell and called out to the approaching figure, "Walk in this building and step on the rune on the floor. If you're a pony, it'll show me to you , if not... Well you won't have to worry about that..." Fade watched from within Cosmo's mind unsettled by how quickly Cosmo could shift moods like that but aware of the necessity in doing so.

[EpicApplejack 73]

Sensiquill watched in silence atop the Celestial Apostle.  So far it seemed the ponies entering the bank were safe.  They seemed almost as if they were trying to be stealthy.  "Good signs, all very good signs."  He muttered to himself. 

 

He began to rise from his post when muffled hissing from below stopped him in his tracks.  A pair of changelings emerged from the church.  They hardly had a reason to waste their energy shape-shifting nowadays.  It's not like the sister militaries were a threat anymore.

 

The changelings didn't have the slightest clue of the ponies in the bank, though they still strolled in its direction.  Sensiquill thought about confronting the invaders but he wasn't in the mood to fight, in fact he never really was.  He was more of an intellectual than a warrior.  He decided to watch and see whether the ponies were battle worthy.

 

The changelings walked casually into the bank, fulfilling their morning patrol...

[pr3datortac0 15]

Sensiquill watched in silence atop the Celestial Apostle.  So far it seemed the ponies entering the bank were safe.  They seemed almost as if they were trying to be stealthy.  "Good signs, all very good signs."  He muttered to himself. 

 

He began to rise from his post when muffled hissing from below stopped him in his tracks.  A pair of changelings emerged from the church.  They hardly had a reason to waste their energy shape-shifting nowadays.  It's not like the sister militaries were a threat anymore.

 

The changelings didn't have the slightest clue of the ponies in the bank, though they still strolled in its direction.  Sensiquill thought about confronting the invaders but he wasn't in the mood to fight, in fact he never really was.  He was more of an intellectual than a warrior.  He decided to watch and see whether the ponies were battle worthy.

 

The changelings walked casually into the bank, fulfilling their morning patrol...

Lewis laid as flat as he could on the floor behind a counter, he held his breath and watched the two changelings enter the bank. "Oh buck..... how are we gonna deal with this? think lewis....." He watched the changelings as they made their way towards him, and he made one of the dumbest decisions that he has ever made. He hopped up onto the counter getting the attention of the changelings imediatly. He then tackled one of them and punched it as hard as he could in the muzzle, breaking it and getting blood on his hoof. THen he froze not thinking he would have gotten this far.

[Trevor Bright 872]

David crouched in the tall grass on the bank, still disguised as a black stallion, using a small set of binoculars he kept in one of his multiple pockets. That mixed with a heat vision detecting spell he picked up off a militia unicorn made for a good combination. "Alright! There they are! There's two in the building, and one up in that church up there." "Thanks" David replied sarcastically. He was about to shut down his vision spell and put the binoculars away and go in to the church when Poe shouted "WAIT!" "What!" David snapped impatiently. "Look, we don't have time for this, Luna gave us a mission and...are those...two...uh oh." "Yeah, uh oh."

 

David thought through his options. "I could confront the changelings, two shouldn't two hard to take down. Problem is if they catch sight of me, they'll let every other changeling for a mile or so around us that I'm here. I need to get a message to those two inside. I wonder if either of them has a radio. If they do, and if the one up in that church is the one that broadcast the message, then we could be in business." "Come on, let's go kick the stuffings out of them. Please?" "You and your wanton violence. No, I need to slip around and get up to that other pony before those two changelings get in the bank!" "Better hurry then, they're almost to the door."

 

Without any further encouragement, David turned around and hoofed it as fast as possible toward the mystery pony in the church, hoping that he still had his equipment, and that the two inside had some kind of radio. He walked up behind him, noting his cutie mark was a book and quill. "Hey!" He whispered as quietly as he could "Hey! You! Mr. note book guy!" David looked around and saw, to his utter horror, the two changelings walk in to the bank. "Apple sauce! We don't have much time! Mr. Note book! If you still have your radio stuff, now's the time to use it!"
 

Edited November 16, 2013 by Dave Pyro

[TheBreech 91]

Cosmo didn't waste a second. The moment Lewis tackled one of the changelings, Cosmo used the distraction to behead the other and moved to help if Lewis couldn't handle his foe. "I want to help but these ponies have survived this long, I should let him finish off his opponent..."

[pr3datortac0 15]

Lewis stared down at the semi-concious changeling below him then looked up at Cosmo for a second, then back at the changeling. He raised his hoof again and hesitated for a breif moment, he closed his eyes and brought his hoof down on the changeling over and over till he felt it stop breathing. At this point his face was spattered with blood and his hoof was driping with the crimson liquid and he got off the now dead changeling and crawled away from it a little ways then sat and stared at the ground. "............."

[TheBreech 91]

Lewis stared down at the semi-concious changeling below him then looked up at Cosmo for a second, then back at the changeling. He raised his hoof again and hesitated for a breif moment, he closed his eyes and brought his hoof down on the changeling over and over till he felt it stop breathing. At this point his face was spattered with blood and his hoof was driping with the crimson liquid and he got off the now dead changeling and crawled away from it a little ways then sat and stared at the ground. "............."

Cosmo felt sick. "By the night... He's not a warrior and I just forced him to kill someone didn't I..." Cosmo walked over, "You did well man... I didn't intend to put you in a position that would mess with you... I'm here to help if you need me..." Cosmo trotted off with Fade muttering to him, "You saw him fight Cosmo. He's got warrior blood in him, he just might not have shown it very well... I'll shut up now." Cosmo nodded his thanks.

[Trevor Bright 872]

David sat watching through his binoculars. They did it without his help. "Maybe they'll be better assets to the NLR then we originally thought." David just nodded in agreement. He decided to teleport down to them. With a *bamph* he left the church and appeared at the foot of the bank and walked up and in to introduce himself.

[pr3datortac0 15]

Cosmo felt sick. "By the night... He's not a warrior and I just forced him to kill someone didn't I..." Cosmo walked over, "You did well man... I didn't intend to put you in a position that would mess with you... I'm here to help if you need me..." Cosmo trotted off with Fade muttering to him, "You saw him fight Cosmo. He's got warrior blood in him, he just might not have shown it very well... I'll shut up now." Cosmo nodded his thanks.

Lewis stares at the ground a little longer then snaps back into reality and shakes his head. He looks at his hoof in disgust and cleans the blood off with magic. He then gets up and walks over to Cosmo. "H-hey... u-um thanks.... I-I know you didn't mean to mess with my head or anything... I-its just.... that was my first time killing something...." chuckles nervously "i-its a little silly huh?.... after all this time you would think everyone would have killed a lot but.. oh well.."

 

 

With a *bamph* he left the church and appeared at the foot of the bank and walked up and in to introduce himself.

Lewis looks at the door scared hearing the sound of teleportation magics being used "please no more changelings....

Edited November 16, 2013 by pr3datortac0

[Trevor Bright 872]

David, still disguised as a dark stallion, stuck his head in the door and notices the two ponies he'd seen earlier. "Knock knock, hello?" "You and your cliches" "Shut up, can't talk to you right now. You know they can't hear you and...you're just making me look like an idoit talking to my self aren't you?" Poe Chuckles in David's head. "Mhmm." David looks up sheepishly and in a flash of blue, changes back to his usual color. "Hi, I'm David. Who are you guys?"

[EpicApplejack 73]

"Unicorns and there magic, always taking the easy way." Sensiquill grumbled to himself as the David teleported to the bank.  The grey-blue pony sighed as he made his way down from the apostle.  He approached the door where he met the three ponies.  "You two fought well, I believe you'd be valuable assets...  As for you, you dunce!"  Sensiquill shot a glance at David, "You almost blew my cover!  What in the name of Celestia were you thinking?"