open Deception

[Trevor Bright 872]

(((ooc, @@TheBreech we are in the bunker. Poe got Cosmo to the bunker. then, David did a magic transfusion to help Cosmo recover. That drained most of his magic and he passed out because of it. Dang, stupid 200 character minimum...I'm going to now just type until I hit 200. There!)))

[pr3datortac0 15]

Cosmo slowly returned to consciousness, and eventually got up to find David passed out near him. Fade appeared, "Cosmo, by the night what were you thinking?!" Cosmo rolled his eyes, "I'm alive..." Fade face hoofed hard enough to join the pile of unconscious bodies if he wasn't a ghost, "Just get your friend to the bunker..." Cosmo smirked and slung David over his shoulder and got him back to the base, laying him on one of the beds everyone seemed oblivious of.

Lewis saw them come in and trotted to them quickly. "I-is David okay?... What happened?" He looks over at Cosmo. "Are you ok? You look a little beat up.... Can I help at all? I... uh... I have a low degree in medicine..." He looks back down at David of whom is still out cold with a worried look on his face. 

[Trevor Bright 872]

Even though David was still definitely very unconscious, his horn started to glow a very soft green color. It then shot out a beam and a projection of a familiar black stallion appeared. "Greetings! I'm Poe, I'm sorry about our earlier misunderstanding. David's fine by the way, we both pool a little magic and keep it stored in case of emergency, that's why I'm talking to you now. Anyways! Just wanted to talk. You ponies probably wouldn't trust me in person, so I thought this would be a suitable compromise."

[TheBreech 91]

Cosmo shrugged at Poe, "Works for me... Oh and thanks man, but I'm ok. I'm pretty bucking resilient... Especially when I'm not pushing beyond my limits." Cosmo laughed but Fade simply shook his head in frustration and concern. Cosmo had been pushing himself beyond his limits with Fade's help, and while at first it was necessary, Cosmo was abusing that last resort as a main ability and had just suffered for it. "Anyway... Thanks Poe. I think I was wrong about you... Well my head feels like Celestia just beat me with the sun so what's on your mind?"

[Trevor Bright 872]

Poe laughed. "I'm sorry to say this, but you've just misjudged me again." He smiled at Cosmo as he explained. "I have no problem explaining this to you right now while I'm calm, but I'll probably kick myself later for telling you this. Anyways, while David seems to be driven by logic, things he can see, what's going on around him, and that kind of thing, I'm more driven by emotions. That's why when I first met you guys, I had just gotten away from a fight and I was still raring to go. Right now though, I'm beat, almost totally out of magic, physically and emotionally drained. That's why I'm calmer right now. David is more analytical while I'm more of a go getter. That's why we make a great team. He is able to think while I fight, or I like it that way, he doesn't like trading as much. But I am much better at thinking on my hooves then he is." Poe looked around. "Well, it's been fun, but now I must run. Our magic is beginning to wane and David won't survive such a drain. He chuckled at his rhyme and in a flash of blue, vanished. David's horn stopped glowing and everything settled down again.

[TheBreech 91]

Poe laughed. "I'm sorry to say this, but you've just misjudged me again." He smiled at Cosmo as he explained. "I have no problem explaining this to you right now while I'm calm, but I'll probably kick myself later for telling you this. Anyways, while David seems to be driven by logic, things he can see, what's going on around him, and that kind of thing, I'm more driven by emotions. That's why when I first met you guys, I had just gotten away from a fight and I was still raring to go. Right now though, I'm beat, almost totally out of magic, physically and emotionally drained. That's why I'm calmer right now. David is more analytical while I'm more of a go getter. That's why we make a great team. He is able to think while I fight, or I like it that way, he doesn't like trading as much. But I am much better at thinking on my hooves then he is." Poe looked around. "Well, it's been fun, but now I must run. Our magic is beginning to wane and David won't survive such a drain. He chuckled at his rhyme and in a flash of blue, vanished. David's horn stopped glowing and everything settled down again.

Cosmo shrugged, and despite having left, he told Poe, "I thought you were an active menace. I'm not dismissing you as a threat. Especially after that explanation." Cosmo knew Poe was a wildcard, but he also recognized that his target is the changelings and as far as Cosmo was concerned, that made him an ally.

[Trevor Bright 872]

David opened one eye and immediately shut it again, groaning at the head ache he felt. "What the hades happened? D'arvit. My head is killing me!" He sat up and opened one eye, then another. "Wow...I need some cider." He got up off the bed and walked over to where the stash of cider was and magically grabbed on of the bottles, taking the cap off as he did so. He took a big gulp and sighed. "That's the ticket!"

[TheBreech 91]

Cosmo considered asking David about those changelings but figured if David knew anything, it would the who's what's and whys Cosmo didn't care about. All he needed was how; How to defeat them. As he thought about combat, Cosmo thought about Lewis, and his lack of combat experience. As he started to worry about the guy, he had an idea and walked over, "Hey Lewis, you'll probably need to fight some changelings in the near future, and I wouldn't plan on taking patrols by surprise as a reliable fighting style. I'm wondering if your interested in a training session."

Edited November 27, 2013 by TheBreech

[pr3datortac0 15]

Cosmo considered asking David about those changelings but figured if David knew anything, it would the who's what's and whys Cosmo didn't care about. All he needed was how; How to defeat them. As he thought about combat, Cosmo thought about Lewis, and his lack of combat experience. As he started to worry about the guy, he had an idea and walked over, "Hey Lewis, you'll probably need to fight some changelings in the near future, and I wouldn't plan on taking patrols by surprise as a reliable fighting style. I'm wondering if your interested in a training session."

Lewis's ears perked up hesring Cosmo say his name. He tilted his head in slight confusion. "Y-you want to teach me how to fight?" He thought about it for a minute and thought to him self "It's probably a good idea to take up his offer.... I don't know how to fight and I don't wanna freeze up again..." He nodds and says "Y-yes please. I can't depend on everypony to take care of me can I?... B-but I can take care of everypony, by um... by healing any injuries you get."

[TheBreech 91]

Lewis's ears perked up hesring Cosmo say his name. He tilted his head in slight confusion. "Y-you want to teach me how to fight?" He thought about it for a minute and thought to him self "It's probably a good idea to take up his offer.... I don't know how to fight and I don't wanna freeze up again..." He nodds and says "Y-yes please. I can't depend on everypony to take care of me can I?... B-but I can take care of everypony, by um... by healing any injuries you get."

Cosmo nodded, "I'm not saying you aren't helpful. I'm just offering to give you some training. If you're interested, I'll be outside practicing. If you decide you don't want to, no worries, combat isn't for everyone." Cosmo stepped outside and found a small clearing a few yards from the base entrance and began going through a series of drills to help maintain his balance between swordplay and magic, which had been tilting towards magic lately.

[Trevor Bright 872]

David walked out and sat down watching Cosmo practice. It was interesting watching him rotate between magic and sword. "I'd rather just use magic to blow everything to kingdom come." David sighed. "Yes, I know you would, that's why I'm not so sure we'd be able to keep up in a fight with a trained soldier like him. While I'm not discounting our abilities at stealth, and that we're better at sneak attacks, in a fight, we might lose. We've been losing our edge." He could feel Poe's unease at his words. So he knows I'm right then.

[pr3datortac0 15]

Cosmo nodded, "I'm not saying you aren't helpful. I'm just offering to give you some training. If you're interested, I'll be outside practicing. If you decide you don't want to, no worries, combat isn't for everyone." Cosmo stepped outside and found a small clearing a few yards from the base entrance and began going through a series of drills to help maintain his balance between swordplay and magic, which had been tilting towards magic lately.

Lewis nodds and trotts out after Cosmo and watches for a little while he trains. "H-hey Cosmo... I've made my mind up... I.. uh.. I wanna learn how to fight..... I probably won't be very good... fightings not my thing... b-but I want to be able to defend myself so others wont have to!"

[TheBreech 91]

Lewis nodds and trotts out after Cosmo and watches for a little while he trains. "H-hey Cosmo... I've made my mind up... I.. uh.. I wanna learn how to fight..... I probably won't be very good... fightings not my thing... b-but I want to be able to defend myself so others wont have to!"

Cosmo's practice was mostly running through short combat motions so he was able to quickly finish before talking to Lewis. "I'm glad to hear it," Cosmo said, "First, there should be some combat knives in the bunker, and they're always a great starting weapon." Cosmo's horn glowed as he teleported a pair of knives from the armory. He gave one to Lewis and kept the other, "I was trained to use telekinesis to hold these but I can show you how to fight with your jaw too. Alright I'll show you some basic strikes and conjure a few practice dummies, but the fun part about combat is creating your own combat style. It's only in combat that I've come up with my best techniques. For example..." Cosmo shook his head, "I'm getting ahead of myself here, now for the training." Cosmo used Shadow Clone to create several copies of himself only they were now grey, faceless, and featureless training targets. He explained he of the slashes and stabs as he demonstrated them before conjuring a set for Lewis, "Your turn."

(I set this thing up around noon and forgot to post, sorry )

[Moonlight Fire 20]

Cosmo's practice was mostly running through short combat motions so he was able to quickly finish before talking to Lewis. "I'm glad to hear it," Cosmo said, "First, there should be some combat knives in the bunker, and they're always a great starting weapon." Cosmo's horn glowed as he teleported a pair of knives from the armory. He gave one to Lewis and kept the other, "I was trained to use telekinesis to hold these but I can show you how to fight with your jaw too. Alright I'll show you some basic strikes and conjure a few practice dummies, but the fun part about combat is creating your own combat style. It's only in combat that I've come up with my best techniques. For example..." Cosmo shook his head, "I'm getting ahead of myself here, now for the training." Cosmo used Shadow Clone to create several copies of himself only they were now grey, faceless, and featureless training targets. He explained he of the slashes and stabs as he demonstrated them before conjuring a set for Lewis, "Your turn."

(I set this thing up around noon and forgot to post, sorry )

 

Whiplash's ear twitched as she overheard Cosmo and Lewis's training session, and trotted briskly towards them. "You don't mind if I watch, do you?" The mare grinned, tilting her head at the shadow clones. She was itching to try out her own dagger on them, but decided to observe how the stallion did first.

[Hive King 1,998]

Skuldaf looked at their training with disdain. So similar to his own, yet not. At least their training didn't involve being put through hideous pain for "upgrades". 

"If you wish, I will help train you" Skuldaf called out, walking to Cosmo and Lewis. "I can provide destruction magic to teach evasive moves" Skuldaf droned

[TheBreech 91]

Whiplash's ear twitched as she overheard Cosmo and Lewis's training session, and trotted briskly towards them. "You don't mind if I watch, do you?" The mare grinned, tilting her head at the shadow clones. She was itching to try out her own dagger on them, but decided to observe how the stallion did first.

Cosmo glanced over with a grin, "You sure it isn't a duel you're looking for? These dummies are good for learning but they're not much use in keeping up higher level skills."

 

Skuldaf looked at their training with disdain. So similar to his own, yet not. At least their training didn't involve being put through hideous pain for "upgrades".

"If you wish, I will help train you" Skuldaf called out, walking to Cosmo and Lewis. "I can provide destruction magic to teach evasive moves" Skuldaf droned

Cosmo shook his head, "Thanks but I can't really do much with destruction magic in my current balance... Long story but basically I've been sloppy with some parts of my training , which affects my abilities in general. If I take the time to get better at verbal persuasion, I'd be able to use Destruction magic. As for evasion... Actually what can you show me? My combat style relies on it so it can't hurt to get better."

[Hive King 1,998]

@@TheBreech, 

"I don't know much of evasion, but I was offering to use myself as an obstacle for you to doge" Skuldaf said, his horn lighting up. "Dodge" he said calmy before firing off a barrage of small energy bolts. If they hit, they would merely feel uncomfortable and not explode like his full power ones

[Moonlight Fire 20]

Cosmo glanced over with a grin, "You sure it isn't a duel you're looking for? These dummies are good for learning but they're not much use in keeping up higher level skills."

 

 

Cosmo shook his head, "Thanks but I can't really do much with destruction magic in my current balance... Long story but basically I've been sloppy with some parts of my training , which affects my abilities in general. If I take the time to get better at verbal persuasion, I'd be able to use Destruction magic. As for evasion... Actually what can you show me? My combat style relies on it so it can't hurt to get better."

Whiplash shrugged. "Perhaps. It's been a while since I've dueled another pony," she admitted with a frown. The mare raised her eyebrows as Skuldaf fired off his magic at Cosmo, instructing him to dodge. This might be interesting to watch, she thought to herself.

[TheBreech 91]

"Oh..." Cosmo said with a disappointed look. He hadn't released Shadow Dance so when Skuldaf fired he simply propelled himself to the side. "In that case I'm good for now. Looking over at Whiplash, Cosmo asked, "What's rules do you duel by? First blood, third death, or just until somepony gets bored and or too tired?"

[Moonlight Fire 20]

"Oh..." Cosmo said with a disappointed look. He hadn't released Shadow Dance so when Skuldaf fired he simply propelled himself to the side. "In that case I'm good for now. Looking over at Whiplash, Cosmo asked, "What's rules do you duel by? First blood, third death, or just until somepony gets bored and or too tired?"

"I'm not really the kind of pony that duels until death, most of the time it's first blood," the Pegasus replied. With a small grin, she asked, "When you're planning on finishing your lesson, perhaps we could duel?" Whiplash felt excitement bubble inside of her at the prospect of a duel, and Cosmo seemed to be pretty experienced in the art.

[Trevor Bright 872]

David was watching everyone work on their training, he felt lonely. Poe knew that if he didn't do something to stop David from going stir crazy, he could end up in a bigger mess then Poe. "Hey, how about some old fashioned training? You against me? I'll make some changeling dummies and control them, and you can see how many you can pick off before I get you?" David smiled at this idea, much to Poe's relief. "Sure!" David hopped down, then, lit up his horn, green energy covering it. Then he closed his eyes. When he opened them again, one eye had turned red. Blue magic started to flow down his horn, mixing in with the green to make a swirling pattern. "Ok, our minds have successfully integrated. Separation will commence in 3...2...1...!"  Upon reaching one, there was a blast of blue from his horn, and a familiar projection appeared in front of David. Poe smiled. "It feels weird to have my head to my self. After having our consciousnesses together for so long, splitting it is...well, down right bizarre." Poe nodded, his face thoughtful. "Yeah, it is. Oh hay seeds, I'm going to have to watch what I say now won't I? Cause now every pony can hear me." David nodded, an expression of urgency and slight nervousness appearing on his face. "Enough small talk, lets get this show on the road." Poe nodded and in a flash of blue, shifted in to the appearance of a changeling. He smirked, showing what appeared to be very real teeth with very real changeling fangs. He then focused, lighting up his horn again. It was a bright lime green instead of blue this time. The color of real changeling magic. He then projected four of five more changelings around him, surrounding David in a circle. "Usually we have a larger training ground to do this, but for the sake of simplicity, we'll scatter in to the rubble in one of the classic patrol formations, though I won't tell you which one, that would be too easy." David nodded and in a second flash of blue similar to the one Poe had used only moments before, took on the appearance of a changeling himself. "Alright, and I'll see how many of you I can take out before you know which one is me?" Poe nodded in affirmative. "That is correct." "Well then, let's get started!"

(((If you guys are interested, I could write up a whole training scene between Poe and David? Or if that sounds boring, I'll just say that they are training at the same time you guys are.)))

[pr3datortac0 15]

Lewis slashed through one of the targets wincing expecting blood to spray him but recovered when he felt none. His face was then set determined to rid himself of feelings of guilt and struck down another target more easily than the last. With the hatred he felt when he killed his first changeling he slashed through the targets till but one was standing of which he hurled the training knife at, hitting it square in the chest. He panted heavily and took a deep breath to calm himself of the sudden adrenalin rush. He glanced at Cosmo. "did I do that right?" he asked innocently.

[Hive King 1,998]

Skuldaf powered up his horn and blasted off energy into the sky. Now came the hard part. The red and black energy then condensed into a disc which floated down to Skuldaf. Skuldaf grunted in concentration as he swung the disc around, slashing up imaginary foes. Defense was essential, but only when absolutely necessary

[TheBreech 91]

Cosmo looked at his student with a mixture of surprise, approval, and fear. He had a playful smile as he pretended to hide behind whiplash and whimper, "What have I created..?" Then he burst out laughing and hoof bumped Lewis, "That was excellent. Honestly, I think you've got the basics, so the last step is forming your own style. When you're in a fight, just make note of what your strikes do to your opponents and how you can fit more attacks in that opening. Once you can do that, the only thing left will be experience." Cosmo trotted back to Whiplash, "I think we'll need to head out soon so we might need to postpone that duel. Also, third death is a style of duel where you position yourself or your weapon to where in a real fight , it could be considered a killing blow, mainly the throat and chest. Each time you say Death and get a point. First to three wins, so it's not a real death match."

Edited December 2, 2013 by TheBreech

[pr3datortac0 15]

Lewis was confused for a second then when Cosmo hoof bumped him he grinned. "Th-thanks Cosmo! I'll keep practicing to get better!" He grinned again and trotted back to the bunker to gather his things. "I hope we head out soon... I don't know how much longer we'll stay here... but I wonder if we'll find a place that's just as good...."