[-----TRUCE FOUNTAIN-----]

On a peculiarly overcast evening, the clouds seem to hang low over Truce, not seeming to threaten rain, but protraying something of a gloomy forecast, regardless. A couple of guards are idly chatting on the side, next to one of the buildings, and it is peaceful, all things considered, otherwise.

Mogwai is lying down on the bench, clutching her belly "Ugh... so much jello..."

A Wutai guardian walks into the square from the north. Helios (according to his nameplate) glances up at the sky and shivers. "Something will go down tonight. We can feel it." He glances over at Mogwai curiously.

Helios says 'Are you alright? Can we help?'

Rizar stares at the guardian and blinks, "What is going to happen?"

Mogwai waves Helios off "Fine, fine. The price we pay for rampant hedonism."

Helios says 'We don't know, but something is going down.'

Rizar says 'Is there a way for me to help? I've been experimenting with my arm cannon...'

Helios grimaces. "You shouldnt practice that, then."

Rizar says 'Why?'

Emoman leans against the fountain and watches the exchange with a disinterested expression.

Helios considers Rizar. "Hedonisim leads to bad things. Also, is your targeting software up to date?"

After several moments of idle banter, one of the guards happens to glance westward, and makes some side comment to the other one, likely some inside joke. They adjust their gear briefly, and head in that direction at a leisurely pace, apparently intent to go back on duty somewhere else.

Helios says 'We need a replacement for ours very badly.'

Rizar says 'I can let you download my software.'

Rizar says 'I was built for combat, and I would be happy to let you use the system.'

Helios stared at Rizar. "Sounds kinky, but alright. you got wireless?"

Basic fumbles through his bag furiously, looking to find an item that would suit the guards - to be sold at a price, of course.

Rizar says 'Yes.'

Basic comes up empty.

Basic sighs.

Bahamut Slowly walks in from the west dragging a body in his right hand that slowly turns to ash, as he stop in front of the guard smiling. "well its been a very long time since ive meet one of your kind."

Basic listens in on the nearby conversation

Helios nods. "Ah, good." The disguise dissolves, revealing the central sphere. "Begin broadcasting it and we will begin downloading it."

Emoman glances at the merchant before focusing on the guard.

Rizar immedietly aims his cannon at Bajamut in defense. "Who are you?"

Mogwai blinks at what's going on and sits up, a hand reaching for her whip

Bahamut looks over rizar and shrugs. "another bug, comes to play. but wutai brings back old memories."

Basic begins to doze off.

Helios seems to smile. "We are sure it does. How goes your search?"

Rizar says 'I am not a bug. I am a machine.'

Rizar turns to Emoman and asks, "Do I look like a bug?"

Bahamut says 'youll still go squash under my boot.. so there really isnt much of a differnce...'

Emoman glances at Rizar before turning his attention back to the beast.

Basic shakes his head and taps his ear after being awoken by the loud voice of Rizar.

Rizar says 'There is a big difference. For one, I cannot be squished so easily, as I will move out of the way. A bug is barely capable of doing so.'

Mogwai sighs and rubs the side of her "Try not to argue with a god."

Basic glares at the idle guards.

Rizar says '...Aemilia said that a God may have created this universe. Are you this 'God,' sir?'

Bahamut Smiles at Rizar, "Would you like to prove it?" and within an instant standing behind Rizar aiming his boot to his back!

Basic shakes his head and mutters "Worthless."

A Chain Chomp suddenly falls from the sky, landing next to the fountain with a loud bang, cracking the pavement.

Emoman darts a quick glance towards Mogwai before looking back towards the conversation.

Helios finished the download. "Ok, you can stop broadcasting now. We will begin compiling it and installing it momentarily." He idly glances over at the chain chomp. "See what we mean? That's a bad omen."

Rizar quickly uses his Soul Gem to speed up time around him and moves out of the way.

Mogwai jumps off the bench and nudges the Chain Chomp with her foot

A Chain Chomp whimpers pitifully, on its side.

Bahamut says 'Interesting.. i didnt think his reaction time would be so fast, as for the former question not a god, just a very old esper.'

Rizar says 'I used a Soul Gem. I am also able to dodge quickly because of my design.'

Mogwai shrugs "Well, you're a god where I come from."

Mogwai goes back to examining the Chain Chomp for any signs of injury.

Suddenly, the ground rumbles from something impacting it solidly a short ways to the south, the remnants of a far-reaching shockwave dispersing just as it reaches the fountain area. A number of males voices can be heard shouting to the south, likely Truce guards, and the area ceases its tremor after several moments.

Emoman stands up and glances towards the source of the impact.

Mogwai slips and falls to the ground from the tremor, giving a very unladylike cry of alarm "The fuck was that, kupo?"

Helios registers the tremor on his sensors, but is unable to do amything about it due to the installation taking up too much of his processing power. "Some sort of tremor, we would guess."

A bright green light seems to be shining down the southern corridor, its source only a short distance down the avenue; it isn't too long before the shouting voices are silenced, as well, leaving an uneasy quiet to hang in the air.

Helios says 'We would go investigate, gut we are still installing the software.'

Helios seems to shives as he hangs in the air. "We could have sworn we heard a scream of pain from down there..."

Bahamut says 'Software? Well, i guess ive got time, might as well kill some time.'

Emoman rests a hand on his holster.

The tremor is enough to shake hanging dresses loose from displays set up inside Rarity's small cart, as well as prompting the unicornista to step out and head south.

Basic shrugs and follows the others.

A Chain Chomp suddenly wakes, glancing around nervously

Mogwai gets up from the tremor, and after a short look around, charges off to the south

Mogwai makes like a spring and leaps south!

Abruptly, a mechanised voice blares out from Helios. "TESTING TARGETING ARRAY; PLEASE STAND BY."

Helios sighs. "Sorry about that, its an automatic function."

With a loud whine, the Chain Chomp rushes to the south.

Helios says 'anyway, now to go and check that out.'



Truce - Boulevard
This broad boulevard connects the southern reaches of the city. Standing
in the center of the street is a statue of a deranged-looking, smiling man.
The pungent aroma of incense wafts from the westward tent, competing
with the scent of alcohol coming from the eastward inn.

Ambience is standing in the middle of the corridor, as a brilliant green aura flares about his body. In his hand is a gleaming golden longsword nearly the same length as he is high, and a huge crater is set into the ground at his feet, going so far as to crumble the sides of several buildings. His face looks glazed over and clouded, but at the same time, malevolent and unpleasant.

Rizar says '...A child?'

Mogwai leaps into the room, landing gracefully.

Mogwai skids to a stop.

Basic looks around for any dropped gold or lost possesions.

Emoman visibly relaxes, but leaves his hand near his weapon.

Ezekial flies in from the north.
A Chain Chomp has arrived from the north.

Rizar says 'It's a child.'

Rizar says 'Is it hurt?'

Helios flies in from the north. "What seems to be the problem?"

Rizar says 'There is a child.'

Rizar points at Ambience accusingly.

On all sides of Ambience are the bodies of brutally massacred Truce guards, thrown around like ragdolls.

Bahamut says 'Well, everything looks to be in order here.'

Emoman strolls over to one of the corpses and examines it.

Rizar says '...Judging by the guards, they may have died protecting the child.'

Basic forces out a dry, elongated laugh.

Helios looks at Ambience with an aura of concern. "We can see that." He calls out to Ambience "Ambience, are you alright? What happened?"

Mogwai says '...I think you got it backwards. I think he killed them. And this is very out of order.'

A Chain Chomp rushes into the boulevard, whining loudly searching for something or someone.

Rizar says 'Ambience?'

Helios subtuly activates his scanners.

Mogwai nods.

As she moves in from the north, and leaves her shop behind, Rarity slows, gasping softly as she catches sight of the bloodbath, and Ambience. "Oh, my..."

Rizar says '...His name is Ambience?'

Helios says 'Yes, this is Ambience.'

Bahamut says 'well its an improvement, last time i saw him, he was the one beaten down..'

Bahamut shrugs helplessly.

Rizar walks over to Helios, "Does he need medical attention?"

Emoman stands up, having learned all he could from the dead guard.

Ambience only glares at the group in front of him, clenching his fist around the hilt of his weapon. His face is not a happy one, and he doesn't seem remorseful at all about what's happened around him.

Basic shrugs as he searches the pockets of the dead guards. He mutters to himself, "Had I a shred of dignity left, I would not resort to such lowly actions."

In an explosion of sparks, Helios is physically thrown backward with a yelp of pain. "AGH! Too strong; Overload! OVERLOAD!"

Berrypunch says 'hey everyone, what are you all doing here?'

Emoman draws his 9mm and steps back, keeping his eyes on the child.

Rizar aims his cannon at Ambience but doesn't charge it up, not wanting to make any mistakes.

Helios rises up into the air again, still sparking and with a slightly cracked lens. "Ta-targeting system online. Ambience, calm down before you kill someone." Helios looks around at the bodies. "Scratch that, more people."

"This is the way it should be. Let nothing be unturned or intact. When everything is silenced, only then will I be happy!" Ambience pulls back, preparing some kind of spell; a bright orange ball begins to form in front of him, crackling with ultraviolet light energy as it slowly expands. "I'm tired of everything, everyone. No more!"

Retroludus stumbles onto the scene with a bottle of spiced rum in her hand, holding down her hat. 'What in Davy Jones' locker went on here? The crash nearly knocked over my rum!'

"Something seems very... WRONG, here..." Rarity steps gingerly over the blood-stained ground, keeping magic concentrated around her horn as she faces you. "I didn't want to think Twilight was telling the truth, but apparently she was... Ambience, darling... Please stop this."

Rizar suddenly charges his arm cannon, "STAY BACK! DESIST!"

Emoman raises his handgun and points it towards you.

Bahamut says 'So are we putting this creature down?'

Basic has spit on Bahamut.

Basic says 'You're disgusting. You call yourself a god?'

Busted readies her shield.

Rizar says 'Not until he attacks, then I am authorized to.'

Ezekial whimpers, ignoring all happening around it, eyes scanning the rooftops frantically.

"We won't ask again, calm down!" Helios calls out as the safties on his mining laser are deactivated.

Rizar 's Soul Gem flashes and pulsates, warning him of trouble.

Rizar says 'Wha...'

Emoman glances at Rizar with a look somewhere between contempt and boredom.

Berrypunch gives a tankard of ale to Rarity.

Berrypunch says 'you might need a drink Rarity...'

Rizar turns his attention to Emoman, yelling, "GET AWAY NOW!"

Basic says 'We needn't kill them.'

Mogwai draws her whip, and gets into a battle stance. She tries to come up with a witty retort, but the words die in her mouth as she looks at the carnage.

With no warning at all, the orb Ambience is conjuring expands to a much larger size, and in a colorful explosion he lets it loose, shooting forth a stream of ultraviolet light energy, no less intense than the sun itself, flying toward the group, pushing himself back a few paces from the sheer force of the output!

Emoman dashes toward the side before the orb travels halfway towards the group.

Mogwai swiftly lashes out with her whip, catching onto a lampost to keep her from being pushed too far.

Busted leaps towards a building a kicks up the wall.

The brilliant flaring from her armored saddlebag has Rarity levitating her Soul Gem out of it, even as she narrows her eyes. "No need for words, then... I do hate having to do this, but I'll strike you down, if that's what is necessary."

Berrypunch was hit dead on! And slams into and through the doors of the inn!

Helios ducks under the blast. "Thats it! You're going down!" Helios fires the laser at Ambience.

Emoman drops to a crouch and opens fire at Ambience.

Ezekial yells, leaping down off of the roof of the nearby inn, grabbing the chomp by the collar and dragging it out of the way.

Rizar tries to activate his Soul Gem to reverse time, but with Bahamut near him, he isn't able to stop anything. He quickly jumps out of the way while he charges his arm cannon. "FIRE, MEN!"

Busted thinks to herself "Wonderful time for my armcannon to be broken..."

Basic says 'Violence leads nowhere. Fight him. You won't last long. I'll pick up what's left from your bodies.'

Retroludus runs to the side, limbs flailing, taking a large swig of rum. 'ABANDON SHIP!'

Bahamut sigh's. "such simple creatures, we just need to subdue him correct?" and with that bahamut begins to juggle some strange stones.

Ambience swiftly turns in response to the laser shot as his spell finishes, and merely takes an open-palmed swing at the laser, a crackle of energy emanating from said hand as he literally deflects the shot, which goes into and through a building in no specific direction.

Berrypunch Stumbles back out ... looking soaked in alcohol and and looking as angry as she was drunk!

Mogwai throws off her shawl and skirt to change into her showgirl outfit before leaping up to the top of a tall building "Such needless destruction... I CANNOT ALLOW THIS!" spotlights appear out of nowhere, shining down on Ambience

Basic chuckles at Bahamut's attempt to "subdue" Ambience.

Emoman crouches and glances at Basic. "You think you're going to live to recover it, leech?", he states in a monotone.

Ezekial boggles at rarity's soul gem, muttering something inaudible.

Berrypunch says 'No Ooonnne dUhuhhuhNkZSssS mmmmmY heahd inNntooOo vOooDkahhhh But mmmmmE!'

Basic says 'Are you insane?'

Ambience abruptly rushes Mogwai with inhuman speed at the spotlight's appearance, leaping high into the air in his chase and brandishing his weapon, slashing viciously!

Rizar fires multiple shots in rapid fire while stepping back. "Why the hell won't my Soul Gem work?!"

In sharp contrast to her usual magic-based tactics, Rarity's pawing the ground with her right forehoof, and lowering her horn. "Forgive me, Ambience..."

Berrypunch says 'Cause you is the dumb bot!'

Busted puts her shield between Mogwai and Ambience's blade.

Helios seems to frown. "That was not expected." He begins charging up for another shot. "Take this!" He fires again.

Rizar says 'No! It worked before!'

Mogwai dodges off the side of the building, skidding to a stop as she hits the ground. A snap of twine, and a sandbag hurtles down out of the sky towards Ambience "Perhaps a little mad, yes."

Bahamut says 'Helios, these dont effect you, perhaps you could take one and put it in him.'

Ezekial redirects his boggle to Rizar.

Retroludus pulls out a flintlock pistol, and aims it at Ambience. 'Now listen here you scurvy dog, cease this nonsense or I'll have to make you regret almost spilling my... Wait, why is everyone yelling?'

Emoman steps out from cover and empties a clip at Ambiance.

Berrypunch strikes at Ambience with her Pack heave skill! Assaulting him with junk!

Basic says 'I highly doubt attempting to harm Ambience will do much but hurt you. I suggest you desist and find a more clever way to solve this problem.'

Rizar stares at his flashing Soul Gem, "Guide me... Tell me what to do. ...Why am I talking to my Soul Gem?"

Rizar leaves north.

Retroludus says ' Obviously the solution is a good old game of tiddly-winks.'

Mogwai says 'You assume I'm attacking. Already two steps ahead of you."'

Emoman reloads his handgun and shoots a glance at Basic before opening fire on Ambience once more.

Bahamut says 'Hrm, wonder what he was on about, anyway placing one of these in him will stop his aimless magic.. then we can deal with his raw strength'

Helios nods. "Excellent idea, Bahmut!" He takes hold of one in his magnetic field. The gem begins orbiting around Helios' core at high speeds. "Give us an opening!"

Basic likes Retroludus' humor, but finds her humor to be offcolor and as such is disgusted.

The Soul Gem diverts Rarity's attention from Ambience, and she heads north to search for the source of the trouble. "What is my Soul Gem trying to show me...?"

Trembling a bit, Aemilia watches the combatants go at it from her position on the floor, having been knocked on her back by the blast.

Bahamut, after having given helios a stone, places the rest back in the box. "I will want that one back..."

Helios says 'Don't worry, we are tracking it. We will be able to find it again.'

Ezekial splutters, finally finding his voice. " where did you get..."

Ezekial says ' hey! where are you off to? I was trying to ask you a question!'

Ezekial leaves north, following the pony.

Ambience slices right through the shield, still intent on his assault toward Mogwai; a thunderclap echoes from around him as a silver light materializes, deflecting and reflecting all bullets fired and objects flung in his direction, including the laser blast. It almost seems as if there was something unseen that was protecting him while he wasn't protecting himself.

Emoman discards the handgun before drawing his sword and charging towards Ambience.

Helios scans the shield that is protecting Ambience while he calculated trajectories.

Busted twists her arm as the blade passes through her shield, catching the blade inside it. "Would you chill?"

"He is protected by Mana spirits, find some way of neutralizing them!" Helios shouts to the remaining group.

Berrypunch "Wha! Now I have ta Keel ghostses too!

Bahamut says 'Hrm, this is a suprise.. I guess i can use my full power on him after all...'

Helios says 'Right, go ahead. It looks like we will need it.'

Ambience gives a loud yell as his sword is caught, and from that yell is issued another shockwave, slamming outward from himself in an attempt to knock everything within several tens of feet away from him!

Busted flies backwards, and onto her back.

"Wish Twi was here to AAACK!!" Once Again Berrypunch was thrown back into the bar!!

Emoman digs in and absorbs the shockwave, then sheathes his weapon and leaps onto a nearby building, getting out of the combat zone.

Mogwai leaps up into the air, landing on top of a lamp post, a fair distance away from Helios "You say you want to destroy everything to find happiness... well then, see if you can start with me!"

Helios is knocked aside and struggles to regain his position. "That wasn't what we meant!"

Bahamut is surrounded by a black and silver aura which blocks Ambience's attack, as bahamut becomes a black formless creature growing in size as his feet and hands slowly extend and grow into talons. Two long horns seem to grom from the back of his head as a pair of wings sprout from his back. An Explosion of power Bahamut has taken on his dragon form.

Crawls back out and growls !!! Berrypunch looked more shitfaced then ever!

Basic steps back a few steps before stumbling backwards onto the hard stone ground. The awesome power of others surprised Basic.

Ambience seems unphased by Bahamut's change of form, and practically phases out, backing off several feet as he realizes the confrontation awaiting him. He smirks, and gestures with his free hand; as he does, a HUGE pillar of the ground itself juts out of the earth, rising high into the sky!

Busted realises the battle that will probably ensue, and utterly outclassed, goes to find a good place to watch from.

With another flick of Ambience's wrist, the stone-and-earth pillar is sent hurtling forward, crashing toward the group and taking out the sides of buildings and other city stationaries along the way!

Berrypunch resorts to a dirty trick and Leaps at Ambience! A pair a pants in her mouth that she tries to slip over his head!

Emoman completely disregards the attack, the building he was standing on not taking enough damage to collapse. He reaches up and touches the side of his head with a single finger and mumbles something. After a few moments, he mumbles "Affirmative.", and focuses his attention on Ambience.

Mogwai leaps up into the air, landing on top of the pillar and racing along to the end of it before jumping off the end. She pauses long enough to stick her tongue out at Ambience and give him the middle finger before falling down towards the street below.

Helios hovers up above the pilliar and takes aim at Ambience. "Take this!" He shouts as he fires another laser at Ambience, shortly followed by a lightning bolt; the gem Bahmut gave him beginning to accelerate to incredible speeds, resembling a black ring around him that makes a fairly loud humming noise.

Bahamut places his talon up as the pillar slides past him getting torn down the middile as a giant fire blazes alight and consumes the rock as it advances to Ambience with incredible speed.

Basic positions himself into an upright form. As he is attempting to get up, he glances to his left and right and sees the people around him ducking and jumping. Utterly confused, Basic turns his head towards Ambience. All he could get out was a "Son of a-" before getting smashed to the ground by the flying pillar.

Ambience is preparing to defend himself against Bahamut's assault and Helios's incoming attack, but before he can do anything, a heavenly light filters down in front of him, abruptly followed by the appearance of a woman in a red dress and the same colored hair as his; she appears holding her hand out toward the group, absorbing both the laser and lightning, as well as the incoming fireball; with a loud -thwip-, they are simply sucked into her outstretched hand, and clenches her fist immediately following, containing the energy she'd just absorbed.

Berrypunch The Drunk pony lands on all four hooves and draws a hand phaser in her mouth! Taking quick aim if only 'close enough' aim and firing upon you by chewing on the button!

Ambience is stunned from this display, and looks up at the woman in a cross between amazement and horror. Before he can react to this, however, the holy light envelopes them both, and the woman only has time to give everyone a sincrely apologetic look before the two of them both vanish, Ambience apparently against his will.

Retroludus says ' ...Where the hell did that boy go?'

Mogwai is shocked at the development, barely forgetting to remember to tear a magical feather from her skirt and slow her fall before landing on the street.

Emoman puts a finger to his ear and mumbles some more before hopping down and take a survey of the aftermath.

Emoman shoots a quick glance at Bahamut before walking towards where the stone pillar landed.

Basic winces as the pain surges through his body. Basic felt the feeling drift away from his body as he moaned in agony. He looked to his backpack.

Bahamut grumbles, "That wasnt even a warm up..."

Berrypunch says 'Uhh... Did I save the world or did I doom us all?'

Busted checks her inventory for a spare E-Tank to toss Basic, but discovers only cobwebs.

Emoman walks over to Basic and looks down at the merchant before glancing at the backpack.

Lucky. Had Aemilia gotten up, she almost certainly would have been hit by at least one of the attacks Ambience had sent their way. Still shocked and a bit shaky, she slowly stood and leaned against the nearest wall to keep from falling back down.

Basic cracks open his eyes. "Who's there?"

Mogwai retrieves her skirt and shawl, and looks up to where the fight ended "What was that all about..."

Bahamut eyes Focus on helios, "Please return it. It seems that its power was not needed..."

Helios stops spinning the gem around and hands the gem back to Bahamut.

Emoman kneels down and looks inside Basic's backpack.

Berrypunch says 'So... is the crazy guy dead?'

Mogwai says 'Not dead. He escaped.'

Berrypunch says 'Crap........ I shouldn't have tried to put that pair of pants on his face... it was a good pair of pants'

Mogwai giggles.

Mogwai says 'I hope I was able to help... I tried my best to draw his attacks away from the others, but I felt so powerless...'

Helios looks around. "That went... well. We suppose it could have gone much worse, though our short- range scanners are gone."

Berrypunch turns to her rump "I'm the one that should feel like an ass. I fell off the wagon today and trippled my bar tab!

Busted says 'You were more help than i was. All I did was trap his sword for all of 4 seconds.'

Basic turns his head towards the mysterious person looking through his belongings. "I realize that I haven't been the most forgiving man, but if you have a heart, kind sir... please, grab a MediPack from my bag..."

Bahamut starts too brush rock and dirt from his jacket. "Hrm powerless? I wonder about that, i know he wasnt using his full power.. but neither then again neither was i.."

Helios says 'Oh well, at least we got our targeting system online again.'

Basic says '... and administer it to my wounds...'

Emoman pokes around and pulls a MediPack out, then glances between the fallen Reploid and the small package in his hand.

Helios sighs. "Now where are we going to get these scanners fixed..."

Emoman looks down at Basic and says, "I doubt this will heal your wounds, Merchant. Even if I was willing, this wouldn't save you." He then drops the MediPack onto the ground and walks away.

Basic struggles and positions himself to where he could grab the MediPack and administer it to himself.

Bahamut says 'Hrm. Oh Well, do you know what or who was that saved the child?'

Mogwai says 'I wish I knew'

Helios says 'We estimate that it was his mother, though we cannot be sure'

Helios sighs. "Without our scanners, we can't tell for sure."

Berrypunch says 'Basic you should be glad the Cutie mark Crusaders are not here. They tried to repair my house once and Then I needed to buy a new one.'

Bahamut says 'you dont say. Hrm, ive sense magic only like that once, its not exactly the same.. but simillar.'

Emoman convulses slightly, then reaches up and touches the side of his head with a finger. "As you saw, the target escaped."

Helios says 'Yes, similar. That is why we think that the woman is his mother. He mentioned that she was coming back soon, so that is as much as we can assume.'

Bahamut says 'No, not between the child and the woman, the woman.. and someone i detest... greatly.'

Emoman walks off a bit, continuing to mumble. "No, I do not know how the child is part of this. Did you learn anything useful from the footage?"

Completely out of character, Emoman gets annoyed and his voice gets louder "What do you mean, why did I fall back? I was ordered to!"

Bahamut sigh's " Well im out of here, i dont wanna get stuck with cleaning this up or... come to think of it why isnt this place swarming with guards...

Berrypunch says 'They know not to mess with me.'

Mogwai says 'I'm assuming because they need to hire new ones'

Berrypunch says 'or they are all hiding from certain death.'

Bahamut says 'still somthing like this.. should have drawn alot of notice.'

Busted says 'Or they were already found by certain death.'

Helios sighs again. "We suppose that we will find that technician woman again after this."

Emoman cuts off sharply and walks away, pulling the mask off of his face before leaning against the remains of one of the ruined structures.

Mogwai says 'He tossed a goddamn building sized rock at us. I think any guards left have fled.'

Helios says 'You would think that it would have gotten a lot more attention.'

Mogwai says 'Normal people don't see carnage like that and run towards it.'

Bahamut says 'its just rock... really, its not even bedrock.. '

Helios says 'not scary at all.'

Berrypunch says 'good point. Now lets get drunk and wake up in the same bed naked tomorrow.'

Mogwai says 'Sounds fun'

Bahamut says 'im going to have to decline that offer. I have better things to do.'

Berrypunch says 'screw it I ain't makeing the booze myself!'

Helios says 'Agreed. We need to go and get some major repairs. '

Berrypunch pulls Mogwai onto her back and smiles "And I need to get closer to a Mogwai"

Mogwai hugs Berrypunch's mane "And I could use a drink after this."

Helios flies up into the air in the general direction of the harbor.

Aemilia wondered how the others could retain their levity after something like that. Having regained her composure somewhat, the girl shook her head in amazement and walked away from the scene.

Emoman takes one last quick glance over the scene before walking back towards the fountain.

Bahamut turns up the street walking, "Heh, well then have a good night."

Busted decides to leave before getting volunteered to help clean the mess.

Mogwai says 'Wonder if the bar's still intact enough for a drink?'

Berrypunch says 'I think it might be out of vodka'

Mogwai says 'I think the bartender might have run off. You know what that means?'

Berrypunch says 'But the rest of the booze is still intact... Free Drinks!!'

Mogwai raises a fist into the air and cheers "FREE BOOZE!"


[-------A SHORT TIME BEFORE, FOLLOWING THE THREE'S RETREAT FROM THE FIGHT...-------]


Rizar stops yelling and tries to follow his Soul Gem.

Rizar says 'Guide me...'

Rizar says 'Soul gem'

Rizar says 'I need Kyuubey...'

The soul gem appears to be directing those who possess them toward a dark 'seed'-looking object, embedded in the side of a building nearby. It radiates an aura of absolute corruption, and seems to be beckoning the soul gems.

Rizar walks over to the seedlike object and looks at his Gem for a reaction. "Do I...take it?"

Rizar lightly presses his finger against the seedlike object. "What...is it?"

The seed suddenly flares up with a swirl of darkness, forming a glimmering and chaotic portal, right in the middle of the building on which the seed rests!

Rizar says 'Spacial Anomoly...'

As she returns to the square, Rarity's casting a brief glance to her shop, then to the dark portal that appears inexplicably with a nervous laugh.

Rizar calmly steps into the portal, hanging tight to his Soul Gem, somehow knowing that it will protect him.

Ezekial rushes into the square, followed by his chain chomp, yelling after Rarity. "Hey! Horse! Where did you get that stone???"

Rarity says 'My Soul Gem? I was given this through forming a pact with Kyuubey. And my name's Rarity, not 'horse'.'

Ignoring her nervousness, Rarity's stepping closer to the swirling dark portal, keeping her Soul Gem aloft in a firm cocoon of magic from her horn. "No need for fear right now... Be strong, and face what may come with courage!"

Shadow Labyrinth - Hall of Tears
This shadowy, dreamlike corridor resembles the buckling, rundown
walls of an old house, though the surfaces thereof are wispy and ethereal,
but still solid to the touch. Two doors are situated along this
hallway, one just to the east, and one at the north end, of which is closed.
Soft female crying, seeming to be from someone young, can be heard coming
from all given directions, as if a normal yet heartbreaking ambience of the
area itself.

Rizar says 'Hm...'

Rizar says '...'

Rarity nods.

Rizar says 'This must be what the humans call, "A fine mess we're in."'

Ezekial appears suddenly, visibly shaken by the change of scenery.

Rizar says '...I hear a girl. I need to help her. You, girl, boy. Go to the east. I'll head to the North.'

Rizar says '...It's locked.'

Rizar says 'Well then...'

Rizar says 'Everyone, follow me.'

Even while she touches down on the wooden floor, Rarity summons her Element into existence around her neck. "We'll just have to travel as a team. Lead the way."

Rizar says 'Do not split up. Follow me.'

Rizar says 'I'm in charge right now. Do not fire until I say so.'

Rizar says 'We don't know if anyone here is hostile.'

Rizar says 'Let's move.'

Shadow Labyrinth - Silent Bedroom
The sound of a girl's sobbing remains in the hallway behind as you
enter this room, which is devoid of most everything except an old, worn-out
mattress (without even any box springs or frame) and a dusty, closed toy
chest. A window is framed within the far wall, but only a swirl of inky
blackness is seen on the other side of it, wavering about in the same creepy
fashion as the exterior of this entire labyrinth. Long-bladed and
stained with long-dried blood, a kitchen knife is also lying in the center
of the room.

Rizar says '...Look at that window.'

Rizar says 'There's nothing.'

Rizar says '...I wonder.'

Unconsciously, Rarity retrieves a revolver from her saddlebag, holding her Soul Gem aloft at the same time as she casts a high-powered search-spell with her horn.

Ezekial glances out the window, at the knife, at the chest.

Ezekial says ' this place'

Ezekial shakes his head.

Ezekial clears his throat.

Ezekial says ' looks like a crime scene.'

Ezekial says ' no one touch anything.'

Rizar grabs the knife and stares at the blood.

Rizar says 'I am now authorized to search...'

The padlock on the toy chest suddenly cracks noisily, but doesn't break entirely.

Rizar says '...Stay back.'

Rizar walks over to the chest, tightening his grip around the knife and opens the chest quickly!

The chest opens!... revealing lots of little kids' toys.

Rizar says '...'

Ezekial sighs.

Rizar says '...Boy. Come here.'

Ezekial says ' you will address me as sir, you dumb bot.'

Rizar says '...Yes, Sir.'

Rizar says 'Come here, Sir.'

Ezekial says ' I may be small, but I'm a professional, and I've seen more of the world than you have.'

In the background, Rarity concentrates on casting an invisibility spell on herself, intent on providing herself with an advantage. Even as her body seems to fade into thin air, however, her voice isn't masked.

Ezekial approaches the chest peering over the rim at the toys.

They look like.. toys. Dolls, trains, clowns, stuffed animals. Everything a kid could ever want.

Ezekial says ' There may be something buried under them.'

Rizar says '...'

Ezekial claps the Rizar on the back (of his knee). " go ahead, dig in. You're more expendable."

Rizar grabs all the toys out of the chest, looking for anything that's suspicious.

"I'm not some filly who needs to be told what to do constantly, I'll have you know. I bear the Element of Generosity." Shaking her head, the invisible Rarity nonetheless steps over to the chest, probing the interior with her magic.

Rizar says 'I'm only trying to protect you two. I'm designed to sacrifice myself in order to save others.'

Ezekial says ' How noble. I appreciate it, Im not interested in dying just yet.'

After a significant amount of digging, a small green key can be seen, all the way at the bottom of the chest.

Rizar gets the key and holds it tightly.

Rizar says '...Let's go.'

Rarity says 'I wouldn't think twice about giving my own life up to protect my friends and family, either.'

Shadow Labyrinth - Hall of Tears
This shadowy, dreamlike corridor resembles the buckling, rundown
walls of an old house, though the surfaces thereof are wispy and ethereal,
but still solid to the touch. Two doors are situated along this
hallway, one just to the east, and one at the north end, of which is closed.
Soft female crying, seeming to be from someone young, can be heard coming
from all given directions, as if a normal yet heartbreaking ambience of the
area itself.

Rizar unlocks the door.

Rizar opens the door.

Shadow Labyrinth - Heart of Abandonment
In a peculiar transition, the darkness disperses from the doorway as
you enter this 'room', which is actually a huge backyard filled with vivid
greenery and blooming flowers. Behind you, the doorway simply hangs in
the air, the gloomy atmosphere of the hallway visible on the other side of
it. A fancy, two-person swing is nestled in the grassy center of the
yard, decorated at each top corner with a cute pink bow, the ribbon of which
trails down the support beams on either end.

Rarity says 'From this point... I'll take over. I was responsible for what happened. Follow my lead.'

Rizar says '...The Soul Gem led me here.'

Rizar says 'I trust what the gem shows me.'

Ezekial says ' you were conned by that thing too huh.'

Rizar says 'Conned?'

Ezekial frowns, glancing around the garden.

Rizar says '...Ma'am. It might not be safe here.'

Rizar reaches forward to grab the lady by her shoulder.

Ezekial says ' I was told there would be work, but there hasn't been anything to this since I met it.'

Ezekial says ' thought I must have dreamed it up, if it werent for my prize and this growing weirdness in my head.'

Even as the others converse among themselves, Rarity's conducting a thorough sweep of the yard with her magic, narrowing her eyes sharply as she simultaneously stores her Soul Gem and levitates sharp fragments of stone up from beneath the grass.

Ezekial pulls a golden apple from a bag under his coat, nibbling at it thoughtfully.

The girl stops her swinging and looks up at Rizar as his hand lands on her shoulder, her eyes still closed even as her face aligns toward him. Her voice is soft, gentle, and sweet. "Oh? Where are we going? This is my home, where else would I go?"

At that specific minute, the door slams closed, issuing forth a 'click' as it locks.

Rizar says '...'

Rizar says 'I don't know, Ma'am.'

Ezekial frowns.

"And furthermore, where else would YOU go? You just got here!" She smiles a happy little smile, and despite the hand on her shoulder, continues swinging on the bench.

Rarity says 'Be on your guard. I'm not liking this.'

Rizar says '...The best way out of everything is by talking.'

Rizar says 'Ma'am, are you alright?'

Ezekial says ' could have fooled me, the way you handled that crime scene.'

Simultaneously, Rarity's disengaging the safety on her firearm and bringing the shards closer to her as she moves towards the young girl, warily. "Both of you, stay close to me. I have a very bad feeling about what we're about to be facing..."

'Of course I am alright. Why wouldn't I be? With mommy and daddy out of the way, there's nothing more I could ever ask for. And now I have new friends, too!" She stops swinging, and gingerly gets to her feet. At this time, her eyes open, irises vertical and red, as a malicious grin forms on her face. "But you know, you'll be like me someday, too. In fact, it could be today!"

Rizar stays calm, not really knowing fear. "I cannot be like you. I am a machine. I cannot feel emotion, or ever know friendship."

This is enough to trigger the stone-spear attack from Rarity, though the unicornista doesn't open fire with her pistol just yet. "I don't plan on ending up like you, and I'm VERY sure neither of these gentlemen want to, either!"

Ezekial backs up towards rarity. "What is she?" he whispers.

The stone shards pass harmlessly through the woman, striking the fence on the other side of her. She giggles oddly, blinking a couple of times. "That's rude, I'll have you know. I don't appreciate it."

The girl stops, and checks something about herself, looking almost concerned. "Oh dear. That boy I liked was taken away... how sad."

Rizar says '...Ma'am. I want to crush you.'

"Not today, I'm afraid. It looks like someone's been able to contain him, for the time being. That's no fun, he hardly killed anyone, yet!" She pouts, stomping a bare foot on the grassy ground.

Rizar mimics the girl perfectly, "He hardly killed anyone, yet!" After this, his armcannon begins to charge. "I...want...TO...CRUSH...YOU!!!"

The girl smiles, clearly not impressed or threatened. "You don't understand, do you? You don't have what it takes to be one of that cat's pets. Even now, you have no idea what you're doing here! No idea what you're up against! It really IS only a matter of time before you become like me! And then I'll have another friend around, forever this time, maybe!" She giggles again, clapping her hands together.

There's a brief flicker of surprise on the unicornista's face, though it doesn't last long as Rarity conjures whips of magic. "I saw what he had done... For hurting such an innocent boy, and turning him against his friends... I'll /ANNIHILATE/ you. I swear it on Celestia's name!"

Ezekial sighs.

Ezekial says ' what have I gotten myself into?'

"No you won't, dear. And neither will your trigger-happy friend. I'm afraid this is all I have for you tonight, but at least it was amusing. Look at your sorrow, your pain! Your fear! How delightful is that, what I've caused? If only everyone knew the pain in that poor boy's heart, and mine, too! We are two of a kind, him and I."

The girl laughs, and as she does, her form begins to blur, twisting into and of itself!

With a quick command, Rarity's sending one of the magic-ribbons at the young girl with a loud SNAP ripping through the air.

Rizar says '...Observation: This "Shadow" creature, as I will now call it, is capable of tapping into one's emotion and feeding off of it, making the prey weaker.'

The ribbon slices cleanly through her form, harmlessly. In the midst of her blurring form, the entire area around them begins to deteriorate; flashes of light rip into the fabric of space, like puncture holes being made in reality!

Rizar says '...If this is an illusion, it is a good one.'

The 'backyard' appears to be collapsing into itself as light filters into the area, a soft white essence that steadily consumes the immediate vicinity!

Rizar says 'Little girl. What happened to you? What made you this way? If you can hear me, respond.'

Following a heavy sigh, Rarity's looking down with her eyes closed, shaking her head. "Discord isn't responsible, this time around... Generosity? What right do I have to bear such a powerful magical artifact, especially one of the Elements of Harmony, if I let those around me down...?"

With a final burst of light that tears through everyone's sight, the area fades... immediately being replaced with a familiar setting..!

Free City, Truce - Fountain
A tiered fountain marks the center of Truce, water gushing from its
summit and trickling into a deep, wide basin, wrapped by a ring of benches.
Roads flow like rivers away from the fountain, and houses sprout like weeds
all around them. Not far to the east, the ocean roars in the harbor.

Rizar says '...Where's the girl?'

A Chain Chomp rushes forward as Ezekial returns, tackling him to the ground.

There is no trace of the backyard that once was, just a few moments ago. Everything seems to be as if it never happened.

Berrypunch says 'Then to the bar till I get so drunk I'll never find the wagon again!'

Emoman sits on a fountainside bench.

Rizar says '...That girl. Who was she? What was the point of everything she did? Just to make us feel helpless?'

Rizar says 'Mainly...you, boy.'

Rizar turns to Ezekial.

Ezekial struggles to fend off the tongue of the beast, pulling himself to his feet.

Emoman walks in and sits on a bench before realizing the comotion going on.

Rarity sighs again, moving away to one side of the square. "I'm terribly sorry..."

Rizar says '...Ma'am. You didn't do anything wrong. Harmony isn't always peaceful. In order to achieve Harmony, there is always going to be some chaos.'

Rizar says '...This key didn't dematerialize like the area. So where we were must have been real.'

Emoman leans back and watches the events with a glazed over look.