Death has no Shadow [Ended]

While watching the slowly dying fire, Arc started to feel tired. With the adrenaline rush, caused by the unexpected encounter with these now friendly strangers, finally leaving his system, his body caught with him and decided to give out full account of the passed few days.
Thus, poor Arc suddenly felt like he had a boxcar dropped on him, then filled to the brim with coal, then had said boxcar connected to a locomotive, and having said train leave the loading dock across his backside.


"Well... i guess it's time to get some sleep, or at least try". After some strategical planing he finnaly found a position that was both comfortable and relatively dry, and with that, started to think about his home back at Stableton.

"Rain used to be such a beatiful thing... But, here i am, soaked to the bone, cold as ice. Ants used to be such annoying insects... But, here i am, with all my gear lost, Celestia knows where..."
"How the hay could that have been a good idea? Flamethrower ants? Seriously?", he silently hissed.


With these thoughts, he slowly fell asleep, watching the one he labelled as "the Trader" clean his gun.
"I gotta get proper introductions tommorow..."

Kes had managed to wedge himself right against the border of light sleep and dreamland. His ears still listened for any sounds or disturbances in the real world while his neurons took a slight break.

His muscles never seemed to completely relax, they still flexed and twitched at every sound that the bird heard. It was clear that despite being asleep the big gryphon had not let his guard down at all.

Ginger Ale was rushing trough the rainstorm desperatly seeking shelter. Comeing to a stop under a dead tree that coulden't even keep a parasprite dry he attempted to take in his surroundings, but all he could see was rain.

"Great just great, how do I get myself into these situations first I loose all of my gear in a riged game of caravan, then I get thrown out of applelosa, and now i'm probably going to freeze to death in the middle of the wastland.

Ale picked himself up and began down the path again muttering to himself, "well at least this storm dosent have any light... *BOOM*. Lightning struck the tree Ale was just sitting under making his ears ring like a dinner triangle.
"well buck me, ale screamed,(not that he could hear himself) your going to have to try harder than that universe." Ale paused thinking he really shoulden't tempt fate right now and began to haul flank down the path again before lightning desided it wanted to strike twice today.

As another flash lit up the sky Ale could just make out a small building in the distance. Ale imeadeatly made a b-line for what looked to be a 3 story office complex, he diden't care if an manticore was sleeping in the ruins he just wanted to get out of this celestia forsaken rain.

Trails snapped the pieces of his repeater back together and cycled a few rounds. He heard the sound of somepony swearing out in the storm and got up. Everypony was asleep, no sense waking them. He peeked out of the window and took aim at the silhouette. It seemed to be a tired pony, soaked to the bone and grumbling as they walked solemnly through the storm. He holstered the repeater, pulled out his 9mm, and went down to greet them.

As Ale approched entrence to the building the doorway was suddenly filled with a pony armed with a 9mm. Almost instinctively Ale used telekanisis to unsheth his knife and drop into a fighting stance. After a silent pause ale dicided to speak first.

"O.k. look buddy I have had a long ass day and I am to tired to get into a brawl with somepony, so if your going to shoot me go ahead. But if not then move aside so i can get out of this bucking rain before I drown in it.

Trails was surprised. The unicorn was clearly unarmed and quite frankly in no condition to be making threats or demands. To yell at an armed stranger was stupid in any situation, when the stranger holds all the cards it's just asking to get shot. Add that to Trails already being a bit annoyed with the whole day and tired from it, and what followed was a guarantee to occur at some point. Trails aimed his pistol at the buck's foreleg and shot.

(Guns 55)

(Rolled a 60 with a plus 11 modifier for a total of 71)

Trails' shot clipped Ginger's leg, sending him to the ground and echoing throughout the entire building.

*BAM* Cross shook himself awake, whatever the hell it was, it was gunshot. Cross looked over to the others and noticed Trails was gone. Cross thought about getting up but it was raining....and he was hurt and tired, plus if it was anything dangerous Trails should be stallion enough to handle it....still if it got the best of him it best he be prepared.

Cross laid back down under his cape, but underneath, he kept his grenade rifle loaded and his baton ready, trying to give off a passive appearance.

Cross looked over to Kes and whispered out, "Kes, go check it out, if somethings wrong, give me some kind of signal, its probably best Arc and I reduce our movement"

Cross would find that his order had been given to open air. Kes, having heard Trails' earlier moments had begun following after the buck shortly after he had first left to investigate the newcomer.

He had heard the conversation between Trails and the unknown, and the subsequent gunshot. To Kestrel it came as no surprise that Trails shot the new guy. Cross was more than enough attitude to deal with, no need for more.

Walking out of the shadows of the hall Kes came up beside Trails and gave a grunt, announcing himself."Great. More Rookies" the big gryphon thought to himself as he studied the boy; looking him over with his usual cold, predatory gaze.

"He shot me", Ale thought to himself, "He actually bucking shot me." The pain in his leg was nothing new he'd had worst inflicted on him when he was with the raiders, but he still knew he would have to get it bandaged ASAP.

Griting his teeth ale fell to the ground, loosing the telekenetic grip he had on his knife. Looking up at the pony,(more to stare death in defiance than to actually look at his assalante) he saw the stallion was now being acompanyed by a gryphon.

"Well i guess i did ask for that." Ale grunted, "seeing as how you wasted a bullet on a non-lethal shot like that your either a sadistic pony who likes to see others suffer, or you really don't want me dead"

Ale was really hopeing he could call this pony's bluff.

(Speech 37)

(Rolled 72)

Trails holstered his pistol and wordlessly turned his back on the wounded pony.

Awoken by the gunfire and subsequent scream, Arc lifted his head and looked around. With the griffin nowhere to be found, he got to his hooves and moved away from windows, trying to find some form of cover among the rubble.

"Kes, go check it out, if somethings wrong, give me some kind of signal, its probably best Arc and I reduce our movement"

Arc nodded towards Cross. He pulled out his knife ,and before he took cover, he dared to take a quick look outside through a hole in the floor. Through it, he managed to see what he asumed is the assailant, his leg clearly wounded.

"Ouch... and to think that could have been me there if he didn't felt more welcoming earlier... well, long night ahead it would seem..."

Kes stared down at the rookie before him, watching him writhe a bit in pain. His gaze like always was cold, predatory. He was still looking the kid over for possible weak points, trying to decided what he was doing here; aside from the obvious purpose of getting out of the rain.

And through it all Kestrel had never once shown signs of helping the young buck out.

Ale was surprised that the pony that shot him actually holstered his pistol. he was fully expecting to get shot again. seeing there was some compation in this stallion he was hoping he could maby get some help(and some meds).

"Alright seems we got off on the wrong hoof, now i don't blame you for shooting me, i would of done the same thing if somepony came up to my door armed and yelling. Why don't we try this again." *ahem* "Hi my name is ginger ale and you are...?"

Ale held out a hoof hoping to get some help up.

"Name's Trails my griffon friend here's called Kes. We've got a fire up stairs, if you can get yourself off the floor and up there you're welcome to it."

Cross turned over and heard Trails apparently 'conversing' with whatever dreg he decided to shoot this time, seriously that pony's hello was always just a shot to the leg, still the chatter continued, and Cross was getting infuriated he couldn't get his rest

"Trails, either kill him or invite him to supper, some of us are trying to sleep!"

Imeadiatly motivated by the aspect of geting dry next to a campfire ale got up to his hoofs, retrieved his knife, and made his way up the stairs, trying to keep as much weight of his injured foreleg in the process. Along the way Ginger ale past the bodies of two dead mercinaries " shess looks like om not the only pony who got on his bad side. Ale thought to himself, insecting the blood splatter on the wall, "close range shotgun blast, poor basterd."

As he reached the top floor of the building ale was greeted with the sight of two more ponies, one ducking behind some rubble, but his mane was clearly visible, and another under some red fabric. "You both realize I can see you, and I don't want any trouble, trails said I could come up."
Ale was really hopeing these two were nicer than the stallion down stairs, but he telekinetically griped his knife but did not draw it ,no reason to provoce anypony, just in case.

Cross struggled up and stood and stared at the newcomer and blinked to the light of the fire.

*FLASH* Cross now stood with his face staring the new pony in the face.

"I.....am.....trying.....to....SLEEP!!! you got shot? big deal, Trails shot me in the leg yesterday, well you may ask, 'Oh no Cross, why don't you go back to sleep?' well its too late now, I'M AWAKE" Cross stammered on, but as he went on, he saw glimmer of magic gripping a sheathed blade. Immediately Cross had shut up and tried to slowly step back...

"Actually you know what, hello traveler...." Cross's horn flash, his eyes lit up

(Magic 100, Telekinetic Choke on Ginger)

"Are you a raider dreg? trying to gut us in our sleep or whatnot? Trails what were you thinking? we don't know anything about him!"

The member 'Cross Roads' has done the following action : Chance Roll

'Chance Roll' : 95

Kes came upstairs again shortly after Ginger showed up. Looks like he made the mistake of talking to Cross, and again Cross had gone off on some rant like a mare-in-heat right in the middle of her season.

Great, another life to save. Damn Rookies.

Kes, tired of both newcomers and Cross's attitude decided to deal with things the best way he knew how. By walking up behind Cross and growling out a simple ultimatum. The big gryphon was not exactly the best with words, but only the foolish ignored him when he gave an order.

"Let 'im go Red. He ain't a threat."

"Well...If you say so Kes" Cross immediatly dropped the gasping pony on the floor, as far as Cross was concerned, Kestrel had the best judgment out of anypony he met, if he said something, then it was most likely absolutely crucial you listened.

"Ummm you know what, sorry about that...." Cross tried to help the newcomer back unto his hooves. Once he got that settled, Cross drew out his pack and pulled out a Sparkle-Cola that he had taken from Trails earlier.

"Maybe we got off on the wrong hoof, my name is Cross Roads,....Apology Cola?" He said while holding the cola in front of Ginger Ale

Trails took a deep breath, and promptly decided he wasn't putting up with these greenhorns anymore. He walked up casually and pistol whipped Cross. He then tossed Ginger a sack of healing powder and some radigator. He gave Arc a look that said "stay like you are now and you wont get any shit from me." He nodded at Kes and went back to his position at the window, overlooking the wasteland.

"Fucking bullshit." he grumbled.

(Melee 19)

The member 'Happy Trails' has done the following action : Chance Roll

'Chance Roll' : 74

*BAM* Cross's head slammed forward, seemed something had got the back of his skull, last thing he remembered was Trail's hoofsteps

They couldn't just ask nicely? they were belarhgagh.......his vision was fuzzy....he'd better just lay down agaisnt the wall....

Where was he agian? Who were these ponies? Uhhh....he couldn't figure it out, all he could do was slowly slide down as the pain receded and the pain got less.....fuzzy

Kes watches Cross go down without much fuss. He had been about to clock the unicorn himself, but had decided against it. Seems like Trails was not so eaisly restrained; hopefully that impulsiveness wouldn't end up causing an issue.

With nothing else to do the big gryphon gave a nod in return to Trails and made his way to his original spot beside the fire. Once again stretching out a bit yet keeping his eyes on the others. He didn't trust them yet, even if they both would not stand a chance against him should they try anything.