Ponyshock: "Raven" Squad

Kes turned around and motioned for the others to get ready but stay back, pulling out his own rifle first and holding it up to his shoulder and pressing against the side of the door.

He did not move to open it yet though...he wanted to hear what the occupants had to say first. Kes knew next to nothing about this city, he knew even less about Dr. Gene...perhaps a bit of eavesdropping could help him out in finding out some more details about this whole situation.

He was silent as he listened in, and he had already pulled out his revolver just in case the door decided to swing open prematurely.

(100 Sneak, 7 Perception to listen in on conversation. Don't know if I need it though)

Zestari confirmed that Arc's illness wasn't related to any unseen injury, Zestari looked around at the salvageable items, but she had no interest in picking up any of the discarded melee weapons. She paused to scrutinise the horrible monstrosities that appeared to have once been ponies and shivered in revulsion at the sight. What sort of thing could turn ponies into this?

Zestari quickly dropped in line with the group when Kestrel called out and started climbing the stairs. She had no interest or desire in being left behind in the dark with those creepy things; she shivered again at the thought.

With her mind still on other things, the sound of the gunshot echoing from the top of the stairs made her jump, and she landed with her hooves spread wide, as though prepared for an attack. She smiled, slightly embarrassed at the reaction. Most of the rest of the group seemed so much more organised and collected than she felt. Except possibly Arc, she thought, looking at the back of the brown unicorn in front of her. Apparently, Kestrel had fired his rifle at something, and she circumvented the shattered remains of a camera when she crested the top of the staircase.

Continuing, the group was ushered back by Kestrel who went over to a door, and quietly leant against it. Zestari got close to the ponies in front of her, "Hey, what's going on?" She asked whispering.

Arc looked at the remains of the camera with distaste. The device probably could have been bypassed, disabled or at least turned off, something that was not so obviously yelling "Intruder!". Next time, he hoped that Kestrel would at least consider less agressive approach.

"Eh, who am i kidding, of course he won't.

Still, the griffin had results, and the door opened. As the party advanced to the end of the hallway and overheard the voices, Arc looked at Kestrel with intenttion of asking what to do, but the griffin has already started to sneak on the door. Arc moved to the side of the passage and pulled his pistol to cover the door in case something went awry.

"Three shots fired, that leaves ten in the magazine and thirteen on the other one.".

Blazen was still reeling from the situation. Who would know that a city was down here, a stable nonetheless, full of crazies? There must be vast amounts of ammo, guns, but the one thing that pondered his mind the most was; What made those things crazy? He thought, and up ahead was a camera that Kestrel had just taken out. He had to admit, the griffon seemed quite professional when he was leading this group.

He couldn't complain about leadership, unlike Cross. He really didn't want to think about the matter, but he then started to wonder of all the couples on the ship, of what exactly happened to them. Some might have been separated or...dead. He shuddered, but he didn't want anypony to go through this, as he guessed its about to get even more nightmarish with these beings.

A bit ahead he was told to stop with the rest of the group, and he did such.

1) "Are you sure Rich can help us?"

2) "...I dunno, I mean, all he wants us to do is piss off Stock and we do that the hell anway..."

2) "Come on....Heartrose is good on her word, 'ets just go with that bitch"

3) "She ain't the same Brass! she only cares bout them non-arcans and her precious 'Pride' we don't count shit towards her"

2) "Well what the buck are we going to do about Dr. Gene then? he's still holding out, but he's going to get here eventually.

1) "Then we buck him up and kill him git, its easy as that...he ain't knows we here"

4) "Hey! Cough Syrup! get over here and help with this, I think the barrels a bit off but I dont want to touch it, its live..."

3) "Alright, hold on a bit...and you two....shut the buck up, we don't know when hes coming, but we need that Arcana"

Well damn there were more than originally intended in the room, Kes had thought there to be two total. Seems there was 4. Not really an issue in the end, but it was slightly more incontinent.

Kes turned around and motioned to the group behind him to move up and attack. Then, without so much as a blink, Kes stood to his full height and flung the door open.

His revolver leveled out moments after that, its scope amplifying the images of one of the rooms occupants chest. With a terrible roar the revolver sent a round screaming towards his torso.

Kes then moved his aim to the next closest individual, again squeezing the trigger and sending a round towards their chest.

After he finished firing he ducked back into cover and prepared for the worst.

"Leave one alive." Kes growled out to his team. The gryphon had questions, and he was sure that if he could get a hold of one of these things he could get them to start talking.

(Gun 100, Scoped .44 Magnum, shooting two of the splicers in the chest. Then ducking into cover again.)

*BAM* *BAM* two shots rang out from Kes's pistol, he pointed a the closest targets he could track but the splicers were standing nowhere as near as he thought they would, there appeared to have been four splicers and another hostile...

Ducking under Kes's pistol fire, they reached for their guns, however, two splicers that had been standing near a chair, backed off as it immediately spun around and sent a storm of lead towards Kestrel's direction as soon as door came down, luckily the barrel seemed to not have been fixed yet as the worst damage it managed was another chip to Kes's already battered mask before he took cover against the doorway.

Everypony that remained in the stairway heard a chorus of shots ring out.

Blazen stood there, in the hall with the others, somewhat tired of the crash that had brought them here. He pushed the thoughts of his girlfriend aside, later he would mourn. Now was no time to let the group down and give up Kestrel's position to the things that he was most likely listening to. Then, Kestrel pushed the door open, and started firing. He then told the others to leave one alive.

Blazen jumped into action, then realized that he barely had any ammo. But nonetheless, he was about to take action. Three bullets, hope for the best!

(Guns 96

Action: Firing at Splicer 2, aiming for the head.)

Dash jolted as he heard Kestrel's order and then the gunshots. He jumped into action, entering the room as well and finding some cover as well. He took a lightning fast mental inventory, one full mag in his gun, another full mag and one with 6 bullets left. He then realized that a deal of the gunfire hadn't been from the team, 'Buck me over...' Dash cursed in his mind and then poked his head above his cover, ready to fire.

(Guns 78, Luck 5, 9mm pistol: Firing 3 rounds at the unengaged splicer's legs.)

(9mm mag 10/33)

When Kes motioned for the group to move into position, Zestari hung near the rear, but diligently drew her 10mm pistol again and reloaded the magazine. Finding some slightly rotting crates to seek cover behind, she ducked down.

Then Kestrel kicked the door down and the air was filled with bullets. Waiting for the initial fusillade to finish, she took a couple of nervous, steadying breaths, then poked her head out from behind the crate and fired at the first splicer she could see.

(10mm pistol, Guns 25, Luck 4, firing all three shots at the first splicer she spots.)

"Tricky bastards" Kes thought switching to his rifle and holstering his revolver. It would come in handy in a bit, for now he needed the punch and firing speed of his rifle.

Turning around and pulling his rifle up to his shoulder, he lined up his shots this time focusing on the turret that had been set up. It was the biggest threat at this point in time.

One shot rang out and then Kes retraced back into cover, hopefully in time to avoid getting filled with lead.

(Gun 100, Sniper Rifle, Firing at the Turret)

Kestrels round hit home in its target, but did not completely disable the turret. The unit was still operating though sparks were showering from it every so often and its movements became dull and jerky.

A splicer picked up on the movement of the big gryphon and manged to land two hits on him, but the gryphons armor was just enough to stop the rounds before they actually hurt him. Still there would be a few bruises no doubt.


One of Blazen's shots nailed his chosen target, but these splicers seemed to be tougher than the previous ones. All the ugly abomination did was jerk, then growl in anger before leveling his revolver and firing back at the young buck twice. The first shot missed but only just barely, the second nailed the kid in the chest. Tearing through his armor and digging deep into his flesh. He was in no threat of dying yet, the bullet had missed his vitals. But another good hit like that could seriously wound him.

Zestari managed to pull some luck out of the air and hit her target. The first rounds lading right in the males torso, the third flying a bit wide and tearing off a chunk of the mutated beasts ear. He cried out and ducked down to avoid getting hit again, growling and raging in pain firing off his shotgun in her direction.

It missed.

Dash managed to miss his first to shots but the third hit home and tore a nice hole in his splicers leg. Blood and bone splattered to the ground in a sicking splat and the splicer screeched to the heavens, cursing Dash in a string of expletives that would make even a seasoned sailor blush.

Tough as he was the splicer shortly there after raised his weapon and fired his .357 three times managing two good hits back on Dash. They too missed vitals, but would no doubt be incredibly painful wounds. One entering the bucks shoulder, the next hitting his hoof.

The last splicer, attempted to shoot at Amber but just missed hitting the stallions head by fractions of an inch. The bullet whizzing down the hallway and bouncing off of a pipe with a loud metallic clang.

====
Blazen hit his target but was hit in return for 34 DM. Splicer rolled crit.

Zestari hit her target and wound him enough that he ducked and returned fire with his shotgun. He missed luckily.

Dash disabled his target with a shot to the leg, and got shot twice in return for a combined total of 24 DM.

Splicer 4 tried and failed to hit Amber. Rolling a 35 and a 57 subsequently.


4 splicers and the turret remains

Splicer 1 slightly scuffed
Splicer 2 missing an ear and hit in the torso.
Splicer 3 wounded knee, angry
Splicer 4 just fine
Turret Last legs

Amity was relieved as the creature had missed him even by inches. But seeing this Amity took the opportunity to attack. Flexing his wings with a short flap, he bounded quickly over in a quick slicing attack for the attack.

If he missed he would always be prepared. Halfway through the leap he subconsciously un-tightened the binds on the throwing knives encase they would be needed.

Dash grinned when he saw the splicer's leg shatter from one of his bullets... But the bravado was short-lived. In what was nary an instant to him a bullet slammed into his shoulder and another cracked against his hoof, sending pain shattering through his leg and hoof. Dash yelped and ducked a bit. Along with the pain he felt blood trickle down his fore leg and from his hoof. Terror gripped Dash for a moment, but as his senses came back from the bout of shock they had been in for that instant, he realized that these weren't nearly as bad as that shot back near Friendship City, which had been a straight shot directly to his ribcage from from a .44 magnum from nearly point-blank. He was still breathing, so he could still fight.

Dash growled and pushed himself up, taking aim once again. This time going for a different target, remembering Kestrel's order to leave one alive.

(Guns 78, Luck 5, 9mm pistol: Firing 3 rounds at Splicer 2's center of mass)

(HP: 196/220 9mm mag: 7/30)

Kes did not celebrate his victory over the machine yet, it was still operational after all. Waiting till the sound of incoming gunfire ceased and Amber began to Strike Kes flexed his torso and twisted around to face the interior of the room again, his rifle up and already seated. He fired once at the turret again, aiming to put it out of commission at least before turning and firing at the pony with the shotgun.

He was the next biggest threat in the gryphon's eyes.

He could hear Dash getting back to his feet behind him, not bad for a rookie.

(Guns 100, Sniper Rifle, Firing once at the Turret and once at the splicer with the shotgun; Splicer 2)

A massive amount of pain echoed through out his body when the bullet pierced his armor and lodged itself inside him. Blazen grunted, but he fired two shots and some of the two hit, and now he had one single bullet. Kes fired at the turret then at the splicer with the shotgun.

Blazen aimed his last bullet at the splicer.

(Guns: 96

Action: Fire single bullet at Splicer with the shotgun)

(Agility: 6

Action: Take cover)

Zestari heard the sound of the shotgun pellets biting into the crate and more completely pulled her body behind it. She didn't want her head being torn to shreds by a lucky shotgun burst.

She heard Dash yelp, and she looked over to see him stumble slightly. Presumably he’d need medical attention. She wanted to go over and give quick attention, but instead waited, her gun sitting heavily in her mouth. If the shotgun wielding abomination came after her, she'd hopefully be able to send a few bullets into it before it could try and get a shot at her. Dash would have to wait for the moment.

(10mm Pistol, 25 Guns, 4 Luck, taking cover behind a crate, will fire at splicer if it comes after her)

The second gunfire rang out, Mona would have been racing up the stairs, rifle at the ready as she saw the others shooting into a doorway, at several twisted ponies, and a turret.
She quickly tried to evaluate the situation, but bullets flying fast and heavy meant there wasn't much time for her to pick targets...

Instead, she tried to focus on the one pony that looked to still be in okay condition, since fire was currently focused between the others.
Aiming her Rifle, she aimed a shot for the center mass of the Splicer...she didn't have time for fancy trick shots, and this way, hopefully the bullet would sever something important when it worked it's way through it's body.

(Guns 50, Firing on Splicer 1, Hunting Rifle)

The Turret went limp as Kes landed a shot to its control mechanism, whining as it powered down and died off.

Amber's attack on the splicer was a major success, the blade of his katana digging deep into the creatures torso, spilling his guts out like candy from a pinata. But the Splicer was not done yet, it raised the revolver into the air and was about to fire when Dash's rounds tore into the things chest finishing him off.

Kes and Blazen then made short work of the shotgun wielding splicer on the ground, he didn't even get to gurgle his destruction was so complete. Both shots tore into the unfortunates addicts head and split it open like a melon.

Zestari never had to fire her weapon after that.

Mona's shot proved to be an excellent one, the round entering the chest of her chosen target, tearing straight through his heart, and exiting out the back with a thick blend of gore. Apparently the round had hit a rib and bounced about a bit first. The Splicer had not had time to do anything before he was dead.

Only one remained now, and that was the Splicer on the floor that Kestrel had ordered to be kept alive. He fired his revolver a few more times, the gun clicking desperately as he tried to defend himself.

It was useless, the rounds had missed all the attackers and now he was just wasting energy. He began trying to pull himself away, shuffling and scraping as he slid along the floor. The pool of blood from his wound did not allow it though, he could get no grip.

=====
All splicers but one killed.

Mona rolled a 100 on her roll to kill splicer 1.

Splicer 2 was killed by Amber and Dash.

Blazen and Kes killed Splicer 4

Splicer 3 is wounded and out of ammo.

Kes wasted no time in holstering his gear and moving forward. His eyes locked on the Thing before him, the strange, monstrous abomination of a pony, the frozen predatory orbs stabbing into the thing like icicles.

When in range the gryphon would back hand the pony across the face to rid him of his weapon before reaching down and clamping his free hand around the ponies throat.

"Let's chat" he said coldly, voice just as cold and intimidating as his gaze was.


(Strength 7, talons, Unarmed 55. Pretty sure I dont need it to pick the guy up, but here you are anyway.)

Dash came out from cover and sighed heavily, "Celestia and Luna, thank you..." he said quietly before looking at his wounds. He gritted his teeth as the battle adrenaline started to fade and a feeling like an ice pick being jammed in his shoulder became slowly more prominent. His hoof was a rougher part of his body, but it still hurt like Tartarus anyways. He hoped he would get medical attention, but he felt at least slightly confident that he could continue on if the situation called for it. He eyed the .357 that the splicer, who was now being dragged by Kestrel, had dropped to the ground. It was the same gun that had been used to shoot him just under a minute ago, but he was no fool to the fact that the weapon was definitely an upgrade from his 9mm.

"ERRHH!!!!" The splicer stuggeled and spittle ran down Kes's claw, there was something really wrong with the splicer's jaw...but his rabbit mask hid most of his face except for the lower.

"Just tath it!!! its ova der! in da damn corna!!! the Arcana is all yours!!" A strange occurrence happened, the splicer appeared to be crying blood as he struggled against Kes's mighty grip

"I'll give you whatever you want!! Fuck Stock! I'll help Filthy, I'LL HELP FILTHY!!!"

Looted from enemies:
-2x .357, 14 rounds
-1x single shotgun, 8 rounds

However in the corner lied an open steel briefcase ne, in it lied a huge blue bottle with a needle jutting out from it. A large label on it promised powers to whomever injected the strange fluid into themselves. Seemed healthy enough...

Items from the far table:
-1x whiskey
-1x pack of smokes
-1x Plasmid, "Incinerate"

Blazen quickly grabbed the splitted-head splicer's shotgun, as he had ran out of ammo on his 9mm. He looted it for any ammo at all, any at all, and found a few rounds. "Well, crap." Blazen said, and put the stuff back on the splicer. A few rounds for a single shotgun isn't all that great, and the shotgun isn't his forte.

Blazen looked around on the bodies, and found that they were all using 357 magnums. No doubt there would be some good parts for the gun(unfortunately the last one was taken), and no doubt there would be some ammo. He picked up a 357, and examined it, smiling. This one seemed okay for use at least.

He checked the other bodies and found exactly what he was looking for; ammo. This might be his thing, the guns. But what he truly needed was better barding, as this barding did not do much even though its reinforced. Hopefully somewhere along their journey through this place involves finding much better armor then this.

He thought of his girlfriend, how she died protecting a town. He still loved her, he would always love her. She was his only friend back then at Stableton, and she helped destroy the raiders that had killed his father oh so gruesomely. He shuddered at the thought, then checked out his wrench in his pouch, and put the ammo and the 357 gun in its stead. When he seen Dash grabbing the 357, Blazen gave him seven rounds for him to use.

He took a swing away from the others, and it was suprisingly good to wield as a close quarters combat weapon. Not like a combat knife or crowbar, but it seemed good enough in the situations that they are going to get into because of these ponies.

He swung it again, this time hitting the wall. This was intentional, and then he put it back into his pouch. He had enough to get by in combat aside from his armor. He looked at his state by looking at his reflection in the water. Bloody nose, bullet inside his hide...a bullet inside his hide. Crap. He had to take care of that as quick as he could.

He didn't want to down a health potion, that was greedy and Dash must have needed it more then he. So he reached in with his muzzle, digging deep and biting his teeth because of the pain, and opened his mouth very slightly. He then pulled the bullet out, gasping for air. He dropped the bullet on the ground, and looked at his wound. It was bleeding, but thankfully wouldn't get infected.

He reached in his bag and pulled out a piece of cloth that was incredibly small. He had gotten this from the shirt back when he was in Crosses group. He just stuck it in this pouch back then, suprisingly storing it for later use. Now it was doing good for him. He looked around for any alcohol in the room, and found whiskey and applied it to the cloth. He put the small cloth and lathered it against his wound. He drank a little bit of it himself, and put it back.

He listened to the splicer, and once he was done, he picked up the bottle of promised powers. He remembered all the bad things in his life, his most embarrassing, and his most stupidest moments. "Well, i have nothing to lose." Blazen said, and picked it up and injected it in himself. What was this Arcana stuff anyway? Did it heal? Did it-

Kes practily ignored the others, to focused on his interrogation of the pony in his grasp.

"Don't know who Filthy is boy. Now start talking, everything you know. Now." Kes ordered, his talons sinking into the ponies throat harder than before, starting to prick the skin.

Hopefully his point got across before he had to resort to more...drastic measures of obtaining information.

The splicer's tears increased in redness as they started to drip from his mask.

"Fil- Fil- Filthy Rich!! you know, the 'Only Ponies' Buck!!??! the one who used to control most of the city?!? Used to be friends with Stock Option when we first came down here, lost his daughter during the war, hasn't been seen in public since new years...I don't know what else to tell you! I don't know anymore he's a very secretive buck! all I know is alot of splecks are still loyal to the buck who built Harmony!!"

Back over in the corner, Blazen met a world of pain, collapsing on his stomach, he spazzed out as the plasmid began to arcanically rewrite his genetic structure on his left hoof, slowly but surely the whole leg sparked into a blaze but it didn't feel like power, it felt like pain, like he had seared his leg into the lava of a volcano, and it scorched and burned his shoulder and the rest of his body that was not used to it.

He fainted out of shock...