Ghosts of Arlingtrot [Wild Wasteland]

Dash re-holstered his revolver, his ears still ringing from the epic bang of Kestrel's Casull. He heard rodeo's voice, but only in a sort of muffled half-voice which was caused by Dash's borderline shell-shock from the high caliber gun going off not as far as it should have been from his ears, "Uh..." Dash began, blinking a few times as his hearing returned fully. He finally shook himself out of it and followed the rest of the group. Usually he re-stocked after an engagement like this, but he had been woozified out of it.

Tiffany hadn't noticed that any of the ponies were missing, even though the others had and were making a fuss about it. She looked around as if to try and see what they were noticing, but failed to pick up on it.

Afterwards, choosing to stay outside, not that they would've noticed her at all, she didn't like scary dark places, and the gun-fire confirmed that something mean must've been down there.

As they all came back up, Tiffany looked at them with confusion, asking the group in general. "What did you find?"

[GW note: Tiffany decided not to go with the group, and is now also missing. She was not at the top of the stairs when the group returned, she is now among the missing ponies.]

The group came out of the crypt, and Rodeo resumed his place at the head of the group. That was a useless endeavor, a waste of time. Two more crypts to go, and the missing ponies and griffon were most likely in one of them. Rodeo started heading towards the southern crypt, and peered into the darkness.

When the unicorns returned with their lights, The group continued down. When they arrived at the bottom of the stairs, something interesting stood before Rodeo's eyes. There were a few lights in this crypt hallway. Rodeo looked up. Strung along the middle across the entire ceiling, was a string of Christmas lights. Just plain, white lights which glowed dimly in the dark. It provided enough light for the group to see, but only just barely. On the walls, once again, were the graves of ponies from before the war. This hall appeared to be where officers were laid to rest.

Rodeo lead the group further into the crypt. This one was different... It was bigger, longer. It even had wings going off to both sides. When Rodeo came to the end of the hall, it split off in two more directions. The left, seemed to be filled with rubble, and had no lights going that way. But the right had the lights on the ceiling turn, and proceed back in that direction. Rodeo wondered what it was all about... it was all so strange. But possibly may lead the group to the missing ponies. It was evident, however, that something alive certainly was there.

Then, as Rodeo and the group continued down the hall, their hooves clipping and clopping against the floor- the sudden sound of a hoof stepping into liquid hit everypony's ears. Rodeo looked down to realize he had stepped into a pool of blood. He followed a trail of blood, which lead around a corner. He began forward again, watching the trail until he worked around the corner and saw something. A body. A mare, light purple coat which was soaked in her own blood. Surely she was the mare the treasure hunters had lost.

Rodeo leaned over, and nudged her with his snout. At the touch, she grunted. Rodeo's eyes widened, and he used a hoof to roll her onto her back to face him. Her round, bright red eyes opened up and peered up to Rodeo and the group behind him. They were blood shot, and filled with tears. The instant she saw the figure of a pony looming over her, she went into a fit of panic. Her weak limbs found the energy to struggle some as she shuffled to get away from Rodeo.

"No! Stay away from me! Don't hurt me, please!" she begged, scrambling toward the wall.

"Ah ain't gonna hurt ya. Mah name's Rodeo, what's yer's?" he asked, his deep voice low and hushed, trying to calm the traumatized mare.

"Sh- Shine. Star Shine... Who are you?" she asked as she tried to press herself closer to the wall.

Rodeo turned back to his group. "Anypony uh medic?" he wondered, looking among their faces.

Kestrel narrowed his eyes at the newcomer, was she real, or another illusion of this supernatural graveyard? In any case Kestrel kept his guard up, and his gaze focused on the tiny female.

But something else was also nagging at him, the other griffon, the one that seemed to understand only his species native tongue. She was missing. He had never gotten the females name, all he knew was that she was now gone.

"We've lost another of our number." Kestrel said, his voice low and cold.

Night Shade was starting to calm down a bit. His cut had stopped bleeding but it was still very noticeable. Shade eyes widened when he saw the mare in that state.

"What happened to you?" Night Shade asked in a quiet voice.

Scraps was getting a bit more jumpy, every second the didn't find those who went missing was a second horrible things could be happening to them. The surroundings didn't really bother him, even if they were creepy.

What did bother him was the near dead body that the group had found. It was one of the ponies that had been taken from the earlier group. If whatever had taken her was doing the same to Bake, Sky, Jasmine and the griffon from earlier... Scraps didn't even want ti think about that...

The mare said nothing, just simply pulled her front legs up over her face and moved closer to the wall. Rodeo managed to get a glimpse of her wound as she moved. Somepony- or something- had shot her right in the side. Rodeo was honestly surprised she hadn't keeled over yet. She sure had bled a lot, he wasn't surprised she was found passed out on the floor in a puddle of blood, though. The trail looked like she had dragged herself down the hall and around the corner to this spot, where she just couldn't hold on any longer and gave up.

Rodeo lowered his muzzle to her. "Who did this ta ya?" he asked softly.

She peeked out from under her hooves at Rodeo. "Th- they did," she simply said.

Rodeo's gaze was uneffected. "Who is 'they'? Who are you talking about?" he asked again.

She covered her face once more and let out a whimper as she tried to hide herself. "The g-ghosts."

Rodeo stood up straight. He turned back to the group, and watched for their reactions. He believed her. He was not about to leave her to die just because he didn't know, and therefore couldn't trust her. If she tried to betray him, he'd deal with it. Besides, she had be legitimately injured. The blood on the floor didn't come out of a paint can, it came out of an oozing wound in her side- Rodeo could see it with his own eyes.

"Hold still, darlin'," Rodeo said, putting his nuzzle to her shoulder and fitting his head under. He lifted her up, and she slid down onto his back, back legs still on the ground.

"Whoa! What are you doing?!" she demanded as he lifted her.

"Ah'm gettin' ya out," he answered, moving to the side and taking her full weight. She was too weak to struggle, as she was mostly limp on his back, her legs hanging off the sides, and her midsection draped over Rodeo's back like a we towel. Her long, bushy, purple tail dragged along on the ground as he started to walk again. "Y'all c'mon, now! We gotta save them ponies," he ordered. N' Ah have ta save Jasmine, he thought to himself as he ventured on. It was his responsibility personally to watch her and ensure her safety. He could not fail her when he said he would do this for her. Rodeo never broke a promise.

Night Shade watched as Rodeo carried the mare. He sure was a noble stallion. It's good to see there are still ponies out there with a heart. Shade then snapped back into reality, he had zoned out again.

"What do we do now?" asked Night Shade. "We pushing forward, or we taking here to safety first?" he asked. Night Shade was curious to what Rodeo would say in response. Judging from her wounds and the fact that it's dangerous down here, taking here with them wouldn't ensure her survival. Though if they left now, the other members of their group could be lost for good. It would be a hard decision for anypony. If Shade had to, he would take the mare out by himself so the group could press on. "I'll carry her outta here myself if you want, you can press on with the others and find our missing party." offered Night Shade

"Nopony is going anyplace," Rodeo responded to Night. "Every time somepony wanders off, er turns their back, they gone missin'. Ain't nopony goin' anyplace the group ain't goin' too... We'll have ta take 'er with us."

"Shes injured Rodeo, she needs medical attention." said Night Shade. "And even if we can take her with us and she doesn't bleed out, we already KNOW there are ghouls down here. And apparently ghosts, or who knows what the hell they really are. *sigh* It's risky..." added Shade. He felt empathy for the mare. And she might not make it if they took her with them. Then again, she might not make it even if she was brought to safety...

Rodeo stopped and turned back to Night. "Ya wanna take 'er up n' outta this place? Ya wanna go out there in the mist alone, no idea what's out there ta kill ya? Be mah guest. Ya ain't takin' her with ya ta suffer the same fate. Its uh long shot, we gotta patch 'er up as best we can, n' pray fer the best. She comes with us, or we all go back n' go home... That ain't uh option. Group stays together, n' that's final." Rodeo's voice was low and stern, full of authority and strength with a glare aimed at Night which spoke it.

With that out of the way, Rodeo turned back to face down the tunnel, and continued to walk with the mare on his back.

"Alright" Shade said simply. He decided to to just listen to the earth pony. Looks like they were taking the risky option. Though Shade could understand why he wanted everypony to stay together. They already lost 3 of their party. Shade wasn't afraid of going out alone, even if there was speculation he wouldn't come back. Shade just followed after Rodeo and the rest of the group.

Kira watched the new pony with suspicious eyes during the entire time and it was understandable to see why she gave the pony the looks she did, their numbers have been picked off one by one by some mysterious force out there and then a pony that some how managed to stay alive and avoid capture by what ever stalked them. So one could probably forgive her from giving the pony a look no matter what she said nor what Rodeo argued. But still she followed him, whatever the gryphoness thought he was right they had to stick together or be picked off one by one.

Kestrel could not really say he agreed with Rodeo's reasoning, he was a bit to kind for his own good really. Still nothing Kestrel could do about it without causing unnecessary headaches or casualties. He'd just follow along for now, as per usual, the big black griffon pulling up the rear of the group and keeping his eyes sharp for danger.

Dash remained quiet, trying to think through the current situation. He didn't really want to think that their group was starting to go the same way as the previous group had been described to have. He was starting to get a little scared, but he knew better than to let it start controlling him. He had to stay focused, not only did he have Leafrun's life counting on him, he had the others who had disappeared potentially riding on him as well. He maintained his position, making very sure to not stray away.

"Thank you..." peeped the mare on Rodeo's back as she looked over at him with her big, purple eyes. He looked back at her, and simply nodded before going back to walking.

Rodeo listened to Sketch and his concerns as they walked. "Ah dun like it neither. But whoever took our group members probably came this way... The light could be leadin' us straight to 'em."

"He's right," Star Shine said again, her voice low and weak. "They took me, and were bringing me this way. When I tried to run, they shot me. Then left me to die right where I was," he explained, choking up and starting to tear up at the end.

"Well, there ya have it," Rodeo replied, hoping that had answered Sketche's question.

"It was so horrible... I don't know if they were actually ghosts or not. They looked like ghosts, but they talked, and made noises, and could reach out and touch me. They were there, but they weren't... It was so strange, like they were invisible almost. And they had big, green, glowing eyes."

Rodeo turned back and looked at her again, then shot a glance over to Kes. "What did they say?" Rodeo asked.

"They were talking about some big group of ponies and griffons outside... I'm guessing that was you guys. They were talking about how you were all big and strong, and taking down your numbers was the only way to kill you... I guess that's why they took me, so they could reduce my group's numbers too... Then they were talking about my stuff. They said 'put it with the rest of the crap'..."

Very interesting. It appeared as though the "ghosts" sought to destroy any visitors. Rodeo connected dots in his head. They set up the traps, they tried to scare ponies away from their groups, separate them, and pick them off one by one. Then, they were taking all the loot for themselves and hiding it, so nopony would want to scavenge or treasure hunt.

"Well hot damn... So there is a treasure of Arlingtrot." Rodeo turned his head, and looked at the group as they walked. Maybe it would add to inspiration to push onwards- as though the missing group members weren't enough on their own.

"They put your stuff with 'all the other crap?' Well sounds like they can't be raiders." said Night-Shade. Though it was probably pretty obvious that they weren't dealing with raiders. Though from the way she made it sound, it would seem the enemy isn't looking to ambush ponies for their stuff. What were they REALLY dealing with?

Scraps had managed to catch snippets of the conversation between the mare and Rodeo as he walked along near the rear of the group. He hadn't heard all of it but more than enough to piece together the mares story. It didn't exactly fill him with confidence. Still he couldn't let Bakewell down, he would find her, even if he had to tear this cemetery apart; so he put on a brave face when Rodeo glanced back at the group, and continued to move forward with the group, eyes peeled.

After some more walking, and rounding another corner the tunnel suddenly ended... But, it didn't end. It kept going. It was as if somepony had blasted down the wall. Fifty feet through the wall, was another tunnel. The lights ran straight through the pony-made tunnel, and into the new tunnel. Rodeo walked wearily up to the dirt where a wall use to be, and examined the walls of the tunnel. It was a perfect hole, straight through to another wall. Rodeo proceeded through, and came out in the middle of a corner of another tunnel.

Blasted straight through where some graves use to be. Their old skeletons and their caskets discarded to the side. Their uniforms were torn and ruined, but varied from the white military dress suits with yellow trim, to the black suits with purple trim. The medals were missing, and again, some skeletons were naked. Beyond the skeletons, several hundred feet away, was another stair case going up to the surface. It was the stairs for the third, and final crypt.

Rodeo didn't bother going that way, he continued on forward after the lights which lead down another long tunnel. But then, something happened. Or, started to happen. The lights shut off down the hall. Rodeo stopped. The lights above them were still on, and the lights ahead were still on. Way down the hall, a whole string of lights had shut off. Then, another. Then another. Rodeo started to walk backwards, hoping the group would follow his lead.

Then, all the lights shut off. Pitch black again. There was absolutely no light, and once again, all the unicorns in the group felt their magic to make light being suppressed. Then, there was a presence in the room. Rodeo and the group stared forward in the dark, and then... A pair of green, glowing eyes appeared in the nothingness. There they were, face to face with their enemies. They had apparently come too close, it was time to face the music. Rodeo could feel his nerve starting to leave; how do you fight a ghost? Still, Rodeo pulled out his shotgun, and pulled back the hammers.

The ghost didn't react. But then, another pair of green, glowing eyes appeared. Then another pair, and another, and another. Before Rodeo knew it, there were too many pairs of eyes to count down the hall in the blackness. They were staring right at the group, and started to slowly approach.

"Let's, uh... get back ta cover," Rodeo whispered to the group, turning and galloping back to the corner where the caskets were discarded. At the sudden movement, the army of "ghosts" charged, and those in the front open fired on the group. The flashes of their various weapons bouncing off the walls, the echos of their blasts pounding everypony's ears.

Night-Shade was a little excited to see that they HAD found more uniforms like that one they found before, but Rodeo would probably be all 'respect the dead.' Like they deserve his respect anyways. That's when the lights went dead in the hall. Then the lights went dead in the cave.

Night-Shade tried to use his light spell, but felt as if his magic was being suppressed. Then glowing green eyes started to appear in front of them. "Luna fuck me with..." Shade said but stopped when he heard Rodeo's shotgun click. Shade didn't need an invitation. He floated out his new varmint rifle and opened fire on the incoming enemy.

Dash watched the surroundings with increasing unease, it was hard to tell if the way some of the things were, were made that way recently or years and years ago. But so far he was doing a good job keeping himself focused. When it came to the skeletons and original graves here, Dash was a little irked that ponies would loot them. The dead from before the War deserved at least a little respect. The world of the living nowadays was not superior by any stretch of the imagination.

Dash then stopped dead in his tracks as the lights cut out. He waited uneasily as a few seconds ticked by, then the glowing eyes stared at them from the darkness. For the first time in a long time, Dash felt his legs lock up. He could only stare horror at the luminous eyes staring at them from the pitch black hallway. He was broken out of this by the sudden action that enveloped the area soon thereafter. Dash hit the ground and yanked out his 10mm SMG, 'Bucking ghosts!?' he thought as he squeezed off two bursts, more in a test to see if his bullets would actually hit them.

(Guns 80, 10mm SMG, Trigger Dicipline, Firing twice at the ghosts)

((Night, Rodeo didn't shoot, and the uniforms are not any good. They're unusable.))

Rodeo rested the injured mare against the wall, then turned back to see Night standing in the middle of the hallway and take a few shots. "Cover! Get ta cover!" he ordered, trying to holler over the echoing blasts of their weapons. Rodeo turned and bucked at an empty casket, making it slide across the floor until it hit the wall and stopped. Instant cover for whoever wanted it. Rodeo hid behind the corner of the wall, and watched The group try to fire at the charging enemies rather than falling back to a strategic position.

"Get back! Get back!" Rodeo demanded more, starting to lose his voice from how loud he had to shout. The hallway filled with gunfire from the mysterious enemies. Bullets ricocheted off the walls and floors. There was just too much! If you weren't behind cover, you were being hit. And so, Night felt a round pound into his flank, and then a bullet skipped off the wall and clipped Dash' back.

Kestrel's positioning had proved useful as the once calm situation had gone FUBAR in seconds. The 'ghosts' from before had somehow managed to get a hold of some firepower, firepower that was currently redecorating the walls and opening up the floorplan.

Rodeo's order to get into cover did not even register to Kes, he was already in the process of finding some. The corner of the wall at the beginning of the hall was about to become Kestrels best friend for the duration of the fire fight.

Once there, assuming he hadn't been filled with lead while moving back the few feet necessary to get there, Kestrel would press up against the wall and pull out his Revolver; it was more of an instinctual move than a logical one.

Popping out to take some shots would have been suicide, like walking into a meat grinder of lead and fire. Kestrel could do little else aside from sit there, listening to the gunshots and the screams, and wait.