Mansion on Haunted Hill [Closed]

Lightning went to the library with Cuppa and immediately went to search on the shelves for an interesting book. The only thing he could find on that shelf was a book on trains. The stallion sighed and grabbed it, walking over to one of the seating areas in the library. Opening the book, he began to read through it.

It was a picture book, with all sorts of pictures of different trains that was used during pre-war Equestria. As he continued to read, he became intrigued on the topic. Then, turning the page, Lightning came across the picture of the steam engine, unaware that this engine was the one that nearly crushed his friends on the floor below him. Smiling to himself, he said, "You know what, I like trains..."

[Dash, Ale, Trails and Kestrel]

As Kestrel and Dash walked through the door threshold into the hall beyond, it seemed they had escaped whatever illusionary spell they had been under the effect of, the hallway had plenty of doors and even had a staircase which would allow access to the third floor. Infact, the stairwell also went down. This was the hallway which they should have emerged into had the magic not taken effect.

It seemed like the supernatural activity around them had abated. For now.

[Lightning]

(Perception check: Success)

As the blue Pegasus sat reading the book. He would see, in the peripherals of his vision, the two ends of the aisle of bookshelves he was in, suddenly bend and close, trapping the pony in. Before he could react, however, the bookshelves became taller, preventing escape by air, as well as blocking out some of the light that was making it in over the bookshelves.

Then, on the end of the aisle to his left. Lightning saw a four books levitate off the shelves and were thrown to the floor. They then burst open, the pages ripping into the shape of teeth. Then, two red glowing orbs appeared on the covers of each book, all glaring in Lightning's direction with a feral hunger. They all then began snapping open and closed, hopping toward the pony.

[Cuppa]

(Perception check: Impossible)

Cuppa and Sooth were unable to hear the events happening to Lightning. But however, the two's conversation would then be interrupted by the lights suddenly cutting out around them, "Heavens!" Sooth Sight said. He instantly lit up a light spell and levitated a Casull revolver from his coat pocket, "This has never happened before..." he said lowly, "Stay close."

Lightning kept reading the book with no worries until suddenly the bookshelves began to close around him and block off all thought of escape. The pegasus looked up and around as some of the books began to levitate and suddenly grow teeth. Frowning, he thought to himself, 'Well...this isn't good.' Dropping the book that he was reading, Lightning quickly leaped off the chair and drew his .45 Auto pistol. The one that Sooth Sight gave him. "Books...Books are trying to kill me..." In complete and utter disbelief, he took aim at the books and quickly pulled the trigger.

(Drawing .45 Auto Pistol, 4 AP)

(Firing .45 Auto Pistol at Books x3, One shot per book, Roll Bonus: 60, 27 AP)

(Dodge x2, 16 AP)

(Total AP Used: 47/47 AP)

Cuppa hesitated for a moment as the lights went out, eyes darting around to try and see if there was anything around them. Meanwhile Sooth Sight was saying how the lights going out hadn't happened before as he lit the small area with a spell and drew a pistol. Drawing her own, Cuppa glanced towards Sooth. "'S jus' a power failure, right? Or the light bulbs goin'?" She asked with concern as her horn shone a little brighter, preparing an arcane bolt in case she needed it, but otherwise following Sooth's instruction of staying close.

"Lightnin', ya nearby?" She'd call in hopes of hearing a response from the pegasus, as he'd been all on his own whilst she was here, talking to Sooth.

(Per 7, listening out for anything moving in the darkness.
Magic 66, getting an arcane bolt ready in case attacked.)

Seeing that the hall they needed was now open to them, Kestrel began to make his way down towards the staircase; cautiously of course. Perhaps the illusions had passed for now, maybe it was yet another game that was to be played.

Only time would tell and till it did Kes would have his guard up.

Ale trotted into the hallway after the others, his pistol still drawn. At least this hallway seemed normal and he could see the stairs to the third floor ahead. Part of him wanted to inspect the rooms along the hallway for any useful supplies but then again he didn't want a sky chariot or heard of buffalo charging him from the impossible void. Instead he stayed close to dash and kes, keeping an eye out for dangers as they moved to the other side.

(Per-7 going into over-watch.)

Dash also kept his .45 out, looking warily at each of the doors, "It's seriously freaky how whoever's doing this can just turn anything into a deathtrap." he said. The wierdest thing to him, however, was how seamlessly the 'illusions' could break them away, and thread them back into, reality. He heard of disguising a single pony, or making mirages or other small-scale illusions, but this was some serious reality-bending magic around here. Dash wanted to believe that they could get to the bottom of this mystery in the library, but now he wasn't so sure. He tested out the stairs with a front hoof, making sure he wouldn't end up just falling through them or anything.

[Lightning]

All 3 of Lightning's shots connected with the possessed books solidly. The first one was nailed directly in the cover and almost jumped up before landing, the two glowing 'eyes' extinguished. The next two followed suit. The books appeared severely dented by the .45 rounds, but their hard covers had absorbed most of the impact, preventing damage to the type inside that hadn't been ripped into teeth. Luckily, it seemed whatever force had been controlling them, couldn't withstand the shock from the shots so well.

Unfortunately, the noise from Lightning's gun going off had obscured the sound of more books coming to life behind the blue pegasus and they had the time to hop over to him. One made one final mad leap and nabbed a book-full of the hair on Lightning's tail. It only had the hair so there was no pain, but that surely wouldn't last for long if he didn't do anything about it.

[Dash, Ale, Kestrel and Trails]

From one of the rooms there was a sound of shuffling inside, then the voices of foal-aged ponies, "What was that?" a female voice said, "It's the ghosts!" a male one said, "Nooo!" the female voice cried, "Would you two stop..." a mare's voice then said, "Go back to bed. Uncle Sooth's guests are over and he said they might be a little loud. There are no ghosts." There was some more shuffling inside the room and then it went quiet again.

Behind them, without any of them noticing, the doorway leading to the strange doorless hallway vanished, turning into a wall with a window, as the mansion's actual, physical dimensions dictated.

[Cuppa]

Sooth Sight looked around as he focused his light spell, "I have occasionally had power shortages, usually only in single appliances, however. Like a single bulb or a washing machine. Never an entire room. The generator is quite robust, Forlorn, the one who owned this mansion at the time of the war, ordered it custom built from the finest of Ministry of Arcane Sciences technology. None of that faulty Stabletec garbage... Oh, erm. No offense, if you are from a Stable." Although it was hard to tell from the combined purpleish glow of his and Cuppa's light spells, he blushed slightly.

It was at this point that they'd notice that Lightning didn't answer. Infact, if they stilled themselves for a moment, the Library had gone deathly silent.

Trails kept his .45 in its holster, not seeing it being it any use against figments of their host's imagination. Instead he chose to keep an eye out for any signs of further reality distortion, or as he called it 'fucked-upness'.

Perception 7

Lightning was in full survival mode. He knew that if he didn't get out of there soon that he would become book food. The stallion smirked a little when his bullets hit the books cleanly. 'Very good,' he thought. However, that didn't help the fact that another book snuck up behind him and already got a hold of his tail. Luckily...so far...ONLY his tail. Lightning turned his head to see the boom nomming on his tail. "Oh come on!"

Lightning quickly began to buck his tail, hard, in an attempt to get the book off. He also began to smash his tail against the ground in hopes of forcing the book to let go or realize it's error. If that didn't work, he leveled his pistol to the book and pulled the trigger.

(Bucking and slamming the book against the ground x8, 32 AP)

(If that fails, firing .45 Auto Pistol at book, 9 AP)

(Total AP Used: 41/47 AP)

Kestrel glanced at the room, listening to the innocent conversation within. There were Foals here too? Damn, that could complicate things if the situation got any worse. Pushing that thought aside for now, Kes pushed on towards the stairwell; eyes searching for any further disruption to their journey.

(Per 10 just watching out as we move along. Do dee do)

"S'okay, ah'm not from the Stable everypony else is from. Ah'm from The Republic, was tryin' t' move t' Friendship City, but it didn' go so well. So ah settled in Stableton instead." She briefly explained before trying to listen out for Flash, a brief glance towards Sooth as he'd apologized revealed to her the faintest traces of him blushing, but she decided to say nothing of it.

Then she paused and looked around as far as the light would allow. "'S far too quiet in 'ere. Don't ya think?"

(Keeping 20 AP on using magic bolt if anything attacks, magic 66. Rest of AP on dodging if needed.)

[Lightning]

Lightning was wise to immediately address the book attacking his tail. Although his combat prowess with his bare hooves was not graceful, it proved its worth. Lightning's first buck hit hard, looking for a moment like it would get the evil book off his tail. However, the book held fast. The hair on Lightning's tail recoiled and pulled the book right into the second buck. However, the newfound motion of the book threw off the pegasus' aim and the book merely bounced off the backs of his legs. Luckily, the book didn't have the sense to go for them, choosing instead to wait for a chance to continue nomming the tail it had gotten a hold of.

Lightning then slammed the book against the ground using his tail a few times as well. Although some of the attacks were a little weak Lightning was able to dislodge the book with one final buck, which, to his surprise, carried amazing force. The book was dislodged from his tail, but the book was in full determinator mode and managed to hold on enough that the force of Lightning's final buck yanked out a few of his tail hairs.

The book flew down the aisle and slammed against a bookcase. It fell lifelessly to the ground. However, around it, 5 more books hopped from the shelves and began clapping toward Lightning. This attack was nowhere near over.

[Kestrel, Dash, Ale and Trails]

As the group ascended the staircase, they saw that the hallway was devoid of light. The little light that bounced its way from the 2nd story hardly illuminated the wall opposite the. To Kestrel, however, the little light that made it into the hallway made it farther, leaving the hallway in a dark shade, but workable. A door a little ways down the hall to the left was open and the familiar sounds of Cuppa and Sooth Sight could be heard.

[Cuppa]

Sooth Sight nodded to Cuppa, "Indeed... Sir Lightning Flash? Sir Lightning Flash are you there?" Sooth Sight moved forward and aimed the Casull revolver around the corner. He then focused his light spell to illuminate the aisle of bookcases, but there was nothing there. He sighed, "Nothing yet..." he said, looking back at Cuppa. He then looked back down the hallway. Whatever he saw, Cuppa wasn't able to refocus on in time. But it was enough for the stallion to instantly pull the trigger on his Casull. He shot thundered like an atom bomb in the enclosed environment. Vibrations and the noise could be heard all over the house, even in the isolated pocket of reality Lightning was currently in.

Lightning reeled in shock as a loud gunshot echoed through the library. He didn't fire a shot recently so he knew that wasn't from him.. At least he knew that somepony was nearby. Maybe this pony can help him. It sounded like he had a big gun anyways.

Luckily, to the pegasus' surprise, his bucking managed to get the book off his tail...literately....but not without more books coming to get him. He could see two books directly in front of him and glancing back, noticing three more coming behind him. Lightning knew that he had to make a move to get the books all in front of him so with a running start, he attempted to flare his wings and leap up in a front flip over the two books and landing. If he was successful, he would be able to put all 5 books in front of him and ready to shoot.

(Flying/Front flipping over the books, 8 AP)

(If successful, firing .45 Auto Pistol x4, Roll Bonus: 60, 36)

(Total AP Used: 44/47 AP)

Cuppa listened out for any signs of Flash's presence, but continued to hear nothing until she saw.... something.
But whatever it was, Sooth had seen it and was convinced enough to shoot it with that revolver of his.

The sound of it firing in such an enclosed space caused Cuppa's ears to ring briefly and made her flinch, as if waiting for something to attack back. Whilst waiting, Cuppa drew the .45 whilst keeping her horn primed and ready for a magical bolt. "If ah could hear Flash, ah could try an' teleport to 'im, then come back. An' at a big push, ah could get all o' us outta the library."

(Drawing .45 However much AP it is.
Magic 66 Still ready to fire magic bolt if needed. 12 AP if used.
Guns 30, keeping .45 ready for firing in case bolt fails to hit or doesn't do enough. Will fire once = 8 AP.
Leaving all other AP for evasion.)

Trails' ears perked up at the sound of their host's voice. He listened intently and heard what sounded like Flash's name, albeit poncified. A few moments later a the thunderous boom of a gunshot rang through the halls. That was enough for the stallion to draw his pistol and pull back the hammer, judging by the silence Flash wasn't able to return fire and therefore likely bleeding out on the library floor.

He rushed to the door and slid onto one side of the frame, the pegasus wasn't going to be helped by them rushing in and getting shot dead too. He waved for somepony to stack up on the opposite side and infront of the door. Military action may not have been called for earlier, but now it was.

(waiting for everypony else to stack up then entering)

Dash looked back at the door that had the speaking behind it a few moments ago. It was refreshing to hear the voice of somepony who wasn't being afflicted by nightmarish activity. He then followed Kestrel, Ale and Trails up the stairs. He paused once again at the sight of the darkness on the third floor. After what they had been through, darkness didn't seem like something they'd last very long in. Like Trails, his ears zeroed in on the sound of Sooth Sight's voice, who sounded like he was calling for Lightning. They weren't in the Library so he couldn't see anything that was going on. Perhaps there was light in there.

Then, the gunshot. Dash reared up and nearly fell back down the stairs, "GHA!!!" Dash cried, "The hay was that!?" however, with his ears ringing the way they were, he could barely hear even himself. He saw Trails draw his gun, what he had just heard sounded like a gunshot, so Dash followed suit. Maybe there was something going on, maybe they were in trouble over there! Dash pushed himself forward into the darkness as well, he wouldn't let his friend get hurt. He squinted hard, and could see that Trails had followed a faint path of light coming from an open door. This door must lead to the Library. Dash paused, thinking for a moment how they should approach the situation.

Ale slowly ascended the stares with the others and was greeted with dark, lots and lots of dark. But it was not the all encompassing void that a train attempted to exit from earlier. No this was just lack of light dark. Ale could deal with lack of light dark. His eyes quickly adapted to the conditions of the hall.

Then there was the gunshot. "And here we go again." He thought as he held up his pistol and fallowed behind trails, staking up on the other side of the door.

(When given the signal will breach the door.)

Kestrel had slowed his pace a bit as he moved on along through the hall, the sudden darkness not much of a hazard to his keen eyes. Coming to the end of the blackness the griffon heard the tickle of sound bringing to play at his ears. Sooth Sight, the host. Well...that made things easier.

Then the gunshot rang out.

Kestrel felt the headache starting up, and his ears began ringing. The bark of the magnum cartridge showing its true colors without any form of hearing protection. Kes knew that sound, he knew it well. The Revolver in his pocket made the same ungodly roar every time he pulled its trigger.

"The hay was that!?" Dash yelled, the griffons hearing taking a moment to decipher the sound and give it understandable form.

".454 Casull. Someone or something is hurting. Badly." Kes said with a low growl, narrowing his vision and darting forward after the others. Unlike Trails Kes didn't tuck in and dash through the door, instead he drew his .45, the quieter of his two guns, and began to move cautiously towards the door' pistol trained on its form.

Just in case.

[Lightning]

Lightning jumped up and flipped over a group of the possessed books, they hopped up at him, attempting to bite him as he flew over them as well. He managed to clear the gap, but fouled up the landing a bit. He wound up landing on his rump rather than his hooves, but it was of little consequence. He was still in an optimal position to begin firing.

The first two shots hit their marks, both the books flew back, dormant. But with the third shot, the slide got stuck back. Although these were pristine-condition pistols, 200 years of unuse had seen dust creep into the mechanics, building up and jamming the weapon temporarily.

Meanwhile, the three currently active books hopped toward Lightning. One launched itself forward on the attack. This time, the book got what it desired. The book's knife-sharp teeth, rigid with dark magic jabbed into Lightning's left front leg like a series of some of the worst paper cuts a pony could get.

(Lightning's HP: 290/300)

[Library Group]

As Ale and Trails stacked up at the door, they were able to see what was going on in the main area of the Library. There was nopony there, but the light they could see washing out into the hall came from the effect of two light spells being used down one of the book aisles a few aisles down.

Sooth Sight breathed deeply, "I'm... I'm not sure what I saw, but there is something in here with us, for sure." he turned around to Cuppa. As he did, the two could hear 2 soft thumps from a wall of bookcases to their right. That side of the aisle seemed a bit different, the book case went all the way up to the roof rather than being open on top.

Cuppa gave a low nod as Sooth confirmed something was in the library with them before her ears perked up at the sound of two thuds. Looking in the direction that it came from, Cuppa saw but a bookcase.... A very high bookcase. "Mr. Sooth Sight, these bookcases meant t' be so high up? Ah didn't see any this high when ah was lookin' around fer books."

Cuppa was just thinking that something might be hidden by such a high bookcase, perhaps something rather similar to a blue pegasus that they had been looking for. Sadly, Cuppa wouldn't be able to teleport her way in, as she was sure she'd not seen the part of the library concealed by those shelves.

"Ah'm gonna see if ah can see anythin' on the other side o' this bookcase. Lightnin' could be on t' other side o' it." Cuppa said as she kept relatively close to the bookcase itself and started to move towards either end.

(All AP ready like before)

Lightning growled as the .45 Auto pistol that he was using jammed, though at least it let out two shots before that. With three books still alive coming after him, there was no time to fix the jam. 'This is what I get for trusting 200 year old guns,' he thought. He did, however, have another .45 that he knew that he COULD count on. The stallion put the disabled .45 Auto pistol on the ground when a book managed to leap up and bite him in the hoof. "OWW! What the HELL?!"

Lightning waved his hoof around in the air, attemping to fling it off before he slammed the book against the ground and hoping that he would kill it that way. The other two books were still coming at him and in his panicked state, reached to draw his other .45 pistol, flicking on the prism sight. If he could get the book off, he would first shoot that one if it wasn't dead. Then fire two more shots at the other two books the second he saw the red dot move over their hard cover. "Next time, I'm only collecting soft covered books!"

(Slamming book on hoof against the ground x4, 16 AP)

(Drawing .45 Auto Pistol with Prism sight, 4 AP)

(If book is off and not dead, firing one shot with .45, Roll Bonus: 65, 9 AP)

(If book is dead, firing at other two books, .45 pistol, 18 AP)

(Total AP Used: 47/47)

Seeing nothing in the immediate entrance, Trails nudged the library door open further and took a cautious step in. He clearly saw the light coming one of the aisles. Two unicorns...our hosts? Two birds, one stone. He kept his pistol low and ready as he crept towards the occupied aisle, doing his best to keep his breath low and measured. Then came the heavily accented sound of a somewhat familiar voice. It was that medic unicorn from Appleoosa, Beans or something, what the hell was she doing here.

Before the stallion had much time to think on this she trotted out from the aisle and in front of him. Instinctively he raised his gun, and braced himself for oncoming fire that wouldn't come. After a second he relaxed and lowered his weapon, beckoning the unicorn to come near.

Ginger ale crept into the library behind trails. He recognized the two lights as that of unicorn light spells. Hell if he wasn't trying to be sneaky his horn would be enveloped in the same light.

He kept his pistol ready, he wasn't looking to shoot anypony but there was clearly something iffy going on in this mansion. That and the sound of a gun that boomed like luna's canterlot voice didn't help matters. So ale was ready to fire on the first thing that he proceived as a threat.

(Guns-60: Use .45 to fire on first thing that tries to attack us. 2 shots if one isn't enough. -16 AP.

All remaining AP for evasion)

Weapon drawn and out, Kestrel had followed shortly after Trails, moving slow and silent as he could while he searched for any signs of life in the big room.

Especially the one with the Casull.

If need be he'd fire. Hopefully the sight of the massive griffon carrying about the gifted handgun would be enough to discourage any such behaviors though.

(Moving behind Trails, will fire doubletap anything thats a threat. Otherwise just a sneaking...aw yiss.)