Danger Close [Invite Only]

(Ash Health, Moon Runner, Xeshir, Rad Boom, Crackle)

You ran low on caps, like all pathetic denizens of the Equestrian do sooner or later, but in your case, must've been desperate. Who knows, maybe you were just bored and wanted some action. Nonetheless when a call when out around the Stableton area from a pathetic old stallion, many laughed, but you knew better than to doubt the potential. The stallion had the caps and was willing to reward you handsomely. All you had to do was help him protect the package.

Leading about a mile out of Stableton, your little group finds that this package is a paddywagon of sorts with a covered cell in the back, a single small window covered up with a block of wood. 2 nasty, snarling looking ponies were pulling it, Loose Wire and Double Take. The old stallion himself didn't offer much information other that he lost alot of friends trying to catch him, promising he'd go back to pay his respects....but the prisoner was too important to let emotions get in the way.

The old stallion went by the name of Soda Pop. He had a large bulky figure that seemed to a mess of assorted rags that covered his body, maybe when he was younger he was proud, but for now he looked like a ragged buffalo with teeny tiny pony head with a serious glare in his eye that could make anypony squirm. His caramel colored face had stress lines crossing from years of hard traveling, still, he had the caps.

Once he hired you, you all traveled towards the west, slingshoting north to avoid most of the enslaved wastes but becoming forced to travel through an old town. Mud stained your hooves as Pop ordered the group to help Loose and Double drag the wagon through a muddy riverbed. He looked off into the distance as a few gunshots went off a few miles away.

"Hurry up you vermin, I ain't waitin around all day for you!" He waved his face angrily as the group stood around.

Crackle knew better than to try and start any conversations with the angry-looking ponies pulling the wagon, or with his new employer. He wasn't sure how, but he had managed not to say anything too rude to Soda while discussing his new contract, but with that attitude it was only a matter of time before he did something he might later regret. Instead, Crackle merley nodded to his Boss, took a quick glance at his companions, and launched himself into flight. He started circling over the small comvoy at a reasonable altitude; close enough for his keen hearing to detect most of what the party said, but still high enough to see any approaching trouble. keeping half an eye out in the direction the shots had come from, he thought over the little group.

The two pulling the wagon certainly seemed like they knew how to fight, but it would take them time to get unhitched if push came to shove. As for the Boss, Crackle really had no idea. You didn't get to be that old in the wasteland by being a lightweight, but with age came feeble limbs and dimmed senses. He decided to count him as a non-combatant for now, but hoped he would be pleasantly suprised later. The other 4 members of the rag-tag group looked like they might be able to handle themselves, but they really weren't very geared-up. Most likley either drifters like him, or townies hoping for a few extra caps from an easy job. Only time would tell; the wasteland had a way of cutting out the weakest links. However, he was fairly certain he had seen a few of them during his brief visit to stableton, so maybe things weren't so bad after all. Most of that town at least knew which end of a gun you point at the raiders. Making a mental note not to rely too heavily on them, Crackle proceeded to fly overwatch as the caravan assembled and (hopefully) began to move out.

Sheesh, if it weren't for the caps, I would not be putting up with this crap. Moon Runner thought, growing impatient with both the lack of progress AND the old stallion running the show.

"All right, all right, calm your hooves!" Moon Runner quipped as he strapped into an extra harness and got ready to help pull the cart, anxious to get through the riverbed as quickly as possible. "Just out of curiosity Mr. Pop, does this thing," he paused for a moment as he motioned towards the cart with his head, "Have one of those Flux regulator things? Or is it just that freakin heavy?"

It wasn't as glamorous as some of the other jobs that Moon had taken, but at least it was a job. Wandering aimlessly around the wastes was starting to take its toll on him. He didn't mind the solitude as much as he did the other dangers of the wastes. At least, the ones that he hadn't had the displeasure of encountering before.

Slowly, Moon looked around towards all of the other ponies and the Griffon circling the air above him. At least i can count on that griffon keeping away a few of anything that comes at us... I would be pretty much useless strapped into this thing. Oh well, I hope we get moving soon... Those gunshots sound fairly close. He triggered his E.F.S. on his PipBuck. Of course, not close enough to register. Typical.

Xeshir frowned, caps or not she wasn´t particularly fond on ponies like Soda Pop. The contract itself sounded like the start of a bad joke Oh dear, my friends seem to all have died just before I reached this town completely unscathed. Would you like to join me? but she had to admit she needed the caps so she kept her mouth shut and accepted the contract.

Right now, she had the feeling she would regret it in a few minutes. She had sang to herself the whole trip, trying to keep her morale up, but the way Soda Pop treated them all it was hard to maintain it. "You could ask nicely." Was all Xeshir said when he started calling them vermin. She wasn´t partirculary strong, so she would let someone else get the extra harness. Her ears lifted up when she heard the gunshots, she silently pulled out get 9mm and deactivated the safety.

"I suppose this isn't too bad" Ash health muttered as he stood along side the wagon examining the muddy ground. He would have helped pull the cart, but his usual trade didn't call for heavy lifting and with his physical capabilities he wouldn't be much help if any at all.

Ash glanced at his companions for the journey to wherever they were going. They seemed respectable if not a bit under supplied but he just assumed like him they didn't have the caps for good equipment. Ash had his doubts about the whole job but despite Soda's sour demeanor and lack of information he seemed like an honest pony... hopefully. In the end it all came down to a need of caps and a perfect opportunity that brought him here and he assumed what attracted the others.

Ash looked up stirred from his thoughts by the sound of gunshots. Arming himself with his 9mm he looked over to where the noise was coming from but not spotting anything. He would like to avoid a fight if possible but if trouble followed the gunshots, he could at least offer a bit of protection to the wagon and his companions.

Rad was grumbling to himself as he helped pull the cart along. "Damn thing... Weighs a ton... Stupid mud ain't helpin either.. Gonna take forever to get all this mud out me coat.." Anything else Rad said had been lost in his grumbling. He wasn't usually one for trudging through mud, he had wings for a reason, or at least that's how he thought of it. Out of the group that decided to come along with the old pony Rad felt he was the best equipped, sporting a pair of assault carbines on a battle saddle to everypony elses pistols. He also groaned every time some mud got on his left side carbine, the one Rad believed to be cursed. Even going as far as to accasionally apologise to the gun, hoping he didn't annoy it into jamming more than it did usually.

He perked up at the gunshots, but figured since he was hitched up there wasn't much he could do anyway and since his weapons were mounted on the battle saddle, there wasn't much preparation needed to fire them. So he kept his focus on dragging the cart through the mud, letting out a sigh when he slipped a little and got mud all up his side before continuing. "Hey Soda Pop how much longer are we gonna be trudgin through all this damn mud anyways? Surely there must be an easier route?"

Pop stomped angrily through the mud, his rags drenched by the time he walked up to Ash and a cane swung out and struck him on his Forehooves.

"I'm paying to guard and I'm paying you to pull!!!" He stood taller over Ash and glared at him, his eyes seemed full of fury. But from the outside it looked a bit silly with the pony having a tiny little head mounted on mass of rags. He turned and pointed his cane at Crackle. A tin can went flying out and pegged Crackle on the head, he stomped his hooves frustrated.

"Don't think I forgot you either, you daft bird!" As Pop continued to scream profanities into the air, he turned to Rad with a mean glare, but not as mean as he gave the other three slackabouts. With a sudden lurch, the wagon pushed over the edge and pulled over the side and the group were back on schedule as they walked through the grimy disgusting streets of what was once Ponyville. There seemed several stores that had windows broken down and shelves thrown apart wih houses above that had seemed to have been boarded up. Ponyville didn't seem empty...but it didn't seem alive either.

As the group came across a grate, out of the corner of their eyes a small movement behind some rubble caused some rocks to tumble before escaping. A crow in a dead tree cawed, hungry for fresh food. Pop marched to the front again, that bustling mound of rags trying to lead the group as he tried to keep an eye out.

"Git....get down, no flying and no talking, we'll have company soon....theres always company in Ponyville. Some grinding occured as the wagon came to a stop, Loose and Double hoisted some hunting rifles and tried to take cover, but they, along with the rest of the group were in the middle of town, with nothing but a dead tree, the wagon, and a sewer grate. Running for cover would leave them exposed. A window slammed opened, and an ugly one eyed pony stuck a rifle out at the group, as more windows from various buildings fell open and guns pointed at the group.

Xeshir sweared quietly as more and more guns were pointed at her and the other members of the caravan. "My dear Soda Pop, if you knw this was raider territory, why in the buck did you lead us to the heart of it?" She said softly, but with a voice brimming with barely contained anger. If she survived this she was going to break the idiot´s muzzle.

Xeshir breathed slowly as she slowly put the 9mm away. She had been trained for combat situations before, she knew she had to be calm, but raiders made it very hard to focus. She knew how most captives ended at their hooves and she prefered to die in a shootout than at the hands of a drugged-up raider butcher.

She took another deep breath and tried to focus on the number of guns pointed at them and her surroundings.

(Perception 5. Trying to spot how many raiders there are and possible escape routes.)

Crackle had had moved the old pony from 'irritating' to 'aggrivating' on his internal hate-o-meter after the stunt with the can. Caps or not, the angry ball of rags would find himself short and employee if this kept up. Despite having spent some time with a Talon mercenary company, he had never adopted their viewpoint on the sanctity of contracts. As the group moved deeper into the shattered wreck of ponyville, he grew uneasy. Even with his sharp senses, he wasn't able to pick out anything specific. Crackle had long ago learned to trust his gut, however, and he drew his plasma pistol.

The griffin was about to voice his suspicions to the party on his next fly-by when he spotted a shift in the rubble ahead. He sighed. Fate had some cruel timing. He was already turning to investigate when the Boss called everyone back. another twinge of anger flashed through him. Being grounded was bad enough, being grounded in a potential combat situation was worse. He had become dependant on the mobility his wings offered to get his feathered ass to an optimal firing positon post-haste, but orders were orderes. The Talons had managed to get that through his thick skull at least. Speaking of Talons, Crackle missed the flamer he had been allowed to use. A weapon of that magnitude would be a much bigger asset than his plasma pistol.

He was just about to land when the shutters flew open and various guns were pointed in his general direction. He could tell right off the bat they were outnumbered. Even though his boss had told him to land, he remained airborrne, hovering just above the wagon. This was going to get real ugly real quick, and with the nearest bit of cover a decent distance away he'd be dammed before he gave up any more of his advantage. He scanned the area.

"Well," Crackle began, using his keen eyesight to try and obtain an accurate count of the ponies facing them, identify the largest threat, and figure out who they were up against, "I'd say they have us dead-to-rights." His brain worked overtime, trying to come up with a way out. The mystery ponies hadn't shot them yet, though, so Crackle was inclined to believe they were slavers rather than raiders. "Ideas?"


(perception 8, attempting to count the enemies and identify the largest threat. If possible, also attmpting to figure out if they are raiders, slavers, or another faction, intellignece 7 if its needed to identify.)

(OOC note: someone is gonna have to give me a walkthrough for combat, i have no idea what im doing)

Rad had unhitched himself at the same time as the other ponies pulling the cart, he looked around as guns began to appear, and expected to feel his blood once more pouring out of him. But it didn't seem to happen... Not immiediately at least. Rad spoke quietly, just enough that the others could hear him. "Uhh... Why aren't they shootin? Don't raiders normally shoot first then question the corpses?" Rad was ready to open fire as soon as things turned violent, but for now was content to see how things were going to play out.

Xeshir looked at Rad Boom and the griffon. "I don´t know. If they are raiders they probably want captives to torture, if that´s the case we want them to have their guard down. Think they got us where they wanted. THEN we can try to fight. We might stand a chance, but like this..." She said in a low tone "We are going to get killed if we rush blindly. Don´t try anything stupid." She silently hoped that these were the stupid, overconfident raiders that plagued every corner in the wasteland and not the one in a millon that actually had enough brains to form a plan.

"well this is a complete surprize..."Ash looked around at the guns pointed at the wagon beginning to wonder why he bothered to even get up this morning. Turning to the group he smiled nervously. "I don't suppose we could just you know... settle this peacefully?" He already knew the answer but asking never hurt anypony, quickly changing topics he turned to Xeshir "well then lets try something intelligent if we don't what's going to stop them from riddling us with bullets not much cover out here in the open."

"Yeah, I agree with the zebra, don't do anything stupid and we might have a chance." Moon said as he deftly undid the harness connecting him to the carriage. "Besides, a pony cant get paid if they are strewn across a wall." He chuckled nervously.

"So, besides potentially being taken captive, anypony have a plan? I mean, I wont be much use once the bullets start flying on account of I'm better with bandages than guns." Moon said as he drew his pistol, moving his medical supplies towards the top of his bags for easy access incase the manure hit the fan. ONE DAY! Is that so hard to ask?! I just want ONE DAY without being shot at, or being shot, or being near blood in general. That stuff is nothing but nasty. Liquid nasty running through our veins.

Pop glanced around with manic eyes as the ponies just sat there dumbfounded as what precious few seconds they had to respond scurried away.

There were 3 on one side of the street that saw a griffon trying to get higher, several pistols and 5mm submachine gun roared as the gunshots broke the silence and echoed, Crackle managed to dodge out a few shots before a couple rounds tore through his thigh.

Two ponies close together on the other side, peered down two hunting rifles, one took a shot at Pop and missed, round ricocheting off the ground nearby and causing him to flinch. In retaliation, Pop began waving his cane shouting many colorful profanities about the raiders' mothers. Loose and Double slinkered around the wagon, trying to grab cover as they shot some suppressing fire towards the 6 on the left road.

But before anypony realized what was going on, there were 2 ponies on their position. A lanky unicorn buck with a chipped horn floated a pipe over to Xeshir and slammed it across her head, sending her spawling as he pressed the pipe against her throat, trying to choke her out. His eyes were bloodshot from some type of chem, his breath stank of many disgusting compositions, his teeth gritted into a gnarled smile that screamed of his depravity.

His companion charged up to Double, she swung the barrel of her gun at him and kicked him as he fell back, his lips bleeding as his mouth tightened its grip over a blade.

(action in parenthesis, must include skill number and weapon/tool)

"Well, Im guessing they don´t want any captives." Xeshir whispered as the shooutout began. She had almost taken out her 9mm and was about to fire when her world exploded in pain. Before she could even clear her head she found herself begin choked to death, an unicorn buck probably so high on Rage that he would have probably gone against his fellow raiders pressing a pipe against her throat.

Xeshir lifted her foreleg, bite the handle of the 9mm and removed it from its holster. She then aimed right at the head of the unicorn before he could hit again. At this range, it was impossible to miss, but begin choked to death made it much more difficult to shoot straight. Xeshir pulled the trigger and hoped for the best.

(50 Guns. Shoot 9mm 5 times aiming at Lead Pipe Raider in the head. +10 Using Trigger Discipline and Mercenary Outfit gun bonus.)

Raiders. Of course it was raiders. Its always fucking raiders. Crackle felt a surge of hate at the murderous band of ponies, memories he would have preferred to leave buried surging to the fron of his mind. He tensed, adrenalin flooding his system, and waited to see who would make the first move. As soon as the first gunshot sounded, he bolted for the nearest building that didnt have bullets pouring out of it. Staying out in the open when the air was filled ith hot lead was suicide.

Halfway to the wreck of a building, he felt a searing pain in his leg. The motherbucker with the smg had clipped him! He cried out, but kept going. He would need to bandage it later, but for now it wasn't impeding his flight, or his ability to aim and fire. Hurt like hell, though. Having finally reached the house, Crackle dove through what once might have been a window and swept his gun across the room, looking for enemies. He hoped that he was alone so he could return fire on the pony with the SMG.

(shooting the closest enemy in the room with my plasma pistol 3 times, or the raider with the SMG if the room is empty. Energy Weapons 45, Trigger Discipline trait)

(also, how much damage did i take from getting shot?)

Well, at least we know that these mother-buckers are raiders and not slavers. Kinda makes it easier to try and put bullets in there hides" Moon thought-said, unaware of the fact that he had in fact spoken the last part out.

"Figures as much, It's always got to be raiders. Lets do this." Moon Runner said as he fired 5 shots towards a window that had a barrel poking out of it, not expecting to hit anything, but hoping that he might get a lucky shot off anyways.

Well, at least some of us can take some of these asswipes out. Maybe I can too. Moon though just before having to stop firing duck so he could reload. "Of course, the one time i don't keep my pistol fully loaded."

[Firing 5 shots with pistol. Trigger Discipline trait. 30 AP total used]

"And there's the shootin" Rad almost laughed as all hell broke loose, suprisingly no shots had come his way yet, but he knew that wouldn't last. He turned towards the six raiders on the left side of the street. He glanced at his left side carbine, the one he was convinced was cursed. "Please... Please just work this once..." He then opened up with both Assault Carbines in their direction, he didn't target anypony specificly, more intending to supress them at this time, and give the others some respite.

[Firing both assault carbines at the raiders on the left side street. Guns 55, Fast shot trait.]

Ash Groaned as his last hopes for a peacfull conclusion burst when the ponies started shooting at the group, whispering to himself "I really should have just stayed at home..." He frowned levitating his 9mm pistol and aiming it at the raider attacking Double "And here I was thinking we were paid to pull not guard." he said aloud as he fired aiming for the raiders head but hoping to hit anything that wasnt friendly, actually he was just hoping to hit something in general.

(firing 4 shots at raider attacking Double aiming for the head. trigger discipline. guns 36)

[Crackle takes 22 DAM]

Crackle dashed into the room, the raider grunted and turned to gawk at the giant pidgeon, before Crackle tried to turn and shoot. A sharp pain in his leg caused his shot to go wide as the raider roared and angrily pulled some snapshots towards Crackle, pegging him in the wing as a small fire started in the corner. The raider screamed and crackled, reaching into his vest and pulling out a pair of dynamite.

[Crackle takes 25 DAM]

The raider that pressed down on Xeshir, spat as he struggled to move his head out of the way, choking her harder as she aimed the pistol and squeezed, missing several shots as he lowered his position before a bullet went straight through his eye and exploding out from the back of his head.
The bloody corpse fell on top of Xeshir but the pipe releashed her neck as brain bits leaked onto her chest.

Rad turned and opened fire, taking cover as rounds shot out from his battle saddle, one of the raider's heads exploded as he got a clean headshot through the eyes. Still, as he took a moment to send another hail of bullets. The cursed gun jammed.

Moon Runner took the opportunity to let off some pop shots as he laid down some fire, hitting the raider a few times but not enough to bring him down for good. Double meanwhile was engaged in a melee with one of the other raiders that had come up from the sewer pipe, they snarled and screamed at each other as the battle went on. Still, Ash, being ever polite managed to NOT hit Double and get a bullet in the back of the raider's chest, exploding his lung cavity and taking him down. Double winked at Ash and got back up to her firing position and shot more suppressing rounds along with Loose. A shot rang out and Loose went down, Double yelled out as he collapsed, blood covered the floor but there was no telling exactly how bad it was while under fire.

Another window shooter managed to get a shot off on Ash Health, the rest of the raider dregs missed as bullets rained down on the group. Pop began to pick up rocks and throw them at the raiders a few of them laughed over the sounds of pistol and rifle fire.

[Ash takes 28 DAM]

5x raiders left
3x radiers dead

"Ash! Top pocket of my bag, healing potion! Take!" Moon said, just before noticing the raider that he was shooting at poke their head out to shoot at them some more. "Heh, lets see if this still works" he muttered before slipping into the targeting spell of S.A.T.S. and aiming for the raiderpony's head and firing thrice, hoping that that would be enough to drop the pony for good this time. "That gun is SO mine beyitch!"

[Attacking three times with pistol at the raider, Aiming for head, Trigger Discipline.Guns 23]

Xeshir gasped for sweet, sweet air when she felt the pressure on her neck finally release, but she couldn´t resist a "Eewww" as the raider as his liquified brain got all over her chest. With a grunt she managed to throw the raider off and get back on her hooves. She saw Loose fall down, bleeding badly, and quickly rushed to his aid. "Cover me!" she yelled as she hastly put the 9mm back in its holster. She bit down Loose´s mane and began pulling him under the cart, once there she took out her 9mm again and crawled from under the cart.

Xeshir saw Ash getting hit by one of the window shooters and aimed at it. A raider that could actually hit someone with a firearm rather than pick his boogers with it was actually dangerous. She took a deep breath, exhaled slowly and started shooting.

(30 AP to shoot 9mm pistol 5 times at raider that shot Ash Health. 50 Guns. +10 Bonus with Mercenary Outfit and Trigger Discipline. Use 5 remaining AP to dodge any attacks.)

Rad just wasn't suprised by the now familiar sound of the carbine jamming, of all the carbines in all of equestria to get, he had to end up with the one that seemed to despise his very existance. "Ugh... Why are ya so unreliable! Ya know what? I'm gonna name ya that now, Ol' Unreliable! See how ya like that ya bastard..." Rad left the carbine for now, he'd unjam it later, for now he still had the other gun, and this one at least seemed to function properly. He fired another burst towards the same group as before, once again not aiming for anypony in particular.

[Firing Right side assault carbine at the raiders on the left side street. Guns 55, Fast shot trait.]

Ash let out a shout as the Bullet ripped through his flesh staggering but quickly regaining his footing cursing at the pony who shot him and lady luck for cursing him. Hearing Moon offer him a potion he responded with a shaky voice "No thanks Moon only one bullet im not dieing yet... hopefully" He raised his pistol slightly the levetational field weakening slightly from the pain he felt from the raiders gunshot. He steadied himself and ran to Rad Boom's position blood dripping from his wound and leaving a small bloody trail. Taking aim at the raiders he fired at random the 9mm joining Rad's assault carbine fire.

(Firing 5 rounds of 9mm at the raiders on the right side. trigger dicipline, guns 36)

The only thought going through Crackle's head as he took a more stable stance to compensate for his wounded leg and aimed at the raiders head was ohfuckohfuckohfuckohfuckohfuck! He squeezed the trigger of his plasma pistol as fast as he could, hoping to put the raider down before he could light the fuse. The shot through the wing would cause problems later, but right now he was only concerned about not winding up as meaty chunks spead across the town...

(firing plasma pistol 3 times at raiders head, energy weapons 45, trigger discipline trait)

[176 hp]