PnP Group 3 Episode ?+2

<GM_Chor>  ~~~ GROUP 3 SESSION STARTS ~~~

<GM_Chor> While Desert Lightning has returend to the ship in order to alert the crew of the recent findings, a lake of pure water above all, the rest of our heroes has scavenged the old remains of a laboratory where experiments were conducted about chaos magic, and where the statue of Discord is reported to have been brought.

<GM_Chor> In there, a rather uncooperating terminal received an incoming transmission from a Solaris connection, and the young mare on the other side claims to be Bianca Solaris. Just who is this mare exactly, and where is she located?

* Calibrete pokes the terminal with a hoof. "I'm sorry, but you're /who/, now?"

<COGMPuppeh> buddy's fnak flashes for a moment when the radio speaks, and her cutimark changes again! nao it is a... ehr... a nothing at all?

<GM_Chor> The mare speaks in a young, if scared, and slightly shivering, voice. "I-I'm Bianca Solaris, daughter of Geronimo Solaris, of the Solaris Inc. I-I hope you've heard of it?" she says, a little static crackling below the soft voice.

* Calibrete looks at her relatively recent gender-transformation. "Yeah, we've heard of it."

* Rose_Bud tilts her head at a right angle, since the terminal was lying on its side. "Hello Bianca Solero pony! How did you get in the TV?"

* Cataclysm furrows her brow a moment, tapping her chin with a forehoof, "Bianca Solaris... Wasn't that what those crazy security robots mentioned when you tried to talk them down, Cali? Course, then they went right back to shooting us. So it's not like it did us any good."

* Arcane_Sleeping[A] is now known as Arcane_Scroll

<GM_Chor> The mare is heard sighing, "Then I guess n-not too much time has passed... Just, what year is it now? And... what security r-robots are you talking about?" she says, her teeth are heard rattling for a bit.

* Calibrete looks towards the monitor. "A few years? Ma'am... When exactly do you think we are?"

* Rose_Bud "Good idea!" Rose climbs over the fallen terminal to look behind it. "No... she's not here either. Hmm..."

<GM_Chor> "W-well, I... I don't really know," she says, desolate, "I just woke up from my stasis chamber and I've f-found no one else here and I c-c-couldn't wake up anypony and I've tried contacting somepony for so long and it's so cold and.." she continues, sounding more distraught with each piece of news.

* Calibrete speaks in a comforting voice. "Ma'am, if I'm hearing this correctly, you were put in some sort of stasis pods when the bombs fell, no?"

* Cataclysm glances towards the others briefly. "If you mean since the end of the war, it's been two centuries, give or take a decade or two. Are you alright? You sound cold." It was surprising that someone could sound cold, but she did. Especially those teeth. "We found security robots belonging to Solaris Inc on an off-shore platform. The locals called it Calamari I think? Something

* Cataclysm like that anyway. Blasted things attacked us on sight, looked like they attacked everypony else on sight too. Friendlies and enemies. Your company needs way better quality control."

* Calibrete whispers to Cataclysm. "What should we do? Do you think she know's what Solaris has done? For all we know, she's either totally innocent... She's either innocent or responsible for all of those deaths back there on Calamari."

* GM_Chor gives voice to Jackhammer

* Jackhammer had been thinking as the others talked and now she shares a look with Cat and the others. "She just woke up? Then she was probably the one on that...space station was it? The one we kind of accidentally woke up when we were investigating Calimari."

<GM_Chor> Bianca sighs over the terminal speakers. "I-I'm sorry about that. B-but - Did you say two h-hundred years?" She pauses for a good while. "And th-the bombs fell.... oh Luna..." she continues, in a barely audible tone over the static.  ...

<GM_Chor> "I-I remember that project, my g-grandma Follia designed that Laboratories... They always told me that that Seafood they made was so d-delicious... I never g-got to try that," she says, sniffing.

* Calibrete puts her face directly near the monitor. "Bianca... Where are you right now?"

* Rose_Bud "Oh, I accidentallyed all sorts of things in Calamari!"

* Calibrete turns to Rose_Bud as he's talking. "Yeah, you sure di- Uh, Buddy?" Calibrete then points to Buddy's flank. "I think you dropped something."

* Cataclysm shakes her head to Cali, "I dunno how innocent she is, but she deserves to know the truth one way or another. And we can't just abandon her to a slow death by freezing and starvation. If Solaris can't build something as basic as a survival shelter on Equestria right, I doubt anything they made to fly was going to work better."

<GM_Chor> The mare takes a deep breath, as to collrct her thoughts, and shivers when exhaling. "I'm on Ponymedes 0, an orbiting station th-that the Solaris family created to test the new statis chambers. Th-they work better on zero G, I've heard..." A faint, creaking noise of metal is heard over the speakers as well.

<GM_Chor> "B-but it seems like I'm the only one here wh-who managed to wake up..."

* Rose_Bud spins in a little circle on top of the terminal, trying to look at her on flank. "What do you mean Cali?"

* Calibrete grabs Rose_Bud by the tail, lifting her up in the air so she can clearly see her bare flank.

* Jackhammer nods to Cat then turns and nods solemnly to the mare. "I'm sorry, but yeah, even the ponies that survived the bombs are likely now dead of old age unless there were more of you in stasis. The surface is still pretty bad in most places. Plenty of rads and taint and civilization is...not what it was by a long shot."

* Cataclysm frowns a little and speaks up, "Yeah... I think that was our fault. On this platform we found computers, some of which tried to connect to the Ponymedes stuff. It said something about waking up a pony in stasis, you I guess. But I have no idea how, or if, we can get you down or where we'd send you if we could. Do you have any supplies up there at all?" Knowing Solaris the

* Cataclysm answer was probably 'no'. Did these ponies know how to do anything right?

* Calibrete then tries to talk, but then realizes she has a tail in her mouth. After spitting Rose_Bud back on the ground, she turns her attention back to Bianca. "Yes, I was the one who had re-established connection with the Ponymedes center."

* wolf5000 ([email protected]) has joined #FalloutEquestriaPNP2

* Xavi is now known as Desert_Lightning

* wolf5000 is now known as Light_Seeker

* GM_Chor gives voice to Light_Seeker

* Rose_Bud "My new cutie mark is cool isn't it!" she says, grinning. "But Mr Tail says you shouldn't be looking so hard at my butt."

<GM_Chor> "Oh, that's... That's so awful, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, s-so sorry..." Her voice is interrupted by sniffs and wracking sobs. "A-and I've got food on the ship, I've found it i-in the kitchen room... *sob* It's these fired rings in cans I-I've never seen before, b-but at least they're good...."

* Calibrete looks Bianca in the eyes... Or as best as she could through a terminal. "Mrs. Solaris... Do you need help?"

* Cataclysm glances at the others curiously at the mention of the food. She hadn't seen or heard of anything quite like that before. "If there's any way we can help get you back down we'll do what we can. But we have our own problems right now. Ironically we're in the process of searching for food for ourselves. Couldn't eat the seafood for... Well. Let's just say we couldn't." if

* Cataclysm she didn't know why, no reason to make things worse telling her, right?

* Jackhammer shakes her head. "I'm pretty sure it's not your fault the state that the world is in. Your company may not be exactly blameless, so if you ever do get down here, you might not want to go mentioning your family name, but I don't see how you could be responsible for raiders, slavers, paradores, hellhounds, or any number of other unpleasant things."

* Rose_Bud runs up to the terminal and presses her face against the screen. "Mr Tail says that Seafood is ponies!"

* Jackhammer quickly pulls Rose_Bud back with a hoof. "Not right now - she's got enough on her mind without that."

* Calibrete looks back at the terminal. "Oh, you know kids. Always making things up and whatnot."

<GM_Chor> Bianca pauses for a bit, "Well, I-I've got covers here, and food for a g-good while, and.." Some metal creaking is heard again in the background. "B-b-b-but where would I-I go? Wh-what could I do? And y-you're scaring me with those stories, what are paradores and hellhounds? I-I don't wanna go back to Equestria!" she says, sounding on the edge of a breakdown.

* Rose_Bud looks at her own rump, puzzled. " 'And enough on her plate?' why is that funny?"

* Calibrete tries to sound as comforting as she could. That counts, right? "Miss, we both know that you can't be up there forever. While I don't blame you for wanting to stay, I really don't, I don't think you have any other choice than to return to Equestria."

* Jackhammer eyes Cali. "The question is, can she return to Equestria?" She turns to the screen again, straightening it out. "Do you have any way down?"

* Rose_Bud "Down from where? Where is the Solero pony?"

<GM_Chor> "B-b-but you're saying Solaris has done all these cruel things! And I'm Solaris! A-and if the other won't woke up, that means I'm the C-CEO! What are you ponies going to do t.to me once I'm down? Oh please, please, I h-haven't done anything, I-I just wanted to become an equenaut..." she says, now openly crying.

* Light_Seeker looks at the terminal "it will be okay"

* Cataclysm rubs behind one ear a few moments. "I'm not planning to do anything to you. Well, not unless I find out you're personally responsible for some of the stuff your company did, I suppose. But it's hardly fair to blame you for ponies who are two centuries dead's decisions." frowning alittle "WHat's that creaking sound? Is the... Whatever you're on okay?" Usually creaking was

* Cataclysm a bad thing, it definitely wasn't good on sea ships or in mines!

* Calibrete says, "Hey, Solaris is dead and gone. Whatever and whoever did what is in the past: 200 years ago. And, by the way you make it sound, you've had no involvement what-so-ever."

* Rose_Bud grins at the Solero pony. "If you come to Equestria then we can play together and it will be awesome! And Mr Tail says you're pretty."

* Cataclysm nods in agreement to Cali, "Besides, it's not like anypony down here is going to know who you are anyway. Make up a fake name, nopony's gonna go digging up some two century old vendetta. Doubt anypony has the spare energy to bother with it."

<GM_Chor> The mare still cries, slurring few words inbetween her sighs. "I-I just wanted t-to make my d-d-daddy proud...." and after a good while, "I d-don't know if I can come back down, I thought m-my mommy would show me how wh-when she w-would..." she starts crying back again, even sadder than before.

* Jackhammer shakes her head. "We won't do anything to you. I'm just saying some ponies have had bad experiences with Solaris guard robots or they've had a Solaris product malfunction on them or what not. Point is that not everypony has good feelings about Solaris, but that also applies to Robronco, Four Stars, and some other companies whose legacies have caused problems for the

* Jackhammer survivors. There's even some ponies unhappy with Stable-Tec since not all of the Stables ran smoothly."

* Calibrete says, "And who says you need to be in charge of this dump when you get down? Nopony will know who you are or what your family has done."

* Jackhammer shrugs. "And when a pony's had bad experiences, well...the wasteland is not a very forgiving place, so ponies aren't always very forgiving either. But like we said, we don't have anything against you. If anything, your name and access codes could probably help a lot of ponies enter Solaris facilities safely."

<COGMPuppeh> another deafening roar shakes the trees and echoes in the distance; again, it's almost impossible to determine the direction, but you think that the roar was quite similar to a word

<GM_Chor> Bianca sniffs, "W-would it be ok if I didn't tell anypony I am in charge... Oh b-but what about the cutiemark!" She yells, prducing a loud banging sound (possibly produced by the collison between her head and a hard surface) and sobs.

* Cataclysm frowns a few moments, furrowing her brows as she ponders something, "How... Old are you? Were you, before the stasis things were shut?" She kept talking about her mother the way that Buddy or Light did... That unsettled the mare just a little.

* Light_Seeker smiles at the terminal "It will be okay just relax and stay calm."

* Calibrete looks comfortingly at the mare. "Don't worry, as far as I can see, you're just a nice mare in a bit of trouble. When you make it down, I'll personally see you're taken care of with the respect you deserve.

<GM_Chor> She continues, "J-just everypony would recognize me if I went down there, they would j-just look at my cutiemark! I-I'm doomed." She sniifs again, "A-and I was 19 wh-when we started the project and got i-into stasis."

* Calibrete shifts her barding around. For some reason, it was getting /really/ high up there.

* Cataclysm snorts a little, "Yeah. And try to sleep with her I bet." furrowing her brow a little, "Why would your cutie mark be that recognizeable? I mean, the only symbol I've really seen for Solaris was some kind of male version of Celestia, I think."

<Light_Seeker> "why whats you're cutiemark?"

<GM_Chor> "I-it's the red F!" She yells, "E-everyone in the family has it! I-I can't go anywhere without b-being recognized..."

* Calibrete glares daggers at Cataclysm. "You know, there's a time and place for everything. In front of the crying mare is not one of them." She then returns her attention back to Bianca. "I'm sure it wouldn't be hard to cover it up. Clothing's back in style down here."

* Cataclysm sat silently a moment, "You're kidding." glancing towards the others, "She's kidding, right?" Seriously? That was... Just... How did a family like this manage to become the heads of a massive multi-million-bit company? How was that even POSSIBLE? The world was clearly more screwed up than anypony wanted to admit, even before the bombs.

* Rose_Bud "Oh I got one of them once. When I chewed my homework to pretend that it was the dog."

<GM_Chor> "I-I DON'T KNOW, OKAY?" She screams into the terminal, before crying and sobbing harder than ever before.

<Light_Seeker> "It's okay calm down and breath"

* Calibrete gives Cataclysm an angry glance, then returns to the mare on the monitor. "Ma'am, I need you to remain calm. Can you do that for me?"

* Cataclysm shakes her head, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I don't mean to be rude. It's just been a stressful few days lately." she heaves a sigh, "We'll do whatever we can to try and help get you to safety. Do you know if you can contact any other terminals?" She slowly paced around THIS terminal, just to check and see if it was actually connected to anything. If not, maybe they could take

* Cataclysm it with them?

<GM_Chor> Only sobbing and sighing comes from the speakers for a good while. She takes a few minutes to calm herself down, but still her voice doesn't come off as relaxed: "I-I mean, I know, m-my pa was always s-so full of ideas, and h-he was so enthus-siastic about them, a-always said the family had a tr-tradition of getting things done..." ...

<GM_Chor> Her speech is slightly slurred, "A-and this terminal c-can contact other terminals with reception, o-or some Pipbuck if I have the I-ID..."

* Jackhammer starts to make a comment when the roar startles her from her train of thought. "Wh..what the hay? That...that sounds like a bullysaurus rex, but those went extinct even in zebra territory way before ponies and zebras galloped across the land! Sounds like it was pretty far away though - somewhere along the coast by the sound of the echo."

* Calibrete looks at Light_Seeker's suit. "You think you could connect to an advanced radiation suit?

<Light_Seeker> "What about this suit?"

* Cataclysm frowned a little, digging her forehoof at the ground briefly, "Well Patchy has a PipBuck, right? The one which belonged to her mom?" Nodding her head in agreement, "The suit might work. Um. We still have those diving suits from Calamari too. Those might be able to pick it up, though it'd probably have to be in text form..."

* Calibrete examines the terminal. "Hold on a second, I may be able to make this a bit more portable..."

* Jackhammer blinks. "A red F? That...explains so very much..."

* Calibrete looks back at Jackhammer. "Hey, math is hard! The Ranger's are terrible teachers!"

<GM_Chor> "Y-yeah, I've heard of those, j-just...there's the ID on the inside of the helmet..." she says, taking deep breath to relax some more.

* Rose_Bud 's ears perk up as she suddenly realises what Jackhammer just said. "A Bully-saw-us?! Ahhh!" She scampers into a corner and tries to hide her head beneath her hooves.

* Calibrete looks at Light_Seeker's suit... then back at the terminal... then back at the suit... That goes on for a good twenty seconds, before she get's a great idea! "Hey! I might be able to rig up a connection between the terminal and the Yellow Wonder over there so Miss Solaris can have a video feed!"

* Desert_Lightning wings his way down onto the ground next to the group. "You all miss me?"

* Rose_Bud 's tail waves to Desert. The rest of her continues to hide.

<COGMPuppeh> the sound of an alarm can be heard from bianca's side of the communicatrion "warning! warning! sector B-25 is suffering major structural damage! decompressing and detaching sector B-25 in 10.... 9.... warning! energy loss in sectors D from 9 to 12!" the communication is interrupted

* Jackhammer would smirk at Cali's comment about math but...she's not going to discuss her book report on Little Mares. Okay, so maybe she should've actually read the book instead of assuming it was a book about tiny ponies living in the walls and stealing things from big ponies. Her idea was way more interesting than whatever that dumb old book was really about! Turning to Rose, she

* Jackhammer shakes her head. "No, a bullysaurus rex - a giant pre-historic jerk that made the lives of other giant pre-historic beasts miserable."

* Jackhammer goes wide-eyed in alarm at the...er, alarms. "Miss Bianca, you should probably get out of there fast. Solaris tech isn't known for holding up well after two centuries without proper maintenance."

* Pantzar has quit (Connection closed)

* Calibrete raises a brow at Jackhammer. "Right. Of course. And next you'll be telling me that the dragon's ancestors will be flaying around, too.

<Calibrete> flying*

<GM_Chor> No response is heard as the terminal is silent, and its system is apparently booting the usual routines as well.

<Light_Seeker> "Cali any ideas?"

* Calibrete shakes his head. "Anyways... Come here for a minute, Twinkie, we need to hook this up."

* Cataclysm frowns, "That's... Not a good sign at all." shaking her head, "I hope she'll be alright till we can get some other way to communicate with her. Right now we need to figure out where we can get some food, then figure out how to get off this island safely with it! Hope that whatever-it-was isn't bothering the crew..."

<Light_Seeker> "Since you called me a Twinkie no."

* Jackhammer eyes Cali then hesitantly answers, "Well...possibly. I think we may have kind of shot three of them. I told you the plants looked like they belonged to a different era!"

* Calibrete removes the rear panel of the terminal, then does the same with a tiny little patch on Light_Seeker's suit. She then begins to fiddle with a few wires, sending some sparks flying, until the terminal is fully integrated. And, just to be sure, disabled all bathroom functionalities of the suit.

* Desert_Lightning looks around and shrugs. "Guess no one missed me."

<Light_Seeker> "I missed you DL just busy."

* Cataclysm groans a little, "Whatever. This place is some kind of crazy research lab island, right? There had to be provisions or something for the ponies working here. Maybe a local farm or something." she glanced around the surroundings briefly, "If we can't find that, then there's gotta be something growing on this island which is safe to eat." she trotted back past DL, "It's nice

* Cataclysm you're back. I guess we're mostly just busy dealing with another crisis." sighing quietly.

<GM_Chor> It may be a quick job, but Calibrete's fiddling sure seems to have worked! They have now access to video communication with the Ponymedes 0 terminal, with video feed if they'll feel like it! The cable job is a little hasty though, so the two parts shouldn't be moved or tugged too much away from each other for the time being.

* Calibrete looks around. "Anyone got any duct tape? Scrappy here is about to be our Television stand."

* Light_Seeker kicks Calibrete

* Desert_Lightning looks at them. "Well I found us a good candidate for the food crisis, but it's to difficult for one pony alone to get into."

* Desert_Lightning passes him some magical bandages.

* Cataclysm breathes a sigh of relief, "Well that's good. That's the first really positive news I think I've heard all day!"

* Light_Seeker looks at Calibrete making a face :P

* Calibrete fashions a quick wrap-up around any exposed wires, then fastens the terminal to Light_Seeker's back. "What would you all do without me, eh?"

* Jackhammer spares DL a small, apologetic smile and hugs her. "Sorry, Cat's got the right of it. By the way, if you visit the north part of the island, move fast, don't hang around there long, and don't come straight back - loop out to sea. Bullysaurus rex likes water but only as something to shove others into - it absolutely hates baths."

* Calibrete looks at Rose_Bud, almost able to see the stink-lines radiating off of her. "He's not the only one..."

* Rose_Bud " 'Feel safe at night?' what does that even mean?"

* Calibrete cracks her back. "Well, let me see if I can reconnect with Space Mare..."

<GM_Chor> Despite fiddling with the terminal with grace, there is no response from Ponymedes 0. The terminal seeems just shut down on the other side.

* Rose_Bud looks up at Calibrete, "Mr Tail says that we've already got one Bullysaurus."

* Jackhammer barely stifles a snicker and hides it by kissing Cat all of a sudden.

* Desert_Lightning begins drawing a crude map of what he's seen of the island so far. Whilst waiting for the others to get ready.

* Calibrete looks at Rose_Bud. "Mr. Tail sure does say a lot, doesn't he? Anyways, I think we should finish looking around here before we move on. Who knows? We may find something incredibly useful."

* Cataclysm mmmfs at the sudden kiss, turning a lovely shade of red. She wasn't complaining overly much, though, other than being surprised and a bit flustered perhaps. Stumbling a hoofstep or two to the side.

* Calibrete shakes her head. "I'm going to look around. Maybe there's some clue as to how to get Bianca out of the space station."

<Light_Seeker> "I'll help also."

* Jackhammer nods. "Yeah, let's look around and see if we can find anything useful. C'mon, Cat."

* Cataclysm mumbles something incoherent when the kiss is broken and stumbles off after Jackie, still blushing as hard as before.

* Desert_Lightning gets up and follows the others, hoping it's not another Stealth Buck.

<GM_Chor> The remains of the laboratory are mostly ravaged by the toll of time and local vegetation, but there is stillsomething to be salvaged. ...

<GM_Chor> Cataclysm found that amidst the scrap metal of the machinery there is a reusable spell matrix, and Rose_Bud found a drawer hidden by the foilage that hid various maintenance equipmet, including duct tape, some wonderglue, tweezers and pliers. ...

<GM_Chor> The others managed to push a stuck door open to the pantry, which they discovered... half full of seafood.

* Cataclysm just sortof stares at a rather sad scene she's found in the building. Heart sunk lower than before. Before very slowly moving on, casting occasional glances back at it afterwards.

<GM_Chor> s/Cataclysm/Calibrete

* Calibrete looks at the spell matrix. "Now what have we here? This sure will come in handy, I'm sure."

* Jackhammer sighs at the sight of months worth of fishlicious seafood. "Well, we certainly don't want to mention this to the crew."

<GM_Chor> Desert_Lightning inspected the roof and discovered, luckily enough, that some alchemical plants were growing there, amidst the weeds.

* Cataclysm groans a little and shakes her head, "Just once I'd like to find something genuinely pleasant in the wastes. It doesn't have to happen often. Just... Something to give a feeling it's worth continuing to look."

* Light_Seeker has quit (Ping timeout: 121 seconds)

* Calibrete admires the spell matrix, then sees a suspicious stack of paper. With a smirk on her face, she stashes the papers away for a lonely night.

* Jackhammer nods and nuzzles the dynamite mare. "We will. We just...have to look a little harder. When I think about how much scavenging can happen in two hundred years, I'm sometimes surprised we find anything."

* Arcane_Scroll is now known as Arcane_Scroll[A]

* Rose_Bud puts the various materials she'd found into her bag, and then walks off and bumps into Jackhammer. "Hey Kitty, I found Miss Tiger! Is that what you were looking for?"

* Cataclysm frowns a little, "Scavenging in two hundred years, yet nopony can be bothered to bury the dead." she shakes her head sadly at that.

* Jackhammer blinkies as she feels a soft thump against her left thigh and looks back at Rose_Bud. "Heh...hey there. Find anything useful?"

* Desert_Lightning picks the plant carefully, making sure to store them with the one he found earlier

* Rose_Bud nods and sits down on the ground to show off eveything she'd found.

* Jackhammer belatedly nods to her Cat. "Yeah...though in some cases at least that's because they're too busy running from something with big teeth or claws or stingers or shooty guns or something else unpleasant."

* Calibrete perks her ears. "I like shooty guns!"

* Cataclysm nods to Jackie, "Will you help me bury some of these?" She nods in the direction of some broken crayons, a bloody coloring book and the shattered remains of a skeleton. "Somepony should care. At least a little."

* Jackhammer then turns to inspect Rose_Bud's findings. "Nice work there! These will make repairs a lot easier in the future."

<COGMPuppeh> it's a really small skeleton, a foal not older than buddy

* Jackhammer nodnods to Cat. "Yeah...yeah, you're right. Let's do that." And so she gets to work proving that she really was a mining pony by quickly digging a hole out front of the facility.

* Cataclysm carefully gathers up the bones and the coloring book and the broken crayons. She felt sad about it all, but she definitely wasn't leaving it like this. Carefully moving those remains to the impromptu grave. Even if it wasn't marked, they deserved something.

* Calibrete looks towards the rest of the group, "So, everyone ready to move out? I really don't feel like spending the night here."

* Rose_Bud gets each item out one at a time to display proudly to anypony nearby. Meanwhile, Mr Tail is holding things up behind her head: a roll of duct tape like it was a halo, a wrench and some pliers like they were bunny ears, the Cool Shell Statue like it was a horn...

* Desert_Lightning heads to the front of the group. "Ok every pony, follow me towards the food!"

* Calibrete yells up to Desert_Lightning, "Hey, maybe you shouldn't be flying! Who knows what you're sharing the skies with!"

<COGMPuppeh> usual writings appear on DL's vision "yeah, maybe those seals will be back to finish the work, meatbag"

* Desert_Lightning looks at him with a smirk. "I know EXACTLY what I'm sharing the skies with, and I happen to be better than them at flying!"

<GM_Chor> In a dozen minutes, Jackhammer manages to dig a small hole, large enough for the foal to fit in. A sense of peace descends as the last patch of dirt cover the diminutive grave.

* Calibrete shakes her head. "You know that those things are up there. There could be dozens others, stronger and more agile than the last!"

<COGMPuppeh> the writing, again "on a second thought, we could meet that funny bird again so yeah, keep flying dude"

* Cataclysm sighs and moves after Desert Lightning, "She already flew to the ship and back again from here, right? So I'm sure she can manage a much shorter more controlled flight."

* Desert_Lightning continues to smirk. "And I'm a better flier than them, or you for that matter."

* Calibrete looks at her back. A back without wings. "Yeah, but I could beat you in a hoof-wrestling contest any day!"

* Rose_Bud packs everything away and follows the others. Food Time comes before Play Time, not after.

* Desert_Lightning shakes his head. "Pointless arguing, we have ponies that need food and there's this place that looks like it's got plenty!"

* Calibrete checks her guns, making sure they're in working order. "Yeah, well I know what happens when we plan to do something. That's what 'Big Sexy' is here to do. Get us out of our plans."

* Jackhammer smiles a bit, sad that a foal died yet feeling good knowing that at least the foal's suffering is at an end and doubtless he or she is in a better place. "I...I dunno why, but somehow I just know Fluttershy would have wanted us to do this - not to please her, but because it's the right thing to do."

<GM_Chor> The party is ready to go now... there's that rustling again! Seems like a certain critter isn't leaving the party alone.

* Desert_Lightning moves to catch it

* Cataclysm glances towards the rustling, "Looks like we've got a persistent friend today."

* Calibrete prods the poison wound at his neck. "You're telling me."

* Arcane_Scroll[A] is now known as Arcane_Scroll

<GM_Chor> Desert_Lightning launches herself forward in a flash and dives into the bush, emerging victorious! The little thing is now in her hooves, snarling, trying to wiggle free, waving its tail and claws. Indeed, it looks a miniature manticore, and it's either very pissed or quite frightened.

* Desert_Lightning holds the thing steady. Trying to keep the stinger away from him

* Jackhammer is impressed at DL's skill but isn't sure that was the smartest move. "Okay, you caught it. Now what?"

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* Calibrete kicks gives a sly smirk. "I've got a way to make that little thing a bit more inclined to be friendly."

<GM_Chor> The little creature doesn't give signs of surrendering, although Desert is showing herself quite deft with her hooves at dodging ore redirecting all the blows the creature is trying to inflict.

* Cataclysm groans and shakes her head, "If that way is yelling and threatening I don't think it'll listen."

* Calibrete acts surprised. "I am shocked and appalled that you would suggest such a thing! But, if you don't want my suggestion, fine."

* Desert_Lightning looks at the little thing in his/her hooves.

* Cataclysm peers at Cali, "Well most of your answers have been involving guns or yelling or sex. You're welcome to challenge assumptions if you've got other ideas."

* Rose_Bud "Mr Tail says that we shouldn't get mad at Cali because it's her time of the month... What is a time of the month anyway? Is it like a birthday? Can I have one?!"

<GM_Chor> Indeed, the critter exactly how you would remember a manticore, only foal newborn-sized. It sure seems it has fight in it, and it's slowly getting smarter and more organized with his attacks...

* Calibrete smirks. "If there's anything I'd learned from the Ranger's, is that everyone wants something. That applies to that little thing right there, too." She then precedes to pull out a box out of her saddlebags. "So, I suggest we appeal to it's natural instincts: food."

<GM_Chor> The creature seems to slow down and perk up some at the mention of food, and what Calibrete's holding is a familiar can of seafood.

* Jackhammer clears her throat and looks uncomfortably from Cat to Rose_Bud and back. "Ahhhh..."

* Cataclysm reaches a hoof to pat Rose's head, "Don't worry about that. Hopefully you won't ever have to deal with it." Looking up towards Cali and that container of seafood, "You really want to feed it that? I'm surprised you even still HAVE any of it."

* Calibrete laughs a little. "It's always good to be prepared. I mean, sure I won't eat it, but it's something worth having on hoof nonetheless." She then pops open the can and plops about a third of it on the ground. Stepping away, she says, "Desert_Lightning, could you set the thing down please?"

* Desert_Lightning lets the thing go. "Have fun."

<GM_Chor> The mini manticore looks around suspiciously and on guard as it is dropped and approaches the food warily.the group keeps a little distance, but soon enough it sniffs the food and begins eating happily. It looks like a rather rich portion for it too! The creature licks its tiny wiskers once it's done devouring the meal.

<GM_Chor> [disregard that]

<GM_Chor> The mini manticore looks around suspiciously and on guard as it is dropped and approaches the food warily. Soon enough, it sniffs the food and begins eating happily. It looks like a rather rich portion for it too! The creature licks its tiny wiskers once it's done devouring the meal.

* Calibrete moves a little closer, scooping a little more out and plopping that on the ground as well.

<GM_Chor> The critter seemed satisfied with the meal, and after another look, it starts to move away, but at a relaxed pace, one that can be easily followed, especially since the critter is walking some animal trails that look large enough for a pony to trot in.

* Desert_Lightning follows it curiously.

* Calibrete slowly follows the critter down the path for reasons unknown to her. "C'mere, little guy..."

* Cataclysm tilts her head to one side and mostly just follows along with the others. Keeping her eyes out for any sign of trouble.

* Rose_Bud plays Follow the Leader.

<GM_Chor> The creature runs through the forest for white a while, it feels like an hour or so. Darkness falls slowly as the sun descends, but the road is on occasion lighted by groups of fireflies, and some patches of glowing mushrooms too.

* Calibrete intently follows the critter, not willing to stop. It's leading the group somewhere, but where...

<GM_Chor> Light Seeker is able to provide light with her horn as they go, and Desert_Lightning takes a quick dive at some point, coming up wth some plants that she puts in her saddlebags before rejoining the group. Eventually, they reach a peculiar zone of the forest, where they feel sense of relaxation and lightness...

* Rose_Bud plucks a plant along the route that's long and swishy. She could use it to play with Fluffy!

* Calibrete puts a hoof out halting Rose_Bud. "Just wait. Let's see where he's taking us."

* Cataclysm glances around again, frowning a little. That might not be a good thing. But it was hard to keep worrying here. Which was itself worrying. Ah, the self-perpetuating cycle of paranoia.

<GM_Chor> The area is filled with tall, ancient-looking blue trees that tower among the low weeds, illuminated by a great presence of fireflies. The whole thing inspires a sense of peace and awe. Among the spear-like trees there is though a more deformed one, seemingly in the middle... the manticore slips into a small burrow under one of the rather large roots.

* Desert_Lightning circles it trying to identify it.

* Calibrete goes to the roots of the tree, giving the manticore some more of the fish food. "Thanks, little guy. Don't be afraid to come out and say hello."

<GM_Chor> Desert_Lightning is rather surprised in noting that there's a pony face sticking out of that tree, along with a matching light blue hoof below! The face smiles, and looks at Desert_Lightning, all very slowly.

* Desert_Lightning looks at it for a moment then screams and backs away.

* Calibrete steps back slowly, looking at the face. "Can... are you alive?"

* Cataclysm looks up at the scream, "WHat's wrong?" rushing towards DL and staring up at the tree, "Ooookay. I think we might want to get out of here very, very quickly..."

<GM_Chor> It speaks in a low, coarse, femmine tone, like a very old mare, and above all, it does so at a quite slow pace. "Oh! Please, don't run away... I am alone here, see, and I would like so much somepony to talk with... after all this time..."

* Calibrete inches closer. "Who... or what... are you?"

* Desert_Lightning stops screaming, but stays well back from the tree. "WHAT IS IT WITH TREES?!" He yells remembering the Pink Tree from the harbour.

* Rose_Bud seems to be in a world of her own, and waves her swishy leaf in front of the root that Fluffy went under.

* Cataclysm blinks and stares up at that face, swallowing nervously, "How... How did you end up this way..?" She was a little worried about the prospect of getting turned into a tree-pony or something, after all.

* Rose_Bud "Here kitty kitty."

<GM_Chor> The mare-tree seems unfazed by the screaming and keeps smiling as she slowly speaks. "My name..." she says, "I think I've forgot that long ago... Though I do rmember the name of the tree, see, she's Rosie... although I call her Martha just to upset her a little bit." She chuckes, although in slow-motion. ...

<GM_Chor> "And I can remember... I was a pony before, and someday... I remember growing here... and giving life to these trees... Oh, so much time has passed..."

* Calibrete sits on her plot. "Well... Miss, what have you been doing for all these years?"

* Cataclysm just sortof stares up at the tree a long, long moment, slack-jawed. She'd seen a lot of odd things in her time. But this might just qualify as the oddest.

<GM_Chor> "Oh, I have... I have just sit here, and I observed... and the trees were growing around me. I have Martha and Tubby to talk to, but they never talk back..." She sighs, or at least tries to, since no fast enough air movement occurs, "It has been a long time, indeed..."

* Calibrete gives a quizzical look. "So, Martha's the tree, but... Who's Tubby?"

<GM_Chor> The manticore, in the meantime, is clawing at Rose_Bud's attempts to disturb the entrane to its little lair, although playfully.

* Cataclysm slowly looks around at the other trees, "Are... Are you okay? You're not in pain or disturbed or miserable or anything about being... Well... Being a tree I suppose?"

<GM_Chor> The mare-tree continues, "It is the creature that sleeps under my being... Sadly, it is the only one that has approached me in a long time, which is a pity... I really liked Swingy and Swangy."

<GM_Chor> The other trees show no signs of this oddity, although being very tall and straight compared to the rest of the jungle. Not to mention the odd dark blue color.

* Calibrete hangs her head. "I'm sorry you've had to live like this. Nopony should ever have to suffer a solitude like your own."

<GM_Chor> "Being a tree... I've forgot what it meant to me a pony," the mare states, "I've been this way for as long as I can remember..." Her eyes move up to look at the cloudy night through the tall leaves.

* Desert_Lightning cautiously moves closer to the tree. "What can you tell us about this island? Why did you end up like this?"

<GM_Chor> "Oh, but I have you now... you will remain here to chat, will not you? The place is rich, and I have done my best to make it comfortable and peaceful..." she continuesù, with a tint of hope.

* Rose_Bud goes swish swish swish...

* Calibrete places a hoof on her trunk. "I'm sorry, ma'am. Although I sympathize greatly with you, I don't think I could part with reality. But, if there's anything we can do, please let us know."

* Cataclysm glances around at the other trees, "Well the trees here are very pretty. But we've got things which need doing. Maybe some of the ponies we're traveling with might decide to actually stay here permanently?"

* Jackhammer nodnods. "As long as the bullysaurus rex keeps his distance, a pony could live well here. If we didn't have places to go, we might stay. Heck, there are worse places we could retire."

<GM_Chor> The mare-tree slowly sighs. again without making a real sound, "Would they? I just felt so alone in here, all this time... years... Someone to talk with in the peace of the afternoons would be so wonderful..." Then she continues, "Not even Wedgy comes here anymore..."

<Cataclysm> "Wedgey? The... Uh... Bullysaurus Rex I guess..?" It was only a guess, but that -was- what the thing was hollaring, right? "But we could bring some of the sailor ponies here and see if they want to stay I suppose. We can't really force them, but some of them might be interested in it, if this place is safe."

* Calibrete looks back at the way they came. "Well, there is a whole boatload of ponies. I'm sure, given the chance, some might stay.

* Jackhammer taps her chin. "Hmmm...you're a mare and a tree at the same time. Do you mind if we call you Maple?"

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<GM_Chor> The mare smiles at Calibrete, "Oh, please do ask, even just one of them would be enough..." then continues, "Maple.. I remember what a maple tree is, but that is not my name... It sounds nice, however. I would like it."

* Calibrete chuckles and motions to the manticore cub beneath her roots. "I'll do what I can. But hey, you've always got your Tubby."

<GM_Chor> "I.. have grown tired of speaking without getting a response... It is so pleasant being with you and having a conversation," she says.

* Calibrete thinks for a moment. "Well, it is getting late, and we are in no immediate rush... How about this, Maple: You let us spend the night in this area, and I'll keep you as much company as I can manage before we have to leave."

<GM_Chor> "Oh, it is most wonderful... Please stay for the night, other creatures don't roam this place. And you may find refreshment... under the great roots..."

* Calibrete looks down. "Beneath your roots?"

* Jackhammer rubs her chin a bit more. "Huh...now that you mention it, I think your woody friend is more of an ash tree than a maple. Say, what's this over here?" She trots to one side of the tree and reaches into a nook formed by the slight lean of the tree and the gnarling of the roots. "Someone stuck a rubber ball in the lee of this ash. Who does that sort of thing?"

<GM_Chor> Maple still speaks in her old voice, "Not just my roots... The tall trees hold the nourshment of the earth and clouds with them, and store it under the roots...."

* Calibrete looks at the roots of a different tree, trying to see what she was talking about.

<GM_Chor> There is nothing apparent at first glance, just the usual weeds with a faint layer of leaves underneath. "Deep.... beneath the earth..." Maple intones.

* Calibrete tries to dig out the roots from one of the surrounding trees.

* Jackhammer shrugs and shows the ball to Maple. "Any idea what this was doing next to Martha?"

<GM_Chor> It takes a good half hour to dig without tools, fortunately the place is peaceful enough, and Maple is happy to converse with the other ponies in the meantime. Finally, Calibrete uncovers a very large tuber attached to one of the tree's roots, as big as a pony's head, of a faint blue in color.

<GM_Chor> "The fruits of the earth... Tubby likes them very much," Maple comments.

* Calibrete sniffs the root, then takes a small nibble.

* GM_Chor chews the tuber, it is a bit hard to bite and rather crunchy and ... oh my, it is completely /amazing/! It is difficult to tell whether it is the effect of the prolonged famine, but this may very well taste like the most amazing thing you've eaten yet. And it feels quite nourishing too! So much better after no food for so long.

<GM_Chor> Calibrete chews the tuber*

* Calibrete says with a mouth full, "You guys have to try this!"

* Desert_Lightning watches Calibrete chew the tuber and then follows suit, seeing as how it couldn't hurt at this point.

* Jackhammer eyes the tuber a bit but declines. "I can hold out a bit longer. If you two are both feeling okay tomorrow, then maybe I'll take a bite."

<GM_Chor> Desert_Lightning joins in the tasting round, and indeed, this tuber is some spectacular eating. As big as it was, though, the two mares finish the tuber, craving for more.

* Calibrete gives a satisfied *burp*, and prepares to settle down for the night.

* Jackhammer yawns and kitty-stretches, showing off her flanks to Cat with a little hip wiggle. She knows they won't be getting up to anything in a place like this, but it's fun to tease.

* Desert_Lightning curls up next to Calibrete. "Good food."

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<GM_Chor> As Rose_Bud has managed to lure the creature out with her leaf tricks, the others are finding cozy spots among the trees, curling up against the bark seems to work best. Maple asks if someone would like to talk with her for the night, but seems she'd appreciate even if somepony only curled up against her.

* Calibrete , remembering her promise, struggles for consciousness and attempts to converse with Maple. At least for as long as she could hold out.

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* Jackhammer is happy to curl up against Martha and spends a little time talking about this and that with Maple before she dozes off with Cat in her hooves.

* Rose_Bud plays with the little manticore until she feels too tired, then goes to sleep nestled in the crook of the big roots.

<GM_Chor> Maple mostly talks about the critters and creatures she had around in what looks like the several years before, as well as how she took care of the zone with her roots and pollen. She doesn't seem too keen on remmebering details about back when she was a pony. ...

<GM_Chor> The things drags on the nightly, peaceful hours, with only occasional, faint yelps and screams in the distance, until she eventually smiles compassionately and says she understands if the ponies would want to sleep. She remembers she used to sleep back then...