PnP Group [DATA REDACTED] Session 3

[15:20] <~Headlong>  GDRL-2 Addendum 03
[15:23] <~Headlong>  It is 10:00 am, and Dr. Headlong is currently escorting our bright-eyed investigators to meet "Gunny", whoever that is. In the time since they had arrived, the traffic in the facility's main corridor has increased. Ponies in labcoats like Headlong's trot about, talking about the Fillydelphia Griffon's game last night, or the dramatically worsening weather.
[15:23] <~Headlong>  For the first time in a long while, it seemed... well, normal.
[15:24] <~Headlong>  As Dr. Headlong leads on, a few of the researchers smile and nod at the new recruits knowingly.
[15:27] <~Headlong>  "This," Headlong begins, "Is the 'Safe Testing' level. This is where every anomaly with a 'Safe' rating is used for experimentation."
[15:28] <Kopesh> "Does thay mean that most of them are unsafe if this is the only safe floor?"
[15:28] <Kopesh> That*
[15:30] <~Headlong>  She smiles, shaking her head. "Well, no. This floor is -a lot- bigger than the rest. 87% of all anomolies that we recover are of the 'Safe' designation."
[15:31] * Giddy_Up rose his eyebrow. "What are the other 13%?"
[15:32] * Bonnet is still moping along after the party, not bothering to respond to the researchers' greetings.
[15:34] <~Headlong>  Headlong stops at a large display pannel built into a wall near a set of sliding doors. It's a map of Site 25, complete with a large "You Are Here!" sticker. It shows that the facility has four floors, and that the level of Security Clearance at each increases as they go down.
[15:35] * Scribbles_ glances back at Bonnet. Seeing her mope back there was unusual, at least from what she's seen. "Hey, Bonnet. You sure you're okay?"
[15:38] <~Headlong>  "10% of the anomalies we recover are of 'Euclid' designation, which is my area of expertise, and 3% are... well, don't worry yourself any with that. The second floor is where the barracks, mess hall, and all the other fun stuff is. If you'll follow me, please." She says, pressing a button and stepping inside the now open pair of doors.
[15:39] * Kopesh doesn't hesitate to join her.
[15:40] * Bonnet looks up to Scribbles' inquiry and just shakes her head a little, following slowly after the party.
[15:42] * Scribbles_ falls back to have a chat with the sad, costume pony. "Maybe going out in the rain like this got you a cold or something."
[15:44] * Giddy_Up let out a low groan. If there was a 'safe' designation, then there must be a 'not safe' designation. He's guessing that's the other two. And if she's being this evasive about the third thing, it must not be very safe at all. He blew some of his mane out of his face. "Safe is relative, by how often we just about went afoul of it."
[15:46] * Anarchy ([email protected]) has joined #FruityRumpusAssholeFactory
[15:47] * Bonnet sniffs softly and shakes her head again at Scribbles, "It's... this just... seems so dangerous..."
[15:48] <~Headlong>  Headlong closes the door. "I can assure you all that no harm will come to you in this facility. We've been operating like this for... oh dear, 23 years now, with not a -single- work related injury to our researchers."
[15:49] * Scribbles_ let out a quiet "Oh." in realization. "This is because of that whole ordeal in the garage?"
[15:49] * Anarchy ([email protected]) has left #FruityRumpusAssholeFactory
[15:53] * Bonnet nods to Scribbles, putting a hoof over the scratches left by the pavement.
[15:53] <Kopesh> "How? With all this unknown stuff how can you have a perfect record?"
[15:54] * Scribbles_ offers Bonnet a smile. "Well, now we know to not do anything musical in there, right?"
[15:55] <~Headlong>  Headlong smiles at Kopesh. "We are -very- careful with our research, Mr. Kopesh. Well, actually, Mayflower cut her hoof on a broken beaker last week, but that hardly counts, right?"
[15:56] * Giddy_Up narrows his eyes. "Depends. What was in the beaker?"
[15:56] <Kopesh> "Do you fudge all of your numbers?"
[15:59] * Bonnet sniffs softly again, "But th-there was no warning at all... h-how are we supposed to be c-careful about something like that?"
[16:00] <~Headlong>  Headlong looks a little hurt. "To who do we report our 'numbers' to, Mr. Kopesh? We have nothing to gain by lying about our incident reports. And, nothing, obviously, Giddy Up. Whatever was in it was spilled all over the floor."
[16:01] <Kopesh> "That's actually a great question. To whom do you report?"
[16:03] * Scribbles_ thought about that question for a second. "I guess it was a on-the-job lesson: Be wary of anything."
[16:04] <~Headlong>  Headlong taps the ID badge on her coat. Next to her name, it says "Security Clearance: Level 3". "When you have Security Clearance higher then mine, -maybe- they'll think for a moment before tossing you out of here." She says, pressing a button on the elevator to send it down. It's a smooth, quick ride to the second level.
[16:06] * Kopesh with and air of having, for now, dropped the issue. "It must be nice to have a way out of answering any question."
[16:09] <Kopesh> An*
[16:10] * Bonnet doesn't respond and just drops her head again to stare at the floor.
[16:15] <~Headlong>  Headlong shrugs. "Soon enough, you all very well might have that same privilege. For now," She says as the door opens with a satisfying "Swooooosh", "You'll have to make do with what you have." She trots down another long hallway, motioning for them to follow.
[16:16] * Kopesh follows along. At least there will be some perks to this.
[16:18] * Scribbles_ follows alongside Bonnet, intent on cheering her up. "They've got all sorts of safety measures for sciency plaes like this. All those disasters and stuff only happens in the movies." She assured, although she was going off knowledge from books and movies herself.
[16:21] <~Headlong>  Headlong stops in front of a door marked "QUARTERMASTER" and smiles. "And in here, is somepony I think Ms. Bonnet will spending considerable time with, Gunnery Sergeant Pronto." She says, holding the door open for them.
[16:23] * Bonnet doesn't bother looking up at Scribbles as she follows along silently, giving Headlong just the barest glance at the mention of her name.
[16:26] <~Headlong>  Gone is the clean, white walls of the facility, replaced with cold steel shelves covered in guns, bullets, knives, explosives, armor, and every over sort of weapon anypony could possibly think of. Admiring it from behind a small, wooden desk was an olive drab green buck in a softcap. "Why hello there! You Dullahans ready to blow shit up?"
[16:28] * Kopesh looks around for the sword section.
[16:29] * Scribbles_ diverted her attention towards the shelves, taking a note of the inventory in stock. Were they going to be issued firearms? Scribbles hadn't been on a range since the end of her recent mystery series, that and she never considered herself the best shot.
[16:30] <~Headlong>  Headlong chuckles and closes the door, but not before adding, "Nothing like that, Gunny. They're not one of -those- task forces. I'll see you all back in the office when you're ready."
[16:31] * Kopesh turns to her, "wait. We can just take some?"
[16:31] * Bonnet glances up at the room. Maybe on another day she'd be able to appreciate such a collection, but it certainly wasn't today.
[16:32] <~Headlong>  Pronto gives each of them a wide smile. "Hell no you can't." He says rather sternly to Kopesh. "I'm the Quartermaster here, which means I'll be the one governing what equipment you all take with you on your... whatever it is you do."
[16:34] * Kopesh shakes his head to clear out the cobwebs, "I would have thought it odd if we could, but reading her can be a challenge."
[16:35] * Scribbles_ sighs at Bonnet's saddness, she shuffled away to take a look at a shelf of pistols, wondering if they had what she was thinking about.
[16:37] * Giddy_Up leans back. Pff. Well, it wasn't like they were hoofing up superchargers and Lamborginis. He didn't see the point of asking for anything.
[16:38] <~Headlong>  Pronto gets up from his desk and trots over to Kopesh, who can see a surprisingly varied collection of melee weapons, spanning many civilizations and time periods. "Yep, best just let her be and not ask too many questions. But, you'll definitely want something to protect yourselves out there, right? Dangerous times Equestria's facing."
[16:39] * Bonnet just stands there as the others look around, her head dropping lower at Pronto's last statement.
[16:40] * Giddy_Up grumbles. "Gee, you got a car somewhere in the back? Maybe a toolbox?"
[16:41] <~Headlong>  Pronto notices Bonnet's discomfort and trots over. "Hey there... You're Bonnet, right?"
[16:41] * Kopesh hardly knows what swords to look at first. Replicas were one thing, but these were undoubtedly modern and combat ready versions.
[16:42] * Bonnet nods just barely, "Yeah..."
[16:46] * Scribbles_ continued to browse until she found what she was looking for. She carefully pulled out a small .22 Revolver. The signature weapon of her first main character, Off White.
[16:46] <~Headlong>  Pronto grins and lifts her chin up to look at him. "Bonnet from Light as a Feather Fabrics?"
[16:49] * Bonnet glances up into his eyes, "Yeah... that's it..."
[16:52] <~Headlong>  Pronto continues grinning. "You made the costumes for last year's Civil War reenactment, right?"
[16:54] * Bonnet nods just a little, "W-well... not all of them..."
[16:57] <~Headlong>  "Aw, but those things were killer! I mean, really, stand up work. I know what you're capable of when it comes to clothing, so I'm going to need your help, okay?"
[17:02] * Bonnet looks down, her cheeks gaining just a hint of blush through her sadness, "That... that's very kind of you to say. I don't know how I could help though... this place... doesn't seem like it would need a tailor at all..."
[17:03] * Kopesh to Bonnet as he looks over his equipment choices, "Proper disguises will be useful. Trust me, I would know."
[17:04] <~Headlong>  Pronto hefts up a large, bulky bullet proof vest. "Listen sister, if you can make a two hundred year old jacket look good as new, imagine what you could do with this stuff. The bug's right, you know. Out there, being able to hide is key."
[17:07] * Bonnet looks down at the vest, sniffing softly, "Maybe..."
[17:08] * Giddy_Up retrieves a lollipop from his coat pocket and levitates it into his mouth.
[17:10] <~Headlong>  Pronto puts a hoof on her shoulder and hoofs her the vest. "Right. Good. Let's get you some weapons, right? Can I help any of you with anything?"
[17:11] * Kopesh walks over to Bonnet while levitating a Kopesh. "Headlong's not stupid. Other things? Yes, but not stupid, she picked you because she knew you'd be useful."
[17:15] * Bonnet hugs the vest against her, shaking her head slowly, "I don't know anything about weapons... real ones..."
[17:17] <Kopesh> "Perhaps not, but you know some about armor. I'd say defence is not a bad starting place."
[17:17] <~Headlong>  "The bug speaks the truth, sister. You'd be wise to listen to him."
[17:18] * Giddy_Up waves his hoof apathetically. "Eeeh. Gimme a vest, a crash helmet, and some elbow pads."
[17:20] * Bonnet nods just a little, lifting a hoof slowly to wipe away where her tears had fallen on the vest.
[17:20] * Scribbles_ walked over to the group, having set the gun back on the shelf. "Headlong said we're going to be tracking things down. The easiest way to track something is for them to not know we're there." She pointed out. "Plus, it makes things safer."
[17:21] <~Headlong>  Pronto tosses a vest at Giddy_Up and sits back down at his desk. "Whenever you're done, bring it over here and we'll sign it out."
[17:23] * Scribbles_ then offered Bonnet a smile. "You think you could help me whip up something inconsipicuous, Bonnet? Me and my wardrobe have never gotten along."
[17:27] * Bonnet nods just a little more, speaking softly, "Y-yeah... I can. D-do you have anything in mind?"
[17:27] * Giddy_Up falls back in surprise. Kevlar is heavy! He gets up, looking maybe a little pissed off. He hefted it a little, then unzipped his racing jacket. He has a small black strip on the middle of his back. After putting it on, he put his racing jacket back on and flared his collar. "Where do I sign this off?"
[17:28] <~Headlong>  Pronto waves him over. "Right here, chief."
[17:29] * Kopesh seeing that Bonnet seems better now, returns to pondering his choices.
[17:29] * Scribbles_ nodded. "Yeah. Something dark, helps a pony blend in with the shadows. With the kind of hat that hides their face." Her eyes brightened when she came to an appropriate summary. "Something like a private eye."
[17:29] * Giddy_Up simply gives him a sarcastic smile and signs off on it. "Best keep that autograph."
[17:30] <~Headlong>  Pronto looks him over. "What, you a race car driver or something?"
[17:34] * Bonnet nods a little more, "A-alright... I should be able to do that... I can make it tonight."
[17:38] * Giddy_Up folds his legs. "Number 44 on the ERS circuit. Giddy Up."
[17:39] * Scribbles_ smiles widely. "Thanks Bonnet." She looked back at the shelf of pistols. "You think you can get one of those long coats with pockets on the inside?" She asked.
[17:41] <~Headlong>  Pronto does the same. "Oh, now I remember. You're the guy that lost to Oak Heart at the Neightona 500. That must have been embarrassing."
[17:42] * Bonnet shakes herself a little before setting the vest over her back and looking around a little finally, "That... shouldn't be too much of a problem... I can make the pockets discrete."
[17:47] * Scribbles_ smiles even wider, if that was physically possible. "Thanks again, Bonnet. If you need any help with what ever you nab," She nodded a hoof to the pistols and such. "Let me know, alright?"
[17:48] * Giddy_Up half-lids his eyes. Oh, he's going to be the guy that pisses me off by knowing all the things that he did wrong without mention one of any race he won. Wonderful. "Yes, that guy." He won with no shortage of venom in his voice. "For the record, not that anyone listens, the wheel axis were bent before I started that race. It's a miracle I only spun out twice."
[17:50] <~Headlong>  Pronto shrugs a little. "Gotta admit though, no way you could have done anything about it. That being said, bucks with attitudes go quick around here. Are you gonna be a buck with an attitude?"
[17:51] * Giddy_Up tilts his head. "Depends. Do you plan on being a plot hole?"
[17:54] * Kopesh walks up to Pronto with the items he picked out, "if you two are done playing 'who's cock is bigger?' I'd like to get his stuff checked out."
[17:54] * Bonnet smiles faintly at Scribbles, "Well... like I said... I really don't know anything..." She nudges a stun baton with a hoof, "Aside from playing pretend... I'm sure I'd make a terrible Turk."
[17:55] <~Headlong>  Pronto nods to Giddy_Up. "Yes. Somepony has to. And my cock -is- bigger." He says, hoofing Kopesh the appropriate forms for his items.
[17:58] * Scribbles_ picks up a small switchblade, flicking the blade out and looking it over. "I had to learn from scratch too. Luckily, I had friends in the force to teach me." She said, tucking the blade away. "How the gun works. How big the bullethole is. How to tell the caliber. How loud it can be. That sort of thing."
[18:00] * Giddy_Up smiles and closes his eyes tight. Okay, there's a point where one stops being polite. "Well, seeing as everyone I've met with some exception to these fine gentlemen and fillies have been absolute plot holes, I don't see how you and your soon-to-be-gone flank should be putting your efforts on the pile."
[18:02] * Bonnet nods a little, pulling a plain baton from the rack, "I can understand how important that would be, as a story-writer... A lot of your audience is going to know those same facts, so you need to know what you're doing, after all."
[18:05] <~Headlong>  Pronto leans back. "World's full of plot holes. Just be thankful some of them aren't trying to kill you. Now, if you're done, I'd appreciate it if you left my office."
[18:06] * Scribbles_ nods. "I should get my things. Talk to you later." She said, walking back to the pistols.
[18:06] * Kopesh reads the forms by running his hoof down the pages rapidly before filling them out and signing them.
[18:07] <~Headlong>  Pronto accepts the forms and files them away. "Enjoy your impliments of death."
[18:08] * Giddy_Up stares him down, then churns his lollipop around in his mouth before leaving. He decided that he didn't like him.
[18:09] * Kopesh gives a flat thank you before walking to the door and putting on the security armor and enjoying the weight of it.
[18:10] <~Headlong>  Headlong is waiting for Giddy_Up and Kopesh as they leave. She's floating a folder, one red, one blue, on either side of her head and smiles gently at them.
[18:11] * Bonnet makes her way slowly to the desk after nodding to Scribbles, setting the baton and vest on top of it, "I think I'm ready to check out, Mister Pronto."
[18:11] <Kopesh> "This isn't one of those gimmicky choices is it?"
[18:12] * Scribbles_ arrives at the desk after Bonnet, carrying the revolver, switchblade and a set of bulletproof armor.
[18:14] <~Headlong>  Pronto distributes the forms with a smile. Outside, Headlong tips her head. "No, Kopesh. There's no 'staying in Wonderland'."
[18:14] * Giddy_Up huffs. "What is it now?" He seemed more tired than angry at this point
[18:15] * Scribbles_ sets the items down on the table, skimming through the form before adding her chicken scratch to it.
[18:16] * Bonnet tries her best to glance over the forms, but ends up just settling for making sure she signs them in the right places.
[18:21] <~Headlong>  Headlong looks between the two of them. "One of these folders contains your first assignment, is all."
[18:23] * Scribbles_ slips into the office with her new instruments of self-defense. As she was sliding on the armor, getting a feel for it, she looked between the two folders.
[18:26] * Kopesh looks between the folders, "um... this still looks gimmicky. Are we supposed to guess which one?"
[18:27] <~Headlong>  "No, no. You misunderstand. I'm giving you a choice. And... maybe I'm misunderstanding too. What's gimmicky about it?
[18:29] <Kopesh> "Well, normally when a choice like this is offered, some information is given about the choices allowing the chooser to make an informed decision. You're just kinda holding them up like you want us to just pick one."
[18:30] * Bonnet gives a faint smile to Pronto after returning the signed forms, slipping the vest on over her bathing suit and tucking the baton into one of the vest's side straps, after cinching it up. She then trots slowly outside to join the others.
[18:30] * Giddy_Up looks at the folders, craning his neck a bit. "Yeah, what nerdbug here said. Which one is which?"
[18:32] <~Headlong>  "Normally? Oh, my dear Kopesh, have you learned nothing? We're dealing with anomalies here, nothing is normal. Normally, though, there would be a difference between your two choices. -And-, an informed decision is a biased one."
[18:35] <Kopesh> "Well no shit it's biased. That's the point."
[18:35] <~Headlong>  Headlong thwaps him over the noggin with the red folder. "Language, Mr. Kopesh. Is making a random guess so hard?"
[18:36] * Giddy_Up sighs and rolls his head back. "Does random ever work out well?" He holds his hoof over the red one and looks back for approval.
[18:38] * Kopesh sighs and gives a look like he can't believe he has to spell things out. "It's not hard no, but when my life is in the balance I would prefer some information. Or is understanding that too hard?"
[18:40] <~Headlong>  Headlong lowers her gaze a little. "What -is- apparently hard to understand is that your lives are not in the balance. Not any more than they would be, anyway. What if I told you that these missions are practically identical? Would that affect your decision at all?"
[18:41] * Kopesh please to be making progress, "yes. Yes, it would. Information always does."
[18:41] * Scribbles_ makes a nod for the red file. "I suppose it couldn't hurt to just take at stab at it."
[18:43] <~Headlong>  Headlong tucks the blue one away and sighs. "That, Ms. Scribbles, is the spirit we're looking for! See Task about the other details, and get to it!" She says, breezing past them. As she passes Kopesh, she mutters "You could learn something from her."
[18:44] * Kopesh only smirks as she walks past.
[18:44] * Giddy_Up snatches the red file. "Yes, it'd be /awesome/ if all your task forces just smiled and nodded without asking any questions about their expendable mortality, wouldn't it?" He grumbled, and began to make his way to task.
[18:45] <~Headlong>  "Most of them do!" she calls from the elevator, going down.
[18:47] * Giddy_Up grumbled to himself while on the way. "Most ponies are stupid."
[18:47] <Kopesh> "Indeed. What's it say?"
[18:49] * Bonnet sighs softly, "It doesn't hurt to sing either... usually..."
[18:50] * Giddy_Up floats it open, making sure not to drop anything.
[18:50] * Kopesh stands next to him to look himself.
[18:51] * Scribbles_ rolled her eyes at the stallions. "It's not my fault this is the only oppertunity for me to get paid I've had in three months." She said, a twinge of poison in her voice at the mention of that fact. "May as well be cheerful about this."
[18:52] <~Headlong>  A single sheet of paper bears the heading "Feather Quill Vineyard, CA." Other than that, the name of a pony, Cabernet, and a time, 2:00 pm are the only things listed below. The name is particularly familiar to Bonnet...
[18:52] <~Headlong>  : PLAYBACK PAUSED, GDRL-2 ADDENDUM-4 PLAYBACK BEGIN :