Somber #12

[18:38:44]	Somber	The companions had returned from their adventure on the Cyclops. Now returned to Bayleaf, the companions had received all the herbs they needed to cure the infected in New Unicornia.
[18:41:12]	They'd had a night of recovery together, and in the morning, now had to return to Olives so Quikcure could whip up the rememdy for the infection.
[18:46:39]	Shimmershy	was looking substantially less nearly-dead by the next morning thanks to attention on the part of Swampy's aunt and a good night's rest. She still didn't look happy, but what would one expect from someone who nearly died the previous day? She had spent some time, and a bottle of clean water, washing the grime from the armor they'd found aboard the Cyclops, if only to give
	her something to do so she didn't think too much on how close she came to dieing.
[18:47:37]	Night_Wind	squeezes her eyes shut, groans softly, and shifts a wing in front of her face as the sunlight finds its way into...wherever she's laying. "Not fair, Princess. You don't even have a physical body anymore. Why ya gotta raise the sun so early?"
[18:48:20]	Edna_Stonetalon	groans from underneath Night_Wind "What the hell happened last night?"
[18:49:18]	Shimmershy	folded her ears back and looked down at the ground, trying to focus as much as she could on making her armor clean. The request from Swampy was surprising to say the least, but right now anything which would keep her mind busy was good. She headed out with Swamp Shadow to sell the weapons, even if her relations with others might not be great...
[18:51:09]	Night_Wind	whimpers back from beneath the shelter of her wings, "I was hoping someone else knew. By the feel of it, we fought an army of zebras. Not sure if we won or not."
[18:51:27]	Swamp_Shadow	wakes up with a surprising spring in her step. She seems to hold her cider a little better than her Yankee friends and now has a newly growing relationship with a cute unicorn buck. Exotic! "Thanks for the help, Shimmer. I saw how great you did with handling the shopkeepers last time and figured you'd be better at selling this stuff than me. Those coots are crafty."
[18:52:39]	Shimmershy	rubs a forehoof against her other foreleg, giving a slight smile up towards Swamp_Shadow. "Um... I'm happy to help..." She sighed quietly. "H-hey Swamp... Can I ask you a favor." She looks back down at the ground nervously.
[18:53:09]	Swamp_Shadow	cocks an eyebrow. "Sure, Shimmer. What's bothering ya?
[18:53:33]	Edna_Stonetalon	wiggles a bit "Gnn.. Fumbles you mind getting up? I can't move with you on top of me"
[18:54:36]	Shimmershy	bit her lower lip, before sighing and shaking her head. "N-nevermind. I'll be okay..." She looked up to Swamp and slowly straightened up a little. "I'm sorry I wasn't a bigger help. Things went badly because of me." She sighs. "Let's... Let's just get going back to Olives."
[18:56:46]	Night_Wind	groans again but reluctantly pushes herself to her feet. "Sorry, Eddie," she mumbles, still trying to shield her head with her wings.
[18:56:53]	Swamp_Shadow	turns her head and frowns. "Ya sure ya don't wanna talk about it, Shimmer? We both went through a lot yesterday." She pauses and sighs. "And if Ah hadn't almost died, ya wouldn't have been in that situation in the first place."
[18:57:41]	Edna_Stonetalon	crawls out from under the alicorn and flops on the ground in front of her "Blarg..."
[18:57:46]	Shimmershy	sighs quietly, looking up to Swamp. "No. I'm fine." Her voice was harsher than it should be, that was for sure, pushing past Swamp and on her way back towards the place they'd agreed to meet up.
[18:58:03]	Wanderlust	wakes up early and is nearly bouncing around the room as he tries to burn off the extra energy. He couldn't remember feeling genuinely happy since he got to this place until now, but the relationship he now had with Swamp was too much for even the worst this place had thrown at them to overshadow. He doesn't really know what to do with himself while some of the others are
	out shopping, but he's actually eager to continue onward, craziness be damned.
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[19:03:56]	Night_Wind	spots what looks like a heavy blanket or tarp and drags it over then lays down and buries herself and Eddie under it. It's fairly clean for the wasteland, whatever it is.
[19:04:34]	Swamp_Shadow	quietly follows behind Shimmershy, not wanting to push her buttons.
[19:05:21]	Edna_Stonetalon	snuggles back up with Night_Wind
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[19:06:51]	Somber	The town was waking up and going about their business as the friends got themselves squared away for their trip.
[19:11:37]	Night_Wind	snuggles against Eddie and waits for the world to stop being mean to her head.
[19:13:59]	Shimmershy	stalked back down the streets in an obviously unhappy mood. Heading for their meeting place to get prepared to head back towards Olives. She did stop long enough to actually put on her newly cleaned armor, though.
[19:16:45]	Swamp_Shadow	notices Shimmer's angry mood, feeling worried about her friend. "You sure you're okay, Shimmer?" she asks, concerned.
[19:18:30]	Shimmershy	snorts and looks up to Swamp. "I said I was fine didn't I? Or has your cracked skull made you deaf too?" She didn't seem interested in entertaining those questions any further. For a moment she takes a deep breath and lets it out, trying to calm down. "Yes... I'll be fine. Sorry Swampy... I'm just a little... Tense, that's all."
[19:22:32]	Swamp_Shadow	is taken aback by Shimmershy's sudden mood swing. "I-I'm sorry," she says, not wanting to make Shimmer worse. What that thing did to Shimmershy was much worse than what she did to her.
[19:24:12]	Edna_Stonetalon	gets up some time later with a groan. "Alright Fumbles lets go find the others, grab some gear and get going" stretching as she talks
[19:25:11]	Shimmershy	did her best to relax a few moments, looking back to Swamp. She wasn't smiling, but she didn't look filled with hatred and rage either. She opened her mouth to respond before closing it again and moving on.
[19:27:50]	Night_Wind	sighs and pushes herself to her hooves. "Fine, fine, but only for you, Eddie." Then she catches sight Eddie stretching and comes wide awake. *pomf!*
[19:28:51]	Edna_Stonetalon	giggles "You need to control yourself. Half expecting you to pounce me one of these nights"
[19:31:05]	Wanderlust	wanders back into the room, having disappeared for a bit to spend some of his energy doing something useful. He trots over to Edna with a big grin on his face, her gun floating in his magic looking polished and nearly new. "Hiya Eddie, I have a surprise for you... maybe I'll come back later." He says, finally noticing Night all pomfed.
[19:32:11]	Night_Wind	blushes and chuckles softly as she forces her wings down. "Why, whatever do you mean, Eddie? Ah heh heh..."
[19:32:12]	Swamp_Shadow	sighs as well. "Ah-Ah'm gonna go say bye to mah folks. I'll meet y'all at the meet up point in a few." Swamp Shadow says, waving to Shimmer before leaving.
[19:32:48]	Edna_Stonetalon	wiggles her rump at Night_Wind "You tell me"
[19:32:55]	Shimmershy	ground her teeth slightly and dug her forehoof at the ground in irritation as she waited for Edna and Night Wind in the common room where they'd be meeting. "... Should just fuck and get it over with..." She muttered quietly under her breath. Adding a few moments later. "Or maybe find some kind of monster which eats ovaries. Save us all the trouble." She seemed to mostly
	be talking to herself, sparing a brief wave to Swamp Shadow as she left.
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[19:34:55]	Edna_Stonetalon	blink blinks "You feeling alright Shimmer?"
[19:35:19]	Night_Wind	feels her wings start to spring out and quickly wraps them in a telekinetic field. "N..no idea, Eddie. Oh, hello there, Wander. How are you doing? We were just...discussing breakfast. Yes, that's exactly what we were doing, right, Eddie?"
[19:35:58]	Shimmershy	waves a hoof towards Edna. "Yeah. Feeling fine. It's not like being stuck with two people who can't stop making kissy faces for five minutes is a problem just after nearly being raped to death, or anything like that. Life goes on, huh?" She snorted and turned around, cracking her tail at Edna before stalking off in frustration.
[19:37:24]	Wanderlust	blinks in surprise. "...That wasn't Shimmershy, was it? I mean, it looked like her but... but..." He groans. "Well, so much for my happy mood, that didn't last long..."
[19:38:45]	Night_Wind	blink-blinks and jaw drops at Shimmer.
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[19:40:46]	Edna_Stonetalon	sighs and follows after Shimmer "Shimmer wait up"
[19:43:16]	Shimmershy	frowns, pausing on her way towards the door as Edna calls out to her. "What?" She looks back in annoyance, though less than she had before at least.
[19:44:43]	Night_Wind	reacts a bit slower than Eddie (no surprise) but trots along behind her composing herself, curious what Eddie is going to say or do.
[19:45:04]	Swamp_Shadow	After a slightly tearful goodbye, and some worry from her mother over the new scar on her cheek, Swampy leaves her family, vowing she'd be back with a cure as soon as possible, and starts to head back to meet up with the group.
[19:45:47]	Wanderlust	watches the exchange from a safer distance, still not entirely convinced that that was Shimmer. He didn't even think she was /capable/ of being mean like that.
[19:45:59]	Edna_Stonetalon	stops in front of her "Are you feeling alright? You can talk to us you know. We are your friends"
[19:47:25]	Shimmershy	glances between Edna and Night and Wanderlust, annoyed at the repeated questioning. "Why does everyone keep asking me that today? I feel fine. or at least as fine as I can feel after nearly dieing and having contact with that monster of hate and rage." She shuddered. Before finally taking a deep breath and doing her best to calm down, relaxing a bit. "I'll be fine."
[19:49:12]	Edna_Stonetalon	puts a talon on her shoulder "Just remember you can talk to us"
[19:50:14]	Night_Wind	tilts her head to one side as she peers at Shimmer. "I hear the words coming out of your mouth, but they do not seem to match what I am seeing. When was the last time you fed? Do you need to drain me of some of my feelings?"
[19:52:22]	Shimmershy	looks up to Edna, before reaching a forehoof up and gently brushing the claw off her shoulder. "I'm. Fine." She seemed to be getting progressively more annoyed by the way everyone claims she needs help or the like. "There's nothing wrong with me. Maybe I'm just tired of being a doormat?" She looks back towards Night Wind. "I'm fine. I got plenty to eat yesterday." She
[19:52:23]	moved to push past Edna and out of the building.
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[19:57:02]	Night_Wind	frowns at Shimmer and thinks back, a shudder running through her. These were memories she didn't like to touch, dangerous but...relevant. She hurries to follow Shimmer. "What do you mean you got plenty? What did you eat? You're acting like...like...oh...oh, Shimmer, you didn't. Please tell me you didn't."
[19:57:35]	Swamp_Shadow	returns, looking saddened by having to leave her family again, and sees the scene brewing in the inn. "Hey. Are we ready to go? Got unicorns to save with our herbs and all that..."
[19:59:31]	Shimmershy	raises a forehoof to her face with a groan. "I said I'm fine! Is every pony in this town deaf? Have I suddenly started speaking Zebra and not realized it?" She spun around and trotted up to poke Night Wind in the chest. "I don't pass judgement on your bizarre bean fixation. So what business is it of yours what I eat? These were stronger than the ones I usually run into.
	But that just makes for a better meal." She snorted again and glared up at Night Wind. "Or do you think I'll get fat if I don't watch what I eat or something?"
[20:00:54]	Wanderlust	can't help but contemplate how one would get fat eating emotions.
[20:01:47]	Edna_Stonetalon	grabs Shimmer and drags her into a tight hug
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[20:03:25]	Night_Wind	blinks down at Shimmer poking her in the chest and merely hugs her. "I know what it feels like to touch an evil, depraved mind, but this isn't you. You're better than this, Shimmer. If there's any way for you to...regurgitate those feelings, then please do so! Drain me instead, please!"
[20:09:18]	Shimmershy	nrfs at the sudden hug, struggling against Edna's grasp a few moments, until Night Wind joined in. At that point there was just no way she was going to get away. She still didn't look pleased, instead looking more smoldering and angry at Night Wind's suggestion. "Yes. Because I haven't tried to get rid of something which feels like bathing in shit for a month." She struggles
	and presses both forehooves against the two of them in an effort to get away from them. "You've got no idea what it's like touching something like that. So don't pretend you understand how horrible it was."
[20:09:36]	Swamp_Shadow	looks to each of her friends. "Uh... What's going on?"
[20:11:36]	Edna_Stonetalon	keeps hugging her "Never said I understood. Just said we're here to talk if you want. Not gunna let you go till you calm down though"
[20:12:07]	Wanderlust	grins and adds himself to the group hug. He kept his hooves well away from a certain griffons plot to keep her from insinuating anything. Especially not in front of his marefriend.
[20:12:46]	Swamp_Shadow	"Why is everypony hugging?"
[20:14:42]	Shimmershy	grunts and struggles against the hugs, still trying to break free. "I. Am. Fine. What is wrong with all of you? Do you really not understand basic equestrian?" She snorts and slumps into the hug, peering out over the intertwined legs with an annoyed, grumpy look.
[20:16:11]	Night_Wind	snorts at Shimmer, staring down at her. "I don't? You suddenly presume to understand us and where we have been, the minds we have touched? Little changeling, what makes you so certain of what filth has or has not touched the Goddess' mind?" Her eyes flash for a moment then suddenly she recoils clutching her head with her hooves. "Ah! Bad thoughts! Sorry! Sorry. We...I...I
[20:16:12]	should not have touched those memories, but...but you must know, Shimmer, far worse has brushed against me before."
[20:18:33]	Shimmershy	looks up in annoyance at Night Wind. "Then -you- should know that it's not that big a deal. After all, you're here, and apparently think you're just fine. So I should be perfectly okay soon enough." She glared in annoyance at the alicorn, before pulling away from the other two as best we can. "Can we go now? Or do you all want to spend the rest of the day telling me I'm
	sick and wrong and a horrible person after you promised you cared about me and wouldn't get angry with me for being what I am?" She seemed... Frustrated, to say the least.
[20:19:14]	Swamp_Shadow	suddenly feels very out of the loops, realizing that, while this circle of friends did accept her, especially Wanderlust, Swamp Shadow was still the fifth wheel and the odd pony out."
[20:20:42]	Edna_Stonetalon	lets her go "You're the only one saying that Shimmer"
[20:23:05]	Wanderlust	lets go as well as he notices Swamp standing off by her lonesome. He was worried for Shimmer, but neglecting Swamp would be every bit as bad. He walks over to her with a grin and nuzzles her cheek without a second thought. "How are you today?" He asks, eager to see her brighten up.
[20:24:21]	Shimmershy	moved towards the door, pausing only briefly at Edna's comment, her ear twitching slightly, before moving outside in irritation. She wasn't stupid enough to leave town alone, but she really didn't want to talk about it right now.
[20:25:57]	Swamp_Shadow	accepts the nuzzle. "Okay, Ah guess. How about we get on the road. Some fresh air and a little exercise might do us all some good," she says before Shimmershy walks out the door. "See, Shimmer's got the right idea."
[20:26:18]	Night_Wind	sighs, "Shimmer, it's just that...this is entirely unlike you, and we're worried about you. We care about you. Suddenly I wish I knew that memory extraction spell..."
[20:27:05]	Edna_Stonetalon	sighs once more "Lets get moving. We have another evil monster to take down"
[20:28:45]	Night_Wind	nods to Eddie though her expression is concerned. "Is it really safe to face off against...whatever Sweet Tea is when Shimmer is like this?" she murmurs to the others.
[20:28:55]	Shimmershy	goes wide eyed as she pauses in the door at Night Wind's suggestion. "You wouldn't dare. You'd erase your own friend's memories just because you don't like the way they're acting!?" She ground her teeth at that prospect. "I can't believe you'd seriously suggest something like that! Does it really surprise you I'm unhappy when my friends start suggesting they should cut
[20:28:56]	out parts of my mind 'for my own good'?" She snorts in irritation and storms off at that point.
[20:31:53]	Night_Wind	winces at Shimmer's reaction. "Only because you don't seem happy to have them," she murmurs beneath her breath then shakes her head. It was probably a bad idea anyway. She was pretty sure you had to touch the memory to remove it, and this one...it seemed pretty toxic.
[20:32:49]	Edna_Stonetalon	bops Fumbles on the nose "That is not how you fix problems. She just needs time and her friends"
[20:33:33]	Swamp_Shadow	is taken aback by Night Wind's suggestion. "Y-Ya really wouldn't do that, would ya?"
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[20:35:50]	Wanderlust	remains silent, trying to figure out how such a good day turned so bad before they even left town.
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[20:37:50]	Night_Wind	blinks and crosses her eyes at the bopping then frowns as Swampy joins in. "Gah! Hey, it's not like that!" she says sitting on her haunches and raising her hooves defensively. "Do you even know what happened to her? I'm pretty sure I do, and it's not just a bad experience."
[20:39:12]	Swamp_Shadow	"Let's stop talking like she's not even here and just move, okay? The longer we wait, the less time I've got to find a cure for my dad and sis."
[20:41:35]	Wanderlust	nods in agreement. "And the longer we stay the longer New Unicornia stays a prison. Swampy is right, we should go. I can't claim to understand what happened to Shimmer but I'm sure you'll be able to help her through it Night." He tries to smile and partially succeeds.
[20:42:38]	Night_Wind	scowls at Swampy. "I am not talking like she's not here! You asked us a question and we answered! But fine, if you wish to believe the worst of your friends, then be that way. We will watch the rear. You, go do your little swamp tracker thingy." She waves her hooves in a shooing motion at Swampy then turns and flutters to the rear of the group.
[20:44:18]	Somber	The companions make their way back west towards Olives. The raised pathway snaked its way through the trees and underbrush as they made their way along towards dry land. It wasn't quite as simple as backtracking... after all, there was more than one 'route' through the swamps and any raider could cut down or put up a new path with a little bit of effort.
[20:46:04]	And unfortunately, an hour or two later, and... well... she wasn't completely lost. She still knew they were in the swamp! Finally she found a raised rail embankment that led sort of south west out of the swamp... there was just one problem...
[20:46:06]	Swamp_Shadow	loses her bearings, her mind unfocused and heart heavy after the fight.
[20:49:37]	then realizes she took a wrong turn and stops as she figures out where they are. "Crap!" she shouts, spotting two raiders in a blind. "Raiders!"
[20:50:25]	Wanderlust	stays close, trying to think of a way to cheer Swampy up. Despite knowing enough about her to know that he was a lucky buck to have her, he realizes that he really didn't know a lot about her hobbies and such. He opens his mouth to ask but closes it and immediately draws his rifle as the word "raiders" is mentioned.
[20:50:27]	Edna_Stonetalon	"Fuckin great! Just what I wanted to see today" as she takes her rifle out
[20:52:25]	Shimmershy	had spent the entire duration of their travel in a sour, annoyed mood. Moving along with the others and occasionally giving them annoyed glares. She had, at least, cooled a bit as time went on. But when it started to feel like they'd gotten lost she couldn't help but speak up. "Wow, Swampy, managing to get lost in your own home? I'm impressed. How'd you manage to make it
	all the way to Olives? Did you find someone to lead you on a-" She was interrupted by the mention of raiders, looking down the road with an annoyed glare. "Wonderful!" That... Wasn't sarcasm right there. Was the changeling actually excited at the prospect of danger today?
[20:56:03]	Somber	There were two raiders in a blind off the road at long range. From the sides of the embankment climbed up four more raiders. These were even more warped than the few they'd encountered in Bayleaf, looking as if they'd been made of wax, softened, then had their features and bodies smeared. "Kill em!" "Get Gator!" "Yee haw!" "Gonna fuck their shit up..."
[20:56:59]	Swamp_Shadow	hears that name and her eyes widen. "Don't let any of'em get away! We can't let Gator find us!"
[21:00:42]	Shimmershy	takes a deep, slow, enjoyed breath. The kind one might take when standing over a freshly cooling apple pie upon a windowsill to savor that wonderful aroma. "Mmmmh. The air smells like rage. Such a wonderful aroma!"
[21:01:13]	Night_Wind	blinks at Swampy's reaction but nods her head and readies her battle saddle.
[21:04:20]	Wanderlust	readies his weapon but can't see anything thanks to his mane being a mess and getting in his eyes. That's what he gets for not combing it...
[21:08:04]	shoves his mane out of the way and lines his rifle up at the closest pony he can see and opens up on him. Swamp said no survivors, clear and easy orders against a normal pony opponent were a nice change of pace.
[21:11:50]	Edna_Stonetalon	Aims her rifle at the raider Wander just shot "Concentrate your fire! Bring em down one at a time!" firing off a few shots
[21:17:22]	Swamp_Shadow	pulls her crossbow, firing the first shot off and striking home, but after falling back while reloading Swamp Shadow misses the second shot as it sails over the raider's head. "Crap!"
[21:18:09]	Somber	The lead of the four was pretty ragged, but not done just yet. The four spent their movement charging at the leads while the two rifle ponies carefully line up their shots and fire.
[21:22:59]	Two high caliber rounds buzz rather ominously close to the alicorn's head as the other four close the distance.
[21:25:08]	Night_Wind	gasps and ducks her head. "Snipers!"
[21:25:29]	Shimmershy	licked her lips as the chaos of battle begin, digging at the ground with a forehoof and a snort. She grinned, lowering her head as the shot up raider got closer, charging forwards with her horn down, intent to lance their forefront, a quick twist of her horn for a second jab, followed by a turn about and two quick bucks to his face.
[21:29:34]	was, no matter how riled up on rage or taken by hatred or driven by spite still Shimmershy. And that means all the uncoordinated, lack-of-combat-training abilities the group knew and loved. Her double kick only proving to throw her off balance as she lost her grip with her forehooves and finally rolled over into a heap.
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[21:32:37]	Night_Wind	fluttered back rapidly from the attackers - perhaps a bit too rapidly as despite her attempt at careful aim, her shot went well wide of the mark.
[21:39:32]	Wanderlust	grumbles as he works to unjam his gun and get back into the fight, shooting off a few more bullets as he tries to steady himself again.
[21:48:00]	Edna_Stonetalon	slings her rifle and take out her new SMG "SAY HELLO TO MY LITTLE FRIEND!" and just blows one of the raiders away
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[22:06:08]	Somber	Edna gets a wonderful moment of watching a raider turn nearly inside out from her spray of gunfire. Then there is a sensation of a hammer striking upside her head and suddenly the world seems to be sliding around her without her moving. There was a terrible ringing in her head and the world was fading away around her as she struggled to stay upright while
[22:06:20]	the other two stallions try and take down her friends.
[22:10:58]	Shimmershy	rolled over back onto her hooves, breathing heavily with a wild look in her eyes and a grin spreading across her face, one of her eyes twitching slightly. "Yes. Yes!" She spent a moment lining up her body on the badly injured, but still living, raider, rushing forwards. "Yes! Bleed for me! Come on, scream with pain and yell with rage! It all tastes so good!" She moves to
[22:10:59]	jam her horn through the raider.
[22:16:16]	was, however, still herself. Funny how that works. Her horn blow went wide and she wound up mostly wobbling around on her hooves uncontrollably before regaining her composure with heavy huffing. "You. Are going. To," her magic shimmered around her as the illusion vanished, revealing the white changeling tinged with brilliant crimson cracks and stripes along her chitinous
[22:16:17]	hide, especially radiating around her eyes and up her horn. "RAGE!" She slammed her forehooves against the ground in futile anger.
[22:25:05]	Night_Wind	feels her own eye twitch for a different reason as the sound of Shimmer's ranting comes to her over the other sounds of battle. She's distracted from Shimmer's attack as blood blooms on the side of Edna's head and the griffon staggers. "Eddie!" Fast as she can, she zips over the heads of her friends and slams her hooves down practically in the face of one of the raiders.
	Channeling magic, she pulls the ground up from under her and her friends and piles it into a thick wall of dirt. "Shoot through that, bastards!"
[22:28:58]	belatedly realizes she got Swampy on the wrong side of the wall. "Ack! Sorry!"
[22:33:48]	Wanderlust	holsters his gun and immediately turns to help Eddie. He shoves a healing potion into her beak as gently as he can as his horn starts glowing, intending to relieve the no-doubt extreme pain she must be feeling. "Don't worry Eddie, you aren't dying while I'm here." He says, wishing he felt that confident.
[22:37:47]	Edna_Stonetalon	staggers and stumbles after she got hit, everything was dim and an odd color "Oooowww! Get ta nem o dat bramin dat dun hit me?" poking around the new cover and emptying the SMG at the raider closest to her
[22:43:05]	crawls back behind the cover and reloads, sitting on her rump and leaning against the wall
[22:48:50]	Swamp_Shadow	and the raider are caught off guard by the sudden barrier arising from the tracks and she quickly fires off a bolt into the raider's chest before jumping over the wall to join her friends behind cover. However, her back hoof catches a piece of track that came up with the wall causing her to cut a flip and land hard on her rump. "Ow."
[23:00:28]	Night_Wind	breathes a sigh of relief when she sees Swampy leap over unharmed...save for her dignity. "Swampy, you're oka-AHHH!" She staggers to her knees as a shot punches through her the armor over her breast. Her pupils shrink to pinpricks as she drops below the line of the wall and begins coughing up blood.
[23:00:46]	Somber	Yes! The earth itself molds to Night Wind's will. It rises up in a wall to the pony's chest... preventing one shot from hitting her... however, then her body jerks as a bloody fountain erupts from her chest. Blood pours out the gaping hole and spurts out her nose and mouth. Only her immense size kept her organs from being pulped utterly.
[23:06:38]	Shimmershy	heaves and breathes heavily, stamping and laughing before the sound of resounding gunshots cuts through her revarie. Spotting Night Wind nearly falling into death. For a moment she just stands there, in shock and fear. Before she turns her attention towards the fleeing raider and the two in the blind. She stands stock still, shocked and uncertain what to do before letting
	out a little squeak at the state of things around her. She looks like she might hyperventilate and collapse right there. Thankfully, instead, she managed to leap for cover, scrambling and curling up behind Night Wind's wall, shaking with fear and something worse. Clearly uncomfortable. "no... no... no... not right... not like that... stop it... stop it... shup up, I won't... Shut
	up..." She whimpers a little.
[23:14:39]	Night_Wind	lays in the dirt, panting and bleeding, but she concentrates just a moment - just a little bit of energy into her horn and suddenly she and all her friends glow as magic joins them together, tied by their Bonds of Friendship.
[23:16:17]	Wanderlust	lets his jaw drop as Night collapses into a bloody heap. He hurries over to her, thanking whatever powers that be that her chest is still rising and falling, albiet irregularly. He starts dumping healing potions down her throat as fast as he can manage. "Fuck, why is everypony dying all of a sudden?!"
[23:18:14]	Edna_Stonetalon	gawks "Fwumbles!" and takes her rifle back out, poking around the cover and firing at the sniper who just hit Night_Winf
[23:21:17]	ducks back behind her cover after she fires her shot
[23:23:17]	Swamp_Shadow	1d100 65
[23:27:56]	Swamp_Shadow	is horrified by what's happening around her. Two of her friends almost die before her very eyes and she realizes it's all her fault for zoning out and getting lost. The voodoo takes her as she shuts her eyes tight and she appears in the Swamp behind the raiders... three feet in the air. She then falls into the swamp with a mighty splash.
[23:29:05]	Somber	"Go get Gator! Go go go!" The snipers shout as the raider keeps running. "There's one! How'd she get there!?" Another yells. "Fucked if I care! Kill her!"
[23:35:32]	And so they did, the rounds blowing bloody chunks in the odd swamp pony. She fell back with an odd look and then collapsed back, the brown water turning decidedly crimson.
[23:37:05]	Night_Wind	calls out, "Wander! You'll never reach her in time of you try to run. Just use your magic on her from here. We're linked now - reach out to her and feel the connection!"
[23:38:39]	Shimmershy	whimpered louder as the gunshots continued to ring out around her. "no... No... Make it stop... Please stop... It's not right. I'm not like that. I can't be like that... I won't be! Please... Please stop."
[23:41:59]	shudders a little more. "No... No it's not right. This isn't right!" She slowly stands up on shaking hooves, looking down at them. "This isn't right!" She leaps up to the top of the barricade and yells out at the raiders. "This. Isn't. Right! You shouldn't be killing ponies just because you can! We haven't done anything to you! What's the point in wasting your life like
	this!? Go home, be happy. Don't slaughter people just for being here!" She pleads with them a bit, but is looking more... Angry than anything else. Assertive maybe? "Actions like this aren't wanted or needed in Equestria any more!"
[23:48:30]	Night_Wind	having recovered from her grievous wound stands up to fire over the wall only to see Swampy fall into the water, sniper shots slamming into her. "Swampy!" She reaches out with her magic and grasps the mare, trying to pull her up out of the water and back to them.
[23:58:04]	Wanderlust	shivers a bit at the mangled mess that is Swampy. He quickly uncorks another potion and carefully pours it down her throat while healing her with magic at the same time. He nuzzles her shakily as he works, mumbling in a panic under his breath.
[00:00:51]	Shimmershy	calls out into the brush. "We faced the Cyclpos and lived! We saved the swamp and Appleanta from worse poison than even the phage! And yet here you sit on the roads shooting those who would pass by peacefully. Because of that four of your friends are now dead. Please, go home. Leave us in peace and we'll leave you in the same."
[00:01:10]	Edna_Stonetalon	takes the SMG back out "Enuff o dis!" and flies at the two snipers, spraying lead at them once she gets close enough
[00:06:53]	[REDACT!!]
[00:08:19]	pops out and takes two quick shots with her rifle
[00:09:23]	Swamp_Shadow	Swamp Shadow's would's close up and she stablizes, although her breathing is still shallow and she's shivering as she's soaking wet.
[00:09:27]	Edna_Stonetalon	ducks back behind the wall "We gotah git out uv ear..."
[00:12:56]	Somber	The sniper ponies don't fire.
[00:13:05]	Edna_Stonetalon	grabs Shimmer from ontop the wall and drags her back behind cover
[00:13:40]	Somber	After Shimmershy is yanked out of the open, behind cover. Just silence...
[00:14:04]	Shimmershy	lets out a quiet yelp of surprise as she was grabbed. "Edna. What are you doing!? Shooting at the ponies I'm trying to convince to leave us alone is not going to help!" She looked irritated again. Before doing her best to calm down, taking deep breaths and just struggling not to explode upon Edna for potentially ruining any chance of a peaceful resolution.
[00:14:43]	Edna_Stonetalon	simply points at the wound on her head
[00:18:12]	Shimmershy	glares at Edna. "If no one's willing to forgive anyone else then things will only ever get worse." She shoves against the griffin trying to get free. "Why does no one grasp such a simple concept!? It's like everywhere I go people want revenge more than they want peace." She grinds her teeth a few moments then just sortof flops to the floor of the train tracks, glaring out
	at the trees."
[00:22:52]	Edna_Stonetalon	reloads her rifle and waits "Wats goin on? Thay 'ave uz pind"
[00:24:43]	Swamp_Shadow	moans.
[00:25:25]	Night_Wind	crawls over and hefts Swampy onto her back then quickly casts a shield around her and her passenger. "Stay still and we'll get out of this in spite of our...mishaps..."
[00:27:33]	Edna_Stonetalon	takes advantage of the lull in the fighting to reload her rifle with hollow points
[00:30:49]	Shimmershy	didn't seem hopeful at all. "Maybe they went home? Why don't you peek out and check? You can even take another couple of shots at them while you're at it. It'll be fun!" She sighs and slowly stands up. "I'm sorry... I shouldn't... I shouldn't be close to you right now." She shakes her head. "There's something wrong with me. Something horribly wrong. And... And I don't know
[00:30:50]	if I can fix it." She swallows nervously, fidgeting her hooves and closing her eyes. "I should... I should go. You'd be safer without me. And I could distract them while you run away, maybe."
[00:32:18]	Edna_Stonetalon	grabs Shimmer and keeps her from leaving, peaking over the wall just a bit as she dose
[00:32:55]	Somber	No shots are fired.
[00:34:16]	Night_Wind	looks at Edna's unexploded head. "Don't take the shot. Shimmer, please talk to them, okay?"
[00:35:16]	is listening to the tiny voices of Fluttershy and Velvet Remedy saying that what Shimmer is doing is right.
[00:36:58]	Shimmershy	mrples a little as Edna grabs hold of her, reaching out to shove against the leg. She looks up towards Night Wind. "I don't think they'll listen to me now if they wouldn't before." She sighs quietly and slowly moves to jump back up on top of the wall. "I'm sorry! Please don't shoot. We don't need to fight, not like this. What you're doing is hurting innocent ponies,
[00:36:59]	including yourselves! Just think how many have suffered and died, how many of your friends have, because you attack ponies who are just passing by. For what gain? Something like this... Appleanta, no, Equestria doesn't need it." She sighs and hangs her head. "I'm sorry for what my friends did to your friends. That wasn't right either. I'm sorry for what I tried to do. None of this
	is the way it should be. But it can be made better. So please... Just let us pass by. Go home. Be happy." She stands quietly ontop of the wall, half expecting to be shot.
[00:37:46]	Somber	BLAM! BLAM!
[00:38:19]	Edna_Stonetalon	grabs Shimmer once again and drags her from the wall "Raiderz"
[00:41:46]	Night_Wind	sighs and hangs her head. "Sorry, Shimmer. Let's go."
[00:43:00]	Edna_Stonetalon	growls "We leave. Fumblz at back with sheld."
[00:43:28]	Somber	So you spend your action running?
[00:44:07]	Swamp_Shadow	lays on Night Wind's back, unconscious.
[00:44:43]	Shimmershy	winces and hisses in pain as the bullet slams into her side, just before being pulled back behind the wwall by Edna, she smacks the claw away and glares at the griffin, pointing a forehoof at her. "You shot at them. After I asked them to stop. When they might have listened. Don't tell me it's because they're raiders. They're attacking us because -we wouldn't stop fighting
	them-." She groans a little and shambles back away from the wall in the direction they came from as quick as she could manage. Which... Wasn't very fast.
[00:49:19]	Somber	There were a few more parting shots, but they didn't hit anything. Still, from the distant shouts, it was clear the rest of the raiders were close... scary close... and worse, none of them knew this swamp. Which way was the right way back to bayleaf?
[00:54:27]	The raiders were getting closer. The map didn't reflect the twisted and convoluted path through the swamp. Then the path ended at a half submerged police station, the building almost a gutted shell blasted and shot up... but then Wanderlust's pipbuck let out a chirp.
[00:55:57]	"Find them... FIND THEM!" Roared a voice a few hundred feet behind them... a deep bassy voice full of fangs.
[00:56:26]	Edna_Stonetalon	grumbles "Thiz izn't gettin us no where. Get in there and set up defencive positionz. If we gunna die we die fightin"
[00:58:21]	Somber	It seemed like an ideal spot for a last stand. The gossamer was draped almost like silk over the building, the foundations barely above waterline. At least they'd be fighting with their hooves dry.
[00:59:23]	Night_Wind	nods and ducks into the building with her precious cargo then immediately begins looking for a place with cover that she could fire her battle saddle from.
[00:59:24]	Wanderlust	looks around and then back at his pipbuck. "Maybe we can hide out here?" He says hastily, pointing at a marker on his pipbuck labelled "Stable 41". "It's better than getting caught by them."
[01:00:54]	Edna_Stonetalon	blinks "Staple? Find the entrance. We could hunker down there. Funnel them inta wun area."
[01:02:48]	Wanderlust	points inside the old building. "Looks like its in there. Quick, before they see us."
[01:02:53]	Somber	They almost miss the hidden doors in the floor that lead down the mucky stairs. Emergency lighting set in the ceiling barely illuminate anything at all. Then they see it... a large round door 41 next to an access control panel. Small cameras set in the walls look down at the five friends impassively.
[01:04:09]	Shimmershy	had resumed her illusion spell sometime during their flight. While it might not be necessarily around her friends, she didn't want to advertise what she was to Bayleaf, or anyone else who found them in the swamp. She followed the others down into the tunnel, tired and in pain, still eaten up inside with the emotions she had been displaying regularly all day. But better
[01:04:10]	than she was that morning, at least.
[01:05:09]	Edna_Stonetalon	takes up a position to watch the stairs, waiting for the raiders to find them. She wouldn't make it easy for them.
[01:06:59]	Wanderlust	checks up on Swamp, nuzzling her worriedly. If nothing else they needed to live, dying here would be horrible.
[01:07:22]	Somber	The door controls defied her! Edna could hear the shouts as the raiders swarmed the building above. Then the klaxons sounded and the door slowly slid open. The Raiders heard the noise and began to come down the stairs. When the door was open just enough for Night to get through, it stopped.
[01:07:51]	A dry, sterile smell greeted their nostrils tainted faintly by ozone.
[01:08:00]	Edna_Stonetalon	fires at the raiders as she retreats to the door "Get in!"
[01:08:41]	Somber	As soon as the companions were through, the klaxons sounded again and the massive door closed, leaving them in complete darkness.
[01:10:17]	Night_Wind	mutters curses at the door controls, finally getting them to respond...sort of. Still carrying Swampy, she drops her shield just long enough to squeeze through the narrow opening...
[01:10:43]	Edna_Stonetalon	gives a few more parting shots at the raiders as the door closes
[01:10:48]	Wanderlust	casts light.