Murder Mystery in a Timely Manor - Session 10

[13:39:27] <~sophos> Motes of dust drift below every lantern in the second floor library; the circular shelf has collected more than its share. At some point, the rain stopped its pattering. But light continues to flash in the neighboring room, and thunder follows.
[13:42:48] Mistress_D groans a bit as she wakes up from her 15 minute nap her mind not as cleared as she hoped, but at least her body is rested, so she can focus on one less thing. looking around the room to her companions to make sure they are still there.
[13:43:52] Kiwi_Cider continues to stare at the comics, not saying a word.
[13:46:53] <Kiwi_Cider> The young stallion chews furiously on his bobby pin and attempts to remove a few random comics.
[13:47:11] <~sophos> Stellar_Ascent turns away from the terminal monitor and waves at Mistress_D.
[13:47:53] Mistress_D stands to her hooves and fixes her mane and feathers nodding to Stellar and looks to Kiwi_Cider "Are you ready to start moving again?'
[13:48:54] <~sophos> The comics are tightly packed together, and each edge is flush its neighbor.
[13:49:13] <Kiwi_Cider> The colt continues to fiddle with the comics, as if he doesn't hear Mistress_D.
[13:52:01] Mistress_D walks over to kiwi and places a hoof on his shoulder "Dear, you wanted to finish the job didn't you?"
[13:55:09] <~sophos> The block of comics slips from Kiwi_Cider's grasp.
[13:56:07] Kiwi_Cider huffs in agitation. He turns his hard sharply, looking Mistress_D in the eyes, "Can't you see I'm busy!?" he asks, his voice dripping with irritation.
[13:59:31] Mistress_D stares back at Kiwi, lowering herself to meet him at eye level "I do Sir, Kiwi, but I need your help."
[14:01:07] Kiwi_Cider closes his eyes for a moment and breathes deeply. "Don't you see? We can't win. This entire house if a fucking death trap. We're not supposed to be here! We never stood a chance!"
[14:04:23] <~sophos> "But we are here!" Stellar_Ascent angrily yells at the colt. "Sitting here and looking at comics isn't going to get us out of here."
[14:05:48] <Kiwi_Cider> The colt narrows his eyes. "Fine. Then lead the way, oh mighty minds," he says with a sarcastic bow.
[14:07:11] Mistress_D takes ones of the colts hooves with one of hers "I do see, Kiwi, but we can win, because we are suppose to be here, The invites were sent for that reason, they wanted to see what will happen. A trap of this calibur may be well made but It has it's weaknesses, it can be beaten, that phase spell proved it to me, we have the advantage, I just need you to not give up like they did."
[14:07:50] Kiwi_Cider rolls his eyes at Mistress_D. "As I said. Lead the way."
[14:08:09] Mistress_D nods.
[14:09:45] Mistress_D lets go of the colt and flaps her wings "We're heading to the courtyard then. Come on."
[14:11:05] <~sophos> Stellar_Ascent huffs and falls in line with Mistress_D and Kiwi_Cider.
[14:11:30] <Kiwi_Cider> The green colt shakes his head and falls in line.
[14:12:40] Mistress_D will take point as she heads down to the courtyards door, in best case she'll be able to dodge traps in worst case she's a good meat shield.
[14:17:13] <~sophos> The trip to the dining room is quiet and uneventful.
[14:18:20] Mistress_D will take the key they recieved and unlock the courtyards door.
[14:21:29] <Kiwi_Cider> Edit: [remove Mistress_D's last post]
[14:22:11] Kiwi_Cider huffs. "Can we hurry? I'd like to get some of those comics before I die in this hellhole."
[14:22:39] <Kiwi_Cider> The colt shakes his head. "I don't even know where the hell this damn key fits."
[14:24:23] Mistress_D Arrives at the Courtyards door of to the side of the dinning room "Of course, and lets fine out, Will you please?' the last statement she says in conjuction with a wave towards the door.
[14:29:35] Kiwi_Cider steps up to the door and retrieves the key from his bags. He huffily thrusts the key into the lock and twists.
[14:33:13] <~sophos> The lock clinks and then clunks.
[14:33:52] <Kiwi_Cider> The colt opens the door, steps back. "Enjoy," he says, sarcastically.
[14:35:58] Mistress_D looks to the door "I'll will when we win. Sir Kiki." she steps infront of him and gently opens the door examining what lies outside before stepping though.
[14:39:53] <~sophos> The black cloud haunting the manor looms overhead; the bright, full moon shines down onto the courtyard through whatever opening it can find. Directly ahead of the party is a tall, overgrown hedge-- a wall in a maze.
[14:42:58] Kiwi_Cider digs through his bags a moment before producing a lighter, some cherry bombs and a length of rope. "I'm done playing this bitch's game," he says venomously.
[14:44:11] Mistress_D inhales as something in this maze made mayhem worry. noticings Kiwi's outburst she puts a hoof infront of him "Hold on, you know I can fly over it?"
[14:44:47] <Kiwi_Cider> "But that doesn't destroy something," is his only response.
[14:46:12] Mistress_D raises an eyebrow "All the valuable objects in this building, and you choose to destory the hedges?"
[14:46:31] <Kiwi_Cider> "It's in my way."
[14:48:36] Mistress_D puts her hoof down with a sigh "Do you know how to use explosives?"
[14:49:00] <~sophos> "W-What if they catch fire?" Stellar_Ascent asks, remembering the scene in the gallery. "I don't think I could handle something like THAT again. And Grimmane or whoever probably has a way to fix it."
[14:50:19] <Kiwi_Cider> The colt looks at Mistress_D stupidly before glancing at his newly acquired cutie mark. He looks at Stellar and sighs, putting everything away.
[14:53:01] <Kiwi_Cider> "Well, check it out then." he says to Mistress_D.
[14:53:54] Mistress_D narrows her eyes in mild irritation thankfully shielded by her mask "Sorry I don't stare at your flank more then." turning back to the maze she opens her wings taking to hover above the hedges.
[14:56:17] <~sophos> Patches of cloud shift and lightning rains down in multiple forks.
[15:02:42] <~sophos> A bolt stikes Mistress_D. She is left hot to the touch, and with her hair standing on end.
[15:04:56] <~sophos> A cacophony of thunder floods the courtyard and everyone's eardrums. Stellar_Ascent reels, covering his ears and gritting his teeth.
[15:06:28] Kiwi_Cider drops to the floor and cover his ears with his hooves.
[15:06:35] Mistress_D eye's go wide and lets out a cry as she is stuck by the lightning, unable to dodge it,
[15:09:19] Mistress_D falls to the gound but and slowly gets back to her hooves "...O...dear....*cough* well, that happened just as I expected." she remarks inbetween breaths sparking on occasion as the remaining charge makes it's way through her body.
[15:10:06] <Kiwi_Cider> "Plan B?" Kiwi asks with a grin, pulling out his lighter once more.
[15:13:04] Mistress_D looks to Kiwi "Make that plan D, Dear." she says as she spreads her wings "I'm going to see if I can make it to those clouds first." she stares up looking definatly at them as if the clouds challenged her.
[15:13:42] Kiwi_Cider shakes his head.
[15:13:45] Mistress_D pushing as much speed as she can muster she races to the clouds in attempt to break them
[15:13:49] <~sophos> "What?" asks Stellar_Ascent in a raised voice.
[15:16:36] <~sophos> The clouds shift and tremble, but Mistress_D meets them before they can muster their ions.
[15:23:30] <~sophos> A patch of clouds dissipates at the touch of Mistress_D's hooves. And she collides into a unknown surface with a clang; her body reverberates with the force of the collision. The moon shines brighter than ever and gleams against a black, metallic vessel floating midst the clouds.
[15:25:01] <~sophos> The surrounding clouds spark as they begin to close in on Mistress_D.
[15:37:17] Mistress_D shakes as she recovers ramming into the device, her world slowly being covered with clouds.
[15:40:19] Kiwi_Cider fiddles with his lighter, expecting a slightly fried pegasus to hit the ground any moment now.
[15:42:23] <~sophos> The moist clouds lick lightning at Mistress_D, and she is no position to escape it.
[15:45:31] Mistress_D sucking her teeth she takes another lick, she simply grabs a piece of cloud and lets go of the machine.
[15:45:54] Mistress_D dropping to the ground.
[15:48:23] Mistress_D Catches her self avoiding smashing into the ground and lands beside Kiwi her coat once pure white now chared a bit.
[15:49:02] <Kiwi_Cider> "So... What's Plan C?" Kiwi asks.
[15:49:53] <~sophos> "M-Maybe we should just walk through the hedges?" asks Stellar_Ascent.
[15:50:22] Mistress_D coughs a puff of smoke adding the cloud to her mantle "That." cough
[15:53:01] Kiwi_Cider shrugs. "I still vote for fire, but seems I'm alone there."
[15:54:38] Mistress_D clears throat "Because of that miniture weather platform, it would be pointless, and it's too big to blow up. So we'll save destorying the maze for last."
[15:56:08] <Kiwi_Cider> "Alright." Kiwi says, giving in. He starts off through the maze without saying another word.
[15:56:31] <~sophos> "Even if we blew that thing up, wouldn't it fall on us or something?" asks Stellar_Ascent.
[15:57:32] <~sophos> The party has two choices from the start: left or right.
[15:57:56] <Mistress_D> "Possibly." brushing herself off one last time she follows the colt hovering just above the ground, below the hedge line to not get struck again.
[15:58:11] <Kiwi_Cider> Kiwi goes right, followed by a left turn.
[15:59:23] <~sophos> "Wait for me!" says Stellar as he runs after Mistress_D.
[16:00:01] <Kiwi_Cider> The young stallion decides to follow the wall along his left side.
[16:01:00] Mistress_D waits for stellar and produces the bag of poker chips she didn't get to use and starts droping them on the ground to keep track on where she is going before continueing after kiwi.
[16:03:34] <~sophos> The party reaches an outside wall, possibly the library or den. As they follow along, they come to a dead end that looks suspiciously like a door.
[16:11:33] <Kiwi_Cider> Kiwi cocks his head as he looks at the door. "By light of the feast, or by song of the drink. Great. More fucking games." He sighs and looks at Mistress_D. "I'm not trying the door. Be my guest if you want."
[16:14:16] <Mistress_D> "Then stay behind me, if your not going to lead." goes infront of kiwi and attempts open the door
[16:19:01] <~sophos> There is no door handle, and it is made of thick stone. It doesn't budge.
[16:19:42] Mistress_D checks around the slab to see if there is a hidden button
[16:20:52] <Kiwi_Cider> Kiwi digs through his bags a moment before pulling out a tin. Grumbling at Mistress_D's comment, he devours its contents.
[16:21:00] <~sophos> There's nothing but stone.
[16:21:43] <~sophos> "I think this is a dead end," says Stellar_Ascent.
[16:22:11] Mistress_D nods and tuns around "Lets continue, down the other pathways."
[16:29:16] <Kiwi_Cider> "Oh, wow. That's interesting," he says, looking at the empty tin. "I like this," he says, vigorously chewing on his bobby pin and looking around.
[16:29:54] Mistress_D looks down at the colt indulging in PTM's "Don't, eat to many of those Sir Kiwi." she taps the side of her head "Or you'll become it's slave."
[16:30:33] Kiwi_Cider ignores Mistress_D and continues to examine his surroundings.
[16:31:19] Mistress_D shakes her head "Anyway come on, there's nothing to view here."
[16:39:32] <~sophos> The party returns to their where they first turned down this path. They can go right-- the way they came-- or left.
[16:40:35] Kiwi_Cider smiles. "Bet that's it," he says to himself. "I /do/ like these," he comments again. "Probably wouldn't have thought of it otherwise, but there's this old play Mom told me about once. Something about gargoyles and a grand feast. Something right up this crazy old mare's alley, probably."
[16:42:30] Mistress_D nods "Indeed that's how it starts, powerful but draining, as for that tale, there were statues out here from what I remember."
[16:44:46] Mistress_D continues down the path dropping chips in unexplored area's
[16:46:42] <~sophos> The party comes upon another pair of choices: left or right.
[16:48:44] Kiwi_Cider squeezes past Mistress_D and heads down the left path.
[16:49:06] Mistress_D follows Kiwi.
[16:49:57] <~sophos> Stellar_Ascent follows Mistress.
[16:51:08] Kiwi_Cider continues down the path until he sees a gargoyle on his right.
[16:51:18] <Kiwi_Cider> "Well, what have we here."
[16:52:09] <Mistress_D> "Hmm, Gargoyle feast."
[16:52:30] Kiwi_Cider inspects the gargoyle.
[16:53:16] <~sophos> The gargolye has a falcon-like head, and an unlit lantern in its beak.
[16:55:51] Kiwi_Cider smiles. He pulls out his lighter and attemts to light the lantern.
[16:56:29] <Kiwi_Cider> Unable to reach it, he jumps up a couple times.
[16:56:39] <Kiwi_Cider> "Can I get a hoof here, Mistress_D?"
[16:56:57] <Mistress_D> "Manners dear."
[16:57:42] Kiwi_Cider huffs. "Please?"
[16:59:03] Mistress_D nods and would lift up Kiwi "There."
[16:59:30] <Kiwi_Cider> Kiwi lights the lantern.
[17:07:49] <~sophos> The lantern actually has a gem stone in it, in a similar manner as coal lanterns. As Kiwi_Cider lights the lantern, he can see an emblem of a deer on its bottom side. The light catches in the gargoyles eyes, and lightning strikes overhead.
[17:08:43] <Kiwi_Cider> "That's not ominous." Kiwi comments.
[17:09:19] <Kiwi_Cider> "You can put me down now." Kiwi says to Mistress_D.
[17:09:54] Mistress_D gently puts him down
[17:11:12] Kiwi_Cider turns around and begins through the maze once more.
[17:13:40] Mistress_D notes the glow and continues placing down chips
[17:13:47] <Kiwi_Cider> Kiwi turns left and walks up to a fountain and looks it over.
[17:20:29] Mistress_D keeps moving down, though not far from kiwi but just enough to get an idea of where to go next
[17:21:03] <~sophos> The moonlight shines in the reflection of the water. Beneath the surface rests a fortune of gems and coins. At the fountain's center stands a great, marble statue of a Seapony. She stretches a fin, longingly, towards the tower window; around her neck, she wears a half a key with a heart-shaped handle.
[17:24:14] <Kiwi_Cider> "Hmm..." Kiwi muses.
[17:24:52] <Kiwi_Cider> Kiwi climbs up the edge of the fountain and reaches for the half-key.
[17:27:52] <~sophos> Kiwi_Cider slips off the the edge, but covers the distance of the water. He finds himself embracing the Seapony statue.
[17:28:44] <Kiwi_Cider> "Hope you don't mind," he says to the stone seapony. "I'll just... take this," he says, grabbing the half-key with his tail.
[17:32:40] <~sophos> Lightning strikes. Light flashes. And high in the tower, Kiwi_Cider witnesses a Equine silhouette.
[17:33:02] <~sophos> The time is: 21:33