Murder Mystery in a Timely Manor - Session 8

<sophos|GM> The smell of smoldering Minotaur and bearskin is stubbornly fading from confines of the small room. The fireplace crackles away, innocent and absent minded of any change. Above, in the den's second floor, Ace_Moonlight can hear the pattering of rain against glass.
* PrettyWreck sits next to the quiet, trembling filly, one hoof wrapped around her shoulders.
* VioletReverie leans into Pretty, her expression still blank.
* PrettyWreck hesitantly removes his gaze from the raging fire in the fireplace and gives the charred corpse a glimpse. He swallows quietly, bile still tasting strongly in his mouth. The hoof around VioletReverie's shoulders holds on tighter. He surveys the rest of the group silently, looking at their reactions.
<Ace_Moonlight> Ace curls into ball behind the bar, rocking back and forth. His mouth is moving, but nothing intelligible is coming out.
* Mistress_D has her muzzle covered with a wing staring at the minotaurs corpse and softly shakes her head out of pity, her eyes covered by her mask she scans the room incase there was something else she missed, this caught her by surprise and that was unacceptable.
* PrettyWreck moves his gaze slowly to Stellar_Ascent, with a grim expression.
* Mistress_D Noticing the panio once more she recalls nothing happened when she fiddled with it, and heads to the safe Mayhem touched before breakin the silence as she trots to it. "Everyone might want to move back a bit, this safe triggered the bear, though it should be dealt with, better safe then sorry, and I want to see what was worth losing a member for."
* Stellar_Ascent really does not know what to make of this, just starring at the crispy corpse enwrapped in the blanket
<PrettyWreck> PrettyWreck stands up the hoof slipping away from VioletReverie's shoulder, anger in his eyes like flames. But for once, he says nothing to the mare, instead nudging VioletReverie gently: "let's go check up on Ace, alright?"
* Stellar_Ascent nods and takes a few steps back, following Mistress' every move. "Yeah... sure."
* Mistress_D will wait till the others make there choice before looking into the safe
* VioletReverie slowly rises to her hooves and nods. She turns to follow Pretty, her gaze still looking through instead of at things.
<sophos|GM> The safe contains a sideway, burlap sack tied loosely with rough string. A drab rainbow of poker chips cascade from it as Mistress_D opens the safe farther.
<PrettyWreck> PrettyWreck walks past them, eyes focused forward with an angry expression, teeth gritting loudly. With heavy hooves, he walks past the charred corpse, the burnt flesh filling his nostrils. He steps out of the room with the filly and his head falls low.
* Mistress_D smirks at the joke but she'll grab the burlap sac and a few poker chips just in case they are useful
<Ace_Moonlight> Ace quietly sobs, his expression turning from pure sorrow to absolute rage.
* Stellar_Ascent really does not know how to deal with all the emotions of the others, so he remains quiet and turns his gaze downwards
<PrettyWreck> Pretty follows where Ace_Moonlight had ran off to, and with a quiet voice he whispers: "Ace?"
<PrettyWreck> The stallion's expression has shifted from anger to exhaustion: "Mind if we sit here with you?"
<Ace_Moonlight> Ace stands and grabs the nearest bottle with his tail and smashes the container against the bar. He turns and begins knocking every bottle he can find to the ground. "IT WASN'T SUPPOSED TO BE LIKE THIS!" he shouts to no one in particular.
* VioletReverie flicks an ear, her face betraying a glimmer of emotion. Quietly, she walks over to Ace, and slips her forehooves around him in a gentle embrace.
<sophos|GM> Light flashes, illuminating the bar and casting long shadows, then fades just as quickly. Thunder rolls in its wake.
<PrettyWreck> PrettyWreck waits, looking at the sight with a worn stare. He wishes he could say the feeling was unknown to him, but that would be a bold lie. Quietly he walks to the young stallion and places a hoof on his shoulder.
* Mistress_D closes the safe door looking around but noticeing no new changes and looks back to Stellar_Ascent "Come on Stellar." troting past Mayhem she picks up her bat and places it near her body. "We have to a mysteries to unravel."
* Stellar_Ascent nods at Mistress' suggestion, speaking nervously. "Y... yeah." He responds, following her... very closely.
<Ace_Moonlight> Sobbing, Ace collapses to the floor.
* VioletReverie tightens her embrace, a forehoof stroking Ace's mane. She leans her head on his shoulder, eyes struggling to focus on the dim room before her.
* Mistress_D would head up the stairs to the den with Stellar
<PrettyWreck> PrettyWreck grits his teeth slightly, wrapping his hoof around both of them, silent, eyes looking somewhere far away.
* Stellar_Ascent follows, hoping that the others would take good care of Ace. He... was not the kidn of guy that could deal properly with a child.
<Ace_Moonlight> Ace sniffs. "I h-hate this p-p-place..."
<sophos|GM> The rain continues to patter against the glass surrounding the balcony. The room seems to be near max capacity with the inclusion of Mistress_D and Stellar_Ascent.
<sophos|GM>  A translucent green Pony-- wearing a white shirt with a slim, black tie and suspenders-- hums to life along with some unseen machine. She sits on the dealer's side of the card table and rolls up her sleaves as she says, "Would you like to play a game?"
<Ace_Moonlight> Ace cuts his eyes at the hologram. "That's all this place is. One fucked up game. We've been playing since we set hoof in here!" he yells at the ethereal pony.
* VioletReverie twitches, and turns to stare at the hologram. She growls, and gets to her hooves, a forehoof trailing caringly along Ace's mane. She sets herself about looking for the projector for the hologram
* Mistress_D wings spring open at the sudden pony spawn, but quickly connects it's another Hologram when it asks for a game. "These things has impecciable timing. "
* Stellar_Ascent Can't believes his eyes and just... stares...
<PrettyWreck> "...you and me both, Ace." The stallion's voice is quiet, but warm and caring. For a while he is silent, glaring at the apparation with a cold eyes anger, like daggers. He stands up from the kids' side and walks over to the card table, rearing to his back hooves and flipping the table, fury in his eyes: "Fuck this fucking place!!"
<sophos|GM> "Listen, fella," she says with a roll of her eyes. "I'm not programmed to wax philosophical. I just detect chips and deal cards. Now does anyone want the key to the courtyard or not?"
<Mistress_D> "....."
* PrettyWreck glares at the hologram, his head low and eyebrows furrowed with anger: "Then let us fucking out without games you piece of shit junk!"
* Mistress_D facehooves and slides her hoof down her muzzle finding it inronic that mayhem is the one who wanted to get into the courtyard "To get the key one needs to play?" asks in a sacastic tone as she knew the answer
<Ace_Moonlight> Ace sighs. "We have to play. If we're gonna leave this place, we have to play..."
<Stellar_Ascent> "Huh... games that require a bit of intelligence, perception and luck... might be something for me..." He more or less speaks to himself, trying to get his mind off the minotaur's death.
<sophos|GM> "That's the idea, people," says the dealer as she conjures the cards strewn about the floor into her hooves. "These are expensive, you know? And somepony else has to get the table."
<PrettyWreck> The stallion turns his head to the cloud-clad mare with a snap and marches to her with absolute fury: "And how many more need to die like Mayhem did??"
* VioletReverie pulls out her laser pistol, the device shaking in her magic. She marches over to the wall behind the holopony, and shoves the weapon's projector against the hologram emitter. Laughing, she pulls the trigger until her pistol runs dry, the empty clicking of her gun echoing beneath her shrill laugh.
<PrettyWreck> "How many more should perish because some salty bitch's party game!?"
* Stellar_Ascent raises his eyes and starts to shake a bit. Woooow... that guy has turned 180...
* sophos|GM The dealer looks at her wristwatch and says, "A new party every century until someone gets it right."
<sophos|GM> "Five invitations total, so... up to ten people a party."
* Mistress_D looks down at Pretty wreck as he gets close and she stomps her hoof "I...Don't. KNOW!' her wings extend at upon the last word a visible scrowl spreads accross her face . "1 pony, 2 pony 5? I don't KNOW!" she lifts her head inhaling as to regain her senses "But we can't get out through force. That's all I know."
<sophos|GM> The dealer turns towards the filly and says, "I see you've met the Librarian already. Yeah, Grimmane took some extra precaution with me."
* Ace_Moonlight mocks the hologram.
<PrettyWreck> "I am tired of this shit and these stupid mindgames!" PrettyWreck tears his attention away from the mare, should he find the urge to punch her irresistable and walks to VioletReverie: "Violet... you can stop now."
* VioletReverie continues laughing, the sound low and interspersed with hiccups. "No. No more games. They're rigged! The old bat is cheating! Gotta change the rules!"
* Stellar_Ascent scratches his head, honestly frightened by Violet's bheaviour.
<PrettyWreck> The stallion frowns and pulls the filly close: "See!? This is what happens! This'll be what probably caused the other two teams to fuck up!"
<sophos|GM> "I'm not programmed to cheat," says the dealer. "Sample Diamond was a renowned gambler, so Grimmane thought this would be appropriate."
<Mistress_D> "Yes, it probally did."
* Ace_Moonlight continues to mock the hologram as he looks around the room for anything out of place.
* Mistress_D she retracks her wings and fixes her mane before doing three quick breathing exercises
* VioletReverie squeezes Pretty, laughter dying out. "I don't wanna play anymore." She turns and glares at the hologram. "Do you turn caps into chips? Or any valuables into chips?"
<sophos|GM> "What in Tartarus are caps?" she asks. "We take bits."
* VioletReverie frowns. "Anyone got any bits I can borrow?"
* Mistress_D pulls out the sace from downstairs "Well I have Chips."
* VioletReverie glares at Mistress_D. "I dont need chips you insensitive mule."
* Ace_Moonlight rummages through his bags. He pulls out a sack and drops it in front of the filly. It hits the ground and bits pour from the opening. "Enjoy." he says with a shrug.
<PrettyWreck> PrettyWreck says nothing, but doesn't stop VioletReverie either, eyes dark and tired.
* VioletReverie nuzzles Ace. "Thanks." Turning to the hologram, she levitates a hoofful of bits to the hologram. "There's your bits. Now where's my chips?" Frowning, she carefully watches the hologram to see where it pulls the chips from.
* Mistress_D sighs at the young mare. "Yes, yes of course."
* sophos The dealer scans the burlap sack with her eyes, and says, "You have thirty-two 'thousand' chips, ten 'hundreds', and twenty-seven 'fiftys'." She looks at the bits and scans. "You have one thousand bits. Do you you want one chip, or what?"
* Stellar_Ascent gives Mistress a brief patting on her shoulder and just looks at her with an expression of 'it's alright, let her vent' for a few seconds.
* VioletReverie slaps her hoof to her face, and continues jiggling the hoofful in her magic. "I want however many this floating ball will get me."
* Mistress_D gives Stellar and agreeing nod no sense in getting upset at name calling.
* Mistress_D stores the chips away for later
* PrettyWreck stays in the sidelines, not going to take part in the poker game, knowing that he doesn't have the patience for it. Especially now.
<sophos> "Twenty 'fiftys' it is, sheesh." A wooden border lines the wall at about shoulder height. A section behind the projection-- next to its box-- slides out of the wall. "Empty the bits in there, please."
* Mistress_D will take a seat by the bar and  observe the game
* Stellar_Ascent prefers to stand to observe it
* VioletReverie floats the bits above the box, and lets them go. She attempts to phase the entire box, which would allow the contents to fall to the floor.
<sophos> The innards of some device spill out of the bottom of the box-- along with coins, chips, and a small box.
* VioletReverie scoops up everything and trots into the hallway.
* sophos The dealer looks at the spilled contents and sighs. "Yeah, I'm not allowed to cheat but you go ahead. You know, just do you or whatever."
<PrettyWreck> PrettyWreck follows her silently.
* Mistress_D nods and follows
<sophos> The dealer calls after them, "Hey, you better win this thing or the next party is dead. We only have one repair unit and it's blind!"
* VioletReverie calls back, "When I'm done this place will be ashes!"
<Ace_Moonlight> Ace laughs at the hologram. He makes a face at the etherial pony and trots along behind Violet.
* PrettyWreck keeps his gaze focused on the filly with a tired expression, hooves heavy.
* VioletReverie slumps in the hallway, exhaustion breaking through. She tosses her haul to the floor and leans against Pretty, magic idly scrabbling at the little box in an attempt to open it.
* Ace_Moonlight sits next to the pair. "Want me to give it a try?" he asks Violet.
<sophos> The box slides open, revealing a key with an ornate clover for a handle.
* Stellar_Ascent is happy that they finished the game without playing it.
<Stellar_Ascent> "Well that is certainly one day to do it."
* PrettyWreck supports her with a hoof, looking at the key with a worn expression: "...I don't care. I want out."
* VioletReverie float's the key over to Ace. "I don't know what this opens. I don't care. I'm gonna sleep now." She clambers up onto Pretty's back and closes her eyes.
<PrettyWreck> The stallion stands up carefully, balancing the filly on his back.
<Ace_Moonlight> Ace grabs the key with his tail and nods. "Yea... Fuck this place," he says with a sigh.
* Mistress_D looks to the key
<Mistress_D> "The holo, stated it goes to the courtyard, Mayhem wanted to get in there." she tries to think how long they have been in here. "Anyway we should keep moving."
* PrettyWreck nods: "Could be."
* Stellar_Ascent nods as well "Seems to be out best current lead
<Ace_Moonlight> "Yea... Least we could do is check it out for her..." he says, his voice shaking towards the end.
* PrettyWreck nods: "Yeah..."
<Mistress_D> "We should gather our clues and prepare, I'll take a nap as well, get a clear head and what not."
<PrettyWreck> "... you guys walk on ahead. I have something that I need to check out." PrettyWreck whispers, his voice tired and strained: "I'll catch up to you."
<Ace_Moonlight> "Sure thing, Pretty. Be safe..." Ace says, staring at the key as if it were the most important thing in the world.
<Mistress_D> "Right." flaps a wing as she turns "Scream if you need to."
<PrettyWreck> The stallion nods and leaves, walking towards the gallery, with the filly still on his back, asleep.
<Ace_Moonlight> Ace stands and looks at Mistress_D. "You know where this thing fits?" he asks.
<sophos> The chandeliers are in bad shape, but still look solid. Below, the Posh is in a similar condition.
* Mistress_D looks to Ace_Moonlight "Still betting on the Courtyard since the game was to win that key after all....." she looks away from the colt before looking back "Sorry for asking but how old are you?"
<PrettyWreck> PrettyWreck walks to the car, and tries the hood of the motorwagon with his hoof. he then tries the door.
<Ace_Moonlight> Ace rolls his eyes. "Yes, the courtyard, but where's the door/gate/whatever the key fits in. And I'm thirteen, why?"
<sophos> The hood and the door offer no resistance. The Posh's engine is prestine with some after market parts, but the interior is littered with chips of glass.
<Mistress_D> "The door is in the dining room, I believe. and I wanted to known, because you lot *motions a hoof back to where pretty and violet once stood* seem'd young." she gives a sigh, "How did you end up here any way?"
* PrettyWreck swipes away some of the glass and looks for the potential key in the ignition lock, not being very optimistic about it.
<sophos> There is no key; the Posh is fitted with a big, red push-start button.
* PrettyWreck prods the sleeping filly with a hoof: "Hey, pretty face, wanna go for a ride?"
<PrettyWreck> The exhaustion is clear in his face.
* VioletReverie opens her eyes and blearily looks at Pretty, and then the car. With a loving smile on her face, she grins. "I'd like nothin' more."
<Ace_Moonlight> "Mayhem's boss hired me. I have some skills that she lacked," the young stallion responds.
<Ace_Moonlight> Ace's head droops a bit at the use of past tense.
<Mistress_D> "The one at the stadium? "
* Mistress_D she taps his hsoulder gently with a wing
* PrettyWreck smiles quietly to the filly and pushes the button, then placing the hoof on the gear shift, ready to ease the car into motion.
* Stellar_Ascent calmly observes what is goign on with the car.
<sophos> A familiar bell tolls overhead; it can almost be placed somewhere above the stairwell. The time is 21:00