Ranger
Chapter 185: Fugue
By Wanderer D
Earlier
Susan Cerendis had been just a kid when the aliens attacked. She had watched on TV when the aftermath of the alien's warship attack on Canterlot City had happened, and she had been in awe of the bravery of reporters who would put themselves at risk to cover the invasion, and later on the riots, wars and finally ADVENT's glory.
She had graduated from her communications college and gone straight to work with the greats of the ADVENT network: Sweetie Belle, John Garcia, Delmonico Richardson and others. She had seen the glory of the Elders early in her life; recognized them for what they were: salvation, and the destruction of those that would not conform.
The Elder's blatant elitism was—to her—a blessing. What better way to keep the human race pure than to get rid of the fringe elements? The ones that scraped and wanted a life that they had no right to at all? Human or not, if they lived outside of the glory of ADVENT they were barely better than beasts.
And if they fought against the Elders and their chosen ones? Then they were less than beasts. At least beasts didn't know what they were doing. These fringe resistance groups that would dare raise their fists against the Elders were the trash of the universe. Filth.
And she took pleasure in describing them so.
When she had been invited to cover the Wittbecker event, she had been ecstatic. She got to interview the very people who had given the Elders the power to dominate and exalt mankind. She aimed to prove that she was as much chosen as they had been, and among the literal legends walking into that mansion, she had witnessed a vision of beauty and sexuality like no other.
She had felt her blood rush at the mere glance Eli Bloom had thrown her way, and then when she had whispered into Susan's ear to meet her inside… she'd almost creamed herself right there.
It had been a drag, waiting for guests to arrive, until finally, she had been allowed inside along with other ADVENT reporters. She had immediately searched the party, trying to find the alluring creature that had all but promised to make her entire night even better, and managed to catch a glimpse of Eli sneaking past some guards.
She had pondered what to do when Mr. Wittbecker himself had gone in and shortly after emerged. The guards had followed him a bit further into the party, and she had taken her chance. Not only was she going to be alone with the delectable Eli Bloom, but she also would get to see the mansion!
She had heard the voices as she approached the doors. Eli's sensual voice was unmistakable, but the other… it felt off.
She had debated what to do, when she was suddenly enveloped in some sort of powerful field, and had been dragged into the room to float, helplessly, in the powerful grasp of one of the Elder's Chosen.
Susan had seen them before, introduced by the Speaker himself during an event. They hadn't stayed long, but the fact that Eli was talking comfortably with one of them—
"You would dare spy on us, human?" the Warlock hissed.
Immediately she realized what it looked like, as if she had been spying on Eli and the Warlock himself, like some sort of free-press miscreant! "I-I didn't!" she promised, "I'm a loyal servant of the Elders! I would never spy on you!"
"Then why are you here?" The Warlock asked, his eyes narrowing.
Desperate for help, she turned to Eli, silently begging her to say something.
The Warlock snorted, drawing her attention back to him. "A weakling would fall for a siren's spell," he said, his smirk turning into a sneer. "Let me teach you the power of the Elders, so that you remember your place in the future."
Susan watched in horror as he started closing his fist, and she felt the power around her grow tight. He was going to crush her! Out of the corner of her eye she saw Eli roll her eyes and wave at her… and suddenly the power was gone. She collapsed on the floor, breathing heavily,
"Now, now," she heard Eli say playfully, "I did ask her to meet with me somewhere private…" Susan saw the young woman look at her with eyes that promised a long night of pleasure. "She's pretty enough to eat."
Whatever was happening was outside of Susan's understanding, that was for sure. Eli seemed to be on the same level at least as the Warlock, able to just dismiss his power and talk to him as an equal… something that just didn't fit with Susan's world view. What had the Warlock called Eli? A siren?
She felt hands caress her, and she felt her blood boil. She flushed as her body reacted to the woman's presence behind her. She pressed her body back against her captor—for she was as much in her grasp as she had been in the Warlock's power—and felt every inch that was touching the sensual creature, this siren…
Eli's finger traced Susan's neck, sending shivers of pleasure. Just her touch, the other woman's hand on her stomach was enough for her to nearly reach her peak. She couldn't talk, her life was a sensual, erotic, goosebump-inducing ecstacy emanating from the touch of her not-quite-lover.
"Hmm… you feel delicious."
Susan's body started convulsing at those words, climaxing just by sheer proximity and erotic magnetism. Her eyes rolled back in her head and she gasped. She could feel every inch of her skin reacting, every muscle twitching. She ignored the next exchange of words, lost in a lustful bliss… until she heard the song next to her ear.
It was in an alien language, a whispery, shadowy and seductive cadence, that oddly enough seemed to carry within it another voice. She came, again, and again; her body feeling like it was going to become undone…
Present
It was true that for about twenty years, Bradford had been avoiding soldiering, but as his training of Sunset and other missions had proven (including the infamous meeting with the not-so-mysterious DJ), he was far from losing his edge, and after the return of XCOM, he had trained up to a very close personal best.
So when the wall exploded, his reaction time was on par with Elena's. They both dodged behind the table, Elena jumping clean over it, Bradford sliding across and dropping plates full of delicacies on the floor.
"What the hell was that?!" He shouted over the smoke and screams. He ignored the people around him that had also ducked behind the table and quickly pressed the device signaling Firebrand that they needed and emergency pickup. Hopefully Lieutenant Dash would not be taking a nap at that time.
More screams made them both look up as dozens of people fled to the entrance, but before they could make it, a dark red, almost liquid-like tentacle shot from the hallway and speared the three people closest to the doors.
The bodies convulsed violently, and Bradford was treated to the sight of three people bulging up and bursting into bloody chunks. Even more horribly, the blood didn't just splatter-it took a mist-like property that enveloped the next group of people, who also faced the same fate as the initial trio.
Dark, swirly miasma seemed to grow from the corners of the room, covering windows and stairs; doors and whole areas of the floor. It was clear that touching them was an invitation to die.
"What is happening!?" A voice shouted behind him, making him turn around and stare dumbly at Wittbecker, who stared around in gaping horror.
Bradford exchanged glances with Elena. Their VIP was right there, but there was no way out. As if in response to their observation, the whole house trembled, and from the hallway heading down to the kitchen, a shape emerged. Laetitia, still in her chef's outfit, ran out, with Jane in a fireman's carry. She stopped at the stairs, looking around in horror, before spotting them and heading their way.
"Laetitia!" Bradford went over to help with Jane. "What's going on?"
"There is no time!"
The voice was not Laetitia's. "Hurry now!" the woman turned as thumping steps slowly grew in strength from the darkness within the hole. "We must escape! I will secure an exit!"
The shouting and panic continued as more people were suddenly speared, and the most horrific thing was that Bradford couldn't really make out if they were crying out in pain or ecstasy before exploding into bloody mist.
Bradford almost jumped when Wittbecker landed at his feet, panicked and confused. Elena stepped close to them. "What is our exit strategy?"
"Trying to escape already? But we are just getting started!" a husky, mocking voice called. Bradford felt the hair on the back of his neck raise as they all turned to face the creature emerging from the hole.
Red, scaly skin covered every inch of her almost naked body. A large, blood-red gem glowed with what he could only describe as unholy light on the creature's chest, above its breasts. Her smile was wide-too wide, with rows of shark-like teeth. Two black, spiraling horns emerged from her forehead, twisting back above her head. Her arms, long and muscular ended in wicked claws, her digitigrade legs ended in black-tipped talons, and a long, barbed tail extended behind her, completing the look with the two, bat-like wings made of blood that extended behind it.
On one of her claws, she held what looked like the empty husk of what had, at one point, been a human being. It was little more than skin, making it almost impossible to identify the victim, although he was fairly certain that had once been the reporter that had bothered him outside.
The demon laughed, more bloody spears shooting from its wings to impale a pair of ADVENT guards. Outside, they could hear the attempts from others to get in, but for now they were all trapped.
The demon's green eyes locked on them, and its wings drooped a little. Bradford choked on his orders. "S-sunset?" he gasped.
Laetitia—or whoever it was—grasped his shoulder, drawing him back to the others. "That is not Sunset Shimmer. Not anymore," she growled. "We're getting out now!"
The last thing Bradford saw was the demon raising an almost pleading claw to him, for just an instant, before they were all enveloped in Moonlight.
o.0.o End Chapter 185 o.0.o
Yep... Sunset is gone, Blood Dragon is the only thing left, now to see if they can snap her back, but I doubt it's going to be soon.
This is going out of control! It will be a hard test for Bradford.
poor sunny.. we may have truly lost her..
Yeah, I'd say it's a good time to start running the hell away when everyone around you is turning into a fine red mist.
Sunny, though...
Yes!! And to modify an over used war cry for all the blood.... BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD WITCH!
"what looked like the empty husk of what had at one point been a human being."
"had once been the reporter"
now Twilight has an even more important reason to return. She has to save Sunny from herself.
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You're welcome!
"would get so see the mansion"
"would get to see the mansion"?
"silently begging to say something"
"silently begging her to say something"?
"As in response to their observation"
"As if in response to their observation"?
"barbed tail, extended behind her"
"barbed tail extended behind her"?
"she held what looked the empty husk had at one point been a human being"
"she held what looked like the empty husk of what had at one point been a human being"?
"been the reported that had bothered"
"been the reporter who had bothered"?
"and it's wings drooped"
"and its wings drooped"?
9265023 9264955 Fixed! Thanks!
Daaaaaamn. Poor Sunset, lost herself to the dark magics of the Blood. Don't think the Warlock fared much better though, I'd say there's the chance that even his immortality didn't save him from her magic.
I just really, really hope they can save her after she goes on her alien killing spree
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You're welcome, again. :)
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i.pinimg.com/originals/a7/65/50/a765509b726341683933a57a49fada28.jpg
Ah, to Acsend. To have finally overcome the wretched grasp of mortality...
GLORIOUS!
Well, time for Twilight to come back in and lay the smackdown on Sunset. Bringing a rolled up newspaper of harmony and beat some sense into Sunset
9265034
The chater was too exciting that you missed some minor details. And that was really good! Demon-Shimmy on the stage!
I'm going to watch gory anime to visualize this chapter.
On the bright side, if they play their moves right they may be able to extract the VIP and get out while only losing one soldier here.
Clearly I've been playing too much XCOM if my first thought here was 'damage control'.
Good thing for Luna being on hand, otherwise I can't easily see the team surviving what was just about to happen.
Unless of course Bradford would have been the one person who could have pulled Sunset out of that, but it would have been a risky bet to try it instead of evacing.
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She'll be back, she's too stubborn to di-- I mean go mad on her own power and possibly be controlled by it.
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I can see it for me. It's hilarious.
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some father daughter "bonding" would likely occur.
Oh, she's not going to take that implicit rejection well...
Welp, Sunset has officially and totally lost it.
Grab a good pair of running shoes and run for your sanity and life. Equestria's help is needed; this is a matter of Magicks most forbidden.
Well. It seems that Sunset gave in completely to the sweet beckoning of the book's secrets. Some might say that only an honest death will cure her now.
Storms above and below. that's far, far worse than a blood-hag. That's one of the daughters of HE Who Is, an Endarkened. You will never find a greater master of torture.
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Sometimes, medic should take a hit to safe heavy from dying.
Better full gravely injuried team than healthy remains of team.
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She's now the Bloody Siren. While not so terrifying as Abyssal Siren, she definitely will raise panic on at least on of sides.
I really, really hope there is enough of her left to know that her Dad didn't leave her of his own will...
Luna, I hope you have a plan, because Twi and friends coming over with rainbows is all I've got, again unless AJ and Pinky are still somehow alive on this side.
All other options end with a dead Sunset, and I really, really don't want that.
Oh boy. Sunny's gone full End of Evangelion with the chain bloodbursts. At least she's not projecting avatars of herself worldwide.
Not yet, anyway.
No idea how they'll deal with Hellgirl Shimmer. I can only hope that Luna has a plan.
Screw the droopy wings and pleading claw gestures, Blaster Bomb the whole fucking site from the Avenger's cruise height. It's the only way to be sure.
I hope Luna knows where she's going. "Away from Satan" is a viable answer.
Sunset literally looks like a demon.
Subtle.
Twilight, Your friendship cannon is needed.
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Problem is this mission is just about FUBAR already. Sunset has gone all 'BLood Demon' which could be regarded as mind controlled/dominated at best. Jane is unconscious, so she's out of play, at least our Templar already has her picked up and is carrying her out. That just leaves Central and Outrider free to act, and the Dark VIP is right there and if they say the right thing they may be able to get him to leave with them voluntarily, and if not a blow from Bradford can correct that though it will tie him up. The biggest concern right now is whether the Blood Demon will target XCOM or not, if not it's just a matter of staying out of her way until Firebrand arrives for EVAC. If she's indiscriminate then things get ALOT more dicey.
Regardless this is a situation where just getting soldiers out alive is would be a victory, I'm sure Chryssi will understand if the VIP gets exploded during the escape as long as they don't lose anyone else.
I'm having so many flashes of anime where brutal murders are happening with this scene.
Glad Luna subdued Jane and it seems she's teleporting all of them out of this bloody Hell.
an
I certainly hope Firebrand isn't taking a nap. I think this is one of those missions where success is not measure by how many objectives were accomplished, but by how many get pack.
I always thin of that breaking bad episode.
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Bloodset Shimmer?
Right now Sunset needs 1.21 gigahugs of friendship laser
I hope Bradford has an Arc-thrower stashed somewhere. Cause Xcom 2 Knock out punch might not cut it here.
Sunset is not completely lost; not fully.
Body language tells a lot: Those droopng wings and outstretched pleading hand was our Sunny recognizing her “father”, as if asking for help or forgiveness.
Hah! Implementing the new canon huh? Nice!
What worries me is - what state is Jane in now? What effect will it have on the blood magic germinating inside Jane that her bloodsire has fully awakened and given in to the call of her blood magic?
Well ... that got rather dark, didn't it ... then again, that is one way of dealing with the ADVENT guards ...
an
On one hand, I was expecting this.
On the other, I was not expecting it to come so suddenly.
On the third (that totally exists) I shouldn't have been surprised because man this story likes to progress quickly.
-GM, master of SPEED.
I guess the Gem need to be disposed off...
Since Jane is infected i guess she can read the Blood Magic book?
Was Fudge reaching out after Jane or Bradford?
Perhaps both?