9 - Water Bending
True Shot was forgotten in the face of a verified threat and the pony marched past the short-leg towards Twilight in a hurried sprint.
He wasn't going to let that underestimation go to waste and straightened out the bow before grabbing the arrow that had been left behind. Even as Twilight squealed and retreated from the angry dagger-wielding brigand on her, True lined up his shot. Releasing his teeth, the arrow was let loose and soared true, catching the pony in the back.
Sunset was handling her own enemy. With a bright spark and alien words, she bound him up more securely than the gnoll, tying him to the earth in one place where she could pelt him in gouts of flame. "We're not some victims waiting for jerks to come along!"
Roll caught a sword in the side, but rolled with it, snapping the blade cruelly as it got caught in her internal gears. "What she said is correct." She shoved the pony who was disarmed back to crash to the ground. "You have selected your targets poorly."
"Enough!" called out the leader before he could be scorched again. "Ah know when I'm outclassed. Gods damn it all." His words were enough for the others to drop their weapons from sullen lips. "What do you want?"
Roll snorted. "We wanted to be left alone."
Sunset approached her victim, kicking his sword aside. "But the price just raised."
Twilight raised a hoof as game knowledge came to her. "Give us your stuff and you can go."
Sunset glanced back at Twilight. "What? We're not bringing them to the cops?"
"What cops?" Twilight shook her head. "Just leave your stuff and go."
They grumbled and complained, but were soon gone. Their attempt at a mugging had turned against them in the end. Perhaps they would turn a new leaf, or they'd be more careful who they tried their tactics with.
Roll nodded at Twilight. "Your decision was wise." She was already sorting through their winnings and tucking it into her saddlebags. "Do any of you know how to use a sword or dagger?"
Sunset accepted the dagger, swinging it around with her magic testingly. "This is a very violent world."
"Affirmative. We are not broke anymore."
True Shot slung the oversized quarrel over his back along with the equally oversized bow. He looked quite pleased with himself.
Twilight softly patted him. "You are too adorable, but we need to get you some weapons that actually fit you." She sat down before the small warrior and looked him over. "Are you really alright? I mean... I can't really imagine--"
He gave a grunt of annoyance before he nodded, but made no move to drop what he had. He pointed to the bow on his back and mimed the action of drawing back with his neck before releasing the makebelieve arrow.
Sunset patted Twilight. "He's a hunter."
True bobbed his head at Sunset.
"Is that your class?" Twilight asked with a raised brow.
He looked confused at that.
Roll walked past them, continuing their journey. "We should begin. There is much ahead of us, and we cannot be certain this will be the last obstacle we will face."
The others got to moving. Sunset moved alongside Twilight. "What was that thing you did? Did you learn a spell from somewhere?"
Twilight blinked at the reminder and looked up at her horn. "It just sort of... happened. But I think I can..." She focused on her horn and icicles, small and delicate as snowflakes began to form as she walked. "Yes! See? I can do it." She flicked her head towards a rock as they went by and froze it. "I'm like, oh, what's her name... from that movie?"
"You should let the references go." Sunset rolled a hoof as she walked. "Does it hurt?"
"It feels a little cold, but no." Twilight considered a moment bringing up Lashtada. Keeping a secret would only make it more dramatic. She would not play into the world's rules that way. "Lashtada gave it to me."
True scurried in front of her and walked backwards. His eyes were on her, wide and amazed. He waved his hooves dramatically while squeaking as if he wanted to say things, but he could not.
Twilight reached for him with her magic and set him carefully onto her back. He wasn't very heavy. "I won't do anything that'd make her sad." She was sure she'd hear about it if she did.
"Oh, I don't like being that kind of god..."
"What kind of god do you like being?" Twilight glanced around, realizing she was talking to herself and drawing the concerned looks of the others, except True. True snuggled into her back, apparently quite happy.
"You are young. I understand that... It was the festival. I was brought to dance, and I was eager to dance. If you had wanted to dance, then dance we would have, but it is over, and I am sorry I scared you so badly. I want you to grow up into a fine mare and have a family and be happy. All I can reasonably ask is that you take care of my child on your back."
"What about your other... children?" Twilight raised a brow.
"You misunderstand. He is my child. I danced with his father many years ago and he was the result. He did well to raise a caring and doting son. I... would..." The voice went quiet in her head. She could feel the presence of the pink-furred divinity, but the words did not come.
Twilight glanced back at True appraisingly. Was he the child of a god? Didn't that make him a demi-god or something? "Are you Lashtada's kid?"
True blinked at her words before starting to bob his head quickly. He drew a heart in the air before pointing at himself, then waving his hooves widely.
"I can't say I understand..."
Sunset shook her head. "You think you're confused? Are you alright, Twi? You're talking to yourself more than normal and there isn't even any science involved."
Twilight blushed at the accusation, as true as it was. "Lashtada was speaking to me."
Roll glanced aside. "You are spoken to by the gods directly? That is a powerful blessing, though some would label it a curse. I could not say which word fits it better. Were you touched by her?"
Sunset hiked a hoof at her friend. "Touched? Lashy there was ready to rape the ever-loving--"
"Enough!" Twilight hissed through clenched teeth a moment. "Yes, I was..."
"She did not succeed, I gather?"
Sunset nodded at Roll. "That's when I kind of... attacked her."
"That was very rude," came the gentle voice in Twilight's head.
Roll shook her head. "It still amazes me that you were not smitten where you stood."
"Oh, I would never do that. If not... for that unfortunate... I need to go." The words grew quiet again, leaving Twilight with a distant sadness.
"I wasn't going to just stand there while my friend was violated!" Sunset huffed softly. "Maybe there was a smarter thing to do, but I didn't think of it, so I did what I could." She glanced up at her own horn, then at Twilight beside her as a little chuckle escaped her. "Fire and Ice."
Twilight saw the amusing play there and let out a short laugh. "At least we're a matching pair, right?"
Roll rolled her eyes with the soft sound of mechanics as she sighed. "I recognize Sunset's magic as sorcery, but yours, Twilight. Your gift is less obvious." She looked over Twilight and True. "With a god involved, I suppose unusual gifts are to be expected. If you feel you have control over it, and it does not bother you, then I see no harm currently."
"Wait, wait. I think..." Twilight focused her magic, gathering cold, but it turned to water and began to fall right in her face. "Ack! Look!" She shook her head free of the splash she had created for herself.
Even as True licked some of the water off, Sunset raised a brow quizzically. "What exactly was that supposed to be?"
"I can make water!" Twilight bounced. "We'll never go thirsty again."
True tapped at Twilight's noggin from above, then pointed at his bow and made the firing motion.
Twilight blinked softly. "Are you offering to hunt for us?"
He nodded quickly.
Sunset shook her head. "A little meat to enhance the diet, sure, but we're not carnivores."
Roll disagreed. "Carnivores or not, you require sustenance. We will work with the rations we have, but there is no reason he should not hunt if he is able. You are capable of digesting meat, even if it is not your standard diet."
Twilight looked over at their mechanical friend. "Do you really not eat at all?"
"Yes."
"But how do you..." She rolled a hoof. "I mean, you heal and grow. Don't you need to eat? Where does it come from?"
Roll looked back over her form before her friends. "For you it is clear. What you eat is what you are. For me, less so. Some say it is the curse of the gods that sustains us. They are not wholly cruel, in fact I support Lashtada, and know that our curse could be much worse than it is. I do get to touch life once a year at least, and I do live, in a fashion..." She went silent for a moment. "I am rambling. Apologies."
Sunset shook her head. "No no! Please. Look, we didn't ask to be here, but here we are. You two, both of you, you're our friends. We want to hear this."
Twilight nodded firmly. "Yes, please. I was enjoying hearing your thoughts. You said you support Lashtada?"
"It is my... hope that when my time is done, I will be called to her side." Roll smiled faintly. "Perhaps in death she will strip my soul of this metal body and allow me to frolic in her garden."
A soft squeak came from True as he pointed at Roll meaningfully. He kept thrusting his hoof at her, then to the ground back and forth.
"I understand, I think." Roll nodded. "I will not attempt to join her any faster than needed. She would be disappointed in any worshipper that accepted death so easily, especially while their fertile years remained."
Twilight looked away a moment. She may have never got with a boy... but she passed health education. "How... I mean, you're a machine, right? And you're... what... alive one day... So... how?"
Roll was silent for a time as if reluctant to answer, but she did. "If we become with or conceive a foal in another, then it will come to fruition even if we otherwise return to being a machine." She narrowed her eyes slightly. "The sight of a clockwork giving birth is considered unsettling to many. That is all you need to know."
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True Shot is a hunter, not an actual class? or part of Ranger, Rogue?
Be intresting if Roll was a CyberSamurai.
So Sunny is a Sorceror, thats two so far that can gain animal companion, familiars?
Will Twilight be Single Class, or because of her breadth of knowledge, experience since meeting the girls, Dual or Multi Class?
I cant remember what happened to Spike.
Can an awakened animal gain class levels or would Spike be more like a polymorphed, transmogrified human, dragon, fey, etc for ability purposes?
Spike the hell hound. Special ability fire breath?
Oh yes, Attack on Train...my favorite...
7315551 Spike is back home. There is actually a hunter class, hybrid between Ranger and Druid. And right now everything is pointing towards Twilight either being an Oracle, someone chosen by a god(ess). Or, more likely, the occult class Kineticist with a focus on Water.
Huh. Kineticist it is, since create water normally has a verbal component. While it is a somewhat surprising choice given the physical toll that burn can take, it does make sense that a Twilight would delve into the more obscure corners of magic. Also, Lashtada clearly wasn't malicious, just misunderstood. Sadly, Sunset has a protective streak a mile wide, one Twilight's fallen afoul of before.
Also, Twilight's going to need to be careful. Just because the world is based on an RPG doesn't mean it's Order of the Stick. Show some respect for the fourth wall, young one.
Lastly, I hope the party can digest typos:
Omitted "to."
7315590 Oops, fix'd! They will venture forth, typo free, or at least reduced.
7315567
Ranger/Druid cross? that should be some mean Orizions at leas, though Id have to check the lists.
I havent seen the Oracle class since I tried breaking the system last year by seeing what I could combine, given most combat is based on the single person, but gets seriously twisted in your favur when you can have a familiar, companion and bonded mount, all spelled and combat capable?
Will Twilight get an Owl, or a Raven, given the Ravens far easier ability of speech and tool using?
Forgot your helping verb.
So, what we've learned is that almost getting it on with Gods is a way to get super powers. Imagine if Twilight ACTUALLY got to experience Lashtada's love?
HAHA!
i see what you did there! 
This is a very pleasing story. Do continue! That goddess! XD
I like her!
7315639 Oops, fixed. Hey, Lashtada is always taking clerics.
with
patted
fit
Redeemed villains can be so blunt sometimes. I love it.
sustains
Then again, given what Twilight knows, she will certainly expect an attack on the train. I can just picture them in a passenger car with Twilight holding an attack and facing a door:
Sunset: "We're almost there, Twilight, you don't have to hold those icicles up any longer."
Twilight: "But it's a train! We're going to be ambushed, I just know it!"
Roll: "Your vigilance is commendable, but as a pony of flesh and blood, you cannot guard that door forever."
True: *Pantomimes crossing his legs and hopping in place.*
Oh, and before I forget, let's get this out of the way so that someone else doesn't have to do it:
Then everything changed when the gnoll nation attacked.
arrow that been left - arrow that had been left
Twilight softly pat him - Twilight softly patted him
weapons that actually fits you - weapons that actually fit you
Sunset pat Twilight - Sunset patted Twilight
carefully on her back - carefully onto her back
that sustain us - that sustains us
If we become or - If we become with or
*****
This was a great chapter. Lot's of plot to keep us on the edge of our seats!
We also get to learn more about who and what Rolls is, as well as a little more about True Shot.
Yes, no more pop culture references, or Elsa! Just let it go, Twilight.
Also, nobody has speculated on Twilight's class as Oracle yet, so that's going to be my best guess based on what we've seen so far.
7315840
Ok, that last bit made me laugh. Good show!
7316189 It's a town of less than 100 people. Good luck.
I'm loving Roll. I've been wanting to try a Clockwork character, so this is great insight as to what some of them are like.
7315893 Typos fixed, let nothing stand in the way of adventure!
Can you please re-post the character sheet list?
I can't find it and I'd like to check everyone's stats
meh, i tried playing a kinestesist once. It's a cool idea, and i like a lot avatar, So i was hyped...But the class is horribly done. It seriously needs work. I was forced to optimise like a munchkin to make it do what i wanted. And even then i had an hard time keeping up with other players. So yeah, big deception. In the end i have asked my gm to kill my character and let me reroll another.
7932711
in general they have artillery support role and need careful planning, only choice skill can be taken to be on level with rest of party