//------------------------------// // Chapter 104 // Story: Unshaken // by The 24th Pegasus //------------------------------// Flee the conference to the south: 9 Votes “The last thing we need is to go kill ourselves tryin’ to fly that stupid thing,” Kestrel said, shaking her head. “Unless I’m mistaken and any of you have ever flown some kind of flyin’ boat thing, all we’re gonna accomplish is crashin’ it somewhere. We’re better off fleein’ on hoof.” “Can that thing even keep up?” Tumbleweed asked, pointing to Gizmo. “We better not be slowed down by it.” Gizmo blinked its mechanical eyes and turned to Tumbleweed. “While my gears and pistons may not be as capable as superior pony biology, I can comfortably maintain a trot for approximately twenty-five years until my enchanted mana crystals need to be recharged. Please contact a representative from the Apple Conglomerates for more information about keeping your Workhorse of Tomorrow maintained in peak condition.” “Better than a canter, ain’t as good as a gallop,” Silver said. “I guess that’s good enough.” “Then c’mon, let’s get movin’.” Kestrel rushed to the front of the group, though she paused long enough to address Starlight and Applejack, the latter of which was dragged along in Starlight’s telekinetic grip. “Starlight, if she starts resistin’ or shoutin’ for help, break her neck. Applejack, let me put it this way: either you stay quiet and we all get outta here in one piece, or you start shoutin’ and everypony dies, including you, your guards, and anypony else who gets in our way.” “You damn outlaws!” Applejack hissed at them. “Anarchist, communist, equalist outlaws! You’ll pay for crashin’ this conference and stealin’ my robot!” “Tut tut tut, Applejack,” Starlight said, and her magic brightened as she squeezed the earth pony’s neck. “Let’s not make a fuss about this. Better yet, why don’t you go to sleep?” The intensity of her magic shifted, and Applejack’s eyes rolled back in her head. Then she dropped the unconscious mare on Party Favor’s back, and the stallion grunted as he shouldered the weight. “She’ll be out for a few hours,” Starlight informed the rest of the party. “That’s easier than dragging her along and hoping she’ll be quiet.” “Works for me.” Tumbleweed moved up near Kestrel, and the two ponies poked their heads out between the tents and looked up and down the dirt path to make sure the coast was clear. When it was, they gestured back to their companions. “Alright, let’s move. Due south, quickly now.” The six ponies, plus their robot and unconscious captive, quickly dashed from one cover to the next, trying to spend as little time as possible in the open. Panicked yelling and screaming had spread throughout the conference now that word had gotten out that there were armed outlaws robbing the place, and the attendees who the Pinks hadn’t evacuated yet had all started running to get as far away from the conference as possible. The chaos and confusion provided the perfect opportunity for the Gang to slip away; they just needed to reach the edge of the conference, and then they could use the fleeing crowds for cover to slip away. The Gang rolls Lady Luck (Average 6) to avoid being spotted by the Pinks as they approach the edge of the conference: Critical Fail Just as Kestrel thought they were about to break free, a pony sprinting around the tent from her left collided with her, and the two went tumbling to the ground. She grimaced as the wind was knocked out of her, and when the world stopped spinning, she saw a pony in a Pink suit on top of her. Shouting broke out all around, and that was when the shooting began. All combat rolls are listed in discord. Tumbleweed was the first to act, drawing his magic training his revolver on the second Pink to come around the corner; unfortunately, the surprise of Kestrel being tackled to the ground and the Gang suddenly finding themselves in a shootout didn’t give him time to properly aim before he fired, and the shot went wide, ripping through the canvas of another tent. Party Favor took the initiative and rushed forward after Tumbleweed’s shot, delivering a strong kick to that Pink’s chest while shedding Applejack from his back in the same moment. The mare Party Favor kicked tried to shoot at him as she stumbled away, but the shot buried itself harmlessly in the dirt as Party Favor hopped back a step. Starlight, meanwhile, let her horn flare up, and a jagged blue beam of pure magical energy ripped forward through the third Pink before he could get set up to attack the Gang. The stallion shouted in pain, and Silver Wings ended his shout with a quick bullet to the skull. A fourth Pink tried to skid to a stop at the sudden carnage and find cover, but a well-placed shot from Wanderer sprayed the tent behind the pony with her blood and brains, and she fell to the ground dead. Kestrel, meanwhile, tried to grapple with the Pink on top of her. She swiped at his face with her forehooves, but he was a larger earth pony, and her horseshoes bruised the thick muscles around his neck and shoulders but nothing more. The stallion responded by punching her in the face with his own steel shod hooves, and Kestrel had stars in her eyes as she felt her nose break and blood began to pour down her muzzle. Kestrel is now GRAZED (Healthiness -1) Seeing Kestrel was in trouble, Starlight immediately shifted her attention to the stallion sitting on top of the pegasus. Her horn flared, and a streak of blue magic ripped through the stallion’s body, scorching his pink suit on both sides and sending him down with a wheeze. Kestrel immediately tossed the dead stallion’s body off of her and drew her gun, quickly sighting down the last remaining Pink right as she grazed Party Favor with her second shot. The revolver kicked in Kestrel’s grip, smoke and sparks left the barrel, and the last of the four Pinks fell to the ground with a spray of blood. Party Favor is now GRAZED (Healthiness -1) Tumbleweed helped Kestrel back up to her hooves and looked around. “That’s sure as shit gonna draw the Pinks this way. C’mon! Let’s get movin’!” “Don’t need to tell me twice.” Kestrel dusted herself off and then set off after Tumbleweed, making sure the rest of the Gang was in tow. “Last thing we need is to get boxed in!” Finally, the Gang burst past the last line of tents on the exterior of the conference and took off down the hill to the south, seeing a few dozen ponies also fleeing in that direction. A long stretch of open field awaited them, and after that bit of gauntlet, they could finally get into some rougher terrain and be safe. The problem was, of course, getting there safely. Kestrel just hoped they’d be able to get there without taking any more bullets. [NO POLL FOR THIS CHAPTER]