With three ponies out already, every player started to figure out the full extent and how easily they could get sent to the Outlands and began to be more careful. They creeped around corners instead of bolting around them, and wasted quite a lot of ammo on snapping twigs and falling leaves.
IN THE YELLOW TEAM"S BASE
"Okay...um...I...um.....epp..." Fluttershy whispered.
"Is she really the best choice in a team captain?" Asked Bon-Bon, fed up with the shyness of the Pegasus.
"Of course she is! Right Fluttershy? You won't let us lose, right?" Challenged applebloom. Fluttershy, wings and hair partly covering her face, only squeaked and flinched in response.
"Yeah, right! Of course she'll let us lose!" Bon-Bon argued. "She's weaker than a newborn cat! Maybe even weak-"
The mare didn't have time to finish her sentence. An orange blob of paint whizzed past her face, only inches away from hitting her. It landed on the leaves behind her, splattering against the green. Her eyes widened with fear, and turned around to see where the projectile had come from. Before she could jump out of the way, a shout and many gunshots later, and Bon-Bon was out.
Applebloom, Fluttershy, and Derpy swiveled around, and saw the orange team, scowls on their faces and guns aimed at them.
Fluttershy took one look at the helpless pony laying down on the dirt, grimacing in pain and a wave of fear rushed over her. She flinched down on the ground, curling into a ball while Derpy and Applebloom pointed their guns at the attackers.
Get up.
Fluttershy looked up at the sound of someone speaking to her. She saw no sign that a pony had talked. It was deathly silent.
Get up and protect them.
Fluttershy couldn't find out who was talking to her. No, she knew exactly who was talking to her. It was her. She was talking to herself, in her mind.
Now. Protect them.
For the first time, a face of real determination plastered against her face. She knew what she had to do.
Fluttershy straightened up and picked up her paintball gun. Holding it in her forehooves, she reared up on her back legs and pointed her gun at the team leader, Applejack.
"No pony messes with The Yellow Team."
She fired her gun several times, and without thinking, Applebloom and Derpy did the same. Applejack got immediately out, and Carrot Top, who was right next to her, matched her.
"Retreattttttt!!!" Shouted Raindrops.
Scootaloo ran from the scene, flanked by Raindrops who, before bolting all the way into the cover of the maze walls, turned around to shout:
"This isn't over, Yellow!" And she dove into the bushes and ran.
Satisfied that they were gone, Fluttershy dropped on her four hooves again, but didn't wipe the scowl from her face.
"Teach THEM to mess with US!" Applebloom said, lowering her head and pawing at the ground.
"Dat was awasum!!" Cheered Derpy, fluttering her wings and smiling.
"I'm sorry I doubted you..." Whispered Bon-Bon.
But instead of saying something, she started to pace around the flag and muttered to herself.
Applebloom walked up to the three ponies laying on the ground that were out. "What do you reckon we do with them?" She asked her leader, walking past her sister.
Fluttershy stopped pacing and looked in the direction of the three players. Still frowning in anger, she walked up to them, with more than a hint of aggravation in her step. "You three," she started, looking them over, "Go find a unicorn or Alicorn and have them teleport you to the outlands." Then she turned tail and went back to pacing.
The three people got and did what they were told left as three burning sets of eyes watched them leave. Once they did, Fluttershy spoke up, not taking her eyes off the ground as she circled the flag.
"You can't trust them, can you?"
Derpy and Applebloom exchanged glances. "Can't trust who, Fluttershy?" Asked Applebloom.
"Anypony! You can't trust Anypony in this game anymore."
"Um..."
"You!" Fluttershy shouted, pointing at Derpy. "Go spy on Pink Team."
"Yes Mayhm!" Answered Derpy, saluting, then picking up her gun and going in the opposite direction of the Pink Team's base.
"And you." Fluttershy continued. "You will actually listen, so, go spy on White and shot anyone and I mean ANYONE that you see along the way. And do not. I repeat, do not get distracted. Understand?"
"I understand."
"Then GO!!"
Applebloom, surprised by the sudden outburst, grabbed her gun and bolted away.
IN THE ORANGE TEAM'S BASE
"Please?" Pleaded Scootaloo.
"No." Answered Raindrops.
"Why?"
"It's to dangerous."
"I'll be careful!"
"I can't afford to lose you."
"You won't lose me!"
"No."
"Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee..."
"No."
"Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee..."
"No!!"
"Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee..."
"FINE YOU CAN SPY ON THE BLUE TEAM!"
"Thanks Raindrops!" Said Scootaloo, grabbing her gun and running into the depths of the maze.
"Just be CAREFUL!"
*Applebloom P.O.V., walking around*
I walk on the dirt ground, sun shining brightly over my head, with Fluttershy's words still echoing in my mind.
and shoot anyone and I mean ANYONE you see along the way. And do not, I repeat do not get distracted. Understand?
I understand.
Then GO!!
The words play over in my mind and distract me so much that I don't even realize that a heavy cloud has wandered its way in the path of the sun, making it close to impossible to see. I take deep breaths, puff out my chest like I did when I went into the EverFree Forest, and continue walking. In the distance, I can see the familiar irregular body of Discord.
*Scootaloo P.O.V, walking around*
The sky goes dark and eerie as I slowly walk towards the all to familiar statue of the powerful, slightly annoying, Discord: Spirit of Chaos. I remember that he is the middle of the gardens, and you can see the directions to every team's base from there. My gun feels plasticity and slightly metallic as I hold it in my mouth.
*Sweetie Belle P.O.V, walking around*
I shake with fear and chilliness as the sun gets blocked and the heat disappears. I hope I can just get to the Pink base, see what's going on, and tell about it. Fighting with your team is fun, but meeting a patrol of three or four ponies isn't. I decided that to pass the time I would work on a simple light spell to see if I could use it to see better. My horn sputters green, but it doesn't stay lit for long as it quickly fades. It makes me tried, so my head hangs as I make my way to the Discord statue.
STMA
The three fillies advance closer together, and the cloud blocking the sun makes them unknowing that the others were there.
The clouds were so heavy, that they bumped into each other, their three noses clashing together. They all screamed in unison, jumping onto their backs and pointing their guns at each other.
*just a normal weather pony's P.O.V*
I lay down on the grass, slowly falling into sleep. I wake myself up though, because I notice that a heavy cloud has blocked out the sun.
"Huh."
I fly up and clear the sky, and then lay back down for my nap.
"I wonder where Rainbow Dash is at this hour."
STMA
The clouds now gone, Sweetie Belle, Applebloom, and Scootaloo finally saw who they had run into.
"Sweetie Belle! Applebloom!" Shouted Scootaloo.
"Applebloom! Scootaloo!" Sweetie Belle said.
"Scootaloo! Sweetie Belle!" Applebloom finished.
Sweetie Belle lowered her gun at the sight of her friends. "Aw, I can't shoot you guys."
Applebloom copied her unicorn friend. "Me neither."
Applebloom and Sweetie Belle looked at a scowling Scootaloo. The orange Pegasus sighed, and lowered her gun as well.
"I geuss me neither."
"So what do we do? We can't shoot each other, and if we walk off like nothing happened, one of us is bound to tell." Sweetie Belle said, voice clouded with worry.
All the ponies sat down and startedto think. "I have an idea! Now huddle, i'll tell ya. It's foolproof, it can't fail!" Applebloom said encouragingly.
The three ponies huddled together, putting their arms on each other's shoulders as Applebloom told the group her cunning plan. When she was finished, the group broke up.
"It's perfect!" Smiled Sweetie Belle.
"And so sneaky..." Scootaloo chuckled, rubbing her hooves together.
"Then it's settled!" Applebloom said, putting her hoof out for the others to cover. "Commence Operation: Cloudy Sunset!"
PLAYER COUNT: 18
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LILAC PURPLE TEAM - Twilight Sparkle (leader) Flitter, Cloudchaser, Lyra
SUN YELLOW TEAM- Fluttershy (leader) Apple Bloom, Bon-Bon, Derpy
CARROT ORANGE TEAM - Applejack (leader) Carrot Top, Raindrops, Scootaloo
GLEAMING WHITE TEAM- Rarity (leader) Sweetie Belle, Celestia, Shining Armour
CUPCAKE PINK TEAM - Pinkie Pie (leader) Berry Punch, Spike, Princess Candace
SEA BLUE TEAM - Rainbow Dash (leader) Colgate, Luna, Vinyl
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