Chapter 146: Sharklike
Ranger
Chapter 146: Sharklike
By Wanderer D
Instead of running as fast as she usually did, Sunset went for short distances to allow for Fridge to follow her lead. This demanded some patience from the others, but also allowed her to keep alert for other ADVENT troops.
Already she could see another patrol approaching from the other side of the building they were getting closer too. "There's another patrol approaching. Casual. No need to attack immediately… we might be able to take them all out at once."
"Understood. Claymore is in place."
Sunset nodded at Fridge, who had just reached her position. She studied the area, and indicated their next position. The new patrol would be rounding the building soon, but they were en-route to the main area where the others were passively camped.
The pair moved together. The ADVENT troops had set up their security area in the middle of the road, but there was no sign of civilians. They had probably evacuated the majority of people from the city then. If they had been processing them, or even killing them, there would be a lot of… ambient energy, and she couldn't smell any real amount of blood in around half a mile.
Sunset grinned and licked her lips as she took cover behind her selected barrier: a large, decorative outcropping of the building, where she could overlook ADVENT. Her eagerness to begin was somewhat dulled by the slow realization of the fact that she could not only smell bloodshed, but also tell the distance.
Even her bloodsight wouldn't cover that far, and now, on some instinctive level, she knew. She could follow the trail like a hound. She could tell it was human blood, not ADVENT. She could tell the quantity, even how old it was.
She couldn't smell burns or anything that far. Her sense of smell was normal otherwise. That meant that she had developed a passive blood magic ability. 'But… that was supposed to be a spell that I had to consciously activate… I never saw the use…'
"Sunset."
Jane's voice on the comms made her realize she had spaced out. There would be time for Blood Magic abilities later. Right now, she needed to concentrate. "Yeah, I'm here. Fridge… get that grenade launcher ready. Everyone in position… that patrol will be here any second. "
"My Claymore will rip the ones at the base of the structure to shreds."
"Fridge, you heard Outrider. Maximize the area of damage. Trojan, Elena, I want the Captain out as soon as possible, then the MECs. Leave the Priest to me. There's something I want to try. Jane, Angel, Annette, pick your targets from those that survive."
"Understood."
"Roger that," Trojan called in.
"Hiss~!"
"Got you covered," Jane added.
"I'll kill them all."
"Let's fire it up then."
"Boom, baby!"
Just as the patrol stepped out of the corner and wandered close enough to the others, Fridge stepped from cover, and used his grenade launcher to send one flying in a graceful arc. It landed just a few feet away from the troopers, and bounced once, the momentum carrying right to their feet.
The explosion blew what little cover ADVENT had, along with most of one of the regular troopers. The Captain ran out of the flames and was immediately shot in the head and through the chest by Elena and Trojan.
Sunset was already out of cover and dashing out towards them.
One of the MECs turned to face her, but received a plasma bolt from Angel's rifle on it's already damaged shoulder. Jane dashed out and rolled into cover behind a bench, taking her own shot at their robotic enemy, blowing it into pieces.
Annette's shot hit the newest MEC that had arrived, a light-blue colored version, which instead of firing back, immediately shot smoke grenades over their position, effectively covering most of them from sight.
But it was not enough to stop Sunset. She ran straight into the smoke, able to see her target perfectly. It was time, she smiled viciously as her magic flowed into her hand.
Perhaps she made too much noise, or perhaps a sixth sense warned the Priest of her presence, but it turned just in time to see her charge from within the shifting smoke, and barely had time to shout before she connected.
"Hiss!"
"I got it! I got it! Don't get your… coils… in a knot…" Trojan shook his head, his scope slowly tracing the smoke until he spotted the hint of blue. "Gotcha."
He caressed the trigger and his rifle pushed back with its familiar kick. Below, the robot twisted and buzzed before its servos exploded and it collapsed in a heap. "I took care of the last one. Is Sunset okay?"
Fridge responded through the comms. "The smoke is clearing, I think I can see her… oh my god…"
Frowning at the comment, Trojan looked through the scope again, his eyes widening. He could see Sunset. Her arms were covered in and dripping orange blood, which almost matched her armor. Where the ADVENT priest had once been, there was little left but two armored legs on the floor and a large splatter of blood, as if it had been split in half.
Fridge couldn't see her face from his position, but Trojan could. That smile was just… unnatural. Before his eyes Sunset shook her head a little and blinked, smile fading and looking down at her hands, just as she was raising them to her face—
"Hiss!"
"Aagh!" Trojan twirled around almost reflexively about to raise his gun, when he remembered who the Viper was. "Don't do that!"
Angel gave him an unamused look.
Bradford's voice cut through the chatter like a hot knife through butter. "Menace, we have detected a large energy signature nearby, it seems one of the Chosen has decided to crash your party."
"Fuck!" Trojan forgot about Sunset, scanning the area around them, until his scope settled just a few blocks down the road. The view was blocked, but a dark column of energy flashed for a few seconds there and then fizzled away.
A new voice entered the comms, buzzing with the potency of the channel override on all open channels. "Woo! It's not even Taco Tuesday and you've already made my day!" Now, get ready children, because auntie huntress is about to turn you into wall trophies!
This was the bitch that had killed all of Eagle Team? Trojan shuddered, imagining them going down to such a happy-sounding, almost innocent voice. "I think I saw the Hunter's landing location," he said through gritted teeth. "Three blocks down East. There's buildings covering the area, so I can't get a good angle."
"Roger that, Trojan. Good catch. We'll clean up a little of the area before you and Angel choose a new nest. Keep an eye out for where you want to go." Sunset responded. "We need to keep ADVENT busy here for Ember to do her mission."
"Understood, Captain."
"Hiss."
Trojan glanced at Angel, who wasn't paying attention to him. Her eyes were focusing down on the street, where Sunset Shimmer was organizing the others. He had grown up in a farm near what used to be Indiana, and had encountered the occasional Timber Rattlesnake as a kid. Thankfully, those snakes were generally benign, even if poisonous, and gave plenty of warning, which he had learned early on from one of his uncles.
Angel was showing some of the same nervous signs: her breathing seemed faster while her tongue tasted the air repeatedly. She was intensely focused and her tail twitched in ways that, had she been a rattlesnake would have been a warning to nearby predators and victims.
She was scared. But was she scared for Sunset… or of her?
o.0.o End Chapter 146 o.0.o
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Nice chapter
from Angel's rifle on it's already damaged shoulder
1. Its
Bloodbending ability unlocked: Annihilation.
I think Sunset's finally starting to realize she's lost it.
Edit: Or not. idk
Sunset needs help
So the next stage of bloodlust manifestation has begun. And she may need treatment from Equestia soon... Or was it the Aria's amulet that is causing it?
This mission is about to raise the stakesm
9048443
Well the only way to fix that is the magical equivalent of a full exchange transfusion. Put her in a Circle, siphon off all of her magic, wait awhile for any magical ailments to wither, and then replace her stores with mana from a consecrated source. Simply put, she needs to go through detox. Ah yes, she may also need an exorcism, depending on whether blood magic attracts external agents or cultivates psychosis within the user. In any case, her mind-scape needs an exterminator.
Taco tuesday? Ohh
even as chosen, sonata can't be help but be Funny.
Its painful, watching the slow degeneration of someone you know into something horrible something no longer themselves. And we know from equestrian bloodmages that there is no cure, so unless Twilight pulls some rainbow magic Celestia Ex Machina...Sunset is doomed to a horrible death.
Oh goody. So now not only is The blood magic progressing, it’s progressing both faster than Sunset predicted and in ways she never anticipated.
Upside: she’s better at killing fleshy things. Downside: how much longer till she goes blood orgy bonkers?
Sunset, you're scaring us.
Is this what happens without the Element stabilizing her? I know she didn't have it before but this seems worse.
And the descent has begun.
I see two selutions to the coming problem of the Sunny Blood Wreith;
1. Journy in to her soul and face the Enemy whit in.
2. Bind her to the Comander like Alucard is bound to Integra.
Probably a bad sign for ever getting to go back to Equestria again.
Hmn, that's a little snekist.
Why not both?
9048624
"Enemy Within" ...
I think Aria's gemstone is speeding it up,. Ut that might be a good thing.
If Sunset can get all three, and not lose herself completely in the process, they could be used to siphon it out of her, probably making Demon Sunset/Blood Witch sunset it's own horrible stand alone entity that will kill most of XCOM, but if she can survive that she should be in the clear... Right?
Baring that, she needs a good rainbow lazer to the face. But unless she goes home kills Tirek and becomes the BBEG over him, well we are a little short of elements at the moment.
Oh dear, Sunset is acting more and more like a feral vampire, or shark if I must go by the title. Whatever she needs help and fast.
9048425
but...
Julian says robots are people too.
9048925
It's is an abbreviation (shortened form) for It is. Grammatically speaking you don't say; "On it is already damaged shoulder." You say; "On its already damaged shoulder." Besides, gender is indeterminate in this case.
9048958
The damaged shoulder bleongs to the robot, thus "it's" is used as the posessive term?
9048771
True, at this point in regular EqG canon the local mane 6 kinda had the rainbow form free manifestation of the elements. Not so much here. Hell, two are heavily implied to be dead or otherwise unavailable and Rarity is by all accounts a prisoner in a gilded cage. Though Luna had hope for saving Sunset, and it didn't seem to be rooted in applying the Elements so there is something else that we might not be able to see yet.
9048962
Here's a link. Google helps.
Yes.
In any case, like it or not, will it or not, Sunset's blood magic is still evolving. I din't see this ending well in the long term, though first she has to survive the short term.
Woo! Finally got caught up! Loving the story. Can't wait for more.
The more "Sonata" talks, the more I think that she's also part Pinkie... Maybe the elders combined them or something like that?
Thr way she said Auntie Huntress is just like how Pinkie would say it...
Feeling excited here for the battle to come with Xcom's own magical soldier vs Advent's Chosen.
9049174
I wonder how you noticed that
9048643
I see what you did there
9048962
"it's" is never possesive. "Its" is similar to "his", "hers", "yours" and "ours". Possesive apostrophe is meant to be used with nouns and with indefinite pronouns - somebody, someone, another, one, etc.
Oh, an possesive pronoun from I is "mine", though it is used only instead of designating object.(This book is mine.) Otherwise "my" is used as an adjective. Same issue with possesive pronouns like "hers", "yours" and "ours", while "its" used as an adjective.
9050189
What do you mean?
9050841
Well the short answer only pinkie pie can know if sonata is part pinkie. Cuz its your username... man telling you this feels cringy, for me at least and I dont know why.
9051310
Oh! Haha completely forgotten about that!
9048624
Commander Chryssy DOES often give me an Integra vibe. I think Sunset would make a great Alucard.
9055251
Pls yusssss we so need that crossover now
Blue MEC? Smoke grenades? Is this world under DerBK's influence now too?
Seems Sunset is dealing with a better ADVENT this time. I enjoyed mods like it and Long War 2 (along with the original Long War) because bigger enemy variety can provide for more interesting missions. When you see a thin man in vanilla EU, you know it'll always be the same, but in Long War it could have lightning reflexes and dodge a crucial overwatch shot, or skitter away and start shooting you from squadsight. Granted you will know if you autopsy them, but it adds some nice variety, and before the autopsy it's anyone's guess. I have been owned a few times by a lucky covering fire floater shot stopping my rocket that would have finished a big cluster.
In regards to Sunset and her blood magic, it was only natural this would happen eventually, and there were some minor hints that it's not her effort when she was back at the Avenger with Aria's gem. I just hope she can maintain control without hurting someone close to her.
So the Hunt begins. Are all chosen immortal?
This is the coming part where shit runs south... will Sunset go for two out of two gems?
Snek has good instincts, time to snack that Huntress.