The P-Files

"I came to New Orreigns to find a job and possibly make this city my home. One way or another I'm going to have to deal with the police and zebras eventually. And though I think of you all as friends, I can't just follow you all around forever either. I've been on my own in more dangerous situations than this, I'd like to think I've picked up a trick or two." Chitin was quiet for a moment as she mentally ran through some of her disguises. "if you're going to Big Mike's later anyway, I guess I'll see you then! Try not to get into any rap battles while I'm gone."

Whisper sighed. "Well, if you're determined to go, I guess I'll just have to go with you. My business at the university can wait I suppose and there's just no way I'm comfortable letting you go alone."

((Alrighty guys, let's get a move on then shall we?

Whisper and Chitin are going off together to meet with Big Mike on BonBon Street...

Clue Seeker, Blade Blocker, and Coffee Mug are heading to the University on Equinade...

I'll roll Streetwise for Whisper and Chitin to get things going... and it's a 32 with Chitin's assist))

After finally agreeing on their plans, everypony slid out Whisper's home by rope and grappling hook, said their good byes for the time, and parted company. The sky was slightly overcast, but it still seemed like this would turn out to be a bright and lovely day, and as Clue Seeker lead Blade Blocker and Coffee Mug off towards Equinade, Whisper and Chitin set off towards BonBon Street...

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Working in perfect synch with Whisper using her memories while Chitin carefully cross-checks the map, you are easily able to find your way to BonBon Street and start working up through the central thoroughfare of the city.

Trotting along at a slow pace, you are astounded at the shear size of the street itself, a multi-lane highway packed with plenty of hoof-traffic as well as carriages, buggies, even a few strange-looking contraptions like the one Renji rode in on the other night...

You pass through the residential areas first, the street marking the boundary between the Vieux Mare' and Central Business Districts, where you see tons of old, beautiful buildings done up in the Ponysian style, with hints of a tribal flavor that could only be inspired by a Zebrican influence. You pass ponies hanging laundry out on their balconies, gardening their lawns, painting fences, and remodeling and constructing homes. Other ponies pass you on the sidewalk, jogging or walking their pets, waving as they went by - and you feel inclined to wave back. Everypony seems to be in such a good mood.

-It sure is a drastic change from the dead and dirty streets around Whisper's place... and as you start getting into the shopping district, the change only gets even more drastic.

There are very few signs of poverty here, with monolithic hotel buildings rising up to the sky and shops stacked ontop of shops lining the streets, full of glittering jewelry, shiny appliances, furniture, food, toys, and gadgets. More ponies walk the streets or soar through the sky, and you can hear music being played by street-corner musicians - a mixture of rock, rap, and bluesy beats. Up ahead you can see a large barn-looking building called the "Farmhouse Door," and more music seems to be coming from within.

The only signs of poverty are the grim lines of ponies and zebras waiting outside The Salvation Minotaur and Mighty Mike's Coats for Kids, each building marked by a bronze statue of a Minotaur handing out food or clothing. Some children play on the statues, swinging from their arms, climbing up their backs, and flying circles around them. Even in the depths of poverty, they seem hopeful and happy - and the crowds waiting in line seem to take heart from this, many smiling and talking amongst themselves.

Up ahead you can see what looks to be an incredibly tall, gold building rising up against the noon-day sun - and you remember the building you saw the other night when arriving in the city by train... the building that appeared to have horns jutting from the top...

If that's not the place you're looking for, you don't know what is...

((Make Perception Checks. Also, if you want to respond to what I've posted so far, be my guest. I wanted to set the scene more, so I didn't just flash straight to Mike's place quite yet))

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While the girls didn't have any issues finding their way, it proved to be a different story for Clue Seeker, Blade Blocker, and Coffee Mug.

Only after heading out did Clue Seeker realize the map he had didn't have all of Vieux Mare's streets marked on it, which meant he and the others were going to have to try to retrace their steps from memory of the night before, if they wanted to find their way to Equinade...

That's exactly what they did too - but it wasn't as easy as it sounded.

The only one who'd actually seen the way they'd gone had been Chitin, and at this point she was off enjoying BonBon Street, so the others had to guess their way and try to remember the landmarks they'd passed the other night. It took them a lot longer than expected, what with Coffee's condition and the group having to go through a lot of questionable looking territory...

-But after Blade Blocker flew up to get their bearings on a couple of occasions, they finally did wind up back on Equinade, having followed along the outside of Blackhoof Penitentiary and St. Luna's Cathedral until they hit the street.

Now as you all head further down Equinade, catching sight of the train station on your left as Blade Blocker helps Coffee along, you see the street bustling with activity - and much like on BonBon Street, here you can see an assortment of ponies in an assortment of transportation traveling up and down the pavement.

((You guys can also make Perception Checks.))

"Blast these maps and their inaccuracy!" Clue Seeker exclaimed as he tucked the map back into his pocket. "Really, they should just invent some kind of device that would just tell you how to go! Some kind of Global Pony Positioning System or something! Dear Celestia, how hard could that be?"

Having vented his anger at the map, Clue Seeker paused to take a look around. "Well, seems like we've arrived at the Equinade after all. Now if I remember correctly, we just need to head down this street and we should arrive at the University."

'Shouldn't be too hard...'

---

Roll for Perception: [17 + 15 Perception = 32]
Also, now that it's a new day, we have our magic points back, right?
And how late is it in the game?

((Perception: 9+4 = 13. Well...it wasn't a derp at least.))

"Alright, I'll do a quick aerial search at low altitude and see if we can't speed this up a bit," he says taking a few steps away from Coffee Mug before taking off. Flying at a brisk speed, but not so quick as to hinder his sight he flies up and down the street distanced about 2 pony's height from the ground.

((Probably don't need to roll stunts for this type of flying but I might as well.
Stunts - 13 (roll) + 13 (stunts) + 5 (FK: Flying) = 31
Perception - 11 (roll) + 8 (perception) = 19))

OOC:Perception check
Roll(1d20)+5:
4,+5
Total:9

((11(roll)+11(perception)=22))

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"It's practically like walking into a different city..." she murmured quietly as she looked around.

((@Demonu:

Oh yah, you guys all got your magic points back and your utilities refreshed.

Also, since Clue Seeker rolled a decent bit lower than Whisper and Chitin, the bronies are about an hour and a half behind the Pegasisters. They arrive in Equinade at roughly 1:30 pm, while Whisper and Chitin arrived on BonBon Street at noon. We'll fix the time continuity eventually.))

Yawnmon wrote:"Alright, I'll do a quick aerial search at low altitude and see if we can't speed this up a bit," he says taking a few steps away from Coffee Mug before taking off. Flying at a brisk speed, but not so quick as to hinder his sight he flies up and down the street distanced about 2 pony's height from the ground.

((Probably don't need to roll stunts for this type of flying but I might as well.
Stunts - 13 (roll) + 13 (stunts) + 5 (FK: Flying) = 31
Perception - 11 (roll) + 8 (perception) = 19))

Blade Blocker flies through the air with the greatest of ease, weaving in and out of carriage traffic, rolling back and forth to the left and to the right - causing a good number of ponies to stop, gawk, and cheer as he passes shops on the right and residential housing on the left.

A number of cute fillies draw the majority of Blade Blocker's attention, but as he starts to make a loop back around so as not to outpace the others too much, he catches sight of a section of Equinade cordoned off in black and yellow striped tape. A few police ponies are out diverting traffic away from the site, sending them down a side path by the name Spyro Street instead. Even with the police pony intervention, the traffic's getting backed up quite a bit.

Meanwhile, Coffee Mug has a momentary lapse into amnesia (could Whisper have been right about the brain surgery?), but Clue Seeker notices something that catches his attention. The Treme' residential area on the left is separated from the street by a long length of concrete walls, and those walls are covered in what looks to be the remains of dozens upon dozens of posters. The same goes for the streetlights lining Equinade, and everywhere you seem to see signs of posters that have been torn down again and again.

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Across town and an hour and a half earlier, Whisper and Chitin are left in awe at the action and noise pervading the city's main street.

Whisper's momentarily overcome with memories of her childhood, walking these streets with her parents... and she's stunned to see how they've changed... but for the better or the worse, she's unsure. It takes a friendly tug from Chitin to get Whisper moving again, and even when she does start moving, Whisper seems lost in her thoughts.

But Chitin continues to take everything in. Looking all around her, she sees multiple Art Galleries, Arcades, Theaters, Restaurants, and even shops selling so-called 'Voodoo' merchandise - though Chitin is left wondering as to the authenticity of such merchandise...

((@Whisper & Chitin:

Do you guys want to get something to eat before or after you meet with Big Mike? Because now would be the time to choose a shop to eat at. You'd have plenty of choices - but three that catch Chitin's eye are "The Attack the Day Cafe" (which has a golden minotaur statue out front), "The Horse of Blues" Restaurant (which has a big picture of a blue horse with sunglasses and a sax hanging over the door), and the "Cafe Pone'" (a simple little shop, but one that smells heavenly of pastries and fried dough)))

Whisper looks at the Horse of Blues and ponders aloud, "I wonder if they have a band at this hour."

Blade flies back to where Coffee and Clue are, taking the time to wave at a few of the cheering fillies. He lands next to the other stallions and says, "This is gonna be trickier than we though. Police ponies are blocking off what I can only assume was the area where you fought." He pauses for a moment to look at Coffee's physical condition, which he's still worried about. "Who's this Theorycraft guy you mentioned anyways? You two must've caused some noticeable property damage to divert traffic like this."

"Theorycraft's a vigilante. Wears a funky, shifting black and white mask and trenchcoat. It was a pretty intense battle. Theorycraft bucked the Pegasus across the street, other than that I don't think there was much property damage, though."

Coffee pauses.

"Police presence is no good. We'll probably need to go around. Just how big is the taped off area? Maybe we can just cross the street and walk past them?"

"If the police are blocking off the road, I think we'll have no choice but to go around." Clue Seeker remarked as he watched the police ponies do their job.

"After the debacle of last night, it might not be so wise to cross the police for a second time in such a short while." And with that, Clue Seeker turned around the corner into Spyro Street.

"You guys coming?"

---

Can I make a Perception check to notice anything more about the situation or said posters? Although I faily certain those are wanted posters of Theorycraft who are torn down by him.
If so [5 + 15 Perception = 20]
That's kind of a crap roll...

Chitin was silent staring at the Cafe Pone for a moment. "It seems like a lot of the places where I'll be checking up are pretty close to each other! Hmm?" Chitin walked over to Whisper as she magically folded her map up and put it away in her bag for the moment. " Do you know that place? Is it any good? It would probably be a good idea to get something to eat before we meet Big Mike. We don't know how long it'll take after all." She blinked a bit flicking an ear in Whisper's direction trying to catch what she said. "A band? Oh! It's one of those clubs! The kind that always has jazz music in the movies!"

"I wonder if it really does though. Want to find out?" Whispers asks, secretly hoping Dawn will say yes. And also that there will be a band.

Demonu wrote:
"After the debacle of last night, it might not be so wise to cross the police for a second time in such a short while." And with that, Clue Seeker turned around the corner into Spyro Street.

"You guys coming?"

"Sure." Coffee follows after Clue Seeker.

"Looking at the posters?"

OOC:Going to see if can assist in Clue's perception roll, but IC, I don't really know what he's looking for.

Demonu wrote:
Can I make a Perception check to notice anything more about the situation or said posters? Although I'm fairly certain those are wanted posters of Theorycraft who are torn down by him.
If so [5 + 15 Perception = 20]
That's kind of a crap roll...

Clue Seeker doesn't notice anything out of the ordinary as he starts turning off into Spyro Street. The walls and lampposts are covered in the tattered remains of the shredded posters, but he can't make out what any of them used to say.

However, as Coffee Mug notices Clue Seeker looking over the scraps of poster, he recalls something about the other night - the Missing Pony Posters he saw on the ride through Equinade.

-They're all gone now.

Somepony tore them down.

((Okay, so here's the thing.

Clue Seeker doesn't know about the Missing Pony Posters because he never saw them. Coffee Mug did see the posters though, and as soon as Clue attracts his attention to the shredded posters, I imagine Coffee should be able to remember that something's changed. Clue Seeker made the roll, but since Coffee assisted, I'm going to say he gets the information - and he should probably mention it to Clue since I went off Clue's roll...

Crazy logicks iz go!))

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((Also, just to clarify, the three restaurants on BonBon that I mentioned aren't right next to each other. They're spread up and down the street, but Whisper and Chitin can see all three from where they are))

Chitin was silent looking off towards the tower for a moment before shrugging. "Sure, why not. I'm sure that the building isn't going anywhere, and if it is I don't wanna be inside it when it does." Shifting the weight of the bags on her back, Chitin started walking towards the The Horse of Blues.

Whisper laughed at Dawn's joke and went into the restaurant beside her.

Blade followed them, not needing to say anything since he was going to recommend that they take Spyro Street anyways. After listening to Coffee, he comments, "so does that mean they found who they were looking for? Or do you still think Theorycraft took them down." He remembered to wink or wave at any of the mares he walked by before we turned onto Spyro street.

((Perception: 17 (roll) + 8 (Perception) = 25))

Earlier on BonBon Street...

Chitin and Whisper walk up on the Horse of Blues.

The building certainly stands out from the rest, for as you get closer you see that the restaurant's made to look like an old-fashioned wooden home from the turn of the century. Below the giant picture of the blue pony with the sax, steps lead up to a wide porch, with flyers of upcoming attractions to either side of a set of blue double doors. As you walk up the steps, you see posters with dates and showtimes for performances by The Great and Powerful Trixie, DJ Pon-3, Sapphire Shores, and a number of other big names in music and entertainment. You even notice one poster that's dated for today - hyping up a band by the name of "The Black and White Stripes," and as you push open the doors of the Horse of Blues, you hear the sounds of guitarists strumming and drummers drumming - an unmistakable rock beat flowing from the back.

((It looks something like this from the outside:))

Spoiler:

Inside, the Horse of Blues still gives you a nice, warm, homey feel. The walls are all wood paneling, covered in pictures of past performances and concerts, alongside signed guitars, wands, etc. - and the first thing you see as you walk in off the street is the bar facing the doors. A blue coated Unicorn stands behind the bar cleaning glasses and waiting on customers - and speaking of customers, the house is pretty packed today. It's about noon now, so it would figure - but you can't find any open tables in the front room.

-Which is probably better off anyway, considering that you see a set of stairs leading down to a back room, and the music seems to be coming from there anyway...

As you both head to the back room, the first thing you notice is the raised stage at the far end, where a group of three zebras are rocking the house. Each zebra is decked out in gold piercings and black or white leather, and each has a different instrument - but it's the lead singer that draws your attention, sporting a pink mohawk, black shades, and a double-necked electric blue guitar hooked up to a crazy-looking black and white amp on wheels.

There's a space in the middle of the room cleared out for dancing, and a nice-sized crowd has gathered on the dance floor to strut their stuff.

Surrounding this crowd on three sides are more tables and above them, an overhead balcony with even more seating. You can see another set of stairs leading up to the balcony floor - and open tables on either level.

Spoiler:

As you consider where to sit, the band brings an end to their latest song, striking dramatic poses on stage as the crowd goes wild.

"STRIPES! STRIPES! STRIPES!"

"Z-ROCK! Z-ROCK! Z-ROCK!"

The lead singer pumps a hoof in the air and grins from ear to ear, then he glances at his two fellow band members, nods, and they bust into a new beat...

((In case you were wondering what they're playing?

Spoiler:

And a somewhat distorted PMV version that doesn't sound quite as good:

Spoiler:

I'll get to the guys later tonight))

"Huh, does he look familiar to you?" Whisper asks Dawn as she acquires a table just as a waitress finished busing it and then picks up the menu to have a look at what there is to offer. She also takes a gander at one of those little sheets of paper that would say who else is playing tonight or other nights this week and finds herself looking for acts that involve birds and other wildlife for some reason she can't quite put a hoof on.