The P-Files

"Yeah... I'm game for this... Wont deny that I do want to fight right now... Feel like fighting WAS the reason whoever the buck sent us here at this hour, wanted of us... But whatever. I'm out voted here. And you've got what seems to be most likely a better plan. Let's risk it..." Gleeda comments with a sigh over the mental link trying her best NOT to faceclaw at Buck's comment about the 'Affairs of Darkness' stuff... So she just stops using her bow and just walks over to the guards and helps gig one up.

Athletics check:

Blade rushes out to the street as fast as possible, glad to hear everyone had come to a decision. Even if he was still rather confused he figured it'd be best to avoid such a big fight, not that it would've stopped him from helping his friends had it broken out. He lifted one of the guards on his back, keeping them in place with his wings, ready to keep moving.

Athletics Roll: 3 (roll) + 13 (athletics) = 16

Whisper looked back to see Blade Blocker having trouble with the guard and cracked a grin then mentally called out tauntingly to him, "Well, I guess we know which one of us has been eating their spinach."

---

Aiding BB's Athletics via Persuasion: 9 + 14 = 23. If that's good enough that's +4 to his roll, bringing him up to 20.

"Guess I'm a little tired from flying with two ponies on my back right after dodging a mist induced dragon attack at two in the morning," Blade quickly responds with a playfully tone. "Not like you would outpace me anyways," he says, eyes focused forward, with a determined look on his face.

Dr Blight wrote:"Buck, the Affairs of Darkness was just me disguising my voice and trying to be spooky to shake them up. And since she went along with it, I'd place bits that the Princess Luna who spoke isn't real either..." She says through the mental link, in a tone as if she were telling a child that Santa isn't really a magical reindeer but just their uncle in a fat suit.

Awwwww... Buck, the big griffon thinks to the others, I wanted to meet another princess...

Watching the others as they make their exit, Buck sighs, Guess I don't have much buckin' choice in this matter anymore... Turning back to the Zebra, Buck grumbles something under his breath about, "Buckin' guards... Probably should get 'em to the buckin' hospital... I... guess... Whisper's got a buckin' point after all..." Then he rears up on his hind legs and points at the Vodun, "But you better buckin' believe this ain't over, motherbucker! We won't let this happen again! I won't let this happen again. YA HEAR ME?!"

"Griffon please, do not fear." the Vodun replies dryly, looking somewhat puzzled, but unfazed, "I hear you both loud and clear." He stares at Buck with a steady gaze, as if expecting some kind of trick, and as the Griffon turns and motions for Coffee Mug to follow, the Zebra continues to stare at Buck's retreating back as he makes his exit from the shop.

Outside - as Whisper, Gleeda, and Blade struggle to heft up a guard each, they realize that the night must have indeed taken quite a bit more out of them then they'd imagined. Still, they all manage to pick up a guard, even Blade - thanks to Whisper's added encouragement.

The shop doors swing open and Buck dutifully marches outside. Hefting up the last two guards himself, one under each arm (and without any apparent difficulty either mind you), he glances back into the shop and thinks, You better be buckin' careful Dawn. Turning again to the street, Buck's eye narrows as he surveys the line of Zebra that have by now formed up around the party, blocking your escape. There are ten Vodun in all, and they glare back at you, remaining perfectly silent.

Then the shop doors swing open once more and the Vodun that you'd already talked to shows himself again. "Brothers and sisters," he begins, speaking up so that all the Zebra can hear, "everything is fine. Go ahead. Make a line. If they want to blow," he says, nodding to Buck, Whisper, Gleeda, and Blade, "then let them go."

As the Zebra ranks split down the center to give you a way out, Buck thinks back at the shop, Hurry the buck up Coffee...

Whisper nods to each Zebra politely as she passes, doing her best to make a note of each of them, in case she runs into them again later. (Things like their faces, stripe patterns, or anything else that stands out.)

---

Perception: 9 + 17 = 26

Coffee heads out with the rest. 'So what now. I'm guessing Mike has some sort of clinic or something where we can take them?'

Privately, he sends to Chitin, his mental tone being not at all serious. 'Better not die, Dawn. I still haven't had a chance to pick your brain on shapeshifting magic.'

Whisper looks around and points in a direction and says, "The University has a campus hospital, that would be the closest. Follow me." and leads the way.

---

In case anyone is wondering I made a Streetwise check of 40 (waaaaay over what was necessary) on Skype and Xand has promised me a new map with hospitals.

Coffee follows after Whisper.

Spoiler:

At Coffee's question Buck had opened his beak to speak - just as Whisper had chimed in and headed off down the street with the Unicorn professor following behind.

Seeing that, Buck'd just shrugged as best he could while carrying a pony in each arm, before moving to catch up with the others, passing the lines of Vodun along the way. As he did so, he added mentally, Actually, Big Mike does have workin' clinics built in some of the larger business buildings like Labyrinth's United, but he doesn't own any of the hospitals in the city. He's donated quite a buckin' bit a' funds to 'em in the past though... It's because a' him that Our Lady of Celestia has some of the greatest medical equipment in all Equestria... He paused mid-thought, But yeah, I think Whisper's right... I'd forgot that there is a student-run clinic in UNO... Think it's there for students in the medical field er somethin'... The place is too buckin' small for my likin', but it'd probably serve well enough...

With that, the Vodun Zebra (along with the lead one you talked to earlier) watch in silence as Whisper, Coffee, Gleeda, Blade, and Buck canter off and disappear into the night, waiting a long time before nodding to one another and returning to their positions.

Spoiler:

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As Chitin remains hidden in the shadows, the lead Zebra from before trots back into the shop and looks around - frowning as his eyes fall on his two allies still plastered to the back wall.

"Tanzan, please, get us down ..." one, a Vodun mare, says, clearly annoyed, "I'd personally like to be on the ground..."

"I can't believe you just up and let them go!" the other Vodun yells in frustration, struggling in his rainbow cocoon, (this is the male Vodun that recognized Whisper earlier), "Zimbabwe wanted their heads - I told you so!"

"Quiet Zekiel. What's done is done," the mare replies as the one called Tanzan trots up to the other two, "But let it be known - the time was run. The more Zan talked the more time Zim had - so no matter the outcome, it was not all bad."

Tanzan nods, prodding the rainbow adhesive a few times to test it, before craning his neck back around and looking to his saddlebelt. For a moment he sifts through concoctions before finally nodding and taking one vial in his teeth. He then hurls it to the ground and stomps it with his hoof. As Chitin watches, a white oil oozes from the broken vial, and dabbing it with his hoof, the Tanzan then applies the said oil to the two rainbow cocoons.

Within moments, all the color drains from the two adhesives, leaving them a pale chalk white. Cracks begin forming along the cocoons' surfaces, and in another moment they've both disintegrated, leaving only piles of chalk dust at the hooves of the two newly freed Vodun Zebra.

Looking to the others Tanzan nods in satisfaction, and they both returned the gesture - though Zekiel still seems displeased.

"How much longer will Zimbabwe take?" the Vodun mare asks finally, "We must hurry, for much is at stake."

Tanzan shrugs, "He'll be done when he's done and not a moment sooner - but when he is done, we'll be off like a schooner. For now we wait, we listen, and we see - what happens will happen, and what will be will be."

Spoiler:

Perception: 9 + 13 = 22

OOC:Perception
Roll(1d20)+5:
19,+5
Total:24

Perception: 1D20+16 => [ 6 ] +16 = 22

Spoiler:

Out on the Street...


As Whisper, Gleeda, Coffee, Blade, and Buck carry the five security guards east up the deserted Equinade Street, it seems the nightmare fog has been completely lifted - but as you turn south onto Ponychartrain Blvd, you realize that your original assumption may have been made a bit too hastily. Pausing for a moment as you look down Ponychartrain, those of you that see in the dark can make out another bank of thick black mist hanging over the boulevard. After considering your options though, you finally decide to risk it, and stepping into the fog, you continue on your way towards UNO.

-Luckily for you, Coffee's true-sight magic seems to still be in effect.

As soon as you enter the fog, a green sheen flashes across your eyes, and you're able to continue on unimpeded by hallucinations and nightmares - though as you move on, you can still hear a cacophony of voices - howling, screaming, whispering, roaring, cackling in the distance - and something about the sounds make your fur and feathers stand on end.

Soon enough you pass the golden gates that mark the entrance to the University of New Orreigns, and not long afterwards you come upon a crisp, white building with the words - STUDENT HEALTH CENTER - etched across the top in gold lettering. A bulletin board outside is tacked with a chaotic menagerie of notices, everything from reminders to get your flew shots and have your yearly check-ups to schedules of the latest concerts in town and notifications for the grand opening of art and museum exhibits as well as night clubs and gaming arcades. You see fliers for the Horse of Blues, the Bomhay Club, How You Rock Theaters, and the Horse Havoc Arcade - to name just a few. You glance over the board as you pass but pay more attention to the front entrance of the health center with it's glass door. You can tell that the lights are out inside, but a sign on the door shows a picture of a happy face, along with one word - OPEN - in big, green lettering.

You try the entrance.

-The door's unlocked.

So you open it up and walk inside.

A series of chimes ring as you enter a dark room. Those of you with nightvision can easily make out the rows of chairs and coffee tables full of magazines that mark a typical looking - though smallish - hospital waiting room. You can also see more fliers along the walls, adds for different college clubs and sports teams along with more health notifications and pictures of the pony body both inside and out.

On the far side of the room is a set of swinging double doors leading further on into the building, and to the right is a reception desk, where a single Unicorn mare with an off-white coat and black-red mane (a student worker too, judging from her appearance) lays reclining in a soft-backed chair, her forehooves resting behind her head, her hind hooves kicked up on the reception desk, her chin to her chest and her eyes closed. A nametag lying on her desk reads - Hello, my name is TLC. How may I help you?

-You hear a faint snoring coming from the pony's general direction.

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Back at the Novelty Shoppe...


Chitin continues to watch and listen as the three Zebra guard their post. The three chat softly amongst themselves, and Chitin's able to quickly catch the name of the female Vodun - Zwana - as Zekiel continues bugging Tanzan about why he let the others go.

"That they would just go? How could you know?" Zekiel asks again, "This whole set up I think, it does indeed stink. They were ready to fight, but then turned in flight. It happened too soon, the changing of their tune..."

"Zekiel," Tanzan replies patiently, "please listen to me. If they try something, we'll be rea-dy - but you saw the off-white one and you heard Luna's voice, even if it was magic, it made me wish to give them a choice. If they prove untrustworthy, we can deal with them - but if they prove trust-worthy, even though the odds are slim?"

Zwana shakes her head, "I doubt there'll be a day we ever see, where a pony proves themself to truthfull-y. I understand your reasons and I understand why, but ponies are tricky Zan, and they do like to lie. We'd do well to be out of here as soon as we can, before those ponies can plot and come up with some plan."

"Either way it plays out," Tanzan adds, "Zulu must know about. These ponies and their griffon princess, though they may lie and she may be less, when Zulu hears of them and knows of their power, she may divine their goals within an hour."

"Whatever the case, we shouldn't tell Zim," Zwana looks at the entrance of the back room and shakes her head again, "If he finds out-"

"If he finds out what?"

-Six more Zebra canter out of the back room and Chitin instantly spots Zimbabwe, the Vodun leader, a mound of muscle standing more than a head taller than all the rest. He carries a large, heavy-looking set of saddlebags, along with a double set of saddlebelts crossed over his chest like bandoliers, set with a large range of vials, bone needles, and rough-stitched pony dolls. As Zimbabwe and his retainers halt before Tanzan, Zekiel, and Zwana, the Vodun leader gives them all a hard look.

All three bow to Zimbabwe, then Tanzan and Zwana both turn to Zekiel. Zekiel glances between the two, then bows his head again and replies to Zim, "We had a run in with some ponies sir, but we quickly routed them without a stir. We did not even have to come to blows. Why that could be?" Zekiel shrugs, "Nopony knows."

Zimbabwe's gaze remains locked on Zekiel for a long moment, then he nods slowly. "That sounds suspicious indeed... Did you get a good look at these ponies before they fleed?"

"I did not sir," Zekiel quickly replies, "It all happened in a blur."

"And now may not be the time anyway," Zwana chimes in, looking up curiously at Zim. "Is our business done? What do you say?"

"Indeed," Zimbabwe motions back to his saddlebags, "our mission is complete. Now's time to call for retreat." He pauses for a second, then leans in towards the three other Zebra, "-but when we get back. Do. Not. Slack. I want a full report - you know the sort." On that note, Zimbabwe trotted past the others. Throwing back the broken doors of the store and sweeping a foreleg forward, he yelled, "VO-DUN! SHOW-DONE! EVERYPONY TO ME! TIME FOR US TO PICK UP AND FLEE!"

Hearing his call, all the Vodun get up from their positions and begin to form up around him, everypony preparing to leave. Tanzan, Zekiel, and Zwana exchange a knowing look, then all follow after Zimbabwe to form up with the rest of their kin. Chitin is left relatively alone in the room, the few Zebra still inside the shop now having their backs to her facing out into the street to hear their orders from Zim.

Whisper, eyes barely staying open by this point, walks straight past the desk, heading to the patient rooms.

Coffee follows after Whisper.

Chitin listened quietly from her hiding place behind one of the shelves as she worked on a disguise, mixing and matching bits from several zebra she'd seen over her life to make a new appearance in her mind, taking special care to make sure the combination of stripes were as unique as possible. Next she began on making this new zebra a vodun, examining the paints and clothing they all wore and layering them over the mental image. Once she was suitably satisfied with the disguise, she drew herself further out of sight and transformed. She stretched a little in her new form before beginning to move, slipping out one of the windows of the shop and sneaking to an alley near Zimbabwe and the zebras, read to move in a moment as she listened to what was said.

roll?:

"HOLD IT YOU TWO... You're forgetting a step or three..." Gleeda comments with a sigh as she goes to ring the bell for the call desk.

"Huh. Oh! Right...." Whisper says, realizing what she was doing and then stopped.

"Huh. I thought Whisper was going to patch them up." Turning to Whisper. "You seem so determined." Coffee grinned.

Privately. he sent to Chitin. 'Testing. Doing a range check here. Can you hear me? Come in.'

OOC:Not sure if I need to make an arcane check here.
Roll(1d20)+17:
12,+17
Total:29

Whisper yawned in response.

Spoiler:

At the Health Center...


As Gleeda walks up and rings the bell on the reception desk - the unicorn behind the counter continues snoring softly as if nothing had happened.

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Meanwhile, back at the Shoppe...


As Chitin watches and listens from the safety of the alleyway, the last of the Zebra form up around Zimbabwe. With all the Zebras together, it's hard to make a true headcount of the herd, but Chitin can tell there's quite a lot of them - at least twenty or more.

"Now we head back to the Surefire and back to our home," Zimbabwe speaks up, "But be wary of your step and be sure not to roam. Single file once we leave this place and go to ground, remember we're not out of the city yet, so nopony should make a sound. Once we hit the swamp you know what to do. Be wary of signs of the you-know-who. Now if you are all ready then let us be gone, we don't want to be found here like some witless faun."

As the Vodun start to slip off down the street, Chitin prepares to follow - but then is interrupted by a familiar voice, coming from inside her head...

Cardbo wrote:'Testing. Doing a range check here. Can you hear me? Come in.'

"Hey wake up you lazy Unicorn!" Gleeda yells as loud as she could.

Persuasion check:

Gleeda yells so loud it's more like a lion's roar, with physical waves of force blasting the pony attendant back in her chair, causing her to lose balance and fall backwards behind the counter as her eyes snap open and her limbs flail helplessly in the air for a few second before disappearing from view.

There's a few moments of silence, then a trembling off-white horn slowly pokes up above the countertop, followed by a red and black mane and a set of frightened gold-rimmed eyes.

"H-Hello?" Comes a timid squeak of a voice, "H-How m-may I... h-help you?"

Spoiler:

Gleeda blushed. "Sorry about that. Had a bit of a hard start to this day... And got a lot of people here in need of some medical help."