Champions of New Equestria

"Seriously, Smokey?" Phoenix asks as he walks up to the three. "I thought we just decided to fly there. There's no way the roads would be faster, look." He points a hoof at Flurry. "She just gave us favorable conditions and everything."

"Hold on one sec," Smoke Screen tells the carriage pair, as he hovered over to Flashpoint, slinging a hoof around the pegasus' neck and whispering to him. "Look, I don't know about how good a flier you are, and Bat Guard up there seems to be alright at it, but look at these two," the thief tells the liar, pointing at the clockwork alicorn and the mare with the fake wings, "there's no way that those two are good fliers themselves. If they can't make it up to Canterlot, then we'll have to do the journey by hoof. And what if we meet the sixth on the way there, and they turn out not be a pegasus like us, what then? It's better to play this one safe."

"...Yeah I guess. As long as you're paying for it. I don't have any money." Phoenix flutters up to the carriage roof. "But I'm riding up here, instead of cramming in with the rest of you. Unless it starts to rain. I hate rain."

Chocolate swoops down and says, "That's good thinking. Besides, I might like to take a rest even if I wouldn't really have to at some point."

"Don't worry, I'll keep us clear of any rain, dress fighter." she says with a grin before flying back up into the sky.

"Honestly... I'd say you should've ASKED about our flight skills. While there are better then I... I'm not shabby at it..." Tick-Tock comments deeply offended at Smoke Screen's actions.

"Sorry, but I've gotta see before I believe," Smoke replied, before returning to the pair at the carriage. "So, do we have a deal?"

"Sure." The stallion nodded his head. "25 bits, for all five of you." The black mare held out her hoof.

Smoke Screen picked up the bag with 25 bits in which he tossed earlier and places it on the mare's hoof...

She pocketed the bits, placing them in a box behind them. The stallion unhitched himself and opened the door to the carriage, turning to face the group when he was done. "Oh! I suppose we should introduce ourselves. I'm Light, and this is my sister, Dark. Welcome aboard."

elfowlgirl wrote:She pocketed the bits, placing them in a box behind them. The stallion unhitched himself and opened the door to the carriage, turning to face the group when he was done. "Oh! I suppose we should introduce ourselves. I'm Light, and this is my sister, Dark. Welcome aboard."

Smoke Screen hovered into the carriage, and sat himself down in the the corner of the seats. When he was comfortable, he pondered if he had heard the names Light and Dark before...

(Streetwise Roll: 17 + 10 = 27)

While somewhat popular names is New Equestria, no one of significance by either of those names come to mind.

Aquilah looked a little disappointed at not being able to try out her mechanical wings, but looking around the group she figured she would just be holding everypony back, since they all had natural wings and were probably better and more used to flying. Even the alicorn's wings were probably better crafted than her own, she had to admit after only a brief study. Perhaps she could base improvements to her own wings off of those?

Since Smoke Screen had already paid the carriage, there would be no point in flying now anyways.

"Oh, I suppose that's reasonable. I wouldn't want to slow everypony down." Aquilah said, not afraid to admit to Smoke Screen's accusations about her flying skills. "Thank you for arranging for the carriage, Mister... Screen was it?" She was surprised that he seemed to have put out some money before anypony could either argue or agree. Aquilah compulsively looked the carriage over quickly before filing in and taking a seat.

Mechanics:

Aquilah continues to talk to Smoke Screen. "Um, are you paying for everypony? Even though we all only just met? I mean, I'm sure I'll be willing and able to reimburse you, especially if the Princess is paying us for this task of hers."

The carriage seems to be in good shape - hardly used, with the wheels showing little wear-and-tear. The inside is in even better shape, and it appears that few ponies actually sit in it. The carriage is put together well, and will likely last for many more months before any serious problem should arise.

"Hey, if you want let's go test this by flying our way alongside our travel couch here and see who has to give up flying first?" Tick-Tock suggests of Smoke Screen, sure that she'll at least do good enough it not better.

Curunir wrote:"Oh, I suppose that's reasonable. I wouldn't want to slow everypony down." Aquilah said, not afraid to admit to Smoke Screen's accusations about her flying skills. "Thank you for arranging for the carriage, Mister... Screen was it?" She was surprised that he seemed to have put out some money before anypony could either argue or agree. Aquilah compulsively looked the carriage over quickly before filing in and taking a seat.

Aquilah continues to talk to Smoke Screen. "Um, are you paying for everypony? Even though we all only just met? I mean, I'm sure I'll be willing and able to reimburse you, especially if the Princess is paying us for this task of hers."

"You can pay me back if you want. If this job pays as well as I hope, it won't be a big deal," replies the thief. "Just because I don't trust this group as much as you want me to doesn't mean I ain't gonna help it." Smoke leans over to the mare and whispers into her ears...

(Stealth Roll to whisper: 12 + 20 (currently sitting down, so no +5 bonus) = 32)

"Also, if this letter is the real deal, then you know that this is suppose to be on the down-low. I wouldn't keep mentioning who the sender of the letter is in front of other ponies if I were you."

Xel Unknown wrote:"Hey, if you want let's go test this by flying our way alongside our travel couch here and see who has to give up flying first?" Tick-Tock suggests of Smoke Screen, sure that she'll at least do good enough it not better.

Smoke was afraid of taking the challenge. Machinery doesn't get tired, and he gets tired far too easily. "Well, erm, there's more to flying than seeing how long you last," Smoke Screen answered, trying to think of a good excuse to having to compete in a competition of endurance. "Yeah, we'd just end up hovering alongside this carriage for the trip. If you want me to eat my words, why don't ya show me how fast you can fly?"

The Clockwork Alicorn nods and then tries her and at going as fast as she can go to impress Smoke Screen.

need for speed:

Paper Shadow wrote: Smoke leans over to the mare and whispers into her ears...

(Stealth Roll to whisper: 12 + 20 (currently sitting down, so no +5 bonus) = 32)

"Also, if this letter is the real deal, then you know that this is suppose to be on the down-low. I wouldn't keep mentioning who the sender of the letter is in front of other ponies if I were you."

Aquilah shut up, mentally rebuking herself for being so stupid. The letter had said something about that.

"That was stupid of me. I'm sorry, I'll try to be more careful." She whispered back. She looked towards the door of the carraige, trying to see if the stallion who had been holding the door, or his sister had overheard

Whisper:

Perception:

Seeing the Alicorn about to demonstrate her flying ability to Smoke Screen, Aquilah continued to look out the carriage door/window, taking out her sketchbook and trying to draw Tick Tock in flight... although that was a bit difficult as she was a moving target, and her vision was obstructed from being inside the vehicle.

Chocolate saw Tick-Tock start flying quickly and flew after her so she could get close enough to fly beside her and ask, "What's up? The carriage isn't even moving yet."

---

Acrobatics: 23 + 11 = 34

The stallion does not appear to have been listening - he comes over to close the door to the carriage. "You all ready to go?"

Tick-Tock does not get very far at first, with a bit of a false start, although she manages to catch herself and end up back in the air.

"Trying to prove my flight skills... ARe at least up to par... And better then Smoky thinks they are. Just cause I'm made of clockwork doesn't mean I can't be good at flight..." Tick-Tock rants as she flies.

elfowlgirl wrote:The stallion does not appear to have been listening - he comes over to close the door to the carriage. "You all ready to go?"

"I don't know, are we? I was the one who said we should hang back and wait, and now I'm the one waiting on everyone else. Can we go?" Phoenix watches Tick Tock awkwardly start flying, with Flurry in pursuit. "...Good call. Well if they're not riding inside, then I am. I call not sharing the seat with the pony with jagged metal wings." He jumps into the air, flips and rolls, and lands inside the carriage, taking the rear facing seat.

elfowlgirl wrote:The stallion does not appear to have been listening - he comes over to close the door to the carriage. "You all ready to go?"

Smoke Screen nods...

"I don't see him up here racing you, so I wouldn't bother playing his game and wearing yourself out to prove a point. He's not up here, you are. So you win by default the way I see it." Flurry replies to Tick-Tock and then resumes a more relaxed pace so that she'll still be near the carriage.

The Clockwork Alicorn thinks about this and nods. "You are right..."

As he waited for the carriage to start moving, Smoke Screen tried to make himself comfortable in his seat, and prepared to have a quick nap. Thieves aren't usually awake during the height, and Smoke was no different...