Who You Gonna Call?

When Rhinestone stands up and walks away, Sweet Puff's eyes start to water again, but she quickly squeezes them shut and wipes them dry. Wings folded - though obviously uncomfortable - at her sides, she makes her way to Maverick by hoof, head down and mane covering her eyes. Her bag of stuff drags heavily on the ground, catching small debris on the ground.

---

This is why you don't sing lullabies to time-traveling sugar fillies.

Maverick looked down at the fallen camera. It took him several moments to process what he was looking at, and several more to understand what it meant as he brought it up to eye-level. His eyes widened as epiphany struck.

"Uh, guys? We need to leave. Now. Somebody saw that," he said, loudly enough for everyone to hear as he held the camera up where it could be seen.

Elacular wrote:Rhinestone nodded. "Okay, that's alright. You don't have to tell me. Could you tell me about how you got your cutie mark instead though? I've been really curious about it."

She hoped she could keep Sweet Puff distracted from the tension and that it wouldn't make its way over to them. Meanwhile, she tried to think back and see if she had spotted any omnivorous restauraunts in the area.

She's sure there are - it's Las Pegasus, city of excess and sin for the whole family - but can't remember exactly where, thanks to the tension in the room. And Bell Mare knocking on her head for some reason.

Copper Rose wrote:When Rhinestone stands up and walks away, Sweet Puff's eyes start to water again, but she quickly squeezes them shut and wipes them dry. Wings folded - though obviously uncomfortable - at her sides, she makes her way to Maverick by hoof, head down and mane covering her eyes. Her bag of stuff drags heavily on the ground, catching small debris on the ground.

As Whisper drops the guns, they ever-so-slowly start getting attracted to Sweet Puff's bag as well. Same with the camera that dropped by Maverick.

Elacular wrote:She moved over to the place where White Whisper and the twins were, then quietly nudged her way between them. "Hey, uh, hey White Whisper? I'm sorry I didn't stop them. That was stupid. But can I talk to them anyway? I promise I won't do...anything you don't want me to do, whatever those would be or...buck, I don't know. Just...can I?" All throughout this incoherent non-statement, she weakly scratched the back of her mane with her hoof, still ignoring the candy that hung there.

White Whisper stared at her, eyes half-lidded and losing their glow, expression carefully left blank. "...you don't need my permission," he says after a few moments, cigarette bobbing in his mouth. "Isn't like I'm some sort of vengeful ghost out to punish the wicked, right?" He scoffed at himself. "Besides, I figure they've heard enough from my big mouth anyway."

The blessing given, roundabout and all, White Whisper pushed past Rhinestone without actually touching her. All the better to yell to Maverick, signifying a change in subject. "Likely the whole city saw that display, mate. Nothin' too unusual, supernatural aside - city's a cavalcade of blah blah blah n' all that, remember?"

As he spoke, the rubble slowly began shifting off of the twins with the barest hint of a verdant shine.

Spoiler:

Sweet Puff looks at the moving camera, the moving guns, but looks back down. After a moment she looks back again at the guns moving toward her bag, and shoots up into the air with the bag, going as far up as she can go inside the lobby. "Keep those things away from me!!!"

Rhinestone nodded to White Whisper, then knelt down by the twins, gently nuzzling both of them with her nose. "Hey. You guys alright? I was gonna see if I could find an omni restaurant nearby. Wanna come with me after all this dies down?"

Once freed from the rubble, the twins remained where they were. Hallows continued to sob and whine, barely reacting to Rhinestone's touch. Gallows moved a bit, getting onto his paws before laying down again, curled around his sister. He managed a meek "...no thanks... we're not hungry..." Despite this, one of their stomachs once again gives off a betraying growl, louder now that food had been so close, but still denied. Hallows buries her head in her brother's side, and stays there.

---

What would you do if you just got torn apart for trying to eat?

Rhinestone nodded slowly. "Yeah? Well I am. And I wanna take you two with me for company. I think you're the closest to my age anyway. So you're coming whether you like it or not."

With that, she got down on the ground and nudged her way under both twins to try and get them on her back and pick them up.

Meta:

AProcrastinatingWriter wrote:The blessing given, roundabout and all, White Whisper pushed past Rhinestone without actually touching her. All the better to yell to Maverick, signifying a change in subject. "Likely the whole city saw that display, mate. Nothin' too unusual, supernatural aside - city's a cavalcade of blah blah blah n' all that, remember?"

Supernatural makes this unusual, even for a city like Las Pegasus. Still, that doesn't give any idea of what's going to happen now that the whole city (if Whisper's right) saw...

Copper Rose wrote:Sweet Puff looks at the moving camera, the moving guns, but looks back down. After a moment she looks back again at the guns moving toward her bag, and shoots up into the air with the bag, going as far up as she can go inside the lobby. "Keep those things away from me!!!"

The guns and camera sort of... jump up and down. They don't make much distance, but they're still trying to go for Sweet Puff.

Elacular wrote:Rhinestone nodded slowly. "Yeah? Well I am. And I wanna take you two with me for company. I think you're the closest to my age anyway. So you're coming whether you like it or not."

With that, she got down on the ground and nudged her way under both twins to try and get them on her back and pick them up.

Picking them up would be pretty easy given their light weight - however, picking them up may not be a possibility if they show any sign of resistance...

They don't resist.

Sweet Puff clings to the ceiling and looks around with wide eyes, looking for somewhere to hide from the hopping guns. "Somepony help meeeeeee!!!" She cries, dashing about.

Perception:

Copper Rose wrote:Sweet Puff looks at the moving camera, the moving guns, but looks back down. After a moment she looks back again at the guns moving toward her bag, and shoots up into the air with the bag, going as far up as she can go inside the lobby. "Keep those things away from me!!!"

Maverick had started to answer Whisper when Sweet Puff's cry echoed overhead. His horn lit up and latched onto the guns, pulling back on them...

Meta:

Rhinestone quietly moved to walk away from the hotel, carrying the twins with her. She figured that everyone here needed a break from each other and that the two jackals needed her help the most. With that, she began wandering the streets, looking for any signs indicating an omni restaurant. "It's okay, you two. You're gonna be okay. I promise. I've got you." She was more saying it to comfort herself, but it helped to speak aloud.

Meta:

At this point the twins are just along for the ride. They still don't say anything, but between the injuries, hunger, and stress, it's mostly due to exhaustion more than anything else. This becomes apparent after a few minutes of walking, as Gallows falls asleep, his paws hanging limply from Rhinetsone's back.

---

Or maybe he just bled out from the deep gash left untreated on his face. But who can really know for sure.

Copper Rose wrote:Sweet Puff clings to the ceiling and looks around with wide eyes, looking for somewhere to hide from the hopping guns. "Somepony help meeeeeee!!!" She cries, dashing about.

There is nowhere to hide! NONE OF YOU ARE SAFE!

Crystalite wrote:Maverick had started to answer Whisper when Sweet Puff's cry echoed overhead. His horn lit up and latched onto the guns, pulling back on them...

Okay NOW you're safe. The guns are yanked back strongly from whatever force is attracting them to Sweet Puff.

Elacular wrote:Rhinestone quietly moved to walk away from the hotel, carrying the twins with her. She figured that everyone here needed a break from each other and that the two jackals needed her help the most. With that, she began wandering the streets, looking for any signs indicating an omni restaurant. "It's okay, you two. You're gonna be okay. I promise. I've got you." She was more saying it to comfort herself, but it helped to speak aloud.

Again, she's sure there IS a good omni restaurant, but she would love to find one that's cheap and actually of good quality, so the looking around takes about fifteen minutes before finally they find one - the Everfree Café. Despite it being around lunchtime, it's rather sparsely occupied, which might have something to do with the two pegasi at one table - or rather, the one, much older-looking female pegasus, with a winged clock for a cutie mark, ranting loudly. She doesn't sound particularly angry, just... trying hard to hear herself. The other pegasus, this one male, looks younger, but also has a clock for a cutie mark. The two earth ponies running the check-in desk look exasperated as well, one of them keeping his head firmly on the desk. In a corner near the entrance, the news is on - showing rather grainy and hard to make out footage of the brawl with Wint and Kidd, with the camera firmly focused on the assassins.

"We're going to be late for the meeting at the Samara!" shouted the older pegasus. "I can't afford to be late - not today!"

"Welcome!" said the earth pony not slamming his head into the desk. "Table for three?"

Rhinestone sighs and smiles. "Yes please. Something that would be comfortable for my friends. Also, could we maybe borrow rubbing alcohol and a few bandages? We were attacked by some stupid hobo with a knife and I'd like to fix my buddies up."

"Of course, of course," said the earth pony. "Right this way."

The earth pony with his head on the desk doesn't even look up as he hands three menus to his companion, who leads Rhinestone and the twins to a table near the two pegasi, the younger of which is checking two watches on his forehoof.

"We still have exactly one hour, fourteen minutes, and thirty-five seconds before our presentation at the Samara begins," said the pegasus. "Which gives us thirty-nine minutes and twenty-seven seconds to eat our food and go."

The older pegasus just grumbles, not even looking up as a stressed-looking unicorn waiter rushes in, handing her a large plate of hay and the younger pegasus a bowl full of some strange pink liquid.

"Enjoy!" said the Unicorn, rushing over to Rhinestone and the twins' table. "Hi, welcome to the Everfree Café! My name's Smile Service, I'll be your server for today. Can I get you started with something to drink to start off?"

Gallows- awoken by the loud pony- and Hallows both unenthusiastically slide off of Rhinestone when they get to the booth, and take a seat. They sit still, mirroring each other like bookends as they both stare at the table. Hallows ekes out a guttural, "Water, please". Her voice seems to be hoarse from crying, despite her silence for the last 20 minutes. Gallows just nods along, and then takes a look over at the ponies at the other table.

---

Perception on the other table, looking for anything unusual, identifying food by smell, listening, etc.
17+10=27

Rhinestone glanced at the twins, then looked at the menu. "Yeah, water sounds good for me too. Thank you sir."

After speaking, she gently took Gallows' face in her hooves and began examining the gash, seeing what she could do to make it less unpleasant for him.

Meta:

Bronymous wrote:Gallows- awoken by the loud pony- and Hallows both unenthusiastically slide off of Rhinestone when they get to the booth, and take a seat. They sit still, mirroring each other like bookends as they both stare at the table. Hallows ekes out a guttural, "Water, please". Her voice seems to be hoarse from crying, despite her silence for the last 20 minutes. Gallows just nods along, and then takes a look over at the ponies at the other table.

Elacular wrote:Rhinestone glanced at the twins, then looked at the menu. "Yeah, water sounds good for me too. Thank you sir."

After speaking, she gently took Gallows' face in her hooves and began examining the gash, seeing what she could do to make it less unpleasant for him.

"Right away!" said the waiter, hurrying back to the kitchen.

The gash on Gallows' face looks nasty but not especially deep, or permanent. Covering it up and putting pressure on it should make it go away in two, maybe three days.

The ponies at the other table are wearing a lot of watches. Like, at least two on each hoof. You'd think one would be enough, but no. Also, not all of the watches are set to the correct hour (as far as Gallows knows). Other than that, they don't appear to be doing, eating, or saying anything unusual, until...

"Better late than never," commented the younger Pegasus.

"Tell that to the factory," grumbled the older one, poking at her hay with a fork. "I swear there's more and more spooks in there by the hour!"

"Hey, you sent for Spengler, he's sure to come!" consoled the other Pegasus. "It's only a matter of time!"

Brony 7 of 9 wrote:Okay NOW you're safe. The guns are yanked back strongly from whatever force is attracting them to Sweet Puff.

Meanwhile, back at the Samara, a young unicorn pokes her head in from the casino area. Based on her uniform you guess she works at the front desk.

"I-is it over?" she asks.

Finally noticing the guns are gone (she's still very tired) Sweet Puff attributes their going away to the unicorn who just entered. She flies down to the unicorn and clings to her, crying. "Oh, thank you, thank you miss! I thought I was gonna get shot!"

Gallows' ears perked up at the mention of "spooks" in the factory. "Mmph.." he mumbles through the hooves in his face, "Ir phirnk thur lorkirng pfurr ursh." Hallows looks at him, and then over at the peculiar ponies at the table, watching them.

Maverick opened his mouth to protest; and then decided against it. "It's over for now. If whomever was on the other end of that camera is at all competent, we could be in trouble," he said with a strained voice as he tried not to panic. "I don't suppose you could tell us what the set-up is, could you?"

Bronymous wrote:Gallows' ears perked up at the mention of "spooks" in the factory. "Mmph.." he mumbles through the hooves in his face, "Ir phirnk thur lorkirng pfurr ursh." Hallows looks at him, and then over at the peculiar ponies at the table, watching them.

Neither pegasus seems to hear. The waiter comes back out, carrying three glasses of water, only to trip on something (probably Bell Mare) and spill the water onto the pegasi.

"Watch where you're going, you dizzy cow!" shouted the elder.

"Time out! It's not that drastic!"

Copper Rose wrote:Finally noticing the guns are gone (she's still very tired) Sweet Puff attributes their going away to the unicorn who just entered. She flies down to the unicorn and clings to her, crying. "Oh, thank you, thank you miss! I thought I was gonna get shot!"

The unicorn seems pretty jumpy, as she cries out in shock when Sweet Puff grabs her. "I, er, I wasn't..."

Crystalite wrote:Maverick opened his mouth to protest; and then decided against it. "It's over for now. If whomever was on the other end of that camera is at all competent, we could be in trouble," he said with a strained voice as he tried not to panic. "I don't suppose you could tell us what the set-up is, could you?"

"The... The cameras?" asked the unicorn. "Th-they go to hotel security..."