Slavegear - Part 2

(Twilight, Wyvern, V'tara, Derpy)

The lock seems several decades old. Its a wander how it still works at all.

The hallway you're currently in, seems to be empty.






(Moon, Tarmikos, Radiance)

"You're probably right" Johan began nodding, wearily looking around: "Its best if we just.. sit here for a while and.. stay out of trouble.."
Several guests looked in your direction and Johan visibly shrank in size.


After a while you noticed Kaylee enter the ballroom. She was walking together with an Artemis soldier and chatting with him. You note that she changed her appearance, to hide her identity. Her coat was dyed yellow and she wore a dark dress.







(Al)

"Pardon?.. Uuhhh..." the maid looked at you in slight confusion: "Um... would you like an appetizer?" she smiled, presenting her tray

Kaylee Brown wrote:(Twilight, Wyvern, V'tara, Derpy)

The lock seems several decades old. Its a wander how it still works at all.

The hallway you're currently in, seems to be empty.






(Moon, Tarmikos, Radiance)

"You're probably right" Johan began nodding, wearily looking around: "Its best if we just.. sit here for a while and.. stay out of trouble.."
Several guests looked in your direction and Johan visibly shrank in size.


After a while you noticed Kaylee enter the ballroom. She was walking together with an Artemis soldier and chatting with him. You note that she changed her appearance, to hide her identity. Her coat was dyed yellow and she wore a dark dress.







(Al)

"Pardon?.. Uuhhh..." the maid looked at you in slight confusion: "Um... would you like an appetizer?" she smiled, presenting her tray

Lord Wyvern attempts to pick the lock.

(Twilight, Wyvern, V'tara, Derpy)


The lock emits and unbearably loud screech, before opening.

As you look around, you don't seem to notice anyone in the immediate vicinity. Its unclear if anyone heard the noise.

She smiled and waved politely at the guests "Lets just let the others handle it, I've seen Kaylee over there."

(Twilight)
She looks at V'Tara. "Aren't you worried about him entering after the other guard left?"

(Al)
He takes one of them. "Yes, can I see your shoes for a moment?"

"Born into privlage?" she chuckles still leaning on her blade, "...God how I wish that were true, I grew up in a poor family, they struggled to feed themselfs but always gave me the first bites." she gets off her blade and walks behind mirek, "I left at age 15... And ever sense then ive been captured, made a slave, broken out of prisons, faught undead, countless apon countless things... I go to visit my parents things have hardly gotten better..." she closes her eyes, "im 28 now... Ive been doing this for 13 years, seen friends die and others suffer, noone murdered mctavish... He ended his life striken with greef..." she huffs, "not everypony thats not a batpony has it easy..." she huffs, "...if anything your just making it worse, your ruining the batponies reputation..." she walks past him, "but what do i know right?" she stops and looks back at him with a smile, "im just an overprivlaged pegasus who doesnt know anything... Right?" she walks to the balcony and gets on the rail before stepping off and flying back to the clouds waiting for kaylees call... Or life threatening danger..."

(Moon, Tarmikos, Radiance)


The music in the ballroom changed to some sort of a slow waltz, and numerous guests proceeded to invite each other and dance on the dance floor.
The singer on stage, added to the atmosphere with a very beautiful song.

You could see the guests happily dancing and smiling for several moments, until a mare's voice calls to you from the side:

"..forgive me, I didn't mean to interrupt.
Would you care for a dance?"



As you turn, you notice a mare in a very peculiar disguise. Dark and red colors of various hues were dispersed throughout her dress. Tiny ribbons of yellow, cheerfully hung from hands and her feet.
Her face was obscured by an old, yet polished, white mask.
It was one of those old theater masks, that represented comedy, slightly smiling to all.

The mare slightly bowed in reverence and offered her hand, seemingly inviting Moon Dusts for a dance.


The mare's expression and eyes were hidden by the mask, but her voice suggested an outgoing, courteous smile.

(Al)

"What??" The mare became even more confused and looked at her own shoes. They seem to be the standard, dark colored and formal shoes. Reasonably fashionable and shining from polish.

She frowned. Refusing to dance would be seen as rude, and it wasn't like it could cause any harm. She took the hand and stood up, smiling.

"It would be lovely to dance" she spoke in a distinct old Canterlot accent, which was her natural voice.

(Moon Dusts)

"I'm glad you could join me" the mare nodded and slowly walked with you toward the other guests, already dancing on the dance floor.
The mare waited a moment, then nodded to you and set a slow pace, dancing with you in rhythm with the music:


"..I've been reading your file.." the mare quietly said, as she danced: "..assassination attempt on Princess Celestia... possible theft.. other small things... but never mass murder...

You have a daughter, I understand.. a small bookshop in Canterlot.. you led a peaceful life for a while... you even tried to sacrifice your life over Adelheid, to destroy the Mirror and the cult of Uroburos...

A very noble, selfless act, not many would have the courage to attempt... It speaks volumes of you. That single act over Adelheid, told me, that you wanted to become an honorable person, who cares for the weak..


And then you used Slavegear, and burned down a whole city, assassinating the Union Council and taking one hundred thousand lives in the process...


It doesn't add up... Miss Moon...

Why did you do it?"


The mare continued to dance with you.
You could feel her scanning you through the mask with her eyes.

"I was hypnotised, never tried to or wanted to do it." She sighed and continued to dance "When i do things, I have a motive. Even my assassination attempts. Burning down a city? After it happened I wanted to kill myself. Bad things happen to me."

(Moon Dusts)


"..hypnotised?" the mare asked after a moment: "..by who?"
Her eyes were watching you, she was intently listening to every word:

"Why did someone force you to do this?... Tell me everything"

"A strange pony, we only know as Marek. I don't know how he did it, but I had no control over my body. Killing innocents, something I won't do." She sighed, still dancing.
"The world is cruel, ponies are cruel. I try to help, but as they say 'the gates of hell are opened with good intentions"

(Moon Dusts)

"Marek.. leader of the Vampire Unit?.." the mare quietly asked: "..but why would he lash out against the Union. His country was liberated by them... unless..." the mare was visibly thinking. Even hidden behind a mask, you could see scenarios running through her head:


"......what an odd tale" she finally said after a moment, then looked at you, still slowly dancing:
"I was ordered to bring you back to the country of Artemis, for a trail in the court of law. If what you're saying is true, then you have nothing to fear.

In time, evidence will be found and you will likely be found not guilty.

Come with me, Moon.
After the ball, follow me and we'll travel together, back to the country of Artemis. I will guarantee your safety during the journey, I promise"

She shook her head "No, I can't. I have no faith in countries and leaders, and if anything, I'm still wanted for execution for trying to kill Celestia, and Canterlot asylum want me back at some point. No can do."

(Moon Dusts)

"Moon, please.. don't make this difficult" the mare quietly sighed: "The entire world is after you. How long do you expect to stay on the run?

I was ordered to keep you safe, until we reach Artemis. But I can't guarantee your safety, if you keep picking fights with the local soldiers. How much collateral damage was already caused? How much will be caused in the future, if you don't cooperate?

The Sprawl was already burned to the ground. Innocent lives were put in danger.
Please Moon, I'm trying to avoid any more conflict.
Come with me"

"I lived on the run for years, I can run for longer. I have no trust in the law, at all. There is virtually nothing you could say that would make me go."

(Al)
"Yeah, I think something might be off with them." He shifts his pose, as if leaning on an invisible counter.

(Twilight)
As the mptone of the music shift, Twilight looks aroud, rather curious. She hopes to see the target of the mission so they could go forward faster. She doesn't. However, she does see two mares dancing, one in peculiar clothing.
~Awww, that reminds me of home... I suppose she moved on by now. I don't blame her... But, that one mare... What odd fashion. Like a jester or-~

Her eyes widen at the realization of who the mare in red and black was. She clasps a hand over her mouthas she can't help her outburst. She still shouts it, but the sound is muffled by the hand.

"Oh, Find me in the ALPHS!"

Rain looks up to see moon dancing with harle... She lets out a gentle laugh and looks down "...we... Are so fucked..."..


(moon) Phantom Fire circles around moon and the assassin, "you chose to pick a dance with this mare..." she frowns continuing to circle you like a shark hunting its pray, "I know that feeling in your stomach... Yet here you are ignoring it..." she stops and each time you make a round in your dance shes just... Casually standing there, hands in her pockets.

"Somthing about this girl doesnt seem right... The colors... The mask... Its all very unnerving" she remains silent for a moment before speaking again, despite her distance from you it sounded like she was talking right in your ear, "run..."

(twilight) you hear Fire walk up next to you, "so... Your good at math... On a scale from 1 to 10 how fucked are we?" she looks over at you, "because uh... Shes... Supposed to kill you... The mosr infamous, skilled assassin is here and shes dancing with moon..."

Radiance manages to catch the conversation between Moon and assumedly Harlequin. There's no way to tell if she is lying. But judging that she listened to Moon and didn't just kill her, this supposed legendary assassin was doing proper detective work and not jumping to assumptions. Radiance could respect that about her.

"Hey," he softly spoke to Tarmikos "That girl dancing with Moon is supposedly a legendary detective and assassin. I also noticed that you and Moon were very robotic in your movements when entering, care to explain that."

"Marek got to us again," Tarmikos sighed clenching his fist, "he's going to get us do something but we don't know what.

"She wants Moon to come with her for a fair trail, you think it may be part of Marek's plan?"

"Fuck," Tarmikos hissed under his teeth

Radiance motioned for Tarmikos to stay put and made his way over to the dancing pair. If Moon and Tarmikos were bound to kill without warning then it would be best to have them here.

"Excuse me miss" he spoke to Harlequin "Would it be possible to speak with you outside when this song finishes?"

(Moon, Radiance)

The mare zeroed in on Radiance immediately:

"I have a mission to bring you all back to Artemis" Her voice became firm:
"I have to follow my orders. I don't want to fight anyone"






(Al)

"What are you-" the maid cut herself off, as she looked to the side, where a purple unicorn and a masked mare were dancing.

The maid frowned and simply drifted into the crowd away from you. She's making her way toward the pair she saw dancing earlier.

"I'm aware of that, I have no wish to fight you either" Radiance returned the same firm tone "but things may not be that easy. Both Moon and Tarmikos have been given instructions that were wiped from their memory. If that hidden instruction is given while in such a densely populated area, things could turn out much worse than last time. We want to clear our name but we also want to do this without shedding any more blood."

(Moon, Radiance)

"You won't hurt anyone else. Trust me" the mare replied. Something about how she said it, sent a chill down your spine.

"The longer you stay on the run, the more innocent people you will drag into cross fire. The Sprawl wasn't enough? How many lives did you endanger by refusing to surrender? How many people did you drag into this mess?"



She made a point to look at Johan: "..he's not supposed to be here. That bruise on his forehead is fresh. Its your fault. You dragged him into this. Just like you dragged Dr. Riza into this. And your every mistake, will have consequences for them as well.

Stop running. Your stubbornness will only endanger more innocent people.
I trust you to do the right thing, when the time is right"


She slowly looked at Radiance and Moon:
"Or I'll give you a little push in the right direction"



She slightly bowed and stepped backwards, blending into the crowd. The next moment, she completely vanished from view.

(tarmikos) Fire leans over your shoulder, "you sill do the right thing..." she appears next to you... Taking a seat on thin air, "...when the time is right... When the time is right..." her voice sounds like mirek for a moment "...you will remember my instructions... When the time is right." she looks over at you, "tarmikos... Mirek... Knew you were all here... Not only that... Look how many innocents are around..."



Rain thinks a moment and decides to go on the hunt.. Looking for the masked mare."

Kaylee Brown wrote:(Twilight, Wyvern, V'tara, Derpy)


The lock emits and unbearably loud screech, before opening.

As you look around, you don't seem to notice anyone in the immediate vicinity. Its unclear if anyone heard the noise.

"And we're in" Lord Wyvern enters the storage room, and begins looking for the Serpent statue.