Digital Waltz - Part 2

You feel a weak pulse on both bodies. Looking for injuries, you note that Tomas took the brunt of the attack.
His back was covered in multiple wounds and he was heavily bleeding. Something was visibly wrong with his cybernetic eyes. You saw metal pieces laying all over the ground, next to his head.

Oboro's neck and wings were covered in first and second degree burns. Her breathing was stable. You can't seem to spot any life threatening injuries on her.




Tomas suddenly jerked and broke into a muffled coughing fit. Each cough brought him visible pain, his face twisting in agony. It seems several of his ribs may be broken:

"O-Oboro... how's... Oboro.." he whispered in a raspy voice.

His eyes were emptily staring ahead, unseeing. Both of his cybernetic eyes were shattered by the shock wave:

"...I.. can't see.." he quietly whispered in fear: "...I can't see... where's Oboro... where's.. Oboro"

Kaylee Brown wrote:You feel a weak pulse on both bodies. Looking for injuries, you note that Tomas took the brunt of the attack.
His back was covered in multiple wounds and he was heavily bleeding. Something was visibly wrong with his cybernetic eyes. You saw metal pieces laying all over the ground, next to his head.

Oboro's neck and wings were covered in first and second degree burns. Her breathing was stable. You can't seem to spot any life threatening injuries on her.




Tomas suddenly jerked and broke into a muffled coughing fit. Each cough brought him visible pain, his face twisting in agony. It seems several of his ribs may be broken:

"O-Oboro... how's... Oboro.." he whispered in a raspy voice.

His eyes were emptily staring ahead, unseeing. Both of his cybernetic eyes were shattered by the shock wave:

"...I.. can't see.." he quietly whispered in fear: "...I can't see... where's Oboro... where's.. Oboro"

"Your eyes've been taken out, she's fine, alive, thanks to you" Rogue tells Tomas "You're both pretty injured though, so we'll've to get the two of you to a hospital stat." He pulls up his earpiece to talk to Cookie "Yo, Spi-dar, you still there? What're the sensors like on those bombers? Can they tell if they've been successful and killed us? Are they coming around for another go?"

"Do we even have time to get them to a hospital?" she huffs looking at Tomas, "yeah cookie... Get over here stat..." she huffs examining the broken eyes, "thank god I didn't replace mine..." she coughs into her sleeve.

"They'd probably just blow it up" Frost says with a dry laugh.

"Dude! What is wrong with you?" Naomi asks baffled at Frost.

Frost just shruggs.

"Nono... He is probably right." she frowns, "thats the sad part."

//Frost is female, not sure if it's an autocorrect error or something. Just bringing it up in case

"They're getting desperate like you said" Frost flips through her book "OK, so I have a healing spell. But I can only cast it 4 times before I need to meditate again."

The Mage and The Mechanic wrote:"They're getting desperate like you said" Frost flips through her book "OK, so I have a healing spell. But I can only cast it 4 times before I need to meditate again."

"How much damage can it heal?" Rogue asks Frost "And how long do you have to meditate for?"

"It can heal the majority of physical wounds on a body. It's good for things like stab wounds, broken legs, burns. Probably stop you from bleeding out if you lose a limb, but I haven't tried it to that degree yet." Frost answers "And as for the actual meditation, I need a full hour uninterrupted by anything."

"What are you waiting for?! Cast the spell! They're bleeding out!!" Mira frantically called, pressing her hands into Tomas' back. She desperately tried to apply pressure to the wound, but blood was still coming out, completely covering the palms of her hands.

Color began to drain from Mira's face, as she stared at the blood in horror, but she continued to apply pressure to the wound.


The Spider loudly approached, her head twisting back and forth, scanning the sky:
"..I don't know what kind of sensors they have, but the bombers aren't turning around. They seem to be leaving the area.."




Dr. Zarovee and Lei Yan slowly crouched down, examining the wounded:

"We can take them to the hospital" Zarovee said grimly: "You don't have to worry. Carry on with your mission. Me and Miss Yan will take care of the injured.
I doubt the Waltz will target us at the hospital. The Opera House has been revealed. The priorities of the Waltz have likely changed.

They will likely focus their attacks on those that can assault the Opera House.
The injured and the civilians among us, will no longer be at the top of their hit list"



"You're still witnesses to their crimes" Madelyn grimly said: "They'll come to silence you eventually"

"Maybe" Zarovee nodded: "That's why you have to end this quickly. Go. Find a way to stop this. Me and Miss Yan will take care of the wounded.



"...Don't waste your time on me" Tomas quietly whispered. He broke into another coughing fit, accompanied by a small spray of blood:
"..I can't drag you down.. my debt.."


"Quiet down Tomas, you're gonna be okay!" Mira called, desperately pressing onto his wounds.





"...I.. haven't been entirely honest with you" Tomas quietly whispered, his face distorted with pain:

"My name, isn't Tomas Kohler.
Its Tomas, No-Last-Name. For slaves were not allowed to have one.

I'm not a police officer.
I have no military rank.

I'm a student, at the Adelheid's University.


I was born in Nyx, under the thumb of the Masters.

My mother, died, at childbirth. The medical conditions were just too poor there.
My.. father, raised me. Protected me. And when I grew older, I protected him.


We worked in the mines, gathering Tilerium for our the Masters, day and night. When my father began growing old, he couldn't work as fast anymore. He wasn't as strong. Couldn't mine as much Tilerium.


One night, the Masters got upset, so they beat him. Because he wasn't working fast enough.

I got in the way, I tried to stop them, so they beat me instead.

Broke my ribs, punctured my lung. My right arm was crushed and... they.. took my eyes...


Everyone thought I would die. There was no medical care in Nyx at the time. No hospitals that would accept us.


And as I slowly died, blind and in pain, my father sat next to my bed, took my hand into his and quietly whispered:

"...I won't let them kill you"



The next day, I was flown into Adelheid.
Capital of the Union. The best hospital, best surgeons, the best medical care money could buy.

The most cutting edge cybernetics, were given to me, so I could one day, have a semblance of a normal life.


I had no idea, where the money was coming from... father never talked about it.
He only smiled and said: "...stay in Adelheid. Live a peaceful life there and don't come back to Nyx...
Until my vision is complete"

I had no idea what he meant at the time. But the next day, a revolution started in Nyx.
The batponies rose against the Masters and threw them out of our home.


Nyx was liberated. Father enrolled me into Adelheid's most prestigious university, payed for everything and I studied there, for a long time.

I thought it was over." Tomas released a sad smile, as blood slowly fell down his lips.



"And then Slavegear landed in Adelheid"

It lashed out against everyone. Masters, soldiers, civilians, it didn't matter.
As it crushed the city under its heels, I understood the vision my father talked about.

A world, inhabited by Batponies... and nobody else..."



Tomas loudly coughed, a small spray of blood pained the ground red:

"...I loved my father... but his.. vision... it horrified me.

I don't know, exactly, what caused it. A lifetime of hatred, the Masters have imposed on him.
The physical or psychological torment? The sight of his dying wife, or his dying child? I don't know.

I.. only know that... in the end, he was left a broken man. A scarred man, twisted by the evil of this world.

Unable or unwilling to see that... we all live here, together.


This world is ours. It belongs to everyone. We all live here, side by side.
We come from different places, different cultures, but, we all have something in common.

The love for our family.

If he could just see that, maybe.. maybe thing's would have been different"



He looked at you, a trace of tears in his eyes:

"The name of my father was Marek.
His sins are now my burden to carry. His debts are mine to repay.

I... owe you.. a better future...

I am indebted..... to you. To the Heroes of Adelheid. To everyone in this world, who suffered during the Slavegear disaster.


I owe you... a world without shackles... I owe you a world, without a Digital Waltz.


The burden weighs heavily on me, that's why.. I am the Hunchback" he released a sad smile.






Lei was staring at him in shock. Disbelief written over her face, as she stared at him:

"...you're Marek's son?... that was real?..." she stared at him in silence for a moment, before she continued:
"...if you're Hunchback, how did you get involved with Clopin and Emerald? How did you find out about the Digital Waltz?"



Tomas sighed, grimacing from the pain:

"When the Slavegear landed in Adelheid, it sank through the asphalt. Each step, puncturing the roof of the Labyrinth.
As it rampaged through the city, I followed its path. Horrified. Dumbstruck. Trying to grasp what was happening.


To bring down the machine, the Heroes of Adelheid unknowingly entered the Labyrinth. They blew up the support columns in one of its sections, making the Slavegear sink deep underground.

Unbeknownst to anyone, the resulting explosion had breached a Bunker. A Bunker that belonged to the Digital Waltz.



After the battle, I walked among the debris, surveying the horrors my father had brought.
I... was devastated... broken... I didn't pay attention to where I was going...

I fell into one of the holes, created by Slavegear. I fell deep into the Labyrinth and ended up in the Bunker.


I saw... the room full of screaming, metal bodies. I saw the tubes coming out of their backs. I heard their crying, I saw pain in their eyes.


One of the bodies detached from the ceiling. It came at me. Attacked me, in a frenzy.
I noticed a Neurochip on her head. I disabled it. She collapsed on the floor, weeping.

And then she told me everything.



She said her name was Sophie Gunther. She was a dancer, 44 years ago and someone had ruined her life.
She told me about the Digital Waltz. About the horrors they inflicted upon her. And she told me, what the Waltz plants to do to the world.


And she told me about her brother, Stepan Gunther. Who still lived in Adelheid, who thought his sister vanished, 44 years ago.


We found him. We talked to him. And then the three of us sat together, and came up with a plan.

A plan to bring down, the Digital Waltz.



We wanted our stories be known. We wanted the world to see the injustice done, to the victims that are still locked in the Labyrinth.
So we came up with nicknames. Codenames to echo Sophie's premier, that was supposed to happen, 44 years ago.

The Hunchback of Adelheid. With us as the actors.

Me as the Hunchback. Stepan as the king of thieves - Clopin. And Sophie, as the role she never had a chance to play. The dancer named Esmeralda, a word which translates to Emerald"



Tomas quietly swallowed: "...we made plan to bring down the Waltz.

Phase One - was supposed to identify its members. Failing that, identify the location of the Opera House.
Phase Two - stop the Waltz from utilizing Black Mail. This will allow a final assault on the Opera House.



Phase Two must succeed.

It may be unethical. It may be immoral, but it has to succeed. I'll take the blame when its over" he closed his eyes:


"Emerald will begin Phase Two shortly.. you can't interfere with her mission... she must succeed... please, whatever you do, don't stop her..."

Tomas began fainting. His face turning ghostly pale from blood loss: "...she has to succeed-"



"Tomas?" Madelyn called in alarm: "Tomas, what's Phase Two? Tomas!?"


Tomas didn't answer. His breathing slowed, head turned to the side.

"..we're... loosing him.." Mira quietly called: "D-DO SOMETHING QUICKLY!"

Rain rises not being able to do much of anything she crosses her arms and stares out into the streets, "Phase Two... I say we just let it happen..." she clears her throat reaching for her radio, then realizing thats probably a bad idea.

Arnold laid down his wounded comerade, but gets up. "Doctors, please get our friends to the hospital, now. That's currently the safest you can do. Tomas must live, even if just for information."

He turns to the rest of them. "We finally know more about the situation. I know most of us are weak and tired, but it is the final push! Emerald will be going to stop the blackmail, we must make sure that she can do that safely! Who's with me?!"

Kaylee Brown wrote:Tomas began fainting. His face turning ghostly pale from blood loss: "...she has to succeed-"



"Tomas?" Madelyn called in alarm: "Tomas, what's Phase Two? Tomas!?"


Tomas didn't answer. His breathing slowed, head turned to the side.

"..we're... loosing him.." Mira quietly called: "D-DO SOMETHING QUICKLY!"

"He needs more blood moving through his system, otherwise he might die before Ice Queen can heal him" Rogue says "I can cut open a small access hole in his chest, going through one of the areas where ribs have cracked and moved out of the way, and manually keep his heart and lungs beating with telekinesis." He turns to Mira "but i'm going to have to sap away some of the power i'm supplying to the forcefield bandage around you in order to have enough power to do it, your wound should've healed enough by now to cope with that though."

With that, he reduces the forcefield covering Mira's wound, and generates a knife-shaped forcefield to cut a slit in Tomas's front. That done, he starts manually working Tomas's respiratory and circulatory systems with telekinesis to try and keep him alive and conscious.

Blue, blonde and purple wrote:Arnold laid down his wounded comerade, but gets up. "Doctors, please get our friends to the hospital, now. That's currently the safest you can do. Tomas must live, even if just for information."

He turns to the rest of them. "We finally know more about the situation. I know most of us are weak and tired, but it is the final push! Emerald will be going to stop the blackmail, we must make sure that she can do that safely! Who's with me?!"

"Achieved at any cost?" Rogue asks Arnold "We don't even know what Phase Two is, and Tomas said it was going to be unethical. Given what they've already done, that means it's big. We need more information before we act."

(Frost)
Frost slowly turns and looks at Tomas "So, you're part of the group that blackmailed my friend. Which makes you just as responsible for her death as the Waltz is. I really want to watch you bleed out, I'm so tempted" As she's speaking the book in Frost's hand begins to glow "You and your entire group deserve death, but not now."

There is a flash, and golden tendrils spring from the book digging into the wounds of Both Tomas and Oboro. There is a moment of intense white pain before the wounds start to heal and relief slowly flows through their bodies.

"Don't make me regret this" She slams the book shut, then shoves it back in her bag.

(Naomi)
"I'm with you," Naomi says with a slight shake to her voice. The tone more reluctance than agreement.

Tomas exhaled in pain, trying not to pass out: "...The Digital Waltz must be stopped.
Once its over, you can do whatever you want with me. I won't struggle"


"No." Madelyn grimly replied: "Maybe you're not a cop. But I am.
You and your associates will be processed by the book.
I will not allow street justice.
Taking the law into ones own hands, is considered a crime" Madelyn quietly said. Her voice was neutral, calm.



Mira slowly rose up, trying to fruitlessly wipe the blood from her hands, then gave up and ran into the middle of the road.
Waving her hands wildly, she stopped the first car that passed by and rushed to talk to the driver. After a few moments she signaled Zarovee and Lei.


Dr. Zarovee helped Tom on his feet and helped support his weight. Lei lifted Oboro with some effort. Then, the four of them slowly made their way toward the car.




"I'm going to the hospital with them" Mira quietly said, looking at you: "I'm not a soldier. I won't be any good in a fight. But I can do something else"
She looked at you with determination:

"...I'm a reporter. A famous one. It gives credibility to my word.
People know me. They recognize me. There's something only I can do.
I have all the evidence I need, about the Digital Waltz. My job now is to spread the word. The more people know about it, the weaker the Waltz will become"



"But, how?" Madelyn asked, grimacing: "The Waltz controls the media"



"The old fashioned way" Mira winked: "Yell to anyone who will listen" she looked at everyone with a small smile and waved: "Goodbye everyone. I'll see you again, once its over"

Mira, Dr. Zarovee, Lei Yan, Tomas and Oboro slowly disappeared inside the car, before the vehicle jerked and rapidly moved out of sight.




Madelyn quietly watched them, until the cars rear lights vanished from view. She looked around, seemingly trying to decide what to do. Then, your earpiece went active:

"...uuhhh... guys? Do you read? This is Amy Moore, you're friendly neighborhood programmer.." she girl nervously called. She sounded worried:

"...I've uhh... picked up some troubling chatter from the Union Military..

They're saying 'Sword Base' is under attack. The hostile forces appear to be remote controlled drones and Rumbas. Led by a girl in a pink dress. Judging by the description, they're talking about Emerald.


There's no reports of injured or casualties, but Emerald is making a steady push into the depths of the base. She's apparently trying to hack into its main computers"




"She's trying to hack into 'Sword Base'?" Madelyn asked: "What kind of installation is it?"



"Its a Union missile base!" Amy said: "Built in response to the Slavegear attack, the base houses well over 200 missiles. Each one strong enough to level a city block.
If Emerald hacks into its mainframe, she'll gain full control of the arsenal!"

"Mmmm... I feel as though i know what this calls for..." she clears her throat, "Amy... Do we have cordinates to the base? Mayhaps there is someone i can call..."

(Frost)
"Yes, let's go help and see if we've placed our trust correctly." Frost looks directly at Madelyn her expression stern for a moment, it suddenly changes to a devilish grin "This should be fun"

(Naomi)
Naomi stares at the ground, car shield still gripped tight. She takes in a breath then releases it. Eyes, then head raising, a new spark is there.

Kaylee Brown wrote:Tomas exhaled in pain, trying not to pass out: "...The Digital Waltz must be stopped.
Once its over, you can do whatever you want with me. I won't struggle"


"No." Madelyn grimly replied: "Maybe you're not a cop. But I am.
You and your associates will be processed by the book.
I will not allow street justice.
Taking the law into ones own hands, is considered a crime" Madelyn quietly said. Her voice was neutral, calm.



Mira slowly rose up, trying to fruitlessly wipe the blood from her hands, then gave up and ran into the middle of the road.
Waving her hands wildly, she stopped the first car that passed by and rushed to talk to the driver. After a few moments she signaled Zarovee and Lei.


Dr. Zarovee helped Tom on his feet and helped support his weight. Lei lifted Oboro with some effort. Then, the four of them slowly made their way toward the car.




"I'm going to the hospital with them" Mira quietly said, looking at you: "I'm not a soldier. I won't be any good in a fight. But I can do something else"
She looked at you with determination:

"...I'm a reporter. A famous one. It gives credibility to my word.
People know me. They recognize me. There's something only I can do.
I have all the evidence I need, about the Digital Waltz. My job now is to spread the word. The more people know about it, the weaker the Waltz will become"



"But, how?" Madelyn asked, grimacing: "The Waltz controls the media"



"The old fashioned way" Mira winked: "Yell to anyone who will listen" she looked at everyone with a small smile and waved: "Goodbye everyone. I'll see you again, once its over"

"Good luck guys" Rogue nods.

Kaylee Brown wrote:Mira, Dr. Zarovee, Lei Yan, Tomas and Oboro slowly disappeared inside the car, before the vehicle jerked and rapidly moved out of sight.




Madelyn quietly watched them, until the cars rear lights vanished from view. She looked around, seemingly trying to decide what to do. Then, your earpiece went active:

"...uuhhh... guys? Do you read? This is Amy Moore, you're friendly neighborhood programmer.." she girl nervously called. She sounded worried:

"...I've uhh... picked up some troubling chatter from the Union Military..

They're saying 'Sword Base' is under attack. The hostile forces appear to be remote controlled drones and Rumbas. Led by a girl in a pink dress. Judging by the description, they're talking about Emerald.


There's no reports of injured or casualties, but Emerald is making a steady push into the depths of  the base. She's apparently trying to hack into its main computers"




"She's trying to hack into 'Sword Base'?" Madelyn asked: "What kind of installation is it?"



"Its a Union missile base!" Amy said: "Built in response to the Slavegear attack, the base houses well over 200 missiles. Each one strong enough to level a city block.
If Emerald hacks into its mainframe, she'll gain full control of the arsenal!"

"Why'd they make a missile silo to defend against Slavegears, after they've already dismantled all the Slavegears?" Rogue asks Amy.

The Mage and The Mechanic wrote:(Frost)
"Yes, let's go help and see if we've placed our trust correctly." Frost looks directly at Madelyn her expression stern for a moment, it suddenly changes to a devilish grin "This should be fun"

(Naomi)
Naomi stares at the ground, car shield still gripped tight. She takes in a breath then releases it. Eyes, then head raising, a new spark is there.

D'you mean help Emerald, or help the Union military?" Rogue asks Frost.

(Frost)
Frost shifts her gaze to Rogue "Emerald of course. The Union lost my trust when they built Slavegear."

Arnold casts his gaze down. "I prefer it if we could take the ethical route. But we have to make choices here, ones we may not like. This is one of them. Right now, Emerald is trying to use the weapons for something, possibly unethical. But they wouldn't do that if they didn't steel themselves for it. We best get to Emerald, She's going to be a mayor figure now."

Angelo nods. "Even with or against the Union, she is our best bet now. We should find her anyway."

"Well... Have we tried contacting clopin about this? Mabye he might tell us why the plan might be... Unethical." she coughs a bit and crosses her arms.

Blue, blonde and purple wrote:Arnold casts his gaze down. "I prefer it if we could take the ethical route. But we have to make choices here, ones we may not like. This is one of them. Right now, Emerald is trying to use the weapons for something, possibly unethical. But they wouldn't do that if they didn't steel themselves for it. We best get to Emerald, She's going to be a mayor figure now."

Angelo nods. "Even with or against the Union, she is our best bet now. We should find her anyway."

"The ends never justify the means" Rogue says "I agree that we should head to the missile base, but we need more information about what they want those missiles for, before we just arbitrarily decide to help Emerald."

The Mage and The Mechanic wrote:(Frost)
Frost shifts her gaze to Rogue "Emerald of course. The Union lost my trust when they built Slavegear."

"It wasn't the entire Union's fault that Slavegear got built, 'twas just one of hundreds of projects they had in development at the time. You can't blame the entire organisation for the actions of a few of its members" Rogue explains "And besides, there was nothing wrong with the Slavegear itself, 'twas simply a powerful tool that fell into the wrong hands, just like any other."