Slavegear

(The Sprawl)

Riza finally reached the ladder and signaled Radiance: "There's too many wounded! Help Tarmikos down the ladder! I can't treat anyone until we're in a safer spot!"
She said, then secured Twilight better on her shoulders and started climbing down the hatch with her.
The entire time, the healing spirit was making extremely alarmed, high pitched noises.


The ladder went about 10 meters down. As you reach the bottom, you notice a very long and wide sewage tunnel. The floor had dried up and the cement walls were covered in some sort of underground growth.

The refugees didn't wait long and sprinted in the same direction, disappearing into the darkness, further down the tunnel.
Kaylee had her eyes closed. Her wheezing loudly echoed across the sewer tunnel. She was visibly suffocating.

Riza finally came down and placed Twilight up against the wall and began inspecting her for injuries:
"Come on.. time to wake up now" she mumbled, looking Twilight over.
The healing spirit still sat on Twilights shoulder. Its little paws moved, drawing a deliberate shape in thin air. Another magical glow surrounded Twilight for a moment, removing pain and stress.
Some of the wounds seemed a little bit smaller now.








(Firewing)

"You've given me no new information, Miss Firewing and my patience is wearing thin"
Dakova's voice rang through the radio. The sound of a helicopters engine came through the radio again, while he talked:
"Who ordered you to blow up the city? Was it Twilight? Is she trying to destabilize the Union?"

Five helicopters hovered over the area. Their guns aimed at the Sprawl.
One of the helicopters hovered slightly further away from the Sprawl, than the others.

"It was some batpony named mirek... He had some sort of weird green mechanical eye... If you want my exact order..." She stops a moment thinking back "You will activate the Weapon. You will go to the hangar and slaughter everyone there. You will take the Weapon, and Assassinate the Union Council. Incendiary rounds, maximize civilian casualties.
Then go to the HGTS and leave the Weapon there." She falls silent "Darcova equestria has nothing to do with this no matter what you wish to believe... There is terrorism going on in your country..." She frowns and looks into the air, "I'm trying to give you what you want but there is only so much I can give..." She huffs "I've provided what I could of my side now co.e get me and I'll answer whatever else you have for me..."

(Firewing)

"The HGTS. The Heavy Gear Transit System. Yes, we in fact have camera footage of Slavegear being taken to HGTS and loaded aboard a train there. Then the train rolled into the HGTS underground rail track system. Once the train reappeared again, it was carrying construction material!

Slavegear vanished inside the HGTS tunnels. We've searched them and found nothing.

And again I must underline that the individual named Marek is a former slave. He would not be courageous or foolish enough to strike against the Union, because he knows that if he declares war against the world, the Union will move in and squash him and his Vampire Unit.
The batponies have no military. It would be god damn suicide.

There is no evidence linking him to the crime scene. The only camera footage we have, is you, activating Slavegear and burning MY city! And since mind control is impossible, I'm fairly sure you did this by your own free will. Trying to pin this on the batponies won't work, Miss Firewing. No one will believe such a ridiculous story.



You will be taken into custody and await trail, by the Union's court of law. A car will take you back to the base. I expect cooperation. Sufficed to say, we won't be seeing each other again."

The radio clicked off.

One of the soldiers pushed you in the back, pointing toward one of the armored cars in the distance:
"Move it!" he barked.


The five helicopters continue to hover over the area. One of them was slightly further away from the Sprawl, than the others.

Fire's eyes lock onto the chopper... She clutches the transmitter in her hand and steps forward, "think fire..." Her world slows down as she sees her opportunity... It would be the only one she would get... So... She takes action without thought. Within that step forward she turns quickly and smashes the transmiter against the nearest soldiers head, she tears his blade from his hand and drives him through... As a final last ditch attempt she places one arm on his stomach and lifts him into the air and starts forward useing the forward weight to pick up speed also effectively using the single soldier as a shield for any incoming magical fire. With the speed she's built up she turns the blade up, and with a hardy flap of her wings tears the blade upward through the soldier and blade still in hand shoots tward the chopper she had Locked onto at an alarming speed that would make even the most calm and colected generals panic.

"I'm going to go back and see if anyone else needs help" Lord Wyvern says to Dr. Riza as he deposits Kaylee on the ground next to Twilight.

(Firewing)

The helicopter was hovering above ground, showing its left side toward you. A mechanical noise can be heard from it, but nothing much seemed to change.
The next second, the minigun on its nose, turned in your direction and its barrels began to spin, charging up. Its about to fire.






(The Sprawl)

"Be careful!" Riza called: "The fire is spreading fast!"

She looked at Twilight again and closed her eyes. Her hands lit up with magic and she began scanning Twilights body for injuries.
The healing spirit remained latched on to Twilights shoulder.

Kaylee was heavily breathing. Unsettling wheezing sounds escaped her lips, each time she exhaled.
She slowly reached out and touched Twilights palm: "...Twilight.." she whispered.

"I'm going out for a while" Lord Wyvern replies with a chuckle to Riza as he climbs back up the ladder, "I may be gone some time".

Fire growls "oh the fuck do you think your doing?" She shifts her wings and she knew she could make it into the side of the chopper before it could fire... The side where darkova was, and if she doesn't have any issues, she wouldn't have to cause herself pain and rip the bomb out... She could knock darcova out before he even got up... And take out 4 birds with one bird...

Twilight didn't move on her own, her head hanging down. During the scan, it shows that she did have some small bleeding left on the inside and the outside. However, the most noticable thing was a distinct rumbling inside her stomach area. A growl, that could only mean one thing:

It had no idea when it has seen food for the last time.

(Firewing)

The helicopter banked away, trying to move away from you.
A sudden beeping noise is heard from your stomach.





(Twilight)

"She's malnourished" Riza said, finishing the scan over Twilight: "There's some medical equipment back in my apartment, up in the city. If we can get there and she's still unconscious, I can give her proper nourishment with a nasogastric tube"

"A what" Kaylee quietly squeezed out.

"A tube, goes through your nose and into the stomach" Riza replied: "You can feed unconscious patients with it, without the fear of them suffocating on pieces of food by accident" She looked at the healing spirit: "Keep healing her until then, I'll leave her in your care"
The spirit emitted a chirping sound in return.

Riza then moved to Kaylee and opened up her backpack. There were a few bottles of pills in there, among other things. Riza fumbled around them, until she pulled out one bottle and handed a pill from it to Kaylee:
"Take this, its a steroid. Should improve your breathing for a while"

Kaylee numbly nodded and swallowed the pill.





(Wyvern)

As you climb up the ladder again, a thick wall of smoke appeared across your vision. The fire was growing, rapidly advancing toward you and swallowing everything in its path.
Houses began to collapse. The stalls in the market emitted strange cracking sounds until some of them began to loudly explode, as the fire reached the explosive ordinance that was being sold at the market.

The explosions from there grew larger and bigger, giving more fuel to the fire. It seems there's only moments left before it reaches your position.
You notice a large metal cover, that can be used to close and lock down the hatch.

Kaylee Brown wrote:(Firewing)

The helicopter banked away, trying to move away from you.
A sudden beeping noise is heard from your stomach.





(Twilight)

"She's malnourished" Riza said, finishing the scan over Twilight: "There's some medical equipment back in my apartment, up in the city. If we can get there and she's still unconscious, I can give her proper nourishment with a nasogastric tube"

"A what" Kaylee quietly squeezed out.

"A tube, goes through your nose and into the stomach" Riza replied: "You can feed unconscious patients with it, without the fear of them suffocating on pieces of food by accident" She looked at the healing spirit: "Keep healing her until then, I'll leave her in your care"
The spirit emitted a chirping sound in return.

Riza then moved to Kaylee and opened up her backpack. There were a few bottles of pills in there, among other things. Riza fumbled around them, until she pulled out one bottle and handed a pill from it to Kaylee:
"Take this, its a steroid. Should improve your breathing for a while"

Kaylee numbly nodded and swallowed the pill.





(Wyvern)

As you climb up the ladder again, a thick wall of smoke appeared across your vision. The fire was growing, rapidly advancing toward you and swallowing everything in its path.
Houses began to collapse. The stalls in the market emitted strange cracking sounds until some of them began to loudly explode, as the fire reached the explosive ordinance that was being sold at the market.

The explosions from there grew larger and bigger, giving more fuel to the fire. It seems there's only moments left before it reaches your position.
You notice a large metal cover, that can be used to close and lock down the hatch.

Lord Wyvern does a quick passive magic scan for any lifeforms.

Fire adjusts herself to make up for the banking... There was no way she was letting this fuck get away she skids to a stop in the chopper almost falling out but quickly making herself stable she assesses who's inside hoping she got the right one.

(Firewing)

The backdoor of the helicopter was open. Through it, you could see Dakova, his wings spread, quickly flying away from the helicopter.

His face, distorted with anger, bewilderment. He must have jumped out a few second ago.

Dozens of ice spikes where discharged from the ground below. They whistled through the air, striking you in dozens of places.
Pain shot through your body, only the adrenaline kept it at bay. Your movements became sluggish.

A sudden kick to your ribs almost knocks you unconscious. One of the pilots has abandoned his seat and now struggled to hold you in place.

Blood began to obscure your vision. You go deaf, perhaps permanently, as a lightning bolt strikes you from behind, discharged from the ground.
You couldn't make out your surroundings, or hear the fierce roar of the wind.

The only thing you could see was Dakova, desperately try to fly as far away as he could.

A strange feeling came from your stomach. Something mechanical clicked inside.


From the last of your strength, you rush passed the barrage of ice, passed the pilot and passed the helicopter, toward the man who started this all.
Dakova was in sight.
You couldn't hear a word of what he screamed, as his face became twisted with anger and fear, as he realized he was inside the blast radius. You could only read his lips, as they finally whispered:

"No"


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A blinding light engulfed the helicopter and erupted into a deafening roar, as the bomb detonated.

The ground shook from the shockwave. The sky briefly lit up with orange, as what was left of the helicopter, came crashing down onto the Artemis soldiers on ground.

Dakova's scream echoed across the air, as his body was swallowed by flame and violently hurled to the ground.

The fire continued to burn over the carcass of the helicopter. For a moment, the sky continued to shine with the colors of orange.













(The Sprawl)

Wrecker was sitting in the sewage tunnel, off to the side from Twilight and Riza.
A small electronic device held in his hand. It slowly dropped to the ground from his fingers as he released a slow sigh:
"...I'm sorry Fire.. I had to make sure the bomb would go off.." he quietly whispered, his voice barely audible.


One of the Artemis radio's, hidden behind Kaylee's jacket, suddenly went online and began transmitting:
" - All units... all units, General Dakova is down. Repeat, General Dakova is down. We have wounded, requesting medical evac over!
- This is Captain MacTavish, my team is at the sewage pumping station! Requesting to belay order to flood the sewage tunnels, how copy?!"


"Oh my god" Kaylee closed her mouth with her hand: "No!.. Dakova planned to flood the sewage tunnels! There's nowhere left to run from here! We'll drown! We're going to die!"


"- MacTavish!" the radio went live again: "Dakova's orders were to flood the tunnel! Proceed with your mission!
- Negative! I have new information! There are homeless people still living there! We can't sacrifice innocent lives for the sake of the mission! Its not who we are! Its not what Artemis stands for!
- GOD DAMN IT MACTAVISH! DAKOVA ORDERED-!
- This is an illegal order! I have new information that forbids me to follow it! Let me speak to Dakova!
- That's not possible!
- Is he dead!?
- We don't know! God damn it MacTavish, if he survives, he will burn down all of our asses! Do as you're told! The fugitives must not escape! We can end this, right now! Flood the god damn tunnels!

-... I refuse" the radio went silent for a moment, before going online again: "This is Captain MacTavish, I'm temporarily assuming command of the Artemis forces, until the end of this crisis.
I am belaying the order to flood the tunnels!
I will accept full responsibility.

All Artemis units, your mission now is to assist the wounded, civilian or military. MacTavish out"



Kaylee slowly exhaled and leaned back against the wall:
"...Firewing...... if she didn't go after Dakova... we would be dead right now.... she saved....
She saved us" Kaylee's hands collected into fists as a tear fell from her eye and she quietly sobbed.

Fire feels light... And warm all the pain from her last exertion flooded away as her mind cleared... Her last thought was "I'm coming my brothers" she had no idea where she was but she could feel the groups presence... She sighs as she gets a feel for her surroundings... She stands next to her old friends they all flash smiles at each other and wait for kaylee's call... Whenever that may be... They will be waiting.

Radiance and Tarmikos both managed to make it to the group as Fire's sacrifice was heard over the radio. Radiance leaned Tarmikos along the wall allowing him to slide down into a sitting position.

Radiance's head is tilted towards the ceiling of the sewer "Rest in peace dear Fire." He clenches his right fist bring up his arm and placing it on top of his heart.


Tarmikos folded his arms letting them rest on top of his knees. The veins on his arm softly pulsed. He breathed heavily trying to think through the pounding in his temples.

Fire frowns looking to her friends beside her she wasn't satisfied with just dying and trusting that darcova was dead. She had to find and see the body... She opens her wings in complete silence she lowers herself to the crash site in her ears flicking at the sound of fire... She looks around wanting to take in the destruction she has caused looking for darcova or her body... If anyone were to approach the crash site they wouldn't see anything but the effects of a strange light moving around the area. She just needed something... And if Darcova was still alive, she would execute him.

(More or less Kaylee I just want to hear the description and the aftermath.)

Lord Wyvern continues his passive magic scan for any lifeforms still in the Sprawl.

(The Sprawl)

The scan didn't seem to reveal anymore life forms. The fire continued to spread, closing in toward the hatch and consuming everything in its path. You notice a large metal cover, that can be used to close and lock down this entrance to the sewer.

Down in the tunnels, Riza sighed and placed Twilight over his shoulders again:
"...we have to move.... If we can get out of the sewers, I have an apartment a few blocks from here. There should be some medical supplies left in there. If we can reach it, I may be able to patch up your injuries.. hopefully.......... Kaylee, can you walk?"

Kaylee numbly nodded. Her breathing improved but she still struggled to inhale. After a moment, she rose up with some effort, her prosthetic loudly echoing across the tunnel.

"Come on, we shouldn't stay here" She waved to everyone to follow:
"Wyvern!" She called: "Hurry, we have to go"







(Firewing)

Most of the street has been reduced into rubble. Chunks of metal laid everywhere, still burning. A massive husk of a helicopter could be seen a few feet away.
Several ambulances stood off to the side and as you approach, you notice two medics, carrying a body out on a stretcher, its face covered by a sheet.

"...time of death, 02:34" another medic called.

One of the soldiers reached into his pocket and pulled out a radio: "All units, all units, General Dakova has succumbed to his injuries.. over"

The medics loaded the covered body into an ambulance and it slowly drove away.

"Got it" Lord Wyvern called down to Kaylee as he pulled down the metal cover and locked down the hatch, before climbing back down the ladder. "There doesn't seem to be anyone still up there" he reports to the group, "I think we're the last to leave".

(The Sprawl)

".. we should go" Riza quietly called and started heading down the sewage tunnel. Kaylee tried to stay close, throwing worried glances at Twilight every now and then.

The walk took several long minutes. The distant dripping of water and occasional squeaking of rats, was the only thing that broke the heavy silence. The sewage tunnel eventually ended in another construction site.
Part of the cylindrical sewage tunnel was taken out and you could see the night sky and how deep the tunnel was. As you step out of the tunnel and onto dirt ridden ground, the city lights began to come into view.

You seem to be inside a massive, rectangular excavation in the ground, where part of the sewage tunnel was unearthed and apparently waiting to be swapped, but the construction site seemed abandoned.
Riza found a slippery set of stairs, completely covered in dirt and began climbing up. The tall buildings of the city began to come into view.

Bright, inviting lights shined around you, giving off a warm, pleasant feeling. The ponies passing by looked peaceful, and nothing seemed to show that a terrible battle took place, only a few blocks from here. The night life of the city, continued on, as if nothing had happened.




You get several odd looks as you make your way through the streets, but mostly the passersby tried to avoid getting close.
Riza made several sharp turns into more darker alleys, away from the prying eyes of the public. The walk lasted for almost half an hour, before you arrived to an old looking apartment complex and Riza went inside.

Through several flights of stairs, she finally stopped at a tiny looking apartment and unlocked the door with her key. Only two small rooms seem to be here. The furniture was old and moth eaten. A fine layer of dust, only disturbed in a few places, indicated that Riza didn't visit here often.

She made her way to a sofa and placed Twilight there, then made her way to the bathroom:
"Find a place to crash, there should be a few arm chairs and a mattress in the other room" she said, disappearing from view.




After a moment she appeared with a first aid kit and a few other medical items. She began working next to Twilight, setting up a long tube, through her nose and into her stomach. Several moments later, she hooked up a bag of some type of liquid, and set it to slowly drip into the tube.

"...there... that should do it" she called: "A compact nutritious meal, vitamins, everything a body needs to survive. It should help speed up her recovery"

Riza looked at you: "I may have something left in the fridge. Help yourselves" she walked over to an armchair and sank into it"



"Moon Dusts?" Kaylee called after a moment: "Do you still have that bag of groceries that Johan gave us?"

"Thanks" Lord Wyvern replies to Dr. Riza before going over to the fridge, openning it, and looking at the contents.

She frowns as they only came by for darcova... They didn't come around at all for the other soldiers... Her wings open again and she slowly makes her way back next to her group... She waits vigilent for Kaylee.

"I think so" she nodded "Won't do much good for me, but you lot can eat." She nodded and sat on the floor, leaning against the wall. Moon put the bag on the ground and looked around.

Radiance nods then walks to the corner of the room. He sits down crossing his legs letting out a sigh of relief. He folds his hands together placing them on his lap. In his meditative position, Radiance works to calm his breathing and reflect internally on what has just happened.


Tarmikos leans against the wall crossing his arms. His head still throbs from the explosion.

"So," he speaks to on one in particular "What do we do now?"

There's a sudden crash and a girl quickly enters the room quitely closing the door... The room is silent as she doesn't meet eyes with any of you... She she had rain blue skin and her hair seemed to gradient from gray to dark gray as it went down. Her eyes were a watery blue as well. She was skinny and lengthy the kind of body a climber and a runner would have, she had on a black T-shirt and on the shirt was a small symbol just above her left breast, it looked like a bat pony with long sharp fangs. She had tight fitting military like pants on and strung around her body was a longbow reinforced with steel on its arches.she draws an arrow and the bow is ready faster then many of you can react, she takes a stance and her eyes flick from person to person, "everyone... Remain silent..." She doesnt shake as she aims even though it looks like she has a heavy draw, on her right hand was a two fingered glove that held the string and on her left was a fingerless glove that looked like it gripped her bow rather nicely, "your the hero's and terrorists that have the world torn in half on weather its your fault or not..." She lowers her aim "so... Which is it?"