Hoofterlands Ch.6

[Knight Tyrfang]

Khaem
Hoofterlands - Appleoosa outskirts

Khaem gave the commander a strange look, not sure what he was trying to figure out. But when his horn stopped glowing, and the feeling of heat within her return, a smile started to grow on her face as her suspicions were confirmed.

"Oh, is that all?" Khaem said, inhaling before spitting a small spit-wad of fire into the pit. "An odd request, but I'd be rude not to comply. Do ponies not have the ability to light fires themselves?"

"And... aren't you going to restrain me or anything? Clap me in chains, muzzle my maw, all sorts of restrictive things to make sure I don't kill anyone?" She asked, reshouldering her backpack before following close behind.

[Lucy Took]

Coma stepped out from the rock formation he'd been hiding in at the sight of the airship and for the duration. "I doubt that someone working for the alliance would blow one of their ships out of the sky in order to capture a couple of random peacekeepers. That said, can I see the teletype that sent you here? I'd like to verify your story before taking a step on whatever it is that you're riding in." Normally the metal contraption that the pony had used to blast a ship out of the sky would have gotten more curiosity from the bad pony, but he was tired and just wanted to know if they wanted to kill him and steal his secrets or if they were willing to let him have a place to sleep on his way back to Canterlot or whatever civilized place they were going back to.

[ExTecha]

Nightingale & Elegant Shard

Hoofterlands - Outskirts of Appleoosa

Nightingale Glared at the back of the teen's head as the dragon followed Captain Breaker. "Because you'd be eating your innards before you had the chance."

Elegant trotted alongside the Captain. "Nightingale, you should see to the scout forces."

Nightingale brushed past the dragon, glaring at him as she trotted by. "You try anything, and you'll live an eternity wishing you'd die." Her eyes drifted to her brother who simply smiled at her. Throwing her head back, she jumped forward as her body broke apart into a flock of shadow ravens, disappearing into the nearby shadows of troops and tents.

"You'll have to forgive her, Khaem. She's not all bad."

[Knight Tyrfang]

Khaem
Hoofterlands - Outskirts of Appleoosa

"Fair enough." Khaem said simply, as she was trying to figure out the unicorn. Especially how her magic worked, she could not fathom how any living being was able to do what this one was doing. Equestrian magic fascinated her. Her eyes continued to follow even the ravens until she could see nothing.

"In truth, my dear, I couldn't tell." The dragon admitted to the politest out of the three unicorns she had ever met. "I wouldn't fault her though. Dragons are quite deadly, and I'm sure quite a few of us have already mowed down a number of your kind already."

Tossing a few almonds in her maw, she said this somewhat nonchalantly, but she looked fairly pleased by the fact.

[MagusZeal]

Balthier Breaker
Hoofterlands – Appleoosa outskirts

“Thirty seven thousand, seven hundred and thirty four as of yesterday.” Being an E.M.P. meant he had access to things not every pony knew, and the Field Marshal wanted them to be aware of how it was going. “And in turn we've managed to kill one elder, another was killed by your own kind, twelve adults, and many, teen and hatchlings, but you're not really here for numbers are you?” Stopping by the tent Breaker throws open the flap, his horn glowing sending the maps, papers and figures into a mess on the table. "Your here to surrender."

[Knight Tyrfang]

Khaem
Hoofterlands - Appleoosa outskirts

"Nope, not here for statistics, but I have to applaud you for it. Such force from such small creatures, very impressive. Would you mind telling me specific kill counts?" The dragon asked. She knew her kin got killed frequently, but that's just due to their nature. High resilience and very deadly, but when it came to discipline and restraint, those were very minimal at times. Headstrong and dumb a lot of them were, the thinner that pool of grunts were, the better. But understanding the stats would give her a good idea of how their current equipment were doing. However she shook her head, reminding herself of her objective. "I was aware of the Elder death too. Officinus-"

She stopped, and plopped herself down on a seat. The researcher looked surprised. "One moment, did you say that an Elder was killed by a betrayer?"

[MagusZeal]

Balthier Breaker
Hoofterlands – Appleoosa outskirts

Stepping inside the stallion merely nods to Elegant signalling the stallion to stay near their prisoner. “Well when half the fleet at Cloudsdale turns their guns on their friends and also manages to kill, what was his title? The Skylord or something, yeah we generally consider that a betrayal, but for all we know that's normal. Torlem's not been very forthcoming at times.” It was a lie, but he doubt Khaem knew that. “So far as we can tell Jagged decided to take out your Skylord and take his place along with his brood. That sound right to you Elegant, or am I forgetting something again?”

[Knight Tyrfang]

Khaem
Hoofterlands - Appleoosa

Khaem's expression was blank for a moment, and then fill of rage. She got up halfway from her seat, before forcing herself to sit back down, and breathe carefully. Calming herself, she did her best to keep her blood from boiling. What she hated most about the fire pill, getting hot-tempered could lead to uncontrolled violence.

"...So two traitorous Elders." Was her response after a long moment of silence. She sighed, and put her face in claw in shame. "Morons, idiots, all of them... "Oh, look at me, I'm a self-absorbed, manipulative war-lord because of my size and age, despite that I'm practically a rotting carcass and smell like puke."

It was clear she was attempting to imitate an Elder, and it sounded parallel to Tolrem's tone of voice specifically. The dragon irritably mumbled something about leadership being incredibly incompetent, as well as the suggestion that if she was in charge, results would be "optimal' in eradication, although not pursuing the endeavor due to it being entirely pointless.

Her tangent went on, the researcher claiming pretty clearly that she'd do a better job in all aspects, self-absorbed deeply. It was a few moments before she was done, and sighed again.

"Never mind. With how the war has been going from this news, then at least all the problematic ones would be dead. Survival of the fittest I say. Let's go back to the me surrendering topic." Khaem said, brushing everything to the side. "So what entails of me surrendering then? I suppose that I'm to be converted through magic, like those goofball gryphons, and other defectors had been. Weak-minded a lot of them are."

[captain_borgue]

"Of course," Iron said, before grabbing the teletype sheet and passing it to Bolt. "Here, show our new friends the message- and then do your best to convince them to climb aboard. The sooner we get back on a rail line and head towards Canterlot, the better."

Iron watched intently as Bolt flew over to the rocky outcropping, while the others kept scanning the skies and the horizon. He was impressed with how versatile the Zang had proven itself to be. It was a worthy successor to the Svantovit, which had been Iron's very favorite ship. He still found it amazing he'd lived through the ordeal, let alone an Elder had defected mere hours after another had been killed. Between the defection and the griffons changing sides, the war seemed to have turned a corner at last.

"I don't mean to be pushy, but I'd prefer we get back to the rail lines as fast as possible.

[Lucy Took]

Chroma nodded towards Iron Sided. "I'm perfectly fine with getting out of here as soon as possible." he said, flying into the contraption. It was strange, and odd, and pretty obvious, but it would travel faster than going by hoof would and he really wanted to be out of the dragon's territory.

[MagusZeal]

Balthier Breaker
Hoofterlands – Appleoosa outskirts

“Well we send word to Canterlot and see what they want to do. More then likely either someone important will come out here to speak with you or we'll ship you away from the front line under guard. Beyond that not really my concern, my interest lies in the ruins of Appleoosa.” The teen's action spoke of an actual dislike of the Alliance's leadership, or at least of Torlem, but this could still all be some odd trap.”

[ExTecha]

Nightingale

Hoofterlands - Appleoosa

Drifting through the shadows, Nightingale's form finally emerged in what seemed to be a storehouse in Appleoosa. The dim lighting of lanterns revealed stacks of boxes and barrels. The silence of the room was broken by the idle chatter of two voices. Peeking out from some boxes, Nightingale looked on as the scaled forms of two teen dragons blocked the door. Nightingale pulled her head back behind the boxes. Looking down at the shadow from which she entered this room, a small raven flapped out.

The dragon's conversation was cut short by a loud "CAW" from the back of the storehouse. Alarmed, the teens carefully made their way back into the storehouse. As they reached the final grouping of boxes, a small raven fluttered past them. Turning to face it, the raven perched on a nearby barrel and let out another loud "CAW". Looking somewhat bewildered, one of the teens turned to the other. "If that isn't the most peculiar... how d'ya think it got in?" The other simply looked back with a sigh, "Let's just eat the damn thing and..."

The raven cut him short with another "CAW," this time the dragon's were more than surprised when black chains, tipped with hooks, shot from the ravens maw and dug into their maws. As the hooks dug in through the bottom and top of their maws, both dragons raised claws to swipe at the bird, only to have hooks dig into their claws, the tendons in their legs, and the meat of their wings. The hooks and chains poured from the shadows. Soon enough, the two teens were suspended in the air between the aisles, their bodies pierced and splayed out. Only able to glance at each other the two looked on as the white form of a pony emerged from between them. "Stupid, disgusting creatures." Walking over to the raven, chains still protruding from it's maw, Nightingale rubbed her hoof softly along it's black shadowy feathers. "So soon to condemn those you deem weaker than you. It should be only fair right, what do you think, in one moment part of you could be over there, and another part of you could be over there." She looked back at the two with pure black eyes, shadowy smoke poured from them. The teens tried to yell out, but all they could manage were moans as the hooks kept their maws shut. "You're right... you don't deserve that." One of the dragon's was lowered to the floor, still splayed out, his maw was pulled open, the lower half pressing against the floor.

"You don't deserve it to be quick. You and your pathetic, vile, cruel, and disgusting kind will burn with the pain of the lives you've destroyed." The shadows on the floor quickly raced into the dragon's maw and down his throat. "We wouldn't want you to use that nasty breath you lizards are so fond of." The other dragon looked on as something in the shadows leading into the other dragons maw began to move... wriggle even. It didn't take long as hundreds if not thousands of black shadowy centipedes, cockroaches, snakes, mice, and rats began to pour from the shadows, all crawling into the dragon's maw and down his throat. "Bon appetite, wretch." The dragon's body began to squirm against the chains on the floor as the vermin poured into his gullet and began to eat their way outwards.

The other dragon struggled in the air at the sight of his comrade being force fed in such a way. Nightingale drifted over like a ghost, holding her left forehoof up against his chin. "We haven't forgotten about you. We have something special for you" Without much expended effort on her part, more hooks and chains poured out of the shadows, latching onto nearly every one of the dragon's scales. "I've always wondered, what happens when a dragon has no scales, is it like nude flesh under there?" Again the dragon struggled, but not without severe pain and still with no avail. Pushing his chin up, Nightingales eyes poured with black smoke. Tendrils raised from the dragon's own shadow slithered like snakes, sliding along his belly. Two of them stopped just outside his shut maw, the other two just shy of his eyes. "Look well and listen well. For I shall be the last thing you ever see again. I'm going to show the world what you truly are, I'm going to rip off those pretty scales of yours, then pull out your tongue, and turn your eyes into pulp and kick you out of that door. But have no fear, you'll still be able to hear... every babe crying, every other dragon, zebra, and filthy alliance member looking onto you and saying "Dear god, what is that thing." You will be my message to the alliance. Your kind will reap what they have sown. Consider yourself lucky, an eternity of torment for me will only reflect on a small time of torment for you. Maybe one of your betters will be kind enough to put you out of your misery."

Nightingale turned away, looking at the other dragon's corpse as the vermin poured out of freshly made orifices, back into the shadows to disappear. Swallowing a twinge of guilt in her throat, she walked away from the other dragon as the chains began to pull and the tendrils began to invade his eyes and mouth, muffled screams filling the air. "We follow and lead, but only as you pass. Dress yourself in darkest black, and we are darker still. Always we flee the light, though without the sun we would be none."

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Elegant Shard

Hoofterlands - Outside Appleoosa

Elegant looked over at the Captain and back at the dragon. "I do find it somewhat odd that you speak of... traitors, in the manner you do. I mean given the circumstances." Elegant walked over to the table to look over the maps. "Regardless, we have work to do. Any thoughts Captain? We need to act fast, I fear that Nightingale will soon become reckless. Her patience in these matters has proven less than reasonable since... her incedent. Whether she get's results or not, I won't see my sister continue the way she's been going and become the monster the alliance and even some of our own describe her as." Turning to Renew. "Speaking of which. Lady Renew... erm, Dr. Renew. Have you been able to piece together anything else about her condition? Anything at all?"

[Knight Tyrfang]

Khaem
Hoofterlands - Appleoosa

Groaning, Khaem just slumped in her chair looking annoyed. "So I'm assuming that means more waiting then. And I thought this would be a quick process..."

"Also my dear, you have a perfectly valid point." The dragon added in response to one of the other unicorn's comments. She had already forgotten everyone's names though, but still remembered that this one seemed fairly polite.

But that was all she left it at, and she just quietly looked around the tent for something to distract herself with. The search quickly ending the moment the word 'Doctor' tickled Khaem's ear. Suddenly she was back sitting upright, and more intrigued by the conversation she had no business being apart of, looking like a dog with a new bone. Even her notebook and pencil was out already, as she stared intently at the third Equestrian.

[Lucy Took]

"Unfortunately no." Renew said, stepping away from the teletype where she had been sitting, waiting for replies and working out equations for a training session with the twins later. "Her problem seems to be a mix of psychological and magical issues. I haven't been able to study psychology nearly as much as I would like to, in school I passed psych over in favor of more hard science classes, and it's something I really regret now. As for the magic issues, it's not the kind that I normally use, it's not even one that I've seen before. I do wonder if it's somehow related to Mustang's though, I'd like to see what he makes of it once he gets better control over his own powers."

[ExTecha]

Elegant Shard

Hoofterlands - Outside Appleoosa

Sighing and closing his eyes, hoof to his forehead. "I'm not sure we have that time, from what I hear, Mustang has never been one to embrace his powers. And we... I need to know how to help her. Isn't there anyone else? I need to know that she's going to be okay Doctor. Is there anyone who would know more about this kind of stuff?"

[MagusZeal]

Balthier Breaker
Hoofterlands – Appleoosa outskirts

“If you think it's bad enough Elegant send word to the Field Marshal asking her to send him out here.” Trying not to gawk at the teen Breaker shifts a few pages around on the table. The teen seemed bored before Renew's profession was mentioned, “Nothing worth doing is ever quick Khaem. Though it'll be interesting to see what Torlem makes of your defection. Given he seemed sure any dragon wanting to defect was already with him.”

[Lucy Took]

"I'll send word out." Renew said, going back to the telotype. "I know he's reserved, but he also has research roots that could really help us right now. Failing that I'll go to Princess Luna if need be, Elegance." she said, finishing the telotype and looking at Kheam. "What did the cat bring in today? Surprised Nightingale didn't kill her on sight."

[ExTecha]

Elegant Shard

Hoofterlands - Outside of Appleoosa

"She was most certainly ready to. Her hatred for dragons has gone up by leaps and bounds since she woke. We're lucky this one isn't splayed out in the camp. I sent her to scout and cool off." Elegant retorted, his long perfect mane waving with the slight breeze through the tent.

[Lucy Took]

"You sent her to scout and cool off?" Renew asked, slightly exasperatedly. "You sent her with someone, right? Because if I know anything about your sister lately if she were to find anything while scouting she'd rip their guts out before telling us what she found." The doctor got up from the machine. "Breaker, Night's out in the woods somewhere doing Celestia knows what. I think that sounds like a terrible idea. Should I send scouts to get her or is that something I should do myself?"

[ExTecha]

Nightingale

Hoofterlands - Outside of Appleoosa

Suddenly a large "CAW" echoed throughout the tent. A raven precariously perched upon a side tables edge, cocked his head before a flock of ravens poured through the flap of the tent, as the flock circled around the inside, Nightingale stepped out of the flurry. "No need to be alarmed. I'm here, safe as a button." Nightingale trotted silently over to the table, opposite the dragon. "Glad to hear you're so worried about me Doctor..."