You're in a tavern. Suddenly, the door bursts open and everyone is frozen in place. Everything goes silent. The air is stagnant and your food is rotten. An old stallion tells you years have past, and you've been brought back from stone to fight the medusa that caused this mess.
Previously on Mazes and Medusas,
>You were attacked by undead
>You found Cloudsdale
>Flashbang started dying while picking herbs
Last we left off, you were threatening the client for the imp job
>Archive
http://anonpone.pineapplecomputing.com/mazes
>>25274962
You catch her looking past you and you turn around to check your six, make sure nothing is coming up the stairs behind you.
Nothing.
You regard the mare suspiciously.
"Are you waiting for something?"
>"What? No! Nothing at all!"
"Well that's good. Because if you were, you'd be the first to go down if anything happened. Now open the door. You first."
She gulps and reaches for the door handle.
She opens it slowly and steps through the threshold.
You look past her.
It looks almost like a bedroom of sorts. There are four beds, all with messy sheets.
In a pile in the back wall and corner, you spot loads of adventuring equipment.
Weapons, armors, shields, bags, ropes, kits, bottles of various liquids, and more. Really, things that adventurers typically carry.
Interestingly, you manage to spot a few noteworthy items among the pile.
Carver's armor stands out, and you can make out the fancy guard of Loyalty's Rapier.
>"S-see? Nothing's here! N-now will you take care of the imps for me?"
"Gis, watch behind us. You!"
You draw your glaive and point at the mare threateningly.
"Tell me what you did to them before I make you tell me. I see their stuff in the room, I know they were here. I will cut you open and feed you to a giant snake if you don't tell me where they are! And you better tell me, because either way, I'm going to find them, so you should just spit it out right now!"
She slowly backs into the room as you advance on her, step by step.
She stumbles and lands on her rump. You tower over her, glaive inches away from her face.
Her eyes shrink to the size of pinpricks as she stares up at you.
She takes a glance at Gisela, who has her crossbow aimed down the hall.
If help could come, they'd have to go through her, and it seems the mare has realized that.
>"Stop, STOP! I'll talk! They're in the basement! We lure schmucks down there, ambush them, knock them out, and take their stuff! Please, dont kill me!"
>>25274970
So where's number 2?
>>25274970
How many do you have?
>>25274970
How many goons ya got?
>>25274970
Keep Gis watching, grab you stuff and look over the other junk for anything good to loot before leading the mare to the basement.
>>25275002
>>25275040
>>25275045
>>25275133
"How many of you are there?"
>"Th-there's me and three others. I watch the front and take the targets to the basement."
"So what are they?"
>"They're all pegasi. While the marks are focused on imaginary imps, the three of them knock them out from behind. They hide in the dark rafters above the doorway and attack once the target gets far enough into the room."
You hold your glare. The mare's eyes are little dots as she breathes heavily in the face of your weapon.
"Don't move. Any funny business and I will not hesitate to strike you down. Gis, keep watching."
The mare holds perfectly still, not even a nod as you step over her toward the pile of equipment.
You see a bunch of short swords, some bows, crossbows, ammo. You spot some bucklers, a kite shield, tower shield. You find padded clothing, leather armors, chain mail. There are a bunch of lamps, torches, bedrolls, water pouches, rations, flint and steels, rope, blankets, bottles, first aid kits, lockpick kits.
It's basically a store full of basic adventuring gear.
And of course, you spot all of your friends' things. Wherever they are, they're stripped of all of their things.
>>25275335
what do you do with them after robbing them? Why haven't any of these other adventures come back for their stuff?
>>25275335
Alright, where are they?
>>25275335
Take Jet and Eves weapons and Jets medical kit.
we can give carver one of our weapons since her armours too bulky to carry while fighting.
>>25275363
>"Stop, STOP! I'll talk! They're in the basement! We lure schmucks down there, ambush them, knock them out, and take their stuff! Please, don't kill me!"
>>25275382
Yeah, but where?
>>25275335
grab rope from the pile and tie her to a post. make sure she's out of reach from anything sharp.
Then pull some random placebo out of Jets medical bag and make her eat/drink it, tell her its a poison and that she better pray we're able to come back to give her the antidote, then ask her if she's told us everything important about the ambush.
>>25275429
The hell is it with you and torture?
>>25275466
Other than the fact that it just worked for us, you're now saying that feeding her a lollipop and lying to her is 'torture'.
>>25275483
>Just worked
That was a threat, not torture.
Don't be a sadist. We don't need to make her think we're poisoning her.
You're resorting to unnecessary underhanded tactics when she's already telling us exactly what we need to know.
>>25275505
Sure she is, I'm sure she told the truth about the ambush and not what we wanted to hear. After all, its not like she'd benefit from us to run in looking at the ceiling when the ambush is coming from the left.
You have to make her invested in our success, threatening her doesn't do shit because if we fail we can't come punish her for lying to us.
>>25275335
What are you doing with these targets after robbing them?
>>25275353
>>25275363
>>25275376
>>25275613
"What do you do with everyone after robbing them? Why haven't any of these other adventurers come back for their things?"
>"You think we just give them back their things? What kind of thieves would do that?"
You slam your glaive into the wooden boards just beside her head, eliciting a choked "Eeep!"
"Just answer the question!"
>"We've got a room in the basement where we lock them up! We tie them up, gag them, and just leave them there."
Just leave them there? Looking at the pile of gear, they must have hit at least a half dozen other adventurers. What of their fates?
"You don't feed them or anything? How many deaths are you responsible for?!"
>"We haven't killed anyone! This is actually a new operation, up just yesterday. A town like this, there's plenty of fresh, young faces who don't know better and are willing to take such an easy job."
That's good to hear. The other marks might be hungry, thirsty, and more than a little scared, but it's a huge relief to know none of them have died.
"You said you locked them up. Where's the key?"
>"One of the others has it. I manage the front of the house. I have no business in actually locking them up."
>>25275679
Well how about you pay them a little visit?
>>25275679
We'll have to go invade the basement then. We know they hide in the dark, and she claims they're above the doorway.
A flash grenade of some sort would be great in this situation. We shouldn't take stuff from the other adventurers but it would be stupid to take unnecessary risks.
Lets not forget those three pegasi could take out carver, eve and jet.
We need to know where in the basement are they locked up, and how lit the room is. We could use some light.
I don't know how were going to hold three pegasi and that mare together. We would need to knock them out at some point, we can't handle all four of them just with the two of us.
We could avoid having to actually fight them by using a lockpick kit.
Alternatively, we could use our super crossbow to blow up the door and toss weapons to the prisoners...
I fail to see a solid, failsafe plan in this situation, I'm just tossing ideas.
>>25275985
To be fair, they did get the jump on them.
We do have a hostage. We could possibly trade ours for theirs.
>>25275705
You grab Loyalty's Rapier, Kindness's Dagger, and Jet's medkit. If they need it, they'll have it, and you can just go back for the rest of the stuff once things calm down.
"Get up. You're taking us to them."
Using the butt of your glaive, you roughly nudge the mare to her hooves.
>"Ow! I'm going, I'm going!"
You hold her at bladepoint as she walks to the exit of the room. Gisela makes sure to give her a wide berth, careful of any quick moves, also pointing her weapon at her in case she decides to run.
The mare walks down the hallway and descends the stairs, her hoofsteps not nearly as loud and stompy as the first time through.
Once you reach the main floor, you notice that the front door to the building is open. You're pretty sure it was closed when she led you up.
The mare continues down the second flight of stairs down to the basement, but she stops at the top.
Looking over her shoulder, the door to the basement is open, nothing visible at your angle other than the concrete flooring and the lack of lighting.
>>25276102
Gis, eyes outside.
>>25275679
In she goes. Slowly.
>>25276102
God, now I'm worried they're going to rush in, grab the rest of our stuff, and book it.
>>25276102
Two possibilities. Either they all left already, not to get caught, either they want to reach the attic by flying outside, and get away with as much loot as possible.
Lets close the doors, go back up there with the hostage, pick a few lamps.
In case the three of them are still waiting, hesitating, we should tell them we know what's going on, we have an hostage, explosives, and we can bring the guards here. But if they choose to just free the prisoners and give them their stuff back, we're not going to chase after them.
Either way, they can't leave with all the prisoners. So the best thing to do is make sure they don't get away with the loot.
Unless they start taking hostages on their own. In which case we'll get the guards.
Lets remind them we have explosives.
>>25276121
>>25276133
>>25276141
>>25276353
"Gis, you guard the front door. Make sure no one comes in. I don't don't want anyone coming inside and taking the rest of our things while we check out the basement."
Cautiously, Gisela stalks her way to the front door and pushes it closed, taking a defensive position against the wall beside the door.
"Now, you," you thrust your glaive forward beside the mare's face, "go in. Slowly."
The mare gulps audibly and heeds your order.
"We know what's going on," you call out.
You don't know where any of them are, but you're fairly confident they're still in the area waiting for any sort of opportunity.
"We have a hostage, we can bring the guard here, and we've got explosives! If you free the prisoners and return their belongings, we won't chase after you!"
The explosives thing is a total bluff, you know, but hopefully they buy it?
The mare continues making her way down the steps.
"Last chance!"
Silence answers your call.
Finally, the mare reaches the bottom of the stairs and steps through the threshold, you waiting on the other side of the doorway.
From this new vantage point, you can more clearly see the inside of the basement.
The room is dimly lit by two lanterns on either side of the room. They're bright enough just so whoever is down here won't be a bumbling mess.
Crates litter the room, some covered by tarps and sheets. In the far corner, a small wall of crates is set up, almost like a little fortress, enough space between it and the room's wall for something to hide.
On the far side of the room, you spot a metal door.
She takes a few steps into the room before stopping and looking around, her eyes stopping at the door, the crates scattered around the room, the crate nest in the back, and up at the ceiling before back to you.
>"N-no one's here..."
>>25276629
>They hide in the dark rafters above the doorway and attack once the target gets far enough into the room.
Let's keep the caution up, shall we?
Also the stuff we left is totally gone by now.
>>25276629
You didn't mention a door.
>>25276629
If no one's here, you wouldn't mind checking those crates now would you?
>>25276677
>>25276682
>>25276701
"You didn't mention a door."
She gives you a look.
>"Are you stupid? I told you we had a room down here where we kept everyone."
Oh.
"And that's it right there?"
>"Duh! What else would it be?"
"Maybe it was a secondary escape route, I don't know! I was just making sure."
Nailed it.
"So no one's here, huh? Do you mind checking those crates in the back there?"
It wasn't really a question, it was more of a demand, and she makes her way away from you towards the little nest.
>"That's where we tell everyone the imps are. We tell them to watch out for the nest of crates they've made in the back, then when they're attention is on that, the others come in from above and behind."
The mare peeks through the cracks in the stacks of boxes before calling out to you.
>"Nothing. They're gone. And the key's probably gone with them. Look, they probably left when they heard I was in trouble, and we don't have some meeting spot out in the city. They could be anywhere. S-so... will you let me go now? I told you what you wanted to know."
>>25276915
You can go when everyone you took is safe.
>>25276915
No
Now what do your lovely little slimeballs look like?
>>25276915
As much as I'd love to, I need that door open one way or another.
>>25276915
You're not going anywhere until my friends are free.
>>25276915
we have a huge adventurers loot stash upstairs, surely someone had a lockpicking set.
>>25276934
>>25277003
>>25277007
>>25277017
"You aren't free until everyone you took is free."
>"I already told you! They're locked up and I don't have the key! One of the others has it and I have no idea where they are now!"
"There's a huge loot stash upstairs isn't there? I'm sure I could find a lockpicking kit in there."
Your halberd's been picking up charge all day, and while you could easily blow the door open, that's really probably not a good idea indoors, underground, and with ponies on the other side.
>"Go ahead and grab one then. I'll wait here."
You catch her eyeing the various boxes and her gaze notably lingers on the metal door.
"Nuh uh. I'm not leaving you alone. You're coming with me.
>"What could I possibly do in here? There's nothing in here, I can't access the prisoners, and if I try to leave, your little catbird friend is guarding the front door. I think I'm staying here, and if you want me to come with you, you're gonna have to make me come with you."
>>25277338
Can we knock her out?
>>25277338
Did she put the prisoners in the fucking boxes?
>>25277338
I don't know, what COULD you do?
>>25277338
Sounds fine with me. I don't trust her to not have an escape route down here.
>>25277338
You seem awfully keen on staying down here.
>>25277338
Who let Akbar in? It's a trap.
More importantly, we have a crossbow. Why should I go to you when I can kill you from across the room?Hard mode: Shoot a bolt close enough to clip her mane.
>>25277623>roll fail
>Blitz of Murder
>>25277719And no one cared.
>>25277719
lurker pls
>>25277740Blitz would
>>25278711
>tfw nips started streaming so now Hero is lazymode
rip
>>25277338
We're a burly adventurer and she's a thief class type. I'd say make her accompany you back up. Beware, her friends may have flown into the upstairs room.
>>25277439
>>25277623
>>25277366
>>25277395
>>25279499
"I don't know, what COULD you possibly do in here?"
>"That... that is what I am saying. I'm stuck here with nothing to do, so it's perfectly safe for you to just leave me here and go get that lockpick kit yourself."
"Why so keen on staying down here by yourself?"
She narrows her eyes at you.
>"It's a nice break from being pushed around with a sharp weapon pointed at my face all the time."
Fair enough.
But still, you don't like this. There's no way she's just going to sit here and do nothing.
She must have some sort of plan in stock for you.
Maybe she does have an escape route somewhere down here. Maybe her goons somehow made it back inside and are waiting to ambush you in the upstairs room. Maybe it's something else, who knows?
You're not leaving her alone.
"I've got a crossbow. Get over here before I shoot you."
She stays where she is.
>"You and I both know you wouldn't dare. I may be an accomplice to thievery, but I'm no murderer. With a blade, you could cut and hurt me very easily, but that's a tad harder to do with a crossbow without causing grievous injury."
She takes cover behind one of the boxes.
>"And who knows what's in these crates? Could be something to stop your shot, could be an unconscious pony, could be explosives. You're not threatening me with a crossbow," she says with confidence.
Fine. If it takes your glaive and some rough handling to get her to come with you, then so be it.
You step through the doorway and walk towards her.
Not even five steps in, a heavy weight slams into your back, pushing you to the ground, and a second weight follows up to help make sure you stay down.
A small gust of wind blows against your face as charcoal gray hooves and feather tips enter your vision.
You attempt to call for help, but some ball of cloth --a dirty sock?-- is promptly shoved in your open mouth to keep you quiet.
With a cocky smile, the mare emerges from behind the box with a plank of wood in her grasp
>>25281190
Welp, I don't know what to do
Come on guys don't leave me alone now, I don't want to fuck up
>>25281190
why the fuck did you go in the room?
>>25281190
Are you fucking for real?
>>25281190
no one said go in after her the fuck you doing hero.
>>25281190
Thats some siren charging tier dumb shit right there.
>knock her out
How, without going in after her?
>sounds fine with me
>make her accompany you
There was agreement to make her come with us. How else would we make her come with us?
>>25281826
The anon asked if we can knock her out not to charge right in.
There are many ways to try to make someone come with you that don't involve walking into a blatant trap.
>>25281826
I get the feeling that some anons didn't realize how far the mare was into the room.
>>25281190
God. Damn it.
You know what? Screw it! Swing the halberd, kill them all!
>>25281190
Try to use the magic halbird. Just hit it on the ground or any quick easy way to smack some thing so we activate the blast. should be enough to at least get everyone off us and catch Gisela's attention.
>>25281190
That's some high tier post misinterpretation there.
Fine. We're killing things now.
>>25281190
This is where the post should have ended. Changed situation, new prompt.
She takes cover behind one of the boxes.
>"And who knows what's in these crates? Could be something to stop your shot, could be an unconscious pony, could be explosives. You're not threatening me with a crossbow," she says with confidence
>>25281190
We're done for.
Remove cloth and yell for help. There might be one of them on gisela, she needs to get more help.
The mare is going to hit us on the head. Roll forwards and grab the head of the pegasus on top of us (the one closest to our head) so she hits him instead.
If we still have the halberd slam it literally anywhere near us, the shock should be enough to knock them out or at least get them off our back.
>>25282252
yeah my thoughts exactly.
don't you love it when a qm removes control to make your character retarded.
ugh
>>25281190
Attemp to escape, while not entering in panic
>>25281190
OK so we fell for it. We did look for the ambush and didn't see them. C'mon you other players, we fucked up, admit it. Now to deal with it.
If we can, whack the halbred against the floor or a bandit, as it's now a case of self defense. We need to make a loud noise and get our attackers off, that'll for sure do it. I doubt it'll collapse the building as we're not too close to any supports, I don't think.
>>25286230
>implying
>>25282252
Shit happens. We deal. It's more fun to have to think our way out of a stupid situation.
>>25286230
It was pretty damn obvious that it was a trap and no one said to go into the room.
>>25282252
Should have been the cut off where we could do the next input.
Hero is busy crying himself to sleep in his pillow fort after seeing how upset we are at him
>>25288067
I'm not too upset yet.
Unless we lose all our shit. Then I'd be upset.
>>25288091
Don't forget, if Gis gets trapped too, Flash dies.
Way I see it, we have two stallions on our back pinning us to the floor, a gag in our mouth, and a pony coming to knock us out.
We're fucked.
>>25288067
its not that big a deal just kinda feels cheap is all.
Sharing this adorable Jet
>>25282041
>>25282366
>>25286230
The pegasus that gagged you meets the mare halfway, the plank being passed between them.
The mare lets out a breath of relief as the pegasus walks menacingly towards you, plank in his mouth.
This is bad. This is real bad.
You've got a pony about to knock you out and take all your stuff. Gisela will be none the wiser and she might get caught too, and if she does, Flashbang probably won't make it.
All of you tied up and helpless, left to rot while these ponies attack more victims.
You can't let this happen.
You've got to do something. It's time to go big.
It's dangerous, but your halberd is teeming with magical energy.
If you could just activate it, you have no doubt that it'll destroy these guys. And everything else in the room that isn't you. And possibly the room itself? Maybe? Hopefully not.
Still, what else can you do?
As the pegasus steps ever closer, you begin struggling against your captors, not so much trying to break free but trying to jimmy your halberd in a position where you can hit it against the ground.
The two pegasi atop of you wrestle you down, but you can feel your halberd slipping to a more open and free position.
With a solid enough twist of your body, you can definitely hit the ground.
>"Blitz?"
Gisela's voice rings out from the main room. Everyone freezes.
>"Everything okay down there? You went quiet!"
The mare steps past the plank pegasus and gives you a glare.
>"Watch what you say."
With that, she removes the gag from your mouth.
>>25288894
Now's the time to make shit blow up.
>>25288894
Gis? Kick their fucking asses.
>>25288894
Can we use our mouth to grab the halberd?
>>25288894
SLAM
>>25288894
Activate it.
>>25288931
>>25288942
>>25288995
>>25289058
"Don't worry! Everything's--"
Mid sentence, you jerk your body to the side, the two pegasi on top of you caught off guard by the sudden movement.
The blade of your halberd strikes the concrete ground heavily, and suddenly, the once dark room is bathed in bright light and purple and green flames, the sound of the explosion almost deafening.
The weights on your back are whisked off like resting feathers, and mixed with the roar of the discharge, you catch breaking boxes and cracking stone.
The initial light of the explosion dissipates, replaced by the green, flickering glows of bits and pieces of destroyed wooden crates that caught on fire.
You heart still pounding in your ears, you look around.
Huge chips of stone are missing where your halberd hit the ground, and the area immediately around you is totally clear of everything.
Debris lay scattered and push against the walls, some gently burning, but most just badly singed if not totally disintegrated.
You can make out the limbs of four bodies sticking out from underneath piles of rubble. Dead or unconscious, you don't know, but either way, they're not moving any time soon.
Miraculously, the walls and ceiling of the room took relatively little damage, heavy char and scuff marks marring the surfaces.
>"Blitz? Blitz!"
Rapid steps sound from above before Gisela stops in the doorway to the basement, mouth agape at the scene before her.
>>25289333
nice trips.
Search the bodies for a key.
>>25289333
They got the jump on me, but it takes a lot to keep me down.
>>25289333
I'm okay, I think. Keep the door covered Gis, I don't want any more surprises.
>>25289333
Sorry Gisela things kinda ... blew up
>>25289333
They couldn't handle my explosive personality.
>>25289333
We hit the Panic Button, Gis, 's cool.
So ... are the crates totally destroyed or just partially, it sounds to me like just partially. If that's the case, let's see what's in the boxes.
And, please, stay on alert.
>>25289333
That encounter really bombed.
>>25289549
>>25289630
>>25289646
Talk about a blowout.
>>25289708
At least those guys went out with a bang.
>>25289343
>>25289382
>>25289549
>>25289630
>>25289645
"Don't... don't worry. Everything's fine," you pant. "They jumped me, but they couldn't my explosive personality."
Her shocked expression turns into one of annoyance.
>"Blitz, no."
"That encounter really bombed, but at least those guys went out with a bang!"
>"Stop it."
"But I'm having such a blast!"
>"Blitz, I fucking swear..."
"Okay, okay. Could you at least watch the door for me? I really don't want any more surprises."
>"As long as it shuts you up," she says as she takes up post by the doorway.
You step over bits of debris toward one of the buried bodies.
Gotta find that key.
The nearest one looks like the one that gagged you. Then again, you never did get a good look at the others. Maybe they all look alike.
You pull aside some debris to reveal the pony proper. As you toss the busted planks and destroyed cloths aside, you realize that's about all you're finding. Apparently the crates were totally empty and just there for show.
He's covered in cuts and splinters and burns, and blood drips from his forehead and limbs. Taking a very close look, you think he's still breathing, but it's extremely faint.
Searching the body, you find a key attached to his belt, along with a generic dagger and broken vials, their contents spilled from the explosion.
>>25289860
Well then, take that key, and let's get to opening the door.
>>25289860
Alright then. Gis! We are advancing forward one room! Also take the key, why not?
>>25289860
well, better free the prisoners. give jet and eve their weapons too.
>>25289860
Well, time to free the others.
>>25289860
Pop the door first.
>>25289860
We should also strip them of their weapons in case they do wake back up
I like Blitz's little quirk of making puns when he's stressed out.
>>25290202
Yay characterization!
>>25290215
Boom! Now it's cannon!
>>25290291
I'm not certain whether those explosion puns were intentional.
>>25289870
>>25289889
>>25289890
>>25289895
>>25289961
You take the key and his weapon.
You're more than sure he's not getting up, but it's best not to take any chances.
You repeat the process with the other bodies.
They're all in similar states of damage: bloodied, burned, and barely breathing.
Searching those bodies, the mare was totally unarmed and the other two pegasi were also carrying daggers.
Part of you wonders why they didn't use them on you, but then you realize their goal was to just incapacitate you, not kill you.
Those daggers were probably just for self defense in case things went wrong, and not only was it too late for them, those dinky weapons probably wouldn't be able to get through your armor very easily unless they just stabbed your face.
While searching the bodies, you do manage to find two intact vials of some fluid.
Maybe Jet or someone can identify them. You pocket them and toss their weapons into the center of the room.
Sure, on the off chance they do wake up, they could always grab a plank as a weapon, but you really shouldn't have to worry about them given their condition and Gisela on overwatch.
Searching complete, you make your way to the metal door.
It's a little banged up and charred, but still mostly holding strong. A direct hit with your charged halberd probably would have blown it clean off.
You clear the area of debris as best you can and enter the key.
Pulling the door open, you find Eve, Jet, Carver, and five other ponies, all hogtied and cloth straps going around their heads to gag them.
They're all awake but terrified, save your own party who look at you like the savior they know you are.
>"Blitz! We got company!" Gisela calls. "Sounds like your explosion attracted some attention!"
>>25290314
Untie everyone before you go check out who has arrived.
>>25290314
Cut one of our friends free and ask them to free the rest. Leave their weapons there. We'll go make sure whoever's coming isn't going to cause trouble.
>>25290314
Ask Gisela to keep watch.
>>25290314
Time for untying! Use glaive for rapid freeing.
>>25290354
what do you think she is doing?
>>25290314
Double time it then.
Cut Jet free, hoof him his dagger, drop the rest of the weapons in the room, then we need to deal with whomever has arrived.
I'm still not having anyone stealing our friends' shit.
>>25290314
cut our allies free first and arm them, then we can free the others quicker and have backup.
>>25290314
I'm assuming it's guards? If it is, just play dumb. "We just heard an explosion and rushed in here to see what happened!"
Heck, this should work for most of the idiots. Let's hope no one competent shows up.
Oh, and do Jet & Eve have their armor? If they don't it's in the pile upstairs which means we need to grab it before others show up and steal it.
>>25290418
If it's guards, why lie? Our actions were justified.
>>25290418
>lying to the guards
Why? We were rescuing hostages.
Have another absolute cutie
>>25290344
>>25290345
>>25290367
>>25290370
You crouch down and pull out your glaive, and though the other adventurers try to squirm away, they calm slightly when they see you cut the ropes binding Eve.
As soon as her limbs are free, she pulls the gag out of her mouth and embraces you tightly before pulling you in for an intimate kiss.
Happy tears run down her cheeks as the tip of her tongue brushes your lips, just barely breaking through into your mouth.
You return the kiss, your tongue playing with what little she's offering until her eyes snap open and she breaks away, a deep blush on her wet cheeks.
She glances at the others who are either staring or pointedly looking away awkwardly.
"Here, free the others."
You return her rapier and she clears her throat.
>"Y-yeah..."
She moves to cut free one of the other prisoners, both of them avoiding each others gaze.
In the meantime, you get to work on Jet.
You cut him free and once he removes his gag, he kisses you too, though he keeps his more tame, just lips.
Once he breaks the kiss, he whispers to you, but loud enough for everyone else to hear.
>"Thanks for saving us. Now, hold on to that gag, okay? I think we're going to need that again later tonight~"
Someone lets out a low whistle.
You forcibly give him Kindness's Dagger.
"J-just get the others out."
He chuckles and begins work on another pony.
Finally, you cut the binds on Carver and she spits out her gag.
>"Bleh. Thanks, Bud. I owe you one."
"I'll keep that in mind. Here, take this for now. The rest of everyone's things are upstairs, but I have to deal with some company first."
You give her your glaive and exit the room. You can see Gisela's hind legs on the stairway as she peeks into the main room.
You settle in beside her. Looks like a crowd of civilians, merchants, and adventurers are outside, murmuring to themselves about what happened.
>>25291069
Oh, well it's nobody important.
"Everything is under control now."
>>25291069
We should probably address the crowd. Just tell them what happened.
>>25291069
The owners of this shop were holding hostages in their basement.
Summarily, they have been dealt with, and I'm assuming you heard the explosion. There's no longer anything to see here, as the situation has been resolved.
>>25291069
Time for speechcraft!
Wave everyone in and explain that your friends had gone missing after heading here, since it was absurd to you that they would have trouble with some pests and since the owner of the building was acting like she had never heard of your friends you knew something was up.
sure enough it turns out that they were ambushing adventurers who answered their ad and robbing them, you just rescued everyone.
>Now, hold on to that gag, okay? I think we're going to need that again later tonight~
>>25291486
Jet and Eve are going to fuck him silly to thank their hero.
>>25291510
Can it be Blitz's turn to be tied up?
>>25291523
sure. He'll be the meat in their sandwich until he's shooting blanks and no longer coherent.
I'm suddenly concerned Blitz just ain't got enough to handle these two. I hope they're gentle, or he may never recover.
>>25291610
>death by snu snu from his waifu AND his husbando
It's acceptable if it ends this way.
>>25291662
Yeah, our Foal can handle that canterlot business. It'd probably be badass being raised by Jet and Eve.
>>25291726
>What was dad like?
>Well, he had strong morals
>But a weak pelvis
>>25291763
>Blade Blitz, Mistral Eve, and Uncle Jetstream Injection
>>25291965
>Blade Blitz
>not Blitz Wolf>not Blade Wind>not Blitz Blade>not Wolf Wind>not Wind Wolf
>>25291069
Address the crowd. "Everypony, there was a scam in operation at this location wherein these evil bastards-" indicate the unconscious ponies behind you, "Were luring in job-seekers, assaulting them, drugging them, then stealing their possessions and imprisoning them in the basement. We have dealt with the evil-doers and are in the process of freeing the remaining prisoners. Please allow them to emerge, as we have remaining business upstairs. Please disperse. Please disperse. Allow us passage upstairs. Please disperse." etc
Raunchy thank you sex bump
>>25291996
>Blade Wind
>Wind Wolf
I like it
boop
>>25292214
This, and add that they need medical attention. We might have been a little... brutal in there. The crowd will probably be understanding, but also suspicious, when they see the state they're in.
>>25294095
Get Jet to give them a check up Im sure he would like some poor souls to try some experiments on.
>>25291069
"Sorry, folks. Just taking care of some Imps."
>>25298007
bond
Now here's a cute Blitz!
>>25291135
>>25291147
>>25292214
>>25294095
Relief washes over you that at least it wasn't more goons, but this crowd does still need to be addressed.
You climb the rest of the stairs and make yourself known from the main room.
"Ponies! Ponies, please calm down and allow me to explain the situation!"
The busy murmuring quiets to hushed whispers, then finally silence as they all give you their attention.
"The proprietors of this establishment have recently posted a job offer to clean their storage room of imps. No, that explosion was not the removal of any imps. Those ponies have been luring in novice adventurers seeking a simple quest, only to ambush them, steal their belongings, and take them prisoner. No need for worry; they have been dealt with. That was the explosion. The situation has been dealt with. Nothing to see here folks, you can all carry on with your personal business."
The merchant-looking ponies immediately disperse, as do most of the rest of them, but a few civilians and adventurers stick around.
Some look worried, some still curious, but others look a bit too interested in the idea free loot.
>>25299626
Nobody died, now leave.
>>25299626
We should probably go and get our stuff then. The others should be untied by now.
>>25299626
Would be a shame if anyone else was thinking of stealing today, considering what happened to the last bunch or thieves I met.
>>25299626
If any of you are excited at the prospect of others' items, please don't. All the stolen property in this building will be returned to the rightful owners.
A doctor is already helping the injured, and we don't need any more assistance.
Please, just move along.
>>25299626
Nothing to see here, get out
>>25299626
No looting until everyone gets their stuff back, I don't care what happens to the shop after that.
>>25299731Is it too amoral for Blitz to take their bits? We kind of need them to heal Flashbang
>>25299748
We'll charge them for Jets medical care, fair is fair.
>>25299748
>>25299767
We should check the shop front, see if the thieves had any.
>>25299748
Depends on who they belong to. If those goons had any that actually belonged to them, I'm sure they wouldn't mind, but they probably don't.
And finally a Gis to complete the original party!
>>25299647
>>25299654
>>25299656
>>25299664
>>25299783
"It would really be a shame if anyone else was thinking of stealing anything," you say pointedly to the onlookers. "I really don't want anyone else to go through what those guys did!"
>"But they're thieves! They have no right to anything they have! It's free for the taking!"
>"You just want all that stuff for yourself!"
Gisela shouts back at them.
>"You guys want a piece of the loot? You didn't even do anything! None of you have any stake in the rewards!"
"Gis, shush." To the crowd, "Look, nobody died, and everything is going back to the owners. And don't even think to claim to own any of it. We have the prisoners released inside with us. Now everyone get out!"
With more than a little grumbling, the rest of the ponies disperse.
You sigh and rub your head.
This day...
And you still need to get some money for Flashbang.
The stuff upstairs is going back to whoever owns what, but you're sure those thieves won't miss any of their own bits.
Checking behind the counter, you find that nothing's even there at all. Even that was just a front to their scheme.
As you finish finding nothing, Carver and Eve climb the stairs, the freed prisoners following behind them.
>>25300014
Your stuff's upstairs.
>>25300014
Upstairs for the stuff
>>25300014
make sure the front door is shut. We don't need any more visitors.
>>25300091
>>25300121
>>25300130
"Everyone's things are upstairs. Come on, let's get you all situated."
Jet's still downstairs, probably checking on the thieves, but you leave him be for now.
After closing the door to make sure no one unwanted sneaks their way inside, you lead everyone to the upstairs room.
Almost immediately after opening the door, Carver and Eve run in, the others warily following behind.
The first thing Carver goes for is her armor, no surprise.
Eve sets her Night Guard armor to the side, digging in the pile for something else.
>"Come on, where are they? Please..."
You're about to ask what she's looking for, but her head pops out of the pile with a happy gasp, two necklaces with pendants dangling from her mouth.
She gives one of them back to Carver and puts on her own, holding it close to her chest.
>"I was so worried..."
Necklace secured, Eve puts on her armor and finds her bag, checking to make sure everything is still in it.
Though you can't see inside, you're sure that second happy sigh is for the Luna photo still safely tucked away.
The other five begin sifting through the things, taking what presumably had belonged to them.
Anything you think are spares like leftover rope, potions, chalk, and other little things are quickly picked up among them.
By the end of it, nothing's left except for Jet's things and a chest of bits.
Looks like the thieves just dumped all the money together in one place, possibly including their own.
The items were sorted easily enough, but on the subject of money, no one is willing to make a claim lest they be accused of taking more than what was taken from them.
>>25300496
Quit being a bunch of ninnies. Just split it.
>>25300496
Everyone knows how much they had, just take it.
We'll just have to hope that our pay from the herb job is enough. And if not, that Jet can fix it.
>>25300496
Eve, count the bits. You're a guard, if we cant trust you, who can we?
Everyone else, write the amount you had on a piece of paper. We'll add up that amount and if its less than or equal to the value of the pile, we split it that way.
If it's more, my group claims 5% of the pile and we repeat until we get an amount equal to the original count. Every time someone lies, we take 5%. You all lose by lying, you break even by telling the truth.
>>25300496
If none of them are going to do anything then maybe we should just ask if it's okay to take some for treating Flash.
>>25300496
We did the work, we get the lion's share, as it were.
Or we could be the nice guy and just keep enough for Flashbang's treatment and give the rest out.
>>25300536
>>25300545
>>25300601
>>25300686
"Geez, just take it already. You all know how much you had, so just grab your share."
Like you just spoke the magic words, the five of them dogpile the chest and start filling their pockets.
It's not this huge chest filled with treasure like the kind you'd find in a dragon's hoard, but it's definitely sizable enough to hold a few hundred bits.
And they're taking pretty much all of it.
"H-hey, leave some for us! We have a sick pony that needs treatment, so save some for that!"
They slow as the stock dwindles, and one or two even toss a few bits back into the chest.
>"Wait, we do?" Carver asks.
"Flashbang's been poisoned by a giant leech during our quest. She's at the clinic by the gate, but we were told we still need to be able to pay for her."
>"Maybe Jet could do something for her?" Eve suggests.
"If we don't make enough here or from the herb job, then yeah, we'll have to rely on him to fix her up."
>"What are you so worried about?" Carver asks. "Jet's kind of amazing at what he does. He's got her."
Upon hearing Carver's words, the five ponies take just a bit more from the chest before backing off.
>"I think that's all the money they took from me!"
>"Yup! Same here!"
>"Every bit is there! I'm so glad they didn't spend any of it!"
When you look at the remainder, there's about 25 bits left.
It's probably enough to pay for an antidote or whatever treating her would cost, but you were really hoping to make an actual profit from these jobs.
>>25301802
Phooey
>>25301802
Did Eve's hearing recover?
>>25301802
Yeah, lets go back to the hospital, but first:
Call the police. Tell them the story. Place the thieves in jail. Leave to the hospital
>>25301802
Whatever. We should go find whoever counts as the guard here and give them the thieves.
>>25301802
Can we do some subtle intimidating to get them tp give us a few bits back? A withering glare or something of the sort?
I swear our wallet only holds 30 bits ...
>>25302131
>>25301852
>>25301874
>>25301877
You give the five of them a patronizing look.
"I'm not going to accuse any of you of taking any more than what you originally had, but I do have someone who needs medical attention, and I did just free you all. I'm not asking for a whole lot, but you know, SOME amount of consolation would be appreciated."
They look away guiltily before tossing a few bits each back into the box for you.
Altogether, they've practically doubled your share. 50 bits from four thieves? You feel like at that point they've paid you a token amount of money from their own actual wallets.
Sure, five bits a pony is still incredibly cheap all things considered, but this total is still pretty much the most money you've ever had on this adventure.
You all exchange some final "thank you"s and "good luck"s before the five novice adventurers exit and make their way back into the world.
A thought strikes you as you stare at the empty doorway.
"Hey, Eve?"
>"Yeah?"
A grin spreads across your face before you start giggling.
>"What? What's so funny?"
You give her fuzzy, tufted ears a little flick. It takes a moment to register, but when it does, a smile breaks across her face and she giggles along with you.
>"I didn't even realize! I was wondering why your voice sounded nicer than usual."
This mare...
You plant a soft kiss on her forehead.
"Hey, I gotta check on the thieves. You guys mind finding some guards so we can turn these guys in?"
>"Got it."
After pocketing the bits and grabbing Jet's things, you climb down the stairs and part ways, Eve and Carver heading outside while you head downstairs. Gisela's just kind of hanging out on the main floor.
Reaching the bottom, Jet notices you and snaps away from the four unconscious bodies in front of him, like he was caught doing something he shouldn't.
In the dim light, you can make out oddly shaped cuts on their flanks that weren't there before: some swirls, silly faces, a dick or two.
>>25305559
Yay, Eve can hear again! And ya gotta love Jet, dishing out some justice of his own devising. They did need new cutie marks to match their personalities, after all!
>>25305559
Thats our Jet!
>>25305662
They should count themselves lucky that's all he's doing to 'em.
>>25305559
Jet is Jigglypuff confirmed.
>>25305559
How are they doing? And more importantly can you make those cuts scar over so that they are permanent.
>>25305705
No permanent mutilation.
>>25305971
>not wanting a dick scar over your cutie mark
>>25305971
They all deserve dickbutt reminders tbqh lad
>>25306270
Maybe, but no permanent scars. We're not justice. Let's not mark them for the rest of their lives. This is not moral, plus it could backfire.
As long as it's not permanent or dangerous for their lives I don't care.
>>25306947
I concur.
>>25306947
Considering they could be dead right now and no one would complain I can't really say I care.
>>25307009
Other than the fact that they're still breathing, it's just wrong.
Jet's little joke cuts will heal, but it's sadistic and totally against Blitz's character to want to further scar these ponies. They're burned and broken, they'll already have permanent reminders of today.
We don't need to add our own personal touches on top of it.
>>25307072
I never aid anything about doing more to them.
>>25307080
>And more importantly can you make those cuts scar over so that they are permanent
>>25307182
Not me.
>>25307201
Good, then we're in agreement.
>>25307072
I don't see how Jet's joke cut are really any better if you gonna go that route. Even if they are "joke cuts" he is still mutilating them. We should be telling him off for doing such a "sadistic" thing as well if we are so high and mighty.
>>25308288
>A little cut
>Permanent scarring
>I don't see the difference
Please, anon.
Though, yes, we should be telling him off.
>>25308305
still mutilation
>>25308309
Arguing semantics.
>Come back to see what's going on
>People is arguing against some cuts
>>25308329
true.
But still when you think about it he is carving pictures into someones flesh while they are unconscious.
Its pretty messed up.
But you already agreed that Jet should be told off so this is all kinda redundant.
>>25308367
>wow you guys are still talking about the last update.
What do you want anons to talk about?
Waifus? cus we know what happens then.
>>25305559
So, Jet, wich one had the juiciest cock?
>>25308431
>So, Jet, wich one had the tightest ponut?
fify
>>25308390
I disagree, Jet should get a raise. These assholes may have been planning something evil for all the captives before they stopped. Even if not they're still assholes whose technique could have killed someone anyhow.
Also we should have the vials we took checked to see what they were.
>>25308471
>Jet should get a raise
oh im sure he did.
>>25308390
>>25308305
We're not telling him off.
>>25308288
>>25308390
>>25308305
Nah, he doesn't need to be told off.
>>25308525
>>25308545
>samefagging this hard
Jetfags are the worst.
>>25308567
>implying
Nah, that would be you moralfags.
>>25308567
>>25308525
>>25308545
As the guy everyone was calling edgy for advocating 'torture', I feel i should tell you that random revenge mutilations are pretty fucking edgy bro.
Not linking every comment
Can we just laugh it off and tell Jet to stop, not because we really feel pity, but mostly because he might get in trouble if the guards catch him doing that?
>>25308587
>>25308590
I'm with this.
>>25308587
Not really. They're obviously shallow cuts made with a knife that stops pain. It's no more edgy than shaving someones eyebrows off. It looks silly and is temporary.
>>25308545
>>25308567
>>25308613
>carving shit into someone for any reason.
Thats pretty messed up guys.
>>25308652
Not considering the context.
>>25308652
Any of us would have been justified in everything up to KILLING them, so chill.
>>25308667
Killing them in the actual fight? sure. Thats different from taking a knife to them when they're helpless.
>>25308667
wtf do you think the guards are gonna say when they come in to the house and see Jet's handy work?
>we didn't kill them officer so we thought it would be okay to carve vulgar shit onto their asses
>>25308710
>seriously thinking they'll care
Is this one of those burger things where people think they have free reign to do anything they want to people that wrong them?
Like that old dude who executed the teenager who robbed him.
>>25308724
They might or they might not.
Still a stupid thing to risk on something so petty
>>25308747
What exactly are the guards going to do because of a few scratches?
>>25308770
It's called assault.
>>25308770
Do you /really/ need to do these few scratches?
It's starting to sound really less like Blitz's character, and more like a personal problem
desu
>>25308770
What are the guard going to do about a few bumps on the head? everyone got their stuff back so the theives should be let go.
:^)
>>25308710
Luckily, he can fix that right up before the guard gets here.
>>25308774
>implying
Yeah, I'm sure that's how the militant pseudo-medieval town full of boisterous adventurers works.
You beat up some criminals and rescue hostages, but oh no they got some cuts after you put time and effort into treating their serious injuries, better lock you up!
I mean really, is that what you think this is? Some sort of plot hook to get us involved in a long legal battle here? What a load of bullshit.
>>25308860
What I want to know is why you're so violently defending something you have regularly said 'isn't a big deal'
>>25308737
>after these guys posted a faux job offer then proceeded to knock out and imprison eight ponies and steal all their shit.
No one's going to care.
If anything, we could lightly suggest that he close the cuts up before the guard comes for them.
>>25308860
agreed
>>25308887
Why does it matter if no one's going to care? It's still the wrong thing to do.
Just because you could get away with something doesn't mean it's right.
>>25308887
meant for >>25308774
>>25308881
I'm arguing against making a big deal of it when it isn't a big deal.
These plebs have some dumb cuts on their ass for a while, Jet gets his revenge on the plebs who jumped him and Blitz lets him instead of whining about his morals.
>>25308860
>>25308887
Its still unnecessary, petty, childish and down right stupid and we shouldn't be encouraging him to do it again.
>>25308937
Firstly, so what?
Secondly, we're not encouraging him.
>>25308953
by not stopping him, yes we are encouraging him. It's tacit approval of his actions.
The dude is being psychopathic and all we're asking for is to slap his hand and you're acting like we're going to bite his head off.
>>25308977
>by not stopping him
It's already been done, there's nothing to stop.
Also I don't care. It's extremely minor and causes no problems for them down the line. It's just embarrassing, nothing more.
>>25308977
Geez man get some perspective, these assholes almost stole the elements and wrecked our quest, not to mention what they might have decided to do to everpony who saw their faces.
"Hey Jet, carve 'Thieving Asshole' into each one for me!"
>>25309012
If you don't care, why are you arguing against the people who obviously do?
>>25309014
>They're mean guys who i'm going to pretend are much worse than their actions actually indicate
Even if they were literally hitler that doesn't justify random mutilation.
'Perspective' does not give you a license for revenge. Jesus Christ, please tell me you're just a child who hasn't learned any better yet.
>>25309031
Because you're trying to input an action I don't agree with?
Would have thought that was obvious.
>>25309012
It's also Jets behaviour.
Or do you think because we're dating him we no longer have to keep our promise to help him with it?
>>25309048
But you said you don't care.
>>25309040
Let me guess, one night you fell asleep at a party and somebody drew dicks all over you with permanant marker and you got laughed at all week?
This is fiction, they are fictional assholes, and Jet's been through hell and is perfectly justified in taking it literally out on their worthless fictional hides.
>>25309068
>Jet's been through hell
At worst someone booped him from behind with a board.
>>25309068
False. They will get what they deserve when the guard gets here. It's neither Jet's job nor ours to bring about their punishment because they wronged us.
>>25309057
But this is, again, just a perfectly reasonable reaction to what these fucks did to him.
>>25309078
And if somebody wallops you from behind, ties you up and steals all your stuff, you're gonna start singing kum-ba-yah and banging a cymbol at a hippie commune instead of getting some payback, eh?
>>25309105
That would be a strawman argument, bub.
>>25309105
No. I would get them arrested instead of drawing dicks all over their face.
>>25309078
Now you're playing down their actions.
>>25309097
No it isn't, are you insane?
>>25309105
They had their shit kicked in and are about to go to prison. But if after stopping a thief i broke a few ribs out of revenge then i would expect any rational person to be okay with me being arrested for that.
>>25309136
>No it isn't, are you insane?
Yes it is.
>>25309143
you must be 18 years or older to post on 4chan bub.
>>25309143
You may be a sociopath, get help.
>>25309095
I think I see what's going on now. If Batwaifu sucked out their blood instead you guys would have been fine with it. It's Jet that's getting shit on here!
>>25309136
It might be somewhat inappropriate but I wouldn't say it that unreasonable.
And drawing stuff on their butts really does not compare at all to breaking their ribs.
>>25309154
>>25309156
They have embarrassing marks on their asses that won't even hurt and will go away shortly, and so far you've compered him to some guy who killed someone for stealing from him and a guy breaking someones ribs.
Come back when you can use logic.
>>25309143
>why are you arresting me officer? I only carved dicks into their skin with a knife while they were unconscious and had no way to defend themselves. They will heal I swear!
>First, some incredible drama at the gay bath house
>Then, more drama over a fucking lazer-tag team
>Now this
Whos the fucking beta in here that spergs out at everything?!
