Ashton

Harle looked up at him, her eyes red with unseen tears from before... she said nothing for a moment then reached into her pocket and slid the packet of papers toward him. "i's only a trap if y' make it one y'self, gov" she said after a moment, slowly forcing herself back up "ah'm no scoundrel, no pirate, just a gel tryin' ta survive in this mad, mad, mad world"

It would not take much work to find harle. She was back in the 'bar' area, this time with a large snifter of bourbon and her head on the table, her wings and tail drooping onto the floor. How much she had drank was not clear though, given the size of the snifter and the fact that how much one filled such a vessel depended strongly on the strength of the bouquet of the bourbon, as well as personal preference and aesthetics, but if if harle had only started, there was enough there that she wouldn't have to worry about where to sleep, she'd be sleeping right there... clearly the way magnus rejected her offer had hit the griffon very hard...

After several minutes, likely singlestone and harle speaking, the unicorn made his way to the deck and walked over to magnus, though staring out at the landscape rather than looking at him "If I may offer you a piece of advice..." began the unicorn "...watch your tongue." he paused a moment to let it set in before continuing "You and my captain are a lot alike, you both suffered harsh betrayals that hurt you... but you chose to push everypony away and suffer in silence. Harle chose to take precautions and still embrace others... look around yourself, Magnus, Harle has a crew -a family- who would gladly lay down their lives for her, and she would do the same for them. When the chips are down and your in peril, who do you have to come to your aid? To even know you need help?" he paused again "While I would not go as far as to say you made an enemy -Harle is not that cold and jaded- you pushed away a creature who was willing ti give you a chance and a place to belong, a friend who was willing to care about you and help you heal... instead you return her sentiment with harsh words and talk of betrayal... Harle was trying to help you..." he turned and walked a distance away, speaking more loudly now "The ship will be passing a large city in half an hour. If you wish to leave, that will be your first option." the tone of his voice made it clear singlestone was not happy with how things had gone, and from his perspective, magus had hurt harle... but he was still willing to give the other unicorn a chance to redeem himself.

Scootaloo (with the NPC-Chorus of the other CMC) When Rich spoke, a pony could almost HEAR a certain filly's eyes sparkling, and after a few moments of hushed conversation, and perhaps an argument or two, music began playing, and an orange filly leapt onto the carpet... how scootaloo had managed to change into a fancy suit like that in less than a minute was anypony's guess, or where she got the top hat... though what would surprise nopony was when the music swelled and she began to sing... The Time had come to change the precedent, and some of the candidates, thought they were heaven sent! The speak and neigh and pounded, their hooves upon their hearts! But soon all their noble promises were hard to tell apart! From a humble start, a filly sincere and brave! and everypon' hoped the ci-ty she soon would save! The ponies said 'the time has come to take a stand! For hope has left us all across the wond'rous land! Some wear the sign of the earth po-ny and some weir the sign of the 'corn But we'll hold the sign of Scoo-ta-loo high and hope will shine right through! Some wear the sign of the earth po-ny and some weir the sign of the 'corn But we'll hold the sign of Scoo-ta-loo high and hope will shine right through! As she ended her song, whether anypony thought she had been serious was still very much up for debate... but there was plenty of clapping and stomping for the song!

while minor, harle's figure noticeably slumped downwards a bit as he spoke, clearly she had hoped she had convinced him otherwise, she said nothing as she took the larger bundle of papers and stuck them in the inside pocket of her coat "of course" she said, her enthusiasm having faded back a bit Singlestone put a hoof on harle's back to reassure her "excuse us a moment" he said as he gave harle's jacket a tug and motioned her to the other room Harle slowly nodded and followed him. what would likely surprise magnus was the fact that he did not hear any voices but instead a strange tapping and scratching sound... if he remembered far enough back or had been around a schoolhouse recently it might quickly light up that they were 'talking' using a chalkboard to prevent any eavesdropping... and from the sound of it they were having a rather heated discussion... After several minutes, Singlestone returned, though harle stayed in the other room "I apologize for my captain, she has been under a lot of stress lately" he said as he picked up the papers from the table "there is no need to sign a contract right now"

Harle smirked and stomped her hindfeet in a pattern, and moments later singlestone entered, holding a packet of papers bound in golden cord "ah would be remiss t' bring up a contract that didn' exis', wouldn' ah?" she asked, pulling the cord and unbinding the papers "now, are y' interested in joinin' m' crew or jus' in creating a sort of... partnership?" she asked, separating the papers into two separate stacks

Jasper the Dragon The morning had been surprisingly quiet. The only real noise was the birds in the trees singing. Though that wouldn't last long... a now-slightly-more-familiar dragon walked through the streets to the park, a guitar case slung over his sholdier and a large square case on his claws, with a satchel slung across his sholdier. He made his way to under a tree and unslung the satchel and guitar, setting them and the case down on the grass. He opened the satchel and took a large cable from it, opening the case to reveal a suprisingly nice and well-cared-for Fetlock Pegacaster in a shade that matched his darker scales. he carefully plugging the cable into the bottom of the guitar and opened the large case to reveal a portable amp, which he plugged the other end of the cable into, flipping hte switches on the top, setting the volume to a surprisingly low 4/20 as he slipped the guitar around his sholdiers and sat down with his head very close to the amp, plucking a single string, then adjusting the tention, taking care to make sure all the strings were properly tuned Once it was tuned, he turned the speaker away from him and cranked it to 20 and hit a power chord The large flock of birds taking to the air from all around could be seen from across the town, and everyone in the park turned towards the dragon in the band shirt as he began to play, and sing, though the vocals were more than a little lost among the guitar... You're on your own! Such a d--- shame ,I'd have to break it to you! You're all alone! You oughta just stay quiet, You can't do that can you? Parading like you own the place But give it time we'll all forget your face! You're on your own! Such a d--- shame, No one's ever coming for you! (...) Needless to say parents were covering their foals' ears (and folding their own as tightly against their skulls as they could) while they hurried out of the park... When it finished jasper smiled to himself "and that is how we clear a room" he chuckled as he turned it back down to about half volume and began strumming again, though this time he seemed less like he was playing a full song as he was just going through some chords and bars trying to find a good sound.

"f' ya jus' workin' with us 'cationally, its mos'ly just settin' ya rate" explained harle "now if'n ya joined m' crew, then y'd get room an' board, cut o' all loot' -even if'n ya werent in the team- full dent'l and part'l medical... corry but only a few doc's will work f' me that's not part o' the crew" she explained

Harle sighed. She liked magnus, he seemed like a decent pony, for a sellsword, and his abilities were helpful... she wasn't sure what to do, she hadn't been refused before, and she had no blood on her claws and would prefer to keep it that way... but she was now likely public enemy #1 now that so many worse threats had been put down and she couldn't jeopardize her crew... maybe... maybe she could still salvage this without bloodshed... maybe... "would y' be willing to put that to paper, gov?" she asked "usually ah only ask crew ta sign a contract, but seein' that ya will be workin' fer me regular'ly would save us both some tr'ble" she smiled, hoping and praying he would say yes, if not... well she really hoped he was going to be reasonable...

Harle raised her glass and took a sip, a little disappointed that magnus didn't return the toast, but perhaps she was expecting too much. she hadn't really seen any toasts outside of the political functions her mother used to attend, perhaps this was a bit over his head, but she lowered her glass, looking at him seriously now "y' know, gov, ah could really use y' skills. ah saw how y' almost took out that peg'sus w'thout the gel even knowing, and y' showed sharp wits dealin' w' the bloody el'men'l... don' suppose y' might b interest'd in a more perm'nant arrangement?

She gave him a side-glance, unsure whether to yell at him for making a stereotype joke or if he was serious... They walked down the stairs through an area that had numerous hammocks, some with ponies or other creatures sleeping in them, and entered another door past it into a kitchen area marked GALLEY "Welcome t' me second treasure room" smirked Harle as she pulled a curtain back to reveal a re-purposed wine rack that must have had at last three dozen kinds of liquor on it she pulled out a glass and a bottle from the rack, pouring the unicorn a drink and setting it down on the table, while she went for a bottle of bourbon, taking out her decanter and refilling it before pouring herself a glass, she raised the glass "a toast, may both o' our futures be as bright as sun-butt's sun"

It wasn't long before the airship was overhead, throwing down a rope ladder. Though why harle bothered to climb it when she had wings was up for debate... probably out of habit since she would no doubt often be carrying treasure on her back, or perhaps her wings were often injured... or bound... none the less she made ehr way up, motioning for magus to do the same When they reached the top, harley hopped over, speaking to an older grey unicorn "'ay 'ay, Single, we 'ave a guest, inforn th' crew" Without a word, singlestone nodded and went about letting the crew know It was only a few minutes later that the ship's engines roared and they began heading out over the ocean "Now, matey, what would y' like t' drink" asked harle once magus was on board, heading towards the stairs to go below deck

Shock's charge seemed to only intensify as he stomped his hoof and mists began to swirl, it wasn't long before a large thunderhead had formed and was blasting lighting everywhere, clearly going for a more shotgun approach to trying to hit the target... unfortunately that meant it also hit Rose, Harle, and worst of all, Star... the sandstorm pegasus was thrown back, slamming into a wall, coughing as she stood "Watch it shock!" Harle was also thrown back, though she managed to catch herself, her talons leaving deep scratches in the ground Star at first did not seem phased, but then exclaimed "THATS ENOUGH!" the other two ponies and griffon turned to the small unicorn Star cleared his throat and without warning began singing. Everyone present was suddenly enthralled, the foal's voice was so perfect, it was beyond perfect even, it was supernatural. Everyone nearby got completely lost in it, disconnecting from reality while they heard the voice, though it soon faded away... once they could not hear it, Harle and magus would find the trio gone, presumably Star drug them away while he was singing... "Well... ah guess th't solv's th't" commented harle as int he distance an airship was seen approaching, presumably Harle's ship. "Still up f' that drink?" she asked, sheathing her sword and holstering her gun

Shock just grinned as the sparks arching across his body increased, planning that even if he couldn't dodge in time, he would electrocute magus... which wasn't a bad plan since if the charge was strong enough the sword would just act as a spark gap and despite not being help physically, the electricity would still ark right into the unicorn's body thanks to the lower resistance (though it did mean that shock was being forced to greatly increase the voltage to overcome the high ohm range) meanwhile Harle squared off against rose, her wings causing the sand storm to quickly become ineffective... but rose didn't seem too upset... in fact it wasn't long before harle was the one getting thrown around by a small tornado... this pegasus knew her weather magic!! Star yawned, floating a pocket watch from his pocket, opening it, and checking the time, before returning it. If any emotion showed on his face it was pure boredom. he really didn't care either way how the fight turned out...

The blow connected and the mare shouted a string of obscenities as her wings began whipping even more violently in magnus' presumed position "This ain't no movie, hero" she said Harle grinned as she gripped the ground with her claws and started flapping her wings, causing the storm to start ti disperse "'ey, you take care o' spahky, ah'll handle this 'ere one" grinned harle as she began flapping her wings much harder to keep the sand flying away from her and start moving towards rose "Dont call me sparky!" exclaimed Shock as he turned and sent a lightning bolt flying at magus' face

Harle nodded "ah would need a syst'm ta call fer a flight up if'n ya were below" she said, seeming to begin pondering it slightly more seriously "It seems the pirate did not learn her lesson" "we tried to teach you to stop drawing attention to yourself... oh well..." Harle groaned as she drew her gun in one claw and her sword in her other "Git ready fer a fight, horny" "Team E.V.I.L. you will now Face" "Allow us here to make our case" "To plunge Equestria into devistation!" "To reunite the ponies in our own nation!" "To show them all the truth of love!" "To shake down the stars above!" "Rose!" "Shock!" "Team E.V.I.L Will surely win this fight!" "Even if it lasts throughout the night!" "*sigh* you guys will never get it right..." From the nearby buildings leapt the twp pegasai as the gound as the unicorn casually walked in from behind a large plant "we went easy on you last time" said Rose, clouds of sand whipping around her violently "This time they will need to search for the pieces" said shock as electricity sparked over his body Star simply kept his distance, not really caring about the little spat and not wanting to get his hooves dirty.

Harle raised a brow but smirked as she fired the flare "Bourbon, whiskey, rum, vodka, beer, wine, ms' anythin' ye can ask fer" she chuckled "maybe ah should jus' start m'self a flying tavern!" she laughed at the lunacy of the idea ((oh if only harle's other thread hadn't been abandoned (not one with you) things would have been so very different in this thread... and so much more dramatic! --- not to mention hilarious ))

the problem was that he wasn't finding the tracks, despite passing many dangers and many places that it was likely that the 'griff had split off... there were even strange patches where the hoofprints stopped and then started again some distance away... at least with the dragon's prints it was easy to track since when he took flight he left a lot of scorch marks in his wake... he was almost back to one of the other entrances before he found the clawmarks of the 'griff... and they were sporadic... which likely meant... the 'griff preferred to fly rather than walk, which just made his hunt for cloudy a lot harder...

Harle sighed "you think many bars 'd let in a want'd pirate?" she asked, though the way she said it, it was clear something about the phrase haunted her and upset her "f' the res' of ya, there used t' be a good one down a' 434 East next to th' toy shop" she forced herself to her feet and rummaged around in her bag for her flare gun, she could tell the unicorn had no interest in dealing with her now that she showed she couldn't -or rather wouldn't- tell him about the group that destroyed the bar.

"...but..." iggy started, but jasper put his hand on her sholdier. she sighed "Please bring him back in no more than seven pieces" Jasper gulped "One piece would be best!" he said, glaring at iggy "No necromancy! bad kirin! bad!" he said somehow both harshly and with a hint of a joke... though from the look on his and iggy's face ht was clear the kirin might have dabbled in the dark arts at least once... likely with disastrous results... ----- Copper would find the groups tracks easily enough, through they did seem to be completely random and, as he suspected there were no third set of tracks, of course this close to the edge it would have been easy for cloudy to escape or the others to free him. More than once though, if copper tried to turn back he'd lose the trail and have to hunt carefully to find it, despite it seeming to be an obvious trail of trampled plants... it was almost as if the trail were vanishing... if Copper were very savey he'd quickly figure out this was a trap --- not one layed by the kirin and dragon though... one laid by the forest itself to lure them back in... or lure any heroes to their doom...

"He's Cloudy!" exclaimed iggy Jasper sighed and produced a paper bag from somewhere and gave it to iggy to breathe into to try and calm down "He's a hyppogriff, or if he's hiding in the water he might have changed into a hyppocampus - a sea pony" explained the dragon, he reached into iggy's bag and pulled out a map which he handed to copper "we got a ways in, but not all the way to the center. After that I have no clue where we went, dont be surprised if you find tracks of ours that run in circles" Iggy lowered the bag, a little calmer now "Please save cloudy, he's like a brother to me" she said "We'll join you as soon as we're recovered" Jasper rolled his eyes and his hand went to his face at iggy's insanity, knowing how dangerous what she would no doubt try would be...

Harle frowned as her vision cleared "y' seem quite int'rested in them, gov... a might too interested" she commented, clearly suspicious "ah don' think ya should tangle with them, they seem t' be dangerous, pr'fession'l an' dishonest... don' e'pect none of that 'honor mong thieves' from them ah say" she commented as she tried again to stand, but was forced to sit back down, though it wasn't nearly as bad this time

Iggy wasn't entirely coherent but she was the first to speak "Who're you? We went into the everfree. Three. Snakes, flying plants, vines, timberwolves. Cloudy! We need to save him!" Jasper slowly pushed himself up, making his way over "Jasper" he said, pointing to himself "Iggy" he nodded at the kirin "we went into the forest with our friend cloudy, we got attacked, chased, nearly killed a few times, and somewhere in there we got separated from him, now we're both tired and low on magic but we need to go back and save him before he gets eaten, dismembered, disemboweled, crushed, scorched, frozen, un-eaten, or whatever other horrible things the forest can think of" explained the dragon, much more coherently, though there was still a sound of concern in his voice, though not nearly as much....

She rolled her eyes at the fact he actually responded to her comment about him not being singlestone. But she wasn't going to be rude since he did save her "Ah don' need t' move much. Ah jus' need t' signal m' ship an they'll come puck m' up" she commented, though she seemed to be more than aware that trying to do much of anything right now outside of sitting up (and maybe even that) was a bad idea... When the unicorn asked about the group that destroyed the bar, harle just shook her head "only that they did s'mthin' t' piss off th' barkeep s' much ta get banned from th' place. ah'm sure y' know how hard that use'ly is"