Mane vs Machine: Maneworks (Apply in OOC!)

[korok132]

The chain-link gate creaked as Janice pushed it open. The old, run-down looking buildings reminded her of the slums she just left. Good times. On her left, a massive factory she assumed was the building she was hired to defend. On her right, more buildings, barrels, boxes and the like, with a massive blue tank dominating the sky line on a small cliff overlooking the facility. That definitely didn’t remind her of home.

The goggle-wearing delivery-griffon checked her pulse as she walked her way over to the front of the large stone building. “I’m not even winded,” she said to no one in particular as she approached two sets of big metal doors. There was a window, too, and looking inside, it seemed that both doors lead to the same room. Digging through a pack she was left by Mane Co, beneath her new Scattergun, her old pocket pistol, and a new, red shirt and headset (her “uniform,” she was told), she pulled out an ID card, which caused the door to slide open. Moving her goggles to her head, she stepped inside.

It looked like no one else was here. Meaning she was the first. Not a big surprise, she was the fastest griffon she knew. Spotting a bar with some stools in front of it, Janice dropped her pack as she sat down at the “Upgrades,” missing the large amounts of ordinance behind the counter. With a sigh, she rested her back on the bar, her wings outstretched, waiting for the other mercs to arrive.

[Kirby Krackle]

"[colour=#ff00ff]-somepony staaaaaaarted singing it not knowing what it was and they'll continue singing it forever just because this is the song that doesn't end- Oh, we're here? Thanks a million! And sorry for the grease on the seats, here this should take those stains right now. Byebye now! Safe back to civilization![/colour]" One sack of bits and a can of industrial solvent to the cabby (who thanks Celestia for him finally leaving, though Tinker didn't notice) later, he was dropped off in a... less-than-fun looking set of long forgotten industry. It was a dull brownish grey, in dying need of colour. Dyeing. Ha! He let out a hearty cackle, clearly amused by his own antics. Once two and a half minutes of hysterics were up, he gasped for much needed air and wiped a few tears from his eyes. With the moment passed, he picked his song back up and started skipping through the dusty hallways and out of the way, randomly placed rooms. All of them. His half hour analysis finally ended at the most secure looking facility. Must be the barracks.

One swipe of his ID card later and he found... more brownish grey. Boring boring boring. He sighed and wondered how long it would take the colour scheme to drive him batty. He carelessly shrugged his massive toolbox (which was red and covered in stickers ) off his aching shoulders, the resulting metal on metal roaring through the tiny room. Tinker didn't notice. But what caught is eye was... a Griffin! He's never seen one up close before! Certainly she's a mercenary too, and therefore a coworker, and therefore an ally in his robot hunt! Best to be on his best behavior and use the universal greeting. It works every time.

"[colour=#ff00ff]Bah weep granah weep ninni bong![/colour]"

[korok132]

The sound of the door sliding open and metal hitting the floor made Janice open her eyes. Noticing a new arrival, she opened her mouth to greet him before he started spewing nonsense at her. "[colour=#ff00ff]Bah weep granah weep ninni bong![/colour]" She stared at him, unsure of what to make of him. [colour=#ff8c00]"What's da matter wit you? You brain damaged or somethin'?" [/colour]The griffon spoke with a Bronx accent. Considering the Engi had Christmas lights on his hard hat, and that he was wearing a hard hat in the first place didn't rank him high on her "smart people" list. [colour=#ff8c00]"Seriously, look at 'cha. I mean, really, look at 'cha!" [/colour]Janice stood up and started circling around the blue pony. [colour=#ff8c00]"You look like you ain't ever even seen a fight b'fore. You ain't gonna last even ten seconds out dere."[/colour]

She eyed the pony critically as she circled around him. [colour=#ff8c00]"You better have some real fancy tricks under dat hard-hat o' yours, or you ain't gonna be much help." [/colour]Janice tapped the pony on the hat as she completed her circle, sitting back down at the same stool she started from. The pony wasn't much, so unless he had something really spectacular hidden in that tool box of his, she didn't see much hope for him. Fighting can't be taught in a single day, never minding that the student might be slow in the head.

[Drakeven]

Edd was sick and tired of this driving around, he wanted some competition or at least some challenge! He paid the cabby before getting out of the cab grumbling, he could of just got out of the cab an run! Then once the cabby comes after him *BANG* free cab ride. Oh well, there is always next time.

Edd looked on to the towering building ahead of him [colour=#800000]"That would be a great spot to set up, nice and tall."[/colour] he said to himself [colour=#660000]"If I actually had anything to shoot at that is.."[/colour] he grumbles a bit more then looks at his luggage.The luggage only holds three things, his knife (For cuttin' ) his Jarate (For humiliatin' ) and his trusty Rifle (For- what do you think it does?) these were the only three things he needed to win anything he wanted, cake baking contest? *BANG BANG BANG* I win! He smirks to himself as he remembers the Running competition [colour=#800000]"To do them justice, they did run pretty fast...just not for that long..."[/colour] Edd adjusts his well made and finely trimmed hat then heads on through the boxes, barrels, metal sheets and shoddy sheds that compile the front yard of Mann.CO as he says to himself [colour=#800000]"Bloody hell, this place needs a tune up, I don't even know why the robots are attacking, it's practically destroyed already!"[/colour] until he reaches two metal doors leading to a room.

He looks at them for a second and then pulls out an ID card from under his hat, after a swipe at one of the door it opens to revival an Orange Griffon and a Blue Unicorn.The Griffon seems to be insulting the Blue Unicorn, don't blame her too, he doesn't seem to be the fighting type, then again neither does the Griffon. Bright Orange isn't the best colour on the battlefield. Edd pipes up and says [colour=#800000]"I see they are hiring any old Mercenaries, you two don't look really like professionals to me, let alone winners"[/colour] Edd pulls up a box from the many that surround him and sits [colour=#800000]"Then again, with the state of this place I think you might mach! My name is Edd, Edd shawt. Nice to meet you- I mean me"[/colour] Edd chuckles a bit then looks cautiously at the blue pony [colour=#800000]"You two are here for the robot fighting competit- I mean job aren't you?"[/colour]

[Kaibunny94]

Widdle biscuit gave the signal and closed herself into the present she felt a push and the present slid out of the plane parachute opening as it sailed down eventually landing with a thump in front of the doors, she giggled shuffling around in her crate ready to meet her new team mates...did she make the last ones best friends? she couldn't remember, but she was sure these new ponies would be her friends, friends are fun!! she rocked in her box giggling to herself "oh golly im so excited" she squeaked the words coming out as an comprehensible mmphing.

[Kirby Krackle]

"[colour=#ff00ff]Oh I think I'll do alright, you two. I mean, I'm definitely not much of a fighter buuuuuuuuut...[/colour]" What were clearly insults simply didn't register in his head as anything negative. Besides, he was digging through his toolbox at the time and not really paying attention. "[colour=#ff00ff]I always win at Cops and Robbers[/colour]", he finished with an ear to ear grin, giggling as his magic horn levitated two pieces of what could only be a much bigger machine: six barrels affixed to a central rotating shaft. Each of them dragging along very long chains of ammunition, fed into a base compartment.

"[colour=#ff00ff]Now where are.... Oh bother, be a pal and hold these, would you? Thanks a billion![/colour]" Offering these two delicate pieces of equipment to the Griffin lady with all the concern for pencil shavings. Immediately he dug back into his box, using mouth and magic to toss out heaps of metal, (plus shotgun shells, a hot-wired controller from an old Atari, action figured and a few deflated balloons) clearly looking for something, what with his constant "[colour=#ff00ff]No. No. Nuh uh. Nada. Nope. Negatory. Nein. Niet. Nej. Nee. Nie. Nema. N.. AHA! Found you![/colour]" Out he pulled a hefty wooden crate, stamped with the seal of Mane Co. and clearly labeled 'Danger: High Explosives' and showed them with pride to the others. Clearly pleased with his efforts, he magically gathered up the entire mess he made and skipped outside, ready to put his puzzle together.

Oh the way out, what a surprise! He bumped into another little pony, smaller than he and in such a fun costume to boot! "[colour=#ff00ff]Wait right here, I have just the thing![/colour]" He whizzed back through the automatic doors, quick as a hiccup, then back out to gently place a "[colour=#ff00ff]Banana sticker![/colour]" on the new pony's forehead.

[korok132]

Janice watched the brown unicorn as he walked in. [colour=#800000]"I see they are hiring any old Mercenaries, you two don't look really like professionals to me, let alone winners" [/colour]That statement alone put him on her "to beat later" list. [colour=#800000]"Then again, with the state of this place I think you might mach! My name is Edd, Edd Shawt. Nice to meet you- I mean me"[/colour] Her eyes narrowed at the Sniper. [colour=#ff8c00]"Ey, watch it buddy."[/colour] [colour=#800000]"You two are here for the robot fighting competit- I mean job aren't you?"[/colour] She folded her talons in front of her as she glared daggers at him. [colour=#ff8c00]"Yeah, s'pose we are. What, you think you're better than me, punk?" [/colour]She drew her bat from the bag at her feet and flipped it in the air.

[colour=#ff8c00]"Lemme tell you a little someth-" [/colour]Whatever she was going to say next was interrupted by the blue unicorn shoving some stuff into her hands. She looked down at the stuff, then back up at the Engi. "[colour=#ff00ff]AHA! Found you![/colour]" Her eyes went wide at the explosive crate he pulled out, along with the two giant machine-guns. [colour=#ff8c00]"Uh... huh. So that's what you're doing." [/colour]She watched as the blue Engi skipped out of the base, levitating the mess of metal behind him. Giving the universal sign of "I'm watching you" to the Sniper, Janice followed the unicorn out of the base to see him uncrating... another pony? [colour=#ff8c00]"What da heck?" [/colour]Her confusion persisted as the unicorn zipped back and forth, placing a sticker of a banana on the pony. She was suddenly keenly aware that, out of all the ponies here, she might be the only one not brain damaged. Except maybe the brown one, but he's a dick.

[Kirby Krackle]

These were the moments truly precious to Tinker Tailor. Sun shining, birds chirping, grease on his hooves and a wrench in his mouth. The fact that the plans forwarded to him were absolutely, unmistakably brilliant was just icing on the cake! Motion sense! colour sense! A 360 degree pivot joint! The fact that it could kill ponies! Oh, everything about his new toy were wonderful! So wonderful, he could sing. Which is good, because he was singing since he first sat down and began assembling his Sentry Gun.

"[colour=#ff00ff]Someone's in the kitchen with Dinah! Someone's in the kitchen I know-ow-ow-ow! Someone's in the kitchen with Dinah strummin' on the ole banjo and singin'-[/colour]"

Fully loaded. Every screw tightened. Every joint oiled. Cameras on. And a charming little set of three beeps came out of it once it started an absolutely adorable little pivot in its search for baddies to fill with holes. He could not wait to take it home and fill it with foam darts.

"[colour=#ff00ff]HEY YOU GUYS[/colour]", he cried, with absolutely no sense of volume, "[colour=#ff00ff]I'M FINISHED! COME SEE![/colour]"

His tail was wagging like a little puppy dog, he was so excited! But he could blow up balloons later. Pulling page two from his tube full of blueprints, he began work on whatever it was that was called a 'Dispenser'. He hoped it dispensed Bonk Atomic Punch. That was his favorite.

[Kaibunny94]

*climbed out of her crate and yelled suprise...the pony she met responded by running off and coming back placing a bannana sticker on her gas mask. she grinned and bounced happily. before crawling out of her box and lugging her degreaser, her neon sign and holstering her scorch gun. she trotted in and looked at the other ponies...lets see a sniper looking bony ...and a birdy looking pony...weird pony...hadn't seen one like that before ..maybe it was a SPY! she trotted up and introduced herself "hello im.." COMPRESSED AIR BLAST seeing it had no effect other than ruffling the ponies feathers she grinned and sat down.

[Drakeven]

Edd liked competition, gives him something to gloat about once he wins, so when the Orange Griffon said [colour=#ff8c00]"Yeah, s'pose we are. What, you think you're better than me, punk?"[/colour] he couldn't resist letting a a big grin and saying [colour=#800000]"Well, we have to see! It will be a...competition of sorts eh?"[/colour] and bringing out his machete and flipping it in the air with his magic, as she flipped her bat with her claws.

This is interrupted by the Blue Unicorn, pulling out the explosive crate and two machine guns. Edd sits there gawking then says to the Blue pony [colour=#800000]"Well, I see you have a lot of bullets...so maybe you can fight, or at least MAKE things that can fight, but I can guarantee you I can kill as many -maybe even more- robots with 1/4 of the bullets you use!"[/colour] Edd smiles then looks as the Blue pony leaves [colour=#800000]"Wait! I'm not done wit- Uhhhg"[/colour] Edd looks back at the Griffon; She seems to be watching him. He wouldn't blame her too, he is pretty amazing. Edd smiles at the thought of the competition later, he was going to kill so many robots, he knew he was going to win

He trots outside with the others then he hears a loud shout of "[colour=#ff00ff]HEY YOU GUYS[/colour] [colour=#ff00ff]I'M FINISHED! COME SEE![/colour]" Edd rolls his eyes and goes and looks at it [colour=#800000]"Well...it certainly...beeps. Anything else it can do?" [/colour]then he turns to look at pony in a box [colour=#800000]"Oh great, more comp- I mean, more...Yha I mean competition" [/colour][colour=#000000]and as he sees the pony in a box air-blast the Griffon he chuckles a bit and yells to them [/colour][colour=#800000]"HEY! BOX PONY! MAYBE TRY THAT AGAIN. JUST TO MAKE SURE SHE'S NOT USING THE SPY-CICAL!"[/colour][colour=#000000] he bursts out laughing and then stops when he sees the look that the Griffon is giving him [/colour][colour=#800000]"Oh lighten up feather face, we are about to kill something! That usually cheers me up anyway...."[/colour]

[Kirby Krackle]

"[colour=#ff00ff]Well, let's see...[/colour]", he pondered, magicing away Edd's rifle for closer examination. "[colour=#ff00ff]Single shot pneumatic dart gun, air pressured, bolt action, telescopic sight...[/colour]", he narrated, only to interrupt himself by muttering aloud some complex figures, only to come to the conclusion of "[colour=#ff00ff]Why yes! In a round by round basis, you will, mathematically speaking, kill more robots than me![/colour]" All the while, he never lost his smile, offering the gentlecolt's weapon back to its owner. "[colour=#ff00ff]But can your 'Official Red Ryder' do this?[/colour]"

Tinker once again pulled out his clunky old video game controller and suddenly, the movements of the joystick became the movements of his Sentry Gun. Hitting the lesser pronounced of the two trigger buttons fired a set of rocket propelled grenades from the top mounted four barrel cannon. They aimed as he commanded, off into the lesser mountain-side that the right of their base was built into. The explosion was spectacular and Tinker Tailor found it absolutely hilarious, falling belly up in laughter.

[korok132]

[colour=#800000]"Well, we have to see! It will be a...competition of sorts eh?" [/colour]The thought stuck with her as the box pony blasted her in the face with air. She shook her head like a dog as she stared at the Pyro. Seeing it sit down, and what she assumed to be laughing to itself, she proceeded to sort it under "will deal with later." "[colour=#ff00ff]HEY YOU GUYS[/colour] [colour=#ff00ff]I'M FINISHED! COME SEE![/colour]" This ought to be good.

And good it was. The blue unicorn managed to make a big ol' gun that he could point and shoot with out of that mess of metal. [colour=#ff8c00]"Well, colour me impressed. I take back what I said; ya just might pull through on dis hard-hat." [/colour]Remembering her earlier thought, she turned back to the Sniper. [colour=#ff8c00]"Alright, look 'ere. Clearly ya think your better dan me. So here's the deal: Keep track o' how many of dem bots you scrap, and we'll see who did better at the end. A healthy competition, right? [/colour][colour=#ff8c00]'Course, I'm gonna win, but hey, you might just be able to keep up with me.[/colour][colour=#ff8c00]"[/colour] Janice gave him a malicious grin as she stuck her claw out to shake. [colour=#ff8c00]"You in?"[/colour]

[Drakeven]

Edd looks at the explosion and shrugs [colour=#800000]"Well, I s'pose you're not going to die strait off...as long as your machine is still functional to save you."[/colour] then from behind him, he hears the Griffon[colour=#ff8c00] "Alright, look 'ere. Clearly ya think your better dan me. So here's the deal: Keep track o' how many of dem bots you scrap, and we'll see who did better at the end. A healthy competition, right? [/colour][colour=#ff8c00]'Course, I'm gonna win, but hey, you might just be able to keep up with me.[/colour][colour=#ff8c00]"[/colour] Edd grins madly and responds with [colour=#800000]"Oh, well seems fair, but maybe we can make it fairer eh? If someone helps the other person gets an assist they both get the point? Such as you do half damage and I do half damage, things like that! Then I'm in!" [/colour]This was exactly what he brought the Jarate for he may not be able to kill lots of robots at the same time with his RIFLE, but he can cover the robots in Jarate and get the assists..well that and if he needs to go to the loo real bad, from what he could tell there are no toilets in Maneworks. Edd loved winning.

Edd walked up to the Box-Pony [colour=#800000]"So, what's the deal with you? Can't you just take a cab into the works? Though I do admit, you do mach the Blue pony. My names Edd, perhaps you've heard of me? Best sniper in Equestria."[/colour] He says to the Box-pony, who seemed to Edd a bit wrong in the head (Hey! That rhymed!) Everyony here seemed a bit coo-coo, except for that Griffon, but she was coo-coo because she thought she could beat him. The Griffon did seem nice though, as did the rest of the team, well when he says "Nice" he means they are not shooting at him and that's "Nice" in his books.

[Kaibunny94]

th little pony pulled out her sign and began to strum bass notes. idly humming

[Kirby Krackle]

Tinker's ears perked up, first from the pleasant humming from his littlest of friends (he even joined in for a bar), and secondly from what were clearly wagers being set. Wagers meant competition. Competition meant games. Games meant "[colour=#ff00ff]Fun![/colour]". He shoved himself between the taller stallion and the shorter griffin, with no mind for personal space, meanwhile his horn multitasking with his wrench and putting some end-of-the-instruction-booklet touches on his Dispenser. "[colour=#ff00ff]You guys are playing a game, huh? Need a third guy? Need a score keeper? Need a cheerleader? C'mooooooooooon[/colour]", he pleaded as the machine behind him hummed to life, providing a soothing aura to the lot of them. Tinker didn't notice. "[colour=#ff00ff]I want in![/colour]" He drew his modified shotgun to get the point across. Playtime was serious business. So was firing a few rounds into the air.

[korok132]

"[colour=#800000]If someone helps the other person gets an assist they both get the point?[/colour]" [colour=#ff8c00]"Fine by me. Janice Windracer, by the way. Remember the name; yous gonna lose to it!" [/colour]They shook, and Edd walked away to go (presumably) harass the box-pony (who was somehow playing a neon sign like a bass guitar).

"[colour=#ff00ff]You guys are playing a game, huh? Need a third guy? Need a score keeper? Need a cheerleader? C'mooooooooooon[/colour]," the Engi complained. "[colour=#ff00ff]I want in![/colour]" Janice took a few steps away from the pony shooting a shotgun in the air. [colour=#ff8c00]"Alright alright! Jeez," [/colour]she said. [colour=#ff8c00]"Here's the deal: Me and that Sniper? We're competing, who can kill more bots dan de other guy. You can either A: Stay the heck out of my way,[/colour][colour=#ff8c00] or B: Buzz off. Dis is between me and him, I don't want there to be no question who's better, got it?"[/colour] She didn't need any help, least of all from a pony with a glowing hard-hat. Who, admittedly, was actually probably going to save her butt multiple times with that massive machine gun he has set up.

[Drakeven]

Edd was bored, he wanted some action [colour=#800000]"When is this thing starting!"[/colour] He shouts to no one in particular, then from the corner of his ear he hears "[colour=#ff00ff]You guys are playing a game, huh? Need a third guy? Need a score keeper? Need a cheerleader? C'mooooooooooon[/colour]," The Blue pony wanted to join in? Well, that's more competition, and therefore more things to gloat about once he beats them. Unfortunately he hears an interfering Griffon say [colour=#ff8c00]"Here's the deal: Me and that Sniper? We're competing, who can kill more bots dan de other guy. You can either A: Stay the heck out of my way,[/colour][colour=#ff8c00] or B: Buzz off. Dis is between me and him, I don't want there to be no question who's better, got it?"[/colour] No scene of competition, oh well, he will have to beat her first. Edd decides to set up, he looks for a reasonably safe spot that is overlooking most of the battle-field. Ah. That will do. He sets up on the balcony overlooking the right entrance to MANN.Co putting his Jarate at his side and testing out the scope. Everything is working well, all that's needed now is some ROBOTS TO KILL! He shouts to the others [colour=#800000]"Are we going to stand around here chatting, or are we going to dismantle some robots!"[/colour] He tips his hat and smiles, eager to start the compaction.

[Kaibunny94]

Widdlebiscuit slung her sign and charged out finding a nook to sit in and curled up cradling her degreaser, waiting for the robots to come so she could make...friends....with...them.

[Kirby Krackle]

The smile was drained from Tinker Tailor for the first time today. The nerve of some ponies! Honestly! There would be more than enough robots to go around so surely there would be enough for a three way competition. Well, he'll show them! He'll show the lot of them, the Engineer mused, building contraption number 3. Muttering to himself as he assembled a small rotating platform, he mused that he would be the one to bust up all the robots! They would be so jealous! And then he would fix them, oh yes he would. Fix them and reprogram them and have them sneak into their houses at night and wreck up the place! Maybe shave them! Oh, what would a griffin look like shaved? He cackled aloud at the thought, the smile back again, as he skipped off, setting up his second of two platforms in a nice little cabin all the way at the other end of the territory. It was a nice little high ground with easy access thanks to a pair of staircases. After a single flip of a switch, both platforms buzzed to life, offering a bright red glow in which to plant one's hooves. He hoped on in full 'Mad Scientist's Maniacal Laugh' mode, instantly bamfing back to platform A. He stepped off, took his Sentry Gun, stepped back on and bamfed back to platform B. The process was repeated with his Dispenser. His super secret base now completed, he couldn't help but holler so the whole wilderness could here:

"[colour=#ff00ff]READY WHEN YOU ARE![/colour]"

[NovaArkwing]

>"Ghost Reaper" Nova Arkwing

The air was very thin outside with winds gusting wildly as a large C-17 transport aircraft was flying high above the Operational Area designated as: "Maneworks", it's 4 rotor engines roared inside the slightly darken hull of the aircraft which held a unknown yet important cargo that would be dropped via a HALO (High Altitude Low Opening) drop. An armoured Pony designated as "Ghost Reaper" was preparing for a classified mission as he loaded a variety of exotic and deadly arsenal of blades into his weapons systems, the armoured pony walked towards the launch deck at the back of the aircraft until a blue mare in a combat flight suit clad in Equestrian military colours and a headset around her head walked with the pony to the deck about to brief the pony on the mission.

"So what's the SITREP on this mission? Another infiltration and destroy mission or something more challenging? I know it's usually something exciting" the Armoured pony stoically began asking the mare with a hint of venomous sarcasm while arming for combat hoping for the mission to be something more challenging as his tour of these missions grew repetitive despite the fact that it usually meant both Red and Blue side got wiped out mercilessly in the process, "It's complicated, command's getting reports of what appears to be Red and Blue mercenaries fighting together against another entity...details appear to mention the entity as another PMC which makes artificially manufactured war machines. Fighting between these two factions have been sporadic and very violent. But Command is worried that..." "-If they get out they'd cause a massive problem for Equestria so they want me to go in and shut them down before they get out of hand, am I correct?" The pony swiftly deduced as it looked at the mare's Purple-ish eyes for a brief moment sharing the gaze the mare looked back into the Pony's Emerald-Green eyes and nodded confirming his guess, "Exactly. But this looks sketchy and suicidal at best this new faction has had a Absolute 100% fatality rate on all assets it's come across, Nothing's stopped them so far..." the mare paused for a moment then shuddered as she remembered reading the casualty reports of Equestrian military patrols that have encountered this new artificial faction, "Well they sure as Tartarus haven't met me yet." Ghost muttered giving off a vicious smirk seeing the challenge that lay ahead of him in this mission.

They neared the launch ramp as Ghost neared the ramp and loaded ammo into his weapon system and a heavily modified firearm capable of piercing tank armour and slung it into a hidden holder in the thigh plates of his armour put on his latest advanced technological stealth suit and equipment provided and tested by the Equestria military even a new kind of helmet which fed him combat feeds and data almost instantaneously, but that wasn't all it could do as it maintained a command link which gave him a direct link to Equestrian Hi-COMM where they'd feed orders and information directly to him even in the heat of combat. "...Nova...Please, make it out in one piece...Promise me, for us..." the mare muttered to Ghost quietly using his real name, Nova Arkwing suggesting that the two ponies were close. He turned around and smiled lovingly at the mare "I promise, you aren't the only one who can do things in style y'know." He joked to her before she gave him a slight scowl before she gave him a soft kiss on the lips for good luck, he eventually returned the kiss then blushed slightly. "I'll be back before you know it, we'll head up the bar once I'm finished drink would be on me." Nova smirked and winked at the mare as she gave him a challenging yet loving smirk before he placed the helmet on his head and activated it and watched as it lit up to life right in front of his eyes as it performed pre-combat systems checks and diagnostic analysis.

"Alright, everything's green Heads Up Display is running, Motion sensors operational, Command and Combat feeds online. Hit it!" Ghost ran the Helmet's systems through activation before walking towards the ramp and motioned the operator to lower the ramp, after a moment the ramp started to lower and the whole deck felt a blast of air swarm into the aircraft, Ghost marched slowly towards the edge of the ramp he paused admiring the view from so high up he heard a voice behind him looking back the mare had shouted something along the lines of "I love you..." smiling he replied back in a similar fashion before leaping off the ramp and dived into the sky, towards the land so far below he looked up at the aircraft briefly and watched as it closed it's ramp and left the area safely. He smiled warmly before turning his attention to the mission at hand and flipped around towards the ground shifting his body into a spear-like shape to assist his aerodynamic flow as the wind and gravity pulled him to the earth below, after awhile of falling his helmet kept track of his decent and airspeed on it' Head's Up Display as it reached up to the point where he opened his wings with the wind literally launching him up in the air as his wings slowed his decent down to a calm and graceful glide and glided down the rest of the way as he moved his wings to reach his landing point not far from the group of ponies that recently entered the area.

He landed on several rooftops before he eventually leaped to the ground to a stop as his armour temporarily locked up before rebooting and unlocking, once his movement became freed he looked around scanning his immediate surroundings and also relaxing his muscular sleek frame from the landing, "Landing successful, I'm in the Area of Operations, beginning mission now. Command am I clear?" he began as his Suit's mission recorder activated he asked into his Communications system which was connected to command direct link.

"Confirmed Ghost, you are clear to proceed. Be advised you have mercenaries labelled as allied in your vicinity. We recommend you make contact with them and investigate the events over there, Be warned you are operating on a Level: One Directive acknowledge this Directive, Ghost Reaper?" The Command link chimed in signalling that Ghost's comms unit was working and began giving him orders.

"Level: One Directive acknowledged, commencing search now. Ghost Reaper out." Ghost replied into the unit before switching it off and began searching for his "teammates".

[korok132]

With the competition sizing up, Janice grinned as she began to walk to the "front lines" with everyone else. Began being the key word, as she quickly remembered that she not only left her pistol but also her new scattergun in the base. With her freakish running speed, she made it back to the base in no time at all, still oblivious to the giant "UPGRADES" sign above the bar, upon which she placed her bag. Inside, she pulled out her trusty pistol. Checking the ammo, she set it down to pull out her newest toy, the scattergun. Giving it a quick test run by shooting the wall, it made a nice BANG as the wall received a nice new set of bullet holes. Working the lever, she ejected the empty shell, which clattered to the floor. The last thing in her bag was the "uniform" she was given: A blank red t-shirt. Classy. But, it was a uniform. Donning it, she realized that she had no nice way of carrying her weapons into combat. No nice way, except her bag. Slinging it back over her shoulder, she sheathed her bat between the bag and her back, with the pistol sitting inside the bag itself, which was left half-open for quicker switching.

Now properly armed and dressed, she ran out of the base over to the front line, demonstrating two of the things she was good at: Running fast and double jumping. The other things being, naturally, beating heads and delivering packages. On her way, she practiced switching between her current gun and her other two weapons. After a few slow starts, she eventually felt comfortable switching between the weapon in her claws and one in the bag. The only thing left was to lower her goggles over her eyes and wait for the robots to show up. [colour=#ff8c00]"A'ight boys, ready t' see a show? You may not want ta look directly at me when I'm workin', lookin' at dis much awesome in one spot include, but ain't limited to, blindness, nausea, and hatin'."[/colour] Snapping her goggles to her face, she looked to her team mates with a wicked grin. [colour=#ff8c00]"Fair warnin'."[/colour] Twirling her pocket pistol with a claw, she waited for the robots to arrive.

[Drakeven]

[colour=#800000]"I'll be too busy beating you to look at you! Try not to be TOO disappointed when I beat your score! I would say I wish you good luck, but I don't...So break a leg!"[/colour][colour=#000000] Edd shouts to the Griffon [/colour][colour=#800000]"Littlerary..."[/colour][colour=#000000] He whispers to himself as he giggles and tests out the scope. Then he realizes, he didn't get any upgrades! Curces! Well, I don't need fancy upgrades to beat them, all I need is my trusty rifle." He gives out a half hearted smile. Waiting. He was never good at this. Maybe if he just took a few pot-shots at that bouncy griffon...Practice and getting rid of some competition...Win win! [/colour][colour=#800000]"Better not waste the ammo..."[/colour][colour=#000000] Edd thinks to himself [/colour][colour=#800000]"Not to self, upgrade ammo"[/colour]

[colour=#000000]Robots. they weren't the same as REAL ponies, they didn't have the satisfying *Schpech!* when the headshot hits, but they're good enough, and there are a lot of them, so it makes up for it. He will have to go back to some...Organic action after this though. He looks at the Bouncy Griffon, then the Engineer, then the weird...Fiery pony. [/colour][colour=#800000]"So, when are these robo- What's that!"[/colour][colour=#000000] Down his scope, Edd could faintly see a silhouette of a...Robotic type pony. He couldn't see them very well, and was already a bit jumpy from the rush of the on coming competition[/colour][colour=#800000] "I'll be geting the fist point then..."[/colour][colour=#000000] edd said to himself, he aimed down the rifle and took a shot towards the on coming stranger, it wasn't his best shot, still waalming up the gun, but is was bloody good! [/colour][colour=#800000]"What do you make of that eh! Look at that shot! Right throu- wait...It's not damaged? Oh blast, I forgot about the "No damage" untill they get down to the battlefeild...Well, it would of been a good shot! That counts as a point!"[/colour] Edd thinks for a moment [colour=#800000]"Oh yes, and the robots are comeing..."[/colour]

[Kirby Krackle]

It occurred to Tinker Tailor that the standard issue protective goggles provided to him by Mane Co. were driving him absolutely bananas. The lenses were scratched to Tartarus, the straps worn and frayed and certainly did not sit comfortably on the face. Ick. Discard. And since welding with unprotected eyes is a bad idea, he began digging through his toolbox for a replacement as well as trying to remember if he even packed one.

The first piece of spare eye-ware he found would only protect him from frowny-faces. Maybe later, he thought with a grin. More digging. His reading glasses! [colour=#ff00ff]"Perfect[/colour]", he exclaimed aloud. "[colour=#ff00ff]Now nopony can hit me![/colour]" Back to digging one bad joke later, though he found it hilarious. "[colour=#ff00ff]C'mon now, those things have got to be in here somewhere...[/colour]" The stallion was impossibly flank deep inside his tool box at this point, only to come up with nothing. "[colour=#ff00ff]Looks like it's later[/colour]", only half disappointed. After all, who could be all the way disappointed with a fake nose and mustache on their face?

Good thing he could see better too. Just in time to notice the plane flying overhead. And a pony dropped from it. That looked like fun. "[colour=#ff00ff]A little too fun, if you ask me![/colour]"

With reflexes he had no business possessing, the Unicorn whipped himself around, arming himself with his Wrangler to aim the mounted turret again. "[colour=#ff00ff]Halt![/colour]", the toymaker cried at the newcomer and suspected death machine, "[colour=#ff00ff]Do you identify yourself as Equine?![/colour]"

"[colour=#ff00ff]...no offense[/colour]", punctuated things, noticing the Griffin next to him. Awkward.

[NovaArkwing]

>"Ghost Reaper" Nova Arkwing

Ghost had stalked through the area for a good while trying to find his supposed "allies" but eventually he investigated several buildings along the way only to find nothing but shadows and dust, he leaped up a rooftop of a particularly high building in order to gain a better understanding of his surroundings. That was when he noticed a large metallic machine-like transport approaching from the east which suggested to be the armoured transport which deployed the war machines he was briefed on prior to the HALO deployment. "There you are, now let's see what you are hiding..." Ghost muttered under his breath gruffly as his helmet's visor zoomed in and vigilantly watched the transport start deploying squads of mechanical warriors into the area, which oddly resembled the same mercenaries that the previous two corporations that raged their own private war. Ghost has begun recording the machine as it began spewing mechanical troops into the zone hoping to capture how the transport operates, the footage was being fed straight to HI-COMM via Ghost's helmet built-in command feed in order to gain intelligence on how this new faction operates militarily in hopes of countering them in the future and hopefully beat them.

"Ghost reporting in, Command are you receiving the footage that's being recorded? The rogue faction has begun deploying mechanized units into the area and as reports from the other areas have previously suggested it's now confirmed they're using those transports as Forward Operating Bases and manufacturing more of those mechanized units, requesting course of action on countering it, over." Ghost contacted command through his suit's built-in communication unit confirming what other reports from various other regions that have faced aggressive action from the previous two corporations have suggested but have so far been unable to confirm due to the fatality rates of the encounters with this new rogue faction's mechanized army.

After a long few minutes Ghost continued recording the machines until his command unit chimed in as command started contacting him "Good work Ghost Reaper, the video feed is coming in crystal clear and the intel will be analysed on that transport in hopes we can neutralize it, this intel will be invaluable in dealing with this rogue faction hopefully we use it to save and prevent further loss of life if they try to terrorize Equestrian territory and figuring out how they operate will be the key. We've got all the footage we need for now. However your new orders are to link up with the mercenaries from the previous two factions in the area and hold this rogue faction off while we form a plan to defeat this mechanized menace, is that understood?" "Understood, moving out now Ghost reaper out." Ghost had switched his communications unit to an inactive state and was about to move out until he saw something come out of the transport...A sleekly advanced looking trio of...Robotic-looking units that looked much like himself appeared out of the transports..."...What the...?" muttering in disbelief as his eyes and visor weren't betraying his perception as this squad of elite dangerously enhaced-mechanized infiltration units looked almost, almost like perfect copies of himself stealthily climbed out of the transport.

Starting to get the feeling his stay this close to that ominous looking transport was becoming more dangerous while the mechanized forces that the transport spewed forth began advancing in his general direction, he leapt off in the opposite direction and began sprinting over rooftops gracefully he forgot to deploy his Cloak and Dagger active camouflage which was advanced technology recently field tested for assets like Ghost Reaper himself which enveloped the user with a light bending magic spell which made the user invisible for a short while, however Ghost had made modifications to it meaning he could stay invisible even while mobile but it still needed time to charge up which meant he had to stay still during the charge up period. This came to bite him in the flank soon enough as he heard a distant crack before split-seconds later a high calibre sniper round zipped past just a few centimetres in front of him, turning to see the source of the round his visor's sensors picked up a heat signature quite far away to his flank. he turned and targeted the now discovered sniper and simply vanished as his camo became active.

A few moments passed until he was in close proximity to the sniper narrowing down it's location Ghost had tracked him down and was prepared to take the sniper down until the Identify Friend/Foe targeting on his HUD tagged the sniper as a Friendly, Ghost soon realised that this sniper wasn't alone as several other figures began arriving all uneasy of Ghost's sudden appearance amongst them. As one of the group, a cobalt blue coated purple-maned Unicorn asked Ghost to identify himself, while the Unicorn himself didn't look like much of a fighter as his physical shape perceived. The Unicorn must've deployed turrets nearby as his equipment suggested that he was the engineer of the group Ghost analysed the Unicorn and his HUD flash off that the Engineer had already deployed his Dispenser and Turret then deduced that this ragtag group of armed personnel must be the group he was looking for as his sensors picked up no other organic groups of ponies anywhere else in the area aside from the advancing mechanical army approaching them from the North where he saw the transport deploy, "Equine, you're the only mercenary group in the area?" Ghost asked the unicorn stoically without betraying any real hint of emotion as he withdrew his aggressive approach into a more calm and subdued state as the group appeared.

[korok132]

Janice almost dropped her pistol as Edd unexpectedly started shooting. [colour=#ff8c00]"Hey, what do you think you're shootin' at? There ain't..." [/colour]She stopped as she noticed the flying target approach, disappear, and reappear nearby. She brought her pocket pistol up and ready at the newcomer just as Tinker pointed his controller and sentry at him. "[colour=#ff00ff]Do you identify yourself as Equine?![/colour]" That Tinker said "equine" and that didn't include Janice went completely over her head until he added "[colour=#ff00ff]...no offense[/colour]." It still went over her head, but she didn't think too much of it. "Equine, you're the only mercenary group in the area?" Well, he wasn't hostile. Right now, anyway. That didn't mean she trusted him completely, and kept her pistol up.

[colour=#ff8c00]"Yeah, I s'ppose we are." [/colour]Janice slowly began to circle the pegasus, sizing him up. Lean, but fit, and covered in a bunch of fancy gadgets. [colour=#ff8c00]"So, what, you hired by Mane Co too? Or you here for somethin' else, mister fancy pants?" [/colour]If this guy was hired by Mane Co, then they must have some serious money if they could afford to suit him up like that. And why couldn't they give that kind of stuff to everyone else? This made Janice uncomfortable. Maybe he wasn't hired by Mane Co. Maybe he was a spy for the robots, or whoever built the robots. And to just suddenly appear like that from the same direction as that giant blue tank? Suspicious, suspicious.

Just as Janice was starting to get behind Ghost, a voice over a loudspeaker rang out across the soon-to-be-battlefield. "Mission begins in 60 seconds." Janice stopped circling as the information in that once sentence processed in her head.

Aw, monkey poo.