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Fracture 8: Night Life.

By Mandroid
Created: 2020-12-19 13:22:45
Expiry: Never

  1. =Fracture 8=
  2.  
  3. >Hoofington was a step up from the Mild West.
  4. >At least a small step.
  5. >And at least on the outside.
  6. >On the inside it was the same as always.
  7. >Big sights, loud noises, and enough action that you were always sated.
  8. >The year since that botched train job had been a blur.
  9. >Red was asserting more control, pushing more and making more choices.
  10. >That was part of the reason you came to Hoofington, there was always something going on here.
  11. >Your days were spent in a dazed sleep as you prepared for the midnight hours, where you truly were able to come alive.
  12. >The nights in Hoofington can only be described as "Blissful anarchy."
  13. >A man can walk from his bed and straight into the Grand Galloping Gala for low-lifes like himself.
  14. >From party to backroom to dumpster and back again, the Hoofington life was one you could get behind each and every night.
  15. >And as for money...
  16. >You had graduated from theft to something a bit more...intense.
  17. >Your boots land on the pegasus underneath you and your fang shaped knives dig into his neck.
  18. >A bit more satisfying.
  19. >You drag the corpse off to the side and knock on the wall, drawing the attention of another down the hall.
  20. >His face contorts to shock and agony as you grab his snout and drag your knife across his neck.
  21. >The penthouse apartment stays quiet as you sneak through, dispatching sentries, servants, and anyone important until eventually you were the only living being in the blood soaked apartment.
  22.  
  23. >:Well! That was fun!:
  24. >*That it was*
  25. >You kneel down and rifle through the guards pockets.
  26. >Hmm...couple bits, a watch, slip of paper with some phone number on it.
  27. >:Bunch of crap:
  28. >You rise back to your feet and start to rummage through the apartment proper, there had to be something worth stealing in here.
  29. >+Bedrooms+
  30. >You kick in doors and delve into the dresser drawers of the ex-owner of this home.
  31. >"Autopilot" kicks in and the others speak up.
  32. >:Grab that jewelry:
  33. >+The bits+
  34. >*More corpses*
  35. >This is how it went when you did this now.
  36. >It was like this frighteningly more often now, the others pushing you further and further back into your own brain.
  37. >+Necklace+
  38. >You pocket the valuables and throw any that are bigger into a bag.
  39. >Floodlights from the buildings across the street snap on and fill the room with light that rivals the sun.
  40. >You shield your eyes as you stand and ready yourself.
  41. >Three knocks come from the front door before you hear it shatter, the sound of hooves not far behind it.
  42. >"Royal guard! Everyone freeze!" they call from the living room.
  43. >+They tailed us+
  44. >*Or they were here before we got here*
  45. >You twist your head around and watch as the guards start to surround you.
  46. >You spy the window.
  47. >:This is where the fun begins!:
  48.  
  49. >You grab a chair just as the guards catch sight of you and send it sailing through the window, you following after it.
  50. >"After him!" one of the guards calls.
  51. >You run across the roof and slide over dish antennas and run through hanging laundry as the guards chase after you.
  52. >+Distance+
  53. >Agreed.
  54. >A thick wire connected this building to the one across the street, running for about two hundred feet.
  55. >It'd do.
  56. >You unhook your knives and cross them over the top of the wire, jumping off and sliding down.
  57. >Bolts of magic whiz past you as the guards reach the edge of the roof behind you.
  58. >Pegusi are in the air in moments, circling you as you slide down.
  59. >:They're expecting us to ride this out:
  60. >+Drop+
  61. >You slide your knives off the wire and drop to the roof below, rolling in to the fall and breaking into a run.
  62. >You run along a parallel angle from the wire towards the edge of the roof.
  63. >+Alley+
  64. >Your lungs burn as you jump off the roof towards the opposing wall and kick off to catch the fire escape.
  65. >You drop and grab your way down to the ground and land with a THUMP!
  66. >+They'll be here in moments, head out the back+
  67. >You're about to turn and run when a commanding voice stops you. "Anon."
  68. >You growl and look back at him over your shoulder.
  69. "Armor."
  70.  
  71. >Shining Armor takes a few steps towards you. "You look...well."
  72. >You don't know the half of it...
  73. "I feel...well."
  74. >Everyone knew that was a lie, you were covered in scrapes and cuts in that alley.
  75. >"It's been a while."
  76. >You snort.
  77. "Couple of years."
  78. >"Where did you go? After that day in Ponyville?"
  79. >You snap your head around and glare at him as the memories start rushing back.
  80. "Away."
  81. >Shining eyes you as if trying to dig out more information that you weren't planning to share before walking closer.
  82. >"I'll assume you're curious about how we found you?"
  83. >You glance up at the pegusi taking position along the rooftops.
  84. >Shining approaches you from the side. "The drink you had at that club earlier was magically tagged. We tracked you."
  85. >You spit a bit of the possibly contaminated saliva out.
  86. "Clever."
  87. >You glare down at your old friend.
  88. "So why go through all this trouble, were those guys up there friends of yours?"
  89. >Shining glances at the now surrounded penthouse. "Yes, I saw that. We'll talk about that later."
  90. >No you won't.
  91. >"But...I need your help, Anon."
  92. >:Whoa:
  93. >*Wait*
  94. >+What?+
  95.  
  96. "Excuse me?"
  97. >Armor beckons you down to his level and whispers into your ear.
  98. >"Communications have ceased from Trottingham...It's been two weeks and all we've had are some frightened refugees in Dappleshore and Stalliongrad."
  99. >You lean back a bit. No communications? What could that mean?
  100. "What do the refugees say?"
  101. >Shining glances both ways. "They spoke about walking corpses." he whispers.
  102. >Corpses?
  103. >+Hmmm...+
  104. >You pull away.
  105. "What do you want me to do about it?"
  106. >Shining sighs. "I need you to go and investigate, possibly attempt to fix whatever's wrong."
  107. >...He wants you to help him?
  108. >After not helping with the dragons?
  109. >You feel Red muscle through as you snort and walk down the alley.
  110. "Not interested."
  111.  
  112. >You walk the streets at late night back to your place.
  113. >Okay, technically not "your" place, it belonged to some son of a city councilmen who you were helping with some "self discovery".
  114. >Kid had potential, at least in the sack.
  115. >You step through the door into the apartment and find it dark.
  116. "Lace? You in?"
  117. >You drop your knives on the counter and make for the living room.
  118. "You're not gonna believe who tracked me dow-"
  119. >The living room is empty.
  120. "...Lace?"
  121. >You walk through the room and find a small note on the table.
  122. >:...Huh?:
  123. >You grab the note.
  124. >"Anon, it's not working out. I know what you do at night and where you go. I know about the things you used to do. You were great to be around in doses, but you're just...not what I need right now. Have a nice life. -Royal Lace."
  125. >That...
  126. >You crunch the paper in your hand.
  127. >*THAT LITTLE*
  128.  
  129. >You flip the table over and the couch soon after, stampeding around the room.
  130. >THAT STUPID LITTL-
  131. >*-E SHIT THINGKS HE CAN-*
  132. >-REPLACE US SO EASY THAT LIKE THAT!? A-
  133. >*TER THE TIME WE PUT IN!?*
  134. >You drop your ass onto the floor and run your hand through your hair.
  135. "Might as well just DO Shining's stupid job now!"
  136. >Not like there was any other reason to stay here...
  137. >:How far to Trottingham?:
  138. >+Three days by train+
  139. >...Fuck it.
  140. >You jump to your feet and make for the door, grabbing your knives on the way out.
  141. >You could hit up some stores, grab some gear, and be there in the week.
  142. >You head back out into the cold night and head for the nearest train station.
  143. >As you pass the alley by the apartment, you could have noticed the white mane of your now ex, Royal Lace.
  144. >And once again, had you been paying attention, you could have noticed the flash of emerald fire from the alley followed by the sound of clopping hooves.

BiE 1: Introductions

by Mandroid

BiE 2: Train, pains, and narcissism.

by Mandroid

BiE 3: Exposition and espionage.

by Mandroid

BiE 3.5: More trains, soon to be back pains.

by Mandroid

BiE 4: Home Improvement.

by Mandroid