The Ambush (Snowflake Mystery)

Blue yelled out when the knife cut his leg, dropping his wrench. A pony with a knife... He'd be lucky to get out of this fight without another cut ear. He narrowingly missed the knife wielding goon fly over his head when he bent down to pick his wrench back up. He launched another charge at the maniac to keep her from slashing Renaultar. The next thing he knew he was hit by a piece of metal and flown back towards Earl.

Peach Stayed close to Renny, Up to the point when she saw the filly go Flying. She shot up an emergency flare, not that it would do much good in this district.

Going threw her catalog of medical Magic Peach went to the little filly, Horn glowing with a spell to numb the pain. "It will be all right dear, I- I'm sure Renny didn't mean to hurt you..." As she leaned down to cast the spell an explosion went off behind her, the shock wave throwing her to the ground and she felt a slicing pain across her back.

Renaultar was smirking to himself as he engaged with this thug. Unicorn or no, he had been in enough fights that he felt he could definently win here. He was thankful that Blue helped deflect a slice at him, but was ready to move so that his armor would take the shot instead.

He placed himself between the thug and the box, standing tall and ready to fight. He opened his mouth to speak, but what sound came instead was a loud deafening roar. A hot shock wave blasted Renaultar from behind, launching him forward with anything but grace. The armored pony was helpless and confused as suddenly all of his senses were overwhelmed and disoriented. The only thing he did know was working was pain.

Loyal slowly opened her eyes, blinking away the ash that had settled on her face. When the final box blew, she had instinctively leaped out of the way of the huge flying mass that was the...guard? Loyal jumped to her feet, extraordinarily swiftly, staring in shock at her fallen opponent. The shocked stare turned into a cold one when she recognized the guard. Her gaze slowly panned out the scene. The elderly pony had been struck by shrapnel, his companion in a state of shock. Then her gaze reached where Woods fell, and the head maid was struck by a dire sense of urgency. She ran over to the fallen shelves, shouting in an ordering tone, "Nameless! Assistance in getting Woods!"

Nameless who was covered by the strange mare from the final explosion, responded to the call, going into 'service mode'. "Right!" she called back, immediately getting herself up...and falling again. "Loyal!" she despaired, "I...can't!" She saw the head maid look up at her, the cold gaze warming with its own sadness. "Stay there," came the tired reply, "I'll do this."

Loyal began desperately trying to lift the debris off her colleague. "White, you'll be out of there soon! Just hang on!"

Blue groaned loudly as he got up. Never before in all of his years walking the city had he ever been blown up. Maybe a few minor explosions when dabbling in chemistry, sure. But never an actual bomb. He dusted himself off and promptly fell to his knees, severely weak. He looked down to see the jagged piece of metal sticking out of his bloodstained chest and calmly said.

"Earl... get me out of here."

Earl Slowly Came to. "Blue...?" He then noticed the Piece of metal Sticking out. "Sweet Celestia! Blue! Oh dear, oh dear..." He then looked around. "Everypony..." He shook his head. "Climb on. We gotta run."

Everything sounded like it was coming from far away, and it made her head spin. Picking herself up she hardly felt the gash along her backbone.

Looking around her Peach Dream's brain could hardly register what was going on. Settling on what was around her she saw a pony digging in the wreckage. "aarhg, Um, Ah Dear, is somepony bur ber Buried?" She didn't know why it was so hard to pick the right words..

"Leh' Me" Her teal magical shroud cloaked the upper layer of wreckage and levitated it up slowly, so not to injure anyone under it.

Conciousness. Renaultar looked about him, trying to register where he was.

Where am I? What was i doing last?

Pain searing through most of his body told him whatever it was, it was not a bad back from waking up in the morning. He felt warm wet spots in several places on his body, but the fire and bodies around him got his attention first. Despite the pain, Renaultar forced himself onto his legs. Adrenaline was doing wonders for him.

Fire...bodies...thugs...Snowflakes! Boxes!

He looked around, seeing nothing but fire where the box once was. He also noted that something else was burning. With several swats, Renaultar put out the fire on his tail before tiredly looking to the other ponies still on their feet.

Ponies...Peach. Injured. He limped over to Peach, not concerned with the battle that was being fought a moment ago. Despite that, he kept in mind what he could do to defend himself i that fight were to continue. He took note to identify his attack, a bit upset she was not so injured. Then he recognized her.

...Loyal? The source of light from the flare made it easier to see their faces. ...Nameless?!

At this point, there was no room for emotions. It was facts and actions.

Facts. Peach was hurt, as was Nameless and some pony he could net yet see under the debris. They needed medical attention and someone to carry them.

Action. Renaultar limped over to the ponies, not saying a word. With the strength he had, he started pulling away chunks of debris like it hardly more than pebbles.

Once the pony was free, he stepped back and looked to Peach and Nameless.

"...Who can i carry?"

Renaultar had not bothered giving himself a lookover yet, but his armor was mostly smashed up, seeing to do its job in stopping anything from hitting his vitals. Most of his exposed areas had some scortching and gouges from debris, all bleeding . Most notable was the metal wedge that managed to go through his armor on the side of his rump and imbed itself rather deeply. Despite all this, he was hardly that affected by it, at least for now.

Woods had been horribly mangled by her experience but was still breathing as confirmed by Loyal. Her eyes shot up at Renny's question. "You. Carry her. Now," she said in a tone that allowed no compromise, pointing at White.

Then she strode over to Nameless, who struggled onto her back. "Is Woods alright?" the filly weakly asked.

"She's alive," Loyal replied, with actual reassurance in her voice. Despite this, Nameless looked troubled, looking over to her object of concern. Loyal, for her part, looked around at the survivors. Her soft face for Nameless grew cold and hard again. "This? This was the sorry crew you assembled for this duty! I've seen hardier crews when-" she cut herself off, glaring at nopony in particular.

Blue coughed and looked in Loyal's direction. His ears were lowered and looked more pathetic than an old pony should warrant due to his blood loss.

"I don't know about you, but we need to get the $^#@ out of here before we all get arrested."

Earl trotted over. "C'mon, Old Coot, We gotta get you to the Hospital."

Once the pony was removed Peach placed the stuff back down removing her magic from it.

She was still a little dazed. And didn't know why her back felt so wet. Or her face for that matter.

When she saw Renny again she was relived. "Renny, I don' know what's Goin' on- " She cut herself off staring at Renny a moment. "Renny, ya' 'ave a bit o metal in ya' flank." her voice was week and she had fallen back into her Trottingham cant because of the shock.

Renaultar carefully slid under Woods to get her onto his back. If they had the time, he would have waited for a stretcher, but he had enough of his senses come back to know that if they didn't move soon they would be in trouble.

After hearing Loyal, Renaultar reflexively replied. "...Shut up. Pick somepony up and start walking." His response was not angry or irritated, but rather blunt and factual.

He sluggishly looked to Peach, seeing she was not looking very good. "Peach, think you can walk? If not, i can carry two."

With a scan of his surroundings, he finally located Blue and Earl. He was releived Earl was helping Blue, but he did not like the sight of him injured so heavily. They needed to get out of here.

"We need to move. A hospital might not be an option if we don't want to get caught...." He felt a little worry at that. His emotional block was beginning to fail him gradually as his mind began to absorb the seriousness of the situation.

"I want to go home..."

It was quiet in volume, but somehow everything else became just background noise to the filly's plea. Loyal was about to retort to Renny, saying that she was carrying Nameless, but that was stopped the desperate request not of a maid, but of a foal.

Loyal sighed. "The household," she said, tiredly, "The household is the best bet."

She closed her eyes to think about it. When she opened them again they were filled with steel determination. "We're going home, Something Nameless. If any of you ponies-" she looked around at the others. "Want to follow, then I won't stop you. Luna, you can probably rest up at the household until you're healed. But I'm taking Nameless home." She shot an especially cold glare at Renny. "Whatever you do, Make. Sure. White Woods. Lives."

Then she strode off.

Blue didn't know who the maids were and he didn't care. He struggled to get back up to his hooves. With a mighty push he managed to get up, and with another he threw his front legs over Earl's back, dripping blood onto his back. Though his front legs were too weak, he thought he could make do with just his back ones.

"Come on you over caffeinated *cough* hoof kisser... I know a doctor in this area... Quick, between those two *wheeze* streetlights.... Hurry..."

Earl nodded, Heading quickly. "Just Don't Die on me. Not sure who else would Drink the Swill I put out." He jabbed back, still somewhat in a state of shock.

Peach Tittered, She did that when she was under stress, normal she was more practical then the foolish mares that giggled at nonsense.

"Ah can Walk" She managed to get out. Trotting beside Renny and laying her horn on the injured pony. "Ah can Do some first aid... but not ta' this extent." Horn blazing teal the spell washed over Renny and the crushed pony. It was a pain numbing spell mixed with a little something to help blood clot. It wasn't the best, but it would make some of the pains more bearable. "Why can' we go to an ospital?" She asked, trying hard not to look at all the burning ponies. She didn't even realize that her carefully coiled mane and tail were starting to unwind.

"Now isn't the time." Renaultar replied. Her magic was a nice ease of pain, enough to keep him going a bit longer. "We go to...the household." He followed Loyal, keeping pace with her despite his difficult limp. He looked to Blue and Earl, hoping they would follow. Though he had a feeling that Blue might have to go to the hospital regardless. It looked pretty bad from here.

(Don't bother with me. My chars are either gone or unconcious.)

Blue guided Earl through the labyrinth of alleyways and abandoned buildings to a tucked away apartment. Above the door hangs a sign that has a carpenter's saw painted on that's now flaking off. The vibe of the place was one where you did not want to be found drunk, passed out, or left for dead anywhere near it unless it was your heart's desire to have your organs harvested.

Earl knocked on the Door Urgently, Worried for the bleeding Elderly Pony on his back.

First there was silence, then part of the door slid away for accusing eyes to practically pop out of. Before another sound was made it slid back into place and the deadbolt was removed for the door to open and reveal a rake of a pony dressed in blood stained green scrubs.

"Well come on, get the old coot in here."

Earl would of questioned Being Treated here, but Blue was bleeding on his back. It was time to get him in. Quick as a flash, Blue was rushed inside.

The black market doctor nudges Blue onto an operating table and places a mask over his face connected to a canister. He speaks as he slowly turns the valve on it to release the gas.

"If you're feeling uneasy I'll let you take a whiff of this stuff for 10 bits."

Earl blinked. "Erm... No thank you. I'm sure I--... I'll be okay."
He said, giving a weak chuckle. "I don't suppose You'd be able to tell if he'll survive?"