Nightshade clapped happily. "I knew it! I friggin' knew it!" Honestly, that pony could get excited by the strangest things.
Blackheart checked the screen. "Two minutes for the scan. Thirty seconds to compile the data. It should be done... now." (Alright, Arch, it's up to you to decide what they found, if anything.)
*The first thing the scanner found, was Rep and a small eddy in timespace, where he was trying to transport from. The second is the faint remnant of a bridge of some sort traversing timespace from the bar to somewhere nearby, but not able to be exactly pinpointed. The energies from both of these two results, seemed to be converging and interfering with each other, preventing Rep from traveling.*
"Keep in mind, I'm only half demon. 35 percent earth pony, and..." He gave a little groan. "Fifteen percent changeling. But if you want me to lure him out, he did buck with my people, so YOU'RE GODS DAMNED RIGHT I'LL DO IT."
(Never did say what I'm allowed to detect.) "So dad. You don't drink anymore?" Nightbird always pictured her dad not being any different than Optimus Prime. With the war over having nothing better to do than drink himself stupid. "No, as I said earlier I haven't touched a drop since you were born. Not that I was ever much of a drinker, during the war we rarely had such luxuries." "No one one the Ark or the Nemesis even had a personal distillery. Boy how times have changed. Now just about every ship has a bar on it."
Blackout shook his head. "Officially, the princesses have strongly recommended cessation of Equestrian activity in Tartarus since the Tirek incident. The Guard can't help you get him." He paused, then broke into a grin. "Unofficially, we all know that you're going to do as you damn well please. So if a patrol should happen to be in the area when you get him up here, they would of course be ready and able to provide backup." ************************************************************************************** Cricket walked in just as Asmo was explaining his heritage, and huffed a little when he mentioned his changeling ancestry. "And just what is wrong with being changeling?" she asked, slightly annoyed. The filly beside her, almost four years old now, puffed out her cheeks indignantly. "Yeah! What's wrung with change-lins, you buttmunch?!" *************************************************************************************** Blackheart nodded. "Would the problem be solved if we returned to Equestria?"
"Oh, nothing, aside from getting dirty looks on the street, and... Ooooh, *squee!*!" Asmo cackled. "Somepony's grown up into a little sailor.~" "Where did your filly learn her manners?" Navaja asked, furrowing his brow. "Oh, hey." Maya waved to Cricket and Hope. "Been a minute, dude! Sorry, we're just, uhh..." "Plotting an assassination," Dusty finished. "It'll be an execution," Azrael corrected. "Death by a thousand cuts." Raven nodded. "For damn sure, Az."
Rep: I have no idea. It may very well fix it if we go to the source, or it could make it worse. Either way.
Blackheart sighed wearily. "Let's return to Equestria, then. Silver Crescent, do you intend to go with us?" Silver shook his head. "No. With the Apophii Dreadfleet destroyed, the Alliance finally has a clear shot at the Imperial Megasphere. We will leave a communication device with Moonshine should anypony wish to contact me." A few minutes later, Silver was back aboard the Luna, and the Twilight was warping back home. ******************************************************************************************************** Cricket nodded, pulling up a seat. "Fun. Who are we taking out?"
Rep: (Disembarking from the ship, after rematerializing onto the bridge.) I'm going to pull a few tricks from my sleeves so to speak Blackheart.
"Azrael's little brother. Murderous prick. Fused with a fragment of the soul of Apophis and seems to be in the process of conquering Tartarus." Cricket grinned. "My husband is not as careful with classified documents as he should be." ********************************************* Blackheart shrugged. "Do what you must."
"We're sending Asmo in disguised as a pure-bred demon," Dusty added. Azrael sighed. "I worry for him, I admit. The plan is shaky. But it's our best bet."
Rep: (muttering, but audible to those with good hearing) With the full force of a dying star, I will find you if you're near or far. *At this, with a rather noticeable transfer of energy, an orb that was visually similar to a dim star, appeared in his hand and went through a collapse until it looked like a black hole, before shining and vanishing leaving a shining trail of light that snaked out from Rep's hand and out of the facility, curving through the passages as needed.*
"Oh. Well, in that case, I'll go with him." Cricket nodded, satisfied with her 'plan.' Blackout paled. "Wait what." *********************************************************************************** Blackheart watched Rep work. "Interesting spell. What does it do?" ***************************************************************************** With the Twilight safely docked, Moonshine grabbed the alien device Silver had given her and headed for the elevator. "I'm going to Maya's! Call me if you need me!"
"Then you can go instead of him," Azrael said bluntly. "Uhh?" Asmo approached Azrael, quietly asking, "What the buck is up?" "I really don't want you attempting this," Azrael replied to him. "Be realistic. You smell like a pony. If one of them outs you, then... we lose you. I lose you." Asmo rolled his eyes. "Come on, Az, I know we've been best buds for a while and we just agreed to fall in love and buck occasionally, but that doesn't mean you gotta get over-protective on me. I'll be fine! When I get back, we kill Belial, and we can go make Japonese movies together. Sound good?"
Blackout shook his head. "Absolutely not. She's not going alone. Not with her back the way it is." Cricket's back had been broken during the invasion of Canterlot. She had come so close to death that the spell that had swept the other changelings out of the city had not recognized her as a living changeling. Even now, years later, she still had trouble flying. Nightshade winced at the mention of Cricket's back. She was the pony who had done the breaking. Cricket had long since forgiven her, and two had become close friends, but Nightshade still felt a little guilty whenever the subject came up. "What if I go with them? My necklace still has the perception enchantment. I can talk to Moonshine, and see about getting it to project a demon disguise." Cricket shrugged. "Three might be a bit much. Az, he's your brother. You know him better than anypony. Would he take the bait? Is this worth the risk?" *********************************************************************************************************************************** Moonshine wandered into the bar, the comm device from Silver sticking out of her saddlebag. "Hello, booze! Hello, ponies!" ******************************************************************************************************************************** Blackheart chuckled. "I would think it would be easier to keep track of yourself."
Rep: It may be possible. Don't know, never needed to keep track of myself. I'm currently attempting to find an old friend, it's been a while since I've seen them.
