Sign-up: http://www.everypony.com/forums/showthread.php?11757-The-Secret-World-Sign-ups OOC: http://www.everypony.com/forums/showthread.php?11780-The-Secret-World-OOC-thread Ponyville sits atop a large node of natural energy. This energy supports and encourages life, but also explains why it attracts disasters twice a month. As such, each of the three societies has established a semi-permanent presence there. However, ponies have started disappearing, about twenty in all, and among them were every agent from every society stationed in Ponyville at the time. Curtain up. Cue the mystery. The societies are on the move.
Snow studied the two teams of Mark Co 'special' employees, "I sent three teams into the Everfree for investigation, why is there only two left and yet you claim to have found nothing?" She asked them, pacing in front of them, her office that they were cluttered with different objects. "We do not know what happened to Charlie Team m'am." One replied flatly, concealing his internal nervousness. "Do you at least know their last known location?" She asked "Deep in the Everfree, Castle of Eternal Sisterhood deep." Another answered. "Well, I want you four to remain in Ponyville, I will not allow for more ponies to disappear, I want you 4 getting to work on setting up a barrier at the edge of the Everfree, I will call in more specialists to assist you. If the Illuminati, Templars, or Dragon come to investigate, they are to get free access to the Everfree. Understand?" Snow replied to them, to which they simply nodded and turn on the spot, filing out the door, their weapons covering their front right foreleg clanking against the ground, "Well, time to prepare for the undoubtable sudden influx of agents into here..." Snow muttered to herself as she began picking up her office.
Will just woke up, oversleeping like he commonly does when he sleeps, then put on the cow, feeling pain from it as always, & put on his sheath,"ugh, alright let's get another day started...", he says to himself
Puzzler strolled into Ponyville, eyes alert for any signs of trouble. He always loved a good mystery, and given his mission briefing back at Illuminati HQ, this was going to be quite a fun puzzle indeed. Or it would be, if not for the signs and reports he'd received from his..."special" sources. He just hoped their theories were wrong. Still, this was a location the Illuminati was intimately familiar with, and the best source of information to start with would be Snow Mark, CEO of Mark Co. They'd been unsuccessfully trying to turn her into an asset for years, so they had quite a bit of data on her. She was sure to have kept track of every agent stationed in Ponyville, so she would be the closest thing to a contact he'd be able to get since all their other operatives had vanished. It wasn't long before Puzzler's keen eyes picked out several undercover security personnel, probably from Mark Co. That was to be expected. All these disappearances and all the agents that would soon be coming from every faction meant that something serious was probably about to happen. He thanked the stars that the Council of Equinice had never designated this a valid battleground, and thus the factions were forbidden from directly battling here. Always the same, he thought to himself. Smiles and hoofshakes above the table, drawn knives below it. He soon arrived at the home of his contact, guards flanking the entrance. "Excuse me, sirs," he inquired, "But could you please inform your employer that one of her partners from Enlightened Eye Industries would like to have a word with her? I'm sorry I don't have an appointment, but this is a rather urgent matter that only recently came up, and I must speak with her as soon as possible."
The two guards stared at Puzzler, "Come with us." They said plainly to them, before opening the door and escorting Puzzler to Snow's office, where she was busy picking up papers. "What is it." She asked without looking after hearing the three ponies enter. "Miss Mark, you have a visitor from 'Enlightened Eye industries." The one on the right said. Snow turned around from the cabinet she had been facing, "Is that so? Well, leave and let me speak with him." She ordered them, which was followed by them turning around and filing out the room, closing the door behind then. "What is it?" Snow asked as she sat at the central desk in the room, "Something to do with your missing agents I assume?"
"Indeed, Ms. Mark," replied Puzzler. "I am aware of your distaste for my organization, but I'm afraid that without any operatives remaining here in Ponyville, you are the best contact I can hope to have at the moment. Given your standing, I suspect you have information on this incident that we do not, and are as eager as we are to see it dealt with." "Who knows," he continued flashing a winning smile. "This might create opportunities for us to have closer and more mutually beneficial relations in the future. For instance, with the information you provide, I might be able to spread it among some of the operatives from other factions coming into town and keep you from having to deal with each of them individually. After all, it isn't as though you could simply distribute a press release about this sort of thing."
Robin was patrolling ponyville wearing his Templar uniform with a bow and crossbow on his back. until he came to a group of possible recruits. Who were intrigued on his choice of attire "We do what angels fear, kick down the doors of pure evil. We are the lions of this world and have been for many a century. We are not built on greed or the darkness like those Illuminati or Dragons. We are built on tradition and holiness. So do you accept this our kind embrace." The group nodded before being directed to the Templar Canterlot HQ, a small and traditional marble building; fitting in with the rest of the cities architecture Then he carried on sitting on a bench until word came.
Snow pursed her lips, "Well, I'm afraid I cannot tell you much, for I don't know much myself. I figured that the disappearances would have something to do with the Everfree, so I sent in three teams to investigate, one didn't make it out. I just know that whatever is responsible for this is somewhere deep in the Everfree, think Sisterhood castle deep." Snow told Puzzler, "But as of this moment, Ponyville is under my juristiction. I will be responsible for the protection of Ponyville and making sure whatever is in the Forest STAYS there. You take care of the actual solving of what is going on inside." Snow face was completely stern, "Now if you don't mind, I have some business to attend to."
Puzzler raised an eyebrow, but did not protest Snow's declaration. He shrugged and said merely "If that is the case, then I shall leave you to your work. Thank you. You have been an immense help." He turned and left Snow's home, making his way towards the Everfree Forest. Seems my sources were right again, he thought. A perfect record, as always. I wish they'd be wrong once in a while, because I certainly can't hope for them to ever bring me good news.
A little after Puzzler's visit, Snow oversaw the arrival of 4 entire squads of her agents, fresh from Mark Tower in Canterlot, bolstering her current defensive force of Ponyville to nearly a hundred, well outnumbering any agents of the Illuminati, Templars, and Dragon combined. She looked to the almost 40 ponies in front of her in her front yard, dressed in black police armor covered by flowing black robes, with two symbols upon their chests, the emblem of Mark Co (An M over a C) and a White Hope, the White Hope badge signifying their new assignment to Ponyville. "Alright!" She said to them, "I need you forty to go to each of the three factions strongholds in town and clear them out. Deadly force is NOT authorized unless they attack you, but you must have them understand that Ponyville now is fully to Mark Co's protection under my orders until further notice. Have them know that their buildings will NOT be searched or seized, just vacated. Immediately after clearing the strongholds, you are to report to the edge of the Everfree to assist in setting up of the energy barriers there to contain whatever is inside. Do you understand?" The group saluted, "Yes ma'am!" they shouted in unison. "Then you are dismissed." And for the third time, Snow watched as her agents turned on their hooves and march away, "Whoever said money can't buy loyalty was a fool..." She muttered to herself as they left.
(Robin, Parsons, let me make this clear: there are no strongholds. There are no garrisons. Before this RP, there were just a few agents from each society undercover in Ponyville, keeping tabs on what's going on. Now they are all gone. If there were any Templar left in Ponyville before we began, Snow's squad will make sure that is no longer the case. Please, try to remember this is the SECRET world and exercise some discretion.)
(Oh, well in that case...) after will awoke he hopped off the roof he slept on to find a place to buy breakfast saying to himself,"I'm starved, I wonder if Ponyville has any places to eat..."
Surge Protector sat on the roof of a building, biting into an apple and sighing as she heard Snow's speech to her "minions." "Guess ah' should get goin to the~" she twitched for a second as sparks flew off her. "to the Everfree Forest fore' they do." She pulled out a small system and electricity jumped from her tie into it. "We gaht Mark Co. units movin in. Gahna need a force with me in tha Ever~" she twitched again. "Everfree. Please feel free tah send some." She put away the device and leapt backwards, vanishing beside the building, and leaving her charred apple on the roof. (no idea what accent I'm doing... because the character is faking it for no reason. she does that.)
Power Surge stared at the little device before him, giving off fits and little messages to meet at the Everfree Forest. His eye twitched at the sound of static every few seconds. Once he got the memo, he brought a hoof down and smashed the device, stepping back quickly. "Nope. I'm TOTALLY asking for a new one," he said aloud to himself as he bound out of the little flower shop and dashed in a random direction. Power hoped he was going to the Everfree by the number of trees he saw, but he had absolutely no idea. He galloped straight to it before disappearing behind a tree, occasionally peeking out to stare at the area. "Any moment now..."
Flitter sat in her small home, thinking. She felt exposed here. Unnatural. Quietly, she left the place, locking it up as she left, eyes wide, watching.
Puzzler gazed at the foreboding treeline of the Everfree Forest. Other ponies might fear it, but the Illuminati had mapped it long ago. After all, labyrinths were one of their specialties. It wasn't as though he'd need a map though, since the path to the ancient castle was as clear as any path could possibly be in a forest like this. The castle of the Royal Pony Sisters...Puzzler gave a little shudder at the thought. That place must surely have plenty of impressive magical artifacts, powerful tools and weapons that he could analyze and study and improve upon and- Focus, Puzzler. If my sources are right, as they always are, then there's no time for a detour. This will need to be dealt with before it gets any worse than it already is. He thought for a moment, then smirked. Though, given how deep I'll be going, I suppose there is always the chance that I might happen to find something useful along the way... And with that, he strode into the Everfree, following the only path that was ever able to survive the forest's growth.
Surge Protector walked up behind Power Surge and smacked the back of his head. "Yo! Dawg, we got places to be all up at. And it ain't here boy." She turned him towards the entrance to Everfree, right as Puzzler entered. "Aw hell naw. Has to be one of da other groups headin in. We movin out, now." She grabbed the back of his neck and pulled him in the way Puzzler had entered. "So, how's you been, crazy?"
Power scrunched his face as Protector pulled him to the side. "I've been good..." He flung his head from side to side to look for any other possible threats. "We're clear," he stated, staring straight at her. "Now, what's this all about? I was just on my way back to that weird hoarding place."
"We have bigger concerns comrade. Mark Company, The Illumianti, and most likely our other enemies are tracking the occurrences of vanishing ponies in the Everfree Forest. We must move before it is blocked off. You shall be accompanying me in here." She smiled and twitched as a spark flew off her chest. "Onward, yes?"
Power grinned giddily and bounced in spot. "Sounds adventurous! Let's do it!" He immediately grabbed Socket by the hoof and charged into the forest with her in tow. Things got dark very quickly, but Power didn't seem to notice as he dodged in between trees and roots, aimlessly delving into the forest. Within a few minutes, the area was pitch black and Power could only find his way around by feeling. He gripped Socket's hoof in his and flung his head around. "Uhh... did you know where we were supposed to go? I thought we'd just find what we're looking for in here..."
