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 Posted: Wed Oct 08, 2008 5:43 am
The captain Diego had met had been the sort it was easy to speak frankly to, and so he had done so. She had assured him that she was aware of no such plans; that the lands they already possessed were quite sufficient for their needs. Friendly neighbors, she had emphasized friendly, had no need to fear them.
Diego had assured her in return that Estavan's herd was very keen to be friendly to large powerful neighbors. The captain had laughed, in a friendly fashion, and they had gone to eat together. It had all seemed to go very well to him at the time, but now the golden stallion was wondering if he'd given some offense or other.
The reason for his concern was the red and mare currently pursuing him with murder in her gold eyes. Demon. He certainly hadn't done anything to deserve that label. Panting in exhaustion, Diego raced onward and hoped that he managed to find either a hiding place or an ally before she closed the gap between them. If he failed to do this, he had a feeling that he was about as dead as a fish trapped out of water.
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Posted: Wed Oct 08, 2008 5:53 am
There hadn't been time to tell anyone; she'd just followed it, getting closer and closer and close enough to charge and then she had. It was a fleet footed thing though, more so than she'd expected and her charge had not brought her close enough to strike.
Now the two of them were speeding along at a gallop they could not maintain for long, and the red mare was praying silently that the monster would tire before she did. She needed to catch it, to end it, to stop it reporting on her new home. She had friends now, friends besides Anna, and she wasn't going to let them be harmed!
Heaving huge gulps of air into her lungs, Salome tried to find more strength in her muscles and more reach in her legs. She had to catch it. She had to.
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Posted: Thu Oct 09, 2008 6:25 am
The mare was losing ground, but not enough ground; stamina had always been Diego’s biggest weakness, and he was feeling that weakness now. He couldn’t keep this up for much longer.
Dreamily, the blue-eyed stallion considered all the things he’d never said or done that he now wished he had. He’d never told Bastet that he loved her; true it was in a friends way but he still wished he’d said it. He hadn’t told Aquila that Sekhmet had left of her own accord; he surely should have done that, she always looked so tired and worn these days. Come to that, he hadn’t seen Sekhmet again. He’d been so sure he would, at least briefly if she’d settled down somewhere far from home. Come to that, he hadn’t seen Iona in an age, or most of his elder children. Kordelia, Tul’xia, Uia, Etain... He’d never had any grandchildren either; though he was still a (fairly) young stallion his first brood was easily ready to have foals by now. To the best of his knowledge, none of them had though. It was a shame. A great shame...
What was that?
Something was coming towards him; a Nequus... looked like an Ichsa, but that was all he could tell at this distance. Perhaps it would help him if he could reach it, and if not then perhaps it would divide the crossbreed’s attention some. Perhaps he’d get to do some of those things after all. setting his jaw, Diego found another burst of speed from somewhere and surged on away from the gold-legged mare and towards the approaching Ichsa.
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Posted: Thu Oct 09, 2008 7:23 am
Humm, he wasn’t alone anymore. A Jala was galloping towards him at high speed, closely followed by another feather-winged Nequus... Oh dear. Squinting, Spyke slowed and tried to convince himself that he was wrong. It didn’t look as though he was. The red creature possessed muscled tails, he was sure, and the vivid colouring was familiar. It was that crazy crossbreed who’d decided he was from the moons.
Snorting, Spyke pawed the ground uncertainly as the two drew nearer; it didn’t look like they were just having a friendly game of chase. It looked like the crossbreed, whatever her name had been, was out for the golden Jala’s blood. It looked too as if the Jala, rather than just running away from her was running towards him... He probably ought to try to help out, but he remembered that mare’s serrated horn and blade-like tails. Not good. Swallowing nervously, the young Ichsa pranced on the spot and waited; he could hardly just abandon the sleek gold creature to the mad thing after all... Swallowing again, Spyke began to wish fervently that he didn’t have such a well developed conscience.
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Posted: Thu Oct 09, 2008 7:43 am
The demon put on a burst of speed, recovering its Jala disguise as it did so. Salomé smiled grimly; it wouldn’t last much longer after that... Oh, she frowned, so that was why it was disguised again; an Ichsa was coming towards them, or had been a moment ago, it had come to a halt now. Was it a friend of the monster, she wondered? If it was, she might be in trouble... Ha! Or not! She was part of the Omega force, she could take on any monster that stood against her either by hoof, horn and tail-blade or by her magic. Either way, she could take the ‘Jala’ no trouble, and the Ichsa too if it tried to stop her. It probably would, even if it wasn’t a bad Ichsa it would be taken in by the Jala disguise. She hoped she didn’t have to hurt it too badly.
“You have to do what you have to do,” came Anna’s firm voice. “Killing the Ichsa would be regrettable, but less so than the demon getting away. It can’t be allowed to report back to its masters, Salomé; who knows what the knowledge its gained could do to the Chosen if it were passed on!”
Anna was right, as always; the Jala had to go, the Ichsa would be spared if it was at all possible... Was the Ichsa familiar? Salomé frowned thoughtfully to herself, she was sure she recognized it... Still, she’d find out soon no doubt; they were getting close to it now, and the ‘Jala’ was slowing. It wouldn’t be long now; she would see her people kept safe from that beast!
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Posted: Thu Oct 09, 2008 8:18 am
Heart pounding and breath seeming to burn his throat and lungs, Diego skidded to a halt just before the blue and brown Ichsa and spun around to face the rapidly approaching mad-thing. “Hello,” he managed to pant out, “nice day, isn’t it? That crazy b***h is trying to kill me, any chance of lending a horn? I do rather like being alive.” Grinning the grin of the truly terrified, the blue-eyed Jala heaved in a few more breaths. “Name’s Diego by the way, glad to meet you; very glad indeed.” Dear Gods and Goddesses let the little stallion feel like being a good kind generous person and help him avoid being torn to shreds.
Spyke watched the mare’s approach, still unsure of what to do. Clearly he couldn’t run away, but he didn’t fancy a fight either... Perhaps he could calm her down somehow? She’d seemed to like him when they’d met on the beach. “Name’s Spyke,” he said in response after a moment, “I met this one before, she’s completely off ‘er head... Hopefully she’ll calm down if she recognizes me. ‘opefully...”
She didn’t look like slowing... Spyke snorted to himself and tensed to spring aside should she try to attack him rather than Diego. If she went for the Jala... well he just hoped the golden stallion had a bit of energy left; no chance he had the weight to throw her off balance should the Jala just stand there panting.
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Posted: Thu Oct 09, 2008 8:44 am
...She did know him. The little moon boy had grown up. Salomé slowed as she approached the pair, unwilling to hurt the young stallion she’d once spoken with. She’d have to talk him into giving the demon up to her; looked as though he was intending to help it. In his position, not being able to see the evil in the world for what it was, she supposed she might do the same. Poor blind fools; they had no idea, no idea at all what they allied themselves with.
“Moon Boy,” the red mare said eventually, coming to a complete stop a little way from the young Ichsa and the monster, “you grew up...” Had he got himself stuck on Urin? It was possible, quite possible; the chances of running into him at random while he was making a short visit were small... So maybe he’d come here looking for her! He might have seen her chasing the fake Jala. He might be here to help after all... Or he might be here to stop her. What had made her so sure that the people of the moons were so friendly anyway? She couldn’t remember, she didn’t think there really had been a reason, she’d just assumed. Assuming was always dangerous.
“Step away from the golden one, Moon Boy,” she went on with a stamp of her hoof, “he’s dangerous, he’s evil. You don’t want to mix yourself up with the like of him.” Maybe moon people in general weren’t friendly, but she believed that this one was. If he stepped aside, then she was right. If he didn’t... if he didn’t then she might be wrong. She still didn’t want to hurt him if she could avoid it though, or unless he proved that he was truly in league with the golden thing in full knowledge of what it was. She doubted that. Wanted to doubt that. He’d been such a sweet little foal. She couldn’t stand the idea that he might have grown up bad.
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Posted: Thu Oct 09, 2008 9:10 am
Spyke glanced between the two feather-winged creatures uncertainly. “Err... Hi there... Salomé,” that had been her name, he was sure, “long time no see... I umm... I’m sure you must be thinking of someone else. Me and Diego go way back, right Diego?” he turned to the golden Jala with a fixed gin. “Why we known each other since f’rever, ain’t we? Last thing Diego is is evil so... Yea. Must be some sort of mistake ‘ere.”
Mad, mad, mad crazy b***h; he was honestly rather surprised that she’d managed to survive with a mind as warped as hers seemed to be. Hopefully he could come up with something to change her mind on Diego, but he hardly knew where he could start! Perhaps it would help if he knew why she thought he was evil but now didn’t seem like the time to ask. She didn’t look like she was going to spring at them right away... but then again those sharp-tipped tails were twitching, and who knew what was going on inside her head?
Never judge a crossbreed by the standards of normal people, never assume they think like or will act like normal people. Mad, evil or both. Spyke had a feeling that Salomé was just the former, but that didn’t make her any less dangerous. She could turn on the at any moment. He just had to hope that Diego was a decent actor; coming up with a good lie and then playing it well looked like the only way they’d get out of this with both of them whole.
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Posted: Thu Oct 09, 2008 9:33 am
Well this was different. Still, it wasn’t as if he’d come up with anything better, and it wasn’t as if he had much choice but to latch onto Spyke’s plan and run with it. “Ah, ah-ha, yes,” the blue-eyed Jala grinned nervously, “known him years; my daughter Sekhmet’s a good friend of his, got to know him as a cute little foal, didn’t I Spyke? I must say it’s very nice to see you again...”
This was the most half-baked idea ever; how was supposedly knowing Spyke going to help him? Well it was giving him a chance to get his breath back, he supposed. Another sprint might just get him close enough to home to recognize a few friendly faces. Might. Might not. Best to keep playing this as long as possible.
“I’m not sure what you have against me, Salomé Hellene,” he went on with a winning smile, thank Gods he was still good at those, “but I do hope you’ll explain it to me! I assure you that anything I did to give offense was unintended, and I would love the opportunity to apologize for it.”
Ha, apologize with his hoof! Crazy daft b***h; he’d almost been convinced by the Hellenes that crossbreeds were alright really but then there was this girl. Maybe most crosses were basically normal people, Diego decided, but it was safer to be wary of them all the same. It was true that mad Nequus existed in the pure breeds too, but he’d never met one as crazed as this mare. Better safe than sorry; far better.
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Posted: Thu Oct 09, 2008 10:02 am
Salomé didn’t respond immediately; she needed time to think first. Okay so Spyke, little moon boy Spyke, knew this ‘Diego’. Either he was in league with him, or the monster had him fooled. It was quite likely that the monster had him fooled, yes, Spyke was too sweet a little stallion to be evil. Right? Well he didn’t look evil to her, but her powers of true-seeing were intendant at best. He could be a monster hiding it well. She supposed it was even possible that he was just an evil Nequus who thought he’d gain power by helping a demon. She sometimes saw evil in Nequus too though; they sort of twisted and distorted in the air before her, or flickered with an eerie light. She wished she could see things like that on demand, it would make her life so much easier!
“Spyke,” the tall crossbreed said eventually, turning to the slight stallion, “he’s not what he pretends. He’s not what you think he is. He’s... he a thing, not really a Nequus at all. He wants to hurt me and my people, so I have to stop him and the only way to do that is to kill him. I need you to get out of my way now. I don’t want to hurt you.”
“Careful! He might be with the monster, you know he might! It would be safer to kill them both, just kill them both! You can’t let the monster get away, and you can’t risk that Spyke might be one too. If he is, he probably already knows everything the gold-thing found out! You have to kill them both!”
Salomé snorted and blinked. It was the first time Anna had ever suggested something she didn’t like the sound of, and it worried her. Anna was usually right but... But Spyke wasn’t bad! She was almost sure!... Was Anna right though? was ‘almost’ not good enough? She needed some more time, she told her friend, time to talk to them both and try to work out if Spyke was really working with Diego or not. She didn’t want to hurt him if he wasn’t.
“Kill them now!”
The gold-maned mare snorted and shook her head violently; no, she couldn’t. She would have to risk upsetting Anna on this one, she couldn’t just kill Spyke because he might be bad. If he tried to run, she'd have to kill him and risk hurting an innocent but if he made no move to escape she wouldn’t. After all, if he was working for Them, and with Diego, he couldn’t report while she was around, neither of them could. She wouldn’t attack Spyke unless she had to. Monstrous Diego had to go, obviously, but not Spyke.
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Posted: Thu Oct 09, 2008 10:16 am
Spyke hadn’t actually been listening to anything anyone had said for some moments now. “You’re Sekhmet’s father?” he blurted eventually, staring at Diego. Now he thought about it, there were some similarities between the two, and it was definitely that shade of gold the young mare had in her stripes...
Oh drek! He’d just gone and well and truly given the game away, and there was no fixing his slip up. Damnit! He was usually so good at things like this... Perhaps he’d have to fight the crazy mare after all; between himself and Diego they could probably take her. Probably not without injuries though; she’d fight to the death no doubt about it. Cursing himself, the small stallion trained his eyes on Salomé, waiting for her reaction.
Diego stared back. “You know Sekhmet?” This was certainly an interesting turn of events. It had buggered their pretence with a spine-pod, but still! Sekhmet... it was possible that it wasn’t his Sekhmet of course but... Well he had to hope. Had to hope he got the chance to investigate more thoroughly, too. Tearing his eyes away from the young Ichsa who might well have seen his daughter, the blue-eyed Jala fixed his attention on Salomé. This probably wasn’t going to go well at all.
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Posted: Thu Oct 09, 2008 11:02 am
So Spyke had lied. She had to admit to being more than a little relieved; her little moon boy didn’t know the monster after all, he’d just been trying to protect it because he thought it was a Nequus. He must think she was mad, poor boy. Well she couldn’t help that, and if he tried to get in her way, tried to stop her, then he might get hurt. She wouldn’t attack him, but if he tried to fight her she’d have to defend herself. Sweet though he was, he couldn’t be allowed to interfere with justice.
“That was kind of you Spyke,” she said to the blue and brown Ichsa with a slight smile, “but misguided. I’m sorry you can’t see what I do in this beast, but I can’t let you stop me. Sorry.” So saying, the red-coated mare sprung, raising her head so that she might slash its serrated edge down at the golden monster all the harder. This ended now. She was glad she'd held back from harming Spyke right away though. Though she understood Anna's cuation, she was glad she hadn't gone along with it. Spyke didn't deserve to suffer, and she hoped he would see reason now and keep himself out of the way of her duty.
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Posted: Thu Oct 09, 2008 12:13 pm
Spyke had never been the best at seeing reason, and as such rather than moving back out of the large mare’s way, he moved forward, placing himself between the crossbreed and Diego. He might, the small Ichsa considered, have been more prepared to back off had he not just found out that this stallion was his friend’s father. He liked to think that Sekhmet would do the same for his own father if put in a similar situation. He doubted that if his riruy got himself into a situation he needed saving from there would be much Sekhmet could actually do, but the principle was sound.
Salomé came up short, snorting furiously;
“Don’t interfere, or I’ll have to hurt you!”
Spyke pinned his ears back and tossed his head, displaying his silvery white horn to the larger Nequus. “Do y’ worst nut-job!”
The crossbreed bared her teeth at him then and, after a moment in which she seemed torn, she slashed at him with her horn. Spyke swore and danced aside, lowering his own horn and jabbing at her. She withdrew skillfully, and kicked out viciously with her hind hooves, catching Diego, who had been coming up behind her, full in the chest. Clearly this was not going to be an easy fight even two to one. Gritting his teeth, the young Ichsa tried for another stab, aimed at the mare’s neck, but she dodged again and kicked out at his face. Fortunately, she only managed to catch him a glancing blow, and the moment she had taken to do that had been enough for Diego to land a nice kick of his own on the crossbreed’s rump.
Screaming in rage, and possibly pain, at the golden stallion, Salomé whipped around and made a slash at his throat with her horn. She missed, but the sleek Jala was forced to give ground swiftly. Seeing a chance, Spyke lunged once more, aiming for the mare’s left hock with his horn.
This was a mistake.
He had only a brief impression of movement out of the corner of his right eye before the pain came, and the vision in that eye vanished. Her tails. Crying out and stumbling, the small Ichsa made to retreat but lost his footing and ended up in a heap. The tails came down again, against his back this time, and he screamed again as the black blades bit into his flesh. Another blow caught him before he could react, and then a hoof found his cheek.
Though he was now dazed as well as half blinded and bleeding, the slender Ichsa managed to scramble to his hooves and stagger away. This was not going to plan at all.
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Posted: Thu Oct 09, 2008 12:32 pm
The scaled Reya winced as the Ichsa went down; damn fool he was for getting into a fight with an omega force warrior. It looked as though the stallion, Diego or whoever he was, was doing alright all things considered; when the injured blue and brown stumbled upright, the Jala managed to keep all of Salomé’s attention on himself, and was currently avoiding having his throat cut. That said, however, it was him the red mare was after, not the Ichsa, whoever the hell he was. Still, it looked as if he was going to be in time to prevent actual death, provided the Ichsa wasn’t too badly injured that was, and that had to be a good thing.
So long as Diego remained alive and relatively unscathed, the whole thing could probably be kept quiet; he doubted the Ichsa was anyone important enough for a fuss to be raised over his injuries. It would be easy enough to lie about them, say Salomé saw him on the border, thought him hostile and so on. The Ichsa would be sensible to go along with such a story, because if he didn’t go along with it, the spined Reya was perfectly happy to finish him off and never tell anyone anything about him.
All he needed to do was find a way to persuade Salomé that Diego was alright; she’d probably decided the gold was one of her monsters, crazy girl that she was. He could talk her around though. Hopefully. Baring his teeth against exhaustion Ignatius raced on towards the battling figures, the Ichsa was pitching in again now despite weaving dazedly with every step. He got another taste of Salomé’s tails for his trouble, and Ignatius found his grimace becoming a grin; damn that little stallion had balls. Perhaps he would be open to being recruited. You never could tell.
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Posted: Thu Oct 09, 2008 12:45 pm
Diego spotted the brown shape out of the corner of his eye and wondered vaguely if this was salvation or doom. Well, things wouldn’t get all that much worse; although so far he only had a shallow scratch on his neck, the gold stallion knew he couldn’t keep this up. He knew how to fight, of course, but not like this mare did; she had some serious training behind her. Had to be in one of the marks, he guessed, probably their most elite force. If she wasn’t, then Gods help anyone who angered a Nequus that was.
Panting, Diego continued to give ground to the mare’s attacks, and winced as Spyke moved doggedly after her; damn fool was going to get himself killed at this rate. He shouldn’t have involved the Ichsa; Sekhmet’s friend... If the Ichsa died, he’d never find out if it really was his Sekhmet he knew. It was a selfish thing to worry about but he couldn’t help that. Hearing how she was, or how she had been the last time the blue and brown stallion had seen her, would be incredible... If the creature thundering towards them wasn’t friendly, he was going to die himself.
Bugger.
He didn’t want to die.
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