[IC] Nighthaze - The offical unoffical sequel to STOMP
- Thread starter Shadewing
- Start date
“I think we will, “Scarlet said with a chuckle. “Have a goid day.”
As he headed to the door, he looked over at Hazy and said. “Can we stop off and get a coffee or a stiff drink on the way back. I have a headache brewing.”
As he headed to the door, he looked over at Hazy and said. “Can we stop off and get a coffee or a stiff drink on the way back. I have a headache brewing.”
Hazy winced. "I'm not the boss of you. I could use a stiff drink myself. But it's probably better we keep a clear head, especially if that gonk brother of his intends to use the heliodryl tonight. Plus I want to check up on Moony. But maybe on coffee to go wouldn't be a bad idea."
It may have struck Scarlet that Hazy seemed rather serious and determined compared to her usual head banging, bratty self. The situation with Moon Beam must really be getting to her.
It may have struck Scarlet that Hazy seemed rather serious and determined compared to her usual head banging, bratty self. The situation with Moon Beam must really be getting to her.
Scarlet shook his head.
”Yeah, you’re right. Coffee to go it is then.”
once they were on the street, Scarlett looked over at Hazy, realising that something was clearly bothering his usually tough-as-nails not-sister.
”Don’t worry, Moony will be ok. And, once we deal with Archer and his braindead posturing. She’ll stay that way. I mean, apart from her chrome addiction.”
Then he smirked, hoping this might buck up her spirits.
“Ok. How about this. If we run into Archer while on the job tonight. You punch his lights out. We just… won’t tell Rhapsody about that part.”
”Yeah, you’re right. Coffee to go it is then.”
once they were on the street, Scarlett looked over at Hazy, realising that something was clearly bothering his usually tough-as-nails not-sister.
”Don’t worry, Moony will be ok. And, once we deal with Archer and his braindead posturing. She’ll stay that way. I mean, apart from her chrome addiction.”
Then he smirked, hoping this might buck up her spirits.
“Ok. How about this. If we run into Archer while on the job tonight. You punch his lights out. We just… won’t tell Rhapsody about that part.”
“Signal has been restored.”
Smiling broadly, Scarlet chuckled.
”Ok Little Miss Beatdoown. Maybe not THAT much (deserved) punishment. Though I’m not saying I object to pounding a little sense into him. I mean, you do know your way around a good fistfight.
‘Even though I’ve had to drag your hooves out of the fire several times. Most of those,” he winked, “ dear old Grandad does not know about.”
Smiling broadly, Scarlet chuckled.
”Ok Little Miss Beatdoown. Maybe not THAT much (deserved) punishment. Though I’m not saying I object to pounding a little sense into him. I mean, you do know your way around a good fistfight.
‘Even though I’ve had to drag your hooves out of the fire several times. Most of those,” he winked, “ dear old Grandad does not know about.”
Hazy winced. "Grandpa was better at fighting with his fists. I fight better with tech. Still doesn't hold back the Signal temper," she said almost self deprecatingly. "Stupid brawling genes! That's why our grandparents have so many scars and broken bones that never healed right ya know. Always thinking with their egos!"
Down below the church, Rhapsody sneezed softly as her right ear twitches as if trying to pick up a conversation. The elder mare shook her head, as she looked over to Charity as she stallioned the control room. "So have any one reported back yet? It feels like they've been gone for months." Rhapsody asks. "Not yet. Kai is off resting before the mission, Moonbeam is stable, but no change. Tipple, Hazy, and Scarlet Jr have yet to return. Night cap is..." "Likely raiding our coffee supplies..." Rhapsody mutters somewhat to herself. "What was that, Ma'am?" "Nothing, just keep me updated on when everyone has returned and is ready."
Hazy sighed deeply as she took a long swig from her coffee as she and Scarlet left the coffee shop. She continued speaking. "And the crap part of it is, I was actually considering getting some implants. I mean, nothing fancy, but maybe some eye implants so I don't need a monitor, maybe some brain implants so I don't even need a keyboard. You know, practical...useful. But this thing with Moony, just reminded me of why I never got chromed up in the first place. Price of Heliodryl goes up or supply gets tanked because some gonk decides it's something nice to drink at a party...we get zeroed." She looked over to Scarlet. "I mean, you have implants. Doesn't being dependent on that stuff ever concern you?"
Night Cap is back upstairs with his takeout bags and to-go coffee. To the untrained eye he may look perfectly idle, but this pony is on lookout duty.
Lookout for wherever they keep the refreshments in this place.
It still counts.
Lookout for wherever they keep the refreshments in this place.
It still counts.
Night Cap finds where the coffee, because of course he does. If anypony could find the last coffee bean in the entire pony world, it would be Night Cap. He's deep into his third cup when he hears another pony come into a room.
"Wow! And to think I just started that pot brewing ten minutes ago. They way you go through it, you remind me of some pony I used to know." The yellow pony walks around the counter. "The name's Static Signal. My friends call me Static."
Static's eyes rest on Night Cap...and immediately turn cold. "You..." he snarls in a deep guttural growl... "don't get to call me anything." He slaps the coffee mug out of Night Cap's hooves. "Where were you? Where...WERE...YOU!!?? All the times we fought together...bled together...
"After everything we've been through together...you were the best stallion at my wedding to Anchors. And then you just left? You left us in this jive hole?Where were you when the princesses disappeared? Where where you when the sky turned black and cold? WHERE WERE YOU????"
"Wow! And to think I just started that pot brewing ten minutes ago. They way you go through it, you remind me of some pony I used to know." The yellow pony walks around the counter. "The name's Static Signal. My friends call me Static."
Static's eyes rest on Night Cap...and immediately turn cold. "You..." he snarls in a deep guttural growl... "don't get to call me anything." He slaps the coffee mug out of Night Cap's hooves. "Where were you? Where...WERE...YOU!!?? All the times we fought together...bled together...
"After everything we've been through together...you were the best stallion at my wedding to Anchors. And then you just left? You left us in this jive hole?Where were you when the princesses disappeared? Where where you when the sky turned black and cold? WHERE WERE YOU????"
It is all suddenly too much to take in! Night Cap takes a step back, wounded. He gulps and tries to bottle his emotions away until he can get back to the safety of the hotel room. The pony who said not to cry over spilled milk never said anything about coffee, and Night Cap will surely exploit this to the fullest!
Now, with his head cleared as much as possible, he must explain himself, with words he's held close to his heart for a long time.
"It-wasn't-me."
Now, with his head cleared as much as possible, he must explain himself, with words he's held close to his heart for a long time.
"It-wasn't-me."
Static's eyes twitched. His lower lip quivered. He could hear Rhapsody laughing at him now as he said the words, "No, it never is, is it?"
Static turns to storm out the door, not even caring to get the coffee he came for. He's not even sure if he wants Night Cap to stop him or not.
Static turns to storm out the door, not even caring to get the coffee he came for. He's not even sure if he wants Night Cap to stop him or not.
Night Cap is stunned, then slowly hangs his head. Maybe gravity will help his thoughts settle.
It seems to be helping. One thought falls into place.
"I wish I could turn back time."
It seems to be helping. One thought falls into place.
"I wish I could turn back time."
Static turned back, eyes filled with...with...what was it? Sorrow? Rage? Regret? His voice had lost all the strength it had just a moment ago. Now it was a defeated sob. "You left. We needed you and you weren't there. Are you...are you in on the same job as my granddaughter. Are you going to do the same to her, leave her when she needs you the most?"
Night Cap doesn't lift his head.
"I'm not going anywhere. I am done running."
"I'm not going anywhere. I am done running."
Static looked down solemnly at the floor. "Good," he said quietly. "I can't promise anything. It's a wound that runs deep. But do right by her...do right by all of them, and I'll at least try to start forgiving you."
Static got some coffee, mixing in a bit of something else from his own personal flask. He gave Night Cap one more studying glance. "The years have been kind. You've barely aged a day." An electric field flowed over Static and with a flash of light he was gone.
Static got some coffee, mixing in a bit of something else from his own personal flask. He gave Night Cap one more studying glance. "The years have been kind. You've barely aged a day." An electric field flowed over Static and with a flash of light he was gone.
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All is quiet for a while.
There's no one around to hear him anymore, but he repeats himself.
"I wish I could turn back time."
His head droops even lower.
Lower.
LOWER.
He...
licks the spilled coffee.
There's no one around to hear him anymore, but he repeats himself.
"I wish I could turn back time."
His head droops even lower.
Lower.
LOWER.
He...
licks the spilled coffee.
Scarlet thought about what Hazy had said before while he mulled her comments on Moony and chrome.
”it wasn’t their egos…
Ok. maybe a little bit… in the beginning. But mostly, it was them standing up for what they believe in. I mean, sure, it may not always be the better choice and the Signal temper is a thing. But that’s mostly because you lot where your hearts on your sleeves. You react from the heart, not the head. Us Spectrums aren’t much different, just less grumpy,“ he added with a smirk. “You’ve got your familys drive to do the right thing no matter what.
What do I get? Recklessness, an almost hardwired problem with honesty and lies. Thank you Grandad and your little magic amulet. Oh yes, and his good looks. Alledgedly.” Scarlet couldn’t help a healthy self-deprecating chuckle with that one.
”Anyway, regarding chrome, Heliodryl and Moony.” Scarlet flexed a wing, letting the light briefly reflect off of its modded edge. “Being reliant on the stuff is a pain sure. As is making sure to always have spare on hand when the inevitable price/supply issues rear their heads. But still, the mods are, like the ones you‘re thinking of, useful and practical.
Elite gonks like Archer turning it into some poncy drink for the rich is sickening, to say the least. However, we can at least deal with that. As for Moony, she is literally on the bleeding edge of chrome. Its like an addiction or a necessity for her. She’s modded herself even to the point of caroming the parts that don’t need to be chromed. Also, it might just be me, but her Heliodryl withdrawal comes off as either she really could not get any at all, or she willfully avoided it.
Mods are useful, but only in moderation. Keep it in mind and don’t let this whole spook you. Its time to focus up Crackles. Let’s get back to the others and start planning our little escapade.” Scarlet reached over with a wing to ruffle Hazys hair and grinned.
Yes, Crackles is a bad pun childhood nickname I just came up with, sorry. 
‘Whether Hazy likes it or not is Another thing.
‘Whether Hazy likes it or not is Another thing.
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"Well, regarding the Signal temper, yeah, not much I can do about that I'm afraid. I'll just have to try and be smart and keep fighting with my tech instead of my hooves. After all, I have to keep my good looks to balance you out!" She gives Scarlet a nudge of her wing and a smirk at this. "As for the Heliodryl..." Hazy gave a heavy sigh. "I don't know. I'll have to think about it. I've seen some mods that can be really useful in my net running. But having to constantly worry about keeping a Heliodryl supply just scares the Tartarus out of me."
Hazy grimaced, batting away Scarlet's wing with her own. "You know I hate it when you call me that, Junior!"
Hazy grimaced, batting away Scarlet's wing with her own. "You know I hate it when you call me that, Junior!"
Yeah, Hazy hates it. But Caldwin would laugh his ass off if it caught on!