Bay 12 Games Forum

"Thank you..." Jaxler had seen that little foal he saved from a snatcher grow up before his own eyes. The pony was the the first guy in Dawn- ever to treat Jaxler like a friend. If anypony in the room was a good pony it was the stallion standing in front of him. "You know, you were the first pony to treat me like a friend."

Jaxler just stole much of Granite's life, so at least he could try to help him with his little problem. "Granite, F-Friesden isn't the kind of pony that would stab you in the back, she p-probably will be thrilled to see you."

"I-I... I'll get back to training y-you once I get out... you d-deserve it..."

Jaxler didn't bother to get out of his covers, but still responded to Granite. "I'm f-feeling crappy..."

+ Balisong the Face-less.

Moral was walking through town right now. He had spent all day working on wooden crafts and stuffs and felt super happy. He had intoxicating smile on his face and was now just enjoying a mindless stroll, mainly because he hadn’t the slightest clue what he was doing. As Moral continued his great walk, he suddenly ran into something purple and annoying so hard that hard that his pointy green hat fell off. “Oh, um.... ouch... what did I... um... what happened?”

"Oof!" says the annoying purple thing from her current position on the ground. Jury has been walking along purposefully as always, on her way back home after a day spent being mostly useless with papers in her office, and has just turned a corner only to be impacted by something, presumably another pony, and now she was sprawled on the ground with a green hat perched stupidly on her face. She blasts it off with a burst of magic, sending it sailing into the air, absolutely furious. "Watch where you are going, you moronic imbecile!" she snaps, without waiting for an apology.

Moral looked sad as his hat flew off of Jury’s face. The big red pony didn’t honestly plan on hurting anyone. “Oh... um uh... I sorry, I no mean to um... BUCKING hell... what’s the word... OH! hurt! that’s the word... I didn’t mean to hurt nopony...” said Moral as he levitated his pointy hat back onto his head.

"You will find I do not care; you should be alert to the possibility of running ponies smaller than yourself over and not merely dandering along in a daze like an idiot!" Jury picks herself up, tossing her mane indignantly.  I know this one...the documentation on him is...interesting.

Moral was clearly distressed. How could anypony call him an idiot, he was clearly capable at his job and what he did in his free time was nopony’s concern. “B-but I no to be an idiot...” The stallion then gave Jury a sad smile and said, “why can’t we just be nice to each other?”

"You may find you initiated the being-inconsiderate-to-each-other aspect of this little meeting by rudely crashing into me." sniffs Jury haughtily, casting a critical eye over the alicorn. That hat is ridiculous...

Moral tilted his head in confusion. “I wasn’t... um... what was it... Got it! I wasn’t trying to run into you, but you be trying to be mean to me.” Moral then gave a blank stare of in the distance. “Wait... what were we doing here again?”

Jury scowls. This pony is giving me a gods-damned headache... "Oh, shut up, you fool." she mutters, stepping around him with a disgusted look on her face. Clearly an idiot.

“Oh... um... okay...” Moral looked visibly sad. somehow his great happy mood had turned bad. The sad pony just walked away, with a big frown. “I only w-wanted to be nice...”

Balisong was making her way around town when she spied a curious sight. The Grand Master Moral, apparently being harassed by town judge, and then walking away appearing rather upset. Curious as to what could be have been going on she makes her way to the scene. “Master Moral.” she says in a soothing tone, “What happened? Why do you look so sad?”

Moral felt slightly less sad now that his friend has had shown up. “S-s-s-s-she um...she called me a f-f-f-fool.” said Moral pointing his hoof at Jury.

Balisong has a confused look on her face, “Why would she say that? You aren’t a fool. No fool would be a Grand Master Pyromancer. Did you tell her who you are? You should go back and make her apologize!”

The big pony sighed and thought for a second. “um... uh.... Okay... I guess we could.” The big guy looked rather saddened and also like he desperately needed a hug.

Balisong reaches out a forehoof and pats Moral’s shoulder, as well as she can reach. “Hey, my Dad says that a good pony should not insult others nor let themselves be insulted. You shouldn’t take that from her.”

Moral’s face started to show the beginnings of a smile. “um... okay then.” Moral then procedded to walk after Jury. “Hay Jury! You say sorry, before I get angry.”

"Sorry? Sorry for what?" asks Jury, neither breaking stride nor even bothering to look at Moral. "Sorry for being run into by your eminent self? I hardly think so."

“You shouldn’t um... DAMNIT... OH! be mean to me. I’m a grandmaster!” said Moral, clearly seeming distressed, as he followed Jury.

Balisong watching and listening to the conversation thus far, puts her hoof to her face, ’...Maybe he should have just let it go.’ she thinks to herself.

"A grandmaster? How hugely interesting." says Jury, in the most sarcastic tone she can manage. "In what, exactly? Bothering ponies more important than yourself when all they want to do is retire to their home after a hard day working than, presumably, lazing about and being useless such as I presume you have been doing."

“I’ll show you what I’m a grandmaster at you... you, um.. uh... BUCKING DAMNIT!!!!” Moral’s horn glew sickening red as the grass around the two ponies suddenly was covered in a red glow for a matter of seconds, and then spontaneously combusted into a three foot tall circle of flames. “You Irate, pride struck pony? How dare you insult me so! You should show respect to somepony who can immolate your very physical being in the FIRE OF A THOUS-

Jury interrupts the alicorn's rant by screaming very very loudly, her arrogant demeanour evaporating in an instant as she suddenly becomes beside herself with fear. "PARTISAN! PARTISAN! SOMEPONY!" she shrieks, leaping away from the flames and the clearly deranged, murderous psychopath and charging her own magic, much weaker though it was. Her face twisted in terror, she nevertheless prepares to at least be boiled alive with a shred of dignity.

“-AND IMPLODED SUNS!” Moral walks slowly through the circle of fire, not even being the slightest bit burnt. “Oh, did you honestly assume you could disrespect me, GrandMaster Moral Decay Bringer of Doom!” as the word left Moral’s mouth the fire behind him seemed to grow further upward. The dark red alicorn gave the spiteful unicorn in front of him a sickening look that conveyed both rage and joy.

Balisong’s facehoof quickly turned into a look of sheer terror. “BUCK.” she yelped a moment later, in such a way that would certainly get her scolded by her father had he heard her, before she decides to head home immediately, half running half flying as she flees the scene.

“BALISONG, GET YOUR FATHER!” yells Jury, panicking even more as she sees her only hope of aid fleeing the scene. She tries to back away from the flames, but is already at the centre of the circle, and she finds herself unable to get any further away from the searing heat. “STOP, YOU MANIAC!” she screams, about to lose it completely. None of her limited magical ability covered anything to do with fire, but if she was going to die otherwise she would quite happily empty raw magic into the flames, regardless of the potential dangers of an uncontrolled spell like that.

The fire instantly degraded from its original height to about two inches. “Oh... pardon me but I do believe you inquired what I was a Grand Master at. You see I’m a pyromancer, and I thought you of all the ponies in the fort deserved a decent display of my capabilities.” Moral then raised his hoof to his chin and inquired for a moment “Also what would have happened if you had actually been assaulted  by a vile pony? wouldn’t you agree that such an important pony as yourself needs a guard?”

Jury lets the mad pony finish speaking, lest she set him off again, before she replies: "Put the fire out! All of it! Please!" she implores, still quivering with fear.

“Yes, yes, of course.” suddenly all the small fires extinguished except for a small quivering flame that he kept his eyes fixated on. “Now, please, I’d like to keep this professional. Would you feel secure having me guard you? I mean what kind of foal would try to harm me.”

As if on cue, the unicorn Glaive arrives on the scene, his axe floating in the air next to him and his shield on his back. “Jury!? What’s going on? Balisong said something bad was going on and I saw smoke?”

“Oh, dear Glaive, Miss Jury here Asked to see what I was a grand master at, so I gave her a harmless demonstration of my exponential skills in pyromancy. I was all in good spirit, I actually was hoping to apply for a job guarding her from pesky little pony who would dare threaten her.” said Moral, not giving Jury time to reply.

"HE TRIED TO SET ME ON FIRE HELP ME HE IS A LUNATIC!" screams the slightly singed mare in one very panicked breath, seeing a saviour arrive at last, scurrying over to Glaive's side while Moral prattles some of his insanity. She tries to say something else, too, but realises she's just called the mad pony insane to his face, and only a small squeak comes out as she cowers behind the axepony.

“Oh please stop your hogwash, I was only trying to give you a free light show. Someponies would pay hundreds of bits to see a grand master pyromancer entertain them” Moral was honestly enjoying twisting his actions so that they seemed justified.

Glaive grasps his axe in his mouth and lifts his artifact shield into the air, which he keeps close to his body. He speaks through his words are obstructed by his weapon, “Moruul...Huu’ve gone too far dis time. I’m plashing you under arresht. Pleassh don’t try and reshist.”

“You put her under arrest as well then, she rammed into me before she even got a free light show, which I only gave was as a way to try to mend our stressed relationship. I swear I try to make friends with her, I even waste my time trying to entertain the irate lier and I get arrested. I swear there really is no justice.”

"No justice?! No grass left!" retorts Jury, pointing out the huge area of scorched earth left behind by Moral's display of pyrotechnics. "And my mane!" she adds, a few burnt strands of previously straw-coloured hair falling to the ground as she quakes, still terrified, behind Glaive.

“Really? You are the pony who tried to jump through a wall of fire, and you dare imply that This was my fault. If it weren’t for me you could have caught fire, for you foalish act of raw stupidity. This mare is obviously insane!” Moral lifted his hat and showed a mark where the unicorn had blasted it. “She even assaulted my hat for no particular reason. Harming masterwork is a crime my dear little pony.”

Glaive concentrates on keeping both his axe and shield floating, so he could speak freely. He couldn’t fight like that, but he could hold it for awhile. “Moral. I didn’t see what happened. But I do see scorch marks and one terrified mare. For now, you are under arrest, but I promise you the guard captain will do a full investigation. Now. Will you come peacefully?” The last word comes with great insistence from the young captain.

Moral was still eyeing the small flame he had yet to put out. “Well, I’d like to clarify. harm by negligence it only a week in jail, but harming a master work like my silk hat here is a month in Jail. see, her horn left a hole in it. We should both be arrested for today’s events.”

The alicorn had already proven his insanity, so Jury pays no attention at all to his lunatic ravings. No way, no way was anypony that dense. A month in jail for a hat that already had a hole in it?! Maybe he cannot even tell he himself is an alicorn! I really hope those magic suppressors in the cell below are tuned right up...

“You can tell that to the Guard Captain when you speak with him, and press charges then, for now.” Glaive puts his axe back in his mouth, steels himself in case he resists, and begins to approach the alicorn. “Hu are comink wit me.”

“Meh, fine, but I will require a small flame be present in the room while I converse with Partisan. I can’t think for shit without a fire for me to look at. You see, I have a debilitating condition that should make it so I’m not responsible for my actions, and also make my I.Q. drops like a stone.”

“Dat ishn’t up ta me, but hy will include hur request in my report.” says Glaive through his axe, as he moves to take the alicorn to the dungeons.

Meanwhile, some distance away, watching and hiding young Balisong observes her father arresting Moral. The little filly couldn’t help but feel responsible for all this. It was, after all, her who told Master Moral to stand up for himself, but she hadn’t imagined that he would do it in such a dangerous way.

"O-okay..." Jaxler then drank some of the moonshine. "Thank y-you"

It was morning again; time to get on with the routines of daily life as usual. Opening her closet door, Sarissa picked out the pieces of metallic black armour from their dark dwelling and ensconced herself within their protective shell. The top-most drawer on her nightstand slid open with slight provocation from her telekinetic magic. She pulled out a distinctively-shaped black box and unlocked it with the key she had recovered from its hiding spot. The box opened to reveal a red velvet-lined interior cradling the ax she had so valued, “Good morning, Elegy.” Her greeting went unanswered as the mare pulled it from its container. Since she had some extra time before her duties began, she thought that she would see how prison life was affecting Jaxler. After that less-than-pleasant encounter with Indigo last night, the mare could go for a little fun.

The door closed behind Sarissa, her thoughts on what had happened the other day when he had resisted arrest. I’ll bet he’s been having a real rage-fest, probably spewing profanities at everypony passing by his cell. It would be interesting, perhaps even enjoyable, to see just how miserable Jaxler was. Her steel boots clanked against the stone floor of the prison as the unicorn neared his cell. She took note of the strange silence present. Sarissa nodded to Saber, who was currently guarding the prison, “Don’t mind me, I’m just here to visit for a moment.” The area was dark, and the copper mare had trouble making anything out in the cell. “Hey! You awake, Jaxler?”

Of the four ponies jaxler hated in the fort, Sarissa had to be the one he hates second most and now she decided to come down in make his life horrible. The little pony hadn’t slept in days and was huddled in the back corner of the cell, and didn’t even bother to open his eyes for all he would see was soul crushing walls and an equally horrible unicorn. “I haven’t s-slept in 3 days”

Sarissa raised an eyebrow. Jaxler’s voice didn’t have the bite that she expected it to have. “Seriously? As dark as it is in here, I would’ve figured that sleeping would be easy as pie.” Where was he anyway? Time to shed some light on the situation; literally. Igniting the magic in her horn, a green light fills the prison and she quickly makes out a very dingy-looking pony curled away in the far side of the room. She wrinkles her nose, “...what are you even doing?” This wasn’t going as she had predicted.

Jaxler sighed. He had a feeling that Sarissa planned on him to be more abrasive to her, which he probably have be given they were meeting on any other circumstances, but as of right now the little pony was far too stressed to be insulting. “I g-get claustrophobic, and I can’t handle stress or fear without my c-crossbow...” The pony was dreading Sarissa’s response more then anything in the world right now.

Narrowing her eyes in disbelief, Sarissa inquired, “...really? You’re afraid of this little room?” She takes in the dimensions of the walls and floor, shining her light in every corner, “Oh please, you have plenty of room to move around. It’s not like you’re being held in the stocks. Also, what’s your crossbow got to do with this? Are you seriously trying to tell me that you need that thing like a little filly needs a teddy bear?” This was a very different Jaxler than the one she was used to.

The pony sighed and tried not to sound too stressed as he spoke “I c-could have an e-entire castle, but i-if I was trapped in i-it I’d feel the same way I do now.” The pony sighed again and started to shake slightly “And y-yes I do need my crossbow like a l-little two y-year old filly needs a t-teddy bear....”

Standing silent for a moment, the soldier found it hard to believe just how pathetic Jaxler looked and sounded. He had to be pulling her leg. Then again, why would he have allowed himself to get so dirty just for the sake of deceiving her? Sarissa groaned, “Oh come on, Jaxler...stand on your own four hooves and take it like a stallion! Since you got yourself into this mess, you should be pony enough to deal with the consequences of your actions!”

“I n-never said I didn’t deserve this p-punishment, or that I wasn’t going to take my time in here as b-best I could.” Why did Sarissa have to come down here. The pony was already picking himself apart with guilt and now this? “I’m sorry for making you have to lash out at me.”

The mare’s mouth fell open. Did he just say that he was sorry? To ME? Was this really the same pegasus that had smacked Partisan in the face? The same one that always answered adversity with anger? Her mood had switched from trying to get a rise out of the stallion to simply feeling disappointment, “Why do you do this to yourself, Jaxler? You had to know that you couldn’t fight off all of us by yourself.”

Jaxler tried to calm himself as he spoke. “I-I’d rather be d-dead then be t-the way I a-am right now. Y-you were going to t-take away my c-c-crossbow...” The pony placed his hoof on his face. “I-I-I would have gone peacefully of y-you wouldn’t have tried to decapitate me...”

Her mood began to go south again as she growled. Sarissa spoke through her gritted teeth, “Let me spell this out for you and every other pony on this planet! I was NOT trying to kill you! I had NO intentions of decapitating, murdering, mutilating or otherwise mauling you with that swing! I was using Elegy’s broad side! I wanted you down and out, not in the grave!” She caught her breath as she lowered her volume slightly, “Do you really think I’m THAT cruel?!”

Jaxler huddled himself a little bit tighter as Sarissa’s voice got louder. “I... I saw an axe coming at me a-after striking a n-noble. I wouldn’t have been c-cruel to strike me down...” Jaxler’s voice got a little quieter as he continued. “It p-probably would h-have been best if you would have j-just killed me...”

Sarissa closed her eyes and shook her head. What was she supposed to say to that? “Jaxler, as much of a nuisance as you can be, you don’t deserve to die. Plus, you’re not doing yourself any favors through self-victimization. Obviously, you shouldn’t have hit Jury nor Partisan, but that’s why you’re here right now.” The unicorn sighed, “If you ask me, you’ve been presented with an opportunity to learn from your mistakes. You’re going to be here for a while, so I suggest you use that time to reflect on your life. If anything, being cut off from alcohol will give you a chance to kick the stuff for good. THAT’S where a lot of your problems come from.” Sarissa was unaware that Glaive had been bringing intoxicating beverages to the imprisoned pegasus.

Suddenly, there was an unexpected noise of hooves on stone from the entrance; somepony else was coming down. "Hel-loo!" trilled a singsong voice from the stairs, Jury almost skipping down into view with a piece of parchment and a mug levitated before her. "Did you miss me? Somehow I imagine not, but I came back regardless!" She gave Sarissa a brief, haughty nod of acknowledgement before immediately turning to Jaxler again, looking very pleased with herself. "I brought you a present, too!"

Jaxler didn’t want to look. He already knew this was going to be horrible. Jury was here to make his life more of a living hell... “w-w-what i-is it j-j-jury” The little pony started to shake even more than he did before.

"Oh, Jaxler, do drop the traumatised act and clean yourself up; anypony with a brain can see right through your little charade. In any case, open those big, sad eyes of yours and behold!" The purple unicorn waved the parchment about enthusiastically. "Remember the last piece of paper I showed you? Guess how much this one is worth?" Jury gleefully asked, taking a deliberately loud drink from her mug. She screwed her face up in disgust, this particular beverage not being to her taste at all. Sarissa held her tongue, satisfied to simply watch and see what Jury had to say; it was about time she got to know what this judge was really like.

Jaxler just continued to shake for a few moments before speaking “P-p-please... just tell me...” He really felt like he didn’t need anymore humiliation. He was already filthy, sad and stuck cowering in the corner of a cell. “A-a-also can I please have my crossbow moved d-d-down here... even i-i-if it isn’t in my cell I’d like to at least b-be able to see it...”

"Oh, are we coming out with the 'please's and other social niceties now? Time to discuss things politely like a pair of civilized ponies, hmm? No more threats and bashing other ponies in the face? Not now that somepony else is here to see you?" Jury taunted, not in the least bit empathetic. "You have tallied up another six months, my little pony, bringing you up to a rather lenient nine months total. Personally I think that's far too meagre a sentence, especially considering how easily you could have killed somepony, but Virtue made a valid point on your behalf. You should send her a thank-you letter; I shall even have the required materials sent down if you wish! Not the crossbow, though, it looks far too pretty on my desk to bring down into this nasty, cold, dark dungeon. I can really see why you like it so much, it is quite the beautiful weapon. Just think of all the many more months I will have to admire it, too!" She didn’t actually have the crossbow anywhere near her office, of course, but Jaxler didn’t know that. She offered the mug to Sarissa nonchalantly. "Would you like some? I believe it is one of Jaxler's favourites."

The copper unicorn twisted her face, “No thank you...” So this mare is a drinker. Strike one against her. “With all due respect, I’m a dry pony.” Why would it matter if it was one of Jaxler’s...oh... Sarissa continued, “Also, is it really necessary to be parading alcohol around in front of him? He’s a known drunk, you know.”

"No? I cannot say I blame you; it is a rather vile beverage. I suppose maybe it influenced him somewhat!" Jury giggled maliciously, tilting the mug so that the contents fell slowly onto the ground, the constant noise of liquid hitting stone loud in the confined space. "Oh, worry not, Sarissa. I will not be actually giving him any, naturally. Oh, he will not be getting this or anything like it for a good, long while."

Jaxler opened his eyes and gave Sarissa a depressed look. “Please Sarissa, you’re wasting your time. Jury gets her sick kicks off of making me suffer...” The pony shut his eyes. The room felt like it was constricting him again.

She raises a brow at Jury, “He’s...already pretty bad off in there. Don’t you think this is a bit excessive?” Sarissa never thought she’d see the day when she would give Jaxler any kind of defense, but the pony was suffering a lot more than she had originally thought he was. As much as the copper mare enjoyed the idea of justice being done, she wasn’t too keen on kicking somepony when they were this down. It’s not like he even had any fight left in him.

Jury's smile lessened slightly, and she shot the other mare a knowing glance. "He is a violent, unprincipled thug, and not a bad actor as well. I see this oftentimes; they always think I will go easier on them if they make themselves seem and look especially wretched, but I never let them fool me. There is not much to call 'a bit excessive' for ponies such as he, believe me."

“Well, no, I won’t disagree with you on that. I do believe he deserves to be in there and the sentence you gave him sounds fine to me. It’s just that...well...” the armoured pony rubs her chin, looking for the right words, “...personally torturing him like this seems rather unprofessional of you.”

Jaxler tried his best to stay stoic but his body fails to do so as he continues to shake. “I’m sorry S-sarissa, but you’re w-wasting your time. She’s going to make this as horrible for me as possible and I h-honestly think that humiliating ponies is the only way she can enjoy her life.” The pony then tried to control himself as he continued. “T-t-this is kinda a r-r-reason why it w-would have been better for y-you to have k-killed me.”

"Partisan said the same thing, you know.” converses Jury, talking with Sarissa as if the two were discussing something casually over a cup of tea. “Personally, I say spend a few decades working with scum of the earth like this one here, and then judge me if you yourself would still not do anything like this. I do not expect somepony in your position to understand, though." Jury taps the bars with her now-empty mug. "Now now, Jaxler, you are being quite rude. There are many pastimes I enjoy." She pauses for effect. "But this is my favourite."

Both eyes narrowed, Sarissa responds to Jury’s assumption, “Ma’am, I’m in the militia...” She wasn’t too pleased with the arrogance that this new pony seemed to have. Nevertheless, it was important to be respectful of somepony in her position. “I’m well aware of what kind of ‘scum’ lurks out there. I’ve seen action in the field. If anyone or anything needs to experience torment, it’s those on the outside that wish to do us real harm.”

“You are a militia pony, not a member of the guard. Believe me, I have dealt with far more of these kinds of ponies than you could ever have. And, at least those freakish rainbows on the outside have somewhat of an excuse - your doing, I believe? Parasites like him" - Jury gestures to Jaxler imperiously - "who are meant to be 'one of us', as it were, I find wholly abhorrent."

Sarissa felt a ball of rage forming inside of her as soon as the rainbow ponies were mentioned. She quickly put a cap on it, though. “Fine, forget I said anything...” she rolled her eyes as she bit her lower lip in an attempt to control her temper. The alcohol was gone anyway, so there was no point in continuing to discuss that little matter any longer. The brightness of the rising Sun was beginning to increase, a bit of it peering into the prison. Seems that time had gotten away from her. “Well, I’ll talk later...Jaxler...Jury...” The brown mare began to walk off towards the barracks. She had intended on going into the prison to make her feel better, but in the end she actually felt worse. Was she honestly feeling sympathy for that old drunk? She sighed and shook her head. As much as Jaxler is suffering, I suppose that since he made his bed then he’s going to have to lie in it...

"Farewell," said Jury in a tone that clearly stated she didn't care how well or otherwise Sarissa fared. “Well, Jaxler, as much fun as this is, I think I must be going as well. What a shame, I am sure you will agree. Still, we have plenty of time to continue these little discussions! Nine whole months! Will that not be fun?” Jury chirped brightly, tossing the arrest document into the cell for her own amusement and sauntering out after Sarissa.

Jaxler sighed. A few years ago his job had been to protect this fortress from monsters, and now somehow a demon had made its way into the top ranks. The pony had his guardian angel on beelzebub’s desk, his fire was taken by a leviathan of law, and now lucifer was his tormenter. This was it; this was hell and all Jaxler needed was a bolt and his crossbow and he could escape, but he was trapped, by one of the monsters he was supposed to protect this fort from.

Jaxler's smile widened. "That would be nice, thank you."