TimeQuest thread part one was getting a little bloated, going to make a new one >Our heirs, whatever or whoever they may be, will explore space and time to degrees we cannot currently fathom. They will create new melodies in the music of time. There are infinite harmonies to be explored.
Year: 1017 AE >Ponyville >>627234 Honey and the newly christened Crumple the Raging safely transported the majority of the heroes home safely, the Mane 6 engaged in a gigantic group hug on the freed Applejack as SeaBreeze showed her the new, homey interior of a naturalistic chassis.
Moved to tears, Seabreeze laughed and grabbed his fellow Breezie in a hug. "Welcome home, Honey. You don't need to repay us for a thing. You saved us, after all, remember? Just, do me one thing in return, alright?"
"Wherever it is you came from, Honey: please don't think the rest of the world is like that. There are a few good ponies out there." He grimaces, "Even if he did do the deed, I can't-a help but feel a bit guilty on Merc."
>>627239 Lukewarm, meanwhile, finally made it home to a pair of very angry, but much more relieved doting parents who eagerly ushered him in and gave him and his friends a nice warm cup of joe as he explained where he's been all this time.
They only sit silent for a few minutes, digesting the entire tale before Cold Dish finally breaks the silence.
"Uh… I see. And, where are these friends of yours now, son? The 'LARP' fellows?"
Sterling cocks her head. "Am… am I not really a knight?"
>>627238 Needing time to plan, Rarity was called upon to keep Eo-Naxx and her bat-pony entourage 'company' as she designed a new outfit for one of Equestria's saviors.
She looks up, smirking, "See now dear? Was that so hard?"
She sighs, "I had a sudden, MADDENING idea, inspiration struck! I was on an unstoppable roll, and then…" she pouts, "I stopped."
She adjusts your collar, looking at your dragon muzzle and horns. "I just can't put my hoof on it but there's something missing from this little ensemble… ooooh, I'm just blanking!" she throws herself over at the batponies expecting to be caught in her faint, but Boo and Screech the dunderheads don't catch on and let her drop. She scowls, "Well, clearly they don't have manners where you two came form."
She hurriedly picks herself up, Boo and Screech just staring at each other as she waltz to a drawing board, leaving Fang standing there with all the leather on her as she hums to herself, intensely focused. >Manehatten >>627237 Ug made his way back to Manehatten after leaving the time machine in Luna's care, where he had a lovely evening with his lady griffon love, the next morning started up abruptly with a call from Murphy Donkey.
"In my experience, getting a jury to agree has always been easier than a judge, so yeah, Ug, I'd say you've got your moneys' worth on that. Next step of course is finding a court to hold it… I hate to say it but considering our target I wouldn't be surprised if anyone less than Princess Sunflank herself sat in on the podium. She doesn't take a lot of shit from either side, so we'll be walking on eggshells. That means anything we have can't afford to deviate from the case."
There's a small click on the phone, the sound of a lighter. "Help me out so I'm not just going in completely naked, Ug, what proof we got so far that support our claim?"
>>627243 >Crystal Empire >A little later >>627235 She sighs, looking down at the table and then to the door. "My husband… yes, he is what you say. But, please, believe me when I say he's different. He's never done anything to hurt me or any Crystal pony."
"But, when we were escaping the palace collapsing earlier… he saw an old friend, or, acquaintance at least from his hive. A-a white unicorn that also stopped by our house later, but I don't remember his name, he just stopped in so quickly, and then they left after him so fast. I don't know where they are now but they wanted to bring him down alone so he couldn't hurt anypony and we wouldn't have to… share how we knew."
"I'm glad," she puts a hoof on her heart, "REALLY glad, that his race doesn't concern you, believe me. I wish others understood why we've had to hide him all this time…" >A little earlier >>627236 The firey flames dance along Chitus' skin as he swoops in to attack Hematitus and Onyxia, his blades screaming through to strike with enough force to send her shield arm flailing away despite not being cut through. It sends her flailing to the ground, knocking against the ground hard (Onyxia at 0/2). Your craftiness manages to save the mask upon your face, keeping it secure.
Chitus flutters on nearby as Steel turns into a charge, but Chitus looks at Hematitus as he similarly gets cut along his side, just having barely missed having his mask taken off.
"Drone: is this crystal pony your mark?" "Get away from her!"
He puts the scythe-leg close to Onyxia as she lays on the ground. "I will kill her now if you continue." This gives both Steel and Hematitus pause from their attacks, the scythe leveled low towards your neck. "Thank you. Next, remove your mask. So you can replace hers." He leans in, grabbing at your mask as you lay helpless… >if you fail to get up from helpless your mask is forcibly removed while you lay down
>>627244 "No, don't remove it! I don't want to lose you, not now!" Onyxia shouts, voice shaking from her injures and what might happen. "Steel! Don't let him remove his mask."
As Chitus reaches at her mask, Onyxia gasps and holds her breath. She tries to shake off her injures, but doesn't rise yet with the scythe right over her neck. >Recover [1d10]
"Well Lawyer Donkey, thing is am that Ug and Princess Sun Pony is am having previous working relationship three hundred years ago so that may am being a complication. Ug is am knowing Princess Sun Pony to be am fair and her judgementings but not know if am impartial. Also there am could be the option of Moon Princess Pony presiding. What Ug am actually more interdasted in is who will am be called up for the defense. Ug already having sneaky supiciousings on who is may am being but that am be for another time."
Shiny Rock floats over Giselle taking notes ad Ug talks on the phone and finishes drinking his coffee.
"Lets am meeting up to talk more on case. Ug is am having several appointments today so we am needing to make it quick. Ug am is on his way to your office." Ug hangs up the phone and looks at Giselle smiling. "It am all coming together Giselly Gumdrop. Ug am having brilliant idea in dream last night about you am's big debut but idea is am big secret. You am having to wait till Ug finishes evil plot for you to am be hearing it! You am wanting to go with Ug to boring Lawyer Donkey? Otherwise you am free to go the exploring big Manehatten city. Ug am meeting you later for lunch!"
>>627244 "Hmm. If they left that long ago it would be foolish of Me to go off looking for them blindly. Come to the palace tomorrow morning when you get the chance and let me know what they found out."
He says leaning back into his seat.
"As to your husband, consider his race an irrelevancy from this moment on and forevermore. I will give him my blessing until such time as he does something to make Me revoke it. If there is ever any concern about this business at any point, from your fellow citizens, My guards, or Equestria, simply let Me know and I will sort it out."
He exhales slightly as He finishes the decree, leaning on one hoof.
>>627243 Honey hugs back, but is the one to break it as Seabreeze gives his request. She wipes her tears, looking at Seabreeze with a slight frown. "[It…might take some time. In my time, I have seen many atrocities, many things that, frankly, I don't feel comfortable talking about to you since you, and everybreezie here, are as innocent as I was when I first ventured out from my hive. A majority was caused by ponies, both directly and indirectly.]"
"[But…I have witnessed many acts, even before recently, of ponies doing good. Though it feels like there is just so much bad, it just feels near impossible to find the good most of the time in them.]" She sighs and takes the washers out of her mane, her braids coming undone and bangs partially covering her face as her mane falls straight down. She lets herself lay on her back against the spongy fungus bed, the first real relief she's felt in a long while. "[And considering the circumstances, Merc is innocent to me. He was brainwashed, after all; it wasn't of his own accord. I really do need to give him compensation for attacking him, his squadmates, and breaking his home. Though his list of priorities could use some work.]"
Honey gives a yawn as she lays, looking ready to fall asleep. "[Everybreezie is safe, the ponies are happy, the bad guy is dead, and Goldie is pissed off. I think I've earned some sleep at this point. So…good night, Seabreeze. It is nice to finally speak like this and not in…whatever it is I learned from my time that seems to anger the ponies.]" With that, Honey goes the fuck to sleep finally. >Time skip to morning for Honey like Ug did last session? Or whatever, I dunno
>>627243 "Eh well.." Luke says scratching the back of his head "Nero's been having family problems and so has Onyxia so they're back in the Crystal Empire. I think Crumple's been visiting his folks too. I uh.. don't really know whats up with Eo Naxx. She's kind of'a loner and keeps to herself. But Ug's in Manehatten, infact I need to be sleeping early cuz I gotta head over to him for work."
Luke turns his head over to Sterling "See Sterling's still LARPing, she's always been loyal to her character. hehe. R-Right Sterling??" Luke shoots Sterling a wink.
Luke turns back to his parents "Mom, Dad, I promise later when everyone's free I'll grab my friends and you can meet them see that they're nice pals and we can all have a good one about what happened over spring break. But -uh for now. I gotta get up early in the morning."
>>627245 Screech sneezes as you move the leather off to a pile. "Never good stand the smell of that stuff." "Dude, we used to live next to a wolf-pony. You seriously…" "Yes, I am."
"QUIET." Rarity seethes in their general direction, not noticing as you lift off the leather on the neat pile, a levitated pencil sketching away rapidly as you approach. Looking over her shoulder, you see she's worked fairly quickly: a heavy, leather trenchcoat much like the collection of leather she'd magically stitched together on the fly, but more refined, carefully designed on the details with the creases, buckles, and zippers even being drawn on the heavy cloak.
She groans, "Darn it… I just can't piece what it's missing but I know it's missing SOMETHING."
>>627246 Steel makes a move for Hematitus, but halts as Chitus looms his scythe ever closer. "Please refrain."
Just at the last second, Hematitus stops taking off his mask and makes a dive for Chitus as you stand up, trying to ram into him to push him away [1d10+1] Once you're clear, Steel moves in as well to keep you secure while your father tackles his superior, to which the Elite attacks with two swings of his scythe, aiming to dislodge the mask upon him [1d10+2] [1d10+2]
"What is wrong with you? No drone attacks an Elite." "I. Am. No. DRONE!"
>>627247 "Ah, the defense could be any of those high-brow Canterlot University fuckwits. It WILL take place in Canterlot as the capital and considering it's a case of Us Vs. Everyone they'll bring their best. Luna would be preferable though, she's easier to keep entertained and she's known for bias for underdogs."
"Call me after noon, I'm leaving for Canterlot tonight, I'll get you more details while I'm at my associate's wedding."
Giselle wretches as she tries to finish her coffee, passing it off to you instead as she looks for another drink as you hang up the phone. "Ze black stuff is too bitter, even vith all our cream." As you explain the day's activities, she hastily puts on one of the dresses she bought yesterday (she was generous with your savings), "Oh, Ug, you should know I don't like secrets. Tell me, pleeaase? o/~ Vhat have you in miiiiind o/~?" She sings, curious as to what it is you have in mind.
After breakfast the day lays stretched out ahead of you, both of you finely dressed for a meeting with Murphy (Giselle insists on coming along: As Lady Co-President of Ug Corp she feels she's entitled.)
>>627248 Esmeralda seems speechless, unable to say a word as she listens to you give her beloved husband a free pass to live in the Empire. She finally gets up from the couch, makes her way over to your seat, and encircles her forehooves around you in a hug, chuckling lightly to herself.
"Thank you, Emperor. Thank you… It has. I'm growing more and more worried by the second but at least I have some good news to bring to them when they come back. They don't have to do this alone anymore. We can still be a little family!"
Roll #1 2 + 1 = 3 / Roll #2 4 + 2 = 6 / Roll #3 4 + 2 = 6
>>627251 >>627249 Seabreeze nods. "[Aye, it can be hard, I know. I had to learn a lesson like that recently myself, but trust me: it's there, and it's worth fightin' for when you see it. That Mercile will be alright, I hope, but he has to find his own way too."
As you lay down on the mushroom bed, Seabreeze chuckles. "Well, goodnight Honey. Me and the boys will be staying up a for a bit before we go off tomorrow, we somehow stocked up a bit of this sweet honey drink too! But you get your rest, ya done good Breezie." He turns of the light of the flower-like bulb on the ceiling, and closes the door. >No, you have to RP your dreams…. okay
The next morning comes, a gleam of light shining through a 'window' porthole on Crumple the raging. The majority of the Breezies are already gathering outside and Seabreeze is shouting flight orders to them as you hear them coming in and out of the Crumple. Merc and Z you no longer see, but the Mane 6 are all together (sans Rarity) helping the Breezies organize.
>>627250 Sterling looks up to you, eye slightly twitching as she turns to Luke's parents and taps her hooves together. "I… I am only larping, I'm not really a knight. That would be s-silly." She quickly takes off her very real sword and puts it under the cushion of the couch in plain sight. "It is a replica."
"Work?" Hot Stuff asks, leaping up, "You got a job with one of them? Well, Luke, that's… that's wonderful! How does it pay, honey?"
"Now, hold on a minute, sport" Cold Dish raises a hoof, taking a sip of his brewed coffee that he passes to the rest of the group. "Son, you only JUST showed up on our doorstep again after worrying us sick for almost SIX days! You really need to be gettin' back to the big city that quickly? Well heck, you havn't even explained what that prank was in the first place that got you lost."
>>627251 Onyxia looks up as her father tackles Chitus away as Steel covers her. "Dad, don't!" Onyxia stands up with a stumble, the crystal along her right foreleg building upon itself. She raises it up as it forms into a large hammer, the front and jagged and rough like the inside of a geode, the back end coming to a point. "Get away from him!" She shout at Chitus as he runs up to strike him in the chest with her hammer-hoof. >Armor Break [1d10+1]
>>627251 Fang carefully watches her work, leaning her head in a bit closer to rarity Fang touches her horn to Rarity's sending a wash of green over her magic as she works, which quickly recedes back to Fang's horn. Horn, and eyes now aglow with green light Fang grabs the quill out of Rarity's magic. Savagely dipping it into the inkwell she sets to Rarity's design, drawing in with incredibly accurate yet violet detail a hood, a cloth mask, and an exquisite hat of epic wizarding proportions. (pic related, hat/mask as shown with hood that hat is worn over.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3IgwLT_mYc
>>627252 Ug backs away coyly and shakes his head, "No Ug's sweety songy birdy lovey dove the full reveal of Ug's sneaky side scheme will am having to wait until Ug has met with boring business ponies today. But Ug will tell you that you may am very well ending up acting AS well as am singing, NOW! Ug must be off to be the conducting business of Ug Corp. Come follow Ug if you am wishing!" Ug puts on his business suit and gives Giselle a peck on the beak before walking out the door.
>>627252 Luke had gotten up form his stool to leave to early. At his parent's insistence he reluctantly sits back to give further explanation.
"I'll be back dad, I don't really got a place to stay after I let Brainiac house sit. And I don't even know what that mess was, was a lot of catastrophic experimental magic gone wrong and you know magic was never a strong subject for me in school." Luke looks down feeling uncomfortable at not being able to satisfy the question "Look Dad, I promise when our schedules are freed up I'll invite everyone over and they'll be able to explain just how that mess happened."
Luke takes his bow over to the sink to wash it. "And Mom, we haven't quite talked about pay yet. We're tryin to start a buisness from the ground up. But Ug's got an inheritance to make it work out."
>>627251 The Emperor opens His eyes slightly wider in surprise as He hugs Him, before placing His arm around her to return the embrace.
"There is no need to worry Esmerelda. As long as My Heart still beats, and as long as we stand united, this city will never be destroyed."
Nero gently breaks the embrace, pushing her off Him as He stands, stretching His arms.
"Though speaking of family, it is about time I got home to Mine. I located My wife Empress Isha hidden in the palace earlier, frozen in a silver gem and she has been waiting for Me this entire time. But you can hear all about that when I address the people tomorrow morning."
He starts walking to the door, turning back His head slightly as He opens it.
"Dessert was wonderful by the way. Goodnight, Esmerelda."
Nero says giving her a chance to respond before departing to the palace. >And hopefully arriving within this upcoming post.
>>627255 >>627252 Shiny Rock starts contacting the investors and telling them to meet Ug at the Equestria State Building office of Ug Corp. >>627250 >>627256 Luke's parent's phone starts ringing.
>>627252 >You want her dreams? You asked for it! As Honey sleeps a deep, comforting sleep, she begins to…see things. Still images more than anything, really. First of honey overflowing from various containers, but then it flashes an image of a pony's skull half buried in sun scorched sand for a second. The image reappears, the sand blowing away in the wind to reveal more of the skull. Then she saw ghoulish ponies mutated by the radiation, and starving ponies of her time that looked more like skeletons with skin on them. The images only seemed to progress darker and darker; ponies on fire, stone breezies forever trapped in music playing boxes for sheer amusement, radiated animals fighting over the scraps of a corpse, large explosions of fire leveling and burning all in its wake, and other horrific sights of her time. Through it all, Honey slept comfortably like a rock; just another night's sleep for her, just on a much comfier bed.
Honey gives a yawn as she awakens from what was possibly the best night's sleep ever. She starts her day the right way; finding an acorn cap and pouring herself some honey. As she enjoys her breakfast, she makes her way up into the head of Crumple.
Once there, Crumple powers on and rises up, head opening to reveal the breezie with her mane in an utter tangle, not re-braided since last night. "Good morning," Honey murmurs, sipping some honey as she tries to perk up for whatever the day has planned for her. Hearing the flight orders, Honey speaks up. "[Fly yourselves? Why risk that when Crumple can bring you all back safely…so long as I have a co-pilot guiding me.]"
>>627253 Hematitus' attack is sidestepped effortlessly by Chitus, who with two quick slashes puts the warrior down to the ground. As he falls helpless, he flashes green for a moment and you see Sharithik, the changeling underneath, laying down with his mask still secure. He struggles as Chitus looms over head. "You have become infected with something, but I will help you see clearly again…"
As he looms over, your hammer arm slams into his back, causing his entire thorax (earlier doused with some sort of liquid) to crack and break, making him take a step forward.
His head turns 180 degrees and stares at you. "Shapeshifting appendages? Highly irregular. Please explain…"
The armor cracks entirely, and from the form of Chitus a blur breaks out of the crack and leaves a stiff, rigid body devoid of color behind. It appears as though he's suddenly molted and left behind his cracked armor.
Steel leaps up at him with the gunlance [1d10+2], [1d10+2] Chitus dodges with one action and attempts to take off Sharithik's mask with the other [1d10+2] [1d10] Sharithik getting up
>>627254 Rarity feels her self go wobbly and falls over as Boo and Screech rush to catch her. "You're learning." She shakes her head clear as you take the sudden shock of drawing talent to good use, rapidly dabbling on the paper as she looks on in shock. "Wait, Fang, what are you doing? You can't just draw all silly-nilly, on there, there are proper procedures for design that…"
She stops as she looks at the hat and mask combo you've sketched, the wizardly top hat adding the finally, mystifying touch to the rest of the heavy leather cloak. She gasps. "Oh my… I'm not normally so found of such a funny hat as that, but for this ensemble it just seems to fit. How could I have missed it?!" She looks up at the sketch of the hat to you, back to the sketch, then back to you grinning, "Ooooh, I see we have a designer in our midst?"
"We do?" Boo asks "We indeed do! Oh, for a sorceress like Twilight said this is a perfect touch, and the monster leather will just go so smashingly with your scales, ooooooh." She prances in place, "I know it's late but can we start right now?!"
>>627255 >>627258 Giselle pecks you back (rather harshly, but that just means the bruise is passionate) as she follows out.
Murphy's meeting scheduled for later, the two newly made Manehattenites strut downtown on to the Equestria State Building, making your ways up to the floor you were all so fascinated in before. Getting in the elevator, the cheerful ringing stops as you file out to a long wooden table with a birds-eye view of Manehatten. The several contacts Shiny Rock had made yesterday are all gathered around the table. Earth Ponies, Unicorns, Pegasi, Griffons, Donkeys, and even a Minotaur sit around as they watch you enter. The griffon whistles at your peculiar, neanderthal appearance. "Wooooo. Hey Chief, have any mammoth for us?"
Giselle whispers, "Say the vord and he'll make a very quick journey down to ze ground vith clipped wings."
Roll #1 6 + 2 = 8 / Roll #2 5 + 2 = 7 / Roll #3 7 + 2 = 9 / Roll #4 2 = 2
>>627260 >>627256 The two concerned parents look to each other as you explain, then Brain speaks up, "I-It's true. I'm sorry, I kinda of let Cuz's place get overrunned by kitties… he'll hafta come back."
Hot Stuff sighs, "Alright, alright, but if you aren't back by tomorrow evening I'm coming after you myself, young stallion!" She puts the coffee down, then yawns. "It's late. You're right, son, we should all get some sleep."
Sterling fluffs her wings, and looks to the couch, right about to hop on. You're moments away of making a smooth move and offering your bed when your dad starts on his embarrassing promise earlier. "Ah heck no, Miss Sterling, Luke I knew I taught better than to let a pretty young mare sleep on the couch!" He chuckles, taking her by her wing with his horn. "Come on, Luke's bedroom is right over here, he'd love for you to sleep in it." He chuckles at his crack as Hot Stuff shakes her head, Sterling nodding her head.
"Oh! Well, if you insist Sir Luke's Dad. I do so appreciate it, veri… erg, I mean, cool." >The night passes uneventfully. Although at one point as you sleep you feel a sudden buzzing in your ears and a cold grip on your hind leg. When you wake up, you see it is only Brain Freeze: big guy must have gotten scared at some point in the night. After that, the buzzing goes away…
The following morning starts up with some rather loud music and the smell of a homecooked meal. "No, no, not like that Sterling, you really have to move those legs…" It's your mom's voice, and old The King records from 40 years ago are playing on their record player.
>>627256 >>627258 With it now being morning, Luke now gets this call as well
>>627257 She nods, letting go as she allows him to make for the door. "Yes, of course, I understand. I'm sure mine will be coming home any minute." she bows, "You're very welcome, Emperor, I'll look forward to it. Thank you, a-and please come by whenever. Thank you again."
You take off for the chariot, taking off in the chariot with your pegasi entourage towards the shining Crystal Palace.
You do not have to look far before you find Isha: she's waiting at the base, watching the spinning Crystal Heart in the center of the plaza as a few guards watch her from afar. As you land, she quickly turns her head and smiles, taken away from the heart as she approaches. "Well. That was very quick, after all. Welcome home, Beloved" She appears happy to see you but at the back of her face is a twinge of disappointment as she looks around the city. "Though as fast as that was, it still feels as though too long has passed. What happened to Sombra's bastard?"
>>627259 As Seabreeze and Fluttershy get the Breezies in order, Fluttershy smiles and flaps over. "Good morning, Honey!" She lands nearby, "Well, I am sure they'd love an escort, but these Breezies haven't flown for DAYS in those awful containers. They need to stretch them out or they'll get stiff."
"Yeah, and-a besides, that-a monster wouldn't make-a it through the-a portal to our home if it was a tenth-a the size!" Seabreeze laughs, looking at it as he lands behind, "But I can't help one last-a ride, Honey. I'll-a show you where to-a go."
"We're moving?" You hear a voice coming from up top of Crumple's back, a pegasi with a patched up pair of wings sipping from a cup of coffee. "Sorry, I'll move my flanks."
>>627260 Onyxia glances over at her dad, seeing his true form. At any other time she would pause, seeing him for him, but she can't afford to stop against this elite. "I'll explain nothing!" The crystal hammer flattens and widens out, forming into the shape of a kiteshield as she jumps in front of her dad to block Chitus. >Block [1d10+1]
>>627261 "Hmm, true, Ia guess." Honey takes a sip after listening to Fluttershy, looking at her empty acorn cap and chucking it behind her, not caring as it lands on the ground behind her. "Alright. Thena one giant, armed toa the fuckinga teeth escort they havea."
"Hey, that'sa the spirit!" Honey says to Seabreeze, getting Crumple ready to start moving as she engages its wheels, knowing the jets would likely cause some problems for her fellow Breezies.
"Hey, uhh…sorrya about all thea crap earlier," Honey says to Merc, "looka, I'm thinking of headinga to that big city placea after I bringa everybreezie home. Manehatten, I thinka it was called? I don'ta know how, but I'm gonna makea up for all the shit Ia put you through. You cana stay on Crumple ifa your wings are stilla busted…sorta sorry abouta those too."
>>627260 Fang looks over her drawing, and back to Rarity, "You may." Fang looks between Boo, and Screech. "Shall we start with the left or the right one?"
>>627261 "He is dead, along with the other one. Neither of them were working with My brother. This leaves only a single enemy left alive, a group of monsters they were working with called 'Changlings'. But that can wait."
He says holding her hoof as He walks back inside the palace, walking down the hallways to whatever bedroom they have prepared for him.
"What happened with Celestia and Cadence? I would have imagined to find you deep in conversation at My return, not sitting on the palace steps."
He says arriving at His room, by this point the hoofholding having degenerated into her laying her head on His shoulder as His arm rests around hers.
>>627260 Ug smiles and ignores Giselle's remark turning to the griffon investor. "Indeed Ug have mammoth for yous, Mammoth Business proposal." Ug starts pacing the room. "For those of you who am not already knowing, cavepony you am is talking to now is am Ug. That am right, Ug is am cavepony frozen 10,000 years ago and unthawed in am the future to am revolutizing the present!" Ug sweeps his arm out, "Ug am planning on revolutionizing business sector, tech sector, entertainmentings sector, SECTOR SECTORS! That, is am Ug Corp's missions statementings! "The Future and Past am is coming together to making better Today'"
Ug begins pacing back across the room again. "Now you am may be asking yous ams self what am this crazy cavepony coming in here wasting my am's important businesspony and businesscatbird time? He can am talking the talk but can he am be walking the walk? Well let am there be no doubtings Ug now when he am showing you this!" Shiny Rock floats over the table. "This is am Ug Corp's first working prototype and am Ug's very dear friend, SHINY ROCK!" Shiny Rock floats over the table smily face etched side facing the investors, making an embarrassed whirring sound. "No needing to be shy Shiny Rock, show the audience what they came for!" Shiny Rock hovers there silently slowly turning red as if blushing.
[1d10+1] Predicting this months trends in the stockmarket to pinpoint accuracy and then displaying it as a hologram
>>627262 Chitus nimbly avoids both of Steels' attacks, the gunlance whipping by as he races down to take off Sharithik's mask as your shield blocks his blade arms. He buzzes off a sort distance, staring at you with his glowing compound eyes, "That is alright. You'll want to momentarily." He leaps forth again, left blade aimed at Onxyia's mask while the right is aimed at her father's. "Can your shield protect two targets?" [1d10+2]/[1d10+2] (Onyxia, Sharithik) [1d10+2] Takes second action to dodge
"You face THREE." Steel shouts as he raises his gunlance again [1d10+2]/[1d10+2]
[1d10] Sharithik attempts to stand
"What did you do to my brother? Are you controlling his emotional synapses?"
>>627264 Fluttershy blushes. "Um, language please."
"AYE! Breezies: ONWARD!"
The other Mane 6 start taking up positions around the Breezies and Crumple as Merc sits on the back, Seabreeze enjoying the feel of the machine's wheels moving along the grassy ground. "[Yeah, you have to swear in our own fucking language around sweet lil' Fluttershy.]"
Merc shrugs as he takes a sip of his coffee, leaning over, "Eh, you didn't do in the wings. That was Obsidious. Probably have to hang up my Wonderbolts suit for a while though. Figure out something else." He sips, "You don't have to do anything for me, Honey. I'm not really keen on going back to Manehatten. Honestly I kind of want to stick around for a bit, look more into Aqua Marina's house on my own. Find some answers."
The walk through the forest goes on for a distance, before you spot a peculiarly large tree with a knothole in it. The inside is glowing a bright, vibrant yellow however, and your scanners when zoomed in see a vast, natural city within.
>>627266 Boo stops, "Wait, start with us? What'd ya…" Screech wails, "She's gonna skin us! Darn it, Boo, I told you, I tried to warn you. This is it man. I'll take yours if you take mine."
Rarity cackles almost as manically, tapping her chin. "Hmm, hmmm… right, well, both of their wings are made of QUITE fine specimens." She takes up her horn on Screech, lifting him up and over to the raised dais as Boo looks on perplexed. "AH! No, the staff, the staff got to her too! Oh my hellish nightmarish princess I'm done for…"
She puts him down gently and starts taking some leather to his hoof, a pin and thread going through bits as she starts stitching him together as Boo giggles. Rarity laughs, "Oh Screech, I'm only joking. You're not near the right physique as Fang." She looks to you, "I believe I have the design ready to go, how would you feel about modeling?"
Roll #1 10 + 2 = 12 / Roll #2 9 + 2 = 11 / Roll #3 4 + 2 = 6 / Roll #4 10 + 2 = 12 / Roll #5 10 + 2 = 12 / Roll #6 6 = 6
>>627268 She looks away, aiming up the steps as she follows you up to your royal bedroom. It is lavished as well as you can imagine, a large Emperor sized crystal bed looking out a balcony from one of the tallest floors on the tower over the empire. "Good. I hope they know the pain that we have and that Sombra regrets this foolish mistake."
Looking over the balcony, she rubs her forehead. "I spoke with them at length. Asked them every question I could think of this Equestria. How the tribes united, the foes they fought, the land they've spread over. OUR former land. It is also going to take getting used to not hearing you arise at the break of dawn to make it, now that it is in this Sun Princess' hooves."
"That conversation was informative. Then I began asking them about Harmony, Friendship… and that was when it became frustrating."
She looks up to you, "Nero, our allies are very much a very clear sign of how desperate our situation is. Even our own Vizier, a proclaimed Princess of Love."
>>627270 "Sector sectors?!" the minotaur slams his fist down on the table, "You're encroaching on my territory, bud!"
"Calm yourself Busy Body," one of the unicorns sighs, listening to you continue your sales pitch. At your mission statement, they seem intrigued, leaning forward along the conference table to give you their ears. One of the earth pony's can't stop chuckling to himself however as you speak, but a sharp glare from Giselle silents him.
When Shiny Rock shows the table goes silent, watching it work out a future trend for beach supplies this coming summer as the weather becomes hotter. Not a inaccurate prediction, but the griffon scoffs. "It's quite accurate, but I don't see what that can pinpoint that a skilled business associate cannot…"
"Are you daft, Gerald?!" Busy Body looms forward, hoping up on the table to look at it. "It's… it's a magic metal bal. Look at those pictures, it's so crisp, so defined! This will revolutionize media."
"It's not magic." The unicorn rubs his chin, "It's a computer. But nothing like my Stables '15. This is… who made this?"
>>627272 Onyxia's crystalline coat starts to shimmer as she continues to stand against the elite, but inside she starts to falter, she can't keep up against this forever. "I'll protect as many as I can!" She shifts to block his attack towards her father, wanting to keep him safe. >Block [1d10+2] "Steel, get us out of here!" She calls out to Steel, hoping she can't block this last hit.
>>627272 Honey looks at Fluttershy confused at first until Seabreeze explains. "Shita, really?" She asks with a raised brow, her tone seem to implying she didn't just do that again on purpose.
"Why nota open something that selss…whatevera it is you are sipping?" Honey suggest, shrugging slightly. "Well, thea trip will be lonely, buta at least it won'ta be awkward and silent and crap."
Honey looks at the scanners, the look on her face saying it all: she's surprised. "[So…this is where it is?]" She says outloud, using her native language in her surprised state. She could feel a slight headache…. >DM pay no mind to this roll, just something I want to leave up to chance >Honey remembering something about the hive in her time [1d10]
>>627272 Fang moves into a better position for Fang to work, after looking at the three perplexed, and than shooting screech a look. "Right, modeling. Jokes." she continues staring a hole through screech before cocking her head to the side as she explodes into emotionless maniacal laughter, "Fun!"
>>627273 Nero smirks, standing beside her on the balcony.
"You think you have seen the baseness of their philosophy, I have read it. They are utterly contemptible. They subdue strength in service of weakness, they eschew natural pride and hollow out their wills, they are entirely without passion."
Nero says materializing and pouring two glasses of wine, passing one to Isha.
"And yet, they are gods, and they are successful. I have high hopes of making all four of them into vassals worthy of My great name."
"What did they tell you about My whereabouts and actions?"
>>627272 >>627275 …was there something in that headache? An image or a name? Honey isn't overly sure, as nothing seems to come to mind.
Honey looks to Seabreeze. "[If you do not mind, might I join you all as you reunite with everybreezie? I…do not remember my home that well…really, not at all. So…I wish to see what a real breezie city should look like, while my mind has nothing else to go off of.]"
Honey looks to the gathered non-Breezies and holds up her raygun. "Soa, while you have mea around, and you seema to be friends ofa Seabreeze, want toa take a peek?" She quickly looks to Seabreeze. "[Assuming you're alright with that, of course.]" Honey says, pressing some buttons and opening a compartment that holds a new remote control for Crumple, ready to lay her eyes upon what a REAL Breezie settlement. >Honey enters into the Breezie City >If allowed/they want to, also shrink the Mane 6 (and Merc if he tagged along the whole way) so they can enter as well
>>627273 "That…..is am a trade secret. It so secret that not even Ug am knowing the answer to it! Only Shiny Rock am knowing, and he am being keeping it am thank you very much." Ug looks to Giselle and smiles. It's going well so far. He walks back to the center of the room and Shiny Rock deactivates the hologram. "Sadly, Shiny Rock is am unique and intends to staying that way. But!" Ug raises his hoof. "It just so happening that Ug having empty Shiny Rock from present time am be frozen away in storage. Ug am using connections to bring together highly skilled R&D team to be backwards engineering of empty shell, and with you ams investingments, and helpings of skilled programmers we can am be into mass producing smaller cost effective versions. Perhaps they am being less powerful. But imagine this if you wi…wait holdings on one moment."
Ug puts on a black turtleneck and a pair of rimless intellectual looking glasses.
"Ug wanting you just to imagine world where you can am be instant access to high speed informations at tip of hoof. No clunky desktops, no hammer and chisel, you is am having it all in device no bigger than cellphone or watch! And that am still being just tip of iceberg. With Shiny Rock we am being have the key to technologicals revolutioning here in your lifetimes! And all you am is having to doing is investing in Ug Corp." Ug walks over to the water cooler and gets a cup of water while the suits mull it over. "Quick questioning while you am thinking about proposals, would any of you am being investors for entertainments industry? Because that will am be the leading into second part of presentations. Also is am there any the questions?"
>>627274 Chitus moves in front of you, his grotesque, even more insect than pony features looming in close as he blows your shield away.
"You are not as skilled in the use of your weapons as you are in their creation." The next sight you see is a hard slash moving past you and your father's mask, cutting them and forcing them off as your nose loses the sweet smell of home-made pie and is instead met with the crisp air of the night. And something that smells even sweeter than pie as you hear a small spritz coming from Chitus's back
Then, moments before he can move closer, you see Steel slam into him from behind, his gunlance driving with terrible force into the ribcage of Chitus, his body shaking as space itself seems to distort around the blow. It send him careening into the wall of the alley, the entire rock wall crumbling down as Chitus is send flying through it. He points the gunlance into the hole, ready to light it alive with fire as he turns and notices your mask is off, and yourself heavily wounded. The poison from before is spreading as you begin to lose focus and consciousness, the whole world turning black. "Onyxia!… On… xia… He… no!"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwNyxeSlnPw >"A lost child?… do not be afraid… come home with mother…" >Roll against DC8 to fight the control: your crystal pony half gives you some hope of combating
>>627276 Boo laughs, holding a wing over his withers. "Hahaha! Yeah, I know, modeling Screech. Rather donate my eyes to Ug for a product or something." "Dude don't joke, she was totally gonna use my wings for her hat!" "It'd be the best they'd ever look."
Rarity places you up on the platform, her magic regathering the leather you had piled over earlier as you see the moon moving closer and closer to the horizon as time goes on. Rarity works tirelessly however, carefully stitching and sewing and folding the precious leather on your back, chest, legs, neck. The coat is magically pressed and connected as it comes together, Screech looking on concerned for his well being as Boo seems unable to take his eyes away. He seems to pace between Rarity and yourself, seemingly wanting for something.
Rarity gives her first yawns as she begins bending and smoothing the rim and fold of the hat, placing it upon your mane with a smile as she adjusts the mask underneath to stretch above your muzzle. Morning begins to rise through the window in the far distance, and she looks out the window. "Oh my… how could it have gotten so late?"
She turns you on to face a selection of mirrors, "Well, it was worth it, darling. What do you think? >Monster Leather cloak acquired: Damage reduction at the cost of enchanted weight…
>>627277 "I will at least admit this Celestia holds no small amount of intelligence. Over a thousand years I would be disappointed if she was not. And Cadence' is eager, if nothing else. She has spent too long with Celestia but I believe once her duties start in full she can become a worthy vassal." She wretches
"But yes, gods yes. They have held this 'Equestria' in its current state, coast to coast, for CENTURIES, Nero. They have crossed the seas but think what civilizations that lie there better worth preserved than their own expanded. Their technology has grown, their magic has grown, but their spirits are less than those of the warring tribes of our time. It is more vulgar than anything else to see such endless potential wasted."
She sighs, "And all our temples reduced to one that is not yet even ready for worship. The walls gone, the palace cannibalized. Too much has changed."
She shakes her head, "They offered, but you said you would explain it to me. And I would much rather hear from my husband."
>>627278 >>627275 Fluttershy scrunches her face as Rainbow snickers farther off, sharing secret swears with AJ as Fluttershy reddens in the face.
Mercile looks at his coffee, "Oh, the coffee?" He pauses, "It's actually my own blend. I made a pumpkin-spice coffee I think is pretty alright, but I don't think I could sell it." He looks at your tossed acorn, whistling at Seabreeze to hand it over. He does so and fills it with a little bit of a familiar taste. "Here, what do you think?"
As you ask to reunite, the breezies begin entering the city one by one and he grabs you by the hooves out of the controls. "Of-a course we-a wouldn't! Come on, you've been-a away from home for too long."
The small platoon of Breezies enter the knothole, you find yourself within a beautiful, peaceful place that resonates with you on an instinctual level. You feel safe, secure… home. All around you the breezies are eagerly met with worried loved ones as Seabreeze reunites with a female breezie and a small infant in her arms.
>>627279 "We mean to reverse engineer it…" the unicorn repeats, rubbing his chin, "We could leap computers forwards by decades! It would dominate the entire market."
"Now hold on," Gerald the griffon asks, "I'm not normally one to bring up ethics, but should we know exactly what it is we're backward engineering? You just said you don't know it but how do you know what we're reversing won't, quite possibly LITERALLY, blow up in our collective faces?"
As you adorn your glasses and make the final stab, they look amongst each other and take in the possibilities of this worthwhile investment. The minotaur, as you ask, answers "Sure am! Music, movies, broadway shows, I own dozens of entertainment properties on the eastern Equestria coast." He flicks you a card, "Busy Body LLC."
"If I may," Gerald asks, "I need to know: do you yet have a team gathered? How much assets does Ug Corp already possess?"
"Do you have stocks?" "What else can the Shiny Rock do?"
>>627280 Onyxia feels her heart in her throat as Chitus moves in close, panic and fear setting in, but both of those are minuscule to the guilt she feels that she brought this on by wanting to do this alone. She tries to hold her breath as she feels the mask loosen, but her injuries are too grave, her breathes breaking through in short gasps. She holds up a hoof as everything starts to fade. "D-Dad… Steel…" >[1d10]
>>627281 Honey sips the pumpkin-spice coffee, smacking her lips a bit. "Hey…waita a minute. This…," she sips it again, "yeah. Therea was a spot ina time where you owned…somea kind of building. And thisa was, as an oldera you said, 'a big hit.'" She finishes off the coffee, already feeling caffeine rushing into her system. It wasn't honey, but it was bad neither. "No, I'ma dead serious. Sella this stuff. Trust mea, I've beena travelling through timea and shit."
Honey enters, and her mouth remains opens as she looks around, as if silently saying 'woah.' She almost feels…breathless. This feeling of safety and hominess; it was so foreign to the little breezie who seemed to only know the harshness of the sun scorched wasteland. And yet, she didn't mind it. >another chance memory jog roll for the little breezie [1d10]
Honey looks as the breezies reunite with their loved ones, smiling at seeing Seabreeze having a mare in his life and a little foal as well. She is simply speechless at what could be described as the single most happiest, most peaceful point in her otherwise chaotic and violent life.
>>627280 "Mmm, this will do nicely. I think i'am starting to understand this fashion thing you ponies are on about in this era." Fang turns about testing the leathers, and finding them adequate.
>>627283 >>627281 As Honey looks, she winces and holds her head as a doozy of a headache kicks in. But at the same time, an image: it feels and looks fuzzy, like staring at a static-filled computer screen. But soon it clears enough that she can see a slightly more sickly looking version of this place, seemingly superimposed over what she was seeing now. There was much more in the one she was currently in; far more in number, far more vibrant. A slight realization seems to dawn slowly on her face. "[This…is where I lived…in my time. This…,]" she grits her teeth, trying to hold back her tears as everything registers in her brain. Seabreeze was more right than he thinks he is: this really IS her home.
>>627281 Nero sips His wine, then nods His head to Isha's claim about wasted potential. He sets the glass down near the bed, looking to her.
"Five days ago I was sitting in the throne room, watching the Crystal Heart in its rotations as I enjoyed the cool of the evening, when Sombra entered and told me of mysterious powerful spirits in the north that He called 'Windegoes', whose power was so great it could freeze the entire country in ice and snow. I of course was prepared to go and slay these creatures myself, but He prevented Me. He told Me a simple ritual, powered by the Crystal Heart, would suffice to destroy the great and terrible beings, and save Me the trouble, as well as the interruption for the preparation for the Fair. He deceived Me. The beings were real but the ritual was not. He stole most of My divinity, seizing the Heart for Himself, and in a boast, revealed that it was He, through secret poison, and not some unknown magical ailment that slew my father, the Emperor Umbra, so many years ago. As He moved to oppose Me I drew my sword and prepared for Him, when the gods torn open the world."
"A shimmering portal appeared, through which I was able to flee and escape. That is where I met the scientist Glitch, and first learned of 'time travel'"
"You see Isha, I have discovered that it is possible to teleport, not merely from place to place, but from day to day. Imagine if you could step through that door there, and when you emerged you would be in the court of Phaeron? Or descend a staircase and find yourself in the dark Underworld to see Anunoth's first meeting with His horrible beloved? Or even step forward to tomorrow, to greet your descendants today?"
"It is a difficult thing to understand, but I have learned of this. I have acquired a mechanism that can travel through the eras as easily as the ships of Motya cross the great River. That is how for Me, it has been only five days, yet here we stand over a thousand years in the future."
He smiles.
"It would take too long to explain to you everywhere I have been, and everything I have learned. My stomach is sick with new wisdom, of mechanisms, nations, worlds and things. I have learned impossible secrets about the movements of the heavens. But it is enough to tell you two things, a curse and a comfort."
"The dark truth is that the reason I left the Empire was because Tophet is growing senile through some malign intention or malady of nature. By four hundred years from this day the sun will fall from the sky and burn the earth to nothing. I believe My fellow gods send Me to this strange era so I could stop it, and ensure the world, and the Empire, lasts forever."
"And the joyous truth…" Nero says taking a Divine Form, shining brilliantly as the room fills with light, appearing as Himself to Isha for the first time since she emerged.
"Is that this means we can return to the Empire. The REAL Empire, at any time. Where Gidri and Urmah and mother and Nau awaits, and all seven cities. Sombra's ritual failed, My power is returning and rising, soon I will be strong enough to return to the past and defeat Sombra, and make everything how it was."
>>627281 Ug speaks to Geralds objection first. "It am very rationals to have reservations. But let Ug assuring you ams that Ug and Shiny Rock am is forming team of unbreakable trusts." Shiny Rock just floats there, smiley faced side pointed toward Gerald. Ug smiles and tugs at his collar nervously. "T-there am be the is risks Ug understands and acknowledgings. But Ug am being a time travel pony and all understand the price of failing to act. And if you am not invest now you am may not be getting another shot at reaping big returns! Would you am wanting to pass up opportunity like this?"
Shiny Rock displays a hologram of the time travel team highlighting Honey, Onyxia, and Fang.
"Ug is am having assembled team of highly skilled ponies and crystalingything from across the Time Space Calliope. Currently we conduct Time Travel save the world operations and general Chronological Hyjinks. More on that in part 3. The three You am seeing highlighted is am expert craftsponies, and crystalingything. The Tiny Bug Pony and Crystalingything am is in particular highly skilled with modern technology. Geniuses of they ams is time much like Ug am is only not as handsome." Ug looks back to Gerald and the rest of the investors. "Ug is am small start up currently, with big huge ambitionings. With Ug's personal wealth he am having able to acquire office space and research facilities, and that am only just being this week. Ug Corp will be am expanding. Very soons the most prodigious will am be flocking to Ug Corp and we am will be control the brain capital of Equestria! Ug Corp is am being registered tradeable stock as am of end of this meeting." He turns to the one asking the question about Shiny Rock. "Oh Shiny Rock can am be doing much things but that am be waiting for further demonstration. First Ug will am be getting finally to second portion of presentation." Ug turns to Busy Body and holds out his hoof toward Giselle."
"This am is Baronesse Giselle of am the Expansion Era Griffon Kingdom. The very one Ug is am being the defeating of 300 years ago, more on that in minute. First however Ug would like to take a break and let you am being listen to the musical stylings of Best Songstress the am Expansion Era and any era since." He looks to Giselle in anticipation.
>>627282 The darkness fades to give way to a singular green light at the long way of an empty void. >"Poor thing… your head hurts. It's okay. Don't listen to your thoughts. Don't think. Just listen to me, and think what I think." >"It's okay Onyxia. You never needed a father. Or that pretender for a mother. All you ever need my child is your hive."
You hear the muttered voice of someone, and you feel like your body is suddenly moving in position. You also hear a sharp buzzing sound and the clatter of more steel on steel. >One command submitted
>>627283 He perks his eye brows, "Time traveling, right, I think you said that earlier. Still sounds as crazy now as it did then. A spot in a time where I owned… what, like a cafe?" He looks at his coffee, thinking as he takes a few more sips of it, smacking his lips. "Huh." He continues sitting on top of Crumple contemplating it as you enter the knothole.
As you begin to resonate with your own memories, Seabreeze turns a quick eye from his wife and daughter to you, holding you up to check your forehead. "Oye, Honey? Honey, what's wrong? I thought you weren't from here?" It's all so pristine it's hard to put it to your home's current state, but so much of it is still familiar.
>>627284 "HA!" Rarity gives a fluff of her mane, "And they say this spirit is eviaaaaaaaaah." She stammers, coughing as she clears her throat, "-vveeeer unengaged in important modern aspects of culture!" She chuckles, "Well, my historical subject, I'm glad I could turn your opinion right around. That monster leather's a tad heavy but I simply know you
Boo turns his head, "That was a pretty weird gag. Should get that checked out, had an uncle who had that." Screech groans audibly.
She turns towards the hat, putting a few finishing touches on embroideries to give it a personal edge as the first light of the sun arises. "Oh my…" she yawns again, looking at you in your new regalia. The robes scream of an archmage."
"Darling, I've a spare bedroom if you care to stay the night, it's been such a long if enrapturing evening." She looks at the bats, "I, only have ONE though, but don't worry I've couches in droves."
>>627286 She listens to the tale, her anger raising rapidly as you remind her of Sombra's deception, not only of you but of the days leading up to the fair where she still considered him your friend.
But as you attempt to explain time travel, she begins to seem more and more confused by the prospect. "Traveling… through the days? The ages?" She gives a small laugh. "You mean, one could walk out onto a balcony and watch Akkad as he rolls over the plains with his armies as though they were there? Or, go to see you best Utnapishtim once, then go back and see it again, and again, and again as though it were a book? It's…" she laughs again. "It's… how had we not thought of its possibility?"
She leans down on the bed, suddenly sullen. "So… that is what you meant. It has been barely a week for you because you were taken from yesterday to tomorrow, and then back to today. While for me I have spent a thousand years in isolation." She pauses.
"How do we do we make these gateways to another day? What happens to this Empire as it is now when we succeed? Will the Princesses fight with us, if their power is as great as they claim we may take it back now."
>>627287 Gerald sits back down, clutching his talons. "…IF I invest, what means do we have of keeping your research from doing something dangerous? We should form a committee for investigations from time to time, with that I would readily invest in Ug Corp's products."
They all give a silent pause at your explanation of World-saving shenananigans, prompting them to raise their hands before being told it will be covered later. "What is a 'crystallingything'" comes up every so often but you make on with the presentation as you expand on their skillsets.
The griffon and the unicorn turn to phase the well-dressed Giselle, nodding her head as she approaches the front. "Baronesse Giselle… that's not possible." Gerald shakes his head, pounding on the table. "See here sir, I am a stalwart supporter of the arts and Giselle is among one of the orchestral classics. But she died in the Expansion Wars during the Fall of Gildevast…" "I thought it was the Battle of Ur-lucius?" "That would be what EQUESTRIA calls it. But the point is…"
"Ze point is," Giselle sticks up her talon, "Is zat history is apparently INSULTINGLY uninformed. Aheeeeem." She presents herself. "Lady Co-President Baronesse Giselle. One, two… three." [1d10+1]
>>627289 Onyxia's head echos with the voice as she lifts a hoof to her head. "Wh… What happened? I remember blocking something…" Her eyes snap open as she looks around, trying to lift herself as best she can. "Dad! Dad are you alright?!"
>>627289 Honey looks at Seabreeze, not recognizing him for a moment. Almost mistakening him for somebreezie else. But as Seabreeze grounds her back to reality, whoever that breezie was, Honey was unable to get a clear look. "[No…I….]" Honey looks around again, almost in a sort of daze as her headache subsides. "[I am from here, yet not of this time here. I have spent so much time away from home, so much time around things that is the exact opposite of this, that I eventually forgot everything about it. But…being here, seeing this…even though in my time everything is not as vibrant,]" she doesn't hold them back, letting the tears flow as her mouth transitions between a smile and frown, as if unsure which to be, "[just being here is helping me remember. I don't remember much, and truth be told, it hurts my head severely, but…this truly is my home, Seabreeze. Just…a past version,]" her mouth finally settles on a smile, "[a better version.]" A look of determination seems to spark on her face. "[A version that I won't see ruined by some stupid sun falling out of the sky!]"
>>627290 "It is far more complex then even I understand. But you have the rough concept."
"I have a strange device currently in the possession of my servants and allies, that creates the portals. It is safe."
His divine light goes out, and He removes His cape, it dissipating into golden particles along with His sandals and all His jewelry leaving Him in just His tunic, walking over and sitting on the bed, flexing and stretching His hooves from removing his shoes.
"The alicorns are contemptible and foolish in many ways, but they did not become the masters of this continent by being entirely deficient. If I try and take back My Empire now they will rebel against Me. And in My current state they will kill Me."
He says looking behind Himself to Isha with a slight expression of worry and fear.
"I have made them My allies, and I have no plans of betraying them if I do not have to. I am hoping I will be able to persuade them to join My noble endeavors, to unite with Me as My servants and vassals. With such powerful generals, I could subjugate the Tribes and the distant lands that lay beyond the Griffon, and do many other things."
"But until that point, until they have sworn their loyalty to Me I cannot oppose them directly. And even if I have to eventually, I would rather keep them in suspense as long as possible. Every day I grow stronger and feel more of My old might flow into Me. Within a few weeks at the latest, I will again be that god who was beyond reproach in all the world. But until that day you must not so much as hint that I have plans that could oppose theirs. I have already told as much to Celestia, but I have not brought it up again, and I do not will that we should test her patience or pity by bringing it up again just yet. Besides."
Nero says laying down beside her, sipping His wine from a reclined position.
"I rather enjoy their company. It would be nothing short of a total waste to have to engage such interesting immortals in combat."
"What else can Ug say?" Ug says smiling at the minotaur and the rest of the investor. "Ug am is wishing to sign the Baroness to a good label that will work with Ug Corp. But that is am not all…." Ug winks his eye at Giselle. "This am being surprise by am way Giselly Gumdrop!" Ug walks over to Shiny Rock. "Ug was participant in big floaty Castle Battle as well and so was Shiny Rock here. Ug would am thinking that it would be genius idea to making epic feature film depicting events. Ug is am already having many of the events being am recorded on Shiny Rock, all that am needing to be doing is bit of re-shooting and am the casting of right ponies." Shiny Rock displays a hologram of the battle in vivid detail. [1d10+1] "Can you am be saying summer blockbuster movie? Ug even am have director lined up but is am wasn't able to be attending meeting today."
"Now this all am fall into Ug's most important proposal." Ug says looking at the investors. "Ug wanting you to help Ug save the world. Now…." He holds his hoof up before anyone can groan. "Ug know it am sounding cliche but hear Ug out. As Ug am is saying Ug is am Time Travel Pony, there am others with Ug as well like Emperor King Pony, Luke, Crazy Sorceress Pony, Crystalingything, Robot Bug Pony, and many others! We is am know the secrets to Time Travel Adventures, and we am is tasked by the poor bored apocalypse time ponies of the future to am be the is coming back in times and saving Equestria. Princess Sun Pony am know is what Ug is talking about and she am too sanctioning our goals. If you am be happen to be in Canterlot one day and you am be looking at glass murals, you will am be seeing Ug's handsome debonair face be am immortalized there. That is am no mistake. Ug am out to save world and make better tomorrow today AND yesterday! All you am needing to be the doings is taking out checkbooks and be investing in Ug Corp stocks! And come on, think about it! Don't you am wanting to have a Company invested in time travelings saving the world in your stock portfolios?"
>>627292 As you raise up your head, you immediately feel pain through every fiber of your being. You feel a cold, metal hoof touch the back of your head. Looking around you is nothing but darkness: it is Steel's shadowscape.
He looks down at you through his empty slots, but his mouth betrays his emotions. "Onyxia? Onyxia, do not move." He quickly takes you out of the scape, the cold night air meeting your face. You are no longer in the alley, but you can see it if you pain yourself to turn your head. There is slight panic in his voice. "Your injuries are grave. You may even be bleeding on the inside. Not to mention the poison." He lays you down across his back, the cape providing padding against his metal as he moves quickly but carefully through the streets. "You need a healer, tell me where I can find a hospital in this city!"
Sharithik doesn't appear to be present with you two.
>>627293 Seabreeze is taken aback as you let the tears flow freely, not used to seeing you so vulnerable. He and his wife share a glance, before he moves forward to take you in a hug, "[I believe you. I do not understand you but I believe you.]"
He pauses a moment, looking at you with a serious look. "[Whatever happened to your home, if you think you can change it, then you go for it."]
["But if this is your home: then this is where you are welcome. Always.]" He pauses, "[Honey, you know, you do not HAVE to go back. You could stay, with us. There's plenty of room, you could keep Crumple outside, there isn't a Breezie that wouldn't want you here. That is, if you want to…"]
>>627294 "What?" Rarity scoffs, "Fang, PLEASE, don't be so humble. Boys take the couches, ladies the bed." Boo grumbles, "We got this same deal in the Expansion Era! What a jip!"
She grabs you by your new leather high-rim collar, dragging you (carefully, don't want to press and mark it) upstairs to a lavish bedroom with so many fluffy cushions it looks like it was made by Pegasi. "Here! Much nicer, wouldn't you agree darling?" >She gives you a final embrace goodnight and suggests you hand the cloak on something before going to sleep. If Fang REALLY prefers a couch she can nudge Boo and Screech off theirs downstairs, much to Screech's agitation. Point is, Fang finally gets some well-deserved rest, and awakens the next morning to the sounds of things being put together downstairs
>>627297 >>627295 Isha adjusts herself to face Nero on the bed, kicking off sandals worn for millennia and finally taking the first sip of her own wine as she digests this information. "Celestia KNOWS what we wish to do and she has not acted on it…" she looks away, "Clearly she must have a great respect for you. There may be possibilities to her and her pantheon as Vassals after all." She takes another sip, reclining back into the pillows, "Then I guess, so long as your power remains diluted, we'll have to bide for time."
She gives a low chuckle. "But you say you enjoy their company? How do you mean?" she thinks back, "I did not find much in common during my conversations." She pauses, "Celestia does have an… 'interesting' wisdom to her. And Cadence is," she laughs, "She's so eager to please it's entertaining. I had to stop asking the almighty goddess if there was anything I needed several times. Perhaps I can see how far she'll be willing to go next time?"
>>627296 As you mention a feature film, the minotaur immediately hops up on the table and points a finger at you, shouting as he looks at the projection, "SOLD! I've a film studio that's just been dying on some new material. Retelling historical battles through film?! It's genius! I can see it now: we'll make it our 'thing'! It'll put Busywood on the MAP!"
Gerald wipes his tears, "I don't believe it. Ancient works played right before my eyes…" he claps for Giselle's performance, who blushes and gives a low bow, "It iz good knowing my vork proceeded me. Momma und Poppa vould be very proud…"
"Right, well," the unicorn puts up a hoof, "I'm going to have quite the investment based on Shiny Rocks' technological advancements, as well as Giselle, or the griffon who claims to be Giselle's, wonderful singing voice. The movie deal, absolutely, you'd be foolish not to."
He puts a hoof on the table, "But what makes you think I'm going to HONESTLY believe the apocalypse is on the way? How soon? I'm a financial investor, not a philanthropist."
>>627297 Onyxia grits her teeth at the pain of moving, resting her head back down against the soothing coldness. She looks down at Steel as he puts her on his back. "Steel? A hospital, I-I think its…" She says weakly as she glances around. As she finds no trace of her father, she starts to panic. "W-Wait, Dad? Where are you? Steel, where is he?!" She says with increasing concern, fearing the worse as she struggles to rise and climb off Steel.
>>627261 >>627298 >Luke's back on, timeskiping him to the office in Manehattan following his call with Ug After the train finally arrived in the station, Luke Brain and Sterling (begrudgingly) left the train to hurry on towards the Equestria State Building, their meeting already having long since started and Brain continuously apologizing as they fall behind due to his mis-reading of clocks at the station.
Sterling flaps faster and faster as you approach the building round the next corner, herself awestruck at its height as she continuously stares up, putting her hooves to her eyes as she grabs underneath Luke's shoulders and starts lifting him up. "Excellent then! Which of those windows to we enter through then, Sir Luke?" She shakes with anticipation, "Oh, oh, do say it's that one at the top? I've never been on a building that tall before! Can ponies jump of it or is that a law in this time too?"
>>627298 "No am needing for you to be am worrying, Considering it to be long termed investment. This apocalypse Ug is am the referring to won't am be happening for another century or more, but boy oh am boy you am wanting to look out when it am do happen. And if Ug can am be prevent it from be happening then you am will be shared part of that. Now you may being skeptical but Ug am seeing it in pony. Which is why Ug am saying buy now, sell later."
Ug shakes all the investors hooves and talons. "Ug just wanting to thank all of you am investor ponies for hearing Ug out today, and Ug is am looking forward to being working with you in the future. Now is am there any more questions before Ug concluding meeting?"
>>627297 Fang hangs up her fresh new clothes, and proceeds downstairs to lay over Boo, and Screech so she doesn't have to maintain her body heat as much. Her wings, and telekinesis help hold down her life size plushy pillows.
>>627300 Luke looking sauve as fuck in his father's suit and slick backed hair.
He flails his limbs in surprise when Sterling picks him up "holy crap Sterling! Give me a warning next time you do that." He says trying to detach his eyes from looking downward >Can ponies jump of it or is that a law in this time too?" "In my time its only breaking the law if you get caught."
Luke scans the windows as they fly up "Er.. That one! I think thats Ug, throw me through that one." He says pointing a hoof to one of the windows.
"Thats actually where I've been getting my entertainment. Their sensibilities never cease to amuse Me. You will love this."
Nero says taking a gulp of wine, sitting up slightly and sitting crosslegged, facing Isha.
"I was in an era about 600 years before this one, investigating the business of Tophet, when I first met Princess Celestia. Now her kingdom was at that time under the siege of the griffons, under a large bastard of a man named Garfield. Big, bold, and without an iota of wisdom in his head. And bringing a great fortress that flew through the air with him, along with all his hosts and chariots, to utterly destroy her capital upon the Everfree Mountain, and claim her eastern territories for herself, from where Dacia was located to about the southern tip of the Everfree Jungle, which was by then a temperate forest. We were walking through her palace's hallways as I explained to her a masterful strategy to use in the upcoming battle, which she, in her foolishness, rejected. So, of course, I did the only sensible thing, and went to face Garfield alone."
"I threatened to kill him and all his vassals, to throw his castle out of the sky, and to drive his people out of Equestria completely. This, in true griffon logic, ended in us eating supper together and laughing about various matters while he thoroughly explained his castle's weaknesses in detail."
"About four hours later, the castle and all his armies of thousands had been overcome by a dragon, several barbarians, myself, and one particularly intoxicated Lukewarm, which in retrospect would simply count as a barbarian. I was sitting upon the throne of Garfield, sipping wine from the bottle when she walked in, and her reaction was priceless."
Nero takes another gulp and does an incredulous face imitating Celestia's.
"I looked her straight in the eyes and I told her 'I didn't plan this.'"
"And she simply fell in on herself laughing. You see she had known of Me from history, so she was left with the impression that this whole business was some deliberated plan from the start, when in reality it was something I thought up only after I arrived, saving her country mostly out of spite. But nonetheless leaving her with the impression that I do not need battle strategies, things just, spontaneously get themselves conquered whenever I enter into the vicinity."
>>627297 Honey wipes her tears, and gives Seabreeze and grin as she stands on her own hooves, laughing softly.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WW3tOSWx32I "[You're right, I could stay here. Safe, at peace, maybe even find somebreezie like you did. Live the life of how a breezie should live, right? However…that would just mean I'm letting whatever caused this place to be ruined in my time to just happen!]" Her wings flutter slightly, a familiar fire returning, though not quite as rage-induced. "[Sorry Seabreeze, but I've come too far on this journey to simply stop now! I've been through so much, seen so much, hell, far too molded by the very thing I despise to be content with settling down and being at peace!]" The more she spoke, the more that peaceful eloquence gave way to a bit of that gruffness, yet there was something about it. There was…passion behind it. "I'm a taker of lives; a builder of asskicking robots; but more importantly, I'm the most badass fucking breezie to ever exist! As nice and peaceful this is, I'm far too used to being right in the thick of things to stay around here too long. If the falling sun didn't want me to slap its shit, then it should've done a better job of killing me in my time! I won't see my home destroyed; neither in the past, present, nor future!]" Honey activates some controls on the remote, getting Crumple powered up and ready to fly.
"[With every breezie watching and listening, I swear: I'm going to stop the sun from ruining this place, from ruining everything, or drag it down to Hell with me when I die trying! But you can beat your asses I plan on coming back alive!]"
She gives a final look to Seabreeze, giving him the most non-rage-induced smirk of confidence she's ever had, and bolts out of her home once more.
Once back outside, with fire fueling her, she makes a beeline for Crumple. The head closes around here, and Honey sets it to full speed ahead, heading to Manehatten to begin a slowly forming list of shit she needs to do if she wants to slap the falling sun's shit backwards six ways from Sunday.
>>627299 Steel keeps moving with her in tow, but as she starts to move off of him he stops, turning back, "I said don't move, Onyxia!" He keeps on moving, eying something on his own (or at least he thinks he does) as he races towards it.
"Your father is…" he pauses, shaking his head. "Chitus removed his mask before I hit him. After the attack sent you to the ground he was calling out your name, he moved to check on you and then," the armor turns its helm towards her, "He froze, for a moment, before he turned his fangs on me. He leaped at me and clawed at my armor with magic and hooves like some wild animal. I did nothing to defend myself, I did not hurt him, I swear to you."
"But, Chitus," he shakes his head, "He survived. He was bleeding, heavily, but as I wrestled with your father he was speaking in your ear, his blade at your chest. It was all I could do to throw us into my cloak."
>>627301 "A hundred years?" Gerald asks, "Then, why should I be worried? I'll be long dead by then." "Speak for yourself!" Busy Body shouts, "My son and grandson and grandson's son intend to take this company and I won't have it blow up! How much do you…" "STOP."
The unicorn raises a hoof, (name is Time Share by the way), "Now let me get this straight, before we wrap everything up: let's say everything you say is absolutely 100% assured. There's an apocalypse we're planning to stop, you're dragging griffons and ponies out of time to do it yourself included." He looks around, "I'm just going to address the elephant in the room: why not capitalize on time travel? We could play the stock market, make billions with our start-up capital."
>>627302 As you make your way to the couch, you take the comforts of the upstairs bedroom with you as you lay over the two batponies with the furnishings to achieve maximum overcomfy with minimal precious heat loss. Boo does not wake up: in fact as you lay on top of him you think you see a smile on his face between you and the pillows, occasionally stretching out his wings or nomming on a pillow with his fangs.
As you sleep soundly, Screech however juts his eyes awake and shakes slightly throughout the rest of the night, but it's in a comfortable position that massages your scales as he looks steadily out for your tail.
The morning light eventually comes, Boo yawning and stretching awake as he looks about the downstairs. "Man, that was good! This mare really…"
He turns to look up at you, unblinking. "Yo."
"She. Was. With. Us. ALL. NIGHT." Screech stammers.
>>627303 She stops, "Oh, sorry! I forgot your father said this soft formal wear was rather easy to mess up, did he not? But don't worry, we'll make it very quick Sir Luke. Brain, please just wait there, I'll be back quickly."
As you mention how the only crimes are those for which you are caught, she gasps, "So, crimes like robbery and murder are permitted solely because they are not seen?! What has happened to justice in the proper sense? The nerve… well, then I will CATCH all ne'er-do-wells and see them brought to the gallows myself!"
She lifts you up to the window, which happens to be correct! You can see Ug inside with Giselle and a board of investors. "AH! Here we are!" She flaps you over to one of the windows, and with 'careful' prodding from her rear hoof she manages to force it open. "Huzzah! Fancy footwork indeed." She hoists you close to the window opening, "There we are! Break all of their legs, Sir Luke!"
>>627304 She eagerly awaits the tale, sitting up to listen to the anecdote of the fall of Gildevast. As you get on to Celestia rejecting the original plan, she laughs, "Brilliant: ally yourself with the CONQUEROR and ignore his advice."
Then on to the griffons, in which case as you make on to how they greeted your proposal for death and destruction with wine and a divulge of all their secrets, she nearly spits up a bit of wine, putting a hoof to her mouth, and more so as you explain sudden case of barbarians and dragon aboard their weapon. "Considering their greatly ineffective attempt on the Empire, such brash, unforgiving confidence is all the more humorous. Are they still like this? And where in the Empire did you find a dragon willingly to fly up and join you?"
And finally, as you deliver the punch line, she raises her wine in a toast, "To her credit: it is not an inaccurate assumption. Why, we should test it, don't you agree beloved? Let us make a 'comeback tour' as I believe Cadences' husband called it when I spoke to him around this country's cities. Perhaps we'll reclaim our lands sooner than anticipated." She sips, raising a hoof, "And, what of this fortress? Do we still possess it, that is a sight I would greatly enjoy seeing."
>>627305 Seabreeze and the other Breezies give a cheer as you renew your passion, Seabreeze raising a hoof as he shouts behind you, "[Show the whole world what we're made of then! We'll see ya back here once ya done good and saved my great-grand-grand-children! And if you ever feel like that sun's roughing you up too much, then come back and we'll slap you back into shape! Goodbye Honey!"
The breezies leave you fond farewells as you take off from their city, the wonderful memories of a realized home fresh in your mind as you hope in Crumple and give lift off to the controls, Merc hanging on for life as you take off like a bullet to the sky and leave Ponyville behind.
Manehatten comes up in your view, Crumple's engines roaring on approach as you hear a yawn from the back of the cockpit. "About time this thing got up to speed, heading home after that mess was something I need."
>>627306 Onyxia collapses back down onto Steel's back, her injuries too heavy. "Where is he, did you take him in your cloak?" She asks, voice sore. "Please… please tell me he's in there." She pleads, voice wavering as she tries to hold hope that her dad is still with them.
>>627306 Fang sits up on her batpony bed, her tail unconsciously slipping around Screeches neck when he's not paying attention. Sitting on top of Screech Fang stretches out her wings, and her forelimbs one at a time, using Screeches head as a rest as she switches between arms, before hopping off, allowing her tail to slip past the batpony with the vulnerable neck. Humming an unknown upbeat singsong to herself she makes her way upstairs to get dressed. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gc5OShwMMLw
>>627307 "Whata the hell?!" Honey looks behind her, to see who it was that said that.
This is also when Honey finally notices Merc hanging on for his life, slowing down as they have clearly arrived to Manehatten. Crumple hovers above the cityscape, long enough to let Merc get his bearings. "Oh shit," comes the heavily vocoded voice, "forgot you were back there."
Honey flies around the city at a slower pace, looking around at the various stores this time has to offer.
>>627306 Luke makes a morbid expression are her breaking legs comment "Uh Thanks Sterling, don't get into to much trouble while I'm gone." Luke swings off into the window opening. Waving goodbye to Sterling.
>>627306 >>627301 Luke takes a seat by Ug "Sorry I'm late. How are we doing today, gentlecolts." Luke pops open a bottle of fine liquor. "Drinks anyone?"
>>627306 Ug makes a shrugging gesture. "That am being true and excellent example of lateral thinking. Besides obvious moral and ethical concernings, Ug am already tried similar things with mixed results. It am being very dangerous to using Time Travel in first place which means caution should am being used like Caution Catbird Investor am suggesting. One thing Ug would like also to am pointing out that is calculations required for precise time travel currently is am only capability Shiny Rock and Ug possessing."
>>627307 "I wouldn't know if the griffons are still so foolhardy, I only arrived in this era today. As to the dragon, no that was the truly humorous part. The dragon could not fly. So My servants ended up shrinking it and carrying it aboard. Let that image enter your mind. You are a griffon soldier guarding a secure flying castle, admiring your King's glorious high walls and invincible armies, when suddenly everything up and decides to be on fire and the very chosen of Lamashtu is breathing death upon you."
"And yes, I gave it to Celestia but it still exists. I renamed it from Gildevast to Ur-Lucius and last I heard it was in a pegasus city called Cloudsdale being repaired from an unrelated conflict. We can go see it tomorrow if you'd like."
Nero's expression gets slightly more somber.
"Isha, I do not mean to ruin your happiness after so long apart, but curiosity demands I ask, so let this topic be taken quickly. You were twenty four when I left. How old are you now, that is, when you were imprisoned? And what happened between My disappearance and then?"
>>627311 >>627307 "There you am being, bettered lates than never ever! Everypony and Griffon? This am being Luke one of Ug's Time Travel Adventure Team guys. Taking a seat over there Luke…." Ug turns to Busy Body. "Luke may am not being knowing it yet but he am doing well in whatever role you am be cast him in, be it action, suspense, or slacker comedy! And Ug am wanting to put him on shortlist to directing Flying Castle Battle movie!"
>>627308 He does not answer at first, deathly silent as he gets closer to the building. As fortunate favors: it is a hospital, lights can be seen.
"He is not in there… I only had time to grab you before Chitus did while your father was forced to fight me. When I left for the shadowscape, I was going to drop you in the dark and return alone, but… they were already flying away."
As he expects the reaction, he looks back, "I cannot chase them, not while your life is in danger."
>>627309 Screech irks and groans in discomfort as you use him for a morning stretch pad, but keeps it mostly silent as the tail wraps around his neck and gives him very few reasons to complain outloud. Boo yawns and manages to catch a few more minutes of sleep as Screech desperately looks for a way out, Boo occasionally flicking her tail with his wing before she climbs off and leave Screech to roll over on to the floor in a frozen heap, legs extended out like he was a stuffed batpony. Boo looks over, "Man WHAT are you complaining about?"
Going up stairs, you find your cloak has already bent the bejesus out of whatever it had been hung on, but its goes back on easily as you readorn the cloak and hat. You hear Rarity's door open and a knock at the door, "Good morning! Sleep well, Miss Fang? I was just about to go see the Breezies off with my friends, you could come along and show off that new look."
>>627310 Merc growns, climbing on down, "Yeah, yeah… I get it. Just a whole little pegasus on top of your flying death machine, that makes sense."
Z jumps as you turn on him, "Woah, chill Breezie dude! What's got you in such a mood? I was just back getting some sleep, I guess I came in without making a peep."
With no more crisis, you can find a wide selection of stores around the shopping complexes of Manehatten: toys, outlets, clothes, food, you name it.
>>627311 "It is a promise, Sir Luke! I'll be perfectly knightly in your absence. Now, to jump off this building…" she flies back below to reunite with Brain.
As you arrive through the window, the long chair of investors all look at you in disbelief. One of them coughs, "There is a DOOR, young stallion."
One of the investors however, a Minotaur, leaps at your drinks, "Ah yeah! Gimme." He takes a bottle of whiskey and starts pouring classes round. "Sorry to say you missed all the good stuff though, shorty, your boss made quite a sale!"
>>627312 Gerald nods, "Indeed, shame on you Time Share. We've been blessed with an opportunity, if the wonderful Giselle's one of a kind voice has finally yet convinced you, and we should not take it likely."
"Mister Ug, I'm a practical investor. I invest in what I see money in." Trust Fund raises up, "You'll have my money in any regard save this 'saving the world' business until you've proven to me this apocalypse is a factual matter."
Gerald looks to Ug, "Well I sir will grant you whatever I can. I know Baroness' Giselle's voice, and there is no such perfect imitation on Earth." Half the investors seem to side with either one or the other on this issue in regards to the future saving team.
>>627316 >>627313 She shakes her head, smiling, "Shrinking a dragon and smuggling it on board… there are few more terrifying and unfair surprise assaults." she raises her glass, "To their unfortunate circumstances."
As you change the topic, she closes her eyes, struggling to remember.
"I am sorry, Beloved… there was not much time for me to do so." She finishes the last of her glass. "After you disappeared, no one suspected anything." She scowls, "You recall how I told you of his lie: that you were merely 'away'. I never dreamed he had usurped you in my wildest fantasies. So I believed it, for the days leading up to the fair. Your absence then was of the most concern, but I held every faith you would return that day in a chariot through the gates with new tales."
She shakes her head, "The following day proved otherwise." She grips her glass in her hoof. "Sombra launched a coup: he unleashed powers I never thought capable of him. Embodiment as a gigantic, living shadow, his sorcery unlike any he'd shown before. With time he had taken over the minds of countless soldiers… or some of them may have been on his side to begin with, and summoned golems of crystal to aid them. He enacted his tyranny so fast hardly anyone knew what to do without you there. I do not know where Gidri was in all of it, I had thought him already slain."
She begins to show signs of tears, "I nearly made it out of the castle with little Nau in my hooves when he and his soldiers cornered us. I was taken by surprise, there was nowhere I could run or hide us."
>>627314 >>627311 "Now that's the ticket!" Busy Boddy shakes Luke Warm, "Ya look great kid, the camera will love you. May need to change the name though, 'Luke Warm'? I mean does that sound like an actor name to you?"
>>627316 "Againa, sorry. Sheesh." Honey replies back to Merc, picking up the flight speed with him inside now.
"Shit, youa shouldn't sneak up ona me like that. I don'ta handle surprises that well." She smirks a bit, giving a small laugh as she remembers many ambushes against Crumple…ending with said ambusher jumping right into a bullet or missile.
Looking at a toy store, Crumple lands in front of it and the large, black robot enters. "Z, Merc. I don'ta know what lies in these walls, soa be prepared for anything. Buta I saw a lot ofa moving parts in here, so therea has to be something worthwhile."
>>627316 Eo trots down the stairs, her heavy weight quickly being adjusted to reduce her loud hoofsteps. Reaching the bottom she listens to the White unicorn before taking a few steps towards the door, "Rest was necessary. You will go first W- Rarity."
>>627317 Nero closes His eyes, conflicting feelings of relief that His wife did not suffer long, while at the same time His daughter was captured for who knows what purpose. He simply embraces His wife, setting His head on her shoulder as they sit there.
"Everything will be put back. You WILL see Nau again. You will hold her again. I swear it with all my soul."
He says comforting her, not pressing for more details on what happened next, it being apparent.
>>627316 "N-No…" Onyxia says, trembling at hearing she lost her father again. "When I told you to get us out of there I meant all of us!" She shouts, slamming a hoof against Steel, causing her more pain than anything. "He was right there! You could have grabbed him while he was attacking you!" She shouts with a punch or slam against his chest or the back of his head every few words; her words becoming more spaced as tears start to fall and sobs break her speech. "H-He's gone, and its all my fault…" She says weakly, barely more than a whisper as her injures and sobs take all her strength, her body giving up to them. She falls imply over Steel, tears running down her cheeks as she stares blankly down at the ground passing by underneath; her coat loosing its luster and crystal sheen as her hope fades.
>>627315 >>627316 Luke enjoys seeing thirsty ponies enjoy his refreshements. >your boss made quite a sale!" "He did?" Luke smacks Ug across the back "Haha! good on ya, what'd ya sell the suckers."
>>627317 >>627316 Ug nods, "Yes well Ug can understand reluctance into invest to save the world, but it am good that we can all be the agreeing that Ug Corp is prime stock am ready to soaring to the heavens! And you is am just the ones to hear it first!" Ug smiles broadly. "And big blockbuster movie am being help to us in general. Public will am seeing the movie and be swayed over to our side! And with public support there am nothing that can am be stopping us!" >>627323 "The world, Luke, the world…"
>>627317 >>627314 "Wait?" Luke gives a moment for all this to rattle in his head a little longer "You mean? I'm gonna be a star!" A grin of elated bewilderment stretches across Luke's face. > 'Luke Warm'? I mean does that sound like an actor name to you?" "Well, I've always prefered going by NerdSlayer"
>>627324 "Hah! The World, like that's a reliable investment." Luke has a good laugh before through his arm over your shoulder "Honestly though, Sometimes I try to go to sleep but just have panic attacks because another Goat Demon from Tartarus might try to destroy Equestria again. Or worst! Changeling terrorists."
>>627325 "Yes Ug think you and Giselly Gumdrop Griffon over here will am be some of the stars of upcoming summer blockbuster about our LARP session." >>627326 "It am being volatile market indeed. That am why it better to investing now and in us!"
>>627319 "It's fine, really," Merc replies, nodding to Z as they look around the cockpit, "I'm not trying to be sarcastic this time."
"That feat sound as though it leaves you in anguish, I could have sworn it was your second language." Z replies, looking out at the large toy store. When Honey makes her proclamation, Z and Merc both hop out to regrow to regular size to tumble around the toy store.
The clerk looks petrified as you waltz , towering over her as the large double doors barely fit your frame. Merc looks at you from outside the cockpit, mostly concerned at the growing collection of little foal ponies losing attention in the toys they have and focusing on the new, shiny, big one in the center of the room.
>>627320 She nods, smiling, "Very well done, Fang! Thank you," she exits first, looking back at Boo who continues to nod off and Screech who has turned into a batpony statue. She lifts them both off the couch with telekinesis as they jolt into action, flapping after as Rarity takes the lead. "I'm loving the outfit, Fang. It's just so… YOU! Powerful, empowering…"
"Leather!" Boo comments, poking at the large tippy part of her hat. "You know, you've always been the team 'witch', I guess. Why the hell did we wait so long did get you out of those cloaks into a cool pointy hat?"
Leading on towards the forest, she notices that her friends, in fact, appear to be coming out of it. "W-what?! We missed it! How late did we sleep?"
Screech grumbles, "I don't know, how late did we stay up making that coat?"
>>627323 >>627324 The board laughs at the 'suckers' crack, enjoying a pony with a good sense of humor. "A deal we couldn't refuse, that's what!"
The investors nod, even Time Share doesn't disagree with Shiny Rock, the movie, and the record label for a capable singer. "We'll be in touch, Mister Ug, we can't wait to see what comes out of the team. Hit me up via phone, we can workshop labels!" they each take turns shaking your hooves, leaving only Busy Body left to splurge with Luke about making the movie deal.
Giselle hops over to you two, squeezing you together as she chirps, "Ve're going to be rich! Did you hear vhat zey said?!"
>>627325 Busy Body laughs, "Of course you are kid! You've got the perfect build, the face, the moxy! I love it, you'll be the biggest star since Biggest Star!" >Nerdslayer "Eh, no, not feeling it. Nerds are actually a sizable number of the movie going audience, we don't wanna antagonize them. Something like… Danger Zone?" He makes an exaggerated hand motion
>>627328 >>627321 She holds the embrace, "I cannot wait, Nero. I simply do not want to wait to see my baby in her cradle…"
She takes a few deep breathes. "Suffice to say, I was powerless to keep them from taking Nau away. I was sure they were going to kill us both but Sombra did not. I imagine the coward still feared you and needed us. He took her away, crying, as his guards subdued me and dared to put me, the Emperor's wife, in shackles."
She turns her head and lays on the pillow. "What follows next I only heard in short conversations from my cell. He was freeing the slaves, imprisoning dissenting Crystal Ponies, organizing invasions to other cities to spread his influence. He had already begun ruining everything you and him had fought tirelessly to regain."
Isha pauses, "And then the most unpredictable thing occurred after about five days of it. I do not know if it was for better or worse, but Sombra, in this completely laughable suit of armor and crown, entered my prison as angry as I had ever seen him. He… he asked me where Nau had been taken, or who was it I knew that fit the ever distinct description of 'pony in a light brown cloak'. I could not answer either, I was…" she smiles, "I was laughing so hard at him. He had hoped to use us against you, and he went and had his advantage taken. I pray Nau was taken to safety, but ones I trusted, but anywhere was better than with HIM."
"It was not long after I was frozen in crystal myself: most likely to preserve me for as long as possible should you return after I expired." She shakes her head, "And then I dreamed forever… until I saw your face again." She reaches up to hold your muzzle in her hoof, tearfully.
>>627322 He lets her pound against his side, not retaliating or shaking at a single blow as he races to the hospital.
"I am sorry Onyxia. I am so sorry… I had no choice. If I had grabbed him while he was attacking me, you would have fallen prey to whatever Chitus was going to do." He slows his pace as he enters the hospital, the night-shift ponies already shocked and racing over to you. "I did not have time for both. I chose you… and you know he would have preferred it that way."
He turns back before getting you off his back. The armor looks on as you let the tears flow, reaching up a hoof to touch your cheek and wipe one off. "No. No, it is not your fault. It is no one's fault, and neither of your parents would want you to blame yourself." He keeps the iron hoof there, cold to the touch but somewhat warm all the same. "And he is NOT gone. Chitus said he needed help with something, something soon. He's not lost from this world and we will find him before he does it." The orderlies bring out a rollaway, and he carefully lifts you on to it, "But first you must be well enough."
>>627329 Onyxia looks up at Steel as she's placed onto the rollaway, her energy gone, body sore, spirit crushed. Her sobs stop only for a split second as the touch of his metal hoof, but it does nothing to ease her. "It is my fault… Mom said we shouldn't, but I didn't listen…" Her head falls to the side, her eyes gazing downwards. "I shouldn't have done anything, I just made everything worse."
>>627328 Ug smiles at Giselle "Yep! Ug am being go from filthy stinking rich cavepony to even more filthy stinking rich cavepony! So am you excited about your new singing career Ug's little treble cleft? The surprise was Ug am is going to getting you into acting too. What am you is thinking about that?" >>627328 Ug turns to Busy Body. "Ug wanting to get Giselly Gumdrop Griffon a debut concert maybe in ponyville or Canterlot. Ug knowing an expert Pink Party Pony who am willing to help set it up. Also.." Ug points to Shiny Rock who is still hovering over the table. "Shiny Rock over there can am being cover any special effects lighting we am being need for concert. And of course when we am is making film Shiny Rock am having editing skills that put most movie editors to shame. You am liking cost saving measures that am still turning out quality product right?">>627328 >>627328
>>627328 Crumple looks at the shelves of various toys for only a short bit, then begins to wander about the store. That was when the pilot notices all the foals. "What the," the vocoded voice of Crumple says, Honey not sure how to handle this situation. It wasn't often she saw foals, and made a strict habit of doing absolutely nothing to them. "So…wait, I think I'm missing something here. What's with all the kids, and why are they so happy to see me?" the vocoded voice of Crumple asks Merc as the hulking robot enters the aisle with Fleur Dis Lee dolls and various action figures. "Did Crumple get his own holiday for that awesome explosion on the Dur-Lushinus or whatever?" As the questions are asked, Honey tries to ignore the kids and begins to take various boxes, open their packaging, and take the clothes/outfits of whatever the doll inside was wearing. "And why do they make it so difficult to get to these things? Are clothes in my size some sort of valuable treasure or some shit?" Honey asks, but due to technicalities, is Crumple being the one saying it all. >Retrieving various doll outfits and uniforms that are roughly Honey's size >Will do a whole list when I'm more awake and shit
>>627327 > blockbuster about our LARP session." Luke goes wide-eyed "Whoa, Yes! Yes I am all for that, fuck Ug. I wanna throw money at that idea."
>>627328 Luke shakes each pony's hoof in return. When Luke is gripped in Giselle's griffon tight hug he cracks out the words "My parents.. will be so proud!"
When let down Luke brushes himself and responds to Busy Body "Okay, Okay wait no I got it.. How about. Luke Dukem."
>>627329 Nero lets her hold His face, looking down at her sorrowfully.
"I do not care why He did it, I am just glad to see you alright. Such things would break lesser ponies but you remain as resolute as ever. If such a tragedy could leave you frozen, possessed by despair or fear I…"
He pauses.
"I am happy beyond words that you have not forgotten how to laugh even after all this. I have some business to attend to tomorrow, but it should not consume my attention for long. We should spend the day together. I can show you the cities of Equestria, and we can forget these things for now. What do you say?"
He says slowly reaching over with His arm still around her shoulder and kissing her neck.
>>627328 Fang makes a circle around Screech as he stands perfectly still, her tail darting out to prod him hard enough for him to feel the spots after it's made contact, she whistles a merry toon that just started running through her head. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3ct_BUq-Ek As Boo prods her hat, and comments she shifts her head so that one of her three horns is being prodded instead, "Witch? seems appropriate, though the only evident witchcraft is how the grouped ponies act." Fang shoots Boo a look as he touches her horn, "Don't stop, that feels interesting."
>>627332 The roll-away leads into the white crystal of the hospital, Steel keeping up quickly as orderlies (that he promptly ignores) tell him to stay back. "And your father agreed, he wanted to do it. That means it is his fault too, doesn't it?
"Onyxia… things didn't turn out as you hoped, but you did not make everything worse. If we had done nothing, Chitus' plans would come to fruition. Ponies would get hurt, and your father would exile himself. There would have been no hope of doing that without doing something."
He's eventually forced to stop following at a certain time when the orderlies become too many to stop without injuring. He shouts as you're lead to the doctors. "Everything happens with purpose, Onyxia! Please, do not lose hope! We'll find that reason together, and we'll save him!"
>>627331 "Luke Dukem…" Busy Body claps his hands, "HAHAHA! That's it! Luke Dukem, ah, geez, why didn't I think of that?"
As you mention her new acting career, Giselle quickly grabs your muzzle in her talons as her wings expand to block your view of anything but her. "Vhat do I zinking about zat? I'll show you vhat I zinking about zat." She grins, and moves her beak in for a long smooch.
Busy Body coughs, not wanting to interrupt, "Uh,yeah, sure, Canterlot of all places? I can totally get us a gig there. Just you wait, it will be a Ug-Body co-production that will knock that town's horseshoes off!"
>>627332 "WHat's with all the…" Mercile groans, "Honey: you're in a toy store. Of COURSE there's foals."
"AWESOME!" the fillies and colts of the store immediately crowd and jump all over Crumple's legs, looking for buttons and articulation points to play with as they begin shouting and making a big show of the giant action figure. Z shouts, "No, no, she's not a toy! Get off of it, this isn't a ploy."
Mercile groans, "Okay, no, Crumple didn't do whatever for whatever." he holds up the dolls to Honey, pointing at the little dresses, "See, these are just playthings, kids use them for fun. The dresses aren't…" Merc freezes, looking at the toy box and then to Honey with a grin, "Uh, they're not for anyone under size 7," he points at the age label that you can't read, "But it looks a good fit."
>>627333 "Ah, don't be sore, we can't all be geniuses, Luke! Just wait, kid, you'll be beating the mares off with a stick. Now, what experience do you have? None? If so you're perfect!"
>>627334 She grins widely again as you kiss her neck, grabbing you tightly and pulling you close as she whispers, "That sounds excellent. Let us spend the night together to, shall we Beloved?"
>>627335 Boo shrugs, "Uh, okay, will keep going." He keeps poking, "I think it's really cute, by the way. Uh, your hat. And the horns. All those things, I never saw before."
Screech groans as he refuses to leave the circle, "I'll switch Boo, I'll switch in a freaking heartbeat."
Twilight and the others approach, waving at Fang as they check out the new look. Pinkie in particular gets up all over it, appearing on the left, right, under and over sides as she looks around, even popping out from your heat, "WOAH! Fangy, NICE duds. Rarity really did a number for ya, huh? Now see, THIS is fun, if you're happy right now. If you aren't then I guess it's something else but I bet it's Fun."
"Twilight!" Rarity whines, "I'm so sorry. I overslept." "It's alright, Rarity," Twilight responds, "Actually, you're right on time." >PAUSED
>>627336 Fang's eyes, and horns pulse as the Pink one pops out from under her hat. (i'am going to forget to do this later so i'am doing it now, skillcatcher pinky 4th wall chaos dunk) [1d10]
>>627334 She grins widely again as you kiss her neck, grabbing you tightly and pulling you close as she whispers, "That sounds excellent. Is it true there is a castle on the peak of the Everfree Mountain now? A good start…" She gently kisses your head and muzzle in return.
LAST TIME ON TIMEQUEST The battle with the Lord Wendigo raged on between the party along with their Pegasi and Unicorn battalion backing them up. Much of the pegasi had been taken out by its storm, the unicorns fared a little better, and the Wendigo itself proved to be on its final legs as its former corporeal form was losing coherence, turning from a solid looking horse of storms and into more of a scattered cloud, though it remains solid enough to stand on top of. It sent out another strong wave of cold against all those around it. Luke was nearly killed from his reckless behavior, but Honey and Nero remain in the thick of the storm.
Meanwhile, the staff of Eo-Naxx had escaped the strings of Southern, and was trying to kill her so it could possess the windigo when it suddenly froze up in a static lock, sparking and flashing images of a catepillar-like creature through the mist as Caduceus reunited with Southern amid the thick fog.
Meanwhile meanwhile, Onyxia and Steel waited out the storm in the sanctum of Starswirl the Bearded. Accompanied by Twilight and Clover, Twilight and Onyxia got to discussing the strange events that had been happening to her all day since their arrival.
>>660497 +3 Nero +2 Others You raise up your sword, and slash the hell out of its back as the appearance of the windigo becomes more and more incorporeal, slowly dispersing and losing its solid horse appearance. As you do so, you watch as the faces of smaller horses appear in the cuts you make, sifting about the white body in front of you as you cut deep.
The windigo begins spinning about in a circle, appearing almost like a hurricane as it becomes appearing more cloud than pony, attempting to throw you off as ice bursts out from it and freezes you >Roll to avoid >[1d10+1: 4 + 1 = 5] / [1d10+2: 7 + 2 = 9] Pegasi/Unicorns
>>660498 Twilight nods her head, "Like I said, I need to study a little more into this, but it does sound reasonable that would be the case. These things come fast… once the flood gates open on something like this there's little that can be done to slow it down."
As you take the tea-cup in your hooves, you see the black crystal surrounding it as usual, but when you attempt to to take it into your body, you see the china cup fall through your grip, the black crystal loosely letting it fall through before Twilight catches it in her magic, letting out a sigh of relief. "That was close… maybe it's something your subconcious is still in control of." On the cup, you can see small hoof-marks indented into the sides, and a few linings of ceramic attached to your hoof tips.
>>660502 >>660499 You manage to stand up on a few of your legs, a pair of hooves helping you up the rest of the way as you stand up to full hits (6/5). It is Caduceus, the cloaked pony from earlier, the purple cloak completely covering him save for the uncovered muzzle. You hear the stone-spiders beginning to shift about in the mist again, and more flashes coming from the direction of the staff. Occasionally, through the mist, you see silhouettes of a long creature, resembling a long, spiny worm.
"Pleasant imagery." He turns towards the staff in the mist, "We don't have long. The staff is distracted with distant matters now, but if it breaks free and joins with the windigo, it will do much worse than it already has. I desire the staff, and you want this blizzard removed." He leans in more closely, "I have a means of constraining the staff'. If you would assist Me in getting close, this annoyance can be done with for all of us."
>>660500 >You hear a slight shuffle, the walkie talkie silent for a few more minutes before Steel's voice returns over the walkie. >"Maybe a few. But you still have no idea what it is they're talking about. I'm absolutely enjoying myself here, I'm only asking if you all need help because I am a warrior. Helping in fights is what I like to offer to do."
You suck down the drink you quickly make, but soon come to realize a mistake in that head trauma and alcohol don't necessarily go hoof in hoof. You feel nauseous, and begin to spiral back into oblivion at the mere taste.
>>660501 You manage to pull Crumple successfully out of its nose dive through a great deal of effort, the stone-sink activating just in time to let Crumple disappear underground rather than crash into it. You turn around and see Screech catching his breath as he sits down.
"You couldn't have pulled that off a little less closely…?" He opens up his ears, "Oh… actually? This isn't half bad. It's so quiet down here…"
>>660502 Onyxia looks down at her hoof tips, clinking the ceramic pads together. "Today has been pretty exhausting, maybe that has something to do with it. Been a few days since I had to sleep or anything, it must be getting to me…"
Looking at the cup and the missing hoof portions, she grasps the cup again from Twilight's magic. "Let me give it one more try, see if the rest will go." She shuts her eyes as she focuses, trying to get the rest of the teacup to join the bits that already make her hooves. >[1d10]
>>660503 "I probably coulda have," Honey says with a big exhale, then starts to laugh a bit. "Still, this shita is fun."
She raises a brow at his comment about it being quiet. "Oh, is ita, now? How abouta we break this dumba quiet," she gets a song playing, "and end this witha a hell of a banga?!" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWnS8iKYnbQ
Honey gets an excited glint to her eyes, gives a glance at Screech, then grins before facing forward. "HEREA WE GO!"
Crumple proceeds to surge out of the ground, speakers blaring and emitting flames that it began to look like a zooming fireball. Honey's grin intensifies, glowing and putting her all into Crumple. >Honey Special
Seeing the new state of the creature, Honey has Crumple rocket right into the middle of it. Changing some settings to make the explosion smaller in size, Honey then has Crumple let loose a might, fiery blast with her laughter coming out from Crumple. "I'M FUCKINGA INVINCIBLE!" >Melee-ranged Wrath inside the wendigo cloud thing; Automatic, Autocrit from Stonesink, +3 >Wrath: can kill weak enemies on a crit
>>660502 Nero impales His sword deep into the icy shell of the windego as it begins to spiral, trying to toss Him off. The cold wind sweets through His mane as He begins to punch into the dissolving creature, ripping out here and there large chunks of ice, and tossing them away to the ground below, ripping it apart.
>>660503 "Yeah cuz you like to fight. That's what you do, thats like your life. Don't deny it I know you wish you had a hoof in some of the major asskicking happening over here."
Luke swallows his drink and then slouches his head down into his hooves to bear with the splitting headache. Drinking alcohol to deter a concussion what could of possibly gone wrong he thinks. >"hmm.. Luke, you dieing?" Mr.Warm asks sternly "No, no I'm good I'm good" Luke shrugs off the massive headache and deliriousness "Now, What were you saying? About the Lukes." >"Yeah, like I was saying you ain't the worst out of the bunch, but you're still darn right insufferable. Theres a Luke that does nothing but smoke pot and complain. A devoutly religious Luke, the sort that'll go knocking on doors and hoof you a pamphlet if he sees you light a cig. But the one that takes the cake I think is this one very unmannerly LukeWarm, even moreso than you. Wears sweatpants all the time, obsessed with getting laid, balding. The man is just a complete trainwreck. And for some reason he's middle aged. I don't even wanna know what the hell he's been up to, to end up like that."
>>660507 Caduceus looks at you from within the fog, nodding his head. "As you wish." He turns towards the flashing fog, and you hear a few cries similar to that of the beetle creature from within in the direction of the staff. "I'll need to get close to it, and it will cast wildly when I do. Be ready." He fades back into the fog, hoof-steps silent as night while the three spiders stand guard around the staff, seemingly confused without their orders. >[1d10+2] Caduceus' stealth >Trap successful: Through the fog, you can see a long network of wires setting themselves up around where the spiders lurk in the fog, searching for enemies. The staff does not yet cast anything towards you or Caduceus
>>660504 Steel nods his head, looking over the back of the couch. "We didn't need it during out time fused together but, I imagine by now it must be catching up with you."
Clover, on the far couch, points towards the one you're siting upon. "I'm sure I can find a spare cot somewhere but, in the meanwhile, feel free to take a nap if you're exhausted."
Twilight, looking at the ceramic lining the tip of your hooves, begins to grin after you take the cup from her magic, and begin spreading your black crystallization around it. You feel your hooves shifting and changing underneath the crystal as you concentrate on recreating the transmutation, and as you pull back you see the cup remains in your hooves but the hooves holding it are now made of a ceramic material that 'clinks' against it. "THAT seems a little closer to what I had in mind. How's it feel?"
>>660509 >>660506 >+0 everyone Your sword digs into the skin of the creature, tossing off massive chunks of snow away from it hurtling towards the ground below. The cries of many horses accompany it as you dig your khopesh into it, but the icy blast it sends out covers you in a thick sheet of ice and snow that freezes you to the core, starting to cover your body >0/4, helpless >Next attack crits on 8+
Its blast does similar damage to the remaining Pegasi, hurtling them from their formations as their spears decrease in number. The unicorns below, however, wither against the storm and their magic continues to heat it up from below, causing it to thrash about. Small hooves start to pull out from the snow where you've cut into its back, scraping and howling.
>>660505 Screech holds on to something close by as he gulps, "As if there's any other way with you, huh?"
Crumple begins successfully digging its way out of the ground, shooting out of the dirt as its speakers begin blaring non-stop flames that surround the body and send it into a spiraling orb of fiery death. You see the Windigo above where you emerge, and the next thing you see is the sheer white coverage as your view is completely blocked by the innards of the Wendigo. You break through on the other side, seeing the storm its created and below, a firey, hot hole left in its heard where you had burst through before.
Below, the cloud form of the Wendigo begins to expand, blow up, as its horse like face disintegrates into its bulbous form. The whinnying of the horses intensify, and through the skin of the cloud you can see hundreds of white faces all screaming at you to escape. It shakes as its body barely holds together, until seams start to form at its sides as tiny, ghostly legs start to pull away from the Windigo Lord's core
[1d10+2] vs NEro, Honey, Unicorn and Pegasi [1d10-2] Pegasi dodging [1d10] Unicorn dodging
>>660508 >"Grrr…. I am VERY happy where I am, Luke. Onyxia may have need of me, and what she's doing is important. My ONLY concern is whether I am needed or not… you're SURE I'm not?"
As you barely stand up and speak to your alternative timeline self, the pegasi behind you that you had collided with looks up in pain, grunting. "A-are we winning?"
Looking up at the Windigo, you can see it seemingly beginning to well up, ready to explode it would seem.
Roll #1 7 + 2 = 9 / Roll #2 2 - 2 = 0 / Roll #3 2 = 2
>>660510 "HELL YEAH!" Honey yells in her cockpit as she admires her work. "C'mona, you gotta admit, this shita is pretty fun with mea around," she says to Screech with a large, satisfied grin.
Hearing voices or something, Honey disregards their warnings and looks at the barely living mass of wendigo do…something. "Not sure what kind of shit you're trying to pull," Crumple yells out, "but I'm done with you!"
Crumple's eyes light up once more, charging up power as the attack approaches. "CRUMPLE BLASTER!" Instead of dodging, Honey has Crumple fire its eye beam right at the attack. >Magic Bolt hard enough that the attack doesn't work on Crumple and kills this thing for good [1d10+1]
>>660510 "Nah, don't worry about we got this all under control. Have fun at your tea party." Luke says into the radio dismissively. >"Well if you don't plan on keeling over I got product to move." "Yeah alright. see ya later." Mr. Warm puts his cloak back on and begins moving his cart while Luke lays back into the rubble "Oh hold up!" Luke lifts his head up again "You coming to Sterling's funeral right?" >"When is it?" "A week from now, in medieval times." >Mr. Warm takes out a small itinerary from his coat "Yeah I'll make it" "Alright cool.. later"
Luke lays back into the rubble again and Mr. Warm takes his leave.
>>660509 "Yea, now that we're not getting attacked or hunted by anything all that energy is starting to wear off fast."
"Thank you, but I'm sure I won't drop anytime soon." She says to Clover.
Onyxia opens her eyes as she feels her hooves have changed, looking down at the cup. "That's weird, every other time the stuff I fuse with disappears into me." She sets the cup down, taping her hooves together again as Twilight questions. "Its… I'm not sure. It doesn't feel different, like its just normal for them to be like this." She bends her hooves, the ceramic limbs moving just like they were flesh and not the hard material of their source. "The only difference I know of when like this is that my senses get dulled. When Steel and I were fused, I couldn't taste as much, and I didn't feel cold when we walked through the blizzard. And when my legs unraveled into threads, it didn't hurt at all."
>>660511 >1 As Caduceus starts to begin his approach and you begin setting up another trap, you feel a great burst emerge from the staff in a green wave of energy. Sudden numbness over comes you as it passes over the two of you. You feel a green glow over your legs as you lose control over them, falling down to the cobblestone as your body gives off a soft glow. >0/4
Meanwhile, the same wave washes over Caduceus, blowing the fog away from him and the spiders take notices. He gives an audible grunt of displeasure as two of them leap on him, but the third manages to get itself completely caught up in your wires, strangled and controlled by them. Two of the remaining spiders charge at the crystal pony while he ignores them and makes for the staff, running at it as something mechanical seems to slip out of his cloak. [1d10+2] Cad [1d10+1] x2 Spiders
>>660513 You try and break apart the ice, but as you pull away from it, you see the windigo faces pull away from the storm cloud, their hooves dragging themselves free before you feel one great last blast from the monstrosity. The bulbuous storm cloud explodes, the whinnying cries of hundreds of horses crying out into the night as dozens upon dozens of wendigoes, much smaller than those you fought before, fly away in every direction as the storm cloud combusts. You lose your solid footing as the cloud comes apart, falling down to the ground far below as the miniature windigoes flying all over the place throw you off back down to earth (0/3)
Meanwhile, the windigoes scatter around, hitting numerous pegasi and unicorns alike. The pegasi find their number nearly decimated by the attack while the unicorn guard below are severely injured, but the majority of the windigo appear to fly away back up to the storm and away from Coltchester as the Lord Windigo fades from sight.
>>660512 Crumple's eye lasers shoot into the bursting cloud as the Lord Windigo pops, and sees the great wave of miniature windigoes darting away from it in every direction as she fires the eye laser at them. Several of them are evaporated on contact with the laser, disintegrating into mist, but a few more manage to get through and slam into Crumple high above the city, freezing parts of her before they too scurry around off to the sky and away from the city (4/4)
You see several of the pegasi hit by the resulting blast and falling to the ground, the vast majority of the force you came in with either dead, frozen, or severely injured as their chariots crash into the ground. "Damn…" Screech comments, looking at them fall. "Hope that Hurricane guy made it."
The radio responds, but as it does you see the Windigo explode as described above, sending the countless miniature windigoes around the city as they fly up towards the sky, disappearing from sight (along with most of the pegasi that attacked it). The pegasi, seeing this, passes out once again as he leaves you with yourself.
>>660515 Steel sighs, "Yes. WE'RE not getting attacked or anything… uh, not that I oppose. At all." He tries to cover for himself.
Clover nods her head as you refuse the nap. Focusing back on your hooves, Twilight rubs her chin as the tea-cup remains. She shifts Nau a little in her grip, the baby giving a few yawns, and stares at the cup. "Well, changelings don't normally need to absorb what they change in to. It could be simply having a little material gives your body all the knowledge you need of how to replicate it when you change your shape." She poofs a notepad and pencil out of thin air, and begins to write a few notes. As you flex your ceramic hoofs, you definitely control every motion of the hoof as though it were flesh, but everything you touch gives a loud *clink* displaying its true material.
"So you lose your sense of touch through them? Only sensible. Teacups don't exactly have room for nerve-endings, do they?"
>>660516 "Yeah, thisa shit is hell," Honey remarks, having Crumple land with a big sigh, "nota for everypony. But hey, this fuckera is dead. Another killa for us."
"He bettera have. If that guya is such a strong and powerfula leader, he'd be around here somewhere," Honey remarks, having Crumple roll around the battlefield and search for the pegasi commander's location. >Looking for Hurricane…or anything else interesting nearby
>>660516 Nero lays on His back, having fallen and slide, leaving a trail of indention in the snow. He gets up, popping His back with a grunt of pain, His cape trailing around Him.
Spotting Hurricane nearby, Nero begins walking in His direction, His body still shining brilliantly with bright light.
>>660517 Onyxia gives Steel a glare as he emphasis 'we're', but it softens as she looks back to Twilight without any retort.
"I guess since I did this one conciously, it didn't need to absorb all of it. Maybe it was going overboard and taking everything, like how you said before that the floodgates opened and it was out of control." Onyxia reaches around and takes off her saddlebags, holding it in her hooves. "I'd say its more numbed. I can feel my bag and all the lumps in it with these hooves, but I can't really feel that its fabric, or could tell it is fabric if I wasn't looking at it." She sets her bag on the ground next to her. "They must not be conductive, since it's just a cup. If what happened when I fused with cloth is anything to go by, every bit of me combines with whatever it is, not just skin. If I fused with something that could feel before, my nerves would probably work better."
>>660517 Luke lays abck enjoying the light show with the other nearly unconcious pegasi "Did we win?"
Luke throws himself onto his hooves and beckons for Jean. Picking her up and putting her in his bag "This was fight was bullshit I'm gonna go fuck with Steel." Luke begins hoofing it back to the academy.
>>660517 >>660518 You manage to stand up to full (6/4) as the wave passes, and nearby you see one spider still struggling in his wires (control available) as the other two manage to make decent scratches into Caduceus's cloak. He pulls out the device he had concealed: a gauntlet that fits snugly over a pony's hoof, with three-marked prongs on the far end (two on one side and a 'thumb' on the other like a talon), and swings it out to grab at the floating staff.
It responds with a few electrical currents traveling up the leg holding onto the device, but earlier wires ensnaring the staff keep it taught as it beserks, still showing the occasional flash of the creature. Caduceus steels his arm, and keeps it held on the staff. "Time to see if Claw had enough time for his trinket."
The spiders attack him again as he keeps his grip locked on the staff, concentrating on holding onto the gauntlet. The spiders charge at him again [1d10+1] x 2
>>660519 Screech nods, looking around at the scattering windigos as the head away from the city. The blizzard still sticks around but it has calmed down significantly. "It doesn't look good out there…"
You fly Crumple down towards the ground, where your scanners can pick up Hurricane on the streets helping one of his men out from underneath a pile of ice. One of his wings is frozen over.
>>660520 >>660519 Nero manages to stand up after his great fall, looking around he can see the unicorns capable of healing trying to help those who are still alive, many of the unicorn guard that came out to meet the threat frozen or injured in the streets.
You see Crumple descending from above as you walk towards the Commander, who turns around and cracks his neck. "Well. Whatever the hell that thing was, I think it's safe to say its bastards won't be bothering us." He says looking at the last retreating windigos. He looks up, "Blizzard is slowing down as well… soon as the stallions that made it here have been taken in for licking their wounds, I'm sure the rest of my unit will see to finding out exactly what the unicorns have lost control of here."
Nearby, a unicorn mare drags some of her compatriots out of the ice, "Are you kidding?! We thought YOU brought this upon us, it didn't arrive until after you brutes did."
>>660522 Jean crawls up into your bag without issue as the pegasi lies back down in the snow, holding up a hoof and waving farewell. "A-alright then… just… I'm gonna take a breather. You see my commander, tell him I broke something, anything."
You begin heading back towards the academy, the fog beginning to lighten up along your journey as you trot away from the windigo site. The weather appears to have improved, though the snow and wind persists to a small degree as you make your way back towards the middle tier of the city. Though before long, you can see the lights of Starswirl's Academy shining through the fog."
>>660521 Steel gives a light frown as you shoot him the glare. "I… did I say something wrong?"
Twilight nods her head, "That would seem reasonable. Without control you're likely to use up a lot more energy… or, material in this case… then you actually need. With focus, you manage what it is you expend." She takes a free hoof to poke at the ceramic material, her hoof muted through it to your sense of touch. "So they DO have nerve endings? I guess some of your biology would have had to have mixed in with it during the absorption process." As you make your suggestion, she asks, "Fuse with something that could feel before? Like, another pony's skin?"
>>660523 "Yeah," Honey says, looking around without so much of a flinch or sadness, "thisa fucker was no pushover, I'lla give it that."
>>660523 >>660524 The head on Crumple opens, revealing Honey so she can speak with Hurricane. "Heh. Gooda to see still kickinga and shit," she greets, grinning and gives her wings a slight flutter, wincing a bit. "I thinka all the fighting is alla done. At least, fora you and your guys."
Honey looks at the unicorn. "Ia don't give a fucka who brought that dead, sacka of shit! It's dead now, anda that's all that matters."
>>660520 Honey looks over to Nero, grinning a bit while covering her eyes from the bright glow. "Oh gooda, glad to know you're stilla going and shit," Honey greets.
>>660524 Luke notices the weather has lightened up and decerns it as perfect weather for drinking. He takes a swog of something from his bag and then grits his teeth in terrible headache.
Luke barges through the Academy door and makes his way to the nearest receptionist (or who he thinks may be the receptionist) and begins slurring "Exshcuse me.. 'ave you seen'a steel pony, and'a crystal with'aaa nerd that talks too much. I know they're all hangin out with Starswirl. And I swear when i- When i- *hic* When I find'em I'm gonna take a nap."
>>660524 >the rest of my unit will see to finding out exactly what the unicorns have lost control of here."
"That would not be wise, Commander Hurricane. For the present, this city and its inhabitants are under My protection. I swore to King Brilliant I would not destroy this place, and I have no intention of allowing anypony else to do so either."
The king says approaching, His sandals leaving prints in the thick snow. >>660527 Nero turns to Honey.
"And you as well." Nero looks around at the damages, the injured, the dead.
"Twilight was a fool. This is exactly what I didn't want to happen."
>>660524 "I just wish you'd take it easy. You don't need to worry about the others, whatever goes their way." She states, though she trails off as if she wants to add more.
Onyxia looks down at Twilight pokes her. With the muted sensation, Onyxia rubs at her hoof, running between the edge where her skin and the ceramic skin meet to feel the difference in what she can sense. "As far as I'm aware every bit of me get's combined with whatever I fused with. Skin, nerves, everything. Only reason I can see to why my entire leg came apart, or why I didn't need to sleep or eat when fused with Steel." Onyxia pauses at Twilight's suggestion, not having though of it that far. "I-I guess? I didn't even think about another pony… But I guess if I did it wouldn't hinder my body as much as this stuff would." She says, raising up her hooves.
>>660529 "Wella, kinda late on thata one with me," Honey says with an unapologetic shrug and hoof gesture. "So a dumba city got blown up, anda a few more poniesa died," Honey begins, even having Crumple knock off a hanging piece of lumber from a blown up building, "what is thea big deal?"
>>660531 "The big deal-" Nero says looking to Honey with irritation.
"Is as I told you before, My wife, the alicorns, the Ur Lucius, and almost all our current resources are in an era which might not even exist anymore, due to your thrill-seeking and Twilight's negligence."
>>660532 "Ia only care about one of those thingsa, but considering all the bullshit I'vea been going through to havea fun with it, I'm startinga to not want it as much," Honey plainly replies with her hooves folded and a roll of her eyes. "So againa: what is the big, fuckinga deal?"
>>660526 >>660525 The wires criss-cross away from you through the fog around Caduceus. One of the spiders that leap at him are caught in a web of the wires, causing it to struggle and fight against them to no avail as it's left immobile. The other is blocked off by the spider you control, attacking it head on to distract it. The spider you control is damaged by its compatriot, starting to nearly split apart as it nears destruction, and the free remaining stone spider attacks it.
[1d10+1]
Meanwhile, the gauntlet around Caduceus' hoof begins to glow a vibrant blue, the lightning arcs guided towards creaks in the joins along the talons where the light emanates. Caduceus grunts as he puts his other hoof holding on the gauntlet, "It's working… just a bit more."
>>660527 Hurricane gives a sly grin out from the corner of his mouth. "I didn't come to lead the pegasi by being soft." He shakes his wing, "I've had worst happen to my wing than a little frostbite."
He stomps his hoof as he helps up the downed pegasus. "But the fight here isn't over. Not until some questions are answered."
The unicorn seethes. "As though Pegasi had a concept of asking questions first." She turns towards you, lowering her head. "It is, and we thank you for helping us stop it. Now if only someone would tell this air-headed blowhard we had nothing to do with it."
>>660529 Hurricane looks towards you, glaring. "A crystal pony, huh? There aren't many of you this far from the north nowadays." He squints at your shining form, "None quite so bright, either. Would you mind cutting that out?" He holds a hoof over his eyes, "I don't know who you are, but regardless of what you owe to any unicorn king, I don't see why that should matter to me." He grunts, holding his wing. "We lost a lot of good pegasi stopping it, and I know a unicorn was at the heart of it all. I don't know where that one brat dragged her off to but we'll leave as soon as we get everything we want out of her."
>>660531 >>660527 From above, you two can hear a few extra beat-flaps of pegasi wings, and see about a dozen pegasi (sans chariots) appearing from the fog, uninjured. Hurricane grins. "Well. They took their time getting here but I believe my reinforcements will not be long."
>>660534 >>660530 Steel sighs. "I know. But, understand, please: there's every small chance whatever happened was my Order's doing. Wouldn't you feel responsible if your family caused others trouble?"
Twilight nods, "So… right now, that whole 'hoof' is some kind of porcelain-organic hybrid. And presumably, you could make it grow throughout your whole body." She taps her chin, "Have you tried with living tissue before? BOO!" She calls out, the bat pony's ears popping up.
"Uh… I don't know if I like where this conversation is going." Twilight grins, pointing at him. "I think you have a volunteer."
>>660528 Your scars ache deeply, ice forming around old burn scars as your bandages come deeply unraveled by the past hour's events. Your body feels like it's going to break down at any moment but the numbness grows with every swig of the bottle you take.
You head up towards the academy, heading towards a nearby unicorn who's shepherding students down the hall. She looks at you, incredulous. "Riiiiight…. let me just find someone who can take you outs- I mean, straight to Starswirl, of course!" As she attempts to get you thrown back outside, a canary flies down from the stairwell inside the main lobby, tweeting at you and pulling on your mane. The mare gasps. "Oh… oh my. I-I guess you really ARE a guest of Starswirl… just follow that canary, he'll show you where to go."
>>660533 "If the lives of My wife, My allies, and My people mean nothing to you, how about this? Eo Naxx Sight returned Nau. I would like for her to a bed in sleep in after all this."
Nero says turning to look to her for a moment, before returning His attention to Hurricane. >>660534 "And you will lose many more, if you do not cease this crusade. The unicorns have nothing to do with this long winter."
>>660535 "I… I would, given mine's situation." She says, sympathizing. "I just wish you'd stay here and not worry about the others, when I need you right now. …It helps having you here, wile I'm trying to figure this stuff out." She whispers a bit so Twilight won't hear. (Though since she's still on the couch, she might if she's eavesdropping).
"I think I could, everything has only been my hooves so far but Steel was my whole body." She says, looking down at her hooves, wondering if she could extend it from what she already absorbed. She dismisses it with worry of what might happen in her current state.
She snaps up from her wondering as Twilight shouts for Boo, looking over to him and back to Twilight, waving her hooves. "I'm not sure about this Twilight. Last time I fused with something living was with Steel, a-and I'm not really comfortable in ending up like that with Boo." She says, face a little red. "N-No offense, Boo." Onyxia quickly says to the bat.
>>660535 >>660535 Luke silently agrees. pulling a cookie out of his bag that his mother made him for the trip and giving it to the mare as a thanks "And remember to drink your vodka or you'll freeze to death…" Luke trails off and follows the canary
>>660537 "Good fora you, I guess? Ia still don't care, thougha."
>>660534 Honey looks around, nodding a bit. "Nah, prettya sure this shit is overa for now," Honey replies back to Hurricane. "We blewa up a nice chunk of this dump, gota some bodies and parts flyinga, even blew that gianta fucker right out of thea sky. In fact," Honey gives a look at the unicorn, "I say thesea jerks owe you. I bet if youa and I hadn't come, shovinga their shit ina like we did, we wouldn'ta be here to bail these fuckersa out."
"So how abouta this: we go backa, get your boysa patched up, and thena you can get whatever infoa you want since these guysa obviously owe you big timea," Honey says, grinning a bit herself. "I don't thinka they'd want another bomb runa from me," Honey begins, grinning almost evilly/excitedly at the unicorn, "right?"
"Plus, I wouldn't minda a small break. I thinka my wings took a bad hit backa there," she replies, rubbing her wings a bit and wincing slightly. >Is Honey/Crumple gonna have to headbutt someone next post? (Honey's 'diplomacy') [1d10]
>>660541 "Am Ia…what? Look, I don'ta know what you want from mea. Any shit that's differenta may as well be a plus for me, sincea, you know, my time isa a FUCKING! SHITHOLE! If some ofa these fuckers getting killed meansa something good for once, then I'lla kill everything if it meansa my time is less shita."
>>660537 The unicorn mare guard shouts out, "Thank you! I am glad there can be at least ONE voice of reason among you."
Hurricane looks long at your face as you try to diplomize with him, and he gives a mere grunt, shaking some hair off of his mane so the snow falls in front of your face. He snorts. "Well then. If that's so then bring that crazy staff-wielder forward then, if they have nothing to hide. But I won't leave until my scouts' deaths have been justified."
>>660540 The unicorn mare blushes, holding her head down. "We… could have controlled the situation."
"Earth-manure, you could have." Hurricane retorts, "Even if I believe this wasn't a plot of unicorns as a whole, at least one caused this mess and my ponies won't risk the odds of it happening again. Considering my troops took more heat than yours did, in defense of YOUR pathetic city, I'd say we're due something." He turns up to Honey, grunting. "So? DO you horn-heads want another go after all this?"
The unicorn doesn't answer, holding her ground and scrunching her muzzle. "We don't even know who you're talking about…"
>>660540 >>660537 As you all argue, one of the pegasi fly down, a sickly looking pegasus that floats right down next to Hurricane. "Pansy! Where have you all been private? The storm couldn't have been that thick, you missed everything."
Pansy gives a gulp, "Well, sir, after we got separated in the storm, we were going to be right behind you but… we ran into a large group of Earth ponies. Soldiers."
"The Earth Army's here?!"
"Yes sir, at first they were accusing us of infiltrating their Capital but, before we engaged each other they asked for a parlay. Said orders from on high came through."
>>660543 >>660538 Steel stays still as a statue at the last part. He reaches up to put an iron hoof on his chest. "If you need me, I'll be at your side then."
Twilight smiles, "Then, it sounds like the next step is going right for that: trying to absorb the material across your whole body then."
As Boo perks up his ears, confused at the statement, Twilight blushes, "Wait… oh! Nononononono, sorry, I wasn't trying to imply you should… sorry, that was dumb. I sort of overlooked the.. ahem… event that made you fuse in the first place."
Steel shakes his head, "I would not take it well. But… to be fair, Onyxia. I am not strictly 'alive'. If it can be done… ahem… another way, it may be worth seeing if it works on REAL flesh. Not cursed metal."
>>660539 The mare grabs at the cookie, blinking silently as she takes your words to heart. "Oh… um… thank you?"
The canary tweets happily and pulls at your mane again, pulling you along to lead you through the familiar school to Starswirl's study as you saw it before. As you enter his office, the bird flutters close to the book that you went through before as a portal. The book glows gold in accordance with the canary's feathers, and you are transported through the familiar flattening experience into the sanctum, where you hear the sounds of Twilight, Clover, Steel, Onyxia, and Boo in the dining room.
>>660536 The spider that attacks the first puppet is destroyed as you command your controlled spider to attack it. The stone shatters and a small purple gem goes sliding across the icy cobblestone. The one that was being controlled manages to snap free of its bonds, and attempts to attack Caduceus before its snared by the newly made one, trapping both remaining spiders in their trapped state.
Meanwhile, the staff increases its sharp glow from blue to a pitch white, and Caduceus holds steadfastly onto the gauntlet as he controls the power seeping out of it. As he does so, a bright flash appears in the center of the staff, akin to the blue portals that you've seen allow for time-travel in the past. Parts of the staff begin to fade from side as they're covered up by the flash. >One of the two trapped spiders will free itself next turn
>>660545 "yeah yeah I'm comin" Luke replies to the canary as ittugs on the hairs on his mane.
Luke does not dwell on the experience of transporting through the 2nd dimension he just assumes he's hallucinating like usual. He enters the room yelling Steel's name "Steeel! Steel you asshole! Ya hung up on me!" Luke falsley accuses him as he ambles drunkenly to the dining room.
>>660544 >>660545 Onyxia smiles, sparkling a little more "Thank you Steel."
"Maybe I'll get better control over it by trying to make it spread more." Onyxia agrees hopefully on Twilight's plan.
"I guess we should see if it works, to understand the whole power." Onyxia says after Twilight and Steel's comment. She looks over to Boo. "Boo, would you be willing to test this? Only if you want to, I don't want you to feel forced or anything."
>>660543 "Oh bullshit," Honey says at the same time Hurricane drops his version, causing her to look at him and laugh a bit.
"Anywaya, how about you start digging around thesea dead stiffs here," Honey says mostly to the unicorn, but to anyone else listening, "thea pony you're looking fora was some kind of brighta blue, and had some kinda of blue, curve thing ona her ass. Oh, and she'lla be missing a leg. That one was me," she says with a grin.
"More fighting?" Honey asks, looking perhaps a bit too excited at that prospect. "Ia think I can puta off this wing paina for another brawl ora two."
>>660548 "What are you doing here Luke? I thought you all ran off to check on that explosion." Onyxia asks with confusion as Luke ambles into the room loudly.
>>660551 "Yeah.. we ran into an armada of pegasi and a big ass Windego. And I got my ass handed to me. Fricken embarassing -I gotta tell ya. Anyway I'm tired and concussed so I hope you don't mind if I bleed all over Starswirl's floor."
>>660542 "All I want from you, is for you to show the same loyalty to Me and Mine that I show to you and yours. Before we came here, I asked for your help rescuing My daughter, and now she is safe and sound. Don't you derive any satisfaction from that?" >>660543 Nero listens to the unicorn, Pansy, and Hurricane's rabble, looking up at the night sky for a moment as the cold winds continue lightly blowing. Finally, He turns back to Hurricane.
"The wizard you saw was merely a pawn in all of this. If you'll come back with Me to Castle Radiant, I will tell you the truth about this everlasting winter."
The king turns to Pansy.
"If the Earth Army desires to parlay, tell them to send their ambassadors to the palace."
Then finally to the unicorn guard.
"Go to King Bullion and tell him this. The Crystal Emperor has returned."
>>660552 >>660544 "A windego, and pegasi? Was that what the explosion was from?" Onyxia looks over to Steel. "See, I told you you didn't need to worry." She turns back quickly as Luke keeps talking. "Bleed, what? Why didn't you go get attention for that instead of coming here?!" She scolds.
>>660547 Southern's knife slips out from her cloak and embeds itself into the back of the spider trapped by her strings. The stone spider cracks before the force of the blade, likewise shattering it like before with the purple gem spiraling out across the cobble-stone path, fading in its shine as it hits the snow.
The remaining spider, however, falls apart of its own accord. It gives a small grinding noise that pierces your ears before its purple gem in the center of its head loses its glow, falling down to the ground in a heap. Nearby, the disappearing segments of the staff grow along its shaft until the blue, swirling portal covers it entirely. In another brief flash of light, you one final flash and cry of the worm-like entity that appears and re-appears at will, before the light fades… and with it, the staff.
Caduceus still stands there, pulling back the gauntlet, now with nothing to hold, as it smokes. He stares at it. "Well. My mind appears to still be my own. That's a good sign."
Boo looks at you a bit nervous, walking over slowly as he raises his ears high. "You uh… you trying to do that thing you did with Steel with me? Cause uh, I'm not sure if I'm really 'fuse' material. Why not Screech?! Yeah, Screech should be back any moment, I'll bet ya."
Twilight rolls her eyes. "Boo, if it hurts, I'm sure I can heal it. This is for research, Boo, RESEARCH."
Boo sighs, holding up his arm. "Alright then… but uh, if I scream in pain I'd like you to try and stop. Please thanks."
>>660548 You hear a loud grown, and the imposing metal frame of Steel begins to come stomping towards you.
He looks at you, smirking. "I merely stopped responding. And, judging by your appearance, it may have have been a good decision. I take it I should be grateful I lack a nose right now."
His harsh tone stops as he looks you over, "You've been injured… SEVERELY." He grabs your hoof as gently as he could (it isn't very) and pulls you over towards Twilight. "You've been absolutely reckless."
>>660555 >>660550 Hurricane throws his head back and laugh at the hive-mind as well. The unicorn shakes her head, "Listen, whoever is responsible for this, we want them brought to justice just as much as Pegasi. This is OUR home, OUR houses being destroyed." She stomps her hoof, "And from what I've reported, the Pegasi were attacking US before all of this started, so don't go playing the moral high card here, Hurricane." She growls, looking up at Honey, "We're in no mood to continue this, so sure: we'll go looking for a bright pony with a missing leg. But if we can't find her, that's the end of it. We don't want any more trouble to befall Coltchester."
Pansy raises his hoof, "W-wait, no no no! They said they DON'T want to fight, they got orders to stand down." He looks around, shrinking back, "From the looks of it, I-I'd say Coltchester doesn't NEED any more fighting."
>>660553 Hurricane turns his head, "A pawn?" He looks back at the unicorn guard and pansy, gritting his teeth, "Hrrrmrph… Pegasi don't just sit down with unicorns like one of their afternoon-high teas or whatever they call it."
Pansy bows his head, "Pleease sir… I-I think you can grace them with your presence just this once." He turns to you, smiling at the aspect of a peaceful discussion. "Yes, absolutely. I'll go inform them immediately."
Before Hurricane can stop him, the pegasus takes off, leaving Hurricane grunting as the unicorn perks up her eyebrow. "The Crystal Emperor…?" She shakes her head, "I need to give a report to him at any rate… alright, but please, don't let the pegasi start anything while I'm gone."
>>660555 "Don't worry Boo, I'm sure you'll be fine. I'm more worried about myself…" Onyxia goes to reach out for Boo's hoof, but looks down at her still ceramic state. "Uh, hold on just a minute. I should probably, undo this first."
Onyxia holds her hooves up, holding them together. She focuses on the ceramic leaving her body, and hopefully all in one piece. >[1d10]
>>660553 Honey, literally, takes a moment to think. "Oha yeah, guess I did agree toa helping you with that. Forgot ina all the fun and all," Honey simply replies, frowning a bit, "thata, or maybe I'm slippinga. I'm usually better at shita like this."
"So anothera job well done by yours trulya, once again," she says smiling a bit. "Youra kid is saved and whatever. Doesa this mean you'll backa off when I do things mya way more often?"
>>660556 "Not my citya, so not my problem," Honey says with a roll of her eyes. "Buta whatever. I'm bored of trashing this placea anyway."
"Ah, do whatevera. I'm just telling youa what I know, do what you wanta with it," Honey says to the unicorn.
"So whata now? I'm still all wounda up from that, and now mya way of letting it all outa is gone," she says outloud, her wings fluttering a bit as if they had restless wing syndrome.
"As soon as you are ready." He says, looking towards Castle Radiant. >>660559 "Of course not. Especially if your actions have any repercussions whatsoever in Lukewarm's era. Though I will say this."
Nero straightens up a bit, grabbing Crumple's hoof, clasping it in an almost 'shake' as He looks Honey in the eyes.
"Thank you. I know to you this was merely another battle, but you do not know just how much this means to Me."
>>660554 "Eh I didn't wanna bother anyone." Luke murmurs
>>660555 Luke lets his cat out of the bag as he replies to Steel "Yeah you lack a spine t- whoa hay easy." Luke says as he's pulled away.
Luke takes himself away from Twilight and Steel "I'm alright! Just need a little rest. kay, so don't be too loud.." Luke trails off just before falling onto a nearby couch and passing out. >Gotta sleep for work goodnight everybody.
>>660561 Honey blinks back, looking slightly taken aback by the gesture. But she understands the gist of things as she gives a small laugh and grin. "Ahh, noa big deal. Felt likea I didn't even do anything ata all."
>>660564 "If only." Nero says with humor, before letting go, then stepping back a bit and coughing into His hoof.
"I'm going to try and salvage the situation with the tribes. If you're not coming along, see if you can get a headcount, figure out where Luke, Grave, and Southern are. That or find Eo Naxx Fang's staff. Southern was the last pony to have it."
>>660565 "Thinka I'm going to get this checkeda out," Honey says, looking at her wings, "took a hita back there, and now they don'ta feel all that righta."
>>660554 Steel looks down at Luke, then back to you. "Judging from his appearance, I MIGHT have been of help… not that I regret staying by your side."
>>660558 You place your hooves together, and focus on re-arranging your hooves to lose the ceramic material from them. You watch as you concentrate on the porcelain that you took from the tea-cup, and watch as your hooves seemingly 'push' out the material, dripping a few shards onto the floor as your hooves return to crystalline flesh. A small duster, animated to life, moves over closer, sweeping up the material into its bin for you.
Nearby Boo purses his lips, nervously looking at you as he holds out his hoof. "Alright… huh, you know, maybe this won't be so bad. I always thought your fangs were kind of small, you could use an upgrade like mine." He gives a toothy grin.
>>660562 >>660563 Steel looks at you as you complain, grunting as you move over the couch to pass out. "Wounds do not heal with dreams and loud snoring, Luke. Wake up." He pokes one of your bandaged spots as Twilight holds up her hoof, stopping him.
"J-just let him sleep. Jeez. He looks like he could use it. I can heal him while he naps. What happened out there…"
>>660560 Caduceus flexes the three jointed 'talons' of his gauntlet a few times as the smoke dispels off of them, giving a curt nod to it as you pocket the three purple gems that have sliden across the cobblestone. "So it would seem. The one who made this gauntlet left out exactly what would occur. I suspect our other Cardinal had a hoof in it." He looks up at the sky, and you notice that the blizzard and winds have begun to cease.
"Eo-Naxx Fang is in this timeline no longer. The everlasting winter of this age persists, but this storm will fade within the hour without the staff or its would-be host." He looks at you, smiling, reaching to unhook the gauntlet from his hoof. "Thank you, for your assistance. You are right: you've been an asset, and should not leave this empty hooved."
>>660569 >>660559 The mare sighs. "Your sympathy for the damage we've suffered is overwhelming." She sarcasticaly replies, looking at you. "We'll keep our eyes peeled. We want answers all the same, but we aren't going to be pushed around."
As you mention your wounds, Hurricane nods back towards Pansy as he leaves. "Pansy can direct you back to some of our healers." Meanwhile, the unicorn raises a hoof,
"Ooor healing magic could take care of your ailments in a fraction of the time."
>>660561 Hurricane grits his teeth. "Hrrrrrrrmmmm…. let me see to my pegasi. Then grab a few of my best stallions. I'd prefer neutral ground, but a unicorn castle? That seems ripe for a trap."
He pokes at your side, "And who are you to go organizing this? Crystal ponies are rarer than hen's teeth, but I don't see where you go thinking you have the authority to suddenly command ME."
The unicorn shakes her head, whispering, "Like talking to the outer-wall." She says before she runs off to inform the King.
>>660570 >There's no time for a meaningful and thought out time quote
Taking care of the meeting in/outside Castle Radiant this evening, feel free to post your responses with your sheets: >NERO "Oooh, I see, I see." Chancellor Puddinghead nods his head, "Hmm… why don't we have a Champion, Ms. Cookie? Put that down in the agenda, the people must vote on a Champion come next season." Smart Cookie sighs, "No notes in this meeting, sir, but, I'll TRY to remember that…"
As you mention that there is to be no note taking, Smart Cookie nods her head and rips out her notes so far, crumpling them up. Platinum continues to stare at you as you remove her hoof, the princess brashly removing it before her father steps in to calm her down, "Darling, there are far more important things in place than my favorite seat. Let's see to them first."
As she reluctantly takes her seat, the rest keep their attention on you ask you make your requests known. Some stand up in opposition. "No records? Are you trying to suppress freedom of the press?!" Puddinghead asks "And who are you to tell us what we cannot speak in our own castle?" Platinum follows up Surprisingly, it is Hurricane who doesn't take opposition on this. "Fine, I don't care about records either. I'll likely forget this meeting happened no matter what, afterwards." He growls, "These two tribes may be on the precipice, but the Pegasi were never afraid of a little cold."
Puddinghead chuckles, "Oh? Well how will you feel about a little starvation? You know that I know that your crops will disappear long before ours do." Bullion holds up a hoof, "I think we can all agree that none of us are in an ideal situation. There is nothing more I'd like to see than an end to this blizzard, and I doubt either of you ruffians would say differently. Now, unless someone has another suggestion after all this time, I'd say we listen." Hurricane laughs, "Well then, I'm open to hearing it. But do not try and persuade me the unicorns have nothing to do with it. The monster came directly from one of their mages."
>>663314 >HONEY Screech jumps up in fright as you start spasming, "WOAH! What the moon…?!" he pauses and stares at your uncontrolled motions, and the peculiar response you seem to be giving to them. As you stop, he settles down, "What did they DO to you?! Man, I knew I should have said something about medical practices older than dirt…" he leans down, picking you up in his hooves. The contact of which sends additional flares along any part he touches. He moves you back up towards the still open cockpit of Crumple, dropping you off on your seat a little roughly. He looks for your gun, locating it as the mares hold open the bandages.
"Wait, takes these with you, when you're done moving around it does expedite their work if you're left motionless." Screech takes them, then turns to you and places your gun besides you. "Alrighty… uh, you sure your aim is good?" >The painful sparks will cause your aim to be jittery: take a [1d4] penalty to your shot >LUKE As she's forced to sit down, she growls at you, "My mother taught me more manners in a day than yours did throughout your entire life. Don't you know a princess should get whatever she wants?"
As you admit to being his Vice-King, Chancellor Puddinghead laughs, "Oh ho, isn't that the way? I never thought I'd be Chancellor…" Smart Cookie mumbles, "Neither did I…" "See I used to be a baker's apprentice. But he was doing everything wrong and I had so many ideas to make it better! But then he didn't listen, so I spoke to the people, and THEY listened. And," he claps his hooves, "One thing led to another, here I am! But tell me, what's 'baseball'?"
Honey inhales sharply from all the contact, her wings standing at attention and jittering a bit. She looks at her gun, then back up at Screech. "Yeah…ofa course it is," Honey says, shakily taking it and aiming at Screech, the movements feeling equal parts uncomfortable and pleasuring, "just who thea hell do you think Ia am?"
She aims down at Screech, the raygun shaky. "Stupida…useless ass iron sightsa." She then pulls the trigger when she thinks she's got the shot.
>>663314 >>663314 "Be quiet! All of you." Nero says at their incessant bickering.
"I did not have to save your city from the demon that assaulted it, nor am I under any obligation to save your kingdoms from your constant feuding!"
"You people are about to destroy your entire civilization all because you're too busy blaming each other for what is obviously an external problem. I return to this city a little more than a century after I leave it, and find everything snowed over and your peoples starving to death. Your incompetence is staggering."
Nero says rebuking the tribal leaders, hooves balled on the table as He remains standing.
>>663315 "Whatever sweetheart. Good luck locking down a husband with that attitude." Luke says dismissively to princess platinum and then returning to conversation with Puddinghead.
"Thats a pretty wild story there Pudding. Kinda reminds me of my own lukewarm tale of woe. See I used be a fumigator's apprentice and a student at Manhatten Community College. People were always telling me I was doing everything wrong and had so many ideas how to better myself. So I hit the bottle harder than ever and told my so called 'counselor' and so called 'family members' and so called 'acquaintances' to mind their own business. And one thing lead to another and now here I am."
>>663316 Screech's eyes open wide as your jitterring intensifies, his hooves a little shaky out of the blow to his nerves. Even more jittery is your aim, as every movement in your little arm causes your muscles to feel like they're being stretched across a chasm. As your hooves flare from the healing lotion, Screech closes his eyes as you fire off your shot, nervous that you'll miss with the shaking arms but you find that the ray gun doesn't miss it's mark: he shrinks down to your height as the healer mares give a gasp of surprise.
Screech looks down at his hooves, re-opening his eyes and staring down at you in the cockpit. "Oh… h-hehehe, hey, you got me! Alright, that's good… thought this tent would get a lot tinier in a moment." He flies down to you and tries to take the gun, gently, as your spasms begin to die down but a sudden numbness overcomes other parts of your body. "You're not actually thinking about FLYING right now, are you?"
>>663317 Bullion turns and silences himself at your shout, and gives you an uneasy glare as he puts a hoof on his daughter's shoulder to refrain her from starting it up again. Hurricane glares at you angrily, and Puddinghead crosses his hooves. "Hmph. Rather rude," he says, "We were just having a dialogue."
Bullion shakes his head, groaning at the chancellor. "For once, take someone else's advice, Chancellor." He turns to Nero, "I am of course grateful to you for protecting my city. Many unicorns, and Pegasi too, I imagine…" "Grmph…" Hurricane grunts. "..owe you their lives. But, you must realize the difficulty in what you're asking. You SEE what my ponies have to deal with, don't you?"
Hurricane chuckles, "The feeling is mutual, I assure you." He turns towards Nero again, "I realize that… and I have had to deal with BOTH of this idiots throwing baseless accusations towards me and my predecessors for decades. As though we want things like this any more than they."
Platinum scoffs, "Well, the unicorns certainly aren't custodians of the weather, who else could be responsible?"
Smart Cookie clears her throat, and raises a hoof, "Your majesty, if I may?" She addresses you, "What do you mean 'external problem'? Is the king of shadows somehow behind this storm…?"
>>663318 Platinum's face glows red at your remark, and she gives you a deathly glare. "I could have you IMPRISONED for the rest of your life for talking to me this way, you realize that don't you, you fool?"
Puddinghead chuckles, rolling his eyes at the princess. "Ah, what a stick in the mud….. hmm… Manehatten you say? That's a pretty nice name for a town. Or a street, maybe I'll make our newest road Manehatten Road! Or Street, or, whatever the difference is." He reaches over, and pats you hard (VERY hard) on the back, "Ah, so you told all those neigh-sayers to stick it! That's the spirit, son, you don't let anyone tell you what to do. ESPECIALLY people who say they're more qualified, who's more qualified to run your office than you? You think inside the chimney, bark down the right tree, etc, that's how a real pony makes it into office. You're a go getter son, shame you live in an oppressive autocracy. You could run for a government position. You'd make mayor, at least."
>>663323 Honey gives a bit of a tired laugh as she stares back up at him. "What? You'vea been joyriding with me fora how long now and you thinka I'd miss a shot like thata?" Even in her growing state of numbness, she still gives him a cocky smirk.
"I'ma not flying; Crumple will be." As she says this, she tries to lean forward to the controls. Though between everything that's happened and what's happening to her now, she just manages a few grunts on a fruitless effort. She shivers a bit as she feels the sensation of moving. "Okay…maybea not."
She looks over at the mares. "Alrighta, how long until I stopa feeling like I'm in a heat froma hell?"
>>663323 Luke turns back to Platinum "Look you can't just imprison people for talkin back. Its make you look like a little bitch who can't handle the banter. What're you gonna do when one day when your hubby comes home from work and your burnt the haysteaks. You gonna send him to jail for calling you as dumb as rocks after he backhoofs you. No thats when you start nailing on him for how terrible in bed he is. 'Maybe if you knew how to satisfy a woman I could cook worth a damn' once you start pinning your inadequacies on him he'll give up and spent the rest of the night in the bar and you get the bed to yourself. Thats how you run a marriage. Make life his prison, so he can never escape it." Luke says very thoughtfully like there were actually good intentions behind his babbling
"Thanks Pudding, though be honest a desk job ain't for me. I'm better just stick to exterminating and being drunk." Luke takes a drink before continuing the conversation. "mph- Sorry I completely dodged your question. Baseball's a game comprised of a couple simple trials that test how good you are at hit and run scenarios. See you get'a bat see?" He takes his bat out for example "The pitcher, thats the guy pitchin the ball, and often the guy makin dubious remarks about your mother. He makes the pitch and you gotta swing. You miss three times you strike out and gotta make the slow strut back to the batter's cage while your team mates tap your nutsack cuz your too poor to afford a cup. But if you weren't too busy makin homoerotic jokes during practice and hit'a ball you run til your hooves touch base. There's three bases, each'a corner of the diamond field, and each of which represent a metaphorical class of jabs each sentry's gonna be making about your sister. Thats reckoned on whether you even touch base before the sentry catches the ball and touches you out like they did your sister they're liable to add. If another asshole hits the ball then thats your go ahead to run for the next base. Make it through all three bases and you gotta touch home to complete a point. Once you do, you get to make the slow strut back to your seat in the batter's cage while everyone taps your nutsack, but this time theres allowance to make a remark about bedding their mother after running her through every base."
>>663323 Nero listens at their continued bickering with irritation, before Smart Cookie cuts in.
"No. My brother has nothing to do with this. This storm is being caused by creatures such as the one I slew earlier. Wind spirits known as Windegoes have been freezing your lands and cities over."
"If you had given this matter even an iota of your attention-" Nero says panning His gaze over the tribal leaders.
"Instead of blindly blaming your rivals for your own failings, you might have realized this."
"The sorcerer you saw earlier summoned the demon to this place, but she was not its origin. The creatures are, for the most part, still soaring unimpeded through the storms." The King says, looking to Commander Hurricane. >>663323 "I'm going to have to ask that you refrain from that, Chancellor. Any record of this meeting, even a mere street name, I cannot allow."
>>663329 Screech rubs the back of his neck, his skinny legs still a little shaky, "H-hehe… well, you know, you should have seen yourself. You looked like one of those little jumping beans, you know the ones? Come in those little jars from those skeleton vendors from the south?"
He sighs as your numb limbs keep you from grabbing at the controls, looking over at the mares as they answer your questions. One of them, still a bit unnerved by the shrinking, flaps her wings and tries to smile. "You should feel the whole of the effects gone completely in about 12 hours, the worst of its effects gone in roughly 4. That numbness you're feeling is one of a spectrum of effects you'll find yourself going through but they switch off given time."
You feel the numbness spreading along your legs to spread to all four limbs, so badly that your arms reaching towards the controls fall flat to the side. Screech blinks, "Uh, maybe I should fly? I mean, I have a little experience…"
>>663333 Platinum's teeth bare themselves as you continue to talk back to her, particularly when you drop the word 'bitch' she shouts, "Excuse me?! I can imprison ANYONE for ANYTHING I want if I deem it necessary!" She scoffs, "As if I would cook anything! You realize that's why we of a higher standard of living use servants, you fool…" she turns her nose up at you, about to deride you more as you mention the idea of using one's life as a prison. She raises an eyebrow. "Oh? You assume I don't already know this tactic?" She gives a curt laugh, "Oh, trust me, I'm well aware of how to make one's life a living nightmare should they displease me, BESIDES throwing them in a cell. But that takes so much more effort: effort I wouldn't waste on a peasant like you. The dungeon suits you."
>>663333 "Ah, suit yourself," Chancellor Puddhinghead waves his hoof about, "But it ain't all behind a desk, you hear? You go out there and get VOTES, there is much hoof-shaking, foal-kissing, decision making to be done, it's the best job I've ever had!"
>>663336 >>663333 As Nero asks Puddinghead to ignore the comment about Manehattan, the Chancellor turns to him as he's enraptured of the rules of baseball, "Whuzzah? OH, what's the harm? It's just a little street name, sonny, I think I'd know if that were bad, don't you think?" He turns back to Luke, "FASCINATING. Now then, now then: that stick there, it's called a bat? Can we substitute real bats by any chance? I think it'd add a little spice to the game. Cookie, you're taking notes?"
"Oh, of course sir, everything sir," she turns to Nero discreetly and shakes her head in a dead pan fashion.
>>663339 As you deride the tribal leaders for their failure to realize the thread, the focal points of their relative anger, distrust, and mutual loathing of one another is momentarily brought to bare on you. Unsurprisingly, Puddinghead speaks up first, cutting off his secretary as she's about to ask another question, "Now just hold on a second! I've never heard seen or tasted ANYTHING like that around here. What nerve do you have saying our accusations are 'blind'?! We're not the ones with wings or magic around here, so if there's something mystical going on I think it's clear which way the rock rolls downhill."
Bullion speaks next, "I agree that blindly is too harsh a word here." he puts a hoof down on the table, not hard enough to shake it but firmly enough to show great agitation. "Emperor, my greatest mages, the greatest wizards in the land, have worked endlessly to find the cause of this storm. And they never once found any such creature as a 'windego'. This is the first I've even heard this name, our suspicion of the Pegasi was well founded."
Hurricane laughs, "HA! Well now, that's interesting. I didn't realize you were as blind as your mages were incompetent…" Platinum's horn glows slightly. "Watch. Your. Tone. You don't dare speak of our wizards that way." The pegasi stomps his hoof, this one is hard enough to shake the table slightly, "Because such a monster was tearing apart your front door not an hour ago!" He turns towards you, glaring, "And, you, 'Emperor': if these supposed creatures are, and always were, soaring unimpeded in MY skies, how is it we've never fought them before this day, when a UNICORN conveniently summons one?"
Bullion puts down his hoof again, "Not even Starswirl has the power to cast a curse like this upon the whole of the land. I doubt a single no-named sorcerers could create such a thing either. Your accusations are baseless." Hurricane flares his wings, "It's about as much thought you supposed 'royals' put in before you thought we'd freeze ourselves over!"
>>663339 >addendum to the last line >"HA! Got you again, Cookie. You're not supposed to be taking notes, weren't you listening? My goodness, it's a good thing not a lot of ponies line up to be my secretary or you'd be out of a job. Hahahaha!"
>>663339 "What," is all Honey can ask about the beans, obviously having no clue what they are.
As Honey takes all this in, she can't help but still make an attempt to try and move her limbs, which of course don't work. As Screech gives his offer, the flushed face of Honey scrunches up a bit at the thought of someone else calling the shots in her robot. But a glance at her useless limbs causes her face to relax and give out a defeated huff. "Fine…buta I'm staying here to makea sure nothing happens," she says, as if she were in a position to actually enforce that statement, "buta I only have one damna chair, and I'm not lettinga you pilot Crumple alone. And don'ta even think about dragging my assa to bed; it's staying up here, evena if it has to be in your damna lap!"
>>663340 "SILENCE!" Nero shouts, arrows filling the air behind His seat, aimed at the various ponies present. The King calms, easing backwards into His seat, setting His arms on the rests, holding His bow in one hoof.
"I have already fought four of these creatures since I arrived earlier today, and I know for a fact there are more out there. As to your wizards, Starswirl confided in Me earlier that he has known about these creatures for some time. I assume only the more pressing matter of the blue flu has kept him from bringing it your attention."
"I do not need to hear long winding tales of your collective inability to recognize the obvious. What I need, is for you to cease your foolishness and deal with the matter at hand."
"None of you caused the storms. None of your peoples are to blame. None of your squabbles are going to save your countries."
Nero pauses for a moment.
"These demons, the Windegoes, will prove highly resistant to extermination through normal means. They are both powerful, and many in number. As it so happens however, I happen to know of a weapon powerful enough to slay them en-masse."
>>663339 "Prison this! Prison that! That's all you got init. I'm tellin ya it lacks tact plain and simply. You keep talkin like that someone's gonna come around and ice you."
Lukewarm appears befuddled with the Chancellor's suggesting "Bats? I don't think real live bats would be sturdy enough to hit a ball."
>>663340 After sufficient amount of kicking the pail with Platinum and Pudding Luke feels the need to stand up from his seat and put his failed 3 semesters of equestrian history to use "No kidding you guys really are fighting over fuckin peanuts. None of you assholes got a stake in keepin this storm goin on -seriously. The Unicorns gotta devote themselves to keepin the cold out, from what I seen its stifling commerce and bloating the academy scene so everypone who doesn't meet the scholarly threshold gotta rough it up in the slums. And I take it, it's pretty fucking similar to whatever's goin on in the other kingdoms, just exchange academy for pegasian military or earth pony merchantry. The little shits behind this storm aren't freakin amateurs guys, they got you all fighting amongst eachother so you'll never coalesce your powers to stop the problems of Equestria at its source. I've tangled with these bastards before. They're real fucking parasites, the kind that can just waltz into your life and turn everyone you love against ya while in the same moment sucking them dry of all vital resources." Luke begins pacing about the room and raving in a zealous tone "They and their hivenous kind of one mind will stop at nothing but the disintegration of Equestrian integrity through dividing and conquering every heart! Not until every fang is within every neck, their vampiric gluttony knows no cessation as love knows no bound! The true enemies my friends, the responsibility for siphoning your cities, your women, your children of hope and fervor are not your neighbors. It WAS THE CHANGELINGS!!!" [1d10] for charisma
>>663353 King Bullion looks at you, and nods his head. "Well, there's more reasons than just that for so many living in the 'outer district', as I prefer it be called… but, yes, the storm is making it difficult for all the cities in my kingdom for trade. So naturally, if you've a proposition to its end, we'll listen."
As you go on about the threat facing all of them and making them fight among themselves, Hurricane taps his spear against the table, "Well, this should be entertaining: yet another threat we've never known about that suddenly crawls from the woodwork? Well what do you suggest they are then?"
Puddinghead throws up a hoof, "The donkeys! I knew it!"
However, as you finally birng up the actual threat's name, all of them turn at you and stare, blankly, incredulous, and totally whole-heartedly unconvinced. Puddinghead pounds his hoof, "Darn it, my second guess."
>>663364 "Oh wowa, weren't you just fucking eagera after hearing that." As Screech makes all his comments while trying to get into the seat, Honey just sighs and rolls her eyes. Though the tinglings don't make her stay that way for long, and closes her eyes and clenches her teeth for the painfully pleasurable feelings to pass.
Honey takes a deep breath before answering the questions. "Okaya, that button there-"she attempts to move a hoof to point at the button, but when the numbness reminded her, she gave a small growl, "okay…thata button to the right, thea black onea, closes the head," she explains.
Upon looking over, Screech would see Honey's control setup was several buttons with different shades of red, the occasional black ones, and two handles within grabbing distance…if one was able to grab them. To the right, there were three black buttons in seemingly random locations. "One closes the head, the other onea turns the radio on," she says, smirking a bit, "anda the third sends Crumple flyinga. Have fun."
"Oh, and don't touch the bright ones in the middle," she comments. Sure enough, right in the middle is a large number of pressable buttons with blinking lights in them. But, like everything else, there is a severe lack of labeling. "Those are the fun buttons," she says with a bit of an excited, yet slightly pained, grin.
>>663364 >>663349 Screech hisses, "Oooh, right, you wouldn't know. Uh… they might have them back in the future. Not your future but, you know, the not-so-future era. We'll grab you some."
Screech's ears perk up and his eyes open at that comment, a small blush forming along his cheeks as he chuckles, "Hehe… u-uh well, I would hate for you to feel like you're not in control of your own ship, so, you know, if that's want that's what you want." He moves down to pick up your limbs and move them out of the way, falling limply to your side as he struggles and fails to lift you up, "Ooh… ki-kinda heavy at this size. Here, I'll just… squeeze on underneath here…" he groans as he maneuvers himself awkwardly underneath you for you to sit on top of him as he moves into the pilot's seat, his occasional movements scraping areas that aren't yet numb and sending large painful tingles up your spine. After you're in his lap, he laughs, "Aha! Alright, ggrrr, t-there we go, c-comfy as can be. Now, what's the first step, this button? Or… that one? Which one closes the cockpit?" >>663364 The various leaders of the tribe turn to you as you raise your voice, all of whom look ready to turn their shouting on towards you as all eyes cast on you. But, as they turn, their eyes are filled with your arrow poised behind you, aimed at each of them as their bickering silences itself. Seeing you sit down calmly, those who were raised and had their hooves pounding into the desk sit themselves as well, no longer in a shouting match but as you can see the lot of them still turn and look at each other with animosity.
Calm enough to hear, they listen. They don't seem to fully take your words to heart that none of the others are to blame (at least as far as the leaders go), but they do settle down. After you deliver the speech, the Earth Chancellor clears his throat, "Ahem. Well then, brother, I'll go ahead and be the bigger pony: let us suppose you're right and the cause of this blasted blithering blizzard is not the freaks in this room, but different freaks out there in the wilderness. You say there's a weapon that can destroy ALL of them at once?"
"It sounds mighty indeed. But perhaps unnecessary. My pegasi…"
"Don't be mad, Hurricane. Your sizable force nearly perished to a single one…" Bullion replies, but then puts a hoof on his chin, looking troubled, "Damn it all, why didn't Starswirl consult me earlier? I did ask him to attend to the blue flu first, but, this is monumental." He shakes his head, "What is this weapon? Does Starswirl know if it too?"
>>663353 Platinum snorts, and sticks up her nose at you, "We're already surrounded by ice, nimrod. And of course it's lacking in tact. It's just deserving of a louse such as yourself."
>>663380 [posting so i wont have to retype later] "Wait no, hold that thought Puddinghead. Eventually, you all might wanna wage a genocide on the donkeys too." Luke says in a more casual tone before reverting back to his passionate rant "But back to the matter, Yes! The Changelings!!! You may not be familiar with their ilk but that only proves the potency of their subversion. It is in total subterfuge the changeling is most adept in working their fangs into the public good. They are the one's who've summoned the windigoes and shrouded the lands eternal winter! So lock horn, wing and hoof my brothers. United the pony race may reach our ultimate potential and shake the throes of Changling corruption! Beginning with the extermination of their artifices the Windigoes!"
>>663381 >>663353 Nero finishes His speech, eyes panning the tribal leaders, before Luke begins one of his own. Nero listens to the half-intelligent ramblings for a moment, before glaring sharply as it devolves into a hysterical rant.
"Lukewarm! Sit down!" Nero commands, turning to the tribal leaders.
"I ask that you ignore that. Lukewarm is intoxicated, and is confusing the matter at hand with another, unrelated group of creatures closer to his homeland." >>663380 >>663365 "The true cause of this storm is as I have told you all. The Windegoes, a race of weather-controlling demons. There is a weapon in the far south that can destroy them utterly. Perhaps not all at once, but it will give you everything you need to end this winter."
Nero says, turning to Bullion.
"Your wizard is familiar with it, and shall act as My representative on the expedition to retrieve it."
Nero says, His arrows still hanging in the air behind His chair.
Hey everyone! Fresh off of session 74 of extreme shortness last week comes session 75 of this week. No need to post sheets, you all know who you are I presume
>>663374 Screech twitches his ears and rubs his neck as you sit in his lap, baring his fangs, "H-hehe…well, you know, this is one heck of a machine is all. Can you honestly be surprised?"
Your body shifts to a rigidly stiff as you attempt to point at the button, feeling as though you've been petrified momentarily, but Screech takes note of the button and presses it, and you hear a small 'eep' of surprise from the healer mares as the head closes.
Screech gulps at the look of the 'fun' buttons, but then turns his attention to the third black button as he prepares to press it, "Why are they all black? Doesn't that get confusing?"
[1d10]
>>663381 >>664039 The ponies around the table stare at Luke for a moment longer as he tries to warn them of the impending doom of changeling threat, but going by his prior… unconvincing display, the unicorns, pegasi, and earth ponies nod their heads in understanding. Though Puddinghead gives a small chuckle.
"Aha, another sign of a future leader! Some of the best politicians I know have a bit of the creature in them near all hours of the day."
>>664039 "Your representative?" Bullion asks, eyes deep in thought. "Starswirl at many times is a mystery to me, but there are very few a unicorn in this land I'd trust more. I will need to speak with him, immediately, but if he can truly confirm all of this, then, we'll have to assemble this expedition with him at once. My ponies can't take much more of this winter."
Commander Hurricane scoffs, flashing his wings and sweeping them side to side. "Don't bother, your wizard and whoever you'd gather would likely just wind up freezing their bells off in the cold if you tried. Obviously there's no faster scouts than Pegasi in these lands, we'll find the weapon by the end of the week."
Platinum scoffs, "OH, that's a laugh! As if we'd allow a legion of barbarians like the pegasi have such a tool all to themselves." Smart Cookie nods her head, "I have to admit, I agree. If this weapon is so destructive, we shouldn't allow just one tribe…" Platinum groans, "Nopony asked you, peasant."
>>664040 >>664039 "ye they are close to home.. They always struck closest to home" Lukewarm slouches back into his chair with a digressed, almost melancholy energy. He erects his posture up with on more utterance "I've done my part, beware the conniving hive! If Equestria succumbs to the throes of subversion History will know I tried.. History will know." He finishes the thought by laying back into his chair and having a drink. After some moments he corrects himself "Oh wait no, Nero's keeping this off record."
>>664040 Honey smiles as much as her current state will let her. "I guessa not."
"Just felta like it is all," Honey replies, unable to do much as she watches him press a button. She grins. "Alrighta Screech, let's seea you fly this bad boy." At that, Crumple's flight thrusters activate and begins to take flight.
"So, wherea are you thinking of going? Causea…I would rather wait for thisa shit to end before…ya knowa…seeing anypony," Honey mentions, sounding uncharacteristically wary about something, "but ifa you want to crash whatever the fucka Goldie is doing, that's alright tooa, I guess."
>>664041 Nero continues glaring at Luke, before turning back to the leaders with mild frustration. >>664040 "Each tribe will send representatives to go and retrieve the weapon, and you shall travel together, to ensure there is no deception."
"Commander Hurricane, and your lieutenant, Pansy, shall represent the pegasi." Nero says turning to the mighty pegasus warleader.
"Chancellor Puddinghead and your secretary Smart Cookie shall represent the Republic."
"Clover the Clever, and, purely for reason of her being a nuisance, Princess Platinum, the Unicorns."
"And Starswirl the Bearded shall serve as My representative. To ensure the success of this mission, and thus the survival of your civilization, I shall entrust both the exact location, and the true nature of this weapon to him alone."
>>664041 Puddinghead scratches his head, musing to himself as he re-considers what you said. "And, of course, the donkeys as well. Oh, they always said I didn't know what I was talking about but now who's laughing?! Well, I was laughing before too but, at their foolishness, not vindication."
Cookie sighs, "Yeah… I'm sure I'll find it hard to forget that… 'stirring' speech regardless but, that's as far as history will allow it to go I think. Sorry, Mr. Warm."
>>664042 Screech gulps nervously as you hear the jet engines of the hooves starting to roar, and he lightly pushes forward on the controls before his grip pushes forward too hard, sending Crumple up and through the upper part of the mare's tent, taking their cover on top of the cloud away from them as he starts flying blind a short bit before screeching to a halt. You jolt forward from his lap a bit and feel your muscles re-flare, spiking untold amounts of pain as he comes to a sudden stop.
"AH! Sorry sorry, I-I gave it too much gas! And, um, I'd really not rather crash anything anymore,think there's been a lot of that. I thought this would be like, you ever take your parent's cart around the block?"
>>664043 Hurricane raises his brow, "PANSY?" He turns to look at the meek pink pegasi, who gulps and looks shocked at Nero as well. "Y-y-yeah, Pansy?!" he stutters. "I have foals who have better combat skills than Pansy…" he pauses, rubbing his chin. "Hrm. Though, he has surprised me in the past… but yes, I have an objection. Why not a few dozen of my best lancers to boost our forces?"
Puddinghead raises up his hoof high, "Don't you see, featherbrain, it's a brilliant tactic! These 'windigoes' would surely notice an army, but a mere hoof-full of ponies?" Smart Cookie blinks, wide in shock. "That's… surprisingly insightful of you, sir." Puddinghead grins, "They'd swoop down on us in a moment's notice, but they'd be SO flabbergasted at our small numbers that they'd grow over-confident, giving us the upper-hoof and smiting them on our way to the weapon!" Cookie sighs, "Ah, there it is…"
Bullion's eyes open wide, clutching his daughter's hoof, "I TOO have an objection, my daughter will NOT…" "Oh, SPARE ME, father…" she shouts, taking her hoof away in an instant, "This rude intruder dares to call me a mere nuisance, I will RELISH the chance to prove him wrong. And I won't give these lower-class pony tribes an inch in our travels… besides, what's to worry? I'll have dear Clover and Master Starswirl to keep me safe and carry my things, won't I?" "My dear, please… Nero, why not one of my knights?" Bullion asks despite his upstrung daughter already rolling her eyes.
>>664044 "I don't need your sympathies -ehh" Luke squints his eyes at Smart Cookie, his blurry vision obfuscating her face, which vaguely reminds him of Twilight "Hotter, younger, looking Twilight."
>>664044 Honey was laughing at first, until the jolt forward ended up sending her face-first into the 'fun' buttons. However, the pain registered first before where she impacted. "F-fucka!" She just stays put, not wanting to move herself. "Hey…pulla me back up, willa you?"
Meanwhile, the missile rack on Crumple had activated and a volley of missiles fire off (hopefully) harmlessly into the distance, out into the horizon and avoiding anything immediately around it.
>>664044 "I have chosen the ponies I have chosen for a reason."
"Hurricane for his skill at arms, Pansy, Clover, and Cookie for the coolness of their heads, Princess Platinum for the heat of her blood, and Starswirl because he is familiar with the weapon itself."
"You will convene here again in three days time to set out, by which point I shall have returned to My own country. If I hear word that your countries are still in upheaval over this, I will return and take care of the situation Myself."
"Without all of you, if need be." Nero says, rising to His hooves. >>664046 Nero just looks over at Luke quickly with a blank, slightly angry expression, trying to avoid drawing too much attention to Lukewarm's comment about 'hearth's warming eve'
>>664045 Smart Cookie's eyebrow perks up, "Hotter? It's not much warmer in here than it is outside. But, thanks for calling me young, I suppose… whoever ever the hay Twilight might be." She flattens her ears, "And, for what it's worth, I hope wherever it is you're from that the grass starts getting a little greener starting soon."
>>664047 "R-right right, sorry sorry!" Screech stammers, putting both his hooves on your sides to pull you back up onto your seat in his lap, but this potion appears to be outright fickle in when something hurts as it does its job. Screech's hooves feel like hot brands.
As he looks at the view screen, covered by the tent they uplifted earlier as he scrambles at the controls trying to pull it off. "Uh… this one?" [1d10]
You hear the missiles go off in the distance, exploding but you can't hear the crumble of debris.
>>664048 Platinum gives an ungrateful scowl, and turns her nose up at Nero. "Hmph. I would have also listed my grace, beauty, superior upbringing and education, class, poise and leadership… but I suppose that'll do." Puddinghead chuckles, "Forgot snobbiness and brattiness… HEY!" Puddinghead stares at you, "What about me, what do I bring to the table?!" Hurricane scoffs, "Comic relief, if you're fortunate… then one more question. Who keeps the weapon after we've used it to destroy these weather controlling spirits? Surely you don't expect me to leave it there."
Bullion turns his head down, shaking it slowly as he takes a deep breath. "I… will prefer to speak with Starswirl, before this expedition's membership is finalized but, we can make all necessary preparations." He stares at the other two leaders, glaring, "Our of our mutual interest and unicorn generosity, I could offer you both whatever materials you might lack before the journey."
>>664049 "eh- I wouldn't hold my breath." Luke takes another drink.
Luke raises his hoof "Oo! I'll take it. Since I'm a 3rd party in all this. I don't really give a shit about any weapon I just wanna be there when this goes down. Gotta say though I don't really have anything to bring to the table, I'll probably just be drinking in the corner."
>>664049 "By the time you find this weapon, you'll have realized why that question is pointless. None of you will be able to 'keep' the weapon once its been used. Starswirl will explain everything in time."
Nero turns to Bullion.
"It is getting late. You can discuss matters with your wizard in the morning. For now, I still have things to discuss with him Myself before you all set off." >>664050 "Lukewarm!' Nero says looking over to Luke.
"Come on, we're leaving. Promoting Celestia's nonsense is leaving a bad taste in My mouth."
Honey clenches her teeth, her breathing getting a bit heavier as all the sensations rip through her. She can't help but grin a bit at the sounds of the explosions, finding a bit more pleasure in this pain. "More…doa that some more!" Honey nearly pleads Screech.
>>664050 Puddinghead chuckles, slapping your back as you take your drink hard, possibly causing you to choke. "Ah, chin up, horn head. Things always get better. You just need to look at things from a different angle, that's what I always do and look at me! Never been happier!"
Hurricane chuckles, "Heh. Thanks for the suggestion but I'm not leaving a weapon like that in the hands of a unicorn. Not even one with enough stones to light himself on fire to take down a foe. Besides, already have three unicorns coming with us and that's enough prissiness to fill a ballroom."
>>664051 Hurricane narrows his eyes, "Ah, cryptic foreshadowing. How very 'unicorn wizard' of you." He grunts. "Whatever it takes. On that, I agree: I've had my fill of Unicorn halls for this evening. My fellow Pegasi," he flashes a wing and scoops up Pansy in one swoop, pinning him to his side, "Have plenty to discuss as well."
He turns to leave, as Cookie shouts out "Remember! Nothing in this meeting…" "Shut up, I know." Hurricane lashes back. "I won't tell the Primus. I'll return in three days time. With our OWN supplies, thanks but no thanks 'your majesty'."
Puddinghead adjusts his hat, staring at Nero intently. "AHEM. You seem to have missed a question, brother: tell them how I'll be an asset to the team!" Smart Cookie sighs, getting up, "I'm SURE he means your… charisma, sir." She looks at you, pleading in a way.
Platinum gives a long, drawn out sigh, "I should say so, it's late. All this dreariness and… ugh… interaction with such lowly sorts has left me absolutely drained. I'll need my evening rituals prepared, I'm off, father. Tomorrow I'll pick out my wardrobe for the journey." She gives Nero and Luke one more look smug look of unicorn superiority before sauntering for the exit. Bullion gives a grunt, turning to you as she leaves. "You're QUITE certain of her?"
>>664052 "A-alright, but, lemme get this stupid tent off fiiiiiiiirst!" Screech shouts as he pulls on the controls hard to the right, the tent flinging off of the front facing view of Crumple and flying out into the sky, and the remaining smoke of explosions can be seen on the view screen high up in the clouds… before the view screen suddenly lurches for a large dome-like structure adjacent to the castle, spiraling towards it in a nose dive. "AAAAH! Fix fix fix fix fix!" Screech shouts, trying to pullup [1d10]
You feel the numbness fading in your arms, some feeling returning again with some locomotive skills as the sharp heat fades to a light tingle, like pins and needles all along your arm.
>>664053 "I said no. We need to tell Starswirl and Twilight what has happened. Puddinghead's recommendations not withstanding, I don't think you're cut out for politics." >>664054 Nero says, turning to Puddinghead.
"I chose you because you are the closest thing your 'democracy' has to a leader. Obviously."
The king says, turning to Bullion.
"I am. Do not worry. I know what I am doing."
"Lukewarm!" Nero cries out again, turning and beginning to leave out the door.
>>664054 Luke does in fact choke up on his alcohol and is starting to detest Puddinghead's camaraderie again.
Once told off by Princess Platinum Luke stays idle for a moment to watch her ass swing left and right as she leaves.
Luke makes his leave with Nero once it clearly expressed to him that he will not be watching christmas despite him having cancer. "Fine! Whatever! You're all a bunch of make believe queers where I come from anyhow. Enjoy you hug fest faggots!" And on that note Lukewarm leaves the room.
>>664054 Honey inhales sharply at the tingling, but that inhale is all she needs as she looks out the view screen. "Hah…hahah," she begins, then as Screech starts shouting, her laughing only increases until its loud and somewhat like how Honey usually sounds. "Besta trial by fire ever! But needsa more fire!" she yells out excitedly. With what locomotive function she has, she mashes a hoof against the weapon section, her aim a bit off, but making sure she at least hit the section where the 'fire making' button usually is. >start the dome thingy on fire with… >1 for mouth-flamethrower, 2 for napalm howitzer, 3 for incendiary ammo gatling gun, 4 for good ol' missiles, 5 for a heated unibeam, 6 to increase thruster flame size/power [1d6]
>>664055 "Y'know I have cancer right Nero. That's not just something that stopped happening. When the doc told me to write a bucket list, I wrote a lot of stupid impossible crap cuz I wasn't really taking it seriously. Alotta which I've actually been able to pull off within the span of this week. Anyway when the Doc asked how exactly I planned to ridicule progenitors of Hearth's Warming Eve wile they hugged in a cave I told him why the fuck are you asking me -you're the doctor. In anycase you denied a cancer patient's last wish, whose girlfriend was probably just erased from history and that makes you a terrible person. congratulations asshole. When I get back to my time I'm going to deface every statue made in your likeness."
>>664059 "Dammit Nero I'm gonna have grand children one day! I just wanted to be able to tell them I was there after admonishing for their obscure youth culture, around the fireplace."
>>664060 "I'm still not entirely following. If you're mad about not going with them, I would remind you we still have a job to do ourselves. Did you forget about the Order of Eon?"
>>664056 Puddinghead stammers as you start coughing up, blushing slightly as he rubs your back in apology. "AH! Whoops, sorry there lad. Chancellor doesn't know his own strength." As you curse them all as they leave, Cookie gives an awkward glance of fearing she's offended you in someway (or second-hand offense for Puddinghead), as Bullion stares at you with a cocked brow as you leave. "A… we'll see to it that we do? Farewell, it was a… an experience meeting you."
Hurricane chuckles, nudging you with his hoof before he leaves. "That's how you do it. Put those princesses in their place. Shame you don't have wings, you'd make a half-decent pegasi."
>>664055 Puddinghead pounds his hooves into each other, "AHA! Leadership then! I'll be proud to lead such a fine collection of bright, young, talented Earth Ponies… as well as my stalwart secretary. And, the rest of those non-Earths you mentioned." He leaps out of his seat, trotting for the exit, "Come on Cookie, we have plans to do, things to make!" Cookie shakes her head and lets out one final breath, turning her head towards her hosts and bowing respectfully before following him out the door.
Bullion turns to see you leaving after Luke, and follows after you shortly to see you out of the castle proper. "I see… well, I'll wait and see what it is that comes for this gathering then. It was a pleasure… and a surprise… to meet you. Please, return to Castle Radiant. Hopefully under more, ahem, pleasant times."
You and Luke make for the exit of Castle Radiant: above the sky has grown less cloudy since the Windigo Lord's dispersal.
>>664057 Your tingling hooves have enough feeling in them you manage to strike the 'increase flame to thrusters' button easily enough, and Screech's ears pop open and he wails loudly as he feels him and you forced back into the chair, G-forces going wild as you're made to go at maximum speed. "T-trial by fire is NOT my preferred method of learning! Dear horrid Nightmare Moon I failed my Shadowbolts exam three times because of a freaking time limit! W-why does it matter how fast I know if I know it!?"
You see the incoming head of the glass-structure of the dome, a few ponies inside screamingly silently through the glass. He tugs tightly up on the control stick, and through either luck or sheer force of will, you see the spiral beginning to come out of it despite the increased speed, and you hear a loud *SLAM* on the side as you feel the side of Crumple glance against the glace. It richochets off it instead of plowing through, Screech just in the nick of time pulling it at an acceptable angle only to leave a sizable crack as he begins heading off into the night, Coltchester quickly shrinking behind you. "T-th-there! Can we slow this thing down, D-squad members don't usually go this fast!"