Last Time on My Little Raisin:
>Analyze the White Chest to find a way to open it
>**Tell Sweetie to distract Archæus**
>xXx Prod at the holes on the outside of the chest xXx 1/6 chance of triggering Chest Trap
>Remove Fancy Horseshoe, push down on stone button
>--Begin turning stone button—
>xXx Yank on pin xXx 1/3 chance of trigger chest trap
>**Pin Removed**
>Open the White Chest, wrap Adanemzurai inside of dress
>**Convince guard that bundled dresses are all the rage in fashion** 1/5 chance of failure, modified to 2/5 chance due to lack of significant chosen number
>Have Sweetie Belle wrap up the writing supplies (Glass Jar, Quills, Parchment, Empty Ink Bottle) in her dress
>Go out onto airdock balcony, begin inspecting chariots for your old supplies
>Apprehended by guard that asked you to leave the chariots alone
>--Tell Sweetie that you planned on taking over the guard—
>Send Sweetie to distract guard while you sneak up and take over his mind
>--Bail out of plan, go to airship instead—
>Wind messes up Raisin’s mane (1/6 chance while on balcony)
>Enter airship, invited to stay in private lodgings
>Begin to discuss plans to destroy Tezel with Sweetie Belle
>xXx Light up the candle in your room xXx (Reveals what room you’re in to the nosy guard outside)
>-- Use the Adanemzurai to check confirm that the guard is outside your window –
>Move upstairs, ask the Rich Stallion to take the airship for a spin (Use ‘social status’ to encourage him to)
>--Guards have taken notice to Raisin and Sweetie Belle; they approach the airship—
>Ask the Rich Mare to deal with the them 1/6 chance of failure
>Go onto the outer deck to eat, see a mysterious creature in ninja like clothing
>Assume the figure is Snakeoil Sally; she tackles Raisin and Sweetie, trying to keep them silent
>Tell Sally you need her help to defeat Tezel; she thinks that you sold the Adanemzurai
>Tell her you were able to open the Adanemzurai; she thinks you’re lying
>--Convince Sally that you’re not lying and the Adanemzurai is the key to destroying Tezel—1/4 chance of being ‘accidentally’ crushed by Sally for ‘lying’
>Rich Mare alerts her husband to confront Sally; able to act alongside ‘Saffron’ to avoid confrontation
>Ask Sally to come with you; she outright refuses Failed Roll: 1/3 chance of succeeding
>Ask Sally to take you to Ponyville; she outright refuses Failed Roll: 1/3 chance of failure
>Sally says she’ll take you close to Ponyville if you give her your dresses. You agree to her terms.
>**Remember to grab the Adanemzurai before leaving**
>Find the Rich Stallion admiring it. Demand it back, hold it at a distance
>Rich Stallion runs out to chastise Sally for ruining his expensive windscreen
>…run back in to grab the Glass Jar
>Dive off of airship with Sally and Sweetie
>--Command the Adanemzurai to stay in your grip—
>Hit the ground, Sally demands that you give her your dresses and shoes
>--Agree to new terms, give up all of your clothing—
>--Command the Adanemzurai to release from your grip—
*Asterisks represent good actions, xXx represents bad actions
With night falling on their final day, Raisin and Sweetie Belle stand alone on the edge of Whitetail Woods. Having just successfully escaped from Canterlot off of a rich couple’s magnificent airship with the help of an unlikely rendezvous between her and Snakeoil Sally, Raisin is finally back at her hometown. Raisin’s time is running out; she knows that she’ll need help in order to reach the Castle in the Sand on time… and to defeat Tezel.
With a road to Ponyville only a few feet away, Raisin and Sweetie Belle must take up the cursed Adanemzurai and make their way back into town. The looming night air sends chills up and down the fillies… for better or for worse, the end of Raisin’s epic adventure is near.
As you stand next to Sweetie in the darkening Whitetail Woods, you quickly formulate a plan of attack. She looks to you with a curious yet slightly anxious expression. "Um... what do we do now?"
"Alright... Sweetie Belle, we're going to head over to Fluttershy's house..." You look at the distant road, noticing a landmark bridge on the path. "...I think this path leads back to Ponyville. If we stay close to it, we can take a detour to Fluttershy's."
"Why do we need to go to Fluttershy's cottage again?" Sweetie Belle looks you over, then glances to the golden Adanemzurai embedded in the dirt.
"There's probably guards or something looking for us in town. We should meet up with Fluttershy quick to see what's going on... and to get an adult to back us up."
Sweetie nods her head. "Okay, that sounds like a smart idea."
You kick at the ground softly. "Oh, and... uh... could you lead the way? Make sure the coast is clear and all that?"
She lowers her head. "Umm... but... it's really dark out..." She looks a little scared. You feel her huddle up next to you, taking care not to step on the Adanemzurai.
Inventory check:
You gently push Sweetie out of your way to the Adanemzurai. Even in the waning light, Her brilliant luster cannot hide. She pulses gently... it feels like that pulse a pegasus makes when it flies by you really fast, but there's no wind. Acting carefully, you withdraw the last two pieces of parchment from your Glass Jar and warp them around the Adanemzurai. They're just big enough to cover the bottom and up the sides a bit... enough to let you carry Her up on your back. Being careful not to touch the box itself, you pick Her up over your head and set her on your back. It feels rather secure... at least, you don't think it will fall.
"Okay, let's go." You whisper to Sweetie. The chill of the cooler night air washing over your body reminds you of the dangers of nightfall, especially in the woods. "...we should hurry."
As the two of you trot closer to Ponyville, you keep an eye on the skies for your target, Rainbow Dash. You don't see the Pegasus cruising the skies at the moment.
In a few minutes, you reach the outskirts of Fluttershy's house. You can see a few candles lit inside; she's probably home.
You and Sweetie look at the peaceful cottage for a moment. Sweetie leans over and whispers, "It looks like she's home. Wanna go check?"
"Yeah, let's hurry up. Looks like she's just getting settled in the for night." You and Sweetie Belle trot up the cozy dirt path, cross the bridge, and walk up to Fluttershy's front door. You look around quick to see if the coast is clear. With a few sharp knocks, you rap out a little rhythm on her door. From inside, you hear the scurrying of what you believe are various woodland critters.
You wait a few moments, but nobody seems to answer the door. Sweetie Belle hops up and looks into the window. "The lights are on... but I don't see Fluttershy..."
"Hey, Sweetie Belle. Call out for her quick..." You whisper over to her. "I think she's still home."
Sweetie Belle puts her hooves next to her head to help her see inside. "I'm not seeing her..." She looks around for a minute, then calls out, "Fluttershy! Fluttershy, are you home? We need your he-"
Suddenly, a green bowl comes flying up to the window from below. Underneath the makeshift helmet is a very jittery Fluttershy. Sweetie is taken by complete surprise, letting out a yell and falling back.
Immediately, you hear some door latches start to unbolt. The door opens up a crack and a yellow hoof motions for your approach. Quickly, you and Sweetie Belle run up to the house and dive in.
Besides wearing a green food bowl hat, Fluttershy looks like she's on edge. "Girls! What are you DOING out here so late?" She's looking outside the windows. "You weren't followed, were you? Please tell me she wasn't following you here..."
Sweetie Belle rubs her chin and glances your way.
You stare back at Sweetie Belle, then look to the ever panicked Fluttershy. "Uh.. who's 'she'?"
Fluttershy doesn't turn around, opting to keep her eyes level with the window sill. "She's... well... she's really creepy..." Fluttershy ducks down, hugging the wall. "She came up to my door... and I let her in..." She shivers. "...and she kept asking me about..." Suddenly, you hear one of the animals run down the stairs. Fluttershy squeaks and tucks under the sofa.
Angel runs by equipped with an egg beater. He looks you and Sweetie over, then rolls his eyes. He kicks Fluttershy on the flank and waits for her to withdraw from hiding. She scoots out from under the couch. "...oh.. I thought that was her."
"Who?"
"That... filly." Fluttershy continues. "She kept asking over and over.. and I didn't know what to do." The quivering pegasus holds her tail up close to her chest. "I've never been to the Castle in the Sand... I don't even know what it is! She wouldn't leave the house!"
You decide to console the worried pegasus. "Fluttershy, we know exactly who you're talking about."
She shakes. "Y..y..you do?"
"Yeah. They're just... uh... 'derped' fillies. They're under some mind control hypnosis thingy. They can't hurt anyone; they're just confused."
Fluttershy doesn't seem to relieved. "M..m...mind controlled?!"
"Yeah. We're trying to fix that right now, but we need a pegasus to do so..." Her pupils shrink. "...which is why we're trying to find Rainbow Dash to help us."
With a sigh of relief, Fluttershy goes back into a less anxious jitter. "Oh, good..."
"But we need your help to find her."
She looks a little panicked again. "Um... can't we wait until morning to find her? It's really... dark..."
You shake your head. "I'm afraid that's not an option right now..." You walk up next to Fluttershy and rest a single hoof on her leg. A strange surge rushes through your body... the Adanemzurai seems to have a slight affect on your senses, even though you're not physically touching it. You can feel her fear...
"If we don't find Rainbow Dash in time, then there's a lot of ponies that might have to pay an awful price..." Your face bears a somber expression.
She recoils. "...a...a...an awful... price?"
You simply nod. "We need a cart... and we need a pegasus." You let go of her. Suddenly, her fear leaves your body. You feel slightly woozy, but stand up on all fours. "...and we need to get going right away."
Sweetie Belle walks up to Fluttershy. "I know this all sounds really weird and sudden, but I trust Raisin." Sweetie cups a hoof to Fluttershy's ear. She whispers something that makes Fluttershy look at you funny. "..I didn't think Earth ponies could do that..."
You roll your eyes, passing Angel as you make your way around Fluttershy. Taking a quick look around, you spot Fluttershy's storage barn rather quickly. The doors are still wide open with the handles of a cart sticking through them. It looks big enough for an adult pony to hitch up to and haul.
You walk outside and lead your small party down the path. As Sweetie shuts the door, Fluttershy jumps and hides behind you. You pull away, making sure that she doesn't touch the Adanemzurai. "Careful. It was just the door, Fluttershy."
"I..I know. I just didn't expect it to be so... loud." She stammers a bit as you continue to the barn.
You can see something big sleeping on top of the cart. It snores very loudly. Sweetie Belle bites onto your tail. "Wait... Fluttershy, what is that?"
"I... I don't know." She hesitates for a moment. "Bearsi, is that you?" The creature on the cart continues to snore.
"Wake up, Goldilocks! We need to use that cart!"
You shout into the barn. Sweetie Belle backs away from you. "Um.. Raisin, don't you think you should let Fluttershy handle th-"
With a loud groan and a couple of scratches, you hear something big begin to stir. Whatever it is, it sounds kind of grumpy. In a few moments, the creature goes back to sleep. Fluttershy looks into the barn, then trots up ahead. "Bearsi? That's you, right? If you'd be ever so kind... um... we have to use the cart right now... so if you could please move..." Fluttershy begins to trail off. Suddenly, she looks a little frightful.
"Bearsi?" She leans forward. The creature seems to be snoring loudly once again. "Oh, my... um... she's going to be a hassle to get out of there..." She pauses. "...if that's indeed her..."
"I can't see what it is..." Sweetie Belle whispers. "I wish we had some light right about now..."
You decide that you should probably see exactly what the creature in the barn is before you attempt to knock it off the cart. "I'm going to run inside and get some candles quick, alright?"
Fluttershy nods. "A..Alright. I'll see if I can get her off the cart..."
"Uh... wait until I come back with candles."
You make a mad dash back into the cottage. Searching around quick, you realize that you have no idea where Fluttershy's candles may be at. You look to Angel quick. "Hey... Angel. Where does Fluttershy keep the candles at?"
He looks up at you, then motions for you to follow. He hops into the next room, then opens up a cupboard. There's a massive box full of small, wax candles. Fluttershy seems to have an ample supply.
"Thanks, Angel." He nods, then heads back upstairs.
You stuff 10 candles into your glass jar and hoof it back outside. When you get back out towards the barn, you see that Sweetie Belle has decided to keep her distance. "I don't think that's one of Fluttershy's animals... something doesn't feel right."
Using your stompstarter, you kick some sparks onto one of your candles and hold the end in your mouth. It lights up the barn just enough to see a coiled up Cockatrice on the bed of the cart. Sweetie Belle quivers in silence.
Fluttershy sounds rather displeased at the discovery... but she's more angry than anything else. "You again!" She promptly turns around and bucks the cart, dropping the massive pile of creature onto the ground. It seems extremely agitated. "Cover your eyes, girls. I got this."
Fluttershy yells at the Cockatrice, telling it that the barn isn't its home and that it should ask permission before using someone elses cart as a bed. The creature doesn't seem to care. It stares her down, but Fluttershy glares at it.
After a few minutes of covering your eyes, you hear Fluttershy sigh. "I should have known. That Cockatrice has frozen 3 of my chickens this past week..." She begins to saddle up to the cart. Her confidence seems to have immediately disappeared. "So... um... where are going again?"
You can feel a chill run up your spine, like something's watching you.
Before telling Fluttershy that you were looking for Rainbow Dash, you make sure to look around to see what's causing this odd, "I'm being watched" sensation to go through your mind.
As you look up, you see the end of a tail hanging over the edge of the barn roof. "Hmm... I don't think that Cockatrice left yet, Fluttershy..."
She looks at you, then follows your eyes up to the roof. "Get out of here, you!" She flies up near the roof. It looks like the Cockatrice jumps toward her, but then instantly bolts the other way. She shakes her head. "That thing has been nothing but trouble this past week..."
She lands back on the ground. Sweetie Belle thanks her for getting rid of the lethal, petrifying monster. Fluttershy takes the thanks lightly, then saddles up to the cart once more.
"Fluttershy, we need to find Rainbow Dash. Can you take us to her house?"
She nods, then looks down. "Oh... um.. certainly. I think she should be feeling a little better by now..."
Fluttershy takes off with the two of you in tow. As you make your way toward Ponyville, you look behind to see the glowing red eyes of the Cockatrice fading into the distance.
In a matter of minutes, the gentle ride through the sky has you just on the outskirts of Ponyville. You can see quite a few torches burning down below. Sweetie Belle looks over the side, then pulls herself back in.
"Raisin... oh, it's the guards again... they're everywhere..." She huddles up close to you. Fluttershy looks over everything, then comments, "Wow.. I've never seen so many guards in Ponyville before..."
As she flies toward the Library, a Pegasus stops your group. "Excuse me, maam. You're flying over a restricted search area."
She stammers, unable to answer the intimidating pegasus. Sweetie Belle sounds like she's whimpering into your ear.
You decide it best to try and remain as quiet as possible. You wrap your forelegs around your friend, covering up her mouth gently. She seems to calm down a little. You stay as low as you can in the cart.
"I... I.... I....I..." Fluttershy sounds off like a broken record. She doesn't seem to be coming up with anything to tell the guard off.
The guard looks around her. "...what's that? In your cart... what's that gold thing sticking up?"
Suddenly, you remember you left the Adanemzurai up on your back... it seems as though the guard has taken notice of it.
Fluttershy dodges the question. "I'msosorrybutIhavetogetgoingnowifyou'llexcuseme" The sentence comes out kind of garbled, but suddenly you feel yourself and Sweetie Belle bump into the back of the cart. "Oomph!"
The guard shouts from a distance, but he seems to lose interest in Fluttershy and the mysterious contents of her cart. The cart comes to a stop, though you're sure she hasn't descended at all. "Raisin... Raisin, dear... we're here."
You poke your head out stealthily alongside Sweetie. You appear to have landed on the cloudhouse of Rainbow Dash; the rainbow pools to the sides of the doors seem to give it away.
"Rainbow Dash! Rainbow Dash! Are you here?!" You call out toward the house. You think you hear a groan. The house looks dark on the inside; there doesn't seem to be anyone stirring inside.
"Is she home?" Sweetie Belle asks. She looks about. "Why is it so dark?"
Fluttershy pulls the cart up next to the door. "Heeello? Rainbow Dash? I'm sorry to bother you so late, but... um... could you come outside for just a minute?"
You can't hear anything, but Fluttershy backs away from the door. To your delight, a drowsy looking Rainbow Dash stretches into sight. She rolls her head back and forth, letting off a few snaps and pops. "Ugh... Fluttershy?" She looks at the cart. "Wh.. Sweetie Belle? Raisin? What are you two doing here?" She yawns. "Isn't it like... passed your bedtimes?"
"Okay, Rainbow... I'm gonna lay this on ya kinda heavy. Listen up." You stand up and lean against the side of the cart, taking care not to let the Adanemzurai fall off your back.
"So here's the scoop so far. There's a bunch of brainwashed unicorns all going out into the desert building a giant stone warrior to crush Canterlot, right? It's part of this evil King Tezel guy's plan to overthrow the Princesses, right?" You make sure she's listening. She looks horribly confused.
You slump a little. "Too much? Anyways, we're too slow to make it to his castle and we need your help to defeat a supremely evil King out in the desert. Can you help us, Dash?"
She looks at you funny, then laughs a bit. "You were reading those comics I gave to Scoots, right?"
You look at her. "Rainbow, this is no made up story. Twilight's gone, a ton of unicorns are gone, and if we don't get to the castle by morning..." You swallow hard.
She holds a smile on her face for a minute as if expecting a punchline. It fades slowly, then disappears. "...wait. You're... not joking?"
"No! We REALLY need your help!"
Sweetie Belle looks at her and gives her the best set of filly eyes she can muster. "Please? I know it sounds crazy.. but..." She waves for Rainbow Dash to come over. The colorful pegasus rolls her eyes, but trots over and puts an ear up to Sweetie Belle. She gets an earful of whispering.
"I didn't know Earth ponies could do that..." Rainbow comments. She looks you over, then looks at the golden box on your back. "What's that? Treasure from the castle?" She says with a sarcastic tone.
You stop for a moment. "She is th... This, this here is the Adanemzurai..." Carefully, you pull some of the paper down. "...isn't She beautiful?"
Rainbow Dash tilts her head to the side. "The Adana..what now?"
"It's a very powerful weapon that we're going to use to defeat... you know." You begin to stare at the lustrous box. Suddenly, you feel a hoof slap the side of your face. Sweetie Belle glares at you for a moment. "It's going to be used to defeat Tezel. Powerful weapon, do not touch."
Dash looks at it again, getting a bit closer to the cart. "...it's a box."
"No, seriously, this thing is REALLY powerful, Rainbow! I saw her use it on the Royal Guards." Sweetie Belle points out.
"...the Royal gu.." Rainbow Dash shakes her head. "Just what is going on here?"
"I told you, we need to get to the Castle in the Sand and defeat King Tezel. Can you take us there?"
She stands still for a moment, then shakes her head in disbelief. "I was out for like, one day. Snakeoil Sally sold me some of that elixir..." She perks up. "Oh, that reminds me. I'm going to buck that featherduster into next week when I catch her..."
"Rainbow! She's gone. Will you help us?!" Frustrated, you push your point.
"...Uh... I'm completely lost." She states bluntly. "I'll.. follow you guys around for a bit... I need to get my bearings."
END OF DAY 19