As the trio made their way back through Moon Mountain Pass, Sunset kept glancing worriedly at Fox until he finally stopped to face her. "What's bothering you?" he asked firmly. "Aside from there being some spiritual power apparently manipulating the conflict here and us via holding Krystal hostage? I already know about that worry, as it's one we share."
"You have a spiritual life form cohabiting your body," Sunset pointed out blandly. "You expect me not to be worried that, if nothing else, the high level of magical energy your body isn't adapted to might be altering you?"
Fox blinked in surprise. "Okay, that part's a worry I hadn't thought about, and possibly valid," he allowed thoughtfully as he turned to lead them along again. "And here I thought your concern along that regard would be the spirit affecting my mind or trying to take control of me."
"I'd already thought about and dismissed those concerns," Sunset countered flatly, smirking in amusement. "After all, the Krazoa are benevolent and passive unless awakened in concert. That's one thing that's constant throughout the writings. How do you feel magically?"
"Overfull, but otherwise unaltered," Fox admitted. "A bit like being near you when in Solaar orbit, but otherwise no different than normal."
"...then you should be fine," Sunset allowed thoughtfully. "If it were any stronger, that'd be a concern, but you're already adapted to that level from raising me."
"You're as strong as a Krazoa Spirit, Sunset?" Tricky gasped in awe. "Wow!"
Sunset rubbed the back of her head in embarrassment. Chuckling, Fox led the group the rest of the way back to Thorntail Hollow.
"Ah see ye have a Krazoa Spirit!" the Warpstone declared jovially as the trio approached him. "Ah take it that means ye be headin' ta Krazoa Palace next?" He held out his left hand.
"That's right," Fox agreed as he leapt onto the hand, Sunset and Tricky following. "Not only do we need to return the Spirit, we need-"
"Ah need ta stop ya raight there," the Warpstone interrupted. "One o' ya's gonna need ta stay here."
"What?" Sunset demanded angrily. "Why?"
"Cause ah can only transfer three souls through the void safely at a time," the Warpstone explained, "and in its current position, the only way ye can get back from Krazoa Palace is if ah leave the void link open for ya, so ah can't send anyone after ya."
"What if-"
"Any body I warp without a soul is lost ta the void," he interrupted Sunset. "And the jewel that lets Tricky use mah gates only works if you and he both stay th' same, so tryin' ta combine the two of ya into one body - or one o' ya with yer Dad - wouldn't work either. And the magical fields are too unstable fer ya to try remakin' the stone to allow it."
"How are you anticipating her so well?" Fox asked in awe as Sunset pouted.
"Ah was crafted by the Krazoa ta serve a specific purpose," the Warpstone explained readily. "They put a lot o' thought inta makin' my powers work right, and the safeties involved. Ah just asked meself what one of the younger Krazoa would have come up with tryin' ta game the system."
"It's alright, Sunset," Tricky said as he stepped off the Warpstone's hand. "I'll wait here. I'll be fine."
"If you're sure..." Sunset allowed worriedly.
"I'll just go stay with Mom!" Tricky agreed. "She's still here in the Hollow after all. You go check on your Mom, and I'll do the same!" With that, he turned and scampered off into the Hollow.
"If'n ya both be ready?" the Warpstone demanded firmly. When he got a nod from both of them, he lifted his hand and sent a beam of energy from the crystal embedded in his forehead into the pair, sending them into the void.
As the pair exited the void, they immediately found themselves drenched as the pouring rain flowed over them. The warp platform they arrived on was outside, and the most ancient structure either of them had ever seen was just visible in the distance, all grays and blues with brighter colored stained glass windows. Flames of various colors sat in torches along a bridge over emptiness that crossed to the main structure from the warp pad, and odd floating creatures that somewhat resembled jellyfish floated back and forth in patrol.
"Other than being soaked and c-c-chilled, this is amazing!" Sunset managed to stammer out as she shivered.
"Let's get you inside where you can dry yourself off, quick," Fox said firmly, hastily leading Sunset forward as he shot the jellyfish-like creatures with fireballs from Krystal's staff.
Once they were under an overhang and out of the rain, Sunset flared her power to get the water out of her fur. "Ah...that's better-" she began, only for her fur to instantly floof up.
Fox did his best not to burst into laughter at the sight. The four Sharpclaws that had leapt out in ambush out of strange light showed no such reticence...and once Sunset demonstrated how she felt about that with her magic, Fox was glad he'd kept his own amusement internal. "You okay to move like that?" Fox asked carefully.
"Yeah, I'm good," Sunset confirmed as she shook herself enough to get her fur to start to settle. "It'll go back to normal on its own in time. But I'm asking Shabunga for an umbrella before we come here next."
The first chamber of the Palace past the overhang was in complete darkness, and Sunset quickly lit her sunstones to give them light. A cracked wall was the only way in, so Sunset stayed by it with her lit sunstones so Fox could find his way back with an explosive fuel barrel, using a firefly from his lantern to trace his path.
A few more flame-based puzzles with more explosive barrels lined the path forward beyond that, leaving the pair to marvel at the architecture as they walked through. The chambers soared upward, brightly lit in blues and golds to the point it was hard to tell what was actual structure and what was light-created illusion. Further along, they entered a chamber that went straight up all the way to the roof, powerful wind turbines generating updrafts to lift the pair to higher levels. Sunset, recognizing these modes of conveyance from her time in the Cloudrunner Fortress when she was younger, leapt into them. Seeing they were safe as a result, Fox happily followed.
The last wind tunnel took them out onto the roof, back into the wind and rain. Sunset went flat eyes as a result of being soaked once more, but followed Fox around the roof...only for them both to gasp at what they saw.
In the center of the roof was a raised platform with a ramp leading up to it from either side. In the center of the platform was a glowing pink crystal trapped in circling machinery...and Krystal could be seen trapped inside, with a single Krazoa Spirit orbiting her.
"Krystal!" Fox called out worriedly.
"Mom!" Sunset screamed out as she rushed forward, gathering her magic in an attempt to reach through the crystal to try and save her.
No!
Sunset winced as she was forcefully knocked back before she could get in range of the crystal. "M...Mom?" she asked, confused.
Power...wants...not...stay...away...
Fox quickly grabbed Sunset and pulled her away. "Sunset, until we can get your Mom free of this, you need to stay as far away from that mechanism as possible," he stated firmly.
"What?" Sunset demanded angrily. "But-"
"I'll explain later!" Fox snapped as he forcefully dragged her away. "Let's find where I need to release this Spirit, and get back to the Hollow."
As he spoke, a stone carving of a Krazoa Spirit extended from the side of the platform. Walking over - dragging Sunset behind him as she struggled - he approached the stone carving...and the Spirit left his body as he gasped and struggled as that wracked his whole system. The Spirit superimposed itself on the carving, only to appear orbiting the crystal above.
"Dad, what-" Sunset began, only for them both to be pulled forcefully through the Void and back to the Warpstone.
As soon as they arrived, Fox turned to Sunset. "Whoever is manipulating this conflict is after magic power," he explained firmly. "He's using Krystal as a medium to tap the power of the Krazoa Spirits and the core of the planet, but he'll only get what he wants if we gather all six together...or if he manages to get ahold of you. Your power dwarfs Krystal's, after all."
Sunset's lip quivered. "But...what'll happen to Mom?" she asked worriedly.
"...I don't know," Fox admitted finally. He then turned to the Warpstone. "But I know Krystal would agree with me that keeping you safe takes priority there...so until we've gathered the last Krazoa Spirit, you aren't to go to Krazoa Palace again, understand?"
"But-" Sunset began angrily.
"As ye say, Fox," the Warpstone agreed readily. "Ah won't send her without yer say so."
Sunset frowned up at the pair, then sighed. "Okay..."
"For now, ye two need ta head to the seaside," the Warpstone explained helpfully. "The next part of yer quest lies that way..." He paused as he looked Sunset over. "Though ye might be wanting ta tumble-dry yerself first."
Sunset glared up at him flat-eyed as Fox once more suppressed his snickers.
game
I want to see fluffy sunset now
I see Flames of Wrath in Andross' future...
I have no pity for that evil scientist.
At least her fluffiness gave a winning strategy to keep the Sharpclaws from launching a successful ambush.
That was highly amusing.... and i wonder when Fox will send a message to Falco for help. Falco's return was one of the events that was sort of hand-waved via final boss battle.
Somebody needs to do a picture of a poofed out Sunset from this chapter.
8623612
hell I hope Fox to a pic of her like that.
fluffy sunset would absolutely adorable
I still get the feeling Sunset is going to get an emergency hopefully not literal crash course in flying an Arwing.
Sunset was so fluffy those Sharpclaws practically died.
She's so fluffy I'm gonna die!
Fluffy Sunset, yay.
I now see the warpstone as Demoman. Crap.
Fluffleset is her new codename after this. Sunpuff is acceptable as well.
>3>
Looks like the Warpstone has a pretty good grasp on the situation and is ready to keep Sunset from going where she shouldn't. I can't wait to see what comes next!
Floofy Sunset, though
Fluffy Sunset is adorable!!!
8623599
Well, at least in this continuity, Fox already seems to have cottoned onto the fact that there's something fishy going on behind the scenes...
I'm just kinda imagining Fluffle Puff but with Sunset's color scheme
I knew that Fox and Sunset were gonna see Krystal either here or next time, depending on how fleshed out this trip in the Krazoa Palace was... but I didn't anticipate the mental shock when I could feel Sunset's heart practically break when she was denied her mother. I almost - almost - feel bad for the next Sharpclaw who pisses off our favorite firebrand. There won't be anything left of him but a flickering scorch mark upon Dinosaur Planet.
Also... *sets a handmade rock candy the size of an Arwing next to the Warpstone* Here ya go, buddy! Had to contact a fuzzy bubblegum-colored party-loving friend of mine to help me get the recipe right, but-
Took you about a million times, too!
Pinkie, please don't exaggerate. It was only seven. Also, why are you in my commentary for this chapter?
Originally I was just curious as to why you were thinking of me and that giant rock candy, but then I read the entire thing. Good story,
and I gotta say that Tatsurou is doing an amazing job! I gotta get back to Ponyville now, though! I'm gonna make Sunset the biggest 'Welcome Home!' cake in the historyof 'Welcome Home!' cakes! Buh-bye!
. . . and she's gone. Um... yeah... anyways, Keep up the great work, Tats!
So definitely don't take this the wrong way, as I'm still very much going to continue to read this. Starfox remains a fave and to throw the somewhat volatile Sunset into the mix promises--and so far has delivered on that--entertainment.
I liken this story to candy. It's not good for me, but I consume it and enjoy it immensely anyway. For the longest time it was hard for me to put to words what it was about the story that didn't so much rub me the wrong way, but left me feeling it was somewhat lacking. Then I found it:
This was it, where in one part of a sentence an opportunity for artistic license was written off. In the game, yes, it works, because the player's engaged with those traps and puzzles, knowing there's a cost for failure. But here, you are at the helm and could write in a bit more exciting tension.
The conclusion of each game is, to an extent, almost completely guaranteed, but even if the destination is the same, a bit more descriptiveness and tension could make a reader far more engaged... Especially if we know there's a possibility of a setback or divergence should our Fox and Pony Show be thwarted by one of those gauntlets of fire, and encounter something that was never in the game.
The short of it is: This story, like so many other crossovers, could benefit from going off canon script. It could take some planning to ensure you don't trip over a wrinkle later, but I feel like the story could only become more enthralling.
8630627
Don't worry. Canon script will be going right out the window later on.
The problem in this case is that the puzzles - and solutions - are set in stone as far as the world itself, because of how I've already shaped the story. So if nothing is going to change from playing the game for that portion, I'd rather the story not turn into gameplay novelization.
8630647
Definitely makes sense. Sounds like you've got a plan in store--looking forward to seeing it unfold!
8630647
You know, this whole section would have been perfect for an epic derail, either by having them go with Krystal or by having them on-planet when the mess started going down. Either one would have made sense given the relationships Sunset has formed, and both would have been more interesting as well since they would have been structured like a story rather than a mcguffin-grabbing game.
8748722
Problem with doing it that way is that General Scales likely would have ended up snatching the entire group at once. He was prepared for them in a focused attack at that point, but the destabilizing of the planet worked as much against him as for him by the time Fox and Sunset arrive, because it messes with communications as well as magic, making it so he couldn't accurately track them.
Agreed smart move Fox
I'm really starting to like DadFox.