//------------------------------// // All in All I'm Just Another Brick in the Wall // Story: Dungeons and Draconequi // by Reaps //------------------------------// Twilight, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie set out from the room only to suddenly find themselves in an enormous, foggy forest. They all heard a laugh fill the air as Discord began the next narration. “‘A forest maze lies ahead, but fog obstructs your view. You can see a path at your hooves, but not far beyond them. It would be best if you did as the voice tells you.’” Discord paused. “Except you, Pinkie. Just... go about your business.” “What’s that?” Pinkie asked, currently thirty meters away from the path, inspecting a pile of pebbles. Without so much as a warning, a strange form leaps from the fog at Pinkie. (89) “Tremble in fear as-” Pinkie managed to sidestep the attacker with seeming ease. “Wait… what?” The creature froze in place, as did the ponies. “I swear, if the dice are loaded, I’ll never trust myself alone with them ever again.” Discord flipped open his Dungeon Master notes. “Let’s see… ‘get them lost in forest’… ‘fools stray from path’… ‘pony dies at the clutches of a steel-plated warthog’, there. My roll was perfect, though! Did she just accidently the game?” The ponies unfroze. Twilight was the first to speak up. “What’s going on here?” Pinkie shrugged. “This wacko came running at me, then Discord said eighty-nine, and I stepped out of the way.” Rarity spoke up now. “Wait! High rolls are bad, right? Isn’t that why I was assaulted by that door?!” “Well don’t ask me what the hay’s goin’ on here.” Applejack replied. “Nopony was….” Fluttershy said so low no one heard. “Yeah, well I wanna know what gives. No way Pinkie is that good. My agility wasn’t even high enough for that,” Rainbow Dash more griped. “Calm yourselves, ponies,” Discord said. “Pinkie seems to have switched some of the rules in my handbook. While I try to find a pencil in the junkheap of a house, the new system is how it will go down.” “So, what? Do high rolls turn out better now?” questioned a confused Twilight. “Changing the rules like that doesn’t make any sense. Besides, that means I need to do some kind of math to know if my own rolls are good or not. That’s not cool.” “‘That’s not cool’,” Discord mocked. “Oh, hush. You’re lucky to still have the pink one. Everyone else has the same roll system, so don’t worry your purty rainbow head.” Twilight and Rainbow Dash shared a brief questioning glance before shaking their heads and speaking almost in unison. “It’s Pinkie Pie, don’t question it.” “You’re still in mortal peril, by the way,” Discord said. “Just that I’d mention that.” Twilight looked to the frozen creature for a moment. “Wait a second. How do we even fight?” “Magic things. Flailing angrily might work, too,” Discord offered. “I’m sure you’ll find weapons sooner or later.” Rainbow Dash scoffed and flared her wings. “Just chill out. I got this.” With that, she lifted up into the air and the warthog unfroze, already turning to charge Pinkie again. Without hesitation, though, Rainbow Dash rushed at the enemy. (1) Rainbow Dash managed to pick up her signature high speeds quickly before turning and kicking out at the warthog. She lost none of her momentum in the turn and connected a direct hit on the creature, sending it a few meters back. “Heck yeah! Told you I got this!” “So it seems, the warthog still has steel armor. Zero damage,” Discord said with little enthusiasm. “I suggest you run.” “What are you talking about? I hit that thing dead on. How is it not hurt?” “Steel. Armor.” Discord made his words clear. “You know, metal. Pretty hard. Shiny.” Upon seeing the warthog in question shuffling to its feet, Rarity quickly spoke up. “I say we run. Who else thinks that sounds good about now?” Twilight looks and sees the path under her, as well as just far enough out to tell which way it led. “This way!” Twilight quickly ran off down the path, Rarity hot on her tail. “What are you talking about Twilight? Did you see that dent I made, he's almost down for the count! Just needs one more good shot-hey!” “Oh no you ain’t!” Applejack yelled grabbing Rainbow Dash by the tail, pulling her away and practically dragging her across the ground for a bit. “Wow, that piggie sure looks mad!” Pinkie whistled as she casually trotted up to the group. “I’m sure he’s a nice guy, though. Underneath all that muscle. And metal.” After the six mares grouped back together and felt they were far enough away from the creature that attacked them, they slowed and checked on their surroundings. (83) As the group looked around, the only thing they could make out in the fog was the forest seemingly creating a wall on either side of them. With nothing more to go on than the path under their hooves, the group set out. “‘You manage to lose the Mega-Hog in the fog for the time being’,” Discord narrated. “‘You should continue on, but you see a small chest off in the distance through a clearing in the fog. It is off the path, but still close. Maybe it holds something you lack. Like Hand-eye coordination. Or skill.’” Twilight ignored the remark and turned to Rainbow Dash. “What’s your agility skill? I’m pretty sure it’s higher than anyone else’s, but I want to be sure.” “It’s fifty. Why?” “Anypony have anything higher?” The group shook their heads and Twilight nodded to herself. “Then you need to try to get whatever’s in that chest. You’ve got the best chance of getting out of the way of anypony here.” Rainbow looked to the chest and shrugged, donning her typical smirk. “No problem. I’ll have it open and everything inside it back her in ten seconds flat.” Rainbow Dash then lifted from the ground again and rushed to the chest. (29) As soon as Rainbow neared the chest, the hog from before burst from the fog, charging straight for her. (20) Luckily, Rainbow Dash’s years of stunts prior gave her plenty of room to react as she easily launched up to avoid the charge. Luckily for her, the hog rushed out of sight quickly. Rainbow Dash returned to the ground and opened the chest. “Congratulations, ponies!” Discord said. “You have found the Sword of Eternal Whining. It sucks slightly less than the rest of your weapons, so you better decide who is the least awful in wielding it.” Rainbow Dash took it and dropped it in front of Rarity. “There. Proper owner found.” Rarity kicked Rainbow Dash in the side. “Well then! If you must be like that, then fine. My mace wasn’t nearly as elegant as I liked anyways.” She gave a ‘Harumph’ before stowing the sword in her inventory. Twilight rolled her eyes. “Let’s just get out of here while we can, shall we?” “Whatever, I’m ready. We can handle anything he throws at us, no problem!” “That’s dandy and all Twi, but do any a y’all know what we’re all s’posed to do?” Applejack pointed a hoof at the maze of a forest before them. Twilight looked around. “Rainbow Dash, shouldn’t you be able to clear some of this fog? After all, you were a weather pony back home, shouldn’t that kind of translate here?” Rainbow Dash cocked her head for a moment before bringing her hoof to her face and groaning. “Ugh, how did I forget about that? Okay, let’s see what we can do.” Rainbow Dash lifted up into the air. (57) Rainbow dash focuses for a moment before fluttering her wings and focusing her pegasus magic. She manages to completely clear the fog, opening up the pathway before them. “Heck yeah!” Rainbow Dash lands and trots in place triumphantly. “I am so awesome.” “Good job, Dash. Now we can make it in no time. Let’s go girls!” Twilight reared and galloped off down the trail with Rarity and Rainbow Dash close behind. After a few minutes of running the mane 6 found themselves at the edge of a canyon that seemed to stretch endlessly in each direction. Directly in front of them was a bridge that looked as if someone carelessly nailed some boards together, it was wide enough for only one pony at a time but it’s most interesting feature is what was standing on it. Standing right on the center of the bridge was a strange creature, it stood on two legs, for one, and was the height of all 6 of them stacked on top of each other but any other features were completely obscured by it’s thick armor that looked as if it was ripped right from a rock. In each hand he held a tower shield with a third on his back. He was simply standing there, watching them. “Um, guys am I the only one who has a bad feeling about this?” Fluttershy asked to the party. “Ah that’s nonsense Flutters.” Came the confident reply of Applejack. “Ah’m sure if we just mosey on up to him and explain that we’re honest pony folk he’ll let us right through!” And on that Applejack set foot on the bridge walking up to the behemoth. “Um, excuse me, sir? Ah was just wonderin if ya’ll could maybe just scoot on back and let-” “I AM A WALL” The giant yelled. “Beg pardon?” Applejack jumped back at the booming sound of his voice “I. AM. A. WALL.” It repeated and at the same time smacked Applejack with one of his shields sending her careening off the canyon. There was a minute of screaming as Applejack fell accompanied by a loud splash as her friends watched with horror. A few minutes later the Farmer appeared again after climbing up a ladder that was at the edge of the canyon on her friend’s side. she was covered in a foul smelling liquid. “THE WALL, THE WALL, NOTHIN’ ON EARTH CAN MAKE ME FALL!” he colossi taunted while banging his two shields together rhythmically. Applejack just gave a low grumble as she joined back up with her friends. “‘Brick, the Wall, is guarding the next room and will not fall’,” Discord read aloud. “‘He’s a charming fellow, really. Never does anything other than what he is told.” Rarity looked to Applejack, then to Twilight. “Well, I’m certainly not going out there. I simply can not get so filthy.” Rainbow Dash scoffed and smirked. “You girls are being silly. You remember what I did to that warthog? I’ll just fly into this guy and knock him off. No problem.” Rainbow Dash stretched her wings a bit and lifted into the air before climbing a few good meters up. (89) Rainbow Dash flies as fast as she can towards Brick, but just as she began to create a sonic rainboom, her armor nicked too much turbulence and sent her spiraling down to the muck below. A minute later, the pegasus made her way back up to the group. “I’ll try!” Fluttershy announced confidently to the surprise of all her friends. “If-if that’s okay with you all, of course.” After seeing that, no pony was trying to stop her. Fluttershy approached the wall. “U-um mister Wall sir it would be oh so nice if you could maybe just move over for me and my friends, please?” Fluttershy asked, partially hiding behind her mane. (41) The towering giant leered over Fluttershy, putting his face so close to hers she could feel his breath on her face and he spoke so low so that only she could hear him. “God save the queen.” and for some reason this phrase made Fluttershy stiff, so completely stiff that she could be nocked on a bow and fired. Which is exactly what happened. Straight into the pit. With that, Rarity glared at the beast and took her new sword in her magic aura. “That. Is. It! Have at you!” “Why do you want to get me all blunt and shabby? Do you hate perfection?” The sword asked in a nasally tone. Rarity stopped mid-charge and looked at the sword. “Erm, come again?” “Oh, no. Don’t stop for me. Go ahead. Tarnish this beautiful work of craftsmanship, murderer.” Rarity blinked a few times, then looked to the rest of the group, out of which at least Twilight and Rainbow Dash seemed quite baffled as well. Rarity then turned back to the sword in her grip. “You, um, you talk?” The sword had decided to turn on the silent treatment for the moment. Rarity shook her head and looked at the brute she remembered just having knocked off Fluttershy, and picks up her charge from before as she prepares to swing. (84) “That was a horrid roll! Does your mother know that you make such horrid rolls? You should be ashamed. I demand a re-roll.” “You know, I had forgotten why I created that,” Discord said with a groan. “Now I remember.” (1) “Better.” Rarity resumed her strike with renewed vigor. She managed to stab Brick in the foot. The resulting motion to reach down somehow toppled the behemoth and sent him into the guck below. “He might have been nice if you had gotten to know him.” Rainbow Dash, having shaken off enough of the gunk to fly again, casually flew past. “Quiet, you. You did your job, and I’m not dealing with two Rarities.” Rarity gave a simple Hmph! as she stowed the sword. “Yeah, wonderful job, murderer.” Rarity then looked to the sheathed sword. “Hush, you.”