Pinkie was distracting herself with the white cotton robe Zidane had given her. It wasn't made for ponies, but since it was a robe, it could cover her well enough. Wearing it was better than nothing, and there was power in equipment.
She could feel the power in the robe whispering to her the secrets of making potions stronger, and she listened eagerly as they marched through the green hills. She was glad with the distraction the robe was currently giving her, wondering if she should color it pink or try mixing all kinds of colors into it.
“I don't think your clothes are suppose to be whispering to you.” Discord said, half seriously, and she chose to ignore his comment.
Pinkie is a pony that tends to live in the moment. She would have been able to overlook the soldier's death in front of her with the short passing of time, if it wasn't for the constant reminders of it occurring.
The party was traveling through the valley past the marsh, the grotto was nestled at the base of the mountain at the valley's end. Every monster battle they encountered ended with Applejack giving her a concerned glance, and it kept sending her back to the dead soldier. And if it wasn't Applejack that reminded her, it was Discord.
“What, little ol' me? Don't blame me for something you didn't want to see.” He huffed at the thought of being the cause of her distress. “You should have stayed in the castle. You haven't recovered from your mist exposure, and now here you are, getting another helping of it!” His scowl confused her, lighting a fire in her eyes.
I can fight, so why does everypony think I should have stayed back?
“Because they care about you, that's why,” he replied as he shaped his form into a giant heart symbol. “You're on the brink of breaking Pinkie, one dead soldier and anxiety from your friend's concern brought you here, what lies ahead will finish it.” Her step faltered as she looked to the apparition.
What's up ahead, Discord? I know it's not a party, and I know there will be no smiles there. What do you know that has you, of all ponies, worried about me?
“Death, sadness, and a broken heart. Pinkie Pie can't make the dead smile, and Pinkamena cannot avenge them. What are you to do? You cannot stand what lies ahead, not as your are.” He said as he shrugged at her apologetically, “And now you've reached the point of no return.” He finished as the group reached the opening of the grotto.
The entrance looked like it was hit by devastating spells, the walls and decorative parts of the entrance were scorched by burns, and rubble lay scattered about.
The guards laying about the entrance were dead.
Freya approached them, distraught, Zidane was by her side as the two mares looked on. Applejack's face hardened as she joined Freya's side, looking over the corpses. I really envy her right now. Pinkie thought as she kept her gaze on Applejack's back, avoiding looking at the warriors who would never smile again.
“Come on, get up!” Freya pleaded from the dead soldiers, “Dammit, say something!” Seeing her efforts were in vain, she turned to Zidane and Applejack with a dangerous glare. “The Black Mages, who are they!?” Applejack took a step back before replying.
“W-We're not too sure!” Applejack quickly assured, “Just that they're made in Dali, and shipped to Alexandria.” Freya considered her words before looking to the grotto's entrance.
“The king!” she said, almost in a panic, “He must be in danger if the mages are capable of this much. Come on!” And she ran into the entrance of the cave, Applejack following along side her. Zidane looked up at the destruction in worry.
“I sure hope the others didn't come here,” he said, then turned to the mare behind him. Their eyes met, and he saw the hesitation in hers. “Come, Pinkie, you've got us with you, we'll be safe,” he assured her.
“R-Right! Let's go...” she couldn't think of a silly word scramble to finish her sentence with, her mane still had poof, but she felt drained just from seeing the grisly mess.
She moved forward, and Zidane waited for her as she passed the bodies littering the sides of the entrance. The sight made her sad, but not afraid, at least not for herself. Pinkie saw her worth in making others happy, when she lay on the brink yesterday, it was the thought of making others sad that brought her into her trance, not the fear of dying. Looking at the bodies as she passed them, she asked Discord, Does this make you all sad and ache-y too?
“Not really,” he quickly replied, “they aren't Equestrians, they aren't my friends, they're just strangers of another world that met an unfortunate end. Now seeing you right now, that does make me all sad and ache-y.”
How is she doing it, Applejack is so strong, how can I be like her?
“She's strong because she needs to be. Two of her friends are hurting more than her, so she needs to be the strong one.”
Can you help me, be strong like her? She suspected it was only going to get worse from here. She needed to be stronger, or her friends would do nothing but worry for her. Nopony was happy right now, and she didn't think it was possible, or right, for them to be happy right now.
“My method of helping you is literally messing with your head. Now whenever a fight happens you switch personalities instantly, thanks to 'my help'. You've got two ponies in your head right now, and me. Applejack may be strong because she only has one pony in her head. Buuut~ take from that what you will,” he finished nonchalantly.
During her inner dialogue, Zidane and the others found a wounded soldier who informed them about the locks of Gizamaluke. The cave was sealed after the attack to prevent others from passing, each door was sealed by a magical bell that needed a hand-bell to open. Giving the guard some potions, he was able to recover from his wounds and gave the bell to Zidane, and at the groups insistence, the soldier waited at the entrance for other survivors.
He was thankful to be saved, and gave the group a weak smile as they moved on. Pinkie saw that smile, and understood what she needed to do. If we save as many as possible, then they can smile again! She latched onto that hope, not realizing that hope was the driving force behind the guard's smile.
“To save as many as possible means to fight the attackers, can you take a life to save a life?” Discord asked, making the mare hesitate. Pinkamena could, but that would mean a loss of me. Ohh shoot, why do I have to be the crazy one with two ponies in my head! I need to make two ponies into one. Discord, how do I do that?
“Well, if you're gonna ask me, I suggest trying to make both ponies the same. If Pinkie fights like Pinkamena,” a small figure of pinkie shooting her cannon loaded with weapons appeared in his left hand. “And Pinkamena parties like Pinkie,” and in his right hand Pinkamena was dancing with a party hat on her head. “Who knows what will come of it.” He suggested as he smooshed the figures together, turning them into pie. Pinkie took the idea to heart. She doubted she'd be partying anytime soon, so she'll have to try being Pinkie during battle.
Zidane took the bell he was given and used it on the door blocking the party's way. As he rang it, a bell built into the door range in unison, and the door opened.
“I doubt the princess came this way,” Zidane said with a sigh of relief as he looked down the hallway the door revealed, “she wouldn't have been able to pass, and the guard would have been healed by her.”
“Then she won't see what lies ahead of us. I'm not turning back for her, I'm pressing forward,” Freya said adamantly. Zidane frowned and pondered on that before nodding.
“We'll probably not find her if we turn back now. I think pushing forward is best, we'll have to hope the others will be okay,” he concluded.
“Well, alright, let's hope then.” Applejack said, her brow furrowed, not having too much of a choice in the matter, and Pinkie nodded with her, carrying her sentiment.
They moved down the stone hall, their paces increasing at the sounds of combat. Turning around a bend revealed a large chamber with several guards fighting Black Mages. As Pinkie's hair started to slack from switching personalities, she pleaded with herself, and as she did so, Discord snapped his fingers with a small grin.
Let me do this. I want to be stronger, so let's try our best, okay? Pulling out her cannon, her hair lost its fluffy curliness, but it wasn't straight either, it was slightly curled, somewhere between Twilight's and Rarities manes, but not entirely slack like Pinkemena's. Alrighty, Pinkemena replied, let's kick some flank, together!
As she prepared to join the fight, something caught everyone's attention. On a raised walkway on a wall passing over the path were two small figures, one wearing a red and white jesters garb, the other in blue and white. The twin jesters looked at the party in confusion.
“Who are they?” The blue one asked.
“That, I don't know,” the red one answered.
“I know I have seen those two somewhere before,” the blue one stated, eyeing Zidane and Applejack.
“Somewhere before? I have not seen them. I know,” the red one affirmed.
“I guess it is not important. Let's kill them.” The blue one stated as several Black Mages joined them.
“Yes, kill them, shall we?” With that, the group of Black Mages jumped down and attacked the party. Freya immediately jumped up to attack the twins, and came down on them as the Black Mages assaulted the rest of the group, knocking them both to them to either side of her.
“Heee! Savage monsters, they are!” The red one screamed as it fled from Freya.
“Run away!” The blue one followed after. Freya glared at them, then turned and aided the party in their fight against the group of mages.
Pinkie was first to engage, she placed the broadsword Applejack had given her and fired it at the closest mage, piercing right through it. She has come to learn that the weapon she fires affects her damage, the fork causing great damage if it makes a clean hit, or low damage if it nicks the target. Swords were the most consistent, while spears, which she had only tried once, pin the targets she hits. Seeing the Black Mage speared by the sword, it slumped over, dead, but didn't disperse into mist, which made her and Applejack pause in fear.
I, I just killed it. The fact that it didn't disperse into mist made the reality of her actions more apparent. Suddenly, Discords words during the festival of the hunt had a new sense of clarity behind them.
“It's them or us!" Freya shouted, "Don't hesitate! They've already killed a number of others, steel yourselves and fight!” Pinkie shook her head as she eyed the mage she killed, fighting back tears.
She's right. They'll kill my friends if I just stand around and let them, but that doesn't mean I have to like fighting them! She thought as she pulled her sword out of the mage. Applejack followed up and took down the mage that was about to attack Pinkie. Zidane and Freya dispatched the remaining two. The party didn't have Spike or Garnet's magic supporting them, but the four of them were an offensive powerhouse, it would take more than an even numbered fight to threaten them.
The fight over, Pinkie let out a long, sad sigh, her hair returning to its puffy normal self. She eyed the bodies of the black mages, sad at what she had done, and by the fact that there was no alternative. The tears she had fought started to fall down her face as she wondered, Why is it like this, what reason is there for this? Applejack moved to her side, their eyes met, and Pinkie saw the same thoughts in her friend. The orange mare gave her a hug, and Pinkie returned it in kind, smiling weakly. They shared the embrace for a moment, then let go, they didn't have time to vent their sorrow right now.
“Equestria, it must be a nice place, if you don't have to deal with this.” Zidane said enviously, “Don't worry, I'll get you back home, safe and sound. I promise you.” There was a fire in his eyes that caught the ponies off guard. Pinkie didn't doubt his promise, and felt reassured for it.
“Now, let's move, there are still fights going on inside, let's save as many as we can.” He calmly insisted, Applejack and Pinkie gave each other a determined nod as the group moved deeper into the cave. There were lives to be saved, at the expense of the Black Mages.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ATE: The Queen's Sword
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Beatrix overlooked the attack. The Black Mages were pushing into the city with annoying ease. She was content to fight at her queen's command, but she wished it was the might of her soldiers that had won these battles, not the Black Mages the queen was supplied with.
The queen herself was overlooking the battle from the safety of her airship, the Red Rose, while Beatrix overlooked the battlements on the ground. An officer approached the general, looking quite pleased with themself.
“Mam! We'll have the city taken by nightfall, the king is as good as ours!” Beatrix nodded and dismissed the officer.
Beatrix unsheathed her sword, the holy blade of her station, 'Save the Queen', and joined the battle, her blade cutting through all opposition as she worked towards the city palace. We can do better than nightfall.
The dragon knights of Burmecia were giving her troops a hard time, she would fix that. She singled them out in the battlefield, bringing everything she had upon the jumping spearmen. As she cut down knight after knight, she couldn't help but wonder, Is this really what's best for Alexandria?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There were more than Black Mages in the cave. Monsters born of mist also assaulted the group, no doubt driven here by the Black Mages. Pinkie switched back to using the fork for the cannon's ammo. It seemed better suited for her than the sword, though both had their uses. She didn't have any spare spears, though useful, the only one she had snapped after its first use. They fought, battle after battle, against monsters and Black Mages, as they worked their way through the grotto.
The supply of potions they had were not fairing well. Pinkie had been handling the stock, she added a little something to the potions to make them more potent, to the benefit to everyone, still, they were running low. Several of the foes they fought were strong at counter attacking. It did however backfire several times for the monsters, as Pinkie's penchant for confusing her foes caused them to counterattack themselves.
The 'key' got them through every door, and after a short while they had rescued half a dozen soldiers. They had reached the hall before the last chamber. There was a moogle sitting next to a large bell resting on a raised platform, and when Pinkie saw the moogle her expression unexpectedly changed to pure mirth.
She had briefly talked to Mois when they were together earlier in the day, and she found the creatures cuter than parasprites, which was pretty easy considering parasprites are pests. To Pinkie, they were so cute that just the sight of one made all the gloom of going through the grotto disappear, for the moment.
"Kupo! Could you please help my husband, he's trapped inside the bell! Kupo~!" She asked of them, and with a quick combination of Aqua Cannon and Applebuck, the heavy bell was pushed aside with a terribly loud <gong>, revealing the moogle within.
"Kupo! Thank you for saving me!” the husband exclaimed as he approached his saviors. “Here, have this! You look like you'll need it more! Kupo." He said as he gave Zidane a golden hand-bell. “Thanks again!” with that, he flew off, his wife chasing after him lovingly.
Dawww, how cute~!The entire exchange almost made the pink mare bust from the happiness. Since she was about to burst, she let out some of her mirth by giving her friends one of her best, honest smiles.
"Oh please,” Discord said as he rolled his eyes, “I think I might get sick from how sweet that was," Suddenly, he turned green and keeled over as he smiled at Pinkie, happy she was happy.
Whether it was from the mist exposure, or 'Discord's 'help', or her own determination, Pinkie found herself becoming more and more in sync with Pinkamena with each battle. Her hair would stay curly for a longer duration after each fight. As the group gathered around the last door, in-crested with a golden bell, Applejack appraise Pinkie.
"Yer lookin' a lot better, and I mean before we saved them moogles, what's up?" Applejack asked as she eyed Pinkie's mane.
“Just trying to be one pony, instead of two, duh~” She replied enthusiastically. She was feeling better. Saving the soldiers, in turn, saved herself. And Applejack was looking better off as well. Pinkie and Applejack were the kind of ponies that were happy to help others, and they were helping the soldiers of Burmecia live to save their home. They'd taken themselves to simply looking at the Black Mages as monsters that didn't dissipate when slain.
“Oh, if only things were that simple.” Discord commented with a sense of mock dread, “Still, its nice to see you getting your guffwah going!”
Guffwah? No no no, this is more like Pizzham! I got my Pizzham going!
“Oh, my mistake,” he replied, embarrassed that he had gotten it wrong.
“I don't follow,” Applejack admitted to her comment of being one pony, “but ya look better fer it, so I guess whatever it is, it's helpin' out.” Zidane and Freya seemed to be of a similar opinion, as they had stopped giving the pink mare worried glances a couple fights ago. “So, this Gizama-whatsit, we gonna fight it?” One of the soldiers they had rescued had informed them that Master Gizamaluke had somehow been driven mad.
“We may not have a choice,” Freya began, “but I insist we spare him, his madness may only be temporary, and he's been an ally of Burmecia for a long time.” She then considered something before looking to the others. “So you know, he isn't a Burmecian. He's a friendly sea monster of the mist.” That got a surprised look from her companions. “He's quite large.” She then scratched the back of her head, “You know, sparing you the shock when we first see him.”
“A friendly monster? Well of course we're gonna spare him~,” Pinkie assured, “what do you think we are, a bunch of bullies that want to make everypony all gloomy?” She didn't get a smile from Freya, but Zidane and Applejack had a small grin, they were making a difference here, and it reflected in their smiles.
Using the golden hand-bell, the group went into the last room. Inside was a large pool of glowing water with a stone bridge built a foot above the water that stretched to the exit at the opposite end. Expecting a fight to happen at any moment, they all took action.
Freya jumped up, grabbing onto a stalactite on the ceiling as the rest ran to the center of the bridge, prepared for the guardian to spring out and attack. And they were not disappointed.
Pinkie's mane became wavy as the large guardian jumped out of the grotto, drenching her with water, revealing itself to indeed be quite large. Gizamaluke had the body of a snake with the wings of a bat, webbed out for swimming. It jumped over the trio, sending water from the grotto onto them, slamming them to the ground.
“Oh, we ain't gonna have any of that!” Applejack proclaimed as she prepared her rope for the next pass. When it came, Gizamaluke was tied to the bridge, preventing him from getting away, but not disabling his methods of attacking. Zidane and Freya attacked while he was pinned, cutting into him, but the guardian was hearty, it would take much more than that to defeat it. Pinkie fired the cannon, sending the fork into its side, and with a quick tug of the rope tied to the fork, reclaimed her ammo.
Their opponent thrashed the water, pummeling all of them again. The pink mare felt as though she was at the edge of bursting with energy, a sensation she never felt before, but she knew it was the attack that caused it. She gave Zidane a potion as Freya and Applejack pressed their attacks. Not believing her Aqua Cannon would have much affect on it, she fired the fork again, and it immediately responded with a counterattack.
It let out a low screech that shook the walls of the cavern and made her ears scream out in pain. As the noise fell over her, she felt the built up energy let loose, and this was a sensation she had felt before, as she went into Trance.
Her mane turned golden, its puff returned as her coat changed white, her robe dispersing into magic. Crackling with gold and pink lightning, the ethereal wings appeared, and showered all of her friends with its protection.
The noise Gizamaluke had hit her with had silenced her, but she understood the trick behind what it had done, and grabbing her party cannon, she was going to let out a noise of her own. Her friends looked at her in surprise, Applejack and Zidane both looking empowered at seeing her enter Trance, to her joy.
“Might wanna cover your ears, this is gonna be one heck of a party blast!” She shouted, only she didn't, as no sound left her voice as she fired the new ability Gizamaluke had unwittingly given her. Or maybe not, she was silenced, and was unable to use the new ability.
She then remembered Zidane explaining to her about how being silenced can mess with using special powers. Zidane came to her side while Applejack distracted the guardian, and used a healing item called Echo Screen to remedy the problem.
“Thanks Zidane, you're a real pal! Now cover your ears everypony!” She said, able to talk again, as she fired the guardian with a seismic wall of bass, knocking it from its ropes and slamming it into the far wall, causing cracks to spread from the impact. It fell into the water as Surprise let out a whoop of victory. Discord slapped on a pair of shades and nodded to her, saying 'that's my pony!'.
Then Gizamaluke jumped out of the water, not finished fighting, and tried to slam into the white and gold mare, making Discord abandon his shades in mock panic. Zidane and Applejack got in its path, catching it off guard as they attacked in unison. Applejack was quick to tie it down again as Freya landed on its back, stabbing deep into its side. Zidane followed up with a slash to its webbed wings. Gizamaluke thrashed violently as the bridge started to crack under the stress. He let out another scream of noise, but directed it beneath him, and the bridge crumbled.
With Zidane and Freya still on his back, they fell into the water with him. The rope came undone as half the bridge fell into the pool, leaving the mares behind on what remained of the bridge.
As Surprise moved to the edge of the broken bridge, the energy that empowered her died down, the mare returned to her pink, wavy haired self, and her robes returned as the final crackle of lightning sparked out.
Looking into the water, they saw that Freya and Zidane refused to let go of their opponent. The water churned as it surfaced, trying to dislodge the persistence warriors. Zidane and Freya hadn't fared well from the water ride, but Gizamaluke looked ready to fall at a moment's notice.
“Get off it ya two!” Applejack ordered, and seeing the look in her eyes, they did just that. As the guardian turned to the orange mare, she jumped up and applebucked it into the water, deep into the water, and the guardian of the grotto disappeared from sight. After a minute of waiting, the group assumed he wouldn't resurface anytime soon.
“Oh, over already?” Discord asked, coming out from where he hid when Gizamaluke tried to slam Pinkie.
And where were you, mister scaredy pony?
“Oh you know, just watching while my second favorite pony strutted her stuff,” he replied, shooting a miniature Gizamaluke with a miniature party cannon.
With the bridge broken, it would take some time to get the soldiers they rescued across the gap, as Applejack and Freya worked to carry them across, Pinkie donned her perpetual smile. Being both Pinkie and Pinkamena made her a whole, secure, pony, and with that she felt she could face what was waiting for her in Burmecia. She saw that 'Discord', however, was looking over her in worry.
“One certain thing about the future, is uncertainty,” he said in line with her thoughts, which the spirit of chaos knew all to well.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Moogle Notes:
~~~~~~~~~~~
'Howdy Equestrian, Mois the moogle here with more tid-bits about Gaia!'
'The bells were made as a unique lock and key system insisted by Gizamaluke. He once insisted the keys break after being used, but that didn't make any sense to the Burmecians, so they chose to have the keys be reusable.'
'The Black Waltz's were made more of mist than Black Mages, which made them unstable, and disperse into mist when they perished, unlike the Black Mages.'
'Pinkie can a be a little overbearing when I talk to her, she wants to dress me up and make me say 'Kupo' all the time. It scares me.'
'Silence is the bane of all magic wielders, it makes their voice die out and makes them unable to cast abilities. It essentially locks down their contribution to the battle, good thing Echo Screen can negate its affects.'
'It is speculated that Zorn and Thorn used some strange magic to bypass the doors locking mechanism, allowing their black mages into the grotto.'
'If you're wondering, Gizamaluke did survive that encounter, but it took some time afterwards for his madness to be dispelled. Kupo~'
~~~~~~~~
Pinkie Pie
~~~~~~~~
Items Equipped: *New Items Acquired*
*Needle Fork Cannon: High Tide, Pony Cannon
*Cotton Robe: Chemist, Shell
Shard of Chaos: Pink-a-mena-Diane-Pie(mastered)
Lvl up! Lvl-12 HP 553/553 MP 8/78
AP 6/21
*Auto-Confuse (5) - Targets of your abilities and attacks have a chance to become confused.
High Tide (8) - Allows you to Trance faster.
*Pink-a-mena-Diane-Pie (6) - 'Keep at it Pinkie, you'll be there soon enough.'
*Chemist (4) - Doubles the effect of Potion, Hi-Potion, and Ether.
Abilities:
Blue Magic:
Aqua Cannon 14 MP: Deals Water damage to all foes.
Bass Cannon 14 MP: Deals Non-elemental damage to all foes, and a chance to Silence them.
?????:
Pony Cannon 0 Mp: Deals damage to single foe, does some damage to user.
Trance: Automatically casts Mighty Guard and Regen on the party. Blue Magic abilities become more potent.