Session 46.0 QuartzScale
Finally the night was upon all ponies of Ponyville and beyond. For reasons unknown Twilight had received a letter detailing the need for the Castle of Friendship to be prepared for everypony possible to attend. The decorations were handled by the Mane Six, Starlight, Trixie, and Gilda who had just arrived two days earlier than expected. Still they were waiting on Spike to appear back from his job with the Princesses.
Discord had managed to pop in but never said anything about the job or how Spike was doing though that was probably more in part because last time he had been 'trixed' which got another facehoof the moment Twilight had thought of it.
Decorations filled the hall when the sound of a knock was heard throughout the halls.
"I'll get it." Pinkie Pie called out before zipping for the front door.
The doors revealed none other than Shining Armor, Cadance, Flurry Heart and Sunburst decked out in festive gear and fuzzy hats.
"BBBFF! Cadance! It's so good to see you. What are you doing here?" Twilight trotted up and hugged them both before nuzzling Flurry. Sunburst bowed before trotting over to Starlight and hugging her without a word.
"Well Celestia said we should be here for Hearth's Warming for some reason but neither of us know why." Cadance explained.
"Oh Twily some of my friends might be coming as well. They'll be here in a bit." Shining said.
As if on cue the door was knocked again revealing Gaffer, 8-Bit and his Family, and Gizmo all appeared at the door followed by all of Shining's army buddies and their friends. In total sixteen ponies showed up. With the door closed everypony waved at Twilight who was utterly confused until another letter showed up.
'Get everypony in town to come to the castle Twilight, Princess Celestia'
Not one to question her mentor and friend Twilight flew to the outer balcony and with a magically enhanced voice and the royal Canterlot voice screamed throughout all of Ponyville.
"COME TO THE CASTLE FOR HEARTH'S WARMING! ALL PONYVILLE INVITED!"
After finished her announcement ponies flocked to the castle filling it up to its maximum capacity. Then another knock came at the door prompting Pinkie Pie to get it.
"Yaks are here Princess Twilight. Princess Celestia had said we are to come here for something important."
"Welcome Prince Rutherford. Yes she... uh said you were coming please join us we're getting all of the castle ready for the party... I guess." Twilight barely voiced out the last two words while Rutherford and several of his yaks walked into the castle and began mingling with the ponies inside. Just as she was about to return to speak with the girls another knock sounded out.
"Hi Princess Twilight. Sorry we're late. We were getting some more done in our castle. I hope we're not intruding." Thorax spoke aloud. Behind him were several of his changeling guards and Empress Rosedust and Queen Supia who had shrunk herself down for the occasion.
"Sorry Twilight some of my daughters couldn't make it. They were busy getting some things done." Rosedust chimed in and bowed slightly.
"Ah Twilight-chan you truly have made the castle more beautiful. I am looking forward to the party." The group entered as well filling up the castle more yet the castle didn't seem to be getting filled.
Twilight merely bowed and smiled while the groups intermingled and ate the snacks that several of the ponies were helping to make for everyone within the castle.
'Why are there so many ponies here!' Twilight's thoughts screamed out when another knocked appeared at the door. There stood two dragonesses.
"Hello Twilight. We have come since Spike said there was something that was going to be happening here. We're not too late are we." Ember spoke out first.
"Nah doesn't look like it but where's Spike?" Mina interjected innocently enough but Ember ignored it mostly due to what Spike said about keeping bad feelings down for at least this day.
"He'll be back soon. He's just getting some things done for the Princesses in Canterlot then he'll teleport back in." Twilight gave her best smile even though her mane was frazzled beyond belief.
The two dragonesses entered as well while Twilight began to breathe heavily. A lot of things were going on and the pressure was starting to get too high. Then a burst of light appeared nearby revealing both Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. Behind them was Spike and Discord looking a bit tired but overall they were smiling.
"Princess it's so good to see you. Please explain to me what's going on!?" Twilight whispered loudly while she stared up at Celestia.
"Oh it's just part of the gift we are giving all the ponies, changeling, and dragons that are here. Discord had finally been reeled down to what we are going to see for his chaos gift. Also don't worry we made sure to get the best lawyer for this." Celestia explained as Twilight finally calmed down.
"Before that could you see if Sunset would be willing to come here as well." Celestia was about to say to Twilight when Discord snapped his talons and Sunset appeared utterly confused at everything that was going on.
"Why am I here...? What happened?" Sunset looked around noticing the hooves and then Discord. Everything clicked. "Oh..."
"Don't worry Sunspot. Just needed you for something courtesy of Celestia." Discord smiled out while he placed Sunset in front of the sisters.
"It's good to see you once again Sunset. Are you alright?" Celestia intoned. Luna for her part had gotten lost in the crowds and mingling with everypony around.
"Yeah...I was just taking a nap before Pinkie's party was about to start. My world's Pinkie mind you."
"Of course. Well don't worry I just would like you around for a short while to see this gift that will be revealed shortly. Then we'll send you back in time before the party can start. Is that alright?"
"Of course Princess. I would love to see what's going to happen."
With all the pieces set and Twilight and Cadance filled in about the plan Celestia took center stage in front of everyone who attended. Silence permeated the entire halls.
"Welcome everypony to the celebration and we are here to give you something that you remember for the rest of your lives. Though you'll have to be prepare for something beyond your understanding. Please prepare yourself." Celestia bowed slightly.
Discord prepared his chaos magic pooling a lot of in his claw while Celestia, Luna, Cadance and Twilight pooled the magic into the sphere as well extending the effects even further. The sphere exploded in a cascade of colors as the entire party and every guest was in a large magical bubble floating out in space.
"Everyone ready for the show!" Discord called out and with another snap of his talons sunglasses appeared on every single being's eyes stuck permanently. Some tried to pull them off but relented when Luna spoke up.
"FOOLS KEEP THE GLASSES ON!" Luna shouted causing many of the ponies to trust in their princesses but remain wary of what was going on.
Out in the distance there was a giant explosion creating a new nebula. Countless stars shot out expanding from their creation point. Comets formed from ice and shot out to sail through the cosmos. A new sun formed in the distance as new planets took their place as well. Then Discord began to move his arms around while Celestia and Luna focused their magic to give him a bit more power. Several stars began to move around floating through the cosmos and forming words across the darkened space before them.
HAPPY HEARTH'S WARMING EVERYONE!
The light and creation of a new universe along with the message created out of the stars and the chaotic way they were moved touched the hearts of every single being. With another snap of his talons alongside a burst of magic from Cadance and Twilight and the party returned to the castle. Some ponies had tears while others were in awe. Rosedust kept herself calm but even she was impressed by what she saw. Though she would never say it aloud or think about it ever again. Thorax, on the other hoof, was voicing his impressed nature.
Ember and Mina were standing with Spike impressed with the view that was shown to them. Everypony cheered for everyone on the stage and the party continued on.
The party continued through the night and as soon as it ended the old group of the mane six, Starlight, Spike, Trixie, Discord, and Gilda were sitting around the table and preparing some new character sheets.
"Ready everypony? You are adventurers meeting up at a tavern..."
Session 46.1 Alex Warlorn
As a special note, last night at the party, Luna had been very delighted to find Pipsqueak among the crowd as well, and was determined to spoil the foal rotten this Hearth Warming Eve.
Meanwhile, Prince Rutherford, was having a polite conversation with a 'Princess Crystal Winter', and her very young daughter, Filly Doll. The unicorn and her daughter's fur was as white as snow, her mane pale blue as crystal, her eyes were like emeralds, her cutie mark was a dragon fly, the regalia she wore was golden with sapphires.
The mare was grateful that nopony yet had discovered the 'Spike Vision' hex that was still on the little dragon. She considered bringing her other two children with her as well, but she didn't trust her son's appetite nor her older daughter's bad attitude. All the same, the insane amount of love at a gather this large was more than enough to supply her, her children, and her minions for the long cold unloving winter months ahead. She still had a family to feed after all.
This day actually meant a lot to her too, her babies couldn't feed off the hatred the Windigos had tended and harvested, their destruction had been a gift to her as well.
Even Princess Crystal Winter was left in awe and almost humbled by the sheer magnitude and glory before her seeing the great birth of creation itself. The rest of those who had remained loyal to her (along with changeling criminals) had a Spike's Eye View of the event as well. Don't let it be said that Princess Crystal Winter didn't appreciate beauty.
Princess Crystal Winter that evening DID manage to play a nice game of Munchkin with some of the elite present. Oh she wanted to strangle the life out of the unicorn who had turned her babies against her, and mutated them into monsters, but she'd have vengeance another day. For now she'd settle on the unicorn's Elf getting Instant Killed By 'The Thing With Too Many Tentacles.' While she herself grabbed the Singing Chainsaw of Sweet Doom' card for her Tiefling. And stealing the final level up from that other mare. Princess Crystal Winter left with Filly Doll after it began to remind her that might have actually been happy during her games with Cadenza.
(Pupa noun ORIGIN late 18th cent.: modern Latin, from Latin pupa ‘girl, doll.')
Session 46.3 Alex Warlorn
Sunset opened her enchanted journal that Princess Twilight had the twin of. It had given it 'pager buzzing.' Happy to hear from her friend Sunset Shimmer opened the book to find.
'Join us. Join Accord. The world of humans is such a disorderly and chaotic place, worse than Equestria. It too shall be made part of Accord. You really should try it Sunset.'
"... Yep! Time to barricade the portal again!"
She also looked for that folder Princess Twilight had given her, the one marked, 'In Case I Am Brainwashed (Again)'.
Session 46.3 Ardashir
Outside Canterlot High that night, a pair of figures in only slightly ridiculous ninja costumes approached the mirror gate beneath the equestrian statue.
"Okay, Lemon Zest," Sunny Flare crouched in a patch of shadow, keeping her eyes on the prize. "Remember why we're here -- Lemon Zest!"
"What?" Her, well, associate said (the Shadowbolts were still working on the whole 'friends' thing). She cranked up the sound on her headset. "What, you wanna hear some of these tunes?" Before Sunny could say anything, Lemon took her headset and slapped it over her ears. "Rock hard, Sunny! Then let's get back to Magic Horseland! I wanna meet that big weirdo-whatever-he-was guy again!"
"GAH!" Sunny Flare yanked the set off. Lemon snatched her headset back and put it back on. Sunny rubbed the bridge of her nose and counted to ten, slowly. "Not that! Look, we both want to get back on the other side of that mirror gate, remember? You so you can party, me so I can bring back a trunkful of precious gems." She pointed to the old traveling trunk she'd brought along, currently filled with oats and carrots. She studied economics, after all; she'd need something to trade those dopey ponies for a bunch of stones they couldn't even use. "Well, that won't happen if we make a racket! So let's get going."
She crossed over to the statue. No one saw her or Lemon, who didn't move stealthily but simply walked over, snapping her fingers in time to her music.
Sunny slapped her forehead. Once more she yanked the headset from Lemon's ears. "Must you make so much noise?!? Someone's gonna catch us at this rate!"
"Uh, Sunny, it's like, two in the morning." Lemon pointed up at the full moon floating high in a clear and chill Winter night sky. "No one but us is here."
"Actually, someone is."
Sunny leaped, yelled, and managed to get her hands raised in what she fondly imagined was a martial arts position. Lemon watched in confusion as she yelled, "No sudden moves, buddy! I studied Hung Gar Kung Fu for, like, years! I know the Shaolin Hand of Death! I..." She blinked to see Twilight in front of her "Oh, the egghead defector again. What are you doing here?"
"Studying night life? What?" Lemon Zest said as Sunny facepalmed again.
"I'm here to keep an eye on the mirror gate until Sunset can get here and close it," Sci-Twi looked past the two Shadowbolts and saw the trunk. "What the heck? Is that carrots and oats I smell?"
"Never mind!" Sunny snapped. She tried to maneuver closer to the gate. "We're ah, playing a game. Yeah, that's it."
"What game? Sci-Twi asked, suspicious.
"The 'how fast can we con those weirdo ponies out of their gems' game? OW!" Lemon rubbed her head where Sunny had swatted her.
"Wow, that crappy music really didn't kill all your nerve endings," Sunny grumbled before picking up one end of the trunk. "Okay, it was fun meeting you again egghead, except not. Now take a hike. Lemon and I have to make first contact with ponykind, or something like that."
"No, girls! Listen!" Sci-Twi pointed at the mirror gate. "Something's going wrong in Equestria! Sunset got a weird message from -- some of the ponies we know. Something's gone wrong, and..."
"And we're done talking; bye-bye!" Twilight went rolling as the two Shadowbolts charged past her and through the mirror gate.
"No!" She shrieked, but none was left to hear.
On the other side, a Unicorn and an Earth pony burst through.
"Hah!" Sunny Flare said. She trotted over to a convenient mirror and examined herself. She strutted back and forth, watching her reflection with a critical eye. She grinned at herself, winked, and rolled her flanks. "Oh, yeah, look at that! Prime horsemeat! No stallion will be able to resist me! I'm gonna be rich in no time!" She turned and saw Lemon standing still, bobbing her head to her tunes. She yanked it off. "Lemon! We got everything we're gonna need to intimidate these primitives into making us rich?"
"Uh," Lemon opened the trunk instinctively with her magic, moved the bags of oats and carrots aside, and drew out several items. "Okay, we have the lighter, the portable DVD player and four movies, and the almanac so we can predict the eclipse when they try to sacrifice us to their god." She blinked. "Wait, why would an almanac for our planet work here?"
"Duh, Lemon Zest," Sunny Flare rolled her eyes. She pointed out a nearby window. "It's night here just like back home, so obviously it runs on the same time." She loaded the trunk back up, and put it on Lemon's back. "Now let's get going. I'm finally gonna prove I didn't waste everyone's time when I kept insisting we play all those games of 'Settlers of Canterlot'!"
Session 46.4 QuartzScale
The days before Hearth Warming
Spike and Discord were before the two Princesses at the heaviest moment of their lives. It would change the very fate of Equestria and the world as a whole with that one decision. It was decided to acquiesce to the idea of a gift of that magnitude but something had to be decided before hand.
"So we go through this game for at least four songs and then we'll perform the gift on Hearth Warming right?" Discord eyed both sisters cautiously.
"Yes we've been needing two beings with fingers who could help us accomplish this task but the only other beings were Diamond Wolves who decided not to come for some reason and the griffons who were too busy with their preparations. So are you up to the challenge?" Luna poked fun at the two.
"Of course we will though why am I here Princess?" Spike asked.
"You're our mediator just in case new developments come up. Plus you are family as well and it wouldn't be Hearth's Warming without you." Celestia spoke up cutting off Luna who went to set up their specialty room specifically designed by Twilight.
The four beings walked through the halls to where the machines were set up. There were two styles of guitar. One seemed to be a bass and the other was the lead. There was also a set of drums set up. Celestia's magic instantly held the drumsticks ready to start while Luna held on to the microphone.
"Bass or Lead Discord?" Spike looked at the choices before him and let Discord choose his fate.
"Lead. Like there was any other choice." Setting themselves up all the settings were set to expert level and five songs were chosen. All were from the realm behind the mirror where Sunset lived.
The first song on the list was Don't Be Fooled Again. Every single second of that song burned Spike's claws and Discord was forced to form another arm just to keep up with the strumming when his main arm got tired. Luna at least kept her voice from flowing into the Royal tones and Celestia was easing into the drumming lifestyle.
The second song was Foreplay/Long Time and barely took it any easier on the four. Barely they were able to finish as some of the servants brought ice for the would be guitarists. The moment their fingers touched the ice it melted into steam. Celestia was forced to rest her horn in the ice as well which for some reason burst into flames. They hadn't even been trying that hard to begin with but the ice didn't lie... couldn't lie anymore.
Each song got worse by the second and forced them to the limits of their physical capabilities. Flirting with Disaster came up next and pushed them even further to the depths of madness. Luna was beginning to feel a bit hoarse. The songs were definitely getting harder.
"Do masochists only play this game!" Luna cried out just after the song ended.
"Yup." The other three monotonously answered.
The fourth song started up Highway Star leading to an all out war with trying to keep up as well as they could. Spike was starting to feel the pain even worse. Luna was panting for breath and Celestia's horn had started to fade out. Discord had even resorted to his seventh arm.
Finally at the end the last song came on the screen, They began to play Run to the Hills which caused them to give their all for the final burst of playing. After the song ended all four fell to the ground exhausted. With a bit of effort the maids brought them refreshments just to get them back on their feet and hooves.
"Ok Discord we'll agree to go along with this spell but we have to broadcast it over the entire world. If you can do that then everything will be fine." Celestia croaked out from the fatigue.
Celestia managed to teleport Luna and herself off to their observatory where they began to write out messages for Prince Rutherford and King Thorax. Another message was sent to the Dragon Lord Ember and the the representative of Dragon Town.
Discord and Spike were warped once again. While tired they managed to make it back to the interdimensional game room and contacted both Captain Goodguy and Nightmare Discord. With the plan in motion orbs of magic appeared in every kingdom, every town, and even tartarus with the exception of Changeling's Winter Court.
"Welcome everypony on the entire planet. Discord here with a message from the Princess of the Sun and the Princess of the Moon." Discord bowed happily revealing the two.
"Keep watch of this orb starting Hearth's Warming Eve. We have a gift for every nation. A once in a lifetime event that will be talked about to the ends of time and beyond. None shall want to miss this event!" Luna exclaimed.
"Princess tested. Princess approved." Celestia chimed in.
King Erik watched in rapt attention as Discord formed the chaos orb in his hand then the entire citizenry was shocked by the sudden explosion of colors.
King Aspen and his deers kept watch as the comets flew out and appreciated it with all the courtesy they could manage.
Griffonstone watched with bated breathe and for the first time in a while they vigorously decided it was time to restore their kingdom to glory.
Emperor Blackthorn watched with feigned interest until the supernova occurred. His sons and him decided not to go against Discord unless they had a plan.
Queen Cicada and her sister watched while the galaxy was formed. While impressed they didn't want to give Discord too much credit. Reformed or otherwise this was not to be.
Even those races of giants and minotaurs which were hardly seen were amazed by the formation of a new nebula and remembered that magic truly was powerful and not to be underestimated.
Baltimare, Manehattan, Appleloosa, Dodge Junction, Cloudsdale, Hollow Shade, Canterlot, Fillydelphia, Las Pegasus, Our Town and the Crystal Empire all cheered as the stars were moved by the royal sisters and the draconequus.
It was going to be a good year.
Session 46.5 Kendell2
"Wait, what about Button Mash?" the Changeling Sweetie Belle asked.
Alula, Tootsie, and Twist were all sick today unfortunately. Cheerilee would give them some instructions and catch them up.
"I'm here!" called Button, bounding up and skidding to a stop next to them. He was now a little brown deer fawn.
The CMC cringed and looked to each other. "Think he'll blow up on us if we step on a bug?" Scootaloo asked, knowing about King Aspin and his group from Rainbow Dash.
The CMC looked to Button who if anything seemed MORE hyper and playful than normal. He didn't seem high and mighty at all.
"Alright, let's begin the game, shall we?" Cheerliee asked, the void vanishing and them finding themselves in a forest.
Button Mash, to the CMC's surprise, simply looked more happy and peaceful...even when Snips suplexed a fallen log. Just because he could.
"Huh...guess deer aren't jerks..." Sweetie Belle said. "He still...tastes like Button Mash."
"So I guess King Aspin is just a jerk?" Scootaloo added, voice still that of a Breezie.
"...Does that surprise anypony at all?" Applebloom asked. "Tick for tack was his only law."
Session 46.6 Kendell2
"Alright...Twilight, are you sure you're ready for this?" Sunset asked.
Twilight nodded with a gulp. "As I'll ever be..."
The group were playing World of Horsecraft and had finally made it to the mission Twilight had admittedly feared this entire time.
At the edge of the Frozen North, the group headed through an icy dungeon, fighting shadow monsters of various sorts with Cadence as a Guest Star Party Member (a pretty good one, admittedly, particularly as a healer)...until they met HIM.
"Hello...Cadence..." said Tarnished Armor, marching forwards as a horde of Sombra's shadow minions and Changelings parted.
Technically speaking, it was possible to fight Chrysalis first then Tarnished Armor, the two were unlocked at the same time and both 'Climax Bosses' that needed defeated before the route to the final dungeon could be unlocked...but when they'd tried, Chrysalis had a MASSIVE buff from Shining Armor's love she was munching on and they'd decided the extra exp wasn't worth it.
"Shining...please snap out of this! I can feel your heart screaming! This isn't you!" the Princess Cadence NPC pleaded.
"Shining Armor isn't here," the Black Knight replied, pulling out a crystal broadsword. Though the lore stated it was a duplicate of the real Blade of Deepest Shadow was held by King Sombra and this was a 'shard' of the real thing given to him. "He's gone, Princess. And he's never coming back."
Cadence teleported and touched horns to Tarnished Armor, letting off a spell, but the sword held on his back glowed and threw her off. "I told you. Shining Armor isn't here. There is only Tarnished Armor!"
The Cadence NPC gave a glare. "No, he's not gone! And we WILL get him back!"
Twilight took a deep breath. "Let's do this..."
=Fight the Knight - Sonic and the Black Knight=
The battle was VERY difficult, as to be expected.
The first phase consisted of Tarnished Armor putting a barrier around himself and using his fake Blade of Deepest Shadow and they had to fight their way through it. The next phase involved a more melee focused phase, but him still using the sword primarily.
It was during this that Rainbow Dash noticed something. "Hey, girls, anyone notice we can target his sword?"
Sci Twi blinked. "...She's right! Should we target it?"
Sunset and Princess Twilight nodded and everyone changed their focus to the False Blade of Deepest Shadow, which revealed it had its own separate health bar.
After hammering away at it for several minutes (and going through plenty of healing items and the Cadence NPC's mana), they finally depleted the Sword's heath bar, causing a cutscene to trigger of it shattering.
Tarnished Armor roared, grabbing his head. "C-Cadence! H-Help me!" called his voice with no demonic modulation as he'd had before. "No one can help you!" yelled the demonic voice before the Black Knight regained composure and produced a two headed crystal trident in his telekinesis. "You'll never get away!"
"Destroying the sword weakened the spell!" Cadence exclaimed. "Keep him busy! I think I can free him now!"
"Oh yeah! That did it!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed. "Let's finish this!"
The next phase consisted of surviving against Tarnished Armor's considerably stronger attacks and protecting Cadence while she cast a spell on the Black Knight. Which wasn't easy and Twilight ended up using her fair share of revival spells until the spell finally charged up all the way, triggering another cutscene.
Each of their heroes pinned Tarnished Armor down and allowed Cadence to pounce on his chest and touch a horn to his head, unleashing a spell Twilight recognized.
Everyone was thrown off by a blast of magic as Tarnished floated into the air, writhing and holding his head as pink light erupted out of the gaps in his armor. Finally, in a heart shaped explosion, the armor was blown off and Shining Armor fell to the ground.
"SHINING!" yelled Cadence, running to his side and nuzzling him.
The stallion groaned. "C-Cadence...I-I'm sorry...I let them...this is my..."
Cadence shut him up with a kiss. "There are ponies to blame, and you're not one...I'm just glad to finally have you back..."
"Aww..." everyone who wasn't Rainbow Dash said, who merely did a 'gag me' expression, though a good natured one.
However, the group jumped as a scare cord rang out and the scattered armor rattled on the ground before flying back together and reassembling itself, a shadow filling in where Shining had with a roar, pointing its duel sided trident their way.
ARMOR OF DARKNESS
"...Okay, has a second form...did not see that coming," Applejack muttered.
Shining Armor took a fighting stance. "I'm done being used by you!"
"This nightmare ends now!" Cadence exclaimed.
=Burn in Dispair - Undertale=
The new phase was still difficult (a bit more than the previous one), but unlike the previous two, had no specific additional thing, just deplete its health bar and they had Shining Armor as another guest party member (his defensive spells were pretty good and he had decent attack).
It also got new moves, including one where it twirled its halberd in front of it to build up a wave motion gun.
However, finally its health bar was depleted and it a cutscene played of it roaring out, energy erupted out of its body before it exploded violently, leaving a shard of crystal behind.
"Well...glad that's over..." Twilight said with a sigh, smiling as the cutscene showed Cadence nuzzled Shining Armor.
They'd later learn Armor of Darkness was an optional phase that only came if you destroyed the copy of the Blade of Deepest Shadow, if you didn't, Shining would be out of action after his armor was destroyed and not play more of a role in the story until the ending and you wouldn't get Armor of Darkness' drops.
Both Twilights were glad they did it right.
Session 46.7 QuartzScale
King Aspen wearily watched over his kingdom. The incident of being used like a chess piece by that... Fluttershy, had been mortifying enough but more news came out after that. Some of his citizens were angry at the constant ignorance that their race got more due to his temper rather than nature. With heavy heart he decided something needed to be done. While it was not the best of plans it needed something subtle and simple to get his people through this time... even if that time required a new leader. Blackthorn had been one of the few to get along well with the ponies and managed to be understanding enough to keep his cool. Albeit it was under trying times when their forest home had been in danger.
His horns glowed in a magical field. While not known by many Deers could use basic telekinesis with their horns but most of their magic was nature based and required a great attunement with the very forest itself. They weren't powerless outside of the forest but it was limited whenever nature was being overwhelmed by ‘progress'.
"I need you to summon Blackthorn to the rest area." King Aspen talked to his attendant Willow Reed.
"Right away sire."
With the order sent out the king bounded over to the private rest area. It was a homely copse deep within his Tree palace. The table was made of special mahogany bark that had shed from the tree luckily not torn or stripped from the tree by intervention. On that table was a deck of cards. It was to be something of a change since most of the world changed into one of games to settle matters. Tonight the plan was set.
Blackthorn entered the room and stood across from the King who was absent mindedly shuffling a deck of cards. Willow Reed stood off to the side ready to serve until a clacking of the king's hooved reached her ear. It was a signal he used only during serious times. She left the room ear hanging low. It meant there was going to be a big decision which would affect their entire kingdom and Blackthorn noticed that he was the only left within the room.
"Sit."
The tone didn't betray any emotion. It was neutral even. Blackthorn sat and kept his muzzle shut with his imagination roaming to random places. There had been reports of things happening in Canterlot and a few of his guards were wondering whether or not they would be assisting in matters. Usually they kept themselves out of pony problems due mostly in part to the machinations of their first king, King Sequoia. He had been very... dismissive about Princess Celestia and managed to keep his kingdom out of the problems that those ponies had brought. First Discord, then the rise of Nightmare Moon. Finally the release of Tirek had been the final straw leaving the deer exasperated by the lax security of the ponies in question. The treaty held but whenever talk about security came up Celestia mentioned that she would handle it. That had not been a good confidence since she had been captured by the former Queen Chrysalis during that wedding they had assured was important.
It was at that moment that King Aspen had put in some more isolationist reforms mostly due to not needing food nor materials to be shipped in. The Everfree forest had provided everything.
"Blackthorn, We are playing a game with high stakes. If you refuse to follow the outcome or try to lose on purpose you will be thrown in jail."
The statement was cold. It was an order from a ruler and there was no way to refuse it.
"Understood."
Blackthorn knew his ruler well enough that it was not a threat. It was a promise. The stakes would be something high and something he would have to accept no matter the circumstances. The cards were dealt and finally the terms were set.
"Appleloosa Hold'em. One hoof, no fold."
Two cards face down for both were set on the table. Three cards were flipped over. The King of Diamonds, the Queen of Hearts, the Queen of Diamonds. Blackthorn lifted his cards seeing the Ten of Diamonds and the Ace of Diamonds. Blackthorn said nothing nor did he react. He still didn't know what the stakes were.
"Stakes sire?" Blackthorn intoned but King Aspen ignored the question.
"Don't worry about it now. Check?"
A tap of his hoof another card was flipped next to the flop. This turn revealed the Jack of Spades appeared. If nothing else he at least had a straight. King Aspen said nothing but looked at his cards still with a confident smile, yet Blackthorn noticed that he wasn't truly smiling. It was a false smile he had kept for a while now. Never truly being part of the world. Another tap and another card was revealed. In the river appeared The Jack of Diamonds.
Blackthorn wanted to react but the necessity of being forced to win made him nervous. He must know what it was he was being forced to do.
"Sire... the stakes if you please?" Blackthorn kept his tone subservient if for nothing else than to keep the King mellow.
"As you wish," the tone was empty and hollow. "We are betting the throne. Should I win I'll be keeping it. If you win you shall be set upon the throne as the ruler of our kingdom."
A cold wind blew through the room. Blackthorn nervously pawed at the table. He didn't want this. While his King was an asshole he was also one of the few kings who had given a damn of his people as more than groveling servants. Arrogance masked the fact that the King took care of the elderly writing them off as invalids when he made sure to provide them a decent way of life and comfortable homes with some of his personal guards acting as their caretakers. Pride masked through his son provided the schools better teaching materials and did promote tolerance and respect for other races even though he himself saw pony guards as incompetent most of the time if only because they had never truly fought for survival like most other nations have done.
"Sire... Please reconsider... This is madness." A hoof was raised silencing Blackthorn.
"My decision. Show your hoof now Blackthorn." The tone was final. It meant that this game was for the fate of the kingdom. Quite literally in fact.
The hoof was flipped over. King Aspen had the Queen of Spades and the Queen of Clubs. There is was four of a kind. Blackthorn's frown intensified he had won but this felt so wrong... his cards flipped over and revealed his hand. A royal flush... by sheer luck.
"Hail the new king, " Aspen said aloud but he wasn't angry or disappointed. It was once again neutral. "Tomorrow we'll hold your coronation and send word to other dignitaries. We won't mention why for the change. If you require it I'll stay on as an advisor but nothing more."
"Yes sire."
"I'm not your king anymore Blackthorn. Remember that while you sleep."
Blackthorn left with his head spinning while Willow Reed enter the room closing the door behind her and leaving her alone with her now former ruler.
"Why did you do that?" There were tears in her eyes.
"Because there must be change. I'm too old for that. We need someone not painted by disappointment in the work of others and who can keep up with this changing world. I'm too old for that. Plus my temper has been getting worse since that chess incident. It's time for change." Aspen said wistfully staring out the window.
"No... not that. I'm saying why did you cheat!" Aspen's eyes went wide open.
"What do you mean?"
"I've seen you use that deck before back whenever you played pranks on your closest friends and for friendly games. That trick deck of yours I would
recognize anywhere." Her glare solidified on the former king.
"I see. You recognized it." The glare did nothing to him. The back of the cards had the emblem of his own house on it. The difference from the mass produced ones was that the tree had been painted bronze on his particular deck.
"Why?"
"I answered why. We need a better leader and I can't do that anymore. Unfortunately that stubborn fool is too loyal. He knows my deeds and sees merit in my demeanor. It had to be shaken and changed so he would have no choice in the matter. I also made it so he couldn't order me to return to the throne by telling him I would only be an advisor and only an advisor. His loyalty is strong but it must go towards our fellow deer. Not towards me."
Unsatisfied by the answer Willow merely nodded wiping the tears from her muzzle. King Aspen sighed as he watched his people trot around the streets of his city blissfully unaware just how much that their world was about to change.
"For now Willow I think it's time for tea. Would you mind serving me one last time?"
"For you sire of course." Willow bowed down a bit too deeply. This was the last time that King Aspen would be on the throne and it was her duty to serve faithfully.
For that night the world seemed to be at peace and during that night King Aspen smiled genuinely for the first time in many months.
Session 46.8 Kendell2
"It is a pleasure to meet you...King Blackthorn," Celestia said, seated at a table with the new Deer King. The former king Aspen sat in the advisory role he had chosen for himself.
The new King nodded. "Aspen said it would be wise to meet with out allies and affirm my positions...I'm still developing them..."
He had a meeting with the new Changeling King Thorax later that day. To his surprise, he discovered the Changeling's Father Deity was named Emperor Blackthorn. That would be confusing.
"A wise decision," Celestia replied with a smile. "I was shocked to hear King Aspen's decision...but I will attempt to help with what he desires to bring about...You have the same questions about my handling of certain events as he does, I imagine?"
Blackthorn nodded. "Specifically your security...or apparent lack of there of."
"I see," the Dayarch said, not angry, not defensive, merely motherly. "Tell me, Blackthorn, how do you define the word security?"
"The ability to keep your people safe."
"And why do you believe I am lacking in these qualities?"
"Allowing all these villains to escape their seals and reek havoc," the new deer king explained, trying his best to appear neutral. "Your guard seems borderline useless."
Celestia nodded. "I consider those personal failures...but allow me to answer your curiosity in a way Aspen never had the patience to actually hear out. That should be a good measure of if his faith in you bringing about understanding and change is well placed, would not?"
Blackthorn nodded slowly as Celestia's horn flashed and a boardgame appeared between them. It was some kind of strategy army management game.
"This is a game of my own design. I call it 'Our War Game'. Consider it a parable..." the Queen of the Day explained. "Every time I tried to play it with Aspen, he would have none of it. I hope you will humor me."
Aspen did indeed roll his eyes, but said nothing.
Blackthorn nodded slowly. "Alright, let's try."
"We'll play several games..." Celestia replied.
To Blackthorn's surprise, Celestia gave HIM the Equestrian set and herself a set representing King Sombra.
"Take note. There are no Bearers. No heroes. Only guards. As you can see in the stats, the guards are probably stronger than you anticipated."
Blackthorn nodded. "Yes...quite..." He was also surprised to find each and EVERY piece had a name and full bio with loved ones, goals, and ambitions.
"Remember. If this were an ACTUAL war, each and every piece you control would be a LIFE, Blackthorn. A person with loved ones and ambitions. Someone just as alive and real as you are. Your goal is to stop King Sombra. Now let's begin."
To say the game was brutal was an understatement. Sombra and his Crystal Pony slaves were a complete even match for his Celestia and Equestrian army...but that was the entire problem: it was EVEN. Causalities mounting on both sides.
In the end, he BARELY won...but at the cost of over 70 percent of his army and 80 percent of Sombra's, and destruction of infrastructure on both sides.
To make matters worse. With each death, Celestia showed the Crystal Pony's cards ALSO contained the same detailed bios of his own pieces, including the fact they were just brainwashed slaves with no agency over their actions. Celestia kept it to herself they'd learned that due to Starlight's time travel plot, but did mention the discovery of Sombra's study at the castle.
"You won, Blackthorn...was it really worth it?" the Princess of the Day asked, never becoming mean or condescending. Always kind and warm.
"Worth it? Seventy percent of my men are dead! And...I practically committed genocide!" the deer king muttered.
"Not to mention your surviving soldiers are now battlehardened soldiers with no war to fight and many of them suffering either physical loss or mental suffering due to the horrors of war," Celestia replied.
Blackthorn shuddered at the thought.
"Well you got Sombra back for it. Tit for tat, correct?" Celestia asked, in a rare moment shooting Aspen a look.
Blackthorn's eyes went wide. His hooves trembled a little bit.
"Next game..." Celestia said and reset the board. This time she played TWO pieces and two pieces alone: Discord and Lord Tirek. But both had stats that DWARFED even Celestia and Sombra pieces by such a margin it was blatantly unfair to face them head on.
In the end, Blackthorn managed to kill them both, but at the cost of 80 percent of his army.
Next was Chrysalis and her Changeling army. Like with Sombra, each and every Changeling piece had a name, a personality, and a detailed bio.
That one he lost, in large part due to the 'infiltration skill' exclusive to their cast.
"Now, I'll introduce more pieces to your side..." Celestia explained, placing Luna, Cadence, and figures of Twilight and her friends on his side. With fitting stats both in power and the Elements included. They were ALL he had...but it was all he needed.
The Elements and other means they provided made the battle, while still challenging and requiring strategy and thought, much easier than when he had an army. No losses.
"One final game, then we shall speak about the meaning of this," Celestia explained, resetting his side of the board and making her side a disconnected assortment of mundane criminals and a few organized crime syndicates.
Blackthorn found that, like with the mane six and princesses pieces, he beat them with effort, but it was doable. He had losses, but not NEARLY the 60 to 80 percent of his army.
"So...what have you gathered from this about open war with a foe powerful enough to make the world shake?" Celestia questioned, never losing her kind and motherly tone.
"...The only way to win is not to play..." Blackthorn admitted, expression and tone forlorn. Aspen was speechless.
"And when you have only a group of heroes with the strength and cunning to match those great evils?" Celestia continued.
"...You can win..."
"And when facing mundane criminals and malefactors with an army of well trained guards?"
"...You can win..."
Celestia nodded. "...'Security.' Your definition is keeping your people safe. The guard COULD win some of these situations...but why send over half my people to needless deaths when a group of heroes can win without losses?...You know how powerful myself and my sister are, correct?"
Blackthorn nodded. He hated to admit it...but he knew even Aspen was a fly compared to those two. To the damage they could cause if they ever truly tried.
"...Imagine if when Nightmare Moon returned, instead of arranging for my student and her friends to purify her, the two of us battled to the death. The power of two gods laid bare and fully unleashed."
The Deer King could only shudder at the thought.
"...Using the guard to battle these threats was ALWAYS a contingency. A plan B...because as you said, the only way to TRULY win that kind of game is not to play. Twilight and her friends can do the things my sister and myself once did with the Elements: use a weapon that can defeat great evil without the cost of war. If it's a great evil they are not needed to overcome, myself and Luna handle it quietly and quickly as possible. If it's mundane crime, the guard can and has handled it, thus why Equestria is so peaceful and happy...Now that you've seen this, do you understand why I fight my battles this way?"
Blackthorn nodded slowly. "...And allowing the evils to escape?"
"Simple: for every evil that has reemerged, many more remained sealed behind spells that hold strong," Celestia explained. "Tartarus has had only two breakouts in its thousands of years of operation...I am not perfect, I have failings and times I have fallen short. But my failings are just that: times I have fallen short. And that is something EVERY leader does eventually...it's only when they do not LEARN from it that they truly become a failure. I have checked many imprisoned evils and strengthened their seals. I told you I would handle it and I have."
Aspen said nothing...but lowered his head mortified. As Celestia had said, every single time Celestia and tried to show him this parable, he never listened. He never TRIED or WANTED to listen...because he was too busy thinking he MUST be right. That his beliefs were rock solid and should not change...
"Now, enough of this talk about drama and destruction," Celestia said. "How about we play Crystals and Rainbows 3.5?"
"I don't know what that is...but I think it's called for..." Blackthorn said with a deep breath.
Session 46.9 Kendell2
At the Hearth's Warming party, Rainbow Dash simply enjoyed the festivities (though she admitted the Princesses and Discord had probably outdone nearly every Hearth's Warming present ever).
"Rainbow Dash! Darling!"
Rainbow spat out her punch. "M-Mom?!" She turned to see Rainbow Dash Sr. behind her. "Oh! Mom! Hi...I knew dad would be here but I thought you'd be busy at work..."
"Oh, I finished early, darling. I wanted to see you for the holidays," the older Earth Pony replied, giving Rainbow a nuzzle.
Rainbow Dash blushed through her cyan fur. "Uh...yeah...that's cool. I'm so glad to see you."
"So am I. We hardly ever spend Hearth's Warming together anymore. Remember how we used to always make snow ponies? You loved stitching the hats with me."
"Y-Yeah...snow ponies...that was fun..." Rainbow Dash said, eyes darting around to make sure the other bolts weren't watching.
Rainbow Dash Sr. reached into her saddle bags and produced a present. "I brought you something, darling."
Rainbow took the present and looked at it. "Oh...thanks..."
"Well, open it, I want to see if you like it," the elder mare said.
The cyan pegasus sighed and opened the present, expecting some frilly dress or fancy hat she'd probably never wear...but instead found something unexpected.
She pulled out a scarf made out of a prismatic fabric that seemed to go through the colors of the rainbow when the light changed. It wasn't a typical scarf either, more like the bad flank ones some of the Masked Bug Riders wore. "This is...I..."
"Your friend Rarity taught me how to get the fabric. It seemed just so perfect for you, and now that you're a Wonderbolt this seemed a little more fitting a design for you, darling," Rainbow Dash Sr. said with a smile.
Rainbow slowly put it on, finding it made her look pretty bad flank if she said so herself. "...It's...actually pretty awesome...thanks mom..." she said, now feeling like a mule. no offense to the mules.
"You're welcome, darling!" the older Earth Pony replied. "Well, I'm going to go socialize! I hope you have a good evening!"
Rainbow Dash nodded as her mother waved...then looked down. Her eyes slowly wondered over to the CMC. "Hey...Mom?"
"Yes, darling?"
"Alright, you want to put the hat on, Scoots?" Rainbow Dash asked, the two Rainbow Dashes, the Crusaders, Button, Diamond, and Silver outside in front of a snow pony.
Scootaloo nodded and took the hat from Rainbow Dash Sr. and put it on the head of a complete (and well dressed) snow pony.
"Well done, darling," the elder Rainbow Dash said with a smile.
The two stood there watching the snow pony...
"...Mom?"
"Yes darling..."
"...There's something else that happens AFTER we make the snow pony if I remember right..." Rainbow Dash Jr. said with a smirk.
Rainbow Dash Sr.'s eyes widened. "Oh...I forgot about that...you don't need to do th-"
"SNOW BALL FIGHT!" Rainbow Dash called, throwing a snowball at her mother and hitting her in the face and knocking her hat off.
Rainbow Dash Sr. blinked, staring for a few moments through the cover of snow on her face....she then laughed. "...Alright, darling, you asked for it!" She admitted, having a kid like Rainbow Dash was the thing that had GOTTEN her to sometimes let her mane down and play 'dirty' activities like this.
The groups divided into Rainbow, Applebloom, Scootaloo, and Button Mash vs Rainbow Sr., Sweetie Belle, Diamond, and Silver.
Session 46.10 QuartzScale
"So..." Celestia was enjoying some tea while a small chess board was in front of her and former King Aspen. He merely looked at the board plotting his next move.
"No I don't regret my decision. My only regret is letting myself become what I was." Aspen moved his knight into an appropriate place and took a sip of his tea.
After the change Prince Bramble and him had some words. They weren't very nice either but both came to an understanding and a truth of his father's reign. King Aspen was just as long lived or immortal as Celestia and Luna. His ties to the very heart of the forest made him last so long as the forest remained. Bramble was the 10th son he had bless Faline's heart. They had the talk about the ruler that night which ended in shouting and many tears. Blackthorn had later mentioned that Bramble was technically his heir designate. He would take over should anything happen to him. That managed to perk him up but the road between father and son was going to be a long and harsh for recovery.
"That's not what I meant. I mean how long will this particular deer be your king?" Celestia tried her best to be warm but Aspen had always been one to guard his emotions. Their last game showed that only big motions could sway him... at least they were the only way before. Now he was a bit more on edge. Pawn was moved forward.
"As long as he can be. When his life runs out my son takes over then should he decide to he could either give it to his son or daughter while I continue to watch over my people the way I know how. I'm the old guard just like you and Luna are. I try to adapt with the times but sometimes it can get out of hoof." Aspen countered with a bishop.
"That seems a bit reckless don't you think?" Celestia's tone betrayed her but only for a moment. Concern etched on her face.
"No its progressive. Each ruler has something to add and its one of the viewpoints I have kept throughout my reign. Every 100 years I give one lucky buck the chance to rule over our kingdom while I watch over them and make sure they can handle it. Seven of them cracked under the pressure and two were considered Elysium sent when they brokered peace with certain tribes of reindeer and antelope. I'm always on retainer in case it gets to be too much. Every time they have given the throne back when they decided enough was enough." Aspen spoke candidly about their customs never noticing that Celestia surprise was painted on her muzzle. Rook takes knight.
"You've actually done that? But... what about King Sequoia? Wasn't he your first? Then you deposed him from the throne." Celestia moved her bishop to claim the rook.
"Yes but he was also a tyrant. While it is not well known he was not a very good leader. He led us into conflict with yaks back then which left us almost as isolationist as them. He was the first Heart of the Forest and by then he had failed in his task of keeping our people safe. It wasn't the way most history books would say it. The coup had been bloody but if you look in any pony history book it will say that he peacefully accepted that another would take the throne. He didn't." Aspen examined the board but there were very few places left that would keep him from losing the game.
"I see, " Celestia didn't know what to say. The deer had managed to close off their borders and most of her pegasi spies couldn't figure out what had happened. A week after that King Aspen formally met with Princess Celestia and set up the treaty between the nations. "I was wondering something else. You were much angrier back then was there any reason why?"
"Do you remember when Tirek managed to get out and apparently him and Princess Twilight were fighting outside the forest?" Aspen stopped looking at the board and stared directly at Celestia.
"Yes..." dread picked at Celestia's back.
"During that beam struggle that I heard about; Twilight's blast managed to break through many, many trees. Trees that Bramble was playing around because he didn't know better." Aspen absentmindedly moved a pawn forward.
Celestia's eyes widened. ‘Oh dear...'
"I don't blame her for that. Bramble was ok and Tirek was dealt with. As you made it clear all leaders make mistakes. My anger clouded my decisions and what didn't help was that Faline had passed so soon after. The constant dark times made it worse and right now I need to get better. I don't trust myself to be ruling right now and while Blackthorn will probably figure out how to get me on the throne again it will be a while until that happens." Aspen watched as the other rook came out.
"I hope my game didn't make things worse..." Celestia let her eyes glance off to the side where Blackthorn was in debate with Luna about something they couldn't hear.
"I'm glad you played it. I should have taken some time to try it out with you before hoof. Yet I was stuck in my ways again. While I know I'm old I didn't think I was getting to be that old. So for now I'm on a break. Whenever I feel I understand the world we are in better I'll just keep myself content in knowing I made a good decision in whom I placed on the throne." Aspen smiled as he moved his own bishop.
"Check."
Session 46.11 MagicMan001
Vordul was having a crummy winter.
Let's review: his only means of entertainment was broken, so now he'd no means of distracting himself from mind-crushing boredom. Worse, he'd jeopardized his position as the favorite nymph in his mother's eyes (that bucking inbred was going with her to crash Princess Twilight Flopple's party instead). Even more embarrassingly, after prematurely molting, he still hadn't developed a new chitin!
His body was a pale, sticky, flabby mess, as vulnerable as the day he hatched. Translucent slime seeped relentlessly through his pores and saturated the filly's sweater Mother forced him to wear to protect him from the cold (fat load of good that did!) Humiliating didn't begin to describe it. His exposed tender flesh swished and shivered like a huge jello bowl as he sulked miserably through the ruin hallways on Hearth's Warming Eve.
Hearth's Warming. Vordul hated the holiday. Once a year, pony colts and fillies woke up to a mountain of gifts under their Hearth's Warming tree. And he didn't! Because "changeling do not celebrate a commercialistic, nauseating claptrap holiday and blah, blah, blah!" Mother told him when he demanded an explanation about his distinct lack of yuletide goodies. "Besides, whatever you want, you know I'll get it for you anyway." He didn't care. If ponies got a ton of presents once a year, he deserved two tons!
Oh, and he was still hungry too.
Vordul's train of thought was disturbed when found himself in their ‘kingdom's' rec room, complete with pool tables where a couple of drones were playing, pinball machines, a vending machine and leather sofas. He trekked over to the sofa where he sighted his big sister curled up and strumming along on her guitar.
"S'up, Jiggles?" Imago mumbled apathetically. She paid him no heed as he heave-hoed himself onto the sofa next to her, but his constant grumbling under his breath and enormous, pasty white rump quivering in her direction were far too much to ignore.
She sighed, stopped strumming and took the bait.
"Okay. Why the long, fat face?"
"I'm freezing!" he bristled, face down in leather "And I'm hungry!"
"Well, maybe if you weren't such a morbidly obese turd, you wouldn't keep prematurely molting," she remarked without the faintest inkling of concern. "Oh, and thanks for ruining my favorite sweater by the way. You know, by all rights, I should be furious, but given how you and Mom have zero respect for my property to begin with, I stopped caring years ago."
Vordul actually managed to sit upright and hold out his greedy hooves.
"I need my huggies!"
She laughed mirthlessly, "Yeah, no!"
"Just turn into Mom for a few minutes," he whined, having the gall to put on the quivering lip act. "I need to get warm or I'll turn into a nymphsicle!"
"WOW. Okay, one: that's creepy beyond all reason, and two: I don't care. You are not getting your mucus on my guitar."
Imago hopped off the sofa and went over to knock a can of sparkling blue larva juice from the vending machine. She opened it with her fang and downed the whole can of toxic sugars and phosphates at once.
"So what am I supposed to do?!" Vordul sniffled. He started scooting along the leather in hope of creating friction burns.
She let out a deep, guttural burp, shattering the display window with its force. One of the changelings playing pool accidentally tore through the green felt with his cue. Vordul was impressed; even for him it required concentrated effort for him to turn his gas into a weapon. Maggie made it look like nothing but net.
"Well," she wiped the juice from her lips, "tell ya what, Sticky Buns? You know that tight-rumped Hearth's Warming party at Twilight Flopple's right now? The one Mom's taken Puka to?"
His puffy pale cheeks flushed green with jealousy at the thought of that inbred little puke been smothered with all of Mommy's attention and pony confectionaries.
"Yes..." the venom practically poured from his mouth.
Imago beaned one of the changelings across the head with her can. Rotten daggers flashed through her murderous grin.
"Let's crash it."
Session 46.12 Alex Warlorn
"CELLY DEAR!!!" Discord called in a singsong voice.
Celestia rolled her eyes. No longer Evil Incarnation or not, Discord could still get under your skin. "Yes Discord?"
Discord put on a pair of glasses and rolled out a scroll. "I would like to log a formal complaint about your recent tactical simulations with the newly appointed Deer King. The idea that a mere 80% of Equestria's armies would perish in a Killing War against the twin might of myself and Tirek, is insulting and belittling for an entity of my station. I've calculated that even if Tirek and I were fighting against each other, and Tirek started out at his weakest form, you'd lose 90% of your army at the bare minimum. And that's if everything went right for you and everything went wrong for me and Tirek. In particular if the girls and those oh so lovely Elements weren't available, Tirek's power could continue to feed on his own success with every pony he drained. While I could turn Royal Guards into mad ponies, that while dismal for long term strategy, would cause a feed back loop onto itself."
Celestia sighed. "I wasn't trying for 100% accuracy Discord, I was simply laying out the realities of war for King Blackthorn. And the realities of having the right ponies for the right jobs."
"I see... well, wanna play 4-1/2 D checkers?"
"Later. Opening presents."
"Okay."
"Don't worry Dissy, yours is over there."
"Dissy? Ugh! ... I'm the one who gives the pet names!" Discord opened his present... and turned into a draconequusling.
"Enjoy for 24 hours Dissy."
Session 46.13 sonicandmario826
The little draconequus grunted, "You're gonna pay for this 'Tia."
He suddenly heard a gasp and saw a yellow and pink blur heading his way. Before he could react he was pulled into a tight hug. "Oh Discord you look so adorable." He recognized the voice and saw that it was his dear friend Fluttershy.
Even though the draconequus had an annoyed look on his face he couldn't help but think, 'I guess it isn't that bad... but I'm still getting 'Tia back for this.'
Session 46.14 Ardashir
On the edge of the party, two wide-eyed unicorn foals -- one of them a male wearing a filly's attire -- looked around in awe. The male snatched some food from every tray he passed, even some belonging to other ponies. While the female, perhaps his sister, seemed to be looking for somepony in particular.
Not until they passed by a fearsome Changeling Queen did she gasp and drag her blubbery brother along with her to face Empress Blackrose.
"Grammy Blackrose!" The two foals hugged her enthusiastically.
"Foals, do I know you?" She blinked at the two unicorn foals. They grinned and returned to their normal selves in flashes of green fire. Blackrose gasped and hurried them behind a nearby curtain, closing the main party area off from the halls beyond.
"Grandnymphs!" She embraced the pair, wincing only a little at the touch of Vordul's bodily fluids. "You should not be here like this! Change back, now!" They tried giving her the pouty fangs. Blackrose frowned. They sighed and changed back to their pony forms.
"What are you two doing here?" Blackrose asked. "For that matter, where is your mother?" As they spoke they walked out from behind the curtain into the edges of the main room.
"Can we go home with you?" Imago asked. "Life with Mom, right now, well..."
Vordul turned away from his grandmother, almost inhaled a nearby tray of snacks -- "Food! Real food!" -- and nodded as the disgusted server headed back to the kitchens for more. "Yeah, life with Mom sucks these days now that she's a loser. Hey, why is that unicorn mare Crystal Winter grinding her teeth and glaring at us like... that..."
"Such charming foals," Crystal Winter snarled through gritted fangs as she walked over and gathered the two 'unicorns' up in a very tight embrace. "Pardon me, lady, but I'm supposed to be minding these two precious youngsters," she gave them both a hard 'friendly' pinch'. At Blackrose's glower, she added in a softly warning tone, "After all, nopony would want anything unpleasant to happen tonight of all nights, would they?"
"No," Blackrose said after a moment. "They wouldn't, would they," she leaned close and whispered, "Daughter?"
Crystal Winter gulped and hurried away with the two foals.
"What are you two doing here?!?" She hissed as soon as they found some privacy. "I left you both back at the new nest." She tilted her head. "Wait, how did you even get here? Nether of you have any money." Imago and Vordul immediately tried looking innocent. Crystal Winter's brow furrowed. Her lips peeled back in something like a snarl. "Where did you two get money?"
"Well, it was just laying there in your room, in the spell-locked safe, hidden behind the wall panel, with that Zebra voodoo doll of Starlight Glimmer that you stuck full of pins." Imago said. She giggled and opened a saddlebag she wore to show a collection of picks. "You only used a store-bought lockrite on it, too. Might as well have tried a bent pin."
"How do you know how to pick locks -- never mind!" Chrysalis took them both by the scruff of their necks. "I had a hundred bits in there!"
"It's okay, Mom," Vordul hurriedly said. "We rode here on the train, but it didn't cost anything!"
"What!" Winter shrieked. As several ponies gave her curious looks, she lowered her voice. "It would cost a hundred bits for you two to get here from the Badlands."
"Yeah, but tonight they were selling all tickets to the party for half off," Vordul said proudly. "So it didn't cost a hundred, it only cost fifty bits. So we bought them with the fifty bits you saved!"