//------------------------------//
// XLII 
// Story: The Influence 
// by GMBlackjack 
//------------------------------//

Twilence took a moment to sort through the Influence's comments. "Give me a moment," she said, holding up a hoof, figuring out her course of action. 

As it turns out they didn't really help her figure out how to deal with Vester beyond "not letting him know we know." Great. Probably wasn't the best option there. Well... They did have some ideas for other things... Including a story that she really didn't have time for. 

"I suppose introductions are in order," she said, finally. "I'm Princess Twilence, Element of Magic and purveyor of Friendship. I'm from the nation of Equestria, one thousand years in the future, brought here for the sole purpose of wearing this Eye and knowing more about the nature of reality. I've decided I'm going to save you all from this Dark Lord, with the help of Orchid and the other friends around us."

"Well met. I am the Overseer," the Overseer said. 

Twilence bowed. "The unicorn next to me is Princess Rarity, from a world set apart from this one. She is an apex healer, well versed in the arts of restorative magic to the point of which she can use it in a combat setting. Rarity, the five individuals on the seats are the Council members of this nation, Peran, and the rest are my friends. Over there we have the good Vriska, Pinkie Pie, Orchid, Aradia, and you already know Fluttershy."

"Indignant!"

"And that voice is the Mite. Hey, Mite, do you... have a gender?"

"No."

"Do you identify as one?"

"Negative."

"...Why?"

"Amusement."

"Ah." Twilence nodded. "Regardless, here is the situation. We have prevented Corot from being summoned at the altar in the catacombs, but Siron is still very much a threat. We don't know how he's going to break out of Tartarus, but he is going to try. The prophecy dictates that Orchid is to take onto herself the last temple spirit - Vester - and then unleash the power overwhelming, which is probably in the Time Tunnels."

Evanescence nodded. "Very well put, although we knew most of this information."

The farmer pony huffed. "I didn't, I think that was very helpful."

Twilence nodded. "If you excuse my ignorance, I don't know much about you, the Council. Care to introduce yourselves?"

The Overseer nodded. "I am the Overseer. I came to this world long ago on a simple journey of recreation. I stayed because I found it beautiful. I have served as a guardian of sorts for millennia. I was once a passive observer but now I sit on this council and take direct action, using my abilities to see everywhere for the use of Peran. I'm spying on Heildor most of the time, but now that crystal seems like a low threat."

Evanescence went next. "I am Evanescence, an accomplished mage. I am... related to Orchid and am aware of her tendency to overreact. I've served for three decades on this council and use my expertise to bring about a calmer, more ordered world."

The farmer coughed. "I'm just called Durian. I owned a small farm off the coast a while back, but I sorta ended up getting into politics and am here to represent the common pony and dragon. Apparently, I do a good job."

The lung went next, letting her voice ring out. "I am Lazuli, and I represent the Dragon Aristocracy. Or at least what remains of it since the chaos... I make sure those of us with importance aren't shafted by the common people."

Durian shot her a look. Gilead went last. "I'm Gilead. I'm the only one here old enough to remember the chaos aside from the Overseer. I favor strong security and strong armies."

Twilence nodded. "Good. Glad to get to know you all." She still had no idea which one was Vester. "We need to discuss how to obtain the spirit Vester so we can defeat Siron."

"Why must we adhere to this prophecy?" Evanescence said. "It has been pointed out that you can cause fate to mean nothing. Why must we lean our fate on one unicorn who has proven not to be reliable?"

Orchid bristled. "I'm trying to save your asses, that's why."

"Why do you do such a thing?"

"Because I see myself doing it, that's why."

"And if that were to change, you would no longer do it?"

"Duh, but that's-"

"I rest my case," Evanescence said. "Why do we not take another course of action besides the prophecy?"

Vriska shrugged. "I can get behind that. Less deus ex machina and more stabby stabby, right?"

Twilence furrowed her brow. "In that case, we'd need to get to figure out how Siron was going to escape his prison or find a way into Tartarus and face him directly. I know of an entrance to Tartarus in Equestria..."

"There's one here as well," the Overseer said. "Bottom of the inverted mountain. It requires significant power to open."

Vriska rolled her eyes. "I think we have that in spades."

Pinkie threw a bunch of spades on the ground. "Yeah!"

Gilead grinned. "Let us charge our armies into Tartarus and face Siron! Kill him with brute force!"

"Tartarus doesn't just seal Siron," Twilence reminded them. "There are a lot of horrid beings down there."

"We can take them all. Forget this catacombs business, no-one has ever gotten through there."

"The other Vriska did," Rarity said. 

"She had Vester from another timeline to get her through," Twilence said. "We don't have that. Though... Aradia, sometime in the future you are going to go through the Catacombs and tell the Influence not to freak out."

"Huh. Cool."

"Do you think you can bring Orchid with you?"

Aradia furrowed her brow. "...I'll know as soon as we step outside if I closed a time loop or not. But something tells me that won't work."

Gilead raised a head. "This other Vriska has a version of Vester? Why can't we take hers?"

"That'd require killing her?" Twilence said.

"What's the issue with that?" Gilead asked.

"I agree with Gilead here," Vriska said. "For as much as I don't want to die, sometimes it just needs to happen."

Aradia shot her a look.

"What?"

"...You know what."

Vriska shrugged. 

Twilence looked at Aradia again. "Can you use some time shenanigans on Evil Vriska to get her to give us the spirit?"

Orchid shook her head. "The spirits cannot be given up. I suspect I need to have all six. Had you taken one, Twilence, I believe I would have had to kill you. Or you, me."

"Comforting."

Lazuli shook her head. "We need to call for an actual decision. We seem to have two options - attempt to open the time tunnels with the prophecy, or face Siron directly through the gateway before he can be released..."

"Tonight," Aradia offered.

"Yes. Tonight."

The Overseer narrowed his eye. "We could put it to a vote. I'm in favor of seeking the prophecy."

"I'm against it," Evanescence said. 

"To war!" Gilead roared. 

Durian raised an eyebrow. "I'd rather not organize an army. Prophecy."

Lazuli frowned. "...Ready the troops. We're doing this directly."

Twilence had the sudden pang of realization they were forgetting something very important. But try as she might she had no clue what it was. She grimaced. "If that's your decision."

The Overseer nodded. "It is. You, of course, are free to pursue whatever path you desire. You could even split up to cover more ground, should you wish." He floated into the air. "We have preparations to make. Meeting adjourned. May there be a day tomorrow for us to meet again."

"Wait!" Twilence called. "One last thing. These Eyes - how are they related?"

The Overseer sighed. "...I think it's fate. Things come in threes. They all have different origins - I am from a far-removed alien planet, the Eye you wear is a technological marvel of understanding, and Orchid's is a testament to magic and the desire to know what is coming. They all formed at different times through different methods, but they are related through fate. Like three chosen objects. Symbols." He shook his head. "I must go."

Twilence gulped. She knew that could have gone better. Soon, only her and her allies were in the room.

"...Vester has one of the council members possessed," Twilence said. "Obviously one of the three who voted against following the prophecy, though I have no idea which one."

Aradia frowned. "That's certainly concerning."

Vriska smirked. "Lemme at 'im, I can figure out which one easy..."

"We're not going to let him know we know," Twilence said. "I suppose the Overseer can probably see us talking about this, but we're sure he's not Vester, so... I guess that's okay. I think he's on our side."

"So..." Fluttershy rubbed her neck. "What are we going to do?"

Vriska shrugged. "Either lay a trap for myself or go enter ourselves into an army. Obviously. Or I guess brute-force the Catacombs..." She looked at her dice. "...If I roll straight 8s I could probably waltz on through, dragging you all with me. I'd need to absorb a lot of luck to do that though..."

Twilence frowned. "Whatever it is, our decisions matter. And they matter a lot. I feel like we messed up in that meeting, somehow. I still think we can salvage it. Anyway... I have a few things I need to address the Influence about." She took a breath. "So, GM's talking more then? What does that mean exactly? Does this SBURB session thing have anything to do with me?"

Aradia blinked. "A SBURB session?"

"Apparently GM's next project."

Vriska raised an eyebrow. "There hasn't been a SBURB session for millennia. I think. Horrorterrors shut them down from what I hear."

"...Could take place in the past."

"But nothing can work through meta-time!"

"John," Aradia said. 

"Exception that proves the rule!"

Twilence decided this didn't matter. "Creek, if you can hear me, or if someone can talk to Creek, tell her I'd like to hear from her again. I'm getting worried. Sunbro, treat this other Twilight well, okay? I believe in you. So..." She frowned. "We need to decide what to do..."

Then Twilence received the ending import again. 

[POSSIBLE ENDINGS]
Bittersweet
Warmonger
Dethroned
Steam
Rebuilder
Forgotten
Adrift
Coward
Earned
Tattletale
Supernova
Predetermined
Insanity
Grimdark

LOST ENDINGS:
Pristine

Twilence gulped. Well, there went the 'best' ending... 

Then everything came flooding to her...