Session 69.0 QuartzScale *SPOILERS FOR THE MOVIE!*
It had been several days since the end of the hostilities created from the invasion of the Storm King and all his forces. Celestia and Luna were busy stretching out and waiting for Discord to prepare exactly what they needed for the continuation of their safety. The Storm King was lucky. He had managed to find a way to defeat all the Alicorn Princesses and even hold their own against several squads of changelings, yaks, diamond wolves, deer, and even the thought of other dragons appearing were thought up after interrogating several of the yetis under Storm King's command.
"Discord is everything ready!" Celestia called out as Luna prepped her own pieces ready for the meeting of today.
"I for one am prepared for anything." Luna announced as she trotted up next to Celestia.
"Yeah yeah don't worry about it I have everything set up already. Come on in I set up the portal network for everyone to use." Discord called out
Celestia and Luna entered a large conference room and took their seat while several portal opened around the edges of the room with Discord taking a seat as well as the representative of Chaosville thanks to a vote from the Smooze. The first couple of guests to appear were Chief Thunderhooves the representative of the the buffalo, Prince Rutherford of Yakyakistan, King Thorax of the Badlands Hive, Aspen of the Everfree Deer on task by King Blackthorn, Princess Cadance of the Crystal Empire and Prince Erik of the Diamond Wolves. Well wishes and several small pleasantries were spread throughout the Equestrians allowing them to fully get used to each other.
"I wish I would be getting to go along with Wolf games once again but I respect your request not to Princess Celestia. Besides with Discord here it might not be too fair." Prince Erik chuckled as he gave a polite bow to Discord surprisingly without much concern. Discord, of course, happily accepted it with all the grace and humility possible including bursting into a chaotic mess before changing everything back to normal in the blink of an eye.
"Meetings must be perfect!" Rutherford screamed out as he readjusted some flowers on the table by five centimeters. "There. Perfect." He smiled as he sat down.
"I say that these past couple of days have been some of the worst we've gone through since Tirek's escape. Appleloosa was hit pretty bad during the invasion though we managed to trample many of the encroaching enemies before they could enact their plans." Thunderhooves sighed.
"It's ok. They had perfect attack. There is no shame in that." Rutherford comforted Thunderhooves.
"I wish I could have done more. Pharynx was right. We need to get back to learning combat techniques in order to protect ourselves and our friends." Thorax sighed.
"Ah don't worry too much about these things buddy. You just need to have a bit more time to get used to holding the carrot and the stick." Discord replied almost lazily. "At the very least you weren't trapped in stone again left to rot into nothingness while some wannabe villain kicked your gut in while you were stone! There's nothing wrong at all." Discord slyly let out to the fear of everyone around who had never seen Discord mad... ever.
"My whole life flashed before my eyes when things happened. Managed to survive a hair brained scheme at the very least." Aspen muttered quietly to Celestia.
"What did you do?" Celestia cautiously asked.
"Got the Ursa Major awaken and strike down the airships that got too close." Aspen admitted.
"What!?" Celestia gaped out as she faltered off her feet.
"And you said I was dramatic when I was in stone..." Cadance groused. "So what is the point of this meeting in particular?"
"I just thought a lot of us could use some unwinding with a little game between allies and friends. Also to get to know each other better after our harrowing time through all the torture and horrible horrible being stuck in stone times." Celestia announced showcasing Crystal and Rainbows for everyone to play.
"Rutherford is Thistle Whistle." Rutherford stated in quiet finality.
~~~
"I give some Crystal berries to everyone at the party." Aspen announced as he performed the deed and acquired thirty friendship points.
"I'm so glad this plan worked sister." Luna whispered to Celestia.
"As am I. Everyone here was still willing to do whatever it took to save Equestria. Clearly some time needs to be taken so we can heal. I'm glad we have this chance now. These are our friends. The Equestrians that kept the country safe and the ones willing to fight for it. I'm happy to see all of them together doing something that would make the world better." Celestia whispered back as she performed her next act. "As Sunny Smiles I give everyone here a big hug for the spread of crystal berries."
Session 69.1 Kendell2 *SPOILERS FOR THE MOVIE!*
Celestia blinked, finding Discord standing in front of her looking rather angry. "What seems to be the problem?"
"..." Discord simply brought up a memory crystal projecting his petrified form being kicked by Tempest. "Apparently I've become a meme...and NOT for the reasons I normally do or enjoy!"
"...A meme?" Celestia asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Ponies all over Equestria are watching this! Apparently they're still not happy about my time as an evil overlord and then betraying them to Tirek!" Discord exclaimed...then blinked. "...Okay, I can kinda see it...But still! It's annoying! And that's not all!"
"What else?" Celestia questioned.
"Apparently Storm King enjoyed it enough to make Tempest an action figure with a petrified me!" Discord exclaimed, holding one up. "And apparently they're highly sought after now!"
Celestia sighed. "They made them for us too, but the Storm King saved them for a play set involving a god version of him with fancy armor, so they were never released."
Discord gave a groan. "Is this what it feels like for everypony to think you're a wimp because you lost ONE fight?"
The Dayarch gave a trollish look. "And now I expect you to NEVER bring up Chrysalis beating me ever again."
The Spirit of Chaos crossed his arms and huffed.
"You want to deal with the next wannabe?"
Discord raised his eyebrow. "Wannabe?"
Celestia nodded. "The next villain who thinks they're the next Tirek or Storm King and runs in thinking they can beat us just because they did but are overestimating their own abilities. Like how some ponies rush into danger trying to be heroes without understanding it, only evil. We get about 10 of them each time Twilight has to stop a villain instead."
"...That sounds like fun..."
Fizzlepop sighed, using a communication spell to talk to one of the Storm King's minions. "No, I'm not lying: Storm King is dead, discontinue all his merchandise..."
She was the Storm King's most trusted minion...so she was the one that had to deal with his remnant. His army had fallen apart after his demise: he'd united the waring Yeti tribes...and with him dead and her and Grubber defected, they'd gone right back to being such. They'd fallen apart when all had said and done. No, it was dealing with his brand machine that was annoying!
"Fine, I get it, he paid already! Then...make the PRINCESSES the good guys and the Storm King the statue, got it?"
Fizzlepop reminded herself that she could have received a far worse, but less annoying, punishment like being banished to the moon.
Session 69.2 Mtangalion *SPOILERS FOR THE MOVIE!*
Sometime around turn four of the Equestrian Summit / Crystals and Rainbows Game, Prince Erik was staring with wide eyes. "Crystals and Rainbows Land has Storm King too?" He barked a laugh. "Good joke."
"No really, it does," said King Thorax, magically flipping through the lore compendium, then turning it around so the wolf could see. "Seems to have been an entirely different character, though."
Luna grinned. "We certainly don't want any of our sounds getting stolen. We shall have to be on our guard!"
"Guard, guard..." mused Discord. He froze. "Would you excuse me? Won't take but a moment."
A quick finger-snap brought Discord back to Chaosville, where sure enough, the Day Guard and Night Guard were still camped out on his lawn. Right where he'd put them for "special training" and a good laugh or two, before he'd gotten petrified in the Storm King's opening sneak attack... and forgotten all about them.
Discord's horrified gasp lasted so long, he started turning blue and purple and all sorts of interesting colors before he snapped out of it. "Okay, don't panic..." He paced back and forth frantically, his chattering teeth biting a bucket full of clippings from his claws somehow. "No one's even noticed they were missing! I'll just put them back, and everything will be fine!"
The Guard ponies poofed back into reality on a familiar grassy plateau on the backside of Mount Canterhorn, then cheered, realizing where they were, and started back towards home at a brisk trot.
"That was one bloomin' strange weekend," mused a Day Guard private.
The Commander nodded. "That it was, lad, but it was worth it! Now we're freshly trained and rested!" They trotted around the last bend. "Ready to handle anything the world could possibly throw at..." The Guards in front stopped in their tracks, and the ponies behind crashed into them. "... us."
The Guards spent a good five minutes gawking at the rubble... the collapsed towers and bridges... the crashed foreign airships and the very foreign giant yeti working in cleanup crews alongside ponies, deer, a few griffons.
"I have a plan!" the Day Guard Commander suddenly announced.
The Night Guard Commander looked at him suspiciously. "What's that, then?"
Someone was hammering at the front door of Twilight's crystal castle again. "Be right there!" yelled Spike. He turned, shouting back through a door. "No, you stay there, Twilight! Thirty curls with those weights, or you don't get to read a book at dinner! You'll thank me next time you're locked up in a cage!"
Pleased with himself, Spike opened the front door and gasped at the sight of a huge crowd of stallions, with the Night *and* Day Guard Commanders in front. "Whatever Twilight did, I had nothing to do with it!"
The Day Guard Commander cleared his throat. "Ah, hello, good drake! Might Princess Twilight be interested in having her very own Twilight Guard?"
The Night Guard Commander grinned. "We heard that this is the place where all of the actually important stuff happens."
"And giant monster attacks, nearly every day!"
"We'd love to battle giant monsters for you."
Spike backed up, and realized that Starlight and Trixie were behind him.
Starlight stroked her chin with a hoof, looking at the crowd in Twilight's front yard appraisingly. "That's a lot of stallions."
"Big, handsome, strapping stallions! Trixie votes we keep them."
Spike raced back inside the castle. "Twilight!!"
Session 69.3 Ardashir (continue from 69.1 )
"TREMBLE IN DESPAIR, EQUESTRIA!" The magnificently deep voice came echoing through the window, causing Celestia to drop the chess piece she was holding right on to the board, leaving her Princess (referred to as the 'King' in other lands) wide open. The loud person outside added in another bellow, "FOR YOU ARE ABOUT TO LOSE YOUR PRECIOUS PUNY PRINCESSES!" They began to hear pones yelling in fear as they fled -- to a safe distance to watch the show.
"Hah!" Luna clapped her hooves and swiftly made her move. "As that was thy legal move, sister, I now have thee in check!" She went to the window. "Mayhap I should thank our guest."
Celestia joined Luna to see, standing in the broad plaza before the Sun Palace, a creature reminiscent of a quadrupedal Diamond Wolf if it had ebony fur and two heads. The size of a young adult dragon, and looking malnourished --- its ribs could be counted with the naked eye through its pelt -- it roared.
"CELESTIA! LUNA! COME FORTH AND FACE ME, THE APEX PREDATOR, FAVORED CHILD OF FENRIS! I/WE ARE SKOLL AND HATI, FATED TO CONSUME THE SUN AND MOON! AND WE --"
The mighty monster vanished with a yelp into a fuchsia cloud, which cleared to reveal a small, scrawny, two-headed puppy. Discord appeared behind him, dressed like a Equestrian Animal Control officer, and gathered the transformed tyrant up and dropped them into an animal carrier.
"Oh, now must you make so much noise?" Discord sniffed as Skoll and Hati yipped in high-pitched tones and tried to bite them with their milk teeth. He flew over to the window and handed the carrier over to Celestia. "Here, my dear Sun-Butt," he said with a bow so deep he wrapped around himself. "I promised to defeat the next ten villains, not to house and feed them at my expense. You find somewhere to go with him."
"Thank you very kindly, Discord," Celestia said as the Chaos Spirit vanished with a puff of smoke. She then yelled out the window. "Excitement's over! Everyone can go about their normal business!" Several members of the crowd made disappointed sounds as they left.
"Apparently Discord handles villains too quickly to satisfy Canterlot's population," Celestia went back to the chess board and started resetting the pieces. "I suppose I've spoiled them with the last few battles against would-be tyrants. Maybe I should show off less."
Luna was ignoring her, sticking her nose up against the bars of the carrier and allowing the excited two-headed pup to try gnawing on it.
"Who is a good mutant monstrosity? Who is? Thou art, that is who!" She set the carrier down and with a flash of magic brought a small bowl of food into it. The puppy ate ravenously. "I suppose we shall place him with the others, then?"
"After the next game," Celestia set the board, adding in an annoyed tone: "I will beat you this time. After a dozen straight losses I'm owed."
Session 69.4 Kendell2 *SPOILERS FOR THE MOVIE!*
"Hey girls! I'm finally ungrounded!" Skystar said, flying in through the window. "Oh, and my people are rebuilding our civilization but a some of us LIKED being sea ponies so mom let them stay down in Seaquestria now we're a civilization of Hippogriffs and Hippocampus...Hippocampi...Anyway, I'm here now."
"Hi Skystar!" Pinkie Pie called, waving happily.
"Hi Pinkie!" she called, the two hugging.
"And this is my sister Maud!" the party pony called, pointing to her sister.
"Hello..." said Maud in her normal monotone.
"Hi!" the Hippogriff replied, seeming to, like Pinkie, be able to tell what she was feeling.
"This is Boulder..." Maud replied, producing her rock.
Skystar gave an exaggerated gasp. "Hi Boulder! Meet Shelly and Sheldon!" she called, setting her shell friends next to Boulder.
The two just set there for a moment, watching their inanimate object companions 'talk' in silence.
"...I like you..." Maud said, giving one of her very rare small smiles.
Skystar gave a cute smile. "I like you too!"
They soon proceeded to begin a game of Rainbows and Crystals.
Skystar soon looked very conflicted.
"Something wrong?" asked Twilight, looking over.
"Oh! Nothing...just...well..." said the Hippogriff Princess, cycling back and forth between a pegasi or Griffin. "I can't decide what to be! I'm half Pegasi/half Griffin!"
Fizzlepop merely sat nearby, making her character... She frowned, looking at what looked like a cuter version of herself...with a correct horn...She cringed, an Ursa Minor's claw flashing before her eyes for a moment.
"Darling?" Rarity asked, looking over. "The point of this game is to be somepony else. It's another life, one we don't need to worry about pain or trauma...don't overthink it."
The mare gave a slow nod...and simply made an Earth Pony character who loved fireworks and milkshakes. "That...feels right..."
Rarity smiled and gave a nod.
OOC: For reference, Fizzlepop/Tempest's character is G3 Fizzy Pop.
Session 69.5 Wolfram-and-Hart
Screams rang across Canterlot. Celestia and Luna looked out into the city and saw the source of the terror. A tall, slender stallion in a dark suit strode through the square, tentacles whipping from its back. Ponies fled in terror, all knowing the legends behind the Slender Pony. The abomination stood before Canterlot Castle, a static whine filling the air... and a giant STOP sign materialized before it,
"Hold up, Cuz!" Discord appeared in traffic cop garb. "Sorry, but I'm on bad guy duty now, so unless you want to be as solid as a marble hornet, you might want to hit the road and..."
"Hiya, Discord."
The draconequues and the Slender One turned to see a wall eyed pegasus carrying a basket of groceries.
"Oh, hello, Miss Hooves. I'll be with you in a minute just..." A tentacle wrapped around Discord's neck and tossed him to the side.
The Slender Pony stalked towards its cousin, the sound of static growing louder.
"Hey, don't get an attitude with me, Skinny Jeans! You may be scary, but I'm seven pages ahead of you!"
"Hey, Mr. Skinny." Derpy tapped the Slender Pony's shoulder. "You really should be nicer if you want to make friends. Hey, I know. I just got down shopping for baking supplies so me and the Princesses can make a big batch of muffins for when the Doctor and my girls get here. Why don't you come and help us bake? I bet we'll have a lot of fun and-"
A black tentacle slapped Derpy right across the face, sending her skidding on the ground.
"Oh no." Discord's eyes widened.
The Slender Pony grabbed the basket of baking supplies and tore it to pieces.
"Oh no!" Discord cringed.
The Slender Pony stomped and an evil looking pony in a red hat appeared.
"Hey, Cross Eyes, name's HABIT! I'm Slendy's pal! And we don't need worthles @#$% ponies like you! We're gonna !@#$%^ kill everypony, and just for that crack, we're gonna start with your precious girls and that doctor guy! Think we'll make 'em into muffins! Maybe even let you have a taste of 'em!"
"Oooooh nooooo..." Discord gulped.
The two demons turned back towards the castle, and saw Discord putting on a helmet and diving behind a bush.
"You have no idea what you've done, do you?"
"The buck you talking about, Discord?" HABIT snapped.
"Well... you see, I'm not the only one in Equestria who can kick your flank."
"Oh, please, we'll deal with those prissy princesses fine!"
"No, HABIT, this is much worse. See, Slendy, Cuz, you... have a spiritual opposite."
The abomination tilted its head in confusion.
"Yeah see, there's an entity in the multiverse that came into being the same way you did. It started out as a seemingly innocuous figure in the background, but there's something just strange enough to grab the attention of the Shadows Who Watch. Then, they latched onto that being, elevating it to meme status. As they gave it more attention, the being's presence increased. They Shadows Who Watch added to the entity's story. Ideas were latched onto, theories increased. The Shadows fed all their focus and attention to it, making it even more powerful.
"It builds and builds until the entity progressed so far beyond the Shadows Who Make's intent, and it became a being unto itself, so even the Shadows Who Make can't undo the change and its all more or less indivisible from the laws of reality. It exists, because the Shadows WILL it to exist. Except, where you represent the Shadows' sense of the unknown, mystery, and fear, this entity represents their humor, positivity, and fun."
"HA! So what? Where's this big bad spiritual opposite thing? Is it supposed to be you?"
"Oh, its not me. It's..."
"You..."
The Slender Pony and HABIT turned at the soft voice. Derpy stood there, glaring at them with a look that could make a dragon wet himself.
"You..." Derpy's eyes straightened and actually made the two abominations take a step back. "You hit me when I tried to be your friend... you ruin my groceries and now I won't be done baking in time for when Doc and the girls gets here... and you threaten to hurt my family?! MY DOCTOR?! MY MUFFINS?!"
"You pushed the Muffin Button!" Discord snapped away to join the Princesses on the balcony... and out of blast range. "Ya shouldn't 'a did that!"
"Oh, please! Lemme handle this." HABIT scoffed and pulled out a knife.
"I wouldn't do that!" Discord shouted. "Seriously, RUN HABIT, RUN!"
"Yeah, yeah, I-HURK!" HABIT gaped as Depry's hoof slammed into the demon's stomach. To the creature's surprise, his body had begun to fade away.
"YOU..."
"What?! But..." HABIT was knocked across the square by another kick from Derpy.
"BIG..."
HABIT scrambled as the furious pegasus launched at him
"WAIT! NO! STOP!..."
"JEEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRRRRRRKKKKKKKSSSS!"
All that remained of HABIT was a splatter of ectoplasm as its evil spirit was sent screaming back to Tartarus.
The Slender Pony gawked as one of its most powerful minions was destroyed.
Then, Derpy turned to the Slender One. "NOW YOU'VE MADE ME ANGRY!!!"
The Slender One turned to run, but found the entire square was encased in a magic shield. It looked up and saw the Princesses with their horns glowing, creating the shield. Discord gave a sarcastic wave to his cousin as the grey pegasus stomped towards it.
"VERY... VERY... VEEEEERRRRYYYYY..."
Then, for the first time, in rememberence, the Slender One spoke "Discord, please send me to Tartarus!"
"Sorry, Cuz, you're on your own."
"AAAANNNGGGRRRYYYYYY!!!!"
Discord pulled out a big bowl of popcorn and passed it between the Princesses as the fight (if such a one sided beating could be called a fight) went on. The other Canterlot citizens soon joined them until a raucous crowd was cheering as Derpy laid the smackdown on the Slender Pony.
"GOOD SHOW, MISS HOOVES! EXCELLENT RIGHT HOOK!" Cheered Fancy Pants.
"KICK HIS PLOT, GIRL!"Sapphire Shores screamed.
"KNOCK HIS BLOODY HEAD OFF!"Roared Prince Blueblood, all cares of dignity and poise forgotten.
"Say, isn't that the mare who we awarded the honor of ;Greatest Mother and Strongest Willed Pony In Equestria'?" Luna mused.
"Yes, and I've read a report earlier that she saved Twilight during Tempest's invasion by throwing herself herself in front of an obsidian orb and being turned to stone in her place." Celestia nodded, munching on the popcorn.
"And now she's beating the snot out of the Slender Pony." Discord poured more a whol;e shaker's worth of salt on his popcorn.
"I think we'll need to plan a few more award ceremonies." Celestia snicked.
"Indeed, I wonder if a dame-hood would be out of the quest-OOH! Slendy's gonna feel that tomorrow."
"I think he feels it now!" Discord cringed as he crossed his mismatched legs.
Session 69.6 Kendell2
"Alright, time for the lead to take the stage..." said Adagio, giving a smirk as she headed onto the stage. "And time to add the final touches..."
Rainbow Dash glared at Trixie and Tempest Shadow as the boss spawned. Or rather BOSSES.
Queen Chrysalis AND Armor of Darkness at the same time (and that was on top of Chrysalis herself being a Boss Rush)!
The assembled players began fighting when Adagio rose up.
"Remember everybody, get the kill and you get a big bonus!" said Adagio with a smirk as she prepared her song.
= I Put A Spell On You - Hocus Pocus =
"I put a spell on you,
Keep track of time!
Missing out simply won't do!
I ain't lying!" she sang as the buffs began to activate.
Trixie aimed for Chrysalis while Rainbow aimed for Armor of Darkness, Tempest dashing back and forth between them in flurry.
"It's been a thousand years,
Since our big hay day!
Now this fish is back!
And she's here to stay!
I put a spell on you,
Keep track of time!" she sang, the beat intensifying with her singing.
Rainbow Dash, having fought this bonus boss, used that to her advantage to predict his attacks, aiming for openings...and doing her best to make sure Tempest didn't get in her way.
"Hello, heroes!
My name's Adagio!
What's yours?!" Adagio sang with a smirk.
"I put a spell on you,
Won't last too long!"
Trixie used hit and run tactics against Chrysalis...and, well Friendly Fire had been taken off, so who cared if another player got in the way?
"My whammy fell on you,
And it is strong!
You're wretched little lives have all been blessed!
'Cause of all the sirens working,
I'm the best!
I put a spell on you..." Adagio's eyes closed, then opened, the remade pendant in her purse glowing as her eyes pulsed with green magic.
"And now you're mine!"
Rainbow, Tempest, and Trixie all activated Depths mode and began tearing into the bosses.
"If you don't believe,
You better get superstitious,
Ask my sisters!"
"Ain't she vicious?" sang her sisters, poking their heads out for a moment with their own smirks.
The three all powered up their ultimate attacks at once.
"I put a spell on you..."
They struck, the bosses falling dead. Tempest had slain Chrysalis and Rainbow Armor of Darkness.
"I put a spell on you..."
With the bosses beaten, everyone was focused on Adagio as she made a sing with me gesture. Perhaps with a little music involved and the one immune so caught up in the glow of victory, they all followed.
"Hunc ego in corde meo abyssi!*" chanted Adagio.
"Hunc ego in corde meo abyssi!" the crowd chanted back, too caught up in the moment to THINK about what they were singing.
"Et vocant Siren's vox mea!" Adagio continued with a smirk.
"Et vocant Siren's vox mea!" the crowd chanted back.
"Hey, hey, high, high.
Say bye-bye!
Bye-bye!" Adagio finished, the crowd applauding as the winners got their special items (Tempest a chest plate and Rainbow leg armor). The Alpha Siren walked back inside, looking at her false pendant, which pulsed with energy. "Just the final ritual remains..."
Rainbow scratched her neck below her shirt. "Ugh, why am I itching all of a sudden?" she asked before returning to play...not noticing fish-like scales had began to form.
* I pledge my heart to the deep
And call a Siren's voice to me.
Session 69.7 Grogar-The-Oneser
"You know I think we did the right with avoiding the game for the most part," Rarity said.
"Tell me about it," Sunset muttered, she hated the bounty hunter system.
"I'm a little worry about Dashie though," Pinkie said. "I heard she's still playing that thing and we all know how competitive she gets."
"I'm sure she's fine, she's not that egotistical enough to get to involve in that game... right?" Rarity questioned.
Y-yeah... It not like she's going to let this Trixie thing and the competitive competition in anyway..." Twilight muttered.
"... Oh who are we kidding, we better check on her," Applejack stated as everyone agreed.
Session 69.8 Mtangalion (updated!)
While the Dazzlings were cooling down from that last song, Aria gulped cold water from a bottle and poked at the laptop. "We're getting feedback on the network," she announced, suddenly concerned. Someone's taking the magic but pushing back against the corruption."
Adagio frowned. "Find out who it is and cut them out. We don't need any hecklers at the grand finale."
On the other side of the convention hall, Gilda hissed, clutching at a sudden headache and scratching her table with her fingernails. "What the squawk?" She pulled off her eyepatch and looked at it suspiciously. "Do these gizmos cause some kinda killer eyestrain if you use them too long?"
Then she froze, focusing on the pale purple feathered bangs that hung partly over her face. Gilda grabbed a lock, pulling it down for a better look, and she got a fist full of... feathers. She patted her head frantically. More feathers. All of her hair was feathers now, and she remembered that smell... from her time in Equestria.
"No, no no! That isn't supposed to happen here!" Gilda patted her nose and checked her hands, but thankfully nothing else had changed. "Okay. Nothing to panic about... yet." A thought occurred to her, and she groaned. "I guess I'd better show this to Twi and Bacon-head, even if they're just gonna science all over me."
Gilda got up, obviously in a hurry, and some other jerk didn't watch where he was going and walked right into her.
"Hey!" yelled the pale-skinned boy with blue and black hair, wearing a Griffonstone letter jacket. "Why don't you watch where you're... Gilda?"
Gilda gawked. "Gerold? What the heck, why did you come here?" Ugh, now she felt guilty for sending that letter instead of breaking up with him in person.
But Gerold looked even more flustered than she did. "I can explain! My kid brother plays World of Horsecraft and I'm here keeping an eye on him and... Jeez, that sounds lame, even to me."
Gilda blinked. "Wait, so you're..." She clamped her big mouth shut before she could say ‘the other Gerold.'
"Yeah, that's right," said the human world's Gerold. He smirked. "And if you tell everybody that I play this dumb role-playing game, then I'll tell everyone you play it too! Nice cosplay, by the way."
Gilda smirked. "Oh, you totally got me." She glanced around. "So, I take it Giselle doesn't play."
Gerold's grin crashed. "She... went to college out of state and got another boyfriend already. Sucks, huh? Hey, what about you and that Karl guy?"
Gilda cringed, remembering that spur of the moment alias. "He... kinda had to go. His people needed him."
Gerold blinked, digesting this. "So..."
Gilda shrugged. "Yeah?"
Gerold clapped his hands together. "There were some food stalls back down the hall that way. Wanna go grab a bite?"
Gilda's jaw dropped. Then she nearly burst out laughing. "Dude, seriously? You want to date me for real now, after you got so mad about those rumors that we were dating?"
"Sh- shut up!" stammered Gerold. "As if I'd ask you on a date!" He recovered somewhat. "Yeah, you'd just be comparing me to Karl the whole time."
Gilda bristled. Figuratively... still figuratively, and hopefully it'd stay that way. "Well, duh. He's twice as handsome as you."
Gerold jabbed a finger towards her. "He was identical to me, something you still haven't explained!"
"Well, I'm not gonna explain!" countered Gilda. "So you can just keep wondering!"
"Fine!" shouted Gerold. He turned away sharply, arms folded.
"Whatever!" Gilda did the same, wishing she had a door she could slam. "Glad we got that bucking cleared up!"
Other convention attendees around them watched with a kind of awed silence. A skinny boy with brown hair in a bowl cut snapped a picture.
Gerold coughed. "So, uh... does a cheeseburger sound okay?"
Gilda glanced over towards the stage, where the Dazzlings had started performing again. "Actually, I have the weirdest craving for seafood. What the hay. Lunch date it is."
Then the people around them started cheering and clapping, and a blushing Gilda grabbed Gerold's hand and stalked away in search of those food vendors, hauling him behind her.
Session 69.9 Kendell2 *SPOILERS FOR THE MOVIE!*
"President Sombra?"
Sombra gave a groan. With all the trouble that MOBA had been causing with players going a tad bit overboard (something they probably should've expected in all honesty), it was quite the night. "Yes?" he asked, looking up to find a woman with light fuchsia grey skin and fuchsia hair standing at the door in a suit. "Oh, hello Principle Novo, how are things over at Hippogriffia High School?"
Novo gave a growl. "I'm Principle of Seaquestria High now. Hippogriffia High went bankrupt after our superintendent got the school a loan from the Storm King for some school repairs. Fell hook, line, and sinker for it. Gave me my new job as an apology."
Sombra cringed. "Sorry to hear that."
"It's fine, Seaquestria High is by the beach and a lot quieter," the Principle replied. "...However, I DID hear that no good Storm King is getting an expansion?"
"...How did you know?"
"My daughter had a backstage pass and overheard."
Sombra sighed. "Look, I was able to squeeze some money out of that no account, that's all...that and he has Tirek behind him."
Novo sighed. "Tell me about it, only reason we didn't sue the pants off that nasty loanshark..." she muttered. "...However, you guys do add some new stuff each expansion, don't you?"
"...Yes..."
"My daughter has some designs. And I think it'd be quite therapeutic to see something representing us give something representing him a kick in the tail."
Sombra tapped his chin. "Well, I can't promise anything...but I can have a look."
Novo gave a smile. "Thank you. Skystar! Mind coming in?"
"Coming mom!" called a voice and in ran a yellow skinned girl with a cyan head of hair. "Hi! I'm Skystar!"
"My daughter's drawn a lot since we moved to Seaquestria, you know how it is, new place, not a lot of people she knows."
"That's why I collect seashells and make things out of them...including friends..." the girl put her drawings down and produced two shells with googly eyes. "These are Shelly and Sheldon..."
"...Right..." Sombra said, blinking. He looked at the papers and found the design rather creative. "Hmm...these ARE good...What do you call these, Miss Skystar?"
"These are called Hippogriffs," said the girl, pointing to the creatures that, despite likewise being half bird, differed greatly from griffins. Looking more like a horse merged with an eagle. "And these are Sea Ponies!" she said, showing the others, which looked like merhorses. "I had the idea they could use water magic to move on land!"
Sombra tapped his chin. "There might actually be a good place for that..."
"Hmm..."
The three jumped, finding Radiant watching from nearby.
"Oh! Radiant! This is Principle Novo of Seaquestria High School and her daughter Skystar. They're offering some ideas for a future Horsecraft expansion," Sombra explained.
"So I heard..." Radiant said, giving a wave and shaking both their hands. She the gave a small gasp, looking at the sea ponies. "...You said these could move on land using water?"
Skystar nodded. "Yep!"
"...Well, I don't have much creative control of Horsecraft...but I was hoping to find a way to make the water able to be explored in Crystals and Rainbows too. Right now it's just somewhere to swim or search for islands, none of the playable races really had a place to go look...The idea of huge, beautiful underwater areas really fits the core idea of it."
The girl gasped. "The Crystals and Rainbows game? Oh I'm looking forwards to that one! Then I can go play with friends instead of just making them out of shells...no offense Shelly and Sheldon..."
Radiant chuckled. "Then even if Sombra can't find a use for them, maybe I can..."
Session 69.10 Alex Warlorn
A thousand monkeys, with a thousand type writers, will actually rarely if ever produce Shakespeare. But a broken clock will be right twice a day.
Starlight Glimmer, of the human world, was continuing her investigation into this game, even if her parents thought she needed help, and a psychologist said she had the making of a cult leader. Starlight at least considered this ironic given her world views.
While she believed in 'from each according to his ability, to each according to his need' some of her other views didn't quite fit, fitting more with what some could call a 'moral busy body' (Starlight was infuriated at that comparison, she just thought of herself has being concerned for people being spared corruptive influences). Starlight was also VERY intelligent and a VERY fast learner, having cleared collage while others were still in high school.
So she was getting the hang of the game, and her opinion hadn't changed in the least. That there were playing looking to collect the 'bounty' on her every time she logged in might have been part of it. But... she ALSO knew exactly what those last few lyrics ACTUALLY were.
She told the silver haired girl with blue skin, and she'd laughed in Starlight's face that it was just part of the video game.
Starlight had then told the local news paper and they'd slapped the door in her face.
The police had threatened to arrest her for purposely wasting their time.
Session 69.11 Alex Warlorn *SPOILERS FOR THE MOVIE!*
"I can't believe this! This is an outrage!" Grubber said, waving around a packaged toy. "The last toyline they got out before the boss kicked the bucket, and this is what I get?!" I was a action figure of Tempest Shadow: fully posable. The toy also came with a 'rolled switch on back to make horn spark' feature (arguments it was a fire hazard had resulted in it being reworked). And of course with snap on mecha armor. And there was also a small figure of Grubber, a solid piece, without poses, and off color.
"I get stuck as an add-on to Tempest's action figure?"
"Tell me about it," Spike said sitting next to the minion, Spike himself holding a still boxed figure of Twilight Sparkle with an unposable figurine of himself included.
Session 69.12 Ardashir
"Hello FBI? My name is Starlight Glimmer! The local gaming con is actually a front for some extra-dimensional monsters trying to conquer Earth through mind-control! Now how soon can you get some agents over here -" CLICK. "Hello? Hello! Why is no one taking me seriously!"
Session 69.13 Kendell2*SPOILERS FOR THE MOVIE? Maybe?*
Grubber clinched the controller, sitting with the foals watching as Button did indeed keep his word and force the Hedgehog to play Phantoms 'n Ghouls as part of his punishment. And intended to make him finish it.
And he had...for the last few hours and several hundred continues later. And filled up half the swear jar Maternity had put in place.
"Ponies play this for FUN?!" he asked as his knight was once again reduced to a pile of bones.
"No, they play it to see if it's really as hard as everypony says," Scootaloo replied with a smirk. "And ponies say Dark Spirits is hard..."
"I play it for fun..." said Button.
"Yeah, but you're YOU. You're the only pony I've ever seen beat it in an hour," Scootaloo replied. It normally took 6 hours on average to beat. "Which makes it awesome to watch you play."
Soon enough, Grubber FINALLY managed to kill the final boss. "THERE! FINALLY!" the Hedgehog yelled in frustration. He then blinked. "...Wait, what?"
"THIS ROOM IS AN ILLUSION AND
IS A TRAP DEVISUT BY MORNING STAR.
GO AHEAD DAUNTLESSLY!
MAKE RAPID PROGRES!" the screen said...then put him right back on LEVEL ONE.
"WHAT?!" asked the hedgehog, eyes wide.
"Yeah, now you have to beat the whole game a second time on a higher difficulty to beat the game," said Button Mash, causing Grubber's eye to start twitching.
The foals quickly put in ear plugs as Grubber reacted naturally to this revelation. And filled up the rest of the swear jar.
Session 69.14 Kendell2*SPOILERS FOR THE MOVIE??*
"Ugh...I can't believe this..." said Fizzlepop, coming in with a sigh.
Starlight merely glared at her but said nothing.
"What?" asked Twilight.
The unicorn put a film reel on the table along with a poster.
"...Storm King the Movie?!"
The movie poster was the Storm King standing with his Staff in the most over the top pose possible, with Tempest standing next to him looking ominous (but also overly sexualized and wearing as little armor as possible) and Grubber...looking like a cute comedy relief animal next to him.
"The Storm King preemptively made a movie about himself before the invasion even STARTED," Fizzlepop explained, blushing as she looked at herself on the poster. "And now the director and writer wants his contract to be upheld...But there's NO way we can release...this thing..."
"Why?" Twilight asked.
"...WHY AM I ADORABLE?!" Grubber asked, seeming insulted as his inmovie self basically existed to look cute and be the butt of every joke.
Fizzlepop looked mortified. "I can't believe he made me like that..."
"What? You beat up like ten guards every scene you were in," Rainbow Dash replied, then grumbled. "And all five of us at once..."
"And me and Trixie...but you actually did that, so I guess that's okay," Starlight said, biting sarcasm rather clear in her tone.
"Yeah, while angsting about my broken horn and being as brooding as physically possible!" the mare replied.
"...Yeah, good point..." Rainbow admitted.
"And look at what I'm wearing! Why would I wear that?! Did he WANT me to get stalkers or something?!"
"Hey, at least you have a personality! I just stand there bragging the entire time!" Rainbow Dash complained. "Not to mention I would NOT go down that easily."
"...Really?"
Rainbow Dash glared. "And what's THAT supposed to mean?"
"Well you ran the entire time..."
"We weren't running FROM you, we were running TOWARDS the Hippogriffs!" Rainbow Dash replied. "If you hadn't redeemed yourself, I'd have gone through you to save Twilight! I'm a bucking BLACK BELT and I've been training with the Wonderbolts!"
The two looked at one another for a few moments.
"...Sparring match outside?" asked Fizzlepop.
"...You're on..."
The two went outside and the sounds of martial arts yells, punches landing, and the occasional explosion of lightning resounded.
"...Why did they make me keep going on and on about how evil I was?" Starlight asked...then blinked, noticing the looks she got. "Oh come on, I don't actually do that, do I?!"
"...Um...sort of..." Twilight admitted.
"Ow..." muttered Fizzlepop and Rainbow, crawling back in and falling to the ground, both battered, beaten, and lightning shocked.
"...We tied..." groaned Rainbow Dash.
"...Well at least she didn't win," Starlight muttered, still glaring at the mare.
"...Hey, Twilight?" asked Pinkie Pie. "Was the actress playing you tapping something in code right there?"
Twilight blinked, rewinding the reel and rewatching her in movie actress tap out something on the wall beside her. "'Help me, I have been kidnapped by an evil overlord and forced to act in this stupid movie. Send help please'..." the Princess looked at Fizzlepop.
"......What? You thought the Storm King would settle for any old slaves to act in his personal egostroking biographical movie? He kidnapped actors he liked...that sounded way less evil in my head..."
"...Is that why Ah'm played by a stallion?" Applejack asked in annoyance.
"...No, the Storm King actually thought you were a guy..."
"...Darn it, he's dead so Ah can't go slap 'em..."
Session 69.15 Ardashir*SPOILERS FOR THE MOVIE? Maybe?*
The girls were trying to get into the mood for a night of gaming, so they decided to watch a few DVDs of horror movies Sunset had sent over to Twilight from her world to get in the mood for some monster-fighting.
Instead, they were getting confused.
"So, they have a holiday in the human world that's like Nightmare Night?" Starlight asked, tilting her head to the side. On the screen Twilight and Spike normally used for the few educational films the old tree library had, a gigantic hairy spider closed in on a herd of panicked horses in a corral. "But... instead of Nightmare Moon, it has giant spiders?"
"Come on," Tempest snorted in disgust at the horses on the screen. They whinnied in panic as the hideous monster lowered its fangs towards them. "Fight! Run away! Do something! Why aren't the unicorns casting spells? Do they want to get eaten?" Behind her, Grubber hid in panic like during the first film with the human version of Frankenstag's Monster.
"I've told you, Tempest," Twilight came back into the room, carrying both a bowl of treats and a message from Sunset that had arrived along with the films in her magic. "The horses of that world aren't intelligent and can't use magic. In fact, except for a few animals affected by leaking Equestrian magic, only the humans are sapient."
"Oh, yes. I remember." Tempest rolled her eyes dramatically. "No magic and only one sapient species. I bet next you'll tell me they don't have Princesses to raise the Sun and Moon."
"Actually? To go by what little I read there, they have a 'solar system' centered around their Sun, and their 'Equs' revolves around it." Not for the first time, Twilight found herself confronting over half a dozen amused and disbelieving equine faces. She decided to drop it. "And their holiday isn't about giant spiders, it's about celebrating anything they find frightening. They even do parades about it. Sunset says the Dazzlings helped last year." Twilight frowned when she said that.
"What's the matter, darling?" Rarity asked, glad of an excuse to turn way from the gigantic arachnid onscreen. Beside her Fluttershy watched avidly, shaking her head in dismay.
"Um, someone should have told these people that you don't test a venom by tasting it," she said with a frown. Applejack and Rainbow Dash beside her looked vaguely disgusted as she added, "Especially spider venom, it's more like an acid than a poison. It would have dissolved that human stallion's hand..."
"I'm not sure," Twilight said with a frown as she sat down next to Rarity. "Sunset told me that the Dazzlings were working with the company that makes the 'World of Ponycraft' game, and they seemed to be leaving their bad old ways behind them. But now the company came out with this new game, a MOBA-something or other, a few days ago, and it's like everypony there is fighting over it."
"Oooh!" Pinkie spoke up from where she watched the action on the screen. "Does she need out help? Is it time for another crossover?"
"Crossover?" Tempest looked around in confusion at the party pony's words.
Everypony else there had just two words. "It's Pinkie."
"Not really," Twilight said. "Sunset just said everypony's feeling a little touchy right now, but she thinks it'll be okay." As she spoke the movie ended with the spider roasted by napalm before it could eat an entire town. The mares whickered amusement at how fake it all looked. When you have faced real giant monsters, cinematic ones were unimpressive. "Okay, girls, ready yet?"
"No," Tempest shook her head. She pointed at the DVD in disgust. "Those horses -- ugh! Even if they were just animals," she shuddered at the thought, "they should have known enough to run away from something the size of an airship! I need to see something else to take my mind off horses being eaten."
"Sure ya don't just wanna see another o' Twi's fancy movies?" Applejack asked with a grin. Tempest blushed, slightly.
Twilight rolled her eyes skywards but set one more DVD on. "Okay. Just one more. This one must be foreign," she looked at the cover which displayed horses and a restaurant. "International Cuisine -- 'Viande de Cheval*'?"
"Sounds like it's from Prance," Rarity said. "Might as well see what it's like. These films aren't really scary, you know."
"They sure aren't," Twilight agreed as she started the film.
Ten minutes later the DVD was trampled underhoof, Fluttershy was in a faint, Dash looked to be in shock, Applejack was trying to revive Rarity, Tempest and Starlight had both turned green and raced off to find a bucket to puke into, Pinkie's eyes were swirling as she moaned something about 'that lousy fanfic again', and Twilight was busily writing a note to Sunset.
"...And once again, Sunset, before sending us these things, make sure you read the title!"
* -- 'Viande de Cheval', French for 'horse meat'.
Session 69.16 Richforce*Spoilers for Uncommon bond and (very very slight) for Shadow Play*
*Spoilers for Uncommon bond and (very very slight) for Shadow Play*
Garble took the die in his talon and rolled a two, after moving this dargon shaped piece the same number of spaces closer to the top of the plastic volcano the sound of moving gears could be heard.
Starlight started to squeal. "Someone's going to fall into the Dragon Pit!"
A second later a marble shot out of the volcano and began rolling down one of the groves to the bottom. The marble hit Gilda's piece, the space it was on opened and causing the piece to fall into the hole. Starlight, Sunburst and Gilda all started laughing.
"Isn't this fun?" Gilda asked the transformed Drake.
"No," Garble said curtly. "I can't believe you ponies took Dragon Pit and made it lame."
Starlight huffed. "You're calling me and Sunburst's favorite childhood game lame?"
"Well yeah, you're doing it all wrong."
"So how do Dragons play Dragon Pit?" asked Sunburst.
"We use real boulders and a real volcano, first to make it to the top without flying wins."
Starlight recoiled. "Isn't that a little dangerous?"
"No more than gorge surfing down a lavaflow, at least if you're a dragon."
"Well I found that interesting," said Sunburst. "Right Gilda?"
Gilda however seemed to zone out.
"Are you ok?" asked Starlight.
Gilda shook her head. "Sure, we can get back to the game, just need to do something first."
+++
"Here comes the volcano again," said Starlight.
"Hold on a sec," said Gilda. She tightened the strap on Gargle's helmet, just one piece of the safety gear that was over-encumbering the griffin chick. "Ok ready."
Garble wanted to scream at the how Gilda's "mother hen" mode was make her over protective, but her couldn't even move his beak enough to do that.
Session 69.17 Zaku789
"We got another demand from Garble. He wants to be free from ambassador position, find a cure to his transformation... and wants a restraining order on a griffin."
"First of all were dragons, we don't do restraining order. Secondly unless he somehow appeals to either my father or his rival, defeated a eldritch abomination or quite somehow learn actual ambassador skills he is to remain in his post and keep the shape he is currently in." Ember said calmly.
Session 69.18 Mtangalion (Spoilers For Secrets and Pies)
A little before dawn, in her room at Rarity's Ponyville Boutique, Sweetie Belle was snugly wrapped in her bedcovers when a light began to glow from under her bed. The sleepy young unicorn shaded her eyes with a hoof, then rolled onto her side, pulling the covers closer. "Just a few more minutes, sis..."
The glow flared brighter, and something heavy rolled out from under the bed and thumped onto the floor rug. "Hah, was right! Secret passage is portal! Come quick!" There was a lot more scuffling and panting and sniffing of things.
Sweetie Belle blinked, rubbing her eyes, then gasped at the sight of five pairs of glowing eyes, reflecting the predawn glow from her window. She fumbled for the bedside lamp with her magic, and the light revealed the whole diamond wolf puppy pack from Icehome, sitting here, in her bedroom! "Pavel?! Elena, Kayta... Andrei, Sasha... how did you all get here?"
"Great surprise, isn't it?" said Pavel, puffing his chest out. "Pups are clever, found one of Alisa's secrets while she's away."
Sweetie Belle sat up in bed, still confused. Unexpectedly the pups all gasped, taking a step back. "Sviti's sister wasn't joking?" exclaimed Elena. "Sviti really IS a pony?!"
"Wh- what?" Sweetie pulled the sheets over herself again. "I, uh... Of course I'm not a pony! I had to... sleep in my pony suit to avoid suspicion!" She gave them a teeth-hidden grin and chuckled, hoping it didn't sound too forced. "Let me just take it off right quick!" She scrambled for the walk-in closet and shut herself in, then pulled out the hidden box and got into her wolf pup costume in record time.
Sweetie's bedroom door started to swing open. "Sweetie Belle!" called Rarity sharply. "What is all this ruckus at such an ungodly hour?"
Sweetie tensed. "Oh no!" She scrunched up her forehead, and the pale green glow of her magic surrounded Rarity and yanked her into the closet too.
Rarity shrieked. "Young mare, what have I told you about ponyhandling others with your magic?! What.. what is this? What are you..."
"Sorry, Rarity!" hissed Sweetie, grabbing the other spare costume in her magic. "Please, just play along!"
After a lot more banging around and cloth rustling, the door to the closet swung open, revealing two white-furred diamond wolves, a pup with pink accents in her mane and tail, and a grown female wolf with deeper purple swirls and face markings.
"Why, I never!" growled wolf Rarity, starting to stalk away with her nose in the air. "I refuse to play along with this..." And then she noticed her reflection in Sweetie's full length mirror and backed up. "Oooh." She tossed her mane left and right, checking herself out.
Sweetie opened her mouth.
"Hush!" yipped Rarity. "I'm feeling... inspired! Yes, yes!" Rarity snatched up a pencil and sketch pad, seemingly out of nowhere. "Why didn't I try this sooner? I'm seeing everything in a whole new light, aesthetically speaking of course." She put pencil to paper with her paws, momentarily stymied, and then she twirled the pencil with her toes. "Oh, handy." She started rapidly sketching lupine forms and new jeweled collar designs. "Hah, just you watch! Why, I might just manage to sell suits and dresses in Icehome after all!"
Pavel blinked and looked to Sweetie, wagging his tail in confusion. "So... can we be playing Ponies and Princesses game now?"
Right about then, in Sugarcube Corner, Rainbow Dash was just about to bite into a well-deserved doughnut before Wonderbolts practice. Suddenly she gasped and spun in place, orienting on something only she seemed able to see. "Omigosh, I have to go! Somepony's been lying to her friends!"
Suddenly, Pinkie Pie was right in Dash's way, keeping her from flying off. "What's that, Dashie? You can't just be sensing weird things, you know." She grinned too broadly, shaking her mane into a frazzled Twilight-style mane. "There must be some rational explanation!"
"It's my Element of Loyalty," protested Dash, trying to dart around Pinkie, but even with her famous speed, she couldn't overcome Pinkie's comedic timing. "You can't explain that!"
"Really?" asked Pinkie, shaking her mane back to normal and grinning all the more. "It sure is funny how you're just now sensing things like this. Maybe if YOU hadn't been lying to YOUR friend for years and years about pie, maybe..."
"Okay, okay, you made your point!" bellowed Dash. "How many times do I have to apologize?"
"Aww... Sorry I gave you a hard time again, Dashie." Pinkie snatched Dash's doughnut, shoved it into a to-go bag, and added an extra bagel. "Want me to show you where the shortcuts are?"
Dash twitched. "Ummm... I'll fly, thanks."
Session 69.19 Mtangalion (Spoilers For Uncommon Bonds)
(Spoilers for Uncommon Bond)
Sunburst stepped out onto the castle balcony and immediately shivered, wrapping himself tighter in his cloak. The moonlit town of Ponyville below had more lights on than usual - a lot of ponies had put out their Nightmare Night decorations early.
Starlight Glimmer was already outside, adjusting the telescope. She raised an eyebrow, noticing him. "Don't you know a warming charm?”
"I know twelve different warming charms,” said Sunburst, teeth chattering. "I'm trying to decide which one to use!”
Starlight smirked. "I still can't believe you went to all that trouble… all those costumes, the giant game board… just to recreate a game that, admittedly, I've been a little too obsessed with.”
Sunburst blushed, adjusting his spectacles. "Well, Princess Twilight already had the basic costume. Something about a dragon migration? I knew some repair and color changing spells, and Twilight made duplicates and…”
Starlight leaned closer. "Mmm… Maybe you really do want to make this relationship work after all.” Sunburst stared back at her, mesmerized. The regular kind, not the magical kind. Their muzzles drew closer...
The moment was shattered by a chorus of voices from inside the castle. "It's Guys Night! UH HUH! It's Guys Night! OH YEAH!”
"Guys Night!?” exclaimed Sunburst. "Ooh, what's that?”
Starlight groaned. "Don't mind them. They just goof around doing stallion stuff and play O&O…”
"O&O!” Sunburst cantered in place excitedly. "A Guys Night… with O&O? I have to see this!” He dashed back into the castle, all thoughts of watching the stars with her forgotten.
Starlight gaped, then facehoofed. "Ogres and Oubliettes, of course! Ugh, what is wrong with me? That should have been the very first activity I thought of to patch things up between us!” She teleported into the castle, scouting around for Sunburst, then teleported again, landing in the room with the Cutie Map and the crystal thrones.
"But of course, you may join in!” Discord was saying, wearing a tux and making a sweeping bow while beckoning Sunburst towards the table.
Big Macintosh grinned broadly, setting out more miniatures, dice, and bowls of snacks. "Eeyup! Make yerself right at home.”
"Eh, whatever!” said Garble, a teenaged red dragon once again. "I'm only doing this because I get to be a dragon for the game.” He chuckled darkly and hissed to Spike. "And maybe Dimcord will forget to turn me back afterwards!”
Spike grinned sharply, flexing his mighty dragon muscles. For real, this time… Discord had aged Spike up to the same size as Garble. "I won't remind him if you don't!”
Sunburst squee'd and trotted right up to the table, but when Starlight tried to follow, a train crossing gate appeared and swung down to block her way, lights flashing and bells clanging.
Discord zipped over to her, riding an invisible motorcycle. "Stop! You violated the law! Pay the court a fine or… Hmm...” The draconequus frowned at some cue cards, then tossed one away. "Ah, ah, ah!” He wagged a talon. "Tonight is Guys Night. You know the rules!”
Starlight gulped. "If that's what it takes to spend time with Sunburst doing things we both enjoy…” She took a deep breath. "Go ahead and do it.”
Discord blinked, somewhat taken back. He disappeared in a flash and reappeared as a tiny version of himself coming out of Starlight's ear. "Really? You're not going to do it yourself?”
Starlight looked awkward, repressing the urge to swat him. "My magic does have limits, Discord.”
"Oh. You could have fooled me.” Discord popped away, and then a brighter flash of chaos engulfed Starlight.
A pink and purple *stallion* stepped up to the game table, tossing his artfully disheveled mane confidently. "Say hello to Starshine Glamour, boys.” He reared up and slammed his hooves on the Cutie Map. "That Squizzard doesn't stand a chance tonight!”
Sunburst gawked. "I am so conflicted right now… but I call dibs on organizing the party inventory!”
Starshine whinnied. "Hey, I wanted to do that!”
Session 69.20 QuartzScale
Discord stared at the title and realized what number it was before flopping around laughing like a fool.
Pinkie popped in seeing what was going on and joined in. Throughout their laughing session nopony knew why they were laughing but they realized that they were missing something.
Twilight lit up her horn casting a spell to see what they saw... then she facehoofed in exasperation while her cheeks flared up red. "Grow up you two!!"
Session 69.21 Arashir
"So, Starlight Glimmer," Tempest smiled coldly at her over the table, "are you ready?" She slapped down her hoof-full of cards. "A flush." She began reaching for the small gemstones on the table -- they were worthless enough to be used for friendly card games -- but stopped as Starlight cleared her throat.
"Sorry, Miss Edgy Mare," Starlight smoothly set her own cards down. Tempest drooped as she saw them. "Full house." Starlight gathered the gems in as Tempest began shuffling the cards again.
"You were lucky."
"No, I took lessons from Spike. Just don't tell Twilight, she doesn't want him showing other ponies how to win at cards and dice." As she spoke Starlight looked around, "Say, where is Grubber? He's usually with you when he's not with the Cutie Mark Crusaders."
"He's still on Princess-enforced parole," Tempest picked up a newspaper and showed the movie section to Starlight. "The girls and their friends wanted to see some horror movies they're showing at the Ponyville theater for Nightmare Night, but they needed an escort and... now what's wrong?"
"Tempest! Oh, no!" Starlight jumped up and hurried to the door. "I did that once a year ago! I had nightmares for weeks afterwards! Grubber will be traumatized!" She ran out the door and galloped off towards the theater, her hooves clip-clopping over the dirt street.
"Hah!" Tempest ran out after her, hurrying to keep up. "Don't worry, the movie they wanted to see is some silly Neighponese film. Those are all full of ponies in rubber suits pretending to destroy toy cities; how bad can it be?"
"Really?" Starlight slowed down, seeing the theater ahead. They trotted closer, noticing that the movie must be over as the theater emptied. "That's a relief. Which film was it?"
The amused look on Starlight's face faded as Tempest pointed to a poster bearing the words, JIGOKU: Sinners in Tartarus*. As she stared, several fillies emerged and approached them. The CMC were in the lead, followed closely by Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara. The latter two looked rather green.
"The oni were, like, boiling those ponies," Silver shivered. "I hope Princess Luna will be around in my dreams tonight."
"Coats made out of pony leather," Diamond looked stunned, her eyes wide. "I thought we were were gonna see something we could laugh at."
"Sorry, girls," Apple Bloom looked away in embarrassment. "Ah just saw it was gonna be a Neighpon film an' Ah thought thet meant big monsters."
"Eh, that movie was too talky," Scootaloo sniffed. "I thought were were gonna see big rubber monsters knock Neighpon down in between fighting each other. That was just some silly ponies talking a lot in between footage of Tartarus. And they made a lot of that up. I'd rather see giant dragons fighting."
"Rarity told me that dragons were starting to protest that the movies unfairly stereotyped them," Sweetie looked up and saw the two mares. "Oh, hi, Miss Starlight, Miss Tempest. Are you looking for Grubber?"
"Yes," Tempest said, looking around. "Where is he?"
Apple Bloom just turned around to reveal Grubber. He was clinging to her back. His spikes stuck out in every direction. His eyes were wide enough to swallow his face and his pupils seemed shrunk down to pinpoints.
Tempest approached warily. "Er, Grubber?"
"Lakes of boiling oil. Getting jabbed in the butt with pitchforks. Dragging that fat Judge of Tartarus around in his iron chariot forever." Grubber seemed to shake it off and grabbed Tempest. "Oh, Tempest, we gotta be nice to make up for everything or we're gonna go to the Bad Place! And it's really bad!"
(OOC: * -- Search for the Japanese movie 'Jigoku' for more. The Equestrian version wasn't nearly as nasty though!)