(SiC) Part 6 - How Much Do You Really Love Me?

by Brian Jacko


Having Some Fun With Dungeons and Dragons

I got yer back, Fluttershy! Just be ready to heal me if I may get hit. This one's a biggie! I'm gonna try to use my super buck ability on him. Blessed be the Lord, my rock, who trains my legs fer war, and my hooves fer battle." Applejack picked her dice and got ready to roll.

Fluttershy let out an "eeep!" and burrowed her head into Applejack's chest. "I'll heal you if you get a boo-boo, but just please don't let him hurt me. I'm very weak and sensitive. Do you think that maybe we could tell this creature about the goddess that I worship in the game, Melora?"

Applejack had a disturbed look on her face. "Hey Fluttershy, I know it's fun to get into this game and everythin', but I think yer over reactin' a bit. These demons and monsters here are just little figurines. They ain't really gonna hurt ya. This creature does lots of damage, but ya were even afraid of the 'lil minions that do like one hit point worth of damage if Spike rolls a twenty. And no, I don't think this demon creature is going to care about the godess that you follow in the game. We need to kill him."

"Can we tell him about Jesus then?" Fluttershy asked.

"No!" Applejack yelled at her. "Play the game and stop worryin' so much 'bout every little detail 'bout it."

"Fluttershy picked her head up and looked at Applejack, and then back to her friends. "I'm so sorry. This game is just scary and I heard a lot of bad things about it. I don't want to sacrifice my soul to a dark god when my character dies in this game. Do you all remember that one pony who killed himself after his character died in the game? That was terrible and tragic!"

Twilight Sparkle rolled her eyes and said, "Fluttershy, relax! This is a great game and some ponies even use it as a part of their missionary work. You are acting like we are practicing Satanic worship or some kind of voo-doo magic. Saying that a make believe fantasy game is responsible for death is like saying that video games or inanimate objects kill ponies. It's so silly, and ponies who have many deep issues or obsessions probably should not play this game. Try to relax and have fun. This is a great game and it helps improve our imaginations. I even taught the youth group at our church how to play this game. This is almost as ridiculous as the time when you threatened to leave our group because we were playing Magic The Gathering. Table top and card games are fun." Twilight Sparkle let out a laugh and began to list the names of the characters from the Bible and what alignments they would be.

Fluttershy let go of Applejack and nervously watched as Applejack began to roll the dice.

Pinkie Pie giggled and said, "Hey Dashie! Do you think your pet Tank would be good at this game? Maybe Tank could out tank Applejack."

"Very funny Pinkie," Applejack said. "Maybe ya could git closer to me on yer next turn by usin' yer special teleportin' spell so ya can be ready to cast some spells on this abomination of a creature. She tossed out the dice and rolled a twenty. "Alright! I landed a critical strike, girls!" Applejack looked at her special list of skills and abilities. "Hmmmm. It looks like if I use this skill first, that I get a magical aura that will give ya'll a boost in armor, but I won't do as much damage to this creature. If I use my favorite super buck ability, I'll do tons of damage, but ya'll won't have that special protection. Applejack looked at Twilight Sparkle. She had a massively long scroll that had all her notes written on it. "Uh, Twi? Please don't tell me that entire list is yer plans fer just yer next move?"

"I need to know all of the possibilities and mathematical calculations, Applejack," Twilight replied.

"Yer such a geek," Applejack said.

"No offence taken!" Twilight replied.

Spike, the dungeon master, rolled his eyes and hoped that one of the players would step on the little shiny symbol on the floor to trigger a flood attack of zombie-like creatures. He also had special plans for them to meet a character named, Splug.

Applejack looked at Rainbow Dash who was sitting right next to her and said, "Hey Rainbow, I know yer the damage expert here and ya roll next after my turn, but would ya like me to do some extra damage to this demon thingy, or do ya want extra shield on yer turn? I wanna see ya blast this beast with yer special sonic rainboom ability as ya go soarin' through the air."

Soarin'. That word echoed through Rainbow Dash's mind a few times. "Holy horse apples!" she cried out. "Girls, I don't have time to play this game anymore! I forgot about Soarin'. We have a special date planned today."

Twilight Sparkle face hoofed and said, "Rainbow Dash, I know this stallion means so much to you, but can't you reschedule and at least finish our campaign? These games take days and days to finish playing and we are already well into it."

"I'm sorry, but he's a bit more important to me than this game. Can't you all just have something happen to me in the game like I take a cloud nap and then catch up with you all later?"

Spike sighed and said, "Ok, this is what's going to happen. During battle, Pinkie Pie accidently hits Rainbow Dash with friendly fire because her character is so crazy and manic because she is chaotic neutral in the game and also because Rainbow Dash is currently positioned in front of Pinkie pie. Rainbow Dash is now unconscious because the spell effects ponies differently than the demons you are fighting."

"We can't come up with a more creative story?" Twilight asked.

Spike put his claws on his front hips and said, "No! I want you all to press on and not waste time because I have an extra secret surprise for you." Spike put on a magician's top hat and a mustache and rubbed his front claws together greedily.

"What are we going to do with an unconscious pony?" Rarity asked.

"Applejack is the strongest one out of our little group here," Twilight said. "Applejack, do you still have your rope?"

Applejack took out a lasso and twirled it around in the air. "I do!"

Twilight Sparkle laughed and said, "I meant in the game, Applejack."

Applejack looked at her notes and said, "E-yup! I still got it."

Twilight looked at Spike and asked, "Spike, would it be okay if Applejack tied Rainbow Dash to her back and carried her through battle?"

Spike put his front claw under his chin and said, "Hmmmm. I'll allow it as long as Applejack loses the ability to move up to two movements since she is wearing so much armor already."

"That's fine with me," Applejack said. "I put the whole team on my back anyway."

"Ok, Rainbow Dash, you're free to go now. We hope that you'll play again soon," Twilight said.

"And please don't sacrifice your soul to Satan!" Fluttershy called out.

Twilight Sparkle face hoofed and laughed that Fluttershy was still afraid of this game.

Rainbow Dash thanked them and began to head out. Before she walked out the door, she stopped in front of a mirror and tried to fix up her mane a bit.

Rarity giggled and asked, "Rainbow Dash, are you trying to make yourself look pretty?"

"What!?" Rainbow Dash cried out. "Of course not! I was just, uh...Aw hay, I won't hide it anymore. Yeah, I want to look at least a little bit more presentable."

Rarity smiled and said, "You must really love him if you would be so willing to try to fix up your mane in front of us like that. Would you like to come to my Carrousel Boutique, and I can fix you up a bit?"

Twilight Sparkle looked at Rarity sternly and spread her front legs apart sideways as if to say, "NO WAY!" with her body language.

Rainbow thought how ridiculous it would be to sit in a chair for hours and have Rarity do all sorts of crazy things to make her look more pretty. Although knowing just how much she loved Soarin', she would do it just for him if it made him happy. She looked down and said, "Thanks for the offer, but I think you should enjoy your game and I'll try to pick up where I left off later."

Twilight sighed a breath of relief that they wouldn't need to alter the game anymore than it has been to compensate for the inactivity of Rainbow Dash.

"My offer still stands if you ever decide to stop by. I think it would be fun to do some experiments on you," Rarity said.

"Thanks, Rarity, we'll see in the future though. Take care all." Rainbow Dash walked out the door and then popped her head back in. "And don't let Fluttershy sacrifice her soul to Satan because she's playing this game," she said with a sly smirk on her face and winked her eye.

"Oh don't worry, Rainbow Dash," Twilight said. "I have some rope and holy water nearby in case we may need to perform an emergency exorcism on Fluttershy if the demons enter her body."

Fluttershy was not amused.

Rainbow Dash laughed and then was on her way.