//------------------------------//
//  Session 11 
// Story: Ponies and Dragons (Just Have Fun) 
// by Alex Warlorn 
//------------------------------//



Session 11.0 Kendell2

While Twilight dealt with Starlight's intervention, Celestia had an idea to help Pinkie Pie in her game with Tirek. 

"Hey Tirek, we've got another player," Pinkie said in a sing song voice.

"Certainly Pinkie Pie," Tirek said in his smug, normal tone.

"Hello, Tirek, how are you doing?"

Tirek's smug expression promptly died as a tall figure walked up. He had crimson wings and brown fur, standing on two legs. A belt with golden rivets. He looked old, but not nearly to the point of Tirek, and appeared in much better shape. Atop his head was a familar golden crown. "YOU!"

Scorpan smiled. "Long time no see, brother."

Tirek's reaction was to try and throttle his younger brother through the bars...then screaming in pain as the blessed iron bars burned his dark magically mutated flesh.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!"

"I'm here to play a game with my big brother, like the old days," Scorpan replied, making his brother even angrier by the fact he DIDN'T act as upset to see his brother as Tirek did.

"I am NOT playing with him!" Tirek screamed as loudly as his old, weakened body could manage.

"What's wrong, brother? Afraid I'll be too much for you?" Scorpan asked.

Tirek snarled in rage. "NEVER! I won't give you the satisfaction!"

However, controlling his impulses wasn't something Tirek was very good at, and his sheer rage at the sight of his sibling combined with Scorpan being the one being on the planet who knew him well enough to successfully counter his manipulations changed the landscape of the game quite a bit. His temper only worsened due to the fact his brother made NO attempt to show anger or frustration in return, only acting like they were still two princes back home at their old place.

Session 11.1 Mooncalf99

"...And with one last roll of duct tape, you finally get your jury-rigged space roadster to hang together properly," Twilight declared.



"About time," Trixie snarked. "Exactly how many botches did you roll, Dash?"



"Hey, it's not my fault the dice decided to hate me tonight," Rainbow protested loudly. "Besides, Smarts isn't my best stat. I'm just glad Twilight's letting me use Cool for my jury-rigging rolls."



"You are aware that there's a difference between 'looks like it's fixed' and 'is fixed', right?" Twilight said.



"I know, but Wings Maximus doesn't," Rainbow said. "And what you don't know can't hurt you. Right?"



"I second that motion!" Pinkie exclaimed. She looked at the empty seats at the table. "So we are gaming without the others tonight?"



Twilight nodded. "You wanted to run a separate adventure, so this was the best idea. I have it all worked out, don't worry. I've always wanted to try something like this, anyway."



"Yeah, I run another perimeter check in case any of those goody-four-shoes are spying on us," Gilda said. "Do I need to roll anything?"



"Let me roll for you," Twilight said, throwing a die behind her screen. "We don't want any 'uh oh, I just failed a spot check' situations, do we?"



"Hmph," Gilda muttered. "C'mon, let's launch this tub already."



"Tub?" Rainbow Dash said, sounding offended. "This baby's a beauty! The finest combination of primo alien tech and Equestrian vehicle design!"



"I thought it was a flying saucer you duct-taped to a chariot," Starlight said.



"It's... more... it's, like, combined and stuff," Rainbow said, sounding REALLY offended. "C'mon, you can't diss our cool ride!"



"Yes, it's cool," Trixie said. "But it could be cooler! Bright Light grabs a few spraycans and gives it a new paintjob!"



"Hey! Don't mess it up! Trixie!" Rainbow protested.



Trixie stuck out her tongue at Rainbow and rolled. "Watch in awe as Trixie rolls a majestic fifteen! Okay, Bright Light does a glorious airbrushed display of rainbows, shooting stars, a sexily posed Luna, and Starswirl the Bearded karate-punching a horde of changelings."



"Somehow, you manage to make all that look good," Twilight said. She gave Trixie a curious look. "Somehow. Gilda, you find no trespassers."



"So, are we ready to go?" Starlight asked.



"You sure you wanna let your bad half come along, Starlight?" Pinkie asked. "Didn't you say when you rolled your character that you didn't like being split up for too long?"



"I know, but... this is too interesting," Starlight said, smiling softly. "As long as Twilight says I can go along with it, I will. Also, Lib and Ra aren't really 'good' and 'bad'. It's more like Superego and Id, and..." She looked at her uncomprehending fellow players. "Nevermind."



"I know what you're getting at," Twilight said. "And I don't mind if you use your powers for having fun. Anyway, if you don't have anything else to do, you can board now. You did list everything you're taking with you, right? I'll be strict about that, you know. Anything not on the list, you don't have it."



"It's okay, it just makes improvising more challenging," Pinkie said. She pushed over a sheet. "Here you go! Food, clean underwear, Bright Light's autographed merchandise in case of alien fans, more food, lots of duct tape, a box of spare sunglasses, three tubs of polyepoxide cupcake icing... tastes horrible, but it'll patch up the ship just fine. Two spare blivets, oxygen tanks, helium tanks--"



"Why helium?" Twilight asked.



"In case we need to amuse alien foals, duh!" Pinkie replied, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Now, there's also--"



"I think I can read the rest myself," Twilight said, picking up the surprisingly long list and looking it over. Sometimes she forgot that Pinkie had a very organized side, hidden away under the recklessly spontaneous exterior. "Okay then. Good thing you have a big trunk to hold it all in. So you all pile into the chariot section and start the engine. Wings is piloting, I suppose?"



"I call shotgun!" Pinkie cried.



"Prepare for takeoff!" Gilda announced. "In ten! Nine! Eight! Sev--"



"WAAAIT!" Rainbow Dash suddenly cried. "Guys, I forgot. I'm... afraid of heights."



"Oh, for Grover's sake," Gilda snapped. "So you take a few penalties. Big deal."



"No, I've thought about this, and I think the whole thing's too much for Wings," Rainbow said. "I can't do this."



"So, what, is this the bit where we have an uplifting sidequest about curing his fears with the power of confidence and friendship?" Starlight suggested.



"Nah, takes too long," Gilda said. "I make Wings look the other way and render him unconscious with the Awesomoid nerve pinch."



"I'm not sure you have that skill," Twilight said.



"Then I bludgeon him unconscious with a lead pipe and dump him in the back seat," Gilda said. "Same difference. Now can we go? I'll drive."



"Nuh-uh!" Pinkie protested. "I called shotgun, so I get to drive!"



"I still have a lead pipe," Gilda pointed out.



"Rock, paper, scissors?" Pinkie suggested. Gilda nodded. On the count of three, Gilda held up her claw held together, and Pinkie held up her hoof. "Oh, shoot. I forgot I can only do rock. Fine, but I still get shotgun. Does it come with an actual shotgun?"



"It's not on the list," Twilight said. "Okay, so after some rearranging, you're finally seated and strapped in, and your jury-rigged engines start up. You miraculously don't explode, and soon soar into the sky and the blue yonder."



"Woo!" Pinkie cried.



"This calls for a guitar solo," Trixie said. "Bright Light rocks out! You hear me, Equestria? This star is going back into the sky!"



Twilight looked over her notes. "Now, you're flying for a while, when--" Suddenly there was a knock on the palace door. "Now what? I told Spike to keep the others busy, so..."



The doors slammed open, and a white stallion barged into the room, skidding to a halt before the table. "Twilight!" Shining Armor gasped, catching his breath. "You've got to hide me!"



Twilight stared at her brother and blinked. "Girls? Let's take a break."



(To Be Continued... )

Session 11.2 Alex Warlorn

Meanwhile, in the human world, during one of Princess Twilight's visits...

Princess Twilight, along with Sunset Shimmer and the human counter parts of the Elements of Harmony... were passing by one of Canterlot high's soccer field.

"Ugh. Can't those guys do that in their own backyard where noone has to see them and they don't have to take up space for me to practice?" Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. 

"Rainbow, you could USE less practice! Miss 'Captain Of Every Sports Team', except the boys' teams." Applejack said. 

"She's right Rainbow," Fluttershy of all people admitted. "You practice so much.. your grades weren't doing so well."

"So what? I can get into collage on a sports scholarship."

Rarity then had her say. "Not if your grades drop so low you're no longer ALLOWED to play."

"... Since when is that a thing?"

"SINCE ALWAYS!"

"... Uh-oh." Rainbow Dash's lovely blue skin turned a shade paler.

"What are they doing?" Sunset Shimmer asked steering the discussion back on course.

"I think they're... LARPing." Twilight said narrowing her eyes (no she did NOT need glasses, thank you very much!). 

"Playing harps?"

"No no no silly, Live Action Role Playing! Ya know, playing pretend!" Pinkie Pie corrected.

"Aren't they a little old for that?" Sunset said looking at the group too. 

"You're never too old for playing pretend!" Pinkie Pie stamped her foot.

"I have to agree with Pinkie Pie Sunset," Twilight said, "One of the childish things to put away growing up is the fear of being childish. And it's not like they're hurting any pony, I mean anyone."

One of the LARPers meanwhile (one of the Diamond Digger trio), dramatically waved his foam-core sword around and said. "For south! We have defeated the ancient dark shadow warlock and ended his threat forever... but alas... now magic shall vanish from the world forever, and people will now have to work hard rather than rely not the easy lives magic gives-HEY!"

"HEY YOURSELF JERK!" Princess Twilight snarled, "WHO GAVE YOU THE IDEA THAT MAGIC WAS EASY?! IT'S HARD WORK CELESTIA BANISH IT! WHO WROTE THIS ADVENTURE? I WANT A NAME YOU-HEY! STOP! LET ME GO! PUT ME DOWN! I COMMAND YE!" 

Applejack's lasso had tied around Twilight's waist, and had dragged her away from the LARPers, and then she had been picked up the cowgirl who carried here away from the scene she was making. 

"Sorry Twili', yer my friend, but ya ain't princess, this is for yer own good, believe me." 

"Sunset! Help!"

"Sure Twilight! Hey! Is that Flash Sentry over there?"

Twilight's face brightened up. "Really?! Where?!" 

Properly distracted, Twilight only momentarily felt Pinkie Pie's joy buzzer giving her a mild electric shock that sent her into la-la-land. 

Session 11.3 Kendell2 (OOC: Inspired by the game series Just Cause.)

"...Rainbow Dash brought this game in, didn't she?" Twilight asked.

The game in question could best be described as 'every action movie ever, the RPG'.

Rainbow Dash chuckled. "What can I say? It seemed like fun."

"So how's this work?" Applejack asked, looking it over.

"Oh, well you see, your characters are trying to free a nation from an evil dictator!"

"And how do you do that?"

Rainbow Dash smirked. "You blow stuff up!"

Twilight blinked. "Uh...what kind of stuff."

"Everything that's red."

"Why red?"

"I don't know, guess it's the dictator's color! But I mean seriously, the game has magic that emulates the explosions!"

Rarity looked at the weapon and vehicle list. "...It appears the game isn't very stingy on ways to do that..."

"I know, right?!" the cyan pegasus asked. 

Pinkie Pie looked at the description. "It says 'Michael Bray approved'."

Session 11.4 Ardashir

"Applejack?" Twilight waved the papers in her magical grip under the palomino's nose. "This adventure you came up with?"

"Huh?" AJ looked at it. Huge and ugly bulls were on the cover, menacing a group of ponies that looked a lot like the Element Bearers. "What's wrong with it? Ya suggested Ah come up with an idea, so Ah did. What's wrong with savin' some ponies from no-good cattle rustlers?"

"It's just, well," Twilight's horn glowed. "You have me in it."

"Well, yeah, Ah wouldn't want ta leave any o' mah friends out of it."

"Thanks but," Twilight took it back and flipped through some pages. "You have the bulls running amok all over these poor ponies. What's to stop me from just using my magic to grab them all at once and have them jailed until the law handles it? Or having Spike send a message to Celestia and asking her to send some Guardsponies or the like?"

"Oh! Well, uh..." AJ rubbed her chin. "Ah guess Ah'm kinda used ta dealin' with problems th' Earth Pony way. Maybe Spike's somewhere else an' you got a horn cold so ya can''t use magic?" She cringed at Twilight''s frown. "Ah... there's some kinda law preventin' ya from using magic on anypony that ain't got magic?" Twilight's frown deepened. Applejack pulled her hat over her face.

"AJ, maybe it would be better to have both me AND Spike just be 'somewhere else'?" Applejack looked downfallen. Twilight nuzzled her friend. "I know you want me to be a part of it, but even as a unicorn I could have settled this too fast for it to be a good story. Maybe I could have some other character in the town? A deputy, or maybe the schoolmarm?" Applejack began to look smile as Twilight said, "That way I can be there and help without overpowering it."

Session 11.5 Alex Warlorn

"So what's this game Pinkie Pie?" Rainbow Dash asked. She and the rest of the mane six sat in Sugarcube Corner, with a door straight to the kitchen. 

"Oh it's a great game! It's from Neighpon! I had to get to a friend to translate it since it's never had an official release export to Equestria! But you'll love it! It's called Fighting Food-Ton! You bake cupcakes, cookies, make sandwiches, any kind of food you can think of, and you have them fight each other! Can you rise through the ranks and become the ultimate Fighting Food-Ton Chef? And of course you get to eat the pieces when you're done playing! Doesn't that sound great girls? Hey! Where are you all going?!" 

Session 11.5 Alex Warlorn

"So what's this one?" Rainbow Dash asked, looking at a large hexagon grid, showing a map of Equestria, and several smaller maps also using hexagons. There were also several game tokens of various types. 

The rest of the mane six, plus Starlight Glimmer, were present. Spike said he was playing a solo adventure for 'Buttons'/Suri. 

"Oh, it's a sort of strategic horror game." Glimmer said smiling. 

"Horror?" Fluttershy shrank some. 

"Oh there's no real violence or gore involved, in fact the game discourages killing."

"Oh, that's good." Fluttershy smiled.

"So ... what is the premise darling?" Rarity asked politely. 

"It's rather simply, vampires, werewolves, zombies, and the likes, are on the rise, too much on the rise on fact. There simply aren't enough ponies to go around. You play the various movie monsters who are out to assimilate as many ponies' as possible while eliminating or assimilating the competition. Naturally, some factions are immune to assimilation by others."

"This game's premise seems kinda familiar." Applejack said flatly. 

Glimmer missed on AJ's tone. "Well, like I said, there's vampire, werewolves, zombies, but also mummies-"

"Aren't those a type of zombie?" Pinkie Pie asked. 

"No no no, they're nothing alike. Windigos-"

"WINDIGOS?!"

"Uh, here they're ponies who are infected with a parasite that feeds off hate until it grows strong enough to mutate the body. Plant Ponies. Robo-Ponies. And also fox-mares-from-spaces."

"Fox-mares-from-space?" Twilight asked.

"That one was... kinda chosen by one of donators, this game got its start on Pay-Trot." Glimmer explained. "Also, ponies are their own faction, and can mutate and turn some of the others into their own kind too, but are vulnerable to assimilation by all the other factions. There are also 'leader' units, like Dracula for the vampires that you can only have one in your faction at a time. And there are a few other factions from the expansion packs, that I bought of course." 

Twilight said picking up a piece of one of the pony 'commander' units. "Starlight.... I can't help but notice that the high rank pony player pieces look sort of like you."

Glimmer blushed. "Heh-heh, I might have gotten some bonuses when I donated bits to this game on Pay-Trot." 

Session 11.7 Mooncalf99

Shining Armor took a deep breath and tried to collect himself. He then noticed the others in the room, and the collected roleplaying detritus covering the table. "Oh. Um. Hey. Are you girls playing a game?"

"Yes, we are," Twilight said. "BBBFF, what's going on? Is there some kind of trouble?"

"Oh, great," Rainbow Dash groused. "Some big bad evil guy's broken out of Tartarus or an evil mirror or something, and now we have to run off and rainbowize 'em and it'll be days before we can get the game back on. And then they'll turn good and want to join in."

"Well, excuse me," Starlight huffed.

"Sometimes I wonder why these ponies bother playing roleplaying games," Trixie said to Gilda.

Gilda shrugged. "Real life doesn't hand out as much cool loot, I guess."

"What?" Shining Armor said in confusion. "No, I... no, no, it's nothing like that. It's just... it's Cadence. You know how some mares get, you know, weird cravings? When they're... you know?"

"Oh, do we ever!" Pinkie exclaimed. "Mrs Cake wanted to eat all sorts of crazy stuff when she had her buns in the oven. Weeeeird stuff. Gave me some interesting new recipes, though. Ever tried pickled durian with wasabi-cinnamon cream filling? It'll clear your sinuses out. And your stomach."

Shining Armor stared at Pinkie in the traditional manner of an unused-to-Pinkie pony trying futilely to comprehend what she just said, followed by him trying to put it clear out of his mind. "Okay... yeah, well, Cadence decided to go the extra mile. She doesn't want snacks. Instead she wants to run a game called 'Pony-Occupied Landfill'."

Silence reigned around the table.

"Heh, a classic," Gilda chuckled. "Not for weak spines, though."

"And she wants Sombra and Chrysalis at the table," Shining continued.

"Isn't he... kinda... dead, or something?" Pinkie asked. "I'm pretty sure he was blown to smithereens by the Crystal Heart. You don't usually get back up from that. Outside of bad fanfiction and non-canon comic book arcs, I mean."

"Speaking as somepony with experience of insanity, I'd say she's lost it," Trixie said. "Loco in the coco. Round the bend. Truly gone fishing."

Shining shook his head. "It's not that bad, she... she'll be fine in a while. I left Flash Sentry to keep an eye on her."

"So you threw him under the chariot and ran off to hide," Rainbow scoffed. "Class act."

Twilight rolled her eyes. "Never mind that. Sure, you can stay for a while, but you better make it up to Cadence. And to Flash."

"Yeah, yeah..." He looked over the table, and looked with some confusion at Starlight, Trixie and Gilda. "So... what're you playing? And where's Spike and the other girls? Aren't you a pretty tight group?"

"We're doing a split-group thing at the moment, so they're not here at the moment," Twilight said. "We're playing 'Teenaged Ponies From Outer Space'."

"Not familiar with that..." Shining mused. "So it's got aliens?"

"No, the 'space' in the title refers to the one between your ears, doofus," Gilda snarked.

Shining frowned. "Excuse me?"

"Never mind that," Twilight said with an eyeroll. "Yes, lots of aliens. With bug eyes and claws and zapguns."

"And they're attacking Equestria?" Shining ventured.

"No!" Starlight protested. "No, not at all. Well, sometimes, but only by accident. Technically."

"I waged war on a Hayburger's for refusing to sell breakfast even though it was clearly before eleven," Pinkie said blithely.

"In a game, or in real life?" Trixie asked.

Pinkie nodded. "Yes."

"They're not waging war on Equestria," Twilight said pointedly. "There's being inventive and there's trying to skip the rails completely. Correct?" Hearing no objections, she continued, "Anyway, they're the player characters, and they have a quest to undertake. Shining, do you want to join in, or...?"

"They are...?" Shining said in bemusement. "Ah, no, it's okay. I don't want to crash the game. But I wanna sit in, if it's okay. Been a while since I've seen you GM. It'll be good to see how you do."

"I've got no problems with that," Twilight said. "Girls?" The players just shrugged. "Okay then. You've just taken off from Equestria, doing a pointless but impressive-looking slingshot maneuver around the sun, and staying as far away from the moon as possible, in accordance with the court order."

Trixie muttered something rude under her breath.

"Wings Maximus is still passed out in the back seat, but may awaken anytime he feels appropriate. You're soaring along at a pretty good speed, and you're certain you're going in the right direction," Twilight continued. "Navigational equipment might have been a good idea, but..."

"The Horsehead Nebula is, like, right over there," Rainbow Dash said, pointing in a random direction. "We can't miss it."

"Wait, isn't that more than a thousand light years from Equestria?" Shining Armor said suddenly. "How fast is this ship you have?"

"It's pretty fast, I guess?" Rainbow Dash said.

"Shoulda painted it red," Pinkie said with a giggle. "Red wuns go fastah!"

"Can I just look at the stats?" Shining asked.

Pinkie looked over the inventory list. "Sorry, Captain. It's not on the list, so we didn't bring any!"

"No, I mean real stats," Shining persevered. "You know, hit points, maximum speed, features, that sort of thing."

"Oh, that? I'm winging it," Twilight said dismissively.

"Winging it?" He stared in disbelief at his sister. "You?"

"Believe it, mister," Rainbow Dash said with a smirk. "I for one am proud of her."

"Well, that's interesting..." he mused.

"For what it's worth, we're currently sitting in what is technically a racing chariot duct-taped to a crashed flying saucer and powered with a piece of black-box changeling technology," Starlight explained. "It's probably a complete death trap, but the part of me who handles concern and worry is back in Equestria, so I just don't care." She beamed happily.

"It's fast enough, we know where we're going, everything's coming up roses," Trixie declared proudly. "Did I mention I was rocking out? Because I was." She started air guitaring wildly. "Weeeow! Wee! You hear this, space? Equestrian pop sensation Bright Light is here to rock!"

"Dude," Gilda said. She slapped her claw against her face. "Okay, I take the guitar and hit her with it."

"You do remember that you destroyed Manehattan the last time you two fought, right?" Starlight said. "And then you became friends. It was really touching. But we're in space. Also, you're in the front seat and driving."

"So? It's not like we'll crash into a fruit cart or anything while I'm not looking," Gilda said. "I just crawl over the seat."

"Ah, but the moment you get away, I take the reins!" Pinkie said triumphantly. "Wheel. Controls. Whatever we're steering with."

"Like bloody Tartarus you will!" Gilda barked. "Hey, Dashie! You do something about the noisemaker, okay?"

"Sorry, I'm pretending to be passed out here," Rainbow said with a grin.

"Pretending?" Starlight asked.

"Well, I'm squeezed in between two hot ponies, or at least one pony and a pony-like thing," Rainbow explained. "Might as well enjoy it for a while."

"Wait, your alien is... interested in ponies?" Shining asked uncertainly.

Rainbow just shrugged. "Wings might be an alien, but he's still a teenaged guy. Puberty takes no prisoners."

"And the fiery and incandescent Bright Light is the very essence of hotness!" Trixie declared majestically, still strumming an imaginary guitar. "Ra's cute too, I guess," she added. "I crank up the music further, making sure to be heard for miles around."

"Sound doesn't travel through vaccum, though," Twilight said.

"Bah! Says who?" Trixie scoffed. "Bright Light scoffs at that! She breaks the laws of physics at every opportunity!"

"True, you do that," Twilight said. She made a note to have Trixie's character chased down by the 'physics police' at a later date. That might be fun. "Fair enough. Your latest hit single echoes through the void, even though it shouldn't, and lets everything in the area know how great and powerful you think you are."

"Five years ago, you'd have refused to go along with that," Shining said.

"Five years ago, she didn't know me," Pinkie replied smugly. "I stand up in my seat and wave my six arms around like I just don't care." She paused in thought. "I guess I'll have to open the roof first... wait. Does this thing have a roof?"

"That's a very good question," Twilight said. She grinned. "Chariots don't come with roofs, after all. And let's face it, Wings isn't exactly a brilliant engineer."

"Yes, but I'm pretty sure she, I mean, he wouldn't have overlooked something obvious like that," Starlight said. "Right?"

"Yeah, that's..." Rainbow paused. "Wait, no. Wings doesn't need to breathe, so he might actually have overlooked that. Okay, Smarts roll to decide?" She rolled. "Ugh. Four's not enough, is it?"

Twilight shook her head. "All of you realize suddenly that you have no air."

"Total party kill, huh?" Shining said, smirking a bit. "I guess you have to retcon things back to earlier. Or roll new characters?"

"Don't be silly," Twilight said. "This is where things get interesting. Girls, what do you do?"

"I blame Wings for this," Gilda said.

"Save the blame game for later. About the air situation?" Twilight insisted.

"Oh, that." Gilda snickered. "Yeah, I don't care. I'm too awesome for air. Who told you you needed oxygen, huh? Some loser who was trying to make you feel small. Am I right?"

"Fair enough," Twilight said. "Wings... yes, you just said. And Trixie, I guess Bright Light is right at home in deep space?"

"Other than a deplorable dearth of screaming, adoring fans, yes," Trixie said. "She came to Equestria for a reason. But yes, she'll be fine."

"Wait, that's it?" Shining protested. "'I'm too awesome for air'? You can just decide to ignore stuff like that?"

Gilda slammed her claws on the table. "What's your deal, huh? All I hear from you is complaining and whining!"

"Gilda, please," Twilight admonished. "It's okay, my brother just takes his games seriously. Shining Armor, just relax. It's not a serious game. I've got everything in hoof."

"I just don't see it," Shining said. "I mean... how can you do the game right if there's no rules?"

"I know what you mean," she said. "I was confused too, at first. But there are rules and guidelines that I am sticking to, and it works. You just have to play a little loose at times."

"Yeah, I guess you know what you're doing..." He took a deep breath and turned to Gilda. "Sorry about that, uh... Gilda, was it?"

"Whatever, dude," the griffon said, rolling her eyes. "Just don't be a chump, okay?"

"Let's get back on track," Twilight said. "Hungry, Ra? What are you doing to deal with this?"

"Oh dear..." Starlight said worriedly. "We did bring along oxygen tanks, correct?"

"Yes, but those won't last for long," Twilight said. "They're enough for an emergency solution, though."

"Ooh, I've got an idea!" Pinkie cried. "Right, so according to astrophysics, stars turn light elements into heavier elements, like hydrogen into helium, right?"

"When the hay did you study astrophysics?" Rainbow asked, incredulous.

Pinkie rolled her eyes. "I need to be up-to-date on the contextual jokes, duh," she said, again as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "How can I gab about advanced sciency spacey stuff if I don't know enough about it? Being funny is hard work!"

"So you're the one who's been leaving textbooks all over the library!" Twilight accused. "I told Spike I wasn't responsible for the mess, but he wouldn't believe me!"

"...Sorry?" Pinkie had the grace to look a little ashamed. "Anyway, I'm right, right? Stars are, like, heavenly ovens, turning simple ingredients into bigger treats, correct?"

"That's a very Pinkie way of putting it," Twilight said with a light smile. "Okay, I'll accept that, on the caveat that you won't try to abuse this later."

"Pinkie promise," Pinkie said. "So that means that Brighty could make a little extra oxygen on request, right? It'd be like artificial respiration... the kiss of life!" She wiggled her eyebrows meaningfully.

"Oh, I see where this is going," Trixie said. "No. Absolutely not. Bright Light will not kiss you. No way!"

"What, I'm not pretty enough for you?" Pinkie mock-pouted.

"I'm not worried about that," Trixie said with a frown. "I'm more concerned about, oh yeah, the fact that you have more teeth than the Apple Family! You eat things that should not be eaten! You ate Wings once!"

"That was an accident," Pinkie said. "Technically. And he was fine afterwards."

"Not taking the risk," Trixie insisted.

"Tease. I guess I'll just have to hold my breath." Pinkie nudged Starlight. "But what about Ra? You said she was pretty earlier."

"Wait, what?" Starlight said.

"That's different," Trixie said. She leered at Starlight. "That's very different."

"I, ah, I'm not sure if this is appropriate," Starlight said hastily. "I mean, I'm still trying to understand friendship! Right?"

"Well, you could consider it a... beneficial friendship lesson," Trixie suggested with a wink.

"Is this also part of the game?" Shining whispered to his sister. "Because I never saw this kind of activity at my table."

"Yes, it is," Twilight whispered back. "And you never gamed with Trixie. Don't worry, I've got this." She raised her voice. "Suddenly, a pirate ship emerges from behind an asteroid! They attack! What do you do?"

"Oh, ponyfeathers, hornblocked again," Trixie mused, not looking very upset about it. She leaned over to Pinkie. "Did we just provoke the GM into giving us a distraction?"

Pinkie giggled. "We totally did. Now let's fight some pirates!"





Meanwhile, at Sweet Apple Acres...

The dice skittered across the playing field made up of colorful hexagons. "Seven," Fluttershy said. "Oh, that means I get to move the robber, right? Um, sorry, Applejack, but I'll have to put him on your territory. You're kind of... winning." She moved a little black horse figurine over to one area, next to some orange houses.

"Flutters, ya don't have to apologize fer that," Applejack said. "It's fair an' square." She fanned her cards so Fluttershy could take one of them.

"I'm feeling a little left out," Discord groused.

"You are?" Fluttershy asked. "I'm sorry, do you want to... trade some wheat?"

"No, not this game," Discord corrected. "The others are having a secret session over at Sparklebutt's place, and we're not in it. Also, those blue dunderheads have taken to calling themselves the 'bad team', which makes us the 'good team' by comparison, and I don't like it!" He slammed his paw against the table, sending it flipping through the air before it landed back in place. Not-so-miraculously, everything was still in place, drinks and cards included, although Applejack's plate of apple fritters was in front of him now. He managed to eat one before she angrily took them back.

"Discord, you're not saying that you have a problem with being good, do you?" Fluttershy asked.

"Oh, of course not!" Discord replied sharply, not even bothering with some playful sight gag. "I've learned that lesson well enough, and you know it. I just... want a little creative outlet now and then, that's all. Maybe I should go over and--"

"Don't." Applejack sighed. "Ah'll talk to Twilight later. Ah'm sure she'll love a chance fer us ta mess up whatever trouble those girls are makin'. Now, whose turn is it?"

"My turn," Rarity said. She rolled the dice. "Nine. That's some wheat for Fluttershy, and lots of sheep for me. Trade some sheep for some wood?"

"Sure thing," Applejack said. She grinned. "Ah've got plenty o' wood fer yer sheep."

Rarity sighed. "You just had to say that, didn't you?"

Session 11.8 BrutalityInc

“Are Hooves and Muffins coming in tonight?” Octavia asked as she laid out snacks and game books on her kitchen table, dressed like an aristocrat.

“Yes, but they said they might be a bit late. They are going to be testing one of doc’s new invention to create some ‘special’ special effects for the Ponyville Costume Carnival tonight.” Lyra said, shrugging in her Appleloosan cow-pony costume, “Though if you ask me, they’re probably off playing the carnival games themselves. Can’t say I can blame them; tonight’s like Nightmare Night, only without the candy.”

“Indeed. Ponyville is going at it almost like a festival celebration.” Octavia nodded. She walked passed Vinyl Scratch, who was dressed like a mask-and-tuxedo-wearing phantom of an opera house, looking up and out the window, staring intensely at the full moon against the starry night. “It’s as if Ponyville enjoyed Nightmare Night festivities so much, they would have a second Nightmare Night in the middle of Summer. What would they call that festival, I wonder? Midsummer Night?”

“I take it tonight’s game is going to be something that fits the theme of the carnival?” Lyra asked.

“Yes, but it’s purely co-incidental. I had been wanting to try this for quite some time.” Octavia confirmed as she pulled out a box from a drawer and placed it on the table.

Vinyl Scratch nearly jumped when she turned and saw the title of the box.

“‘Hunter: The Vigilance’? Isn’t that game part of the ‘World of Shadows’ series by Albino Wolf Publishing? The company that also made ‘Vampire: The Bloodlust’ and ‘Werewolf: The Abandoned’?” Lyra asked, suddenly excited.

“The very same.” Octavia confirmed. “They also made ‘Demon: The Exiled’ and ‘Changeling: The Astray’, though they had to change the latter to ‘Fae: The Astray’ after the Canterlot Invasion.”

“So I heard, not that it made any difference; the Changelings we met does behave a lot like the Fae as we ponies imagined them, except for the part about them being bug-ponies...” Lyra said, remembering discussions with friends who share her fascination with mysterious creatures. “You have no idea how long I have spent trying to convince my pals at the Cryptid Club that Changelings and Vampires are different on many levels, should the latter exist. Rivals competing for the same food source, maybe, but Changelings are not vampires under a different name!”

“Well, here’s hoping Albino Wolf Publishing remembers to differentiate the two in their lore.” Octavia, “Of course, instead of playing as vampires or changelings, we play as the ponies who hunt them, as well as other monsters, as the title implies.”

Vinyl Scratch quietly whinnied, and gave a derisive snort as she leafed through the pages of the core gamebook. Lyra meanwhile read the supplementary booklets detailing all kinds of monsters with great interest.

“Too bad Bon Bon can’t join us tonight.” Lyra sighed, putting down a book “She’ll love to play this sort of campaign.”

“Oh, really? I never know our favourite candy pony has such an interest in this genre...” Octavia queried, her curiosity piqued.

“It – it’s not much of an interest. Just a hobby, if you will. Let’s say we’re... not on the same level when it comes to involvement with gothic horror, and other things abnormal and bizarre.” Lyra said, deflecting Octavia’s inquiry, “In any case though, she’s going to be mighty busy working overtime. Something about a ‘special order’ that needs to be fulfilled. She probably wouldn’t make it tonight.”

As if on cue, the door of the house swung opened, and all three ponies had to shield their eyes when a gust of wind blew dust and leaves from outside right into their faces.

“Good news, every-pony! I managed to finish my job much quicker than I expected. I’m all set for our game tonight!” A voice declared.

When the door was shut and the wind stopped, Lyra, Octavia and Vinyl found themselves staring at a familiar pony, wearing unfamiliar attire; Bon Bon wore a wide-brimmed hat like on Lyra’s cow-pony attire, but black in colour and a narrower high crown that make it seemed like it belong to an order from an older time. She was wearing Mithril alloy plate vest over leather barding that covered her front to hind-quarters; on her chest was a bandolier stuffed with what looked like silver knives, grenades and tubes containing various unknown liquids. On her back is a quiver with what looked like silver-tipped crossbow bolts; and crossbow in question, a miniature looking one with a lever for seeming auto-repeating action was mounted on her right fore-leg. On her left side was a holstered sword, and her right side a tube-shaped contraption that seemed capable of launching grape-fruit sized munitions, like more of the grenades hanging under it from an ammo belt, with the pull of a string; both were mounted on a saddle-harness.

All in all, she dressed impeccably, unmistakably like...

“A monster-hunter!” Octavia said, astonished, “Do remember to knock next time before you enter, Bon Bon, but my word, it seemed you have dressed appropriately for this occasion!”

“Really? I mean, er... yes, I suppose?” Bon Bon said as she shed some of her gear – and quietly hiding a badge in one of the buttoned pockets – before she approached the table, “It is costume carnival night, yes?”

“Well, yeah, of course! We always like going all-out every-time such festivals come up, Octy.” Lyra interjected quickly for her roommate before Octavia could press further, “Why, Bon Bon, you even had your costume look battered, like you just had a monster battle; I mean, look at the the scratches and tears on your costume, the smears of monster blood and gore...”

“And the smell too... have you bought blood-scent perfume from the props shop?” Octavia asked, while Vinyl cringed from catching a whiff of stench as Bon Bon sat at the table, “Going a bit too far, don’t you think? This isn’t really Nightmare Night.”

“Well, maybe I should cut it down a bit...” Bon Bon said awkwardly – while winking at Lyra, who winked back. “So, what are we playing again?”

“‘Hunter: The Vigilance’.” Octavia answered.

Bon Bon’s ears perked up, “Oh, is that so?” she asked, resisting the urge to give a small smirk. “Tell me more...”

Needless to say, once Hooves and Muffins arrived and the game got started proper, Bon Bon’s character did the best overall out of the other characters in their ‘cell’ of monster hunters over the course of their campaign. She didn’t usurp the overall command of the cell – the honour of leader fell to Lyra, the resident cryptozoologist – but while Lyra could easily recite all the relevant information for virtually every monster they encountered, it was Bon Bon who was able to use Lyra’s knowledge of the monsters’ strengths, weaknesses and attributes to greatest effect, providing invaluable advice on how to defeat them. She also seemed to have an uncanny grasp on how the monsters would behave and act, correctly guessing what monsters were up to even before reaching that part written in the campaign, as well as always choosing the right equipment and right strategies for fighting different monsters.

“It’s almost as if she fought monsters before in real life!” Muffins quipped at one point, “I think the vampires would better think twice before they decide to pounce on her at night!”

Hidden behind her red visor and her opera phantom costume, no-pony noticed Vinyl Scratch was looking around nervously and sweating throughout their entire first session. 

Session 11.9 Kendell2 

Diamond Tiara, Silver Spoon, and the CMC set at the table, joined by two of their classmates, Alula, and Tootsie Flute being players and Button Mash being the Game Master. The game required seven players, and Pip and Spike hadn't wanted to play it, but had recommended Tootsie to play.

"...So since the other games I made with dad did well, we decided to go with another genre, and we made this!" Button said, seeming to be enjoying himself being able to make games with his father.

"So, what's the game?" Scootaloo asked.

"Well we did mecha, so dad wanted to do a Magical Filly one," Button explained.

Diamond blinked. "Wait, you don't mind that kind of stuff?"

Button blinked and cocked his head. "No...why?"

"Well most boys think it's 'girly' or something."

"Oh...what's girly about ponies with magical powers blowing up monsters and saving ponies?"

"...Good point..."

"We based a lot of stuff off old legends and stuff! The story is an evil witch named Hydia has resurrected in modern day Equestria and is creating all kinds of monsters with her evil magic to attack the ponies, and you play magical fillies who found the wands of the legendary Princesses of Ponyland and the Crown of Queen Majesty!...We're going to have Trixie do the commercial."

"Let's hope there aren't any witches who are going to sue again..." Scootaloo muttered.

"Nah, dad got a lawyer to ask permission from...somepony first...didn't say who," Button said, shrugging.

---

"Me as the villain of an RPG?" an ugly old hag asked, seemingly in a sugary paradise with happy ponies prancing and dancing around her...while she was in a cocoon hanging from a tree and unable to bring harm on anypony. "Go ahead! Just make sure I'm irredeemably evil!"

"Yes, miss..." said the very nervous lawyer before Cerebus laid him out of Tartarus, visiting hours over.

---

Alula rubbed her chin. "Does this seem familiar?" she asked. "The magical filly thing?"

Diamond Tiara shrugged. "I think we've all pretended to be at one point. Let's start playing already."

Session 11.10 Alex Warlorn

Twilight walked into the room of the mark map. Surprised to find her five fellow Elements waiting for her. All of them with sad smiles on their face.

"Hi girls."

"Hi Twilight." They said together.

"Something wrong?" Twilight made sure their cutie marks didn't look meddled with.

"Nothin' Twili'," Applejack said, "We just want ya to know, we all feel super rotten for abandonin' ya at that weddin' rehearsal when that low down snake Queen Chrysalis was impersonatin' Cadence. That was the most stupid and heartless thing we coulda done."

Twilight blasted Applejack dead center, sending her flying out of the chair. She grabbed the others with her magic and slammed their heads together. They reverted back to their true insectoid forms. 

"Nice TRY Chrysalis! When my friends talked about the rehearsal after the wedding? I APOLOGIZED TO THEM! I was the one who gave you all the material you needed to make it seem like I was being a paranoid brat! Not all of us are slave to our egos like you!" 

"... You... can't blame a girl for trying can you? It was just a joke... a little social experimentation... and-! And... "

Twilight's horn glowed white hot.

"DIPLOMATIC IMMUNITY!" Chrysalis screamed running for her life, dragging her children with her. "Just wanted to play Changeling with you!" 

"Hey Twilight, was that Chrysalis just now?" Rainbow Dash said, coming in with Spike (still unaware his vision had 'Chrysalis-Cam' enchanted on him) and the other Elements of Harmony and Starlight Glimmer. 

"Yeah, just up to her usual tricks. I sent her packing. I think she'll know to behave if she wants to keep in peaceful standing." 

Session 11.11 Alex Warlorn

"You REALLY agreed to let Glimmer pick and GM a game?" Spike asked.

"Sure. It'll show that we trust her, and that she doesn't have to be afraid of sharing her interests."

"Her interest is organizing ponies the way Sweetie Belle does dolls." Spike said.

"Spike, none of that."

"It's true, take that away from her, and what's left? A mare whose just sorry for everything all the time... no offense Fluttershy."

"None taken."

"Look! Let's just see what game it is, and judge AFTERWARDS. She said it was a game she loved playing as a teenager." Twilight said as she pushed in the door.

There sat Starlight Glimmer, grinning ear to ear. Their eyes fell to familiar reference books and figures and maps. 

Some cringed. Pinkie Pie went, "Whoopie!" 

Still grinning, Starlight said. "Welcome Citizens. You are just in time to hear how you can help your friend the computer protect Alpha Stable from commie-mutant-traitor-scum. And of course you do. Only commie-mutant-traitor-scum would not want to help their friend the computer. And commie-mutant-traitor-scum are to be vaporized on sight."

"This again?!" Applejack declared.

"What's wrong with that, cousin?" Pinkie Pie asked. 

"This game again of stabbin' each other in the back?! Don't ya remember that HORRIBLE HORRIBLE Diplomacy game that Princess Celestia incinerated?" 

"Didn't we agree to never speak of that again?" Rarity asked.

"No, you agreed to that." Rainbow said.

"HEY! We had lots of fun with this game remember?" Pinkie Pie said. "And we all get spare clones, and we're all on the same team, so it's not like that mean nasty game that we played AFTER IT. Come on, you girls aren't gonna let a bad experience with ANOTHER game, ruin the fun we can have with THIS game right?"

Starlight actually broke character. "Diplomacy? We publicly burned every copy of that game we came across in our town."

"... For some reason, I can not bring myself to say that was a bad thing." Rarity admitted begrudgingly. 

"I'm shocked here! YOU like to play THIS game?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"I always play Your Friend, The Computer, Citizen. And I found it encouraged good behavior in Our Town."

"... A communist police state with a crazy micro-manager with a hair-trigger bad temper behind a motherly attitude, ruling over a buncha identical ponies.. yeah Ah can see that," Applejack said.

"Friend computer vaporizes you Applejack-black-I, Applejack-black-II will arrive shortly."

"How the buck didn't Ah see that comin'?"

"AHHHH! I wanted to be vaporized first!" Pinkie Pie lamented. 

Session 11.12 Alex Warlorn (With bits and pieces borrowed from BrutalityInc and Ardashir)

"WHAT IS THIS?!" Ponyville's resident changeling, Kevin, friend of Matilda Donkey, snapped at the desk of the game company responsible to producing 'Changeling: The Astray', now known as 'Fae: The Astray.' "Is it a crime to use the word changeling now in a positive way?!"

Kevin admitted, there were changelings who theorized all ponies tribes were inferior mutant strains of the changelings... who else did you explain they all had bits and pieces of what Changelings all had personally? Alicorns were clearly ponies trying to return to their changeling purity. This idea was viciously struck down, for it dared imply that changelings and ponies were the same species and not simply predator and prey as nature intended. 

Those who argued for the 'Flutterpony origin theory' were even more viciously mocked and demonized... they were called 'flutter-heads' or 'flutter-brains' or the like. 

The official royal changeling party line was that changelings had been born from a mutant acorn that fell into a pit of pony corpses dripping with black magic that had been burst out of a tree that grew mouths and ate flies... As endorsed by Queen Chrysalis herself. Kevin thought it was insane. 

Just like these game designers, okay, Kevin had never actually PLAYED the game, but ponies got to play as changelings, wasn't that cool!? And now these ponies changed the names all around because they thought every changelings alive was a will-less mindless slave to Chrysalis' will. 

The receptionist behind the desk was not having a good day. "Well, after the Diamond Dogs got 'Escape From the Diamond Dogs' pulled from the shelves for being a reenactment of ponies escaping from their slave mines, several tribes and factions declared it open season on game developers and got us to pull nearly anything offensive. Except the Yaks, they requested only one change."

"What was that?"

"That instead of them smashing to pieces anything that wasn't 100% perfect, instead they smash to pieces anything that isn't 100% genuine, they said it was a important difference." 

"... You're saying The Hive ... " 

"Sued us."

Several three years ago

Chrysalis stammered reading through a game manual. "'Changelings pretend to be normal ponies to better infiltrate and control equine society'? HOW DID THEY LEARN THIS? Get me the hive's Spymaster, they've been sleeping on the job!"

"It's just a pure coincidence, your highness! They don't even know where our hive is!" Pleaded her Spymaster. 

"We still need to do something about this!" Chrysalis hissed. "Tell Tape-Worm and Ring Worm in Fillydelphia they need to forward some letters!" 

Some time after that

"Another three C-and-D letters? This was so much easier in the old days when we just dragged them back to the Hive and mind-whammied them into doing whatever we want."

Session 11.13 Ardashir and Alex Warlorn

"Alright everypony, desperate times, desperate measures." Twilight said, as Suri sat on a stool in the middle of the room, grinning blithely at all of them, her bright equal mark shining. 

Starlight Glimmer sighed. As much as she wouldn't admit to her new friends, she was happy to see somepony who according to all clinical evidence, was actually having a better life thanks to her philosophy. 


Queen Chrysalis looked at the Mane Six coldly, shackles on her legs and a modified collar on her horn that permitted her to use only a little of her magic. "You want me to do what again?"

"Help Suri here," Twilight indicated the widely smiling and Equalized at the moment pony, "to become her normal self again."

"I don't want to be normal!" Buttonbelle chirped. She cantered forward and smiled into Chrysalis' face. The Changeling Queen recoiled from that manic grin. Suri said, "Normal-me was an awful, greedy, nasty pony. I want to be happy and spread the joy of Equalism to everypony! Don't you want to be Equal too?"

"No!" Chrysalis lifted her with magic and set Suri back down. Far, far away from her. "Urrgh! Now I know what happened to a dozen of my drones a year ago They sent word back that they were infiltrating some strange town and the next thing I knew, they were back and grinning like fools and trying to convince us all to be 'equal'." She looked at a nearby chair, picked it up with her magic, and yanked it apart with a sneer. "I stuck them in cocoons until they become sane again. I defy anyone to tell me that they're MY equal."

"My chair!" Rarity gathered the pieces up and began trying to fit them back together. "Twilight, can't you control her impulse to destroy?"

"A-hem!" Twilight adjusted some controls on the amulet she held. The collar on Chrysalis' horn glowed and she hissed in pain. "No more of that! Now, help Suri and we'll forget about you sneaking into MY CASTLE and impersonating MY FRIENDS."

Chrysalis snarled, but she nodded. Turning to Suri, she began to work her magic on the mare's mind.

"Uhh, Twi?" Rainbow Dash hovered over by her. "Is this smart?" 

"Aww, come on, Dashie," Pinkie Pie said. "What could possibly go wrong?"

Everypony froze as soon as those words left her mouth. 

"AHHHH!" Chrysalis shrieked and reared Suri's mind touched hers. Suri dropped, eyes rolling, as Chrysalis collapsed.

Cautious, the Mane Six approached her.

"Chrysalis?" Twilight bent close, but not too close, over the fallen queen. "Are you alright?"

Chrysalis slowly rose, panting, her claws over her face. Her panting grew deeper and more savage as she did.

Twilight and her friends prepared for the worst.

And...

"OH, HELLO, MY DEAR AND WONDERFUL FRIENDS!"

Twilight shrieked as she was enveloped in a warm embrace by legs covered in chitin. She shuddered at the look on Chrysalis' face. Eyes wide with trust, her mane in the simple cut favored in Our Town, and the Equal sign on her flank, Chrysalis somehow looked more horrifying than ever.

"I feel so free now! And I owe it all to you, thank you for showing me the light!" She bowed so low at Starlight Glimmer she hit her horn on the floor. "Ow."

Twilight gasped for air and wriggled, seeking escape, as Chrysalis all but crushed her in a hug. She smiled maniacally at the rest of the Mane Six, who shuddered and made sure to stay out of her grasp. "Oh my dear friends! I've been such an awful Changeling Queen! I have to apologize to everypony I ever hurt! Starting here and now!"

"Girls?" Rarity said, backing towards the door and smiling nervously at Chrysalis. "RUN!"

Hooves scrambling, Rarity was on her way to the door followed by the rest as globs of Changeling slime hit and held them fast.

"No no no!" Chrysalis flew over to them, keeping her embrace/stranglehold on Twilight. "I've been so bad to you all! You simply MUST let me apologize! And to Shining Armor, and Princess Cadence, and Princess Celestia..." Her eyes widened. "I know! I'll turn everypony into Changelings! Then I can apologize to everypony all at once! And when we can all turn into any kind of pony we want we'll finally all be Equal!" She gathered the rest of Twilight's friends into her embrace, pulling them free of the goo. Their agonized groans filled the air as their bones creaked. "Won't that be wonderful -- OW!"

The Mane Six fell away, gasping for air, as Chrysalis collapsed unconscious.

"Eeep!" Fluttershy shook herself. "I've never been so happy to un-hugged before."

"Me neither," Applejack felt her throat. "But who th' hay set us free?"

"That would be me..." Starlight said apologetically, lowering the metal-reinforced chair she'd just broken over Chrysalis' head. 

"Couldn't you have done that BEFORE?" Twilight asked.

"I was... a little overwhelmed." In all honesty she was rather conflicted since what Chrysalis had been saying didn't sound that awful... except if everypony was changelings, where would they get love from? The whole 'be whatever you want to be' didn't sound so bad... And that might have been why Glimmer had struck before it started sounding too good to say no to. 

"So... Buttonbelle personality's is so nice it's infectious?" Fluttershy asked. 

"Please don't call her that, it only encourages her," Twilight said.

"But it's what she wants to be called," Fluttershy said. "Shouldn't we respect that?" 

"I! AM! ME!" Chrysalis snarled, her eyes snapping open, full of savage bloodlust, the equalization fading, then her eyes rolled into the back of her head and she fell unconscious again. 

Suri snarled, getting back up. "I'm not letting Locust Legs here turn ME into some slimy bug! And now since I'm free of that curse, I'll be leaving, M'kay? And don't try stopping me or -- NO! Not again!" She shrieked once, and when it was over, she was back to her smiling new brainwashed self again.

"Hello, my friends!"

The Mane Six just looked at each other.

"Okay," Twilight said. "No more using Chrysalis to try to fix Suri."

Chrysalis shook her head as she awakened for real this time. "NO 'LING WILL EVER HEAR OF THIS!" 

"Consider it blackmail material." Rainbow Dash said.

"... " Chrysalis smirked. "You ponies are more like us than you want to admit. Can you... BLECH... 'please' get these stupid shackles and collar off? I'm late for an important meeting. And this is no way to treat a visiting head of state!"

Twilight rolled her eyes, and flickered her horn and the collar popped off. 

The changeling queen gave them a derisive snort and flew off through one of the windows. 

"Now let's see if we can finally figure out a way to get Suri Polomare de-programmed," Twilight said. 

"My name is Buttonbelle." She grinned gigantically as only an equalized pony could. 

"Suri that isn't your real name," Twilight said. 

"Oh but Buttonbelle IS my real name," Suri said politely. 

Twilight sighed. "Look, I know you want to distance yourself from yourself, but it isn't-"

"Actually she's being serious Twilight," Rarity said. "She was named Buttonbelle, her birth name, but she changed it to Suri Polomare to sound more sophisticated. She said she wanted to be taken seriously as a fashion designer. Sort of the OPPOSITE of Applejack and Countess, I mean, 'Rara."

"Remember how I used to love to laugh and tell jokes?" Suri said with bright innocent eyes. "Doesn't that sound better than who I was before Glimmer showed me the light? Now that I'm equal, I don't feel the need to stab ponies in the back to get ahead. Isn't that the better self?" 

Twilight shook her head. "Suri, what I've been trying to tell you, is that you, and... what I admit I think a lot of ponies have trouble understand-" Spike gave her THAT look. "-Alright, alright, including me! Is that you're ALL of you. You're not just one part of yourself, you're all of yourself."

"... Did you see Kungfu Ursa 3 over the weekend too?" Fluttershy asked.

Twilight blushed.

"YOU saw that movie? About kung-fu?" Rarity asked.

"And cute fuzzy animals!" Fluttershy corrected happily. 

"Oh I know! It was such a fun movie about friendship! How could the villain that be so selfish to the hidden town's folk who just wanted to help him?" Buttonbelle asked.

"I still find him blowing up after filling up with the very magic he was after as rather cliche darling."

"Not if you look at it like he wasn't given a chance to assimilate it first and- Rarity you saw that movie?!" Twilight gasped.

"... Sweetie Belle needed somepony to go with her... and mother and father were busy... as usual." 

"You seem to raise her more than they do." Rainbow Dash said. 

"You noticed, thank you."

'Takes one to know one.' Rainbow Dash thought silently. 

Session 11.14 Alex Warlorn

"What the heck is this?" Rainbow Dash looked dumbly at the box, picking it up, and looking under it and around it, as if it would reveal a hidden compartment. 

"It's a new role playing game Rainbow," Twilight said. "Kevin sent to me."

"Who?" Almost all her friends asked.

"The changeling who attended Cranky and Matilda's wedding remember?" 

"Oh," Came the almost universal reply.

"It was so nice when he finally let me throw him that 'we aren't going to run you out of town or turn you over to the guards for the crime of being a changeling' party," Pinkie Pie said.

None of the others reacted to this information besides accepting the reality Pinkie Pie knew every sapient being in Ponyville, and a good deal of the otherwise too as Rocky and Madam La Flour will assist. 

Twilight continued to explain to the Council of Friendship. "He says it's a game that was recently released by the changelings, as a temporary lift on their ban on role playing games."

"Geeze, as if I needed more reasons not to live in the changeling kingdom," RD remarked. 

Twilight opened the box and began to flip through the rule book. "Well... nothing too strange here... the rules are all pretty straight forward and simplistic, it's clearly meant with the average pony, I mean changeling in mind and... uh, maybe playing this isn't such a good idea."

"Why? It's cursed? Has brainwashing messages built into it?" Pinkie Pie asked. 

"No, and, yes and no." 

"What? Let me have a look!" Rainbow Dash took the book from Twilight before she could protest and.... 

"WHAT. THE. FLYING FEATHER?!"

Rainbow Dash dropped the book. 

The book opened to the entry on Cloudsdale, on the adventure party's mission to save innocent nymphs from being ground up into rainbows by the evil Rainbow Dash. Rarity magically pulled the book towards herself. "MY DARLING! This is awful!" But curiosity got the best of her. "Pinkie Pie... you don't want to read the entry on you. You just don't. And... I MAKE MY CLOTHES OUT OF WHAT?! And! FLUTTERSHY DOESN'T EVEN HAVE A SHED! Twilight got her wings doing WHAT to us?!" Rarity threw the book away in disgust. "TWILIGHT! This is unfiltered, unapologetic propaganda!"

"I get the feeling I know who 'By Princess Crystal' actually is," Twilight remarked grimly. 

"So... in the same book case as WarHorse 40 Carrots?" Applejack asked. Not wanting to know what it said about HER! 

Twilight nodded.

"I'll go plug in the paper shredder!" Pinkie Pie hopped off. 

Session 11.15 Alex Warlorn

Never mess with a pregnant mare, and say good bye to anypony who messes with a pregnant Alicorn! At least the bleeding walls, floors turning to lava, and demonic howling turned to be myths. 

Sadly, that left Guard Flash Sentry, abandoned by his Prince and CO, still dealing with a pregnant Alicorn Princess who did not take kindly to any of her demands not being met. 

"I SAID I WANT TO PLAY PoL! AND with Sombra and Chrysalis! And if I mean ANYTHING to you as your princess! You'll do it now! Or! Or! Or does none of my kingdom actually like me?! Waaahhhhh!" 

Flash Sentry crawled away from Cadence as she went from furious to sad in an instant and out of her royal chambers. 

The pegasus stallion desperate wrote on a piece of paper, and without really thinking wrote.

If you ever loved me, HELP! - Flash Sentry And it vanished in a flash of green flame. 

Soon a mass of smoke came and reformed into a new letter that read. 

Technically I love an alternate universe version of you, but if you're anything like him, then you're a good and decent pony who I really don't want to see perish under the fury of Cadence's mood swings while she's pregnant. So I'll do my best. BTW, Little Brother First Base says hi. - Princess Twilight

Then the crystal mirror appeared out of another mass of green smoke, with a shard of crystal inserted into the top... it shined and glimmered... and out came two crystal unicorn ponies, one holding a letter. A mare and stallion, one was a dark gray blank flank and the other light purple with a spiral winged serpent thingie cutie mark. Something about the stallion was familiar. 

"Excuse me... " said the mare. "I'm Radiant Hope and..." She looked closely at the letter she was holding. "Is this the Ponies and Dragons universe, and we've been invited to play a game with this universe's princess Cadence?" 

Flash Sentry grinned. "YOU'LL DO!" He leapt up and pushed through the door. 

"Either let's play already or let me leave!" Chrysalis hissed. "I have better things to do with my time!" 

"Not until Sombra gets here!"

"Sombra's dead! You brain dead-" 

Then Cadence's belly glowed. A baseball bat levitated off the floor glowing the same color, and whacked Chrysalis so hard she was sent flying and the baseball bat broke in two. 

"Oh, sorry about that," Cadence said with as much apology as she could muster towards her enemy. "My foal sometimes does that if they think I'm in danger or something... the doctors have never seen anything like it." 

Chrysalis growled. "My one regret is that my nymph didn't telekinetically strangle you while you were touching horns with your stallion when she was taking up space inside my abdomen. I always knew she was a failure."

Cadence blinked. "You have foals?"

"You heard nothing!" Chrysalis hissed. 

"Excuse me... are we interrupting?" Asked the stallion. 

"YOU'RE HERE! GOOD!" Cadence smiled! "Now we can get started!" 

..A bit later... 

"Praise Celestia!" Said Reformed Sombra awkwardly barely understanding the convoluted rules to the game except Radiant Hope said it reminded her of a game the Umbrum used to play for fun. 

"Praise Celestia!" Chrysalis said, though saying the words felt like gurgling battery acid. 

Cadence also had 'Roar of the Brave' playing in the background, a song by Dragon Force, the first hit rock band out of Dragon Town. 

"The meteor avoids Sombra... and hits Chrysalis." 

"WHAT?!"

"You used up your Grace of Celestia points." 

"That was the first time I used any!" 

"The PoLmeister is allowed to cheat. Whenever she wants to. Period."

Radiant Hope wondered if they'd ended up in the mirror universe by mistake.