//------------------------------// // Chapter 4 // Story: Let Me Tell You About My Character // by Tumbleweed //------------------------------// “Ladies.” A tall man in a pristine tuxedo met the septet as they entered the ballroom. “Welcome to the Endpoint Nexus.” He swept one white-gloved hand outward, over the motley collection of time-displaced adventurers gathered in little knots around the ballroom. “But before you continue, I'm afraid we must attend to a minor matter.” Rainbow Dash peered at the butler over the rims of her aviators. “What gives, Jeeves?” “It's Bertram, actually.” “Whatever.” “And to whom do I have the pleasure of addressing?” Bertram said. “The Contessa Bianca, and her entourage.” Rarity daintily extended one gloved hand. Bertram bowed over it and mimed kissing her knuckles, eliciting a delighted laugh from the designer. “And I'm Ace Punchley! Cyborg Space Pilot Samurai! From the future!” Rainbow Dash said, not one to let a limelight go unstolen. She jerked a thumb at the other girls standing behind her. “And this is my posse.” “Posse.” Rarity deadpanned. “There's a cowgirl. Totally counts as a posse.” Rainbow Dash said. “Can't fault 'er there.” Applejack admitted. “A pleasure.” Bertram said. “I am obligated to warn you that there have been reports of Clock Wraith activity in the immediate timeframe-- with potential infiltrators, even. As such, certain precautions must be taken. I don't suppose you have someone to vouch for you at the gathering?” “Uuuuuuh.” Rainbow Dash scratched at the back of her head. “We're … kinda new to this, so, uh, not exactly?” “I see.” Bertram's lips turned down in a proper frown. He raised one hand and made a brief gesture, at which point a handful of other men in dark suits began to materialize from the crowd. “If that is the case, I'm afraid we may have to submit you to a brief mind probe.” “Probe?” Pinkie Pie squeaked. “That doesn't sound good.” “I assure you, the agony is quite fleeting.” Bertram said. “Hey, watch it, Jeeves!” Rainbow Dash thrust a finger at the butler. “I'm not letting you in my brain!” “Fortunately, I'm not the one administering the probe. That honor would go to the gentleman in white.” Bertram stepped to the side, and a man in a dark suit pushed a man on a dolly forward. Bound in a straightjacket and a mask, the dolly's rider pulled and twisted against his bonds, and stared at Rainbow with bulging, mad eyes. He began to giggle. Rainbow Dash took a step backwards. “Holy crap people get way too into this game.” She muttered. Sunset Shimmer elbowed Rainbow in the ribs. Hard. “I mean. Uh.” Rainbow Dash sputtered. “What the hell is that?” “This would be the Observer.” Bertram said. “I'm afraid his particular abilities have left him quite thoroughly unhinged. However, he is unparalleled in matters of the mind, to the point where he usually leaves no lingering after effects once he's touched your mind. Usually.” The Observer giggled louder, and leaned forward, leering at Rainbow Dash. “Such pretty hair. Such a pretty brain! When do I get to play?” “Back off, creepo!” Rainbow Dash pointed one index finger at Bertram, and the other at the Observer. “I got laser fingers, and I know how to use 'em!” The other anonymous men in dark suits closed in a little closer, with a silent, green-headband wearing Chrono-Minion stepping up behind them, observing. “Wait, wait, wait!” Twilight grabbed the back of Rainbow's collar and hauled her backwards. She stepped between her friend and the Observer, holding her hands up. “No fighting! No probing! We're okay! Everything's going to be okay. I … I'll vouch for them. All of them. They're all new to this, they don't know what they're doing.” “And you do?” Bertram said, droll. “Of course I do.” Twilight pulled in a deep breath. “I'm Tara Sterling.” The words were enough to even make Bertram take a step back, and the Observer to stop his maniacal giggling. “Miss Sterling.” Bertram regained his composure a moment later. “My apologies.” He waved a hand, and one of the anonymous goons wheeled the Observer away. “I wasn't aware you were to be in attendance.” “Yeah, uh. It was a last minute thing.” “I trust you'll want to speak with Captain March?” Bertram said. “She had mentioned a meeting with the Council of Eons, but I believe that's not yet for awhile.” “Right.” Twilight nodded. “I'll … I'll find Captain March on my own, thank you. You just keep up the good work here, Bertram.” “Of course, madam.” Twilight gestured for her somewhat bewildered (and in Rainbow Dash's case, more-than-somewhat belligerent) friends to follow, and headed away from the door. “Somebody's popular!” Pinkie Pie said as they walked into the ballroom. “That means you, Twilight.” She added on, as an afterthought. “Or, uh, 'Tara.' Sorry. Code names.” She pulled her sunglasses down low enough to wink. “That's not … “ Twilight rubbed at the bridge of her nose. “Nevermind.” “So what's the plan?” Sunset Shimmer said. She hadn't taken her hands out of her jacket pockets since they'd entered the ballroom. “Right. Plan.” Twilight stood up on her tiptoes, scanning the ballroom. More and more players began to trickle in, forming and reforming small knots of conversation. Others kept to the edges of the room, lurking and eavesdropping. On the far side of the enormous room, Twilight spied a flash of minty-green hair. “Bertram mentioned something about infiltrators … you guys fan out, talk to people, see if you can learn anything.” “Dibs on the caveman!” Rainbow Dash said. “What n' tarnation are you talkin' 'bout?” Applejack said. “Look.” Rainbow Dash nodded to where a guy with a deep tan and the stature of a bodybuilder strode into the ballroom. His leather tunic and furs might have owed more to 60's B-movies than to any historical period, but they did quite a bit to showcase his sculpture-worthy musculature. The long chestnut hair was just a bonus. Rainbow Dash managed not to drool. Barely. “That dude's bigger than Applejack's brother! Who knew nerds could be so hot?” Twilight winced. “And, uh … try to stay IC?” “IC?” Rainbow Dash said. “In. Character.” Twilight muttered. “Oh. Right!” Rainbow Dash paused. “But … I can still think he's hot IC, right? Because seriously. Damn. Dude looks like he could bench press a truck.” “The very fabric of space time is at stake here,” said Sunset, “I think we've got better things to worry about than who's hot or not.” “Unless we're all doomed anyway!” Pinkie Pie said, smiling. “Then we should just have one last party before we all die horrible, horrible deaths!” “Eep.” Fluttershy held a hand up to her mouth. “Don't worry, it'll be a fun party!” Pinkie Pie bounced on the balls of her feet. “Nobody's dying today!” Twilight Sparkle said. “At least … none of us are. Trust me, I know all of this is a lot to take in, but I know you guys. You can do this. We can do this. I can do this.” “Hold on.” Rainbow Dash asided to Applejack. “Is she talking in-character, or out-character here?” “Does it matter?” Said Applejack. “So yeah. Just … go, talk to people.” Twilight finally said. “Have fun.” “Will do!” Pinkie Pie said, and bounced off. The rest of the girls dispersed to the far corners of the hotel ballroom. “They'll be fine.” Sunset said. “Rarity's been champing at the bit to show off her fancy dress all night, and Rainbow … “ She glanced off after the girl. “Applejack should keep her out of trouble. As for Pinkie Pie … “ Sunset Shrugged. “She'll find some way to occupy herself.” “It's not them I'm worried about.” Twilight sank into her hood. “Hey. You said it yourself. You can do this.” Sunset patted Twilight on the arm. “I'll be right behind you.” “For support?” “Yeah, that. Also 'cause I don't know what people are talking about, half the time.” Meanwhile … “Hey.” Rainbow Dash extended one leg as far as she could, and then pulled herself up next to the big, leather-clad man in a lengthy sidle. “Nice cape.” “Thank you.” “So, uh … “ Rainbow Dash scratched at the back of her head. “What's your name?” “I am Aliexares of Thebes.” The big man said. “Thebes?” Rainbow Dash said. “It is a city in what you likely now know as Greece.” “Greece? Like, shouldn't you have a toga or something?” “Hah!” Alixares' handsome face split in a wide, toothpaste-commercial worthy grin. “If I were some wine-addled scholar, perhaps! But I am a soldier. A hunter of beast and man. My very garments are trophies to my prowess!” Rainbow Dash's eyes raked their way down Alixares' bicep. “I bet you're really prowessful.” “Indeed!” Alixares basked in the attention, and hooked his thumbs into his broad belt. “I did not get your name.” He finally rumbled. “Oh, right I'm R--” Rainbow Dash shook her head. “Er, I'm Ace! Ace Punchley! Cyborg Samurai Space Pilot! From the future!” Rainbow Dash puffed herself out a little. “Samurai?” Aliexares tilted his head to the side. “I have heard this term. You are a warrior, then?” “Totally!” Rainbow brightened. “I can fight, like, ALL the bad guys! With my laser fingers! PEW PEW PEW!” “Hah!” Aliexares clapped a heavy hand on Rainbow's shoulder, hard enough to make her knees buckle slightly. “I think we shall be good friends, Miss Ace! Things are quiet now, but with any luck, there shall be Clock Wraiths to battle!” “Hope so! This whole thing would be pretty lame otherwise.” Rainbow Dash rocked back on her heels, marveling in the sight of someone almost as cool as she was (even if the dude was a super nerd). “Tell me, friend Ace. Which campaigns have you been on?” “Campaigns?” “Like the capture of the Skycrafter!” “Uh. Yeah. I'm kind of new at this. Like, I'm not a hopeless rookie or anything, but I haven't really been on any, uh, 'campaigns.'” “Well then, friend Ace, while we wait for the inevitable battle, let me regale you with tales of my amazing exploits!” Rainbow Dash gritted her teeth as the sudden reality of the situation sunk in. This guy was going to tell her about his character. Lyra stood over a round table, crisscrossed with maps. Her goggles were still propped up on her forehead, and bits of her armor and equipment clattered with each movement. She looked nothing like the cheery girl Twilight knew from Canterlot High-- in her place was a grim, experienced soldier of the Time Wars. Several other men and women clustered around the table with her, in attire ranging from battered flannel to a Cardinal's cassock. “We've had temporal incursions here, here, and here.” Lyra pointed out little red stickers on a world map. “I'm telling you, there's a pattern to this. It's too well coordinated to write off as random Clock Wraith activity. Something's different, this time around.” “Are you suggesting,” the cassock clad Cardinal said, very slowly, “that we have a spy in our midst?” “I didn't say that.” Lyra met the Cardinal's gaze evenly. “But we can't rule out the possibility.” “That's insane!” A short woman in a flannel vest spat. “You can't negotiate with the Clock Wraiths-- they're practically mindless. They'd try to eat you on sight!” Twilight took a deep breath, and stepped forward. “Unless you found some way to manipulate them.” Slowly, Lyra and her compatriots turned to look at Twilight. “That's impossible.” Lyra said. “Not impossible, just improbable. You'd need to find some way to manage your personal Flux level so they wouldn't attack you on sight. And then … well, who knows how they think? Presumably, they'd be keyed in to time-speak just like the rest of us.” Twilight went on. “And just who do you think you are, to put forth such an outlandish theory?” the Cardinal sneered. Twilight shrank back a step. “I, uh--” . “This.” Sunset Shimmer put a hand on Twilight's shoulder, both for the moral support and to give her a gentle push back towards the group. “Is Tara Sterling.” The Cardinal snapped his mouth shut, but the woman in flannel just glared. “Who?” “She knows what she's talking about.” Lyra said, slowly. “You can't expect me to--” “I'll vouch for her.” Lyra said, “End of discussion.” The shorter woman grumbled and crossed her arms across her chest, but Lyra's glare shut her up. “Look. I … I should talk to Tara.” Lyra said. “In private, if you don't mind. Your time's valuable, for all of you. Keep an eye out for trouble, and we'll reconvene later.” The others around the table nodded their agreement and dispersed, leaving Lyra, Twilight, and Sunset alone. As they left, Lyra's shoulders slumped, and her expression softened. “Tara.” She said. “Is that really you? I thought … “ “Things changed.” Twilight said. Hesitantly, she took a step towards Lyra, who soon wrapped her arms around the purple-haired girl in an eager (and, given Lyra's armor, slightly uncomfortable) hug. “I can't believe you're here.” Lyra said, closing her eyes. “Uh.” Sunset Shimmer scratched at the back of her neck, feeling oddly confused and slightly jealous at the same time. “Should I go? I can go.” Lyra blinked, and then laughed, stepping away from Twilight. “Tara and I have a … history.” She giggled. “Sorry. Time traveler joke. You're new?” “I'm Becca Black, actually.” Sunset said, and reached out to shake Lyra's hand. “Captain March.” Lyra said, smiling. “Becca's new to this.” Twilight said. “She's actually from the same time juncture that I am.” “Really?” Lyra quirked a brow. “That'll be useful. We don't have very many low-Flux operatives at hand … and we're going to need them soon.” “What do you mean?” Twilight said. “You've seen the patterns, just like I have. Things are falling apart. Time is falling apart, whether the Council of Eons believes it or not.” Lyra said, grim. “In fact, there are going to be several Flux-points here. Tonight.” “How can you be sure?” said Twilight. “I told myself.” Lyra said. Twilight gasped softly, while Sunset just looked confused. “So you just kept thinking something bad was going to happen, and now you can say you're right if it does?” Sunset Shimmer said. “She really is new at this, isn't she?” Lyra said with a sardonic grin. “What she means is … she doubled back on her own timeline.” Twilight said, slowly. She looked over her shoulder furtively, making sure there wasn't anyone to hear. “It's insanely risky. You run the risk of causing a predestination paradox, and that's before the Council finds out … “ “Which is why we won't tell them.” Lyra winked. Twilight blushed. Sunset frowned. “Do you trust me, Tara?” Lyra put her hands on Twilight's shoulder, and met her eyes. “Really, really trust me?” Twilight blinked. “I … I … uh. Yes. Yes I do.” “Good. Because you're the only person who can help me right now.” Lyra stepped back, and again looked around to watch for eavesdroppers. “The first flux-rift should emerge in … “ Lyra checked her watch. “Twenty minutes, tops. Somewhere in this building. I need you to find it before Clock Wraiths start pouring out.” “Will you go with me?” Twilight blurted. “I … I'll need your help.” “I would if I could.” Lyra reached down and took Twilight's hand. “But I've got even bigger things to worry about. I hate to put this on you but … out of everyone here, you're the one I trust the most. And I know you can do it.” “But I--” “No.” Lyra put a finger to Twilight's lips. “You always did overthink things. Now go. Do what you need to do. When you get back, we can … talk.” Lyra winked saucily at Twilight. “Guh.” Twilight said. Sunset kept frowning. “Oh! One more thing.” Lyra went on, blissfully unaware of Sunset. “You might need this.” Lyra reached into a pocket of her combat vest, and pulled out a small vial of neon-blue liquid. True to form, Twilight gasped again, and Sunset looked at it with a mixture of confusion and disapproval. “Is that … “ Twilight began. “Reset.” Lyra said, and pressed it into Twilight's hand. “But it's illegal!” Twilight blurted. “Not to mention ridiculously useful.” “Where'd you get it?” Twilight said. “It's better if you don't know.” “I … I guess you're right.” “Now go. Find the rift. Close it. I've got to stay here, to take care of the Council. I can rely on you, can't I?” “I … yes. Yes you can.” Twilight wrapped her fingers around the little vial. She met Lyra's eyes for a long, long moment, and then nodded resolutely. “C'mon Becca.” She turned to her friend. “We've got work to do.” Lyra went in one direction, while Sunset and Twilight went in the other. “Reset?” Sunset asked, voice low. “It's … it's a drug. Distilled essence of time. You can use it to revert to an earlier point in your own timeline … applied correctly, at the right time, it can bring you back from the verge of death. Applied incorrectly … “ Twilight trailed off, and winced. “And the fact that your … girlfriend has some doesn't raise any red flags?” “She's not my … I mean, Jen-- I mean Captain March has very good reasons for having this. Besides, we're going to need all the help we can get if there's a flux-rift. Get the others. We've got work to do.” Sunset found Fluttershy and Rarity first. It was quite honestly hard to miss them. Rarity had settled down at a table full of other characters almost as elegantly dressed as she was. Fluttershy stood behind her, quiet and demure as to be expected. “--And then I said, 'well, isn't that a coincidence, because this isn't merlot!'” Rarity fluttered her fan and broke down into polite giggles, followed soon by those of the various socialites and sycophants that had gathered around her. “Rari-” Sunset Shimmer reined herself back into character. “Contessa? We … uh, we have a thing.” “Ah! Becca!” Rarity rose from her seat in a rustle of bustles. “What a pleasure! Have you had the chance to meet any of these wonderful people yet?” “Er, no.” Sunset said. “But … maybe you can introduce me later? Right now, there's … an issue.” She paused, and looked over at the other elaborately-dressed folk around the table. “We could use your help.” “But of course!” Rarity snapped her fan shut. “You'll excuse me, ladies and gentlemen-- I'm sure you know how these things go.” Rarity's comments were met with agreeing nods and a few mild protests at her departure. Rarity gestured airily for Fluttershy to follow, and fell into step beside Sunset Shimmer. The redhead stood up on tiptoe and scanned the ballroom. She spotted her other friends clustered around one corner, and angled over that way with Rarity and Fluttershy in tow. “Man, am I glad you guys showed up!” Rainbow Dash said as soon as the septet was reunited. “That dude with the fuzzy boots would not shut up. Guy just kept talking about himself and how cool he thought he was.” “Ya don't say.” Applejack said, deadpan. “Oh, you met Aliexares of Thebes?” Twilight said. “He's … kind of a handful.” “At least I think he kind of digs me.” “Er.” Twilight said. “Haven't you ever heard of the Sacred Band of Thebes?” “That like some kind of belt or something?” Rainbow Dash said. Twilight held up a finger, but reined in her lecturing instinct at the last moment. “That … that's not important. Right now, we've got work to do.” “Anybody get any intel?” Sunset said. “Oh! Well, I heard Christopher Cole-- he's the short gentleman with the hat, you know –is romantically involved with Miss Dorothy-- the charming young woman in the pinafore dress –despite the fact that Miss Dorothy is in contention to take a seat on the Council of Eons. Quite scandalous, I've gathered. Especially considering the fact they nearly killed each other the first time they met.” “I meant about the mole.” Sunset murmured. “Didn't come up, I'm afraid.” “We'll worry about the mole later.” Twilight said. “Right now, we've got a flux-rift to find.” “A do what now?” Applejack said. “I'll explain later. Now c'mon.” Twilight pushed her hood back. “We'll know it when we find it.” Twilight led her friends out of the ballroom with a purposeful stride, heading through a door into a winding hallway. Twilight picked a door at random and walked through, emerging into a smaller conference room. A tall … thing in a cloak stood at one end of the room. A ragged hood was pulled up over its head, and a clock-faced mask stared out impassively beneath it. Somewhat less imposingly (but perhaps more intimidatingly) a young man with a scrappy goatee and a green Chrono-Minion headband stood next to the Clock-Wraith. “Okay guys.” The Chrono-Minon said. “I'm going to need everyone's initiative.”