Freedom Through Harmony: Book II

by Electricut

Forty-seven

Chapter in color

Forty-seven

Quick Fix

Leeroy and Quick Fix sit inside her house, new weapons at the ready. They haven’t so much as turned on their communication devices since Leeroy arrived, and they began the grim task of burying the dead. But with that task finished, and with stronger weapons alchemized, the two are ready to rejoin the others and resume their quests.

Leeroy steps over to a nearby return node, gives Quick Fix a nod, and disappears. Quick Fix retrieves her phone, and is glad to see that everyone else is online.

techTitan began chatting with aboriginalAlmanac at 8:14 P.M.

TT: hey Cheerilee
TT: whatd I miss
AA: Quick Fix. It’s good to hear from you.
AA: At least there is some good news to all of this.
TT: I take it I missed some bad stuff then
AA: Yes. Let’s see…
AA: Fancy Pants died for a moment. But he came back stronger than ever.
TT: oh man
TT: well, glad hes okay now
AA: As am I. This quest would not be easy without him.
AA: Now, Derpy… seems to have created us.
TT: what, you mean like
TT: copies?
AA: She created baby versions of all of us and our guardians, save for Doc. He seems to know why, but hasn’t said yet.
AA: Those foals seem to have gone back in time on meteors. We believe that they were literally us, and this is how we were born.
TT: except for Doc
AA: Yes.
AA: Also, you and Leeroy actually are brother and sister.
TT: called it
TT: but man, thats really weird
TT: but alright
TT: anything else?
AA: Just that I am back in Equestria for the moment. There’s something that will appear in the frog temple in a few minutes, though I don’t know what it is yet.
AA: But… I’m very glad that none of you have to see this.
AA: Equestria is… It’s ruined.
AA: The land is scorched, the cities lie in ruin. I pray that the ponies that found shelter survived.
AA: It’s truly a painful sight.
TT: man, sounds like it
TT: Im sorry
AA: It’s alright. Hopefully, I’ll be able to move on back to the medium soon.
TT: yeah
TT: and hey, between you and me
TT: I think well find a more permanent place at the end
AA: What do you mean?
TT: bits and pieces of some ultimate riddle Ive been hearing about
TT: sounds to me like theres some place on the other side
TT: some place worth settling down in
AA: Really? The only words I’ve heard of the Ultimate Riddle have simply alluded to the Ultimate Alchemy. The two must be related somehow.
AA: But it’s good to hear that there may be a new land to call home.
AA: The flower container is opening. I’ll return in a moment.
AA: That’s odd. It’s just a ruler. That is my weaponkind, however, so let’s see how it weaponizes.
AA: Holy
AA: This is the most powerful thing I’ve ever seen!
TT: really?
AA: Yes. It’s not a terribly assuming weapon- it’s just an average looking ruler simply called the Yellow Yard- but this is immeasurably more powerful than my previous best weapon.
AA: But this begs the question… Why was it here?
AA: I haven’t figured out the purpose of the previous item obtained from this lotus. It’s still just a cue ball.
AA: But if it gave me a weapon this powerful, surely its other gift wouldn’t be something to toss aside, either.
AA: I will examine it when I return to Lopaf.
AA: I’ll also need to visit Echidna in the center of the land.
AA: Are you busy? I wouldn’t mind some company in these sprawling dungeons.
TT: I can do that
TT: done pretty much all I can for the moment on my quest
TT: chillin with you at your place and getting some exp would be fun
AA: My thoughts exactly.
TT: hey, there was somethin else I wanted to ask
TT: but uh
TT: actually, I think Ill just ask in person
TT: be there in a few minutes

techTitan ceased chatting with aboriginalAlmanac at 8:31 P.M.

Quick Fix swallows, softening the lump in her throat. It’s time to stop messing around. She leaps through the return node in front of her, and upon landing at her house, makes her way swiftly up the floors to the Fifth Gate, which would deposit her near Cheerilee’s house. She appears a short distance above the ground, and smashes a nearby imp with her wrench on descent. The house is just ahead, and she swiftly makes her way there. Inside, Cheerilee is still asleep, sprawled out on the couch in her den.

In a few moments, however, her eyes flutter open. Quick Fix can’t prevent a smile from spreading across her face. Once Cheerilee has her wits about her, Quick Fix embraces her tightly. Cheerilee is confused for a moment, but soon realizes what is happening and hugs her back.

“Hee hee~ It’s good to finally meet you in person, Quick Fix.”

“Hah, yeah. I’ve been looking forward to it.”

The two gather their things and make their way to the top of Cheerilee’s house, reaching almost all the way to the Seventh Gate. Even as they reach the top, more is being built onto the house. “Derpy’s construction of the house should finish momentarily. I would guess most everyone else’s houses are nearing completion as well.”

“Guess I’ll need to visit my Denizen at some point too. Ah well, it can wait.”

“Indeed. So, you said you wanted to ask me something?”

“Oh, uh, yeah. Um… How do I…”

“Hm?”

“… Alright. I know this is probably going to complicate the hell out of things, since I know you like Leeroy, but… Would you consider settling for me instead?”

Realization soon dawns on Cheerilee’s face, and she looks away for a moment, blushing. Quick Fix can’t help but think that her usual blunt ways probably weren’t the best for the situation, but it is on the table now.

Finally, Cheerilee turns back and smiles. “Alright! That could be fun!”

“Really? I-I mean, that’s great! It’s just, I wasn’t sure you’d be alright with dating another girl…”

Cheerilee shrugs slightly. “I hadn’t thought about it at length before, to be honest. But now that I do, I can’t say I have any problem with it. Especially since that girl is already my best friend.”

Quick Fix smiles wide and embraces Cheerilee warmly. “I promise, you won’t regret it.”

“I know. In all the years I’ve known you, you’ve never once broken your word.”

The house is soon completed, now reaching the Seventh Gate, and the two step through. A large, cavernous hall awaits them, full of monsters, with a great gateway at the other side. This is the final room of the dungeon of the world.

The monsters are strong, but the Grade Zero and Yellow Yard, strongest weapons of their class, are more than a match for them. The pair slowly makes their way towards the door, slicing and smashing the monsters to piles of grist. By the time the two are finished, standing before the great door, both have reached the final level, at least without attaining God Tier as Fancy Pants has.

“I think I’ll have to face the Denizen alone.” Cheerilee explains. “Whether it is negotiations or a battle that lies ahead, it’s at the center of my world, and I’m afraid I must be the one to conquer it.”

“Alright.” Quick Fix replied, understanding. “But I’ll be here if you change your mind. And if it sounds like things are going wrong in there, I’m coming in and getting you out.”

Cheerilee nods, smiling, and makes her way into the chamber beyond. Quick Fix waits outside the Denizen’s chamber for an agonizing fifteen minutes, before Cheerilee finally emerges once again, a confused look on her face.

“How’d it go?” Quick Fix asks, somewhat pensively.

“Echidna was quite kind, to be sure.” she answered. “But the request she gave me was… odd. She agreed to give me her grist horde, but only if I agreed to carry out a task for her.”

“Seems about right."

“That’s the odd part though. She says that the Forge will need to be stoked up, after which I will need to begin… breeding the frogs.”

“You’re right, that is kinda weird. What even is it with this game and frogs?”

“I couldn’t say.”

“Anyway, what was this Forge thing?”

“That, I think I can answer. There seems to be a dormant volcano in the rock beneath my house. What we need to do is make it stop being dormant. Echidna says that when my breeding duties are complete, something will make its way to her, and I will need to request its release. She didn’t say what it was. But I imagine that for something to travel to the core of the planet, a lava chute would be the best way.”

“Sounds like we’ve got our work cut out for us. But at least we know what we’re doing, mostly. Wonder what weird thing my Denizen will ask me to do.”

“I’m not sure, but it seems as though the final purpose- the Ultimate Alchemy- will require the joint participation of all six Denizens. For instance, the Forge is here, but the forge master, Hephaestus, is in another land. I believe he should be Doc’s Denizen.”

“Ah, yeah… Wait, doesn’t Doc use the Hephaestus internet browser, too?”

Cheerilee nods. “And I use Echidna. I’m not sure how, but the two seem to be linked.”

“My Denizen is probably Nix then. That’s my internet of choice. Last I checked, Leeroy’s was Baal. Not sure about Derpy or Fancy Pants though.”

“I’m sure we’ll find out. Now, I know you’ll need to see yours soon, but if you can spare it, I’d appreciate your help here a bit longer. As well as your company~”

Quick Fix blushes slightly. “I’d be happy to stick around.”

Two Hours Later
Derpy

The young Page of Breath emerges from the caverns of her land, after successful negotiations with the Denizen, Typheus. His request was this: the clouds had been taken from above, trapped within the rifts of the land. Without rain, the land had grown dry. He requested cryptically that the clouds would need to be brought to the surface once again, and upon completion of this task, he would give Derpy his grist horde.

Derpy wasn’t sure how she would do it, but she doubted that the Denizen would give her an impossible task. So she accepted, but now needs to find a way to make it happen. The clouds must rise.

cross-eyedAngel began chatting with agelessTraveler at 10:32 P.M.

CA: how’d meeting your denizen go?
AT: Pretty well, if uneventful.
AT: He seemed to be in a pretty good mood, as the Forge has been lit. He wanted that, so he could do some blacksmithing.
AT: In fact, one of the Choices he gave me was the option to have any one item repaired. Only one though.
AT: I haven’t given him anything to repair yet. Seems too valuable to waste.
CA: what was the other one? the one that will give you his grist?
AT: It’ll be a bit more difficult, but I can’t say I didn’t see it coming.
AT: My land is the Land of Storms and Balance. The landscape itself is based on balance.
AT: The task given to me is to bring ultimate balance to the world. At that time, the eternal storm will briefly break, and that sunlight will be used to sustain the people of the land.
AT: That’s what he said, anyway.
CA: how will you do it?
AT: I’m not sure. Some of the sections of land are based on tidal patterns, while others are based on weight.
AT: Still others rely on mechanisms.
AT: I think, in the end, it’s going to require some delicacy, and time travel shenanigans.
CA: i get the same vibe from mine.
CA: yours will need your time powers, and mine will probably need my breath powers. somehow.
CA: my job is to raise the clouds from the bottom of the rifts.
CA: but i can’t just go down and bring every single one up. especially since i still can’t use my wings.
AT: Yes, I agree. Our roles will almost certainly be involved in the completion of our tasks.
AT: We’ll need to push our limits further. Learn how to truly use our powers.
CA: yeah, you’re right there.
CA: but, for now, i think it’d be nice to take a breather.
CA: just a chance to chat, y’know?
CA: how have you been holding up?
AT: Ah! I’ve been pretty well.
AT: These adventures wear you out, but it seems like it always keeps you going, too.
CA: yeah. always keeps us hopping.
CA: we’re on a time limit, too. the veil is falling apart, and i don’t think those portals will be able to protect skaia from the bigger meteors.
CA: there’s plenty of small ones still, so we’ve got time, but skaia is in danger.
CA: and skaia is important for the ultimate alchemy, though i’m not sure how.
AT: All of the details for that operation are a bit sketchy.
AT: I suppose that’s the game’s suspense though. We aren’t quite sure what our final goal and reward are.
AT: But then, the Ultimate Riddle seems to be about that topic, so we’ve got some clues.
CA: yeah. what parts of the riddle have you found?
AT: It’s hard to tell what’s part of the Riddle and what isn’t, but the residents of the lands have spoken of a beautiful green world.
AT: I thought they were referring to Equestria at first, but maybe this land is where we’re headed?
CA: might be. i’ve heard a few talking about that, too.
CA: there was also one bit that sounded important.
CA: he said that ‘pieces of old would be used to shape the new’.
CA: i don’t know what that means, but it sure sounded like a riddle to me.
AT: Indeed. We’ll need to keep that in mind, along with the rest.
CA: anyway, i guess we should get going. try and figure out how to use our powers even better.
CA: i’m almost top level, but there are a few dungeons i haven’t been in yet.
CA: i bet those will help.
AT: Sounds that way.
AT: I’m not sure if there are any large dungeons left on my land. My last task there might simply be the Denizen’s request.
AT: So I’ll poke around and see what I can find that will help.
AT: Good luck in your quest, dear. <3
CA: alright, you too doc! <3

agelessTraveler ceased chatting with cross-eyedAngel at 10:52 P.M.