4-gotten: Path
The group continued to make their way forward in the calm, peaceful forest. The path remained straightforward, with few hostiles, likely due to the occasional Guardian robots watching over the path. The only moment of concern for a while was a new hostile creature they encountered, a floating, spiky purple blob called a Razormoth. However, they proved to be rather fragile, and like many other such things they encountered, ceased to be a concern. Despite the fact the Razormoths hunted in large swarms, the four's arsenal proved to be more than a match.
At one point, one of the Guardian's tractor beams managed to catch Alister by the tip of his tail, but Qwark was able to pull him out with his Vac-U before he was dragged too far. Alister nodded his thanks silently, instead focusing on moving forward.
The group continued to collect every friendly Critter they found with their Vac-U's, as much to protect the Critters from predators as to have enough to unlock the next 'Last Resort' Lab they came across. The one time this became a concern was when they came across a group of Critters about to be under attack by a swarm of Razormoths. They quickly divided the labor, with Twilight and Alister - as the fastest - collecting the Critters while Qwark and Nefarious - as the biggest - destroyed the Razormoths.
Before long, the group reached another peaceful local. "Welcome, science fans, to the Frumpus Croid Exploratorium of Scientific Wonderment!" he greeted them warmly. "It's..." He hesitated, then continued, sounding more forlorn. "Well, it's not much to look at now, but years ago there was wonderment all up in this place! It was like, 'Oh what did I just step in?' 'Oh, that's just wonderment. No big deal. We've got more'."
"A display of scientific knowledge and discovery?" Twilight squealed eagerly. "Even if it's somewhat run down, just imagine what might be in there!"
"Just think of the weapons we could make with all that!" Nefarious cackled.
"Uh...weapons?" the local asked nervously.
"N-no, not weapons!" Qwark hastened to reassure him. "My robotic colleague meant, uh, Gadgets! Yes, that's right! Gadgets to help sophonts everywhere!"
"Yes, help sophonts," Nefarious agreed, rubbing his hands together. "Help them to be annihil-"
"We can't get a ticket to get in and past whatever security they might have if you frighten this guy into fainting," Alister pointed out. "And that would make Twilight very upset."
"I make movies," Nefarious quickly spoke up, glancing back and forth nervously, certain there was no way the local would buy that excuse.
"Oh I love those!" the local proclaimed eagerly. "The explosions always look so real!"
"Y...es, yes, that's very nice," Nefarious offered condescendingly, realigning his assessment of the local's intellect at 0.5 Qwarks. "Now, be a good tour guide and tell us where we can find Dr. Croid."
"Last I saw him, he locked himself in the Hall of Paradoxology," the guide explained readily.
"And that would be...where?" Alister inquired.
"Just take this tour cart over to Rosa Fields!" the guide explained. "Then cross Gorthon Crater to the main campus. Of course, that crater's impossible to cross without a guardian bot, but maybe you can find a way to power it up."
Twilight squealed eagerly at the prospect of actually getting a Guardian. Nefarious rubbed his metal hands together wickedly. "I'm certain we'll manage something..." he cackled softly.
"While you're there, maybe you could ask when I'm getting my next paycheck?" the guide requested. "I haven't seen him - or a paycheck - in a long time." He paused thoughtfully. "Maybe I should look into getting another job..."
"We'll do that," Qwark promised warmly.
"Right this way, then!" the guide proclaimed, walking to the tour cart. "Right this way! Wonderment abounds!"
Once the tour cart was pointed out, the group hopped on, riding it down the rail while watching carefully for any threat, while at the same time taking in the panoramic views presented as they descended into a wide canyon. As they rode, the cart started playing a tour video, but the group mostly ignored it...aside from the fact it was made by Frumpus Croid and Nevo Binklemeyer. Neither were all that physically impressive.
The tour cart came to a halt, allowing the group to move ahead. Every so often, a screen would illuminate with a portion of the tour video, pointing out something of significance. The first such case was a gadget called a Protomorphic Energy Repository, designed to syphon and redistribute energy from shards of comets that had fallen there long ago.
A greater concern for the group was just how dark the path was, with very little light anywhere about. Even Twilight's brightest light spell didn't push the darkness back far...and things could be heard in the darkness, things that slithered and writhed and hungered.
"I'm just guessing," Qwark began, "but I don't think it's safe to wander about in the darkness without some sort of light."
"Probably accurate," Alister murmured cautiously. "Looks like the comet shards are the only things that give off enough light to push the darkness back. We can tow one along with us, and gather extra energy as we go from the looks of it."
"Let's...do that..." Twilight whispered nervously.
"You aren't...scared of the dark, are you?" Nefarious asked curiously.
"Not the dark, no," Twilight corrected. "But I've felt the power of Dark Magic. I've seen what lurks in the deepest darkness. I'd be a fool to not be afraid of what might be out in those shadows."
"Then how come Qwark's afraid?" Nefarious murmured softly.
"He still needs a night light," Twilight explained teasingly, setting the pair to laughing.
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Mood whiplash for the hilarious win.
7467395 Amen
You know I always wondered why they named Twilight's dad Night Light, I never thought it might be a metaphor for a pony pushing back the darkness and what lurks in it.
Ouch. finding someone dumber than Qwark cannot be good for one's opinion of the collective intelligence of the Universe...
Another enjoyable chapter. Good job.
Yeah, Twilight knows that The Darkness Gazes Back Which is why you need to always have glowsticks with you. Also, you need your theme music because it keeps the monsters at bay.
Twilight's got the right idea. No one's afraid of the dark, they're scared of what's in the dark. And 0.5 Qwarks? I mean, I know the guys not the brightest crayon in the Crayola box, but isn't that a bit harsh?
To quote Fidget in Dust: an Elysian Tail,
7467418 In the story Rites of Ascension, he was renamed Lucid Dream, and Night Light was his nickname for Twilight, because she would always read late at night, and her horns light could be used as a night light. I know that this has nothing to do with the story here, but I just felt like saying this, so eh...
7467550 Dumber than Qwark?
Try B.O.B.
datavis.blogs.pace.edu/files/2010/03/bob-300x257.jpg
He has no brain at all.
Watch out for the vestra narada
7467550 especially since the masseuse he mentioned earlier was Quark in disguise
very smart Twi
So is Qwark the new Raditz? Or is Raditz the measurement of power levels and Qwark the measurement of I.Q. levels?
Nef: "You destroyed my minions! But you won't defeat me."
Nef: "They're worth 2 Qwarks each."
Nef: "I'm worth 50 Qwarks."
And when they remember that they can make lights one being a cyborg and the others by just using magic to light her horn, they are going to facepalm/hoof
7472765
In chapter, Twilight tried to make light with her magic, and it didn't push the darkness back.
7472769 I suposse I missed it... If Twilight can't make light, then it must be something really dangerous... Could this force Twilight team to fight seriously?
It is pitch black, you are likely to be eaten by a Grue...
How come no one saw this?
"Guardian's" should be there, right?
That's a good reason.
7519411
Nah, those showed up back during Deadlocked... where she tamed it easily. This is... something darker...