17 - We Must Go Deeper
The next day saw them renewed and reinvigorated. Their success the day before felt strong in their minds, while the troubles had faded for most of them. Even Sweetie Belle seemed more enthusiastic about things. "Hey girls, look!" She did a slow turn around in her new outfit.
Scootaloo and Apple Bloom peered at her, but couldn't see much different about the silks on their friend. "What are we looking for?"
Sweetie Belle grinned. "It cleans itself! I also stretched it all out of place when I was running around and that's fixed too. This dress is amazing!"
Scootaloo threw a leg over Sweetie's neck and hugged her close. "We're going to make sure you can keep that."
Sweetie's expression brightened as her voice raised to a squeak. "Really?!"
Apple Bloom nodded. "Sure thang. Ya obviously like it a lot. Ah'm sure we can rustle up more things t'sell past that there secret door."
Sunflower ambled over to join them, smiling. "Good morning, girls."
"Hey Sunflower." Scootaloo held up a hoof to him and he slapped it with a paw. "Ready to explore?"
Applejack approached, completing the party. "Y'all looking mighty pleased with yerselves."
Sunflower bobbled his head. "We did it! We found lost treasure and defeated evil monsters, just like real heroes. I even got to rescue a fair maiden."
Apple Bloom blushed a little. "Hey! Ah'm a hero too, don't be calling me a fair maiden or nuthin'. Ah appreciate the help though."
Sweetie Belle colored as well. "I think he meant me. Thank you for being so brave, Sunflower. That big cat could have hurt you."
Sunflower waved a paw. "Proper gentlecats are supposed to stop brutes like that. Women folk shouldn't be harassed, especially when they're busy being amazing."
As reward for his words, Sweetie planted a kiss on his cheek and dashed off giggling towards the dining hall. Applejack snorted out a chuckle. "Ah clearly missed something? Glad everything worked out." She reached out a hoof and ruffled the top of Sunflower's head. "Yer a good kitten. Just try ta be more careful."
Sunflower barely registered her words, lost somewhere between a faint sense of disquiet from a female's sudden contact, and a thrill at the same. He looked up at Applejack. "Hey, can I ask you a question since you're an adult?"
Applejack tilted her head. "Sure thing, what's on yer mind?" The other girls had already vanished, following after Sweetie.
Sunflower pointed after the girls. "Can you have a pride of pony girls?"
This question befuddled Applejack. "Uh? Ah'm mighty proud of them mahself, sure. Come on, let's get some breakfast."
In the dining hall, the table was set with enough food for everyone, which included a few rats, one of whom was discussing things with Lady Longtail. They quieted when Applejack and Sunflower entered. Longtail reached for Sunflower and he dashed for her. They exchanged a warm morning hug. "You simply must tell me what you've been up to. The girls mentioned you were very brave."
Sunflower began going into great detail about his adventures, playing up his parts a little and making everything much more dramatic than it had been originally. Applejack settled into a place at the table and started serving herself, thankful for her magic letting her snatch things from the far side of the table without fuss. A rat beside her spoke up. "Don't worry. We have this covered."
Applejack blinked and looked down at the ratfolk. "What do ya have covered?"
He made a wide gesture. "All of this. This place is our warren now. We're going to protect it. Misses Longtail won't be attacked again while we're here." A few other rats at the table gave a quiet agreement of this. "She's doing right by us, we'll return the favor. Besides, she pays good for it, too. Best food I've had in months. And you should see our quarters!"
Applejack nodded with a smile. "Well that's right encouragin' ta hear. We'll be heading out again today, so don't be waiting on us."
Fed and ready, the group assembled themselves at the gates and departed out into the city. They approached the house of their 'employer' and Applejack gave a soft knock. No answer came from within. They moved around the building to discover a hole battered into the back end of it. Applejack bristled immediately. "Stay behind me." She proceeded into the gloom of the interior. There was a scent in the air she didn't like.
They found the cowardly owner of the house, battered and dead, just a foot away from his bed. Applejack succeeded in kicking the door shut before the others could get much a look at what was going on. She approached cautiously and looked over the body, prodding it. "Guess ya were right. They done got ya while yer sleepin'..."
The body suddenly lunged for Applejack, nicking her with sharp claws. She cried out in surprise and the door flew open, admitting the others in. "Ghoul!" cried out Sweetie Belle. "Don't let it bite you."
Sunflower rolled his eyes as he advanced. "I'll try not to, especially since you told me to."
Scootaloo drew out her flaming rapier and moved in to strike at it, making the ghoul leap out of the way to avoid it. Applejack thrust out a hoof, battering it back against the wall. "No ya don't!"
Sweetie clopped her hooves together encouragingly, but didn't try to get involved. Apple Bloom sat beside her. "Ah ain't throwing no bombs in here. It's way too cramped."
Sunflower rolled into place under a claw and closed the trap, enclosing the ghoul between the three melee combatants. His mace battered at its flesh, hitting at soft points and joints. The ghoul wasn't ready to accept defeat casually and went into a flurry of claws and teeth. It caught Scootaloo across the snout and she suddenly froze up like a statue, staring dead ahead without movement. It got another claw on Sunflower but he resisted the paralyzing poison. It went to complete its berserk fury with a lunge forward, but met the powerful back legs of Applejack for its trouble. She pounded the former-employer into the ground until she was quite certain it was dead. "Yer alright?"
Sunflower gave a crisp salute. "Barely got me, ma'am."
Scootaloo shook off the paralysis after a moment, slumping forward. "Woah! That was crazy."
Sweetie Belle looked between Scootaloo and Sunflower before giving her healing to Scootaloo, mending the bleeding wound on her snout. "What happened?"
Applejack snorted softly. "Ah reckon there was something past that secret door that came up and attacked our cat."
Apple Bloom frowned. "We shoulda closed it..."
Sunflower lifted his shoulders. "He shoulda did something about it. He wasn't even paying for us to be here."
Applejack sighed softly. "Well, nothing for it now... Where ya going Sunflower?"
Sunflower looked back from where he was rifling through a drawer. "Looking for stuff. He's not going to need it anymore." He triumphantly pulled free a jingling bag. "Here we go!"
Sweetie Belle pointed at the drawer. "Put that back, it's not yours!"
Sunflower blinked with an utter sense of confusion. "He's dead. He doesn't own anything anymore. What's he going to do with it?"
Scootaloo waved at the body. "Yeah, sure, but we kinda caused it. I don't feel right taking his stuff. Put it back. We can find better stuff downstairs anyway, right?"
Sunflower released the bag with some hesitation. "Fine..."
Applejack nodded. "Good, right proud o' ya fer listening. We don't need ta go stealing from this poor cat after letting him down. Let's get back to work so whatever's down there doesn't get other cats or ponies." They departed the house-turned-grave and descended into the hole they left behind. "Everypony ready?"
They approached the secret door to find it closed again. Applejack tilted her head at it. "That's funny..."
Sweetie Belle mused out loud. "Maybe whatever it is knows how to open it on its own? Maybe it wasn't our fault?"
Applejack reached up and poked the eye, making the door slide open. "Let's be extra careful. Could be anything down there."
Apple Bloom and Sunflower took point, looking for traps or other interesting things as they began descending the spiraling staircase.
They emerged at the bottom into what appeared to be a library. Apple Bloom whistled softly. "Bet Twilight wishes she were here."
The noise was enough to draw movement from the dark. Sweetie sent out her light, revealing three ghouls peering at them from the dark. Two of them looked more human-like than purrsian, but none of them were terribly friendly. One of the human-like ones spoke in a gravely voice. "You are intruding in our home. Have you come to feed us?"
Applejack stepped over Apple Bloom and Sunflower. "Reckon we ain't. Did ya kill that cat up above?"
The purrsian ghoul laughed a dry laugh. "He should be risen by now. He is not killed, merely improved."
The other human-like ghoul brandished his claws. "Enough talk. We hunger. Surrender your delicious flesh. The sooner you are dead, the sooner you will ripen."
Applejack conjured her protective shield, which prompted Scootaloo to start a spell of her own. The ghouls charged forward with claws outstretched, ready to cleave into pony and cat flesh alike.
Sweetie Belle began to sing a nursery rhyme about being safe from the dark. Sunflower advanced just in front of the casting Scootaloo, protecting her. Just as the ghouls reached the center of the room, Apple Bloom's bomb landed amongst them. Flames licked at their dead flesh, but didn't slow them.
Applejack met them, hoof to claw. She struck one across the face as dirty claws dug through her armor. She howled in pain as long teeth gnawed at her barrel and she kicked the ghoul, knocking it back. "There's too many of 'em!"
Scootaloo's spell came to an end and Applejack swelled in stature and power. The horse-sized pony grinned and knocked one of the ghouls half way across the room. To her dismay, it bounced back up to its feet and charged back into the fray.
Scootaloo drew out her rapier. "Charge!" Sunflower charged with her. While Scootaloo pulled up short as she came close to the first ghoul, Sunflower ducked and weaved around them, getting to the far side and striking at their exposed backs mercilessly.
Though Applejack's enlarged hooves were a terrible force, they didn't stop her from being torn at, and she could only turn aside the paralyzing poison for so long. She went stiff and still and the ghouls turned on the smaller of their foes. Scootaloo drove her rapier deep into the ghoul she faced, piercing through the skull and sending it to the ground where it stopped moving.
Apple Bloom threw a bomb past the fray, catching just one of the ghouls in the blast. "Keep it together girls!"
Sunflower ducked under a wild swing of a claw. "I'm not a girl!"
One of the ghouls went in for the kill on Applejack, yanking her head forward and lunging with its teeth at her vulnerable neck. Scootaloo's eyes went wide and she lunged for it, stabbing it in the thigh with her flaming rapier. Sunflower bashed it from the other end, leaping up to strike it across the face and knock it away from Applejack.
Applejack suddenly shook off the poison and lashed out a hoof, sending that ghoul to the floor. "Ah'm getting mighty tired ah being frozen stiff!"
The last ghoul, one of the human-like ones, put up its hands. "Wait! I can tell you things you want to know."
Applejack raised a brow. "Mighty convenient ya mention that now. We're not such easy dinners now are we?"
The ghoul frowned. "You can kill me if you wish. I will take posthumous pleasure in knowing you will die terribly."
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Intelligent undead are some of the most devious foes an adventuring party can end up dealing with. Not only do they enjoy all the Undead traits and usual suite of abilities, they often have nasty attacks that lead to you becoming one of them. Also, being not mindless, it's a game of cat and mouse between both sides, which can really hit a group hard if they're unprepared for it.
The only other monster type that I enjoy throwing at PCs as much as Undead are Aberrations. So much fun just slamming them with the forces of Chaos.
Who knows what typos lurk in the hearts of fanfic....?
I also stretched it all out of place while running around and that's fixed too.
"She's doing right by us, we'll return the favor. Besides, she pays good for it, too. Best food I've had in months. And you should see our quarters!"
What happened to the Cockney?
extra space at "the body"
Sunflower's giggles seem out of place here. A sarcastic rolling of the eyes seems better to me. I guess Sweetie has been studying Twilight's notes on undead since yesterday (bardic knowledge).
Good thing that no one is likely to be looking into this cat's death, as a purrsian obviously trampled by pony hooves might cause some trouble with the Guard. Especially if all the damage makes it difficult to prove he was a ghoul at the time.
And nobody thought to stake the secret door open or look for a way to open it from this side? That's how you get trapped in a dungeon, kids!
extra space at "a hoof"
I guess the mummy kept the ghouls bottled up, though I'm surprised they speak common if they've been down there a long time. Otherwise, there's another way in and out of the ghoul tunnels and they're of a more recent vintage.
Of course there's something nastier deeper down. That's how dungeons work. Hmm, what could it be? A sphinx? A lamia? I need to check my list of desert monsters.
(I would also find a shrine to the Unspoken to be hilarious. In the IDW comics, the CMC made Discord an honorary Crusader for his attempts to help them get their marks, so they might see the Unspoken in a good light. He would no doubt be tickled by the sheer amounts of chaos they cause. Some interpretations of The Return of Harmony even have the CMC providing the last bit of chaos needed for Discord to break free of his statue.)
5901599 All fixed! Thanks!
5901556 It wasn't for lack of trying on my part to find them.
Not an error per se, but I'd make that "reinvigorated."
Capitalize the "s" in "she."
"Y'all" look mighty pleased with yerselves.
Just like real "heroes."
Shouldn't that be "can I ask you a question"?
Change "snatch at things" to "snatch things."
She mused "out loud."
5901623 Thanks for looking for them.
5901644 Fixes applied. You gain 50 XP!
Interesting to see that even though Sweetie Bell got the cloak/dress of charisma +2, Sunflower seems to be upping his charismatic game. So does that mean she will be formally keeping that piece of gear?
It rose from the depths.
I wonder if the nasty pair are waiting for AJ and crew to get to teh bottom and distract the boss, before they move in, steal the stuff then backstab, or will they break in eagerness and end up being the ones distracting the boss level?
turn
was
had
side
5901699 So many typos in this chapter! I should be ashamed. Thanks for the spotting.
5901661 It's actually +5 diplomacy. Go figure!
5901683 That would be telling.
5901651 This chapter was marvelous, mostly because it advanced the Sunflower/CMC ship that I can't (and don't want to) stop myself from swooning over. Your grandmother was right, Sunflower, you're going to break so many hearts.
I have to admit that I smiled brightly when Sunflower asked Applejack about a "pride" and she assented, not realizing what the purrsian kitten meant. That's going to lead to all sorts of fun hijinks later - of course, I have to remember to keep my expectations in moderation. The exchange that Sunflower had with Applejack basically equates to him confirming that he can be with all of them at once (and maybe he could take it as Applejack giving him her blessing, though that's iffier) and that's all; it's not like they just got married. Rather, he's confirming that the most optimal path is open to him (or so he thinks).
I'm also slightly confused as to Sunflower's mixed sense of disquiet along with pleasure at Sweetie Belle's kiss. Is that simply because he's still so young and inexperienced with girls? Perhaps some lingering childish sentiment that girls are frightening (though his chivalrous attitude seems to deny that one)? Either way, it seemed odd, if only because I'm not sure what to make of it.
Far more noteworthy, however, was the hint as to how each of the CMC related to Sunflower that we saw in that episode. He was exchanging a casual hoof/paw-bump with Scootaloo when they met up like they'd been best friends all of their lives, which would seem to place that particular pairing at a disadvantage, save for the fact that that's one of the more common romantic setups (e.g. "osananajimi"). His relationship with Sweetie Belle, by contrast, has much more obvious romantic undertones; she's a "fair maiden" to him, and seems to be quite taken with the idea - that seems exceptionally appropriate for Sweetie Belle, since she is Rarity's sister after all (and thus has understandably-shared values when it comes to romance).
What was interesting was how Apple Bloom reacted to that "fair maiden" comment, thinking that it was intended for her. That was striking, because it contrasts so perfectly with how her friends are relating to Sunflower - he and Scootaloo are completely comfortable with each other, and Sweetie Belle is aware of, and pleased with, him having his eyes on her; Apple Bloom, by contrast, has her eyes on Sunflower, and apparently wants him to look at her. Why else would she assume that she was his "fair maiden," after all? Once it sinks in (if it hasn't already) that she's not, I suspect that she'll start actively trying to gain his attention...which could possibly be the beginning of the romantic tensions between the group.
Ah, young love...
It was likewise notable when Sunflower wanted to loot the house of the dead purrsian that had been employing them, and the others stopped him on moral grounds. While it struck me as a bit odd that Sunflower wouldn't recognize inheritance rights (e.g. that dead purrsian's kin), I'm chalking that up to his desire to collect as much money as they can as fast as possible so that he can get his mother back. There's a budding conflict in that regard, as he might object to them keeping some of the more expensive magical treasures they've found, rather than liquidating everything in favor of his mother's resurrection fund. Hopefully that won't be too big of a conflict, and will instead let each of them see where the other is coming from.
There's also an ethical dilemma to be had in terms of accepting a ghoul's surrender. Any bargain it strikes is going to include letting it go, but there are serious moral quandaries that come with releasing an undead creature that preys on the living...almost as serious as the issue of destroying a creature that has surrendered. This is going to result in some heavy consciences no matter how it plays out. (On the topic of the undead, is Sunflower's mace of disruption completely broken? I know that power has a low DC, but it hasn't blown apart a single undead creature yet!)
It's nice that the rats are settling in so smoothly at Longtail Manse. You should always make sure your home is well-guarded when you're off raising trouble.
Aww. Young love, strangely filtered through the species barrier. That's sure to be entertaining later on.
Meanwhile, it looks like the residents of that tomb are more resentful than I thought. I wonder what the story is there.
Also, Apple Bloom really needs a non-explosive means of defending herself. Use them Apple legs, filly!
5901741 I posted the sheet and y'all keep calling it a mace of disruption. It's a ghost touch mace. Until they run into something incorporeal, it doesn't do much. Sheesh. :)
I liked the character developments! The disquiet was from inexperience. He hasn't 'been around the block' as it were with girls. She is his first as he is her first. They are all likely to hurt one another's feelings, but growth can come from that, and hopefully they'll emerge for it as good friends. So far they're doing pretty good at being adventuring buddies!
5901750 Precise Bombs is also a discovery she could eventually learn and make bombs explode -around- her friends.
5901735 Oh, it's Living Garments! I love looking for the gear on the Google doc, thanks for pointing it out to me. Sweatie is really stepping up as the face of the party, who can say no to this? img2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20130222013931/mlp/images/e/eb/Sweetie_Belle_Puppy_Face.png
5901759 Whoops, my mistake for not consulting the character sheets!
That said, your characterization of Sunflower and the girls sounds a little fatalistic; they're "likely to hurt each other's feelings" is perhaps normal in a relationship, but hoping that they'll "come out of it good friends" seems to be aiming rather low. Hopefully they'll come out of it with all of them being deeply in love and forming a stable pride!
interesting defiantly a new monster to deal with this is getting good.
Harts Fire
5901741 Man, you write some great analysis! I think in Everglow for ponies at least, having a herd is like marrying your 2nd or 3rd cousin. It's legal, and some ponies do it out in rural areas, but lot of ponies will look down on you as weird and a bit of a hick. It seems less controversial to purrsians though.
I definitely agree Sunflower's interactions with the CMC are a highlight of the story. I understand his point of view too, however the owner died, he came back as a ghoul and the party killed him, hence they have the right to loot his body and the immediate vicinity.
murder-hoboadventurer's code of conduct and all.5902009 Thanks for the kind words, Howard! I quite enjoy writing lengthy analysis on the things I like, as I see it as my way of giving something back for the free entertainment.
I agree with you that, if the Everglow ponies have "herding" as a concept, then they probably look at it the same way that they do going naked - it's something that's seen as provincial, if not downright rustic. I suspect that for purrsians and sun cats, there's no moral judgment on the practice, and it's instead seen as more of a status symbol than anything else, since you need quite a bit of money to maintain a household with multiple spouses (and, more relevantly, that many children) as well as presumably be quite attractive/virile to have several wives.
But yeah, at this point seeing how Sunflower and the fillies relate to each other is definitely the most fun part of this fic!
5902096 Yeah, I agree that analysis is a good way of giving back for free entertainment. Also, typo-hunting gets you pathfinder boons in the form of free internets.
Reminds me of the early seasons of the HBO series Big Love, where everybody assumed if the protagonist had multiple wives they lived on a compound as part of a cult. I bet in Vilja-town there are hilarious if mean-spirited plays about a farmer pony and her husband, and her "friends" coming to visit the big city and becoming indignant that they are expected to rent multiple hotel rooms, etc. Shame Lashtada's not more active, she'd have some interesting perspective.
You're also right about the likely cultural views to the Purrsians, multiple wives/mates has historically been one of the most popular ways of flaunting wealth and prestige.
Pride of pony girls?
Oooh come on AJ, ask questions! Question Everything!
5901741
I got the impression that Apple Bloom's reaction was a case of defensive feminism, where any claim of superiority by a male must be immediately refuted.
She isn't sweet on him, she's embarrassed that she needed help.
5903332
I disagree completely. Apple Bloom reacted dismissively to the label out of embarrassment, in the way that kids are uncomfortable with budding feelings of romance, rather than any sense of "he's trying to say that I'm less than because I'm female."
I don't believe that to be the case. At no other time has Apple Bloom been embarrassed that she needed assistance from anyone, including Sunflower; hence why she had no problem thanking him for the help. She blushed because she liked that he was complimenting her (she thought), even though she wasn't at all sure how to handle it.
5904645
5903332 I now know how show authors feel when people have shipping debates over an episode. I am amused.
I don't think that's what he meant.