Midnight Castle: Everhere, Vol 7, Chapter 5, Poseidon's Faithful
Before I start, let me share some theories based on the chapter title. It's obvious it's about Bellucio. Possibly it'll also be about Poseidon as well. But (and this is big) who are going to be the other two? So far the chapters usually keep to the 3-person-group principle. That means that we're likely to have 3 main characters: Bellucio (duh), and two more.
Personally, I think it'll be Molly and Euryala (who are both connected to Poseidon and Bellucio) If I'm right that will lead to a very interesting love triangle. (And if it were a fic I'd say it'll end up with Molly and Euryala getting shipped :P)
Anyway, here goes!
We start with Molly having nightmares (about her and Danny being chased in the Hades-reality). We practically get a repeat of Titan-Hades ball (?) scene, which turns into a chase after it's discovered that Danny isn't tainted. Lots of wild chasing (yay Cerberus triplets) ending in Danny being caught and Hades thanking Molly. Molly is confused, but before she can say anything she notices that she too is tainted (her arm is covered in pitch black goo). She screams and wakes up in her bedroom, and (naturally) runs out to see Danny in the middle of the night.
Getting to his dorm at campus, she stumbles upon Loki, who is making cheat cards for his exam (go, Loki :))) I absolutely love him! :)) Who says that he's gone, but she isn't the only one to ask for him. Then we suddenly find that Bellucio is also there (dun dun duuun!). Some innocent flirting followers, ending with them deciding to track down Euryala to find out what's going on (since she seems to know more than anyone on the matter of the everthings.)
Molly uses her dreamwalking skills (with some occasional help from Icelos, which was mega scary!) to find out how to get to Euryala, then with Bellucio they go on a creepy spy hunt to uncover part of the organization she is from (the Warlockwings are just touched upon). After some more cloak and dagger stuff, they manage to go to Euryala's hideout (?) only to find that she's expecting them.
After the weirdest exchange ever, she agrees to help them in exchange for a kiss (wow! Is thus even aimed at young colts anymore? :P Not that I'm complaining.) and an artifact from Poseidon. They then go to Megan, since the only way to re-renter a reality is through the shatter stone (which was expected) and they go there.
Immediately, we see that Poseidon is not as nice as originally believed. Not only does he control the entire town (and beyond) through his own type of water-reflection-dream magic, but he also uses his disciples to kill enemies and steal artifacts. Under the guise of his number one follower, Bellucio (and co) enter his boobytrapped vault and steal part of a medallion (a "metal loop"). They then return and part ways: Euryalla vanishes in a splash of water and Molly rushes off (almost daring to peck him on the cheek).
Bellucio is left alone and mutters something about not trusting her, at which point Icelos appears in the night and asks "which one?"
Next Chapter: "Hooves of a Human"
Wooooow! So much going here that I just can't... argh! Molly tainted? Bellucio can see Icelos? Euryala wanting kisses from Bellucio (wasn't she with Blazen?!?)
I very much like how there's subtle continuity. I must reread everything now to see if there aren't more things that I've missed.
What do you all think of this?
PrinceEric
That's a rather interesting take. Personally, the story strongly reminds me of Sombra's rule. His corruption is unmistakable, and it also granted certain "advantages" to those who were corrupt. Needless to say, the more corrupt one was, the closer to the upper eschewing of power.
The Hades corruption seems to be exactly that. When Danny was shown not to be corrupted he had problems breathing. Everyone else, Molly included, seemed perfectly alright. To me this reads exactly like Hades marking his closest servants corrupted puppets.
Furthermore, note how in the same chapter we have Poseidon. Now, if there is any mercy in the idea of the deities being Princess Celestia, Luna, and Cadence, we can say that Hades (Luna) is suffering from the corruption Sombra had, and the one to wash it away would be Poseidon (Hades).
True, I've allowed myself a bit of interpretative freedom, but it does make sense and pose questions. If we go by analogy, it means that Poseidon along with Molly will destroy Hades' darkness. However, what will happen if Poseidon is evil? An evil Princess Cadence would be a scary thing (especially if she doesn't have a husband).
Taking it further, does that mean that Megan will marry Poseidon? Not impossible, I say.
Jade the Evervirgin
@Jafe the Evervirgin: ... that's just. You can actually be smart and sweet when you're not yelling at pones. That's some deep analyses, and as much as I want I can't find anything wrong. If the writers go along that path it will be one wild ride. :D
I'm still creeped out by the idea of Poseidon and Megan. Though, Shining and Cadence made the cutest couple ever!
MixaMax
@Jade the Evervirgin: Mary me, please! :) That analyses was perfect. And thinking about the parallels with real life, that's quite close to how Shining Armor would react (I mean the way Megan does). The only thing I can't picture is an evil Cadence. Even without a husband she shouldn't have fallen so drastically.
Do you think we'll see them taking children in the series?
DarkSparkle
@Jade the Evervirgin: somepony has become popular with the mares :P
MasterOfThisAstra
Argh! I just give up!
@Jade the Evervirgin: snuggles for me too? Or at least analyze my stories? :P
Brush
@Brush: if it wasn't for your skill in writing, I would be talking to you. And yes, I will review several of your stories, along with all of DarkSparkle's, Max's attempt (if she ever gets to write it), and a few others.
Jade the Evervirgin
@Jade the Evervirgin: My hero! :P *ear lick*
Brush
@Brush: back off! I saw her first! (I guess Dark can have her for a while, though :P If she promises not to break Jade. :P)
MixaMax
@MixaMax: you're such a romantic… :)
DarkSparkle
@DarkSparkle: I try, bby. ;)
MixaMax
Jade the Evervirgin message has been deleted.
Jade the Evervirgin message has been deleted.
Jade the Evervirgin message has been deleted.
Jade the Evervirgin message has been deleted.
Jade the Evervirgin message has been deleted.
I'm locking this!
Jade, you get a 24 hour ban!CodeFilly
I really imagine the next day, MasterOfThisAstra talking to Brush, Jade is really pissed of about MixaMax, and maybe it was getting out of control, maybe some confissions about how DarkSparkle being nice with him, but how much he hates MixaMax.
Maybe he was worried about what will be his reaction after he meets her.
hahahahhahahah
also, sorry for not keeping up with the typos corrections, I've been dead tired lately; will not be available tomorrow too
Nice little love triangle you're building up here.
I see what you did there!
If we take Jade to be Bellucio, then that makes Mixa and Dark Molly and Euryala... DarkMax confirmed?
I do wonder what all those deleted comments were, though... Probably something offensive and insulting, knowing him.
That...Was...AWESOME!!!
It's 99% confirmed, Jade is an OC. There are no canon characters Jade could get away with writing as acting like that.
I need to start posting my guesses again, which means I have to climb out on a limb, with my saw (I forget, which end do you cut? It's the part closest to the trunk, right?)
Ok, from the way she tries too hard, the way she over-compensates badly, they way she tries to sound dead certain but comes off sounding like she's just blustering, from the way she's actually so insecure she runs away... I think I know who DarkSparkle is. She's Starlight Glimmer.
Ha! Just as it looks like Jade is staring to make progress, Max swoops in and steals her attention away! That was beautiful, fuck you Jade. Clearly he lost his shit there, MoTA really needs to have a talk with him.
Okay.... So I'm at the (current) end of the fic. Not gonna ask for a new chapter because it's late and I need sleep first - as do you, dear author. Seriously, from what I've seen your scheduling efforts are nothing short of herculean and you deserve a break for your amazing work. This fic is an absolute stylistic masterpiece and I've half a mind to make an actual proboards-esque mockup of it. (although if it's implied the coding's rather simple would an actual mockup look more like a "__Chan" framework..?)
There's pushing buttons, and then there's taking a sledgehammer to them. Hopefully Jade will soon realize that if you don't rise to the bait, they'll stop laying it out.
7953928 No worries :) You do pleanty :) Relax and enjoy for a bit :)
7954113 my lips are sealed! :)
7954155 Just to confirm, he is an OC. Crystal pegasi are rare in the show. Only the guard had them. :)
7954243 He might have :) More to be revealed in the sidequel :)
7955389 Thank you :D
Well the way I imagined it was like the standard forum type thing with a flashy outline. (Haven't been on 4/8chan) Mostly a discussion board with a place to post stories.
7955675 Jade knows as much as Jon Snow! :)
7954155
On the one hand, that's a very convincing argument.
On the other hand, that bit in an earlier chapter where everyone else disagrees with her description of humans, and she insists she knows what humans are really like, makes a lot more sense if she's Twilight. Or at least, it's a lot funnier if she's Twilight.
EDIT: I guess I could salvage my favorite part by assuming that Starlight has spoken with Twi about her adventures in the EQG universe, and Starlight incorporated details from those into her own stories. And that's why Starlight is so convinced that her interpretation of humans is the most accurate.
x5!
Well, that took a sharp turn... Maybe "Jade the Evervirgin's" ? For the possessiveness??
Typo:
Don't you mean Poseidon is Celestia?
echelon. I think.