(31) One on One
Ric⊬en’s POV
Grif⟟⍀⍾⟒ou⍾d Vend⍀⎍
“Platick!”
The instant the haze left our eyes, Glemerr stampeded into the shop. As she did, I clutched for dear life as I was thrashed about on her shoulder.
“Glemerr! Put me down ‘fore I fall off!” I screamed into her ear.
But she either didn’t bother or didn’t hear me as she came to a full stop at Platick’s side and sent me flying. Before I knew it, I sailed over the counter and onto the floor behind it; a fancy glass bottle shattering underneath me.
“Ughhhhhhhh..." was all the sound I could muster.
“Platick. Ya dere? It’s me, Glem! Come on, wake up!” Her voice demanded.
While I started picking myself up, I heard Glem shifting around some supplies. Probably her healing kit. “Ricven! You done doin’ whatever er doin’?! Platick needs help!”
“An. An’ you need a seatbelt,” I told her dizzily. When my head was clear I looked down and saw that my vest was soaked with something alcoholic. Fantastic. Now I look and smell like a drunk.
“Ms. Glem,” I started, standing at my full height to look over the counter and at her. “Calm yerself. Ya heard what the Master said; he’s still breathing. Which means he’s alive.”
“Alive and okay are different dough!” She shouted. “Who knows how long ‘til da next game! We gotta help ‘im!”
“And I couldn’ agree more.” I remained calm and rubbed my ear to get the ringing to stop. “But somethin’ tells me usin’ our heads rather than our voices would be the smarter choice. Help me search the store.”
“Search it? Fer what? I’ve already got a’ healin’ kit!”
“A healer’s kit ain’t gonna do much fer the pain. If Leanne had plenty a’ weapons ta fuel the Redfakes, I’d imagine she had a potion err two rollin’ around. They don’t run out between games, ‘member?”
“Oh yeah! Good idea. Don’t worry Platick, we got ya!” She leapt up to her feet and rushed to whatever was closest to her to search.
For the next minute or two, we tore through every shelf, cabinet, and lockbox in sight with Glemerr checking the spots just out of my reach while I did a careful sweep of the space under the counter.
By the time both of us got to the back room where Leanne showed us the weapons, I found them. In a locked cabinet door behind the counter were three potions of healing. She even had price tags on them.
Meh. She ain’t gettin’ our money.
Scooping them up, I waved Glemerr over. “Ms. Glem? Take these ta Ms. Vareén an’ Ms. Thorn. They’ll want some too. I got the Boy Wonder.”
“Good thinkin’,” she praised. Then she charged out. “Be right back! An’ don’t take da knife out ‘til he’s mostly recovered!”
“Got it, got it.” I said with a dismissive wave of my hand. Then, as I came back to the main room, I studied Platick and Sister Garaele a little more carefully.
Since we were in the game, there wasn’t any danger of waiting. Except, was that really the case? So far, we’ve managed to heal ourselves from injuries or get heavily drunk. And there’s been plenty of times where we’ve felt more pain than what we started with.
That made me wonder. If we can be healed in between games, can we be injured further? And for that matter, could we be killed?
I wasn’t ashamed of that thought crossing my mind as I stared at Platick. Obviously I didn’t want him dead but the concept remained. Could we bleed out if the Master left us dying between sessions?
Or, the kingdom’s laws on necromancy aside, could we revive the dead?
I moved on from my thoughts and stepped up to Platick, uncorking the potion and tilting his chin up so I could feed the thing without choking him.
“Alright pal, time ta wake up,” I said as I carefully poured the potion.
It took a few seconds for the potion to work. Slowly, Platick’s eyes opened as he realized where he was. Once he had the strength, he took the vial out of my hands and started downing it with a newfound vigor.
Probably ten seconds in, he lowered the vial to breathe. Most of his visible wounds were already gone, save for the knife in his chest. “Thanks,” he sighed.
“Don’t mention it,” I told him. Then I smirked. “Besides, ya still got one bad bruise ta deal with.”
Platick looked down at the knife and acknowledged it with as much shock as a rubberband. “Oh yeah. This is the fun part.”
“Want me ta wave down Ms. Glem?”
“Wouldn’t make it hurt any less,” he noted. He stuck the vial in his mouth and held it with his teeth as he started drinking. Then he grabbed the dagger with one hand and held his chest with the other and pulled.
The dagger came out with less resistance than he expected but he screamed and thrashed as much as Sister Garaele’s frozen body allowed. After a handful of seconds, he forced himself to calm down enough to start chugging more potion.
Another ten seconds passed and he came up for air again. The boy had blood all over, his own and the clumpy blue stuff, but he moved and acted perfectly fine.
“Dear gods, I hate that shapeshifter,” he shouted.
“Shapeshifter?” I furrowed my brow. “Hol’ up.” I reached out and, without waiting for any permission, I scooped a gnomish handful of that blue gunk of Platick’s face. As he started doing the same with the rest of his face, I inspected it a little closer.
“Is this...doppelganger blood?” I flicked my hand as much as I could to get the majority of gross material off my hand before heading over to a few shelves. Glemerr had knocked off some rags in her search.
“Yep. It’s what it called itself at least.” He tried to get up only to realize Sister Garaele was draped over his arm. As he tried shuffling out, he couldn’t find a way to slide his shoulder out from between her hand and head. “Oh, you’ve gotta be kidding me.”
“Wha—Oh! Hahahaha,” I started howling. “Oh, now that is too precious! Would ya like fer me ta give y’all some privacy err—”
“Shove it,” he said venomously. Then he leaned back and groaned. “Just help me out of this. I don’t have the leverage.”
I tried to fight out the laughter as I waltzed back on over, rag in full use as I inspected the issue from all sides. “Yeah. Yeah, alright, I think I got ya. Try saggin’ down and relax yer muscles, I’ll pull and then you push away from her with yer right arm. Ready?”
“Just get it over with,” he said as he already laxed every muscle he needed to.
It wasn’t an easy job and it nearly became too awkward for Platick as his face somewhat rubbed against Sister Garaele’s body for a moment. But eventually, I yanked him out well enough for him to scuttle out the rest of the way himself.
He huffed as he stood up, his face an obvious red despite how much he tried hiding it with anger and frustration. “...thanks,” he mumbled.
“Eh. I’ll take it.” I shrugged. I didn’t expect politeness in the first place. “Well, I don’t see a body in here. I’m guessin’ the doppelganger got away?”
“Yeah.” He nodded. “My Player had me threaten the thing with the Hidden Sight. The second I was dealt with, it ran. Or at least, I think that’s what happened. I lost so much blood, even I don’t know how it ended.”
“Fun.” I frowned. “Wait, Hidden Sight? Why would that scare a doppelganger?”
“I had a...Let’s call it a calling card,” he said. “It’s something the Master plugged in for a backstory when my Player didn’t.”
I smiled. “Funny. Ya make it seem like ya have nothin’ tyin’ ya ta this world, yet you mention all this? A mentor? Callin’ cards? Ya sound like ya got more than others.”
“It sounds like it, doesn’t it?” He rolled his shoulders and started walking around the room, collecting his things that were scattered about.
I rolled my jaw for a second, walking towards the door and closing it. “Tell me ‘bout it.”
“What?” He stared at me.
“Tell me what’cha got,” I elaborated. “I noticed that when I proposed the two week idea, ya didn’t say anythang for or against it. I’m curious.”
He rolled his eyes. “The only reason I didn’t is because what would we do?” When he saw my judgemental eyes waiting for the real explanation, he relented. “It’s because she gave me a distraction. She didn’t have a reason behind it before.”
He bent down and picked up the last thing he had left to collect. Rava’s ring. “She came up with one though.”
“Right,” I said as I folded my arms. “That scene a’ yers. Haze aside, I was interested. What all did AJ have ya do ta get some proof?”
“...” His shoulders slacked. “...I. Can’t answer that.”
I hummed excitedly. “More intrigue, then? Nice.”
“No. I mean, I literally could not tell you.” He pocketed the ring. “She doesn’t have anything. Everything I said is something she came up with right then and there. I was almost impressed. She’s usually a terrible liar.”
“And yet an excellent fibber, it would seem.”
He gave a half nod like giving me a so-so response. “Maybe that’s why I don’t really care if she gives me a story. She gave me distractions. Long as they’re good enough, it’s fine.”
“Distractions, eh?” I nodded along as though I agreed with him. It made enough sense for someone like him. The history he has is a tarnished family name. I’d wanna be distracted too.
By about that time, the door opened back up to reveal just about everyone coming into the room by the lead of Glemerr.
“Oh, good, Platick’s awake!” She cheered.
“Yeah. Yeah, I’m fine,” he told them. “Everyone alive?”
“Define alive,” Vareén mocked as she and Stostine entered the room.
This was the first time I got to see them up close and they looked absolutely miserable even with the potions doing their job.
“We all survived,” Rava replied as she entered last. “That’s the biggest part. Still, there were too many close calls.”
“You are not wrong.” Stostine shook her head. “Vareén and I nearly died. As did Thorn Wielder.”
I watched the doorway for a few seconds only to raise an eyebrow. “Speaking of, where is Ms. Thorn? Didn’t y’all feed her a potion too?”
“Yep! And she’s all fine now,” Glemerr cheered with a grin. One that quickly melted away to confusion. “‘Cept, uh. She’s stuck ta da ground.”
“Stuck?” Platick crossed his arms. “You mean she’s frozen like Ravathyra was?”
“Right. By the way, dId y’all figure tha’ out?” Rava asked us. “‘Cause Ah would nae noticed tha’ otherwise.”
A quick few nopes were fired at her before Vareén turned to me and Platick. “Thorn’s not the one frozen. It’s her vine.”
“I think it is some sort of symbiotic relationship,” Stostine explained. “Thorn usually controls the vine and it copies her emotions. But if the Master takes over with it, I imagine it becomes like all the people in this world.”
“Platick, yer Player was the one that figured out Thorn’s past,” I told him. “You get any knowledge yer Player didn’t?”
“Sort of,” he admitted. “It was a story I was told as a kid. I was to have an understanding of magic and so they used the Thorn Wielder as an example of druidic magic. That’s where the Master plugged it into, anyway.”
“But she was supposed to have been dead?” Vareén frowned.
“A while ago, yeah. Well, a while gets subjective when elves live for so long, but you get what I mean.” He shook his head. “She used the forest to her advantage and was believed dead when her forest burned down. Apparently, she was stronger than the druidic communities that lived around her.”
“I guess being dead makes you out of practice,” Vareén mocked. “If she’s supposed to be powerful, how’d one goon knock her flat?”
“That one goon nearly wiped out three of us,” Rava countered. “An’ somethin’ tells me Ricven would a’ been next.”
“No. All of us woulda been next,” I corrected. “If Stalwart took down Glemerr, Vareén an’ Stostine woulda died too. They wouldn’t a’ kept any of us alive. Platick? You mighta been the only one left.”
Platick folded his arms together as a haze hung over our heads. Not the haze that came with our Players, mind you. Rather, it was this realization that even if this world was fake, we nearly died.
And Platick would have been all alone.
Sunset’s POV
Sweet Apple Acres
Sunday, Early Afternoon
After a less than full night’s rest, everyone woke up to enjoy some breakfast made by Applejack’s family. Granny was overjoyed to see an overflow of people surrounding her dining table and was happily calling for Big Mac to pull more chairs out from the attic to help us.
It made a lot of us feel better by proximity. With how stressful the night had become, all of us savored the change of pace and smiling faces.
Well, all except for Story.
When Story never woke up for breakfast, Granny told Applebloom to ‘wake that boy up so he don’t miss his meal.’ Applebloom was part way out of her seat before a majority of us shot that idea down.
Applejack came clean to them. She explained that we had to let Story in on everything about magic and Story wasn’t taking it too well. That made the remaining Apples sympathetic immediately and Granny put Story’s meal in the oven to keep it warm for whenever he woke up.
Not long after that, Applejack started her chores on the farm while the girls headed for town. They were going to start looking into whoever could be connected to the people we came across in the game. Namely Thel’s daughters and wife and the artisans who were getting blackmailed.
I stayed behind and helped Applejack with her chores while keeping my phone nearby in case anyone found out something. I had promised I’d stick around with Story to work on the game and AJ and I wanted to meet with him alone too.
It was a little past noon when we heard from Applebloom that Story was awake and eating the breakfast Granny made for him. We were pretty deep into one of the apple fields— they all looked the same to me, if I’m being honest —so it was taking us some time to get there.
And, wouldn’t you know it, on the way back, my phone started ringing.
“That one a’ the girls again?” AJ asked me.
I fished out the rectangle and turned the screen towards me. Then I blinked. “No. It’s Ms. Cheerilee.”
Both Applejack and Bloom stopped to watch me with interest. Applebloom had no idea about Ms. Cheerilee’s accident so she was simply confused.
I tapped ‘Accept’ and put it up to my ear. “Hi Ms. Cheerilee. How are you doing today?”
“Well. Funny you mention that,” she started sarcastically. “I was actually wondering if you could tell me what you did to my ankle.”
“Yo-Your..." I paused and locked eyes with Applebloom who merely blinked. “What do you mean?”
“It’s fixed.”
I balked. “What.”
“It’s fixed,” her voice repeated. “My ankle was rolled and the doctor said it might be a week before I could walk on it again. I just got back from the doctor’s again and now my ankle’s fully healed.”
“What?”
“I went to a different doctor for a second opinion. I didn’t want to make the first doctor suspect anything,” she expressed. Well at least the magic secret’s safe. “The second one said it was fully healed. That I probably just sprained it and it was never elevated right or something. Which I know isn’t true.”
I wracked every possible scenario through my head. Even if Dunamancy ‘wore off,’ it didn’t dispel whatever already came true. The changes would stay as they were.
“And what about your arm?” I asked.
“Arm?” Applebloom leaned her head to the side.
“Not now Applebloom,” Applejack told her gently. “Run on ahead, it doesn’t concern you.”
Bloom stared back at her big sis and huffed, shoving her hands deep in her pockets and marched off.
“Still broken,” Ms. Cheerilee grumbled. “I thought it would at least get a little better. Maybe it did, but I wasn’t about to pay for another X-ray to check. What happened last night?”
“I-I don’t know. The character that’s connected with you didn’t magically get. Healed..." I paused, suddenly realizing something that happened while I played as Stostine.
"Is. Is that a..." Sildar looked up at Ricven. Then to me with guilt. I gave him a 'go ahead' motion and after some reluctance, he took it in his good hand and slowly let himself drink it.
We watched as a few of the weaker cuts and bruises on his body sealed and repaired themselves with each swallow. Then, to my relief, I saw the smaller of his two bad injuries recover; his wrist.
It was heavily swollen and a sickening purple as if he rolled it or tried blocking the swing of a club. But once the vial was empty, the wrist simply looked bruised.
“Sildar drank a healing potion,” I said aloud.
“...Is that supposed to mean something?” Ms. Cheerilee’s voice was deadpan over the phone.
“The game’s magic. It’s a lot to explain, but essentially the game affects people in real life. The character affecting you; his name is Sildar. He was riding a cart and was ambushed by monsters. His leg was broken and wrist purple and swollen.”
I heard Ms. Cheerilee take a couple seconds to let that sink in. With the few breaths and sounds of her registering what she heard, I could almost picture her incredulous face. “Have I ever mentioned how much this magic doesn’t make sense?”
“I don’t blame you,” I admitted.
“...Kinda wish my leg was broken instead,” I heard her mutter. “Alright. And I’m guessing this ‘potion’ fixed his wrist?”
“Mostly. It was still a little bruised apparently.”
There was a pause and then a sigh. “Yes, that’s the same with me, I guess. In that case, is there another potion that can heal his...and my arm?”
“Potions aren’t strong enough.” I shook my head for no reason. “And if our characters use magic to heal him, it won’t follow the real world.”
“Fantastic,” She grumbled. “Well, that’s not the only thing I called to talk about. I get to go back to school tomorrow. I won't need crutches, so I can at least walk around just fine. And, you won’t have to meet somewhere else for your club.”
“Well, that’s a plus.” I pulled away from my phone and looked at Applejack. “She’ll be back at school starting tomorrow.”
AJ grinned. “Great ta hear.” Then another thought popped in her head and she got serious. “Ask her about Principal Celestia.”
My eyes widened. “Right.” This time I put the phone on speaker since Applebloom was gone. “Ms. Cheerilee, I’m here with Applejack. Have you heard anything about or from Principal Celestia lately?”
I heard Ms. Cheerilee start to say something only to make herself stop. “...Why? Did the game do something to her too?”
AJ and I shared a look and readied ourselves for another round of catch up. Hopefully, Ms. Cheerilee could help us with this at least.
Story’s POV
Sweet Apple Acres House
Meanwhile
I sat back in my seat, my stomach nice and full after nearly three helpings of breakfast by my account. “Those were the best pancakes I’ve ever had in my life.”
“Yer darn right they are,” Granny said with a grin. “An entire family a’ Apples will get ya the best tastin’ meal every dern time! And thank ye fer packin’ it all away. Ah hate keepin’ leftovers. Never enough space.”
I smirked. “Sounds like the exact opposite of my family. We gotta have two days a week dedicated to leftovers.”
At about that time, the kitchen door swung open and Applejack’s little sister stormed in looking furious.
“Now what’s got you in a tizzy, Applebloom?” Granny asked.
“Just AJ bein’ all ‘big sis knows all’ again,” Bloom retorted. “Ah’m gonna finish up mah homework.”
She walked past me and I was left staring a hole in the table to try fighting off the awkwardness. Which Granny picked up on.
“If yer wonderin’ that yer any cause fer that, don’t you worry none,” Granny said. “Applebloom’s been all outta sorts fer a bit now.”
“Oh, no, it’s not that.” I looked back up. “I just figured I wasn’t supposed to see that, is all.”
“Aw, pushhaw! If ya didn’ see it here, ya prolly would’a seen it at school. Apparently, Bloom an’ her friends thought they’d have it easy since another one a’ the girls at school got sick err somethin’. They don’ get along too well. But fer some reason, one other girl’s been rufflin’ their feathers fer a bit.”
“Bullies?” I frowned. “Yeah, I kinda know what that’s like.”
“Nah, not that far,” Granny retorted. “That mess got sorted the moment they stepped inta Canterlot High. Now it’s just schoolyard teasin’. Bloom n’ her friends will work it out.”
Before I could stop her, Granny scooped up my dishes and took them to the sink. I got up to try offering my help but about that time, the door opened up again.
“Howdy Story,” Applejack spoke as she and Sunset walked through the door; the latter pocketing her phone. “Nice ta see you finally up and at ‘em.”
I gave them a drained smile. “Yeah, well. Thanks for lettin’ me sleep in. I didn’t realize I was that tired.”
“We don’t blame you,” Sunset told me. “Like we said, it’s a lot to take in. Especially when it was in the middle of everything.”
“Granny? It alright if Ah take a breather fer now? Ah only got a few bushels left an’ it’ll be done ‘fore sundown.”
“Homework done?” Granny glanced back.
“Yup.”
“Take yer time then.” Granny went back to the dishes. “There’s prolly five hours ‘til we’re outta light. Plenty a’ time ta take a breather. Are all yer friends stayin’ fer lunch?”
“They’ll have already eaten, Granny. But thanks fer the thought.”
The girls excused themselves, bringing me along with them as we brought ourselves to the living room.
“So. Any news on who might be connected to everyone?” I asked.
“Not much,” Sunset grimaced. “The girls thought Townmaster Wester might be the town’s mayor, so they tried checking with her. Except, the mayor hasn’t been seeing visitors for a while.”
Not a good sign, I noticed.
“Rarity did come across somethin’ though.” AJ took over. “Ya see, she doesn’t exactly own the boutique she works in. It’s own by some bigwig designer named Prim Hemline.”
“Never heard of them.” I shrugged.
“That’s what Ah said,” AJ agreed. “But apparently someone tried gettin’ huge discounts at the store with threats an’ other nonsense. They didn’t get anythang close ta what they wanted, but it drove Rarity up the wall hearin’ it.”
“I can imagine.” I felt my heart twist a bit. Even if the girls were unaffected by this Dunamancy crap, it looks like it still found a way. “And that’s my fault.”
“Stop saying that,” Sunset told me. “You’re not the one going around and doing this. And now that the Redbrands have been stopped, there’s no one around to extort Phandalin’s stores, right?”
I silently nodded. It was the one way the magic couldn’t stop me from answering.
“By any chance, do ya know how many shops were messed with in the game?” Applejack asked.
“Uh..." I did a quick inventory. It was a small town but having to list whatever shops were important took me a minute. “I, uh...I think seven? Yeah, seven sounds right. There aren’t many shops in town since a lot of stuff is homemade.”
“Which means there’s six other stores,” Sunset decoded. “Unfortunately, that’s about it. Pinkie said she only knows five sets of twins so she’s checking in with each of them.”
“Okay. Well, at least we’re finding something,” I said. “Should we go out and help them then?”
“Actually.” Sunset and Applejack shared a look. Then they both nodded and turned back at me. “We wanted to do something else. If you’re up for it.”
“If I’m up for it?” I thought about what that meant for a second and it hit me. “Oh. You wanna do something with the game, don’t you?”
“Only if you’re up for it,” Applejack reaffirmed. “If not, we can hold off. Whether we do it today or some other time, we want ta make sure you’ve had a chance ta recoup from last night.”
I closed my eyes and took a moment to breathe. That’s nice of them but we’re gonna have to come back to this sooner or later. And right now...
I opened them again and shook my head. “No, it’s fine. I’m feeling a lot better now that I’ve had some rest.”
“You sure?” Sunset raised an eyebrow. “I know this might be odd to say, but there’s no rush on this. We can wait.”
I shook my head, more sure of myself the longer I thought about it. “Thanks, but I mean it. I feel a lot better. Just as long as you don’t throw in any more magic. Like, if I see those sirens you mentioned or you both ‘ponying up’ or whatever, I might call it quits.”
“Ponying—” Sunset stood straight up. “How did you know what that’s called?”
“Ah let that slip,” AJ told her. “It came up durin’ the game. When we were dealin’ with Platick’s part?”
“Oh. Wait, but why did that come up?”
“We’d love to tell you,” I said. “But gargling. If it helps, I have no idea why you call it that.”
Apparently that did help because Sunset looked greatly at ease when I said it. “Anyways. That aside,” I went on. “What was it you two wanted to do? Or test, maybe?”
Sunset cleared her throat. “Well..."
Sunset’s POV
Game Room
Half an Hour Later
Story took a moment to himself behind the DM Screen he set up. Then, with a deadpan expression, he spoke. “I need to start asking you girls what you want before blindly saying yes or no.”
“That might be a good idea.” I shot him a smirk.
“Ya can still back out if ya want,” Applejack said. We sat opposite of each other at the big table so that we were the same distance from Story. “We wouldn’t blame ya.”
“Nah, that would kill whatever pride I had left,” he said sarcastically. Then, he shook his head and smiled back. “But seriously, I’ll be fine. I think I got a good taste of what the worst of this looks like before. I’m ready.”
We smiled back and looked over the stuff in front of us. Assuming that everything worked exactly like it did for Rainbow Dash, our bodies would need pencils to write, dice to roll, and paper to use while we were in Sky Space. I just hope my subconscious has good handwriting.
“Okay. Well, good luck. I’ll be right here. I think.” He cleared his throat and nervously shifted a few things behind his screen. “Alright. Let’s start a story.”
Again, I watched everything around me swirl as my eyelids got so heavy and I couldn’t keep myself from drooping my head in a random direction. Then, when I finally had the strength to sit back up, I wasn’t in the game room anymore.
Instead I was standing in the middle of the night sky with a single moon shining brightly down on me and the spotty layer of fluffy clouds masking the fictional world of Prima as best as it could. Meanwhile, twenty or so feet away, two more figures stood side-by-side.
“WooOooOoOoOah nelly!” Applejack’s voice broke repeatedly as she stood beside me. All of her shook like a chill was going across her body but her legs were fixed permanently in place.
“This is a lot worse than Ah thought it’d be,” she shouted. Then she looked around and saw me standing right beside her. “Sunset? That’s you, right?”
“Yeah. It’s me,” I confirmed. “And those are our characters.”
I pointed across the invisible room at the other figures. One of them had her eyes closed and arms folded together. It didn’t look as cool as she thought when one of her sleeves was missing entirely.
The other was a man in simple brown leathers that didn’t seem too damaged but his entire body was stiff as a board while he stared at the ground.
“Wooooo,” The man breathed deeply, trying to fight off the uncomfortable feeling “This was what you meant? The sky thing?”
Stostine nodded, opening her eyes to admire the scene around her. “Oh. So the time of day matches with whenever the game pauses. Interesting.”
“No. Not interesting,” Platick argued. “Can you finish explaining this? How’s come we’re the only two that didn’t freeze? How do we get down?”
“That is up to our Players. Or possibly the Master,” Stostine reasoned. “Although, I am feeling much more positive about my Player being the one who did this given what happened last time.”
Platick nodded slightly. “Yeah. Vareén said you had a breakdown or something.”
Stostine’s calm expression twisted to frustration. “I did not have a breakdown! I was trying to see if my Player would respond to me.”
“She said you were crying for a mother.”
Stostine facepalmed. “Curse you Vareén. I thought you had more tact than that.”
“Huh.” Applejack took a few steps forward towards them. “It’s sorta like last time.”
“Last time?” I blinked as AJ flinched. “What do you mean last time? You’ve been here?”
“Uh...A-Ah, um. It. Well, what Ah meant was—”
She can’t tell you yet. Sunset. It would just turn into gargling.
I frowned but didn’t question it further. “I got it. I can wait to hear about it later.”
Applejack gave me a thankful look before looking back at her character. “Still, Ah didn’ see ‘em movin’ before. An’ neither of ‘em look hurt either. Think they’re okay?”
“Hopefully.” I shrugged. “No one’s seen their characters hurt when they’re up here.”
Platick took a moment looking off in every direction. “So. How far does this place go? Or should we stay perfectly still?”
Stostine thought about that for a second and then frowned. “I have no idea. No one has ever had a reason to look for the edge of this space before.”
“Really?” Platick gave her a look. “You get trapped up here for long periods of time and you never bothered checking to see if there’s just a drop off somewhere?”
Stostine frowned. “I am sorry, it never came up.” Then her face calmed a little. “We did fight our friend Gekio when we first met. We ran back and forth so I do not think there are any sudden pitfalls.”
Applejack looked to me. “Is there an end ta this place? Err does it just go on ferever?”
“I found a wall by mistake,” I told her. “I kicked my die so hard it slammed into one.”
Platick sighed and slipped off his backpack. “Well, I guess that’s something to test while we’re stuck up here.” He dropped it to the ground and searched it. “You wouldn’t happen to have a rock or something that you can roll around, would you?”
“You mean like some dice?” Stostine smirked at that. “Ironically, no, I do not.”
“Funny, funny,” Platick mocked. Then he took out a crowbar and his rope. “Thankfully, one of the memories I got from my Player is a good knot.”
Curious, Applejack and I walked over to watch the man work. He tied his rope around the center of the crowbar and started tying this complex-looking knot that made Applejack chuckle.
“Overdoin’ it a smidge fer just securin’ a tool, ain’tcha?”
“Is that actually one of your knots?” I gave her a look.
“Ah wouldn’t call it mah knot, exactly, but it’s one a the better ones Ah know. Not hard ta undo when ya know how either.”
“There.” Platick stood up, wielding the crowbar in both hands. When Applejack approved of the work, I knew he had done it right. “Now I can test it.”
“How exactly?” Stostine wrinkled her nose. “What will that do?”
“I’ll toss it and see if the rope droops anywhere in the process,” he explained. “Then I’ll walk up to the crowbar and do it again until it either falls down or hits something.”
And Platick did exactly that. Taking the crowbar in both hands, he hoisted it overhead and heaved it as far forward as he could. It would make it maybe twelve or so feet before the weight of the rope pulled it down.
Then, it would clang against a nonexistent floor with the rope falling lifelessly behind it. Like everyone thought, there were no holes that the rope fell through.
Platick would go on to repeat the process two more times before he finally hit the wall. When he did, both he and the rest of us flinched and backed away as the crowbar clambered to the floor a little too close for comfort.
“Wall,” Platick answered as he walked up and tested the invisible surface. “Sturdy too. No give whatsoever.”
“It was somewhere between twenty and thirty feet,” Stostine remarked. “Were we in the center?”
“No clue.” Platick picked up the crowbar. “Only one way to find out.”
“Not exactly.” Stostine rose her hand in the opposite direction, making Applejack and I step aside since we were right in her path.
After a few arcane words that made no sense to me, Sunset fired a small missile of flame that sailed across the area. It went a fair distance before striking against another invisible wall.
I nodded, impressed. “Huh. How far do you think it went?”
“About seventeen yards,” both Platick and Applejack answered in sync.
“Question.” Platick turned to her. “Why didn’t you just do that in the first place?”
“You were having a clever moment. I would have felt bad ruining it,” Stostine said with a sly grin.
Platick narrowed her eyes. “I hate you.”
“Mmm. Do you, now?” Stostine smirked. “I saved you a minute of you playing fetch with a crowbar.”
Platick rolled his eyes and started undoing the knot from his rope. “Mind firing to the left and right then? I have a theory.”
“Sure.” Stostine turned ninety degrees and fired out another Fire Bolt. Then she fired another one as close to the exact opposite direction as she could. One bolt collided into a wall sooner than the other.
“About fifteen feet one way and thirty-five the other,” Platick noted. “Like I thought; square room. Shoot at the ceiling?”
“On it.” Stostine pointed her hand straight up and fired a fourth Fire Bolt. Platick’s theory was right and it struck a ceiling.
“You’re about five feet tall. That sailed about forty,” Platick calculated. “Fifty foot ceiling. Probably a perfect cube.”
Huh. That was kinda neat. Also good to know.
“Tell me.” Stostine turned around. “Did you really expect to throw a crowbar clear up there?”
“I wouldn’t have bothered,” he told her. “But now that I know how big the space is, I feel more at ease.”
“What makes you say that?”
“There’s no breeze, so this is likely an enclosed space. And we were resting back at the inn in Phandalin after the haze lifted. The main room was smaller than this. Now I know this isn’t just an illusion.”
“Wait. Resting?” I frowned. “So they really are conscious between games. That’s different.”
Did you two want to get started or should we keep watching for a little longer?
“Ah think we should start,” Applejack answered. “Much as Ah’m interested in seein’ these two move around, we didn’t tell the girls what we were doin’. Who knows how long we’ll take ta do this.”
I nodded. “You’re right. Plus, if they’re trying to rest between games, we shouldn’t keep them waiting up here for too long. They’ll run out of things to do eventually.”
Platick finished putting his things away and dusted off his hands. “Alright. So, if our Players brought us here, what happens next?”
Stostine smiled. “Well, for Rava and our friend Gekio, they were taken somewhere and given more history. I had pictured Sunset wanted to do the same for me.”
Platick frowned. “If that’s the case then...Applejack? You out there?”
I watched Applejack’s back shake with chills. “Ah just realized he’s got mah voice. Just deeper an’ no accent.”
I smiled. “I had the same reaction.”
“We cannot hear them,” Stostine explained to Platick. “At least, that is what I can assume.”
Platick scoffed lightly. “Alright, well, you said they can hear us, right?” When he saw Stostine give an weary nod, he looked forward. “I’ll run with that. Applejack, I’m guessing your here because of yesterday, right? That history you made up mid-session?”
“Uh. Y-Ye-Yeah,” she said awkwardly. Answering him felt less awkward than saying nothing.
“I can only guess that’s why,” he went on. Then he glanced over at Stostine, who looked back for a moment. “Did that mother breakdown work for you?”
Stostine puffed her cheeks. “If that’s you asking me to give you some privacy, you could have asked.” She tried folding her arms in her sleeves, only to look silly when, again, her missing sleeve ruined the look. Then she walked off in another direction. “Just go on. I will do my best to forget whatever you say.”
Platick rubbed his eyes. “Applejack, why did you come here with her Player?”
I couldn’t help but chuckle at that. “Awww, they’re teasing each other~”
“Ah think that’s our fault, sugarcube,” AJ said. Still, she was smiling too.
“Whatever.” Platick reached under his armor and pulled out the platinum coin on a string. That made Applejack straighten up. “You wanted this to be important, right? Same with my name? But you left it blank up until now. I can only imagine that if I’m here in this creation place, it’s because of what you made up yesterday.”
Applejack swallowed the lump in her throat. “Uh-huh. Ah figured ya had some holes in yer mind.”
“So how much are you gonna change about me?” Platick asked aloud.
AJ blinked. “H-Huh?”
Stostine and I had a similar reaction of staring back at Platick.
“That’s what you were really gonna do, right? Change me.” He frowned. “I don’t know if you’re aware of this, but I know you, Applejack. I know you hate people like me.”
“Ah. Wha—now hold on a minute.” She took a step forward. “What makes ya think Ah ha—”
“I can almost picture you building an argument,” he went on. “Ricven was right. Terrible liar, excellent fibber. Especially when someone calls you on your faults.”
AJ started stammering as she retraced that one step. “Now that just ain’t true! Ah don’t lie abou—”
“But that’s why you made me, isn’t it?” He went on. “You hate thieves and since you were stuck with one, you just made one to hate. Like making a joke, isn’t it?”
“Ah didn’t make you as a joke.” Applejack glared. “Ah just. A-Ah just..."
Platick licked his lips, debating whether or not to keep going. “...You wanna fix me up so badly? Change me into something you like better? Go ahead and do it then.” He held his hands above his head. “Obviously I can’t stop you.”
Why’s he acting like this? Wouldn’t he want a better life?
AJ bit her lip as Stostine started walking back over.
“Platick, I think that is enough,” my character told him. “Is it really a good idea to challenge your Player like this?”
“What? Should I be happy she made me just to nearly get killed over and over?” He eyed Stostine for a moment. “You saw what happened to Ravathyra after she came back from here, right? She went from angry and hard to approach to a joyful morning-person. What do you think’s gonna happen to us?”
Stostine stopped walking and narrowed her eyes. “What do you mean?”
“This place lets them change our history, right? Our memories, or lack thereof? What do you think shapes a person? What makes you act like you? They change us in the right way, and we’ll end up like smiling freaks ourselves.”
Stostine glared. “That is not what happened to Rava. She still gets angry or sad like everyone else. I wouldn’t call her brainwashed.”
“Neither would I.” He shook his head. “In fact, from the few things I know about that Rainbow girl, I’d say she got the best outcome. Then again, Ravathyra’s Player didn’t make her a foil against herself.”
“Ye-Yer not a foil,” Applejack said with wavering resolve. “Ah didn’t mean...not on purpose. Ah. Ah’m...sorry.”
“So. If Applejack’s listening.” Platick faced forward again. “Go ahead and fix up my history. I’d welcome it. At least then, I can see what you have in mind for this family angle you’re setting up. But.”
He looked around as if trying to figure out where Applejack could possibly be. “...If you try turning me into some smiling fool? Even if it changes my own mind, know that I, right now, will never respect you.”
Applejack closed her mouth and leaned back, grabbing at her arm as she watched the sour expression on Platick’s face. She let her hat hide her face so no one could see what she was thinking. I’d imagine not even Story could tell from where he was.
Stostine, meanwhile, was forced to only stare at Platick in disbelief. “Do you really hate your Player? That much?”
Platick rolled his jaw and let himself relax. “...No. I don’t hate her. If I did, I wouldn’t bother talking to her. I’d sooner hope she’d drop the game and forget I exist. No, I just know her. And if I tried beating around the bush or kissing up, she wouldn’t appreciate it. She’d think I’m lying to get ahead.”
Applejack let out a lone chuckle as I saw her give this pathetic smile under the shadow of her hat. “Well. Ya ain’t wrong there.”
Does he really have to be that cynical about it? Applejack, you okay?
Applejack took a deep breath and shook the words off. “Eeyup. Just dandy.” She readjusted her hat and stared at her character. “Ah’d rather he be nicer, but the only one Ah have ta blame fer that is mahself.”
“Applejack,” I spoke softly. “What’re you gonna do? If what Platick says is true, if we alter them too much—”
“He won’t be himself,” she finished my thought. “No, Ah gathered that. But Ah’m pretty sure Ah know what he wants.”
She walked up to him and reached into his chest. Once she found the die, she pulled it out and admired it. A wood carved die the size of a soccer ball with the numbers burned onto each face.
“He don’ want me ta take the easy way out. He wants me ta keep him the same while Ah keep playin’ him. Even if it means Ah act like somethin’ Ah hate.” She nodded to herself. “If some lazybones that never worked a day in their life made me, Ah’d want them ta walk a mile in mah boots too.”
“That’s what he wants?” I frowned. “Are you sure?”
“He’s mah character, ain’t he? Ah let him think that Ah don’t care. That can’t be easy ta swallow.” She readied her die to roll it. “Maybe Ah’ll get used ta playin’ him. Maybe Ah’ll keep hatin’ it. But Ah’ll see it through.”
She looked up into the sky. “Ya ready on yer end, Story?!”
Ahhh! Okay, Rainbow was right; it sounds like you’re screaming in my ear! Yeah, I’m ready.
AJ looked at me next. “Good luck wit’ Stostine, Sunset.”
I gave her a smile and a nod. “Same to you.”
Finally, she looked at Platick. “Alright Platick. Let’s start with the family.” She tossed her die around the floor until it landed on no particular number.
And in the next instant she and Platick was gone.
Stostine out a heavy breath. “Okay, this was much worse than I pictured it going.”
I grinned. “You said it.”
Hey Sunset? I see a new box with Applejack and Platick in it. I’m gonna see what it’s like for them. I’ll see you on the other side.
“Okay then! Oh, and Story?”
Yeah?
“Thanks for agreeing to this. I know this has all been pretty weird.”
No problem! I’ll just add it to the list of favors you owe me. Which, by the way, I started my list.
“Luh. L-List?” I blinked. “You said list? What all are you having me d—”
Okay, bye now!
I sighed. “I see what he meant by me regretting that.”
“Um. Sunset?” Stostine spoke out. “Not to sound disrespectful, but. This is the third time you have brought me here. Can we please work on my life as well?”
I gave her a guilty smile. “Sorry, sorry. I’m coming.” I went over and scooped out the die from her chest and got ready to finally get started.
“O-Oh. If I may.” Stostine said, making me pause. “I want to say it a little nicer than Platick did, but. If possible, I would also like to keep my personality the same. If that means working on the bad parts of my life, I am prepared for it. Please?”
I felt my stomach condense a little. I think that means I need to watch those too. Oh, that won’t be fun. “O-Okay. I’ll do my best.”
I rolled the die, watching as the metallic shape bounded around for a second before soon enough coming to a stop. As it did, the night sky around us vanished and became a new moment entirely.
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11114990
Oh, I just realized my answer never posted! Crap, I'm sorry.
I think one reason people let character death be the end of their character is all the concepts behind them. You spend all this time writing up this character and find all the different directions you can take them that you come up with ideas for your next character.
In a game I run, one guy loves making characters so much, he has six backup characters simply because he loves the ideas for them. Also because my encounters are apparently that terrifying.
You'd think all the effort going into making one character would make people cling to that one character and look for every chance to keep them alive, but it's kind of the opposite. People are excited to get into a new role that maybe they see their character death as a chance to try something completely different.
That and low-level characters don't have a means of reviving party members. They'd have to be level 5 to even have the spell, let alone the strength to go to hell and back.
With the emotional tension built up between AJ and Platick, I would like to see that resolved first. Besides, you've been stringing Stostine along for a while now. What's a little longer going to do?
Also, are we going to see what happens during Gilda's game?
11120320
From experience, not easy means, but aid a princess or 2 and you can pay for clerics to do some necromancy/revivify.
I'd like to see Sunsets, but I am biased. Though I do think keeping Platicks a secret for later would be interesting.
11120320
I can see what you mean, currently playing an adventurers league campaign and I'm constantly thinking "what will I get to play next?". So I can see the appeal. Don't know if these girls will get that chance though.
Also just want to say, I'm looking forward to seeing the girls get there subclasses soon. Out of curiosity, and im sorry if you'veanswered this before somewhere, what all source books are you using for this?
11120665
Neither do I!
I know what their subclasses will be, and I hinted at them in the last couple chapters. As for what books, we got 2 from the PHB (1 being Thorn's), 3 from Tasha's, and 2 from Xanathar's.
Edit: Oh! And a couple races are coming from other books. I'd say which but that might give something away at that point. Sorry!
11120673
Hmm, so I guess that means Twilight won't be taking the the drake warden class and having spike join them as a sidekick?
Nice emotional chapter. Well done, and eager to see more.:D
Stostine, she's the weirder of the two.