• Published 7th Apr 2017
  • 2,979 Views, 974 Comments

The Influence - GMSeskii



Twilight Sparkle awakens in a mysterious room with a mysterious artifact - in a story where your comments influence the outcome.

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XXVII

Author's Note:

[IMPORTING…][…Twilight (still better than calling you Twilience) I’m just going to say it. You are afraid. The fact that you don’t want to go back to you proper time because you feel you are ‘outside’ of reality is a stupid reason. Do you think your friends aren’t going to look for you if only Fluttershy returns? Do you actually believe that they would care that out of the more than possibly thousands of universes out there that there is a chance they might not be real? That is just it Twilight; You are part of a vast network of worlds where reality is just a concept. Yes, there may be universes out there where you are nothing but a fictional character in a story, but that is not to say that to them they are no more real than the last. To them, we may be just fiction; A myth. Just think of the mirror-verse with Sunset Shimmer. Do you think they believe that their universe is fake just because it's part of a mirror? I am not saying that you can't travel the multiverse, but don't just do it as an act of running away. Go back to your time first and let your friends know that you are ok. Then, If you still wish to travel make sure you have a way to return home because believe me Twilight, there will be times that you'll wish you had your friends with you and not just their multi-verse selfs… …DLB here, things are going to be interesting. Nothing bad is going to happen (sarcasm) right?… …Josh here - jeez the timings on these are getting worse and worse, anyway GM said now that we know that Aradia is here for sure, he asked if we were going to try change it like he was challenging us, but you know what? I don't think that's a good idea; let's just go along with it and get Aradia at the next Altar edit - also Afizah took the words out of my mouth about you running away from home… …Ponygood speaking. Mite, if you found a way onto Twilence's eye during this import and have the opportunity to broadcast what we say, I will warn you that Twilight completely freezes up during imports, including something as necessary as breathing. So try to change that if you can. And also, Orchid, please listen to what we have to say and don't go running off or attacking Twilight's party, because we're also concerned about the arrival of the Dark Lord. Twilence, don't attack Orchid! Defend yourself if necessary, but try to get her to listen to your story and Lore Thirst's information. Also, obviously see if you can get Infinity and the die back. But I'm a bit conflicted about her believing herself to be the Oracle. Apparently, she kills the spirits she turns into spheres, will not take kindly to anything getting in her way, and is fine with enslaving the entirety of Fosis. It may, in the future, be necessary just to kill her if she ends up being more evil than good, but she can be a good ally in the meantime. And good idea, keeping the future deliberately vague; people who know the future would likely try to change it, and then there'd be a mess of paradoxes for Aradia to sort through, being the Maid of Time. There is a reason Corot sounds familiar, because Key mentioned him, and I elaborated a bit. He is a dark star of similar power to the Tree of Harmony, but he wants to see the universe burn, and enjoys torturing mortals in the process. Since he's imprisoned in a star, he managed to subvert an entire alien race to worshipping "Central" and also collecting keys scattered throughout the universe to free him. Mite guarded one of those keys, but it and the key hitched a ride on your colony ship. You should definitely completely eradicate the cult, in case your doing so helps with the Corot matter. In Wanderlost, the story Corot was antagonist of, he sent a ship to destroy the Tree of Harmony at some point after you became an alicorn, Celestia destroyed it with her sun, but got that destroyed in the process, and a colony ship containing a bit of every race and all of the immortals set off to find a new home. Eventually, Corot was released, and then re-imprisoned soon after. And now, a really fun topic: killing. It, and violence in general, should always be kept as a last resort, in case the person you're trying to reason with absolutely refuses, and has a goal like "exterminate all the Jews!" But there is also the difficult situation of killing innocents for the greater good. Let's say that a train is barreling down a track, and it will kill ten people. However, there is a track splitter before the people, and you have the opportunity to switch it so that the train goes down the other path, which has one person on it. Would you do it? There's also such a thing as a mercy kill: like where the person in front of you is in torturous pain constantly, and nothing can save them from it except death. Would you kill them to save them from the torture? Killing is a complicated, disturbing matter, but if you find that you need to do it, always try non-lethal options first, and don't EVER get to the point where killing is just some inconvenience to get through. So the Overseer was a being that wanted to help? Huh. Well, if he actually turns out to be evil, his history as a benevolent entity is pretty much moot. If he turns out to have been corrupted, maybe he can be uncorrupted. Or maybe he just gives off evil vibes for one reason or another. I think it's practically garunteed we choose Aradia at this point. I want to see what happens if we don't, but I want more than that to make sure no paradoxes come into being. I'm sorry if I keep alternating between Twilight and Twilence, but I haven't fully gotten used to your new name. Minor thing: whenever you see static, it's because one of us made a message, and then decided to remove it. Afizah has a point. I've often wondered if my reality is fictional to some other reality somewhere. But in the end, it doesn't matter. If you can contemplate your own existence, then for all intents and purposes, you DO exist, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Zen, you might want to share your beliefs on the matter of summoning people from altars. That's all for now, but might think of more in the future… …Twilence, it's Creek, I...I j-just wanted to let you know that it's okay to feel uncomfortable when you have to do something aw-awkward. Go, going home will hurt, but you have to, a-a-at least at first. I mean, you, ah, think of your friends back home. E-even if you do want to travel the multiverse you need to k-keep in touch with them. It's going to be the hardest thing y-you do, but if you've really made up your mind, have...having annual visits will do you good. E-even I go back to Eliptis-C to see my ex-husband for Cartridge's sake. I-if it's about what everyone else says, th-th-that you don't think you're real enough, w-well, I'm, ah, I m-mean, I, I'm like you, a-and, um, I, I just want you t-to know that I hope th-that GMBlackj-jack continues writing for you so...so that I can be with you every step of the way. To...t-to help you, as hopef-fully a friend can. As for M-mite, ah, if possible, ask Four if he has any spare h-harddrive slots, And then ask if Mite and Four can interface, so that no one a-accidentally step on Mite while he's out and about. A-and after you...ter you stop Orchid fr-from stealing Alderan and en-enslaving him, please take, take the time to explain t-to Mite what's going on. He'll want an ex-explanation for how he got there. L-like any machine, Mite is logic driven. Following internally wr-written code that lets them know what they want to do and how to do it. Different rules they have to follow, and a set of v-variables that they can adjust to. Mite might, m-might still be altered because of Discord, but his internal hardware i-isn't changed. …A-as for killing. It...it's easier i...l..look away when it comes time to do it. it won't weigh on your conscience as much... …Wolfe here, I have one thing to say, and one thing only. Make a shield that Orchid cannot escape from, just to ask questions… …This is Zen. As to what Ponygood's comments, I concluded from GM's previous comments that summoning individuals relating to GM are probably safe to bring from out-of-world, since Vriska could be brought in without the universe immediately collapsing. On the Oracle: Lore may be full of shit. It occurs to me that it could be possible that the mantle and/or the powers of the Oracle could have been split between you and Orchid; she can see what is to come, but you—as Lore himself said—can perceive knowledge from beyond, "seeing" what cannot be known. As to technology, you now command some aspect of lost technology as well—Four. This muddled somewhat by the fact that the one passage refers to the Oracle by using both "they" and "herself"—which are plural, and singular, respectively—the latter of which refers to purification and becoming "one." I'm still sifting through possible interpretations of that in my head. Lore left it to fate to do what needed to be done, and fate summoned you. If nothing else, that should give Orchid sufficient pause for you to at least attempt a peaceful resolution… …A reminder of the second and third verses of the prophecy, for Twilence's and Orchid's sakes: An Oracle will rise, given power, The third eye, to see what is to come, And what cannot be known, For the truth is a horrid thing. They will quest to the six altars, Consulting the spirits within, Gaining their wisdom and aid, Purifying herself to be one… …nickel here. we got another one when you summoned mite. What, you thought you weren't going to get this? I said the same thing would happen last one. Is this dangerous though, you wonder? Maybe. Maybe not. It's not for me to say. Now here's the fun thing: Aradia definitely exists. Are you destined to choose her? Can you force Twilight to not choose her now simply because you know she exists? What do you think would happen? its pretty clear that aradia gets summoned later and if you can find her she should know a lot about the lost prehistory of equestria, depending on the version of her you get she may have even encountered the young luna and celestia. as for the prophecy in only one point does it specifically refers to a single individual so most of it remains terribly unclear who it actually means, i myself have used a similar structure to denote chosen ones in the past and it was only clear that it was multiple because i used specific numbers so it remains to be seen just how many or who is actually involved. on the note of not going back, at least visit. in my writings there is a race known for dimensional manipulations and they tend to wander the multiverse a lot when young, but most eventually settle or go back home. they are a lonely race much of the time because of this so at least spend some time with the ones you have come to know in your own world before deciding to leave it behind, those who were torn away without that chance usually never got fully past it, even S7 had regrets about it and he left willingly after centuries of being used a weapon and anyone he ever cared about being hunted down, home has a strong call and being "outside" or "beyond" doesn't change that, its an impossibly large multiverse whether you believe it to be infinite or not and trouble is always present, those who seek to help other worlds have to keep in mind the effects that such intervention may have and the task will never be done and this isn't even getting into how the ones you leave will feel. oh and before i forget, i spotted a line that in the prophecy that seems to hint at the dark lord being someone from another world, but naturally it doesn't give anything more specific…]

Twilence came to shocked at one of the things she'd just been informed of.

When she realized Orchid was looking right at her with all three eyes she almost cast the shield to grab her on instinct - but then she remembered. Don't fight her. Talk with her.

Twilence smiled. "...Hi, Orchid."

"Oh, so we are talking then?" Vriska muttered, shifting back from her orange robes to her regular appearance. "Okaythen... But if she says something I don't like I gut her. Right down the center."

Ruby lowered her claws. "I'll tell Seven Hundred to stand down then."

Orchid nodded and teleported Ruby away. She was along with Twilence, Vriska, Fluttershy, Alderan, and presumably Mite. Wherever he was.

Twilence extended her hoof nervously out to Orchid. "HI. I'm Twilence. This is Vriska, Fluttershy, and Alderan."

"I am Oracle Orchid," Orchid spoke. Her voice was certainly authoritative in sound, making Fluttershy wince slightly. "Why are you trying to stop me?"

Twilence sighed. "You stole our friend and imprisoned our ally. Ine, the spirit of the last temple."

Orchid nodded. "Regrettable, perhaps, but Ine was not contributing to society in any way, and I need them to defeat the Dark Lord. I assure you that we do not want that."

Twilence shook her head. "No, no we don't. We want him destroyed just as much as you - the world doesn't need darkness." And it's not supposed to have any. "But... surely you don't have to go about it the way you are. Kidnapping ponies, imprisoning spirits."

Orchid shook her head. "The spirits are required. As I've collected more and more of them, I've gained more information about what they need to be used for. The six must be combined to banish the Dark Lord so far he will never be able to return - if he survives in his new prison."

"Corot or Siron?"

Orchid raised an eyebrow. "...You have names for the Dark Lord?"

"Ah... We had a source," Twilence said. "I could probably tell you about it later if this goes... well. There are two possible identities for the Dark Lord - an evil Star-god from another universe, or the first demon sealed in Tartarus, Siron. We also think both will be involved somehow."

Orchid nodded slowly, closing her two normal eyes, looking deeper into her third. "...The future that far ahead is murky. I know little of the reckoning day, or even which day it is. It's in flux. It's been getting more and more in flux the more I look at you." She opened her real eyes again. "I know you hear voices from beyond and are influenced by them. It is how you are immune to my scrying. But over the times I've seen you, sometimes my certain visions have changed. You're altering what happens. I saw a distant future image of you taking the red spirit for yourself and damning the world to eternal darkness."

"...What?"

"If you took one of them, I could not use all six, and everyone would die."

Vriska nodded slowly. "She has a point."

"You agreed with the plan earlier," Fluttershy observed.

"Shush," she muttered.

"Louder," came the voice of Mite.

Orchid looked around. "Where's that coming from?"

"New member mcbuggy," Alderan grunted. "Microscopic. Currently on your horn."

Orchid blinked. "Interesting. Is he what causes that nearby glass globe to explode?"

"What?" Mite said. Then a nearby glass globe exploded. "...Apologies."

"No problem," Twilence said. "Oh, do I need to explain-"

"Downloading."

"Huh?"

"Eye."

Alderan shifted around. "He's on your Eye now, downloading the information."

"Wow. Bugger moves fast," Vriska observed.

Orchid raised a hoof. "This discourse is moot. I need Alderan there. Without him I cannot stop the Dark Lord. Either let me have him or I take him and leave."

Alderan shrieked. "I am not being damned to some tiny globe of gas!"

Fluttershy nodded. "I... I don't think I can just let you do that either, Orchid. There has to be another way-"

"There is not," Lore Thirst said, walking into the room. "The six spirits must be used in conjunction to banish the Dark Lord to the far beyond."

"H-How do you know?" Fluttershy asked. "What if there is another way...?"

"I'd love to hear it," Orchid said. "But as it is, the spirits aren't holy individuals. Alderan is bitter. Ine was distant. Proteus put nature above literally everything. Castorson was religiously manipulative. I don't know what Vester or Gamnemnon are like, but if the pattern continues..."

"No!" Fluttershy said. "Just because they're bad people doesn't mean you have to imprison them!"

Lore Thirst shrugged. "Not your decision to make. Alderan, I order you to submit to Orchid without activating any magic or defenses."

Alderan screamed at the top of his lungs at Lore Thirst.

"Please stop that."

Alderan was forced to comply with his master's wishes.

Fluttershy shivered. "This... This is wrong."

"Can you free them afterwards?" Twilence asked Orchid.

"Possibly," Orchid said.

Twilence frowned. "What about the Overseer?"

Orchid raised an eyebrow. "I do not know..."

"No," Lore Thirst said. "The Overseer does not have the necessary connection to the remnants of the ancients. The aforementioned 'Power Overwhelming.' Whatever it is that defeats the Dark Lord - or seals him away, as Orchid has seen - has to have some connection to that."

"Twi can defy prophecy and prediction though!" Fluttershy said. "She can find another way!"

Orchid nodded. "If you find another way before the reckoning comes, I will free the spirits I have collected."

Vriska narrowed her eyes in distrust. "...Why are you being so helpful now?"

"Having you as enemies is bad. Having you as allies would be preferable. I'll also return Infinity the moment you agree to assist rather than hinder."

"And my die?"

Orchid narrowed her eyes. "Will be given to you if needed. I don't trust you with it."

"I see we have some trust issues."

"Obviously."

"I'll get it back if you let me have it or not you know."

"I can see your future clearly. I am not concerned about you."

Twilence sighed. "Fine. I don't like it, but this seems to be the only choice, and I don't want to fight again. You can have him. But we are actively searching for an alternative solution."

"I may learn more when I obtain him as well," Orchid said. "Regardless..." She marched into the altar. Vriska twitched but didn't stop her. "I am Orchid, and I wish to meet with the spirit of this altar!"

Alderan swore as he was condensed into a small blue globe of energy. The three others - black, green, purple; Castorson, Proteus, Ine - floated out next to him, the four spheres shifting around in a torus pattern. Orchid smiled. "We only have two to go. Two allies, two spirits. I still do not know how soon the reckoning is, but we should get moving.

Fluttershy shivered, saying nothing. Vriska glared.

Twilence took a few steps forward. "Infinity. Now."

Infinity was teleported into the room. She was drinking a cup of orange juice. "Oh," she said. "I take it negotiations went well then?"

"...You could say that..." Vriska said.

"Sometimes," Mite added.

Twilence shook her head. "It isn't nice, but we worked out sort of a compromise. We help her, but we try to find another way. She helps us with that."

"Done!" Mite announced.

"Done with wha-" Twilence's eyes went white for a split second and she fell silent. She blinked as the color returned to her eyes. "Woah..."

"Upgrade."

"I can see that..." Twilence said, scrolling through text in front of her eyeballs instead of relying on pure memory - though she supposed it was memory, just one what was being imprinted over her eyes. Each message was seen separately, and... hold on it told her WHO was saying everything! And she could go back as far as she wanted and - Yep. Most of that was Afizah. Or Sonic Rainboom Dash... She still thought Afizah when she saw it though.

"Fixing," Mite noted. The name now said 'Afizah.'

Twilence blinked, then smiled. "Can you repair it all the way Mite?"

"Doubtful."

"Did you do anything else?"

"Augmentation."

"What do you mean by - oh." Music started playing in her own eardrums. "O... Kay so that was what that link was..."

Fluttershy perked up. "Can we hear it?"

"No."

"...Why not?"

"Speaker."

Vriska rolled her eyes. "Speak with more than one word, jegus!"

"Never."

"...Twilence, can I decapitate him?"

"He doesn't have a head," Twilence said absent mindedly, still scrolling through the links. "A helicopter? REALLY!?"

"How did he even do that?" Fluttershy asked. "Isn't the internet kinda not a thing here?"

Vriska laughed. "Girl, the internet never goes away. I never did figure out why. Think there's probably some super-internet out there somewhere or something... Just gotta access it by 'accident' or whatever." She pulled out a strange spider-like phone. "This, for instance..."

"Stop dilly-dallying," Orchid said. "We have a mission. Gamnemnon is next and it will be a long journey to the southernmost known point. Even with our ship."

"Uh, how are you getting past Heildor?" Fluttershy asked.

"Same way we did last time. Keep that random mirror up."

Infinity snickered. "You missed all the fun guys. The insufferable prick oracle had to roll that thing a dozen times. We got chickenmageddon once."

Vriska twitched. "I want it."

"Don't worry Vriska," Twilence said. "We'll work everything out eventually. To your ship then?"

"To the ship."

~~~

Lore Thirst did not come with them - he didn't even say goodbye. He just... vanished in the middle of loading onto the ship somehow. Fluttershy kept glancing at the four orbs orbiting Orchid nervously. Four was busy talking with a robot that was presumably Seven Hundred - a small red bot that looked like it was made completely out of knives.

"YOU WERE DESIGNED FOR WHAT EXACTLY?"

"Decommissioning Rogue Golems Such As Yourself If Needed." It - or rather she - said.

"Oh my fucking god you sound like Kanaya, stop talking!" Vriska shouted.

"I Will Not Comply To Your Wishes Thief."

"I will make all your fuses blow with a simple stealing of luck."

"But You May Need Me At A Later Time."

Twilence looked at Orchid. "You. You are going to free the golems of Fosis."

"Once the quest is done, Twilence."

Twilence twitched. She was finding Orchid just... difficult. Not bad or evil, just... Stubborn. Beyond stubborn. It was annoying. "Alright, I'm going to talk to the Influence now, just launch the ship already." She looked around - it looked almost exactly like the ship Four had originally taken them through the Desert on, although shinier because of the 'random mirror' sheen.

"Okay, so, first off, I'm not NEVER going to go back home, I just can't stay. It's not 'home' anymore is what I was saying, so cool your jets, all of you. I still care about my friends I'm not going to leave them in the dust. Calm down. DLB, you have some... very odd tastes in what to say. I mean... Man I wish this upgrade detected sarcasm and voice inflection, let me just say."

"Sorry," Mite said.

"...Sorry you can't, or sorry not going to?"

"Yes."

"...Yeah. Right. Anyway. I am vaguely curious why GM is goading us to create an Aradia paradox, but I think everyone's right - we shouldn't risk it. Thanks for the transcript, by the way, Nickel. And Zen, you are right, lore could be full of absolute shit."

Vriska laughed at hearing this.

"But it also might not. I think we've decided we can't take the chance here. Plus... Orchid isn't evil. Just... stubborn. Ponygood, it's fine if you can't call me Twilence. Frankly, it's just what I am now and you can do what you will. Though Afizah, treat my name with a little more disrespect than dismissal and substitution, hmm? Back to Ponygood - yeah, we did edit the Eye with Mite, I think he did that on your suggestion by the way."

"Indeed."

"Hey Mite, think you could go talk to Four-"

"KEEP THE MECHANICAL PATHOGEN AWAY FROM ME."

"No," Mite said.

Twilence gulped. "Okay then... You two should really talk at some point though."

"Perhaps."

"You're getting really fast at this," Fluttershy said.

"Practice makes perfect. Anyway, I also don't think Mite can really be crushed. By anything. Far too small. And..." She paused. "...Creek. I... I just... I'm really, really surprised to hear you say that. It - it made me stop thinking back there I just..." …A-as for killing. It...it's easier i...l..look away when it comes time to do it. it won't weigh on your conscience as much... … "...I'll... take that under advisement..."

Fluttershy looked at Twilence with concern. "...You okay?"

"I... Just... I will be. Just, thought I knew someone, is all." She turned to Infinity. "...Infinity?"

"Hrm?"

She hugged her. "...Glad to have you back."

"Oh! Uh... Okay! I - sorry after a while I forgot I was kidnapped and just started laughing at miss fussypants and dragon worshipper."

"Doesn't matter. You're my friend - I was worried."

The rumbling sound of the ship taking off filled their ears. Soon they were up in the air...

~~~

Twilence walked up to Ruby. "Ruby."

"Twilight."

"Twilence now," Twilence said without emotion.

"Okay." She didn't turn around. "Why are you here."

Twilence furrowed her brow. "I am not sure. I keep telling myself I should forgive you, but then again, I'm not sure if it'd mean anything to you."

"I serve the Oracle and nothing else."

"You sure she's that great of a pony?"

"Nobody said the Oracle needed to be a saint. Just that they will save us."

Twilence smirked. "You know, the Influence has been mulling that prophecy over a lot. They seem to think part of it could refer to a plurality of Oracles, a 'them' as it were."

"By nature, you defy the passage of prophecy and prediction, therefore you could not have been foretold in a prophecy."

Twilence opened her mouth, then shut it. Then opened it again. "There are other ways to see the future than what Orchid has."

"Oh yeah! Like me!" Aradia said, appearing from nowhere. "Hi again! ...What visit number is this for you?"

Twilence blinked. "...Two."

"Oh. Wrong one. Wait. If this is the second then - uh next time you see me tell me it's the second time, okay?"

Twilence blinked. "...Okay?"

"Yeah! I think. Need to keep my own time synched up. I mean it'd be cool to see dead me's piling up but not really what I want to do right now!"

Ruby furrowed her brow. "What are you?"

"The Handmaid. Maid of Time. You probably haven't heard of me, that was in a parallel world. Or maybe you have I don't know I'm still stumbling around like a rabbit. Gotta get my bearings..." She waved. "Bye! ...Oh wait, hold on... We're flying right?"

"Yes?" Twilence said.

"OH! So this is when-"

"ATTACK INCOMING!" Orchid yelled through the comms of the ship. "Thirteen minutes out give or take! Heildor's trying something else!"

Twilence gulped. She didn't like the sound of that. She teleported to the bridge. "What is it, exactly?"

"Brute force didn't work so he's sending some... larger crystal beings I don't think existed at all until a few hours ago." Orchid grimaced. "I've ordered reinforcements from Fosis but I'm not sure they'll get here in time to bail us out. We've changed course as well, but these things are fast..."

Infinity shrugged. "Well, you know what this means!"

Twilence looked down at her Eye. "Yep..."

It lit up in a brilliant white...