Roll for Initiative

by David Silver

21 - Where Villains Hide

As the group pressed on, they could feel the cloying presence of some terrible force waiting to pounce upon them.

Applejack raised a brow at Spike. "Do ya have to announce that as we walk?"

Spike lifted his shoulders softly. "That's my job."

"Yup," stoically agreed Big Mac.

Rainbow clopped her hooves softly. "Let them come. We'll just pound them into next week when they do."

Pinkie pronked along playfully, entirely unperturbed by any powerful evil vibes. "It just means we're headed the right way."

Discord nodded at that. "Excellent point, my pink friend." He raised a hand over his eyes, peering at a copse of trees. "Why, my sharpened senses detect a little awry over thataway."

Rainbow was gone in a flash, streaking towards the small collection of trees, ready for action. The others could only begin to give chase as she crashed into the foliage and emerged into a suddenly dark place. The Squizzard directed his star-capped wand at the incoming pegasus despite being a flat piece of paper on a stand. "The first to the harvest," He cried and magic swirled out over Rainbow.

She fell to the ground, petrified. The squizzard laughed joyfully at his victory before turning an eye at a tied-up unicorn. "You may as well give up, Princess Schmarity. Your would-be rescuers are hopelessly outmatched."

"Never!" retorted Princess Schmarity, turning up her snout. "You can keep on dreaming, you foul squizzard. The brave Garbuncle and Sir McBiggun will be here soon."

As if it were a cue, the rest of the team burst into the small clearing. Spike blinked at the presence of Princess Schmarity. "Huh, there she is! C'mon, we have to rescue her!"

Applejack pointed at the stoned Rainbow Dash. "Shouldn't we do somethin' 'bout that?"

Pinkie slid forward on her knees, her lute already held at the ready. "Don't worry, I learned some rock music that'll do just the trick!" Even as she began to play the lute as no lute was designed to be played, Big Mac charged at the squizzard with his sword high.

"Release my father!" he bellowed as he went.

Applejack frowned softly. "Father?"

Discord nudged her gently. "He's protecting his family. That's an earth-pony thing to do, mmm?"

"Y-yeah, reckon so." Applejack looked shaken, her confidence gone for the moment.

Just before Big Mac could plunge his sword into the squid, a new token slid in the way, batting his sword aside with great paws. It was a childishly drawn bugbear, roaring in defiance. The squizzard laughed with joy as he hopped back a step. "Meet my newest minion. You won't find him as easy as those skeletons. One little sting and that'll be the end of you!"

"--and that is why you have to rock!" sang Pinkie, strumming a power chord on her poor instrument. Rainbow's statue exploded in lines of power, releasing the pegasus from within.

"Thanks," Rainbow quickly offered before zipping over towards the bugbear. "Not you, again. I know how to deal with you this time!" She dived at the flat representation of the bugbear just as Big Mac sliced at its open side. The fight was on.

Princess Schmarity gave a soft little laugh at the whole thing. "Your plans, darling, don't seem to be shaping up, do they?"

The squizzard hissed at her. "I have more contingencies, don't you worry! Soldiers, attack!"

Skeletons began emerging from all sides, a mixture of melee and archers. The archers began firing their bows at the heroes without delay.

Discord huffed at it all. "Arrows are my thing. Prepare to be outclassed by Captain Wuzz!" He had his bow out in a flash and began taking down skeletal archers as he jumped and dived around the arrows coming in the other direction.

Spike waved his staff at the fiercely battling bugbear. "Why don't you just chill out?" Brilliant blue magic fired at the bugbear, encasing its stinging bottom in a thick layer of ice and frost. "Get 'em! I'll get Princess Schmarity." He ducked under a sudden sword swing and dashed away from the skeleton, his eyes on the real prize.

Rainbow boxed the head of the bugbear with her hooves. "Not so tough now, are ya? Big Mac, ya ready?"

Big Mac raised his great sword high, prompting Rainbow to flit out of the way in time for him to bring it crashing down, cutting the paper in half. The bugbear was defeated. "Good work, but that's Sir McBiggun."

"Yeah yeah, nice job." She bobbed her head before an arrow thudded against her side like a stiff play dart. "Ow, hey!" She glared at the archer it had come from. "Let's clear the field of these losers." She and Big Mac began plowing through the skeletal masses in unison.

Applejack shook herself free of her funk as a skeleton bopped her on the noggin with a sword. "Oh yeah, hey, someone should help Spike." She saw the others were fairly well collected together, with Pinkie singing a serenade of victory. Applejack lashed out a hoof, knocking the head clear off the one that had bonked her and charged in a thunder of hooves towards Spike.

Spike was caught in a duel with the squizzard, his staff's power clashing against the squizzard's wand's energy. "Give up, you foul thing. I will return peace to Spiketopia!" With a grunt of effort, his beam started to inch closer to the squizzard.

He growled, clacking his beak as his beam reinvigorated, pushing back Spike's. "Never! I will become the ruler of this land, and all others while I'm at it! Surrender and I may suffer you to live."

The point where their power clashed waved back and forth to the tune of the pitched battle going on around them. Both were sweating from the effort of trying to overpower the other. It seemed neither could muster the effort needed to overcome the other.

Applejack came crashing in, jumping at the squizzard with all four hooves out. With a holler of battle, she knocked the poor squizzard flat on his back. His beam of magic flew out into the sky futilely, and Spike's struck true. The squizzard squealed and thrashed as his paper suddenly burnt away, rapidly leaving nothing behind.

The skeletal warriors suddenly went limp, then fell over, each sheet of paper flopping to the ground.

The battle had ended.

Princess Schmarity wriggled in her bindings. "Good show, noble heroes, but if you wouldn't mind releasing me. I'm sure I must look positively a mess right now, but we'll come to that when we get there."

Spike approached the princess, arms shaking a little. "Oh, sure, of course." He glanced back at the others who all looked pleased with themselves. "I... didn't think we'd be able to rescue you today."

"But you have, brave Garbuncle, and I'm ever so grateful." Princess Schmarity batted her lashes at Spike, making his heart flutter at the site.

He slashed her ropes with a swipe of his claws, freeing her. She stretched luxuriously. "You have no idea how long I've waited to do that, darlings. Now there's a little matter of rewards." She stepped towards Spike. "You've been through much to rescue me. It's only fair."

Spike felt his mouth go dry and he stammered, trying to say something chivalrous. Something witty? Anything! Nothing escaped him.

Applejack walked up beside Big Mac with a soft chuckle. "Look at him, so nervous. Poor boy wouldn't know what to do if she ever did return his feelings."

Big Mac shook his head. "Still ain't found our father."

Applejack flinched at that. "About that... it ain't our, you know, real father, right? I mean, you know... You... know, right?"

Big Mac deflated a little. "Ah know... Ah can rescue him here. Let me have that."

Applejack raised a hoof and set it on Big Mac's shoulder. "Ah wouldn't take that way. Let's rescue him."

He smiled thinly at his sister and reached out a hoof, hugging her close.

Schmarity leaned in and smooched the top of Spike's head, leaving a big lipstick imprint behind. "My hero!"

Spike staggered back. "M-my honor, m'lady," he finally got out before waving at all the others. "They helped! I couldn't have done it without them."

Rainbow trotted towards the rescued princess. "Wow, you really do look just like Rarity..."

Princess Schmarity smiled coyly. "I should hope I do, darling."

Pinkie gasped dramatically. "Wait a second..."

"It's true." Prin... Rarity tittered. "Discord asked if I could play the part for the big finale and I couldn't say no. It obviously meant a lot to Spike."

Spike fell back another step. It was the real Rarity?! That meant... she knew... He keeled over.

Discord nudged Pinkie. "You owe me two bits."

Pinkie huffed and dug it out. "I thought he'd take it."

Rainbow rolled her eyes. "If you knew, why were you gasping?"

"Dramatic effect?" Pinkie shrugged.

Big Mac strode up towards his fallen friend. "That were a mean surprise."

Rarity waved it off. "It was harmless. He's just overjoyed. Besides, there's no harm in an adorable little game like this. Not my kind of thing, but if I can help out my little Spikey-Wikey, why shouldn't I?"

Big Mac clopped the ground with a powerful hoof. "Nope."

Rarity cocked a brow. "I'm afraid, darling, you'll need to be more specific than that. What, precisely, are you taking umbrage with?"

Big Mac pointed to the downed form of Spike. "That were a private thing. Discord shouldn't a gone tellin', and you shouldn't be takin' advantage. You know he likes ya plenty. A lot. A whole lot." He sat down so he could spread his forehooves wide for emphasis.

Rainbow looked left and right. "That isn't the end of the adventure, right? I didn't get my huge sword."

Applejack nudged Rainbow. "And Big Mac didn't get t' rescue his pa none, so, no, ah reckon it ain't."

"Good thing!" cried Pinkie. "I like being the life of the party." She strummed her lute lightly. "Being a bard is super fun."

Rarity came closer to Big Mac to speak in a softer tone. "I didn't mean any harm, I assure you. This seemed like a delightful little surprise to brighten his day, not darken it, dear."

Big Mac shook his head resolutely. Applejack looked between him and Rarity. "Look, if he's in charge, ah reckon the game's off fer now. Let's let him recover."

Discord shrugged emphatically as the illusion fell apart, leaving them in Twilight's castle once more. "I suppose. You all know when the next session is, hmm?" His eyes fixed on Applejack. "Speaking of that! Are you going to be joining us on a more permanent basis?"

Applejack raised a hoof to rub behind her head. "Well, it wouldn't seem right ta not help mah brother rescue our father. Ah can at least stick around 'till then."

"Splendid!" He swat her on the side. "We'll be glad to have you. I told you it was a fun game."

Big Mac squirmed on his hooves. "Um... ayup..."

"Yer welcome," finished Applejack, offering a hug which was accepted, the two siblings at peace for the time.

Rarity stepped towards Discord with a little frown. "I was expecting more, shall we say, joy at my appearance. I fear this little stunt has caused some... discord, as it were." She looked him up and down. "Was that your intention, dear?"

"What, me?!" He put his hands at his chest. "As if I'd consider such a thing." A halo popped into being above his head as he struck an innocent expression. "You were the belle of the ball, I will say. I thoroughly enjoyed your performance."

"Well, thank you." Rarity glanced over at Spike. "But I do truly hope it didn't hurt dear Spike. That was not my intent." Her horn glowed as she lifted Spike and set him gently in a chair instead of being flopped across the floor. "When he awakens, please do inform him that I do not hold his whimsies against him. Let this be the most tawdry a thought a stallion should ever have towards me." She rolled her eyes and made for the exit, joining the others that were heading home.

Author's Note:

That was not what Spike had planned, no sir.

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Comments

[Booster Spice]

Poor Spike, the players pulled the rug out and floored him again. Yhen again it was a rapid unexpected increase in player numbers and an inexpeienced OM, so its not reallly his fault.

[Hillbe]

He's My Spikey Wikey I'll do as I please
please?
Always the gentle drake
What a game

[SuperPinkBrony12]

That was an unexpected twist.

[OmniFox]

Rainbow looked left and right. "That isn't the end of the adventure, right? I didn't get my huge sword."

Dirty pun.

[RadicalDishonesty]

Hm. Well, looks like Spike's carefully crafted open secret is clearly no longer a secret.

And Discord basically robbed him of the chance to confess and definitely broke the secret personal nature of the game. But it is also and was also always a social event.

I wonder if Discord will be taking over over time.

[FanOfMostEverything]

Hmm. I'm really not sure what to think with regard to Rarity's special guest appearance. Her heart was in the right place, but we'll have to see how Spike reacts to the revelation when he comes to.

As for the game, there's probably a man behind the squid. The question is who, and what they're planning...