9 - Shall We Play a Game? (Part 2)
Lyra Heartstrings - 22th of Megan, 29 AE
Equestria - Ponyville
I felt my heart slam against my barrel as Chem rushed forward as Twilight attacked. Had we been wrong? I didn’t have time to react! If-
I sighed in relief as I watched Chem tip Twilight’s head back. Thank goodness! With how little time he’d spent outside the tower I didn’t know if he even knew about that unicorn counter.
Unfortunately, now we had an angry Twilight who mistook Chem for an old enemy on our hooves! Should I try and restrain Twilight or not? Legally, as a knight, I was required to protect the innocent, citizen or not, but did that apply to Royalty in terms of-
Twilight flopped over onto her side and lay still, snoring like she’d been awake for a week straight.
Oh no… Either Twilight was up to something sure to cause chaos or Chem just did something to her!
Rarity’s ears lowered in alarm as she saw Twilight fall. Vinyl and I shared a quick glance. The jig was most definitely up. But what should we do?
“Oh my!” Chem exclaimed, taking a step back. “I didn’t think a simple defense charm would effect an alicorn. She’ll be alright! She’ll only be asleep for a few minutes.”
I got ready to toss up a shield spell. Rarity wasn’t dumb, and that excuse didn’t really ring true for me. If she decided to attack too, there would be trouble. The mare’s telekinetic power… Well, there’s a reason she kept getting scholarship offers in the mail from wizard schools.
“Explain yourself,” Rarity said slowly, her eyes hardening slightly.
Good! She wasn’t sure if there was really a problem or not.
Chem nodded immediately. “You don’t have to ask me! I just tranquilized a princess. Of course I’m going to explain,” he said in a rapid-fire-fear filled voice.
He also sounded and looked rather tired. Or perhaps distracted. Was that to sell the bit?
“I’m not exactly in good shape. You can probably tell by looking at me but I was a very sickly young colt. That block took about everything I had,” Chem lied with expert grace. “I’m not a pony who can defend themselves, not physically.
“I have protective wards on my cloak in addition to the mobility assistance it came with. Someone with hostile intentions came into contact with me, and they put them into a deep but brief sleep. I didn’t think the charm would work on an alicorn, though it is quite strong. Nor did I suspect a mage as well known and powerful as Her Royal Majesty, Princess Sparkle wouldn’t have her own protections.
“I sought only to protect myself from her random attack, and did not have the mental stability to cast a shield spell.”
I saw Vi’s ears perk up out of the corner of my eye. “So uh, Rarity? Twilight does know that Sombra was my uncle, right?” She asked with a nervous laugh.
Rarity’s lips rolled up, forming a little o. She offered Chem a sheepish smile, the worry, and hostility melting out of her body.
“After Twilight pointed it out I did see the resemblance to the Lich King. But you’re absolutely right! Of course a dark furred member of your family would resemble him. I’m terribly sorry,” she said with a polite nod before clearing her throat to address the small worried crowd of ponies in the street. “It’s alright, everypony. Twilight’s just been overworking herself again. Please go about your business.”
The crowd immediately began to disperse, murmurs of understanding mixing with chuckles of amusement, and the odd comment or two from a pony who was disappointed there wasn’t going to be a wizard duel in the street.
Chem frowned and turned around, watching everyone trot their separate ways.
“That… Worked?” He asked, genuinely confused.
“Yep! It’s Ponyville,” I said with a grin. “Twilight causes about half her own problems.”
“More like a third,” Rarity corrected. “So, Chemical Fire, was it?”
Chem nodded. “That is correct, young miss,” he answered with a polite bow.
Rarity blushed lightly, and tipped a hoof in his direction. “I’m afraid you’ll find that I am taken, Mister Fire. And I very much doubt you can compete with a stallion who can give me the stars. But thank you,” she said with a wink. “Now, I do believe the four of us should take some measures to ensure Twilight doesn't wake up in a few minutes and go on a rampage.
“Lyra, Vinyl? Please help me bring Twilight to her bedroom. Mister Fire, please accompany us. If you’re not right there I doubt we’ll be able to talk her out of immediately finding you...”
Rarity trailed off, looking at Chem’s face with a good measure of worry. “Are you alright?” She asked.
I looked into Chem’s face. He looked distant. As if he were both physically tired and also lost in thought at the same time.
“Hmm?” He asked before blinking once. “Oh! Yes. I’m alright. As I said before that quick-step took quite a bit out of me. Yes, um, your idea is quite good. We have perhaps… Five minutes? The spell affected her normally. I think it’s safe to say she will be asleep for the normal amount of time.”
Twilight Sparkle - 22th of Megan, 29 AE
Presumably a Metal Album Cover - Simulated Reality
Over the last few hours, I had managed to make my way to the Obsidian Castle. The further I’d gotten, the tougher the goblins became. Which was a bad thing since I’d never been very good with a sword, after all, I had no need of weapons elsewhere.
The castle’s drawbridge was lowered, and I could see the inside of the dark castle. Through the gate lay a large courtyard, and then the keep’s main gate. The Wizard and Rarity would be inside. The only thing stopping me from rescuing her was the two, maybe three hundred goblins which blocked my path.
The small army of bodily secretion colored bipeds jeered and laughed at me as I battled the few goblins they decided to throw at me at a time. Sisters Above knew why they didn’t all rush me at once…
I dodged left, narrowly managing to avoid my current opponent's furious swipe. I felt the wind from his (her?) blade on my right flank while I swung my own. Not to hit the goblin, no that would be very inefficient.
My blade carved a line deep in the lunar dust as I slashed at the ground. The goblin who attacked me hissed angrily and slashed at me a second time, forcing me to levitate my sword into position to block the miniscule goblin’s impractical sword.
Our blades clashed, sending a shower of green sparks everywhere as the weird technological magic present in our weapons lashed out at their respective opponents, waging their own duel as the vomit yellow goblin and I pushed at each other's blades.
I’d fought these goblins for at least an hour. I’d tried non-lethal tactics, that didn’t work. I’d tried to kill them when it became clear they would kill me. I’m not sure if that worked.
Either these goblins exploded into a cloud of red energy when they died, or the wizard teleported them away to heal them if they became too injured. As racist as it sounds, they all looked pretty much the same. I could be fighting the same dozen or so goblins over and over and over for all I could tell.
The goblin screeched something. Three of his friends began to charge forward, the glowing portions of their scrap-armor flickering as they moved and pulled at the electrical connections inside (and atop) their armor.
I couldn’t deal with a group right now. I was getting tired, and if too many of those little monsters ran around atop my work the last five minutes would be for nothing.
I spread my wings and flapped them gently so I wouldn’t disturb the dust underhoof, then flew a short distance back to the center of the magic circle I’d inscribed into the ground.
Recalling my own magic was suppressed here, I aimed my blade point down and stabbed it into the center of the circle. The sword’s dying magical charge trickled into the circle, arching from rune to rune to send an electrical shockwave blasting outwards from the circle.
The circle blossomed with blue-white lighting, becoming the center of a field of electric vines which lashed out at the goblins, arcing between their armored bodies amid thunderous crackling and electrical shreaks.
A pen may be mighty, but when all you have is a sword, you make do.
The goblins screeched, dropping to the ground the moment the lightning vanished. The ground around me disappeared into a bright red cloud as the small army of freshly toasted goblins vanished into the aether.
I smiled grimly. The battlemagic I’d studied over the last thirty years had finally paid off. I didn’t want to imagine what I could do when my full power was at my disposal.
My body suddenly began to glow a bright blue-white! A loud musical ‘waaaaooom!’ seemed to come from everywhere, and yet nowhere at once. I felt strength return to my body, along with a small fraction of my arcane power, and the glow vanished.
“W-what?” I stammered, tail standing up as my ears dropped in confusion.
I- I just got some of my power back? Did destroying his minions somehow disrupt the dampening field? Did the Wizard have to drain some energy from the field to heal his soldiers?
Shaking my head at the unanswered questions, I spread my wings again, I flew through the castle’s gate and into the oddly square courtyard.
The first thing I noticed was the entrance to the keep itself. Rather than metal or wooden doors, the keep’s looming archway was blocked by a dark-star filled forcefield, in front of which sat a single podium made from what appeared to be marble, only red instead of white or black.
Since the rest of the courtyard was oddly barren (no stairs to go up to the walls, no statues, no fountains) I landed next to the podium and began to inspect it in the hopes of finding some means of turning off the keep's force field. The podium had a simple cuboid design to it, as if someone chiseled it out of a big rectangular block, and then cut two centimeter wide half centimeter deep grooves into it a hoof's width from the top and bottom to prevent it from looking too plain. But then they completely gave up and just cut the top off at a twenty-three degree angle.
Seven tetrahedral slots had been cut into the angled surface. Each of the slots had rows upon rows of tiny gold pins sticking out of the bottom of each slot. Even a foal could tell that you were meant to place something in each of those slots. In all likelihood, the slots were keyholes meant for very technologically advanced keys.
That settled it. This was for function. Not form.
“Well done, little pony! Your efforts are to be rewarded!” The wizard's voice boomed from everywhere and yet nowhere.
I yelped in surprise, even before the ground beneath the began to shake and buckle as a small steel chest forced its way out of the cobblestones. The chest open on its own, creaking with unnatural loudness despite the hinges being perfectly clean and free of rust. Inside the chest was small gray disk, no bigger than the flat of my hoof.
I reached down and picked up the disk. It was very light, almost weightless. As soon as I touched it the smooth metallic surface began to glow with gentle green light. It only took me a few seconds to realize that the device was a map, and on this map were seven blue dots which were spread out quite far from each other and bordered the very edge of the screen.
I groaned and slapped a hoof against my face, pulling it slowly down across my muzzle.
“Are you kidding me?!” I demanded of the air, assuming the wizard could hear me. “You hide the keys to enter your castle in seven different places... Why even have keys? Just make it so they have to break the spell to get in!
“And if you MUST have keys to let friends in or something, why would you give me a magic map that shows me where the keys are? Now I'll just go get them, get into your castle, and foil your plans.”
The Wizard's evil laughter echoed dramatically through the empty courtyard, making me realize that the lack of decoration was entirely for acoustic purposes.
“Oh, but you will never retrieve the Crystal Talismans, my little pony,” he mocked. “Each one is secreted away inside a puzzle dungeon, requiring at least one specific gadget to get through. Thus forcing you to complete a series of trials in a particular order as each dungeon also holds the gadget for solving another dungeon.
“You will never be able to acquire any of them, for they are beyond the reach of all but the most brilliant of minds!”
I decided to stare at the large looming castle door as if it were the Wizard himself. I gave the archway a deadpan stare. “I am Twilight Sparkle. This is a Tuesday for me. Open up and save us both some time.”
“The door shall only open for she who holds all seven Crystal Talismans,” the Wizard declared dramatically.
I continued to deadpan the archway. “You just built puzzle dungeons to watch someone crack them, didn't you?” I asked with a frustrated sigh.
The Wizard didn't reply.
“You're REALLY going to make me do this, aren't you?” I sighed in extreme annoyance. “You do realize that this is just going to make me want to fight you more and more with each frustrating challenge, right?”
“I thought you liked tests,” the Wizard said sadly. “Well, I guess since you refuse to take them I'll just have to fail-”
My left eye twitched. I knew he was playing me for a fool, but that just cut me to my very core.
“Which one's first?” I demanded.
“Oh, no no no. You made yourself perfectly clear,” the Wizard insisted. “I'll just write an F on your evaluation, and give the papers to-”
“WHICH! DUNGEON! IS! FIRST?!” I demanded angrily.
“That's more like it!” the Wizard praised.
I took a deep breath and let it out to calm myself. “Why do you want me to foil your plans!?” I demanded.
“Cuz this is all supposed to be fun,” he laughed. “Don't you like fun?”
The eye twitch came back. “Kidnapping ponies and forcing one of them to save their friend by solving puzzle dungeons is NOT fun!” I yelled, ears falling flat in anger.
“You haven't even tried the dungeons yet. How do you know they won't be fun?” He asked.
I paused for a moment. Just a moment. After all, that was a pretty logical point. But on the other hoof...
“Because my friend is in danger!” I snapped.
“Of course she is. It's a classic plot. Oh!” The Wizard said in sudden realization. “Is that the problem? Is this too standard? What sorts of books do you like?”
The last piece of the puzzle fell into place.
The lack of powers. The sudden granting of a weapon. The way the enemies mindlessly attacked with no self-preservation, and vanished into nothingness when defeated.
This was a game.
“Discord, I'm not in the mood for games... Take me back to Ponyville,” I sighed wearily.
“I'm not Discord,” the Wizard corrected with a polite edge to his voice. “But he does know I am here, and gave me permission to live on your world.”
Ah. So, one of his relatives then.
“Okay then, whoever you are, I am not in the mood to be used as a toy for some higher dimensional entity's amusement. Put me back in front of my palace, please,” I asked as politely as I could, given the circumstances.
“That's not what I am doing...” the 'Wizard' said apologetically, with just a hint of sadness.
“Sure seems like it!” I objected, my eyes narrowing in anger.
“You attacked me,” he said defensively. “You clearly wanted to play with me. So I took us here so we could have a nice versus match in a place where we wouldn't hurt anyone or cause any property damage. You're not my toy, you're player two. If I wanted toys I could wave a hand and have millions.
“But, if you want out, so be it. I just thought you might like a more fun wizardly duel than throwing beams around a populated village full of civilians, but hey, if that's what you'd rather do-”
“WAIT!” I called urgently. “You're the thing Vinyl introduced as her brother?”
“Yes,” he answered simply.
“What are you?” I demanded.
“We can have this conversation in your world,” he sighed sadly. “Let me just clean up a bit before sending you back. Recoop some power from this wasted effort... And you felt like a proper adventurer too...”
I shook my head quickly. “No! I need to know what you are, don't avoid the question,” I insisted.
“I am Vinyl's brother. Sort of,” he replied. “I'm... Let's call me a wizard of incredible power from another reality. I had a sister, she died, I was trapped in your reality by one of your kind, Vinyl's parents found me and asked me to breathe life into their stillborn vampire baby, and so I did. Using my sister's soul fragments.
“She's not a true reincarnation, she's her own person... But they are similar! And I just want to have a sibling again. I'm no threat to anyone. You are only here because you attacked me and I'm really bored after thousands of years of total isolation. I decided to set up a game for us to play rather than just retaliate in a typical way, because you're a powerful person too, and you had the look of a seasoned adventurer and those sorts of people tend to enjoy this sort of thing.”
I frowned, mentally running over his words and how he said them, checking for any hint of deception. What I wouldn't give for Applejack's opinion right now...
“And you decided that kidnapping Rarity and teleporting us to this random moon would make for a good game?” I asked incredulously, shaking my head slowly.
“Well, since you're not going to play... I didn't really kidnap her. I didn't even know her name, actually. I just created an illusion of her under the assumption that you were friends and you would feel motivated to free her from the clutches of an evil wizard,” he admitted cheerfully. “It's best to play with someone who is you know, motivated.”
That took me by surprise. My anger started to fade. “Then... No one except for me was in any danger?”
“No one was in danger. Any injury you may have suffered would have been undone if you 'died' or won. Or found health items. I had a whole thing set up to make everything, well... Fun!” He grumbled irritably.
“Oh... Well, I've still been here for at least an hour! Maybe even two. I don't appreciate my time being wasted like this,” I said with a grumpy glare at the archway, before I blushed and cleared my throat. “You set up a time differential, didn't you?”
“Mmmmhm,” he confirmed. “It's only been a few seconds back home. I'm about to dial it back so I can safely return you to your own world.”
Now I felt a bit bad. Sombra couldn't do anything like this. If he could have, he would have done it when I fought him. Or had traps set up in his castle which sent me into deep space. So this wizard wasn't Sombra. Which meant I attacked a lonely immortal out of nowhere without due cause, and he'd responded by creating an environment where we could fight but not hurt anyone.
Not even each other.
And then he'd filled the environment with a bunch of different challenges which would take my mind off of fighting him and- He's set up a whole action adventure game just to help me calm down! And did so in a way which wouldn't take up any external time. He made a room for us to punch it out in without any consequences at all, other than resolving our differences.
That's not something a bad person does. I, just... Wow! I'm being a colossal jerk here!
“Uh, so, what's your name?” I asked, looking down to hide my embarrassed face.
“I'm afraid you may not know my true name, as it is a word of power. I am going by the name Chemical Fire, or Chem, while on your world. But, if you wish to know one of my personal names, I am sometimes known as Zeneanus the Ever-Living... No relation to Mum-Ra,” Chem replied. “Okay, I'm ready to send you back. You may have a slight headache-”
“NO!” I said as quickly as I could. “I mean, It's very clear that I misjudged you and you went through a lot of trouble to make a safe place for us to resolve our differences. But um, you also made it a story, right?”
“Well, yes and no,” Chem said with uncertainty. “There's a story, it's just a crude one. 'An evil wizard stole your girlfriend, noble hero! Kick his ass.'.”
I blushed lightly, my tail swishing with just a little embarrassment. “We're just friends. Rarity is straight,” I explained. “Well, mostly. She's very much into masculine traits. But she did date a Pegasus mare who was an extreme tomcolt and a bodybuilder once.”
They had been such a nice couple! It's too bad Lateral Press had to go back home to Germaney.
“Oh...” Chem said thoughtfully. “I take it you want to go through with this experience I've concocted?”
“Well, I would have if there was a story,” I admitted, my ears drooping apologetically. “A fully immersive first-person story sounds like a neat experience. But since this is just the plot of an arcade game, well...”
I hissed with regret. “How about we keep talking back home? I'm sorry we got off on the wrong hoof, but we can be friends!” I promised with a polite smile, which became an eager smile as I realized that Chem was a wizard who could do THIS!
I could have a real peer! I hadn't had one since I surpassed Celestia a decade ago. Magic as a special talent had its downsides...
“Or,” Chem said slowly. “Bear with me, I could weave a rich narrative and append it to this game so as to better entertain you while I gain insight into your fighting style so as to determine how to take you on in the most personally entertaining way possible.”
I paused and rubbed my chin with a hoof. “Hmmm... Can you do that? What are your limits? This is a LOT of conjuration and illusion, you must be burning a lot of-”
“Actually, this is a simulated reality. I am omnipotent here,” Chem said proudly. “I was not joking. Anything you desire can be yours... As long as it's in here. I lack the power to do anything like this in realspace at the moment.”
My ears perked with interest. “Anything?” I asked quizzically.
“... Y-you indicated you're homosexual and that 'anything?' sounded aroused. I uh, I guess I could make this more of a girls-only hentai game if that's what you're wondering,” Chem mumbled awkwardly.
My entire face turned the brightest red imaginable. “Actually-I-like-everyone-and-that-is-totally-not-what-I-meant-at-all!” I squeaked.
“Oh! Um, well, then what do you want?” Chem asked in relief.
I bit my lip to take my thoughts away from Chem's idea, which now kept poking me in the back of my mind, trying to make me ask him to do that if only for the sake of novelty.
“Well... There's a bunch of dungeons and artifacts to get which open the door of this castle. That reminds me a lot of Daring Doo and the Quest for the Sapphire Statue. So what if we keep the high technology theme you have going so far, and add in some of the plot elements of classic adventure novels and see where this goes?”
Chem was silent for a few moments, making me wonder what he was doing. Or even if he was doing anything at all, he could just be thinking about what to do.
“Okay, I have some ideas. However, it would be best if you told me things you want first,” he said at last.
“Well, I prefer adventuring with a companion rather than adventuring alone,” I said off the top of my head.
“Humm... The puzzles would break down if there were multiple players,” Chem mused. “Unless... Yes! I have a solution. What else?”
I smiled at the archway happily and sat down. To my surprise and delight, a rather comply beige armchair silently arose from the ground beneath me, giving me a comfortable seat in which to help plot the upcoming plot.
“Well, what if we...”
Lyra Heartstrings - 22th of Megan, 29 AE
Twilight's Palace, Ponyville - Equestria
Chem had said Twilight would be unconscious for five minutes. It had been seven so far. Fortunately, I knew enough first aid magic to be able to keep an eye on Twilight's vitals. She was perfectly fine, just in a deep REM sleep.
Chem had become somewhat unresponsive, preventing us from asking him to check Twilight himself. The poor guy was seemingly exhausted beyond reason. I remembered he got tired like this when he burned too much energy testing our WIP Nightmare Siphon spell. He probably saw the angry Alicorn and overreacted with his sleep spell in a panic.
After all, he was captured by a pony wizard once before. No way Mage Meadowbrook was a more powerful mage than Twilight Sparkle.
Twilight's Bedroom door opened, making me turn and look. Rarity and Vinyl walked through the door, quickly followed by Luna and the rest of our little squad.
We had decided to bring everypony here. After all, if Twilight woke up angry who better to restrain an Alicorn than another Alicorn?
“So, this is the stallion who caused today's mini-calamity,” Luna joked as she trotted into the room, giving Chem a critical look.
“Yeah, he's pretty out of it. I think deflecting Twilight's spell took more out of him than he was willing to admit,” I warned.
Chem's head tilted slightly as he turned to look in the direction of Luna's voice, his eyes fixing on her mane.
“My god... It's full of stars,” he mumbled quietly.
Vi winced sharply. “Ooo, yeah that's real out of it,” she agreed with a nod.
I heard Octavia snort with amusement. “Now this is certainly a memorable first impression of a long lost-” she trailed off, her face growing worried as she looked at the fairly wretched looking stallion. “- Sir? Are you alright? Lyra, you're our field medic why aren't you helping him? He's on the brink of death!”
I shook my head. “No, he looks like that normally. Malnourished as a colt. He's just super exhausted at the moment.”
“Well, I do hope he regains his strength so we may be properly introduced,” Luna said as she walked over to Twilight's side and sat down. “I can see why she attacked him. He does bear a slight resemblance to Sombra.”
Vi nodded, then looked over at me with worry in her eyes. “Hey... I should look a bit like him too. Uh, you girls think Twilight might jump me if I dye my fur a dark color? Because I was thinking of going to this year’s Nightmare Night Fair as Batmare,” she said with a playful but worried grin.
“I'd avoid it,” Luna recommended as she levitated one of the many piles of Hayburger wrappers over to a trash can. “At least, if Twilight's been studying this hard again. He he!”
Sherbert filed through the door, and closed it behind her since she was the last of our group to arrive.
“Oh! I have an idea,” she exclaimed suddenly, rushing over to Luna with an eager smile. “Twilight's asleep, so you can go into her dreams and explain the situation so she wakes up with no problems.”
Luna nodded once. “Theoretically yes, but Rarity did say that Mister Fire knocked her unconscious. Normally people don't dream if they are knocked out,” Luna reminded. “Though it is worth a try.”
Luna closed her eyes, her horn sparkling slightly as she connected herself to Twilight's dream. A few heartbeats later, her horn's spirals lit up bright white. She was in Twilight's dream.
I expected Luna to stay in her meditative pose for several minutes as she talked to Twilight. Instead, Luna's eyes opened wide, a look of delighted surprise stamped on her face.
“Girls... Twilight dream is 'read-only'. I can't interact with it,” Luna said, slowly shaking her head and forming another spell as she spoke. “I'm not worried about that. It happens on occasion. But well... If I didn't show you what's happening you'd be very mad at me.”
I raised an eyebrow, but before I could Ask why Luna finished her spell, creating a large magical screen which gave us a window into Twilight's dream.
A window which was solid black! No, wait text faded in forming a... A movie title?!
The Legend of Twilight: Return of Zeneanus!
In the distant future year of 1992,
war has returned to the galaxy!
Ten centuries ago, brave heroes defeated the wizard,
now Chaos reigns and evil returns to the Kingdom of Fife.
The space knights of Crail are defeated.
The fortress of Triton is lost.
Zeneanus rises once more from his prison of frost!
The Galaxy's final hope rests upon the shoulders of Fife's youngest Princess and her robotic best friend...
“Is that an opening scroll? In a dream?!” Vinyl asked in stunned disbelief.
“Forget that!” Octavia exclaimed, her eyes lighting up in delight. “The background music is amazing!”
It was! The dream had a nice classical score which gave everything a nice dramatic feel while a synthesizer added a layer of science fiction to the-
“Are Twilight's dreams always this well, uh, produced?” I asked, slowly shaking my head in disbelief.
Luna shook her head. “Nope! So let's enjoy this rare treat. Twilight won't mind me sharing a particularly good dream of hers as long as I skip any sex parts. I'm ten minutes ahead of you girls, I started you back at the beginning.”
The dream screen faded from black to silvery blue as we were suddenly swooping down like a pegasus slowly diving down only to level out before hitting the floor, then slowly circle the room. The odd 'camera' angle gave us an excellent view of a really cool domed futuristic throne room. One which had been blasted to Tartarus and back in a recent firefight.
The scorched metal walls still glowed orange where plasma bolts had punched clean through the throne room's walls. Tapestries smoldered on the floor. Suspiciously body sized piles of ash lay scattered about the floor amid piles of dismembered boxy robot limbs.
Into the shouldering battlefield strode Twilight. She was dressed in a cool futuristic looking outfit which made me think of the time I joined in on Sky and Ayna's movie night and the three of us watched Space Pirate Captain Harlock. Because that was totally Harlock's outfit, only dark blue and without the skull and crossbones.
I couldn't help but notice the really cool looking chrome handled, green crystal headed, tech-warhammer strapped to her back. I wanted it.
Twilight looked around the room, her eyes wide with horror. “M-mom?” She called, her lip trembling.
“P-p-prin-in-c-e-e-e-e-e-es...” A feminine synthetic voice stammered.
Twilight's head turned to the left, her eyes focusing on a bright pink, heavily damaged robot. This one was less boxy than the others, but still looked really industrial. It reminded me a lot of my sister's wife. I'd seen her without the synth fur a few times.
Apparently, android pony fur is removable so it can be washed in a clothes washer.
Lucky. Bucking. Jerk!
“Gadget!” Twilight shouted, running over to the damaged robot and kneeling alongside it like a dying friend. “What happened?”
“Zeneanus returned... We were overrun. He took your sister, Rarity,” the robot reported as it struggled to stand. “I must... I must... Avenge my fellow Mini-Cons, but I can not stand.”
Twilight's eyes closed for a moment, a look a sadness and duty overtook her. “We'll go together,” Twilight vowed. “Gadget, can you still transform?”
“Y-y-y-ye-e-e-s princess,” the robot stammered in reply.
Twilight's eyes narrowed as she looked up at the carnage around her. “Engage power armor mode,” she ordered.
The pink robot's plates unfolded, shifting about as it wrapped itself around Twilight, turning into an elegant but practical looking set of armor in the blink of an eye with the coolest mechanical-swooshing-humm sound effect ever.
Right as the final piece of armor snapped into place, Twilight and her robot friend opened their wings and took off, leaving behind a bright green streak of plasma as they flew through a hole in the palace’s ceiling, out into the star filled void of space. A gloriously cheesy rock song began, the long whining howel of an electric guitar split by the delightfully oldschool cry of a stallion as the lyrics began:
Something evil's watching over you,
Coming from the sky above,
And there's nothing you can do!
Prepare to strike, there'll be no place to run
When you're caught within the grip
Of the evil Zeneanus!
Rarity cleared her throat next to me and pressed a hoof to the side of her head just below her ear. “Indy? Darling? I don't suppose you could beam down some popcorn?” She asked hopefully.
“So uh, forget gaming today?” I asked as I levitated one of Twilight's beanbags over to sit down on.
“YEP!” Luna said, grinning ear to ear. “This thing is five hours long and counting. I'm copying it so if she wakes up we can keep watching!”
“And some peach sodas too, please,” Rarity added.
Vinyl, Sherbert, and I shared a look of regret. If this is what his games were like, I needed to be next in line...
Executive Board Room, Severn Valley Industries - Heartstrings, Marelund
22th of Megan, 29 AE
On the other side of the world, a group of thirteen ponies sat around a triangular table in a dimly lit room. The table was dark oak, the chairs black leather, and the room's walls were paneled in dark oak of a shade just a touch darker than the table itself.
All in all, a fairly normal looking boardroom. If one discounted the abstract art which decorated the walls, the dark yellow carpeted floor, and the very disturbing manner in which the room contained absolutely no right angles, nor was there any pattern to the random angles. Each corner was just ever so slightly not square.
All of these things gave the boardroom a subtle aura of wrongness which would drive the average pony mad if they tried to figure out exactly what was wrong with the room.
Around the table, the thirteen executives sat upright, attentively listening to one of their number speak.
“Unfortunately, there's little which can be done to secure the materials any sooner than late next quarter,” the fat pegasus mare informed in a neutral voice. “However, once we have acquired the materials, the eighth and final Cloud generator will be online within two weeks. My best estimate of when we will have permanently closed our storm's grip around the city is eight weeks and four days. Though it may be as long as eleven weeks and two days if Stream can't solve the labor issues we're having.”
Stream, a toxic green earth pony stallion cleared his throat. “Slave revolts happen. There's little I can do other than let the army handle it and force the remaining thestrals to breed replacements. I have plenty of aging spells stockpiled in scroll form. We will be back up to the normal numbers in a week.”
“Excellent,” the fat mare said with a disgusting smile full of too large, misfitting teeth. “My Lord Paddock, I hope our progress pleases-”
The seemingly featureless stallion at the head of the table held up a single hoof. The room instantly fell silent.
“Someone is using void magic in Ponyville,” Mister Padock informed, his eyes slowly sliding over each of his executives. “Which of you dispatched one of my agents to Equestria? I fear you forgot I declared Equestria off limits for Phase Two.”
The members of the board looked at each other nervously, searching for even the slightest bit of additional fear which might indicate guilt. Each of them ready to jump up and throw the blame upon anyone else's shoulders, and in so doing escape their master's wrath.
One by one, the twelve ponies declared their innocence. Each one more worried than the last as with each declaration of “I didn't order anyone to Ponyville, My Lord,” Paddock's eyes turned to the next pony, without a single spell being cast.
“I- I haven't ordered any of your agents to do anything in the last year, My Lord,” the final pony said with a worried gulp, his wings twitching nervously.
Mister Padock nodded and reached down with a hoof to adjust his bright yellow tie. “Interesting, none of you are lying,” he said as he stood up. “I will be unavailable for a few hours while I dispatch a scout to handle this issue. Stream, tell my secretary to cancel my appointments.”
“Yes, My Lord,” Steam exclaimed with a bow as he stood up and quickly left the room.
“The rest of you are to continue our normal operations as previously planned,” Paddock ordered. “I will brief you about this new development upon my return. Be ready to act swiftly.”
With those words, the nondescript stallion vanished from the boardroom without a sound, nor a single spark of magic.
Within a dark and evil place, a pocket universe formed of the damned and bound together by the will of its master and attached to the outside world like a blister upon the universe itself, there appeared an amorphous octopoid-like figure, half-concealed beneath a bright yellow flowing robe.
The Unspeakable glided through his fleshy palace, moving with purpose towards a large chamber, at the heart of which sat a large polished silver mirror, held aloft by a frame of bones. The abomination drifted over towards the mirror and gazed into it's ever writhing surface for several long moments before it's tentacles plunged into the mirror, breaking the surface like that of pond water, and swiftly dragging the mangled somehow living corpse of a bright yellow, red-maned pegasus mare kicking and screaming out of the mirror.
The King in Yellow stared into his slave's eyes as her body began to rapidly repair itself. “Hello again, Miss Xii. I have another job for you.”
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Oh boy the plot is thickening im so Ready for a void on void beat down
8521267 Here, have some music for that thought...
Jump into it!
(We need to find Bowman).
Well things are certainly getting interesting. I doubt this will go well for Padlock why doesn't he listen to his own advise.. wondering if he's assuming since its not Canterlot he can slip in and out without being noticed Big mistake this is Ponyville and of course they are sending Xii
8521693
Dude's the King In Yellow, sanity is not really his stich.
Dunno how Twi still is, but our adorkable Alicorn most likely awake beet red when she finds out her adventure became movie night
How many different stories were referenced, meeps? I'm guessing something between "more than I could identify" and "a whole lot more than that"
Twily, come to the pervert side! We have got waifus for all tastes, and husbandos too! Guilty free in your naughtiest dreams
8521770
Extremely... The movie she and Chem scripted includes a very naughty love scene between her and her robotic best friend.
Oh god... Seeing as how Chem's first 'story' was a genetic save the princess fantasy, thousands?
"Shhh, that stuff is for PRIVATE places."
Even after getting stuck on the ARK you still neglect your combat skills for magic, one of these days Twilight.
Welcome to level 2
Ohhhhh, no don't do it.
TRIGGERED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You know I never really considered that.
Auto-bots Roll out!
Ahhhhhhhh there we go, here is the plot twist! Well, lets see who is planning what and how badly that are going to regret their life choices.
Alright first: How can he detect void magic in the first place?
Second: what was phase 1?
Third: what is phase 2 and if Equestria is off limits then it's already not good.
SERIOUSLY???? STAY DEAD DAMN IT! Actually now might be a good time to change sides or surrender, cuz clearly your not winning.
I keep telling myself that I should read Meep’s earlier stories (I’ve only been around for Sherbert’s story and a couple of other side stories) in order to have an understanding of the technology there is, but I have settled into a rythem of learning as I read and not questioning anything. At this point, I’m just content following Meep around and letting her writing explain stuff that I would know if I had joined sooner.
Meep, you make sense even without the background knowledge. That’s how good of a writer you are.
8522081
The only problem with that though is that you miss all of the previous stories, which were awesome! I mean, its not like you have to have knowledge of those fictions to understand what's going on here (like you said), but still...
8522215
I have over 100 stories I’m tracking as well as about 2 million words in my Read it Later folder. I also watch YouTube, play video games, do college stuff, and occasionally spend a weekend racing RC cars. I could read Meep’s prior stories, but since I understand everything just fine, it’s not a pressing issue.
8522069
BANG! ZOOM! STRAIT TO THE MOON!
It worked didn't it?
If I were an android pone, I'd modify myself to have that if I didn't come like that stock. I mean, that sounds like a REAL pain in the ass... Washing full body fur. Shampooing EVERYTHING ><
Well, you'd been asking so nicely :3
Are you really asking why Hastur the Unspeakable can sense his own kind of power at work?
Gaincontrol of Heartstrings, Marelund via corporate overthrow of the government, establish tyrannical regime via a deeply rooted culture of 'oppression is good'.
But if she dies two more times Mister Vorheese could have a girlfriend!
8522081
I try and write things so you dont need to do that. 2 million words is a LOT! So I style and format things like orgional fiction that just happens to be about pones.
Let me summerise it here, since my older stories dont exactly have a pony walk into a Walmart and look around :P
The Ponies are equivalent to technology estimates for the 2050s, and their tech uses magical components as ponies see little difference between enchanted items and high-tech items (also magic plays nice with machines). Since Ponies live around 280-300 years assuming good healthy living, their homes, technology, and art tends to look older than it really is. The thatch roofed houses in Ponyville have climate control spells, for example. If you read the comics, the issues that show Cadence and Shining first meeting are a good example of what ponies live like (I use the comics as a big influence as their adventures are more 80's action cartoon).
The two big exception to the 2050s equivalence in technology is computer technology and transportation technology. Ponies computing technology is currently equivalent to 1997, but there isn't any personal computer revolution. Most ponies just do not care about computers. Home computers are nerd only things. They are just starting to adopt the internet, howeaver. Not on a home to home level, more like "I'll just go to the library and look it up." The net is a very academic thing for them. (Other nations, like Neighpone, are very diffrent in that they are much more 'human' in culture. This is due to Equis being a version of Earth in the far far far future post-human existance. Neighpone is a magic hotspot, and you have echos of past eras influencing all who live there.)
As for transport, Ponies only have mass transit, and long-range vehicles. They do not have cars, nor any form of personal vehicle save for things used in motor-sports as sporting equipment. Why? They are equines. They can run for hours at 40 mph and pull multiple tuns while doing it. Ponies also posses an instinct to run, they enjoy it near-universally. Their species has no need for cars.
You may wonder how Vinyl has VR games if this is true. Simple, the Emerald Changelings are far more advanced than anyone else, and trade manufacturing and technological luxuries for exchange programs, where ponies are sent to live with them for a time as volunteer food factories. The more advanced sci-fi level hardware is imported from them and is failry uncommon (though many VR games boast millions of players, due to ponies finding Deep Dive VR to be much more attractive than booping plastic squares and looking at a screen.)
This means a lot to me because these stories are my practice before trying to publish original fiction. Thank you very much!
8522790
Thanks for summarizing stuff for me. Now I don’t feel too lost when they start talking technobabble.
I’m also waiting for you to start writing real fiction (as opposed to fan fiction), because you are, in my opinion, as entertaining to read as Rick Riordan.
8522806 I'm so happy I decided to read the books the films were based off of. That man is realy good! I do not deserve that praise, but thank you.
As for original works, I have a pretty good idea for a setting that's in the pre-planning stage.
8522762
Can't be Hastur. Hastur isn't malicious, just in a perpetual state of irritation. He doesn't have grand plans or insidious plots. Not because he couldn't, but because he only ever enters the mortal world when somebody drags him there and pisses him off, at which point he lashes out.
Also, somebody bought you a computer? Holy shit! Specs? :D
8523134
its an old i7 3770k, 24gb of DDR 3 1600 Memory, an SSD, and a 980ti. All in all, a massive fucking improvment from what I had. A AMD A10-7800, 24gb DDR3, twin HDDs, and a GTX 750 2 gb edition. The new PC most certainly chooches with the utmost skookumness :3
Come on, Twilight, play along.
Ahh, there we go. This worked out pretty well in the end, and even turned out pretty cool.
Well, crap. Multiple levels of not good going on.
8522806
I would say even MORE entertaining than Rick. But maybe I am biased toward my buddy Meep. *hugs*
Also Meep, a whole computer! Wow that is freaking awesome! Sounds like a decent one too. Look at all these lovely people that love you so much. I think your fans are feeding our little changeling well?
Sorry I have gotten so far behind in your story, I always forget how crazy October can be. x.x But now I am almost caught up and loving it!
8544108 Take your time QC. You'll have plenty. This one is harder to write due to what I am trying to do with it taking more time to set up and refine than I first thought it would.
Reading this chapter, I've finally figured out why I don't like Meep's stories as much as I used to.
Because every character uses his logic. Only evil characters tend to have personalities different from it, and it's evil evil evil personality. Nearly every character uses his logic, his way of thinking, etc. I can barely read this, because I have the same opinions. It feels like talking to myself, or maybe me listening on Meep talking to Meep.
Sorry, Meep. I will still read, but I don't think I'll enjoy it as much as I used to.
8552683 I'm sorry you feel that way. While I do admit there's going to be some of me in every character, I do have to state for the record there's lots of differences. Example: Chem likes kids. I'd have evacuated the area if three kids started hounding me. He expresses an appreciation of the beauty of nature, whereas I do not find nature beautiful (Cosmic stuff sure, but I'm into industrial designs and the beauty of mankind's creations.) While they may use my word choices and phrasing, they do have different personalities, likes and dislikes.
I do think you have a point about the logic chains though. I'll try and work on that. It could be more diverse. Though, it's not my completely logic. You don't know me as well as you think. For example:
I'm a girl.
OH SHIT!
Seems we have a new Dawn.
...Um, that sounded weird but you know what I mean. New villain. One that seems more competent than Dawn. Which is terrifying.
I have mixed feelings about Xii's return. Half of me says she's a good antagonist that will make a nice story. The other half says "No! No! Kill it with fire! Just die! Why won't you die!?"
8523134
8522762
Hastur clearly hasn't learned his lesson. This universe may require the nuclear option
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