Episode 101 — A New Era
Episode 101 — A New Era
Twenty-Seventh Day in the Month of Bush Clover (June 27) in the Year of the Griffon
Front Line Floor 64
Bladescape looked herself over. For the first time in nearly two years, she realized she didn't have a mirror in her room. She needed to fix that. She had been relying on Diemond, but suddenly Bladescape felt like that was no longer a valid strategy. Their daily lives had shifted too far apart to do that. After all, today was the merger with Meigibu. The Wondercolts were growing by four hundred percent. Diemond was no longer a few doors down, or even a short distance away. It was a brisk three minute walk from her tower to the forge.
Plus, the feel and image of the guild was changing. Bladescape had to be more self reliant in her attire choices. She might even have to meet different standards. Meigibu was certainly bringing their style into the Wondercolts. That was not bad, but Bladescape knew she would be facing Lobelia today in the ceremony. Her armor would stand in sharp contrast to the super fancy kimono Lobelia would inevitably be wearing.
Bladescape headed to their private teleport plaza. Breakfast had already been dealt with, now they just needed to meet up at their Mishe Headquarters for the ceremony. The walk to the teleport plaza was another thing Bladescape had to get used to. It was closer than Mishe's, but it took more time than one would think to traverse the distance. Even using the stairs shortcut, it still took time.
Bladescape was the first to arrive at their old headquarters. It was completely empty. Even the meeting hall's dais and chairs had been packed up and moved. They all could stand for the short time it would take and it would allow them to solely address the moving needs of their new guild members.
The others were not far behind. Natora was going to greet them upon their arrival and let them inside. Bladescape put the Wondercolts on the back wall. She took her spot in the center of the space and stationed Malus a few feet to her right, in between Bladescape and the other Wondercolts. Natora and Lobelia would stand opposite of them. The new members would literally pass through them as they confirmed the oath and joined the Wondercolts. Along the way, they would grab a random room number from the velvet bag Malus had. The lottery for the rooms was being used for everyone.
Meigibu did not keep them waiting. They arrived two minutes before the agreed upon start. By the time everyone was inside and settled, it was exactly the time to start.
Lobelia was not in a kimono. She was in her white bridal warrior armor; with her sword and shield equipped. She was matching the new joint venture of maintaining their status as clearers.
Bladescape took one last look at the old Wondercolts, capturing them in a mental image. Yes, they were missing Knightstar, but they were not going to be a small guild anymore. This was the start of something new and exciting.
Bladescape turned to address their new members. "Welcome, everyone. We all know why we are here. There are a lot of you, so we will be moving pretty quick. The Wondercolts are glad you are joining us. Even if it doesn't work out, we are glad you are with us. Once you are called forward, swear your allegiance, and then take a number from Malus. That lottery will determine room assignment. Everyone is getting their own rooms.” That elicited surprise from a lot of the new members. After all, they still had no idea what they had acquired for their new headquarters. “We are looking forward to showing you the headquarters we secured. We will have a few transition days before we start the level quota push, which will start on July First, but we will have some fun things to do to bind us together as a guild before the work begins. We all will need it. We believe we can have all of you at Level Seventy-Five in three weeks.
"As a reminder, the ethos of our two guild's are very similar. The Wondercolts are about Honesty, Loyalty, Laughter, Kindness, Generosity, Empathy, and Friendship. You were about the art of being human. Both of us strive to be excellent for ourselves and others. We each decided to do what we could to free every player trapped in Aincrad. Our joint image shall be ‘a friend to all; warriors true; brave, kind, and honest.’
“The oath is simple. ‘I swear, so long as I am in the guild, to be a friend and support to my guildmates; to uphold the image of a Wondercolt to the best of my ability; meet the required standards of the guild; and to fight for the freedom of all as best as I can.’”
One by one, Lobelia called them forward, starting with the members who fully committed to becoming Wondercolts. Kamishi was first, followed by Shikiku, and then in alphabetical order: Babs, Ceobe, Chok, Elora, Eowyn, Helia, Kate, Osouji, Lya, Nora, Pell, Pyrrha, Nereid, Shintai, Suisei, Tariq, Tate, Val, and Cygnus. They each stepped up to the leaders, removed themselves from Meigibu, accepted the invitation sent by Bladescape, and then passed through the leaders, making sure to take their room lottery number from Malus. Kamishi and Shikiku faked grabbing lottery numbers, something Lobelia had instructed them to do.
Bladescape transitioned them to the players unsure about staying on the front. “The only amendment to the oath is the implicit understanding that the following members taking the oath will be probationary members. They will train and act as full members as they see if the Wondercolts are the right fit for them as we continue forward.”
Lobelia called all fifteen ladies forward. Some of them were clearly in highschool, while others were in their early twenties. Yasha, Bakann, Veilis, Dinah, Harari, Houhu, Ida, Falion, Kogitsune, Bonnon, Mozu, Noi, Sonita, Suiko, and Tifa gave their word and passed through like the others, even receiving their lottery numbers from the same pool.
“Finally,” Bladescape said, looking at the last three. “Our support members. Your oath comes with a true amendment. Not that you will fight for the freedom of all as best as you can, rather that you will serve the guild in support of the freedom effort to the best of your ability.”
Delton, Ithilien, and Jade stepped forward and gave their word, officially joining the Wondercolts and leaving the other side empty. Malus and Natora backed up to the wall, so that everyone could witness the last player, Lobelia, join.
Before Bladescape could proceed, Lobelia drew her falchion and knelt before her, offering her sword to Bladescape. “Bladescape of the Wondercolts, I offer you my sword, as a symbol of my loyalty to the mission and image of the Wondercolts. Take it and hold onto it as assurance while I do the final transfer.”
Bladescape respectfully took the offered sword, cradling it in her hands. Now she understood why Lobelia had come in her armor. It was not to match Bladescape. It was to show everyone in the merger that even though she was going to maintain a leadership position, she was on the same level as they were regarding the merger.
Lobelia stayed kneeling as she brought up her menu. The menu expanded out several times as Lobelia accessed the guild submenu and then the administration submenu. In that tab, the leader could remove players or dissolve the guild. A week ago the menu had been updated with a new patch, adding the “merger” option. It tethered the guild assets to the leader and would automatically change the ownership to the next guild the leader accepted a request from. It also allowed them to be able to receive guild membership offers.
With the option locked in, Bladescape slipped her left hand to grab Lobelia’s sword by the handle as she used her right to access her own menu and send the request to Lobelia. Lobelia accepted it without hesitation.
“Welcome to the Wondercolts, Lobelia,” Bladescape said, offering her back her sword.
Lobelia stood up and took it by the handle. “I welcome the opportunity and future that awaits all of us in their new era!” With that she sheathed her sword.
Bladescape turned to everyone. “Alright, for the next order of business, you all have your lottery numbers for your room. It has a letter on it for grouping up. Malus is Group A, Thunder is Group B, Soryuto is C, Diemond is D, and Kiefer is E. Delton, Ithilien, and Jade, ignore your letters and join a party with Reisenki. We will party up now, teleport to the Thorn Island Plaza in order of parties, and the tour will be given in your parties. Your party leader knows where to start so we are not tripping over each other. After the tour, we will reconvene in the meeting hall for final points of order and questions before we begin the moving process.”
Everyone found their group leaders. Kamishi and Shikiku joined Bladescape and Lobelia. Konpeito had already sprinted out of the building in order to get back to cooking. Doombunny had also left to work on Operation Midnight Redemption. Natora, since she had the Sales Negotiation Skill, would be selling their Mishe headquarters and, after the move, the former house of Meigibu. Lobelia had decided against keeping the house, wanting a fresh start. Bladescape led Lobelia, Kamishi, and Shikiku out of the empty headquarters and to the teleport plaza.
Bladescape paused at the Mishe teleport plaza. “Remember, the call out is Thorn Island. On the other side, don't pause, just quickly follow me. Trust me, it will be worth it.”
“Of course, Bladescape Kaisho,” Lobelia said.
Bladescape couldn’t help but smile as she called out for their new home. She appeared on their private plaza and quickly stepped off of it and into the causeway between it and the guild hall. Lobelia, Kamishi, and Shikiku appeared on the plaza a second later. Kamishi glanced around and nodded as they followed her. Clearly he was thinking they were on an established settlement, not a private island. The area would get too busy to talk in another minute and it was not the best place to view the island.
Kamishi was visibly confused when Bladescape entered the guild hall. She led them into the meeting hall. It was set up with the chairs, dais, and what banners they had. Bladescape ignored it and no one raised any questions as she went to the back wall where the hidden staircase was. The castle’s system popped up a warning, blocking regular members from using the hidden staircase. Bladescape overrode it as they climbed the stairs, granting them each access. She would fix that authority issue later.
They came out in the nearly empty deliberation chamber. It had five chairs set up if they needed to use the room, but they lacked a table. A crescent dais would be ordered so that the councilors could easily see each other, as well as some chairs and tables.
Bladescape didn’t stop as she took them to her tower. She detoured through the tsuboniwa garden and used its entrance into the tower. It had been an attempt to not require a second authorization, but that failed. Any member was allowed to enter the bottom floor of the tower, but it was technically a separate building, and she had to authorize them to get to the upper floors. Bladescape ignored her bedroom, forcing them to follow her up the stairs.
Out on the balcony, Bladescape stopped and leaned against the railing, looking east. She could see flashes of blue as groups began to teleport in. The group leaders had intentionally slowed them down and were on staggered arrival schedules for spacing.
“Welcome to Thorn Island,” Bladescape said. “The entire island is ours, as well as the small one that the main garden is attached to. We believe this floor is always at high tide, blocking the ground between them, thus requiring the bridge.”
“It’s all ours?” Kamishi stammered as he also leaned against the railing. Everyone was leaning against it.
“Yep,” Bladescape confirmed. “It even comes with two sailboats. Non-members get routed to the guest teleport plaza, out on the front lawn. The gatehouse is a nice place for guests to enter and wait after they notify us of their arrival. Or it will be once we get it properly decorated. What little furniture we had is currently in there, but not sufficient. You saw the private palace garden. Malus is in the Ward Gatehouse, which has its door in the corner of the wall, under the rampart. The palace’s upper two floors are restricted to authorized officers only, just like that secret staircase, but the bottom floor any member can enter without extra permission. We entered the Guild Hall, which is nearly attached to the Great Hall, where the kitchen and dining room are, plus guild storage.”
“And Konpeito’s kitchen loft,” Lobelia added.
Bladescape chuckled. “Yes, and her loft. The Center Barracks and Crescent Barracks each hold sixty rooms of the same size, twenty on each floor. We're using the Crescent Barracks and keeping everyone in there, as the tower has a nice view and the other lacks the center tower. Shikiku, you have the first room on the first floor, the southernmost room. There are two entrances, one at each end. Your room is closest to the Guild Hall and Great Hall, so everyone will be routinely passing your room.”
“Well placed for my role,” Shikiku said. “Thank you.”
“Thank Lobelia for guiding that decision, although she did not know what we had,” Bladescape added.
“I am as surprised as you both are,” Lobelia stated.
“North of the Crescent Barracks is the arena, the big building, and then just east is the forge,” Bladescape explained. “Diemond took the room at the top of that building as our Chief Armorer.. We have the arena set up for football, volleyball, and pickleball. Football has a league we will announce, we want as many players as possible to join and have fun. Pickleball is similar to tennis, but much more relaxed. The arena has lines painted for it all and setting up the nets is simple enough.”
“Those will be fun ways to bond,” Shikiku said. “I look forward to learning this pickleball. Very well planned.”
“Oh, and the pool on the garden island is for swimming,” Bladescape said before she forgot. “It is safe, even without a swimming skill. There is a sign posted beside it. Doombunny decided she wanted the lighthouse on the island for her room. It is easier for her to be there, separate, where she can openly keep Colorra’s live food without disturbing the others. They are kept in the cages they were trapped in as they await their fate. That was her idea.”
“And a very good one,” Lobelia said.
“Oh, and with Listen she can hear everything on the island if she does not keep her filters up. She does her best for that, otherwise it is too much and she is considerate about the privacy of other players.”
“Good to know,” Lobelia said.
“Can you get to the top of the mountain?” Kamishi asked. “The balcony is only about three quarters, not a full circle.”
“Thunder already tried to climb it, but it's off limits,” Bladescape explained. “From the other batteries, the sections of the wall where more space is, you can tell that the back half is pretty steep. I doubt the top is anything except what we can see, a few square meters of bumpy rock.”
“It just makes you wonder,” Kamishi added. “But I think I would like to see the palace rooms. We can get a tour after the others begin to move.”
“Of course,” Bladescape said. “But before we do, let me make all three of you officers. Besides the normal access, it will give you the ability to grant temporary entrance to the off limits palace areas, as well as upgrade or organize the guild store room, and assign rooms. Oh, and you were not in an HQ, so I don’t know if you dealt with the same thing. The Wondercolts have a rule that no officer is to override room ownership alone. It requires verification and there is a notice sent to officers and a log of any time ownership is overridden. Once a room is set, it's private property. Not doing it alone means having a witness, preferably another officer, but it's really just a way to keep the access ability in check and prevent misuse."
“We did not have that in our house,” Lobelia said. “But that is a good rule. You must have the ability to override it for safety and security reasons, but they deserve the privacy of a personally owned house.”
Bladescape quickly had all three set as officers and showed them down to the palace. Natora had properly chosen the third floor for her room. Lobelia and Kamishi would be joining her. The nine rooms on the second floor were for junior officers like Kiefer. He was the only one on that floor. Lobelia and Kamishi chose and assigned their own rooms.
“I love the internal architecture,” Lobelia said. “Are the barracks like this?”
“No,” Bladescape said, shaking her head. “They are nice, but the doors swing open, inward, not slide. It really does set the officers apart.”
They went down to the Guild Hall, using the secret passage. No one was inside the meeting hall yet, not that it mattered if they were. It wouldn't be a secret to the regular members. The tour group routes had been meticulously strategized by Kiefer and Natora the day before. The Guild Hall was the last stop for all of them. It would not be long until they started to arrive.
The council dais could squeeze in five chairs, but a new one would be ordered. Shikiku’s special chair at the front had a gold bow on it. Across the aisle was Kiefer’s and it had a blue bow to designate it. Otherwise it was free seating. Lobelia, Kamishi, and Shikiku approved of the seating arrangement. They took their seats as Malus’ group came into the meeting hall.
Once everyone had arrived, minus Konpeito, Doombunny and Natora, they formally announced the ranks and their four special positions: Member Ambassador, Training Officer, Itamae, and Armorer. The football league was announced along with the open signups being posted on the arena’s external notice board. Bladescape covered the plans for getting more furniture and what the guild would cover. There was now an allowance for a bed, wardrobe, desk, nightstand, lamp, and reading chair. If the player wanted to spend more on something, they could. That way each member could truly personalize their room to their liking.
With no questions, Malus led the moving effort. Natora would be waiting at the house for them. Reisenki, Delton, Ithilien, and Jade were excused to assist Konpeito. Once everyone was on their way, Bladescape led Lobelia, Kamishi, and Shikiku on a proper tour of their headquarters. Shikiku got to assign her room to herself. She was more than happy with the room provided. It was larger than she had expected. More importantly it was private. They also loved Soryuto’s idea of putting a shrine in the garden to honor their fallen friends.
As they were heading back over the bridge, a message came in. Bladescape was expecting an update from Doombunny, except it was Argo, not Doombunny. Argo wanted to hire the Wondercolts for location scouting, but could not meet until tomorrow night and it was not at one of her usual meeting spots. Location scouting meant one thing and one thing only; a potential XP grinding spot. They were in sore need of a new one, both as a clearing effort and especially as a newly expanded guild. Argo had no idea they had merged with Meigibu. Bladescape agreed to the meeting time and location. Things had certainly just gotten interesting.
BLADESCAPE: Level 85 — Two-Handed Sword — Searching — Weapon Defense — Leather Armor — First Aid — Battle Regeneration — Sprint — Blade Throwing — Extended Weight Carry — Acrobatics — Greatsword
NATORA: Level 81 — Two-Handed Spear — Purchase Negotiations — Sales Negotiation — Weapon Defense — Light Metal Armor — First Aid — Battle Regeneration — Acrobatics — Armor Pierce — Sprint — Extended Weight Carry
MALUS: Level 81 — One-Handed War Hammer — Greatshield — Heavy Metal Armor — First Aid — Extended Weight Carry — Battle Regeneration — Fishing — Search — Martial Arts — Rend — Sprint
THUNDERBORNE: Level 81 — Rapier — Sprint — Acrobatics — Weapon Defense — Light Metal Armor — First Aid — Battle Regeneration — Armor Pierce — Martial Arts — Blade Throwing — Search
KONPEITO: Level 81 — Two-Handed Axe — Cooking — Weapon Defense — Light Metal Armor — Martial Arts — First Aid — Battle Regeneration — Music — Blade Throwing — Bard — Extended Weight Carry — Rend
DIEMOND: Level 81 — Mace — Greatshield — Sewing — Heavy Metal Armor — First Aid — Battle Regeneration — Light Metal Armor Forging — Heavy Metal Armor Forging — Extended Weight Carry — Jewelry Creation — Rend
DOOMBUNNY: Level 82 — One-Handed Dagger — Hide — Fighting Spirit — Blade Throwing — First Aid — Battle Regeneration — Familiar Cooperation — Mixing — Listen — Reveal — Main-gauche — Search
KIEFER: Level 80 — One-Handed Curved Sword — Slash Weapon Forging — Light Metal Armor — Weapon Defense — First Aid — Katana — Battle Regeneration — Slash Weapon Forging — Blade Throwing — Armor Pierce — Martial Arts
SORYUTO: Level 78 — One-Handed Sword — Shield — Light Metal Armor — Music — First Aid — Battle Regeneration — Fighting Spirit — Armor Pierce — Acrobatics — Extended Weight Carry
REISENKI: Level 80 — One-Handed Axe — Greatshield — Heavy Metal Armor — Equipment Repair — Metal Equipment Repair — First Aid — Battle Regeneration — Cooking — Metal Refining — One-Hand Weapon Creation — Two-Handed Weapon Creation
LOBELIA: Level 62 — One-Handed Curved Sword — Shield — Light Metal Armor — Search — Meditation — First Aid — Battle Regeneration — Acrobatics — Painting
KAMISHI: Level 64 — One-Handed Curved Sword — Shield — Light Metal Armor — Katana — First Aid — Extended Weight Carry — Battle Regeneration — Reveal — Trap Dismantling
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Oooh, fun.
Great update as usual! Heh I could STILL see this path Sunset's proverbially on right now earning her a pair of wings without her even knowing it till she eventually gets to visit Equestria again, and her being all O_O of course Celly would also be confused till Sunset tells her of her time in SAO.
Yeah. Yeah. Great chance of that. I haven't settled on it, but there are some undeniable aspects of Sunset's life that parallel Alicorns earning their wings (OMG that totally sounded like "It's a Wonderful Life"
). I haven't sketched anything, but I would like to have her return captured. Maybe bringing the others along, for some double trouble. 
12090143
This is just a silly thought here. But imagine for a moment that Celestia requests to MEET Sunset's guild members. Then surprises the hell outta em by knighting each and every one of them and giving them Noble titles in her relm. Hehe could you just imagine the expressions all around! Haha and it Klien is there, I do not doubt he'd try and flirt with Celestia or Luna (or both) and either fail, or surprise every one and be flirted with back lol
Just seeing the new place and their new rooms should be a massive morale boost.
12090167
Maybe not all of them, which is over 50. At least the core group of eight Wondercolts. The others would have to get to Canterlot and that is a whole lot of people going internally, which gets expensive. The others would be going home. I'm not sure what, if any, titles she could even bestow upon them. Or what the greater point would be. After all, they would mean nothing as humans and they can't exactly assert them without sounding like lunatics and exposing the portal and Equestria.
12090186
It certainly is a big morale boost! Lots of fun to be had with them all.
I hope she'll be back soon.
I may not be the biggest fan of oaths, but that one was good.
They likely faked grabbing tickets on purpose.
Even if the merger changed a few things, one of those thins that won't change is the leadership position of Lobelia.
So long mishi headquarters.
lawn. The gatehouse*
12090167
And then Sunset would berate them as they are 1000+ years old it basicaly be cradel robing.
Then she just laugh when she sees klines face realising he was hitting and succeding on two women that could be his great x7 grandmothers.
This really did feel like the beginning of a new era. Moving everyone into the new headquarters and merging the guilds was treated very seriously, especially the part with the oath and Lobelia offering her sword.
12090254
I'm glad you enjoyed the oath. They certainly should be done carefully. Lobelia certainly brings a lot to the Wondercolt Council. More about Knightstar soon.
12090340
12090167
Unless, as I have seen, Sunset is the daughter of Celestia and Philomena (cause magic), and she is in a cycle of rebirth, like a phoenix, and has no idea Celestia is her mother. Often she is adopted and has parents she knows. Her purpose is to be reborn as an Alicorn.
lol
12090340
So your saying he has a chance...
12090474
Isn't that from The Sparkle in his eye by Tatsuro? I distingtly remember that being a thing there.
12090514
By cirtan definitons of "a chance", yes or they are just having fun whit that thier is someone that would actualy treat them like normal ponys for once
12090589
And now I have made myself contemplate something dangerus... a complite re-read of Tatsuros PAWNY-vers...
thats gona ouccpe me for awhile
12090589
There is a good chance. I haven't read that series. It was pitched in a discussion I was involved in. I found it an interesting background scenario.
12090593
Insert Darth Sidius: Deu It.
I thought that might be where that headcanon of mine came from, but it's been so long that I'd forgotten when Mindrop and I were discussing Sunset's origins and few days ago.
12090605
Cely being Sunnys mother is a common trope on this site, who the "father" is can switch around alot.
and I higely recomend reading it and the reast of the PAWNY-vers. Tatsuro is the OG and I have read several dessent versions mayed by others.
12090608
Not unlikely, I think there is more but thats the one thats stands out in my mind.
12090612
I'm not always up to date on the head canons and theories. lol.
Yoooo the EXP spot chapter! It was one of my favorites chapter from the OG story, and I’m excited to see it again, hoping we get more interesting and unique interactions between Bladescape and the rest of the cast.
12090783
That chapter in the OG story... wasn't the original. This one will be. I had to adjust it as I decided to cut material for time.