MLP Loops 159
159.1 (Evilhumour, Gamerex27)
The Question, part three of four.
Twilight was reorganizing the library when the front door slammed open and an obsidian blur tackled her over, clinging tightly to her.
Twilight instantly knew four things. One, this was her daughter. Two, her daughter was very upset. Three, she was going to go alicorn and absolutely destroy the monster that hurt her daughter. And four, her daughter was crying, which made her mind instantly go into full panic mode and default to automatic parent response mode.
"Nyx, what's wrong?! Are you okay? Are you hurt?" She was dimly aware of her mane already springing out of place.
Her daughter simply whimpered, her head buried into Twilight's side, and then shook her head weakly.
Twilight used her magic to wipe away some of her own tears, her forelegs wrapped around her sobbing daughter. Nothing, not even the knowledge of how to permanently save her tree, could get her to let go of Nyx now.
"Please, Nyxie, can you tell me what happened, because I'm so worried and-"
"We broke up!" Nyx shouted into her side, sobbing harder now that Twilight had reopened the wound.
"Wh-what?" Twilight blinked in surprise, pulling back slightly but not enough to actually let go.
"Le-Leman, that mother bucking idi-ot." Her angry snarl stuttered before she began to cry again. "He attacked him, I told him he was better and he didn't listen and he said those things and I -"
"There, there, Nyxie dear," Rarity cooed, which astonished Twilight greatly, as she hadn't heard her friend walk into her library or come this close to them. Rarity further surprised Twilight by managing to wiggle herself around Nyx, holding the alicorn teenager close to her barrel and away from Twilight. "Come, let's go to the spa and we can talk this over. How does that sound?"
Twilight was livid! How dare she think going to the spa would fix her daughter's heart after what Leman di -
"That sounds nice," Nyx sniffled, rubbing her face against Rarity's coat before muttering an apology.
"Oh, please, dearie, it's alright," Rarity cooed again, rubbing Nyx's back. "We're going to get pampered while we get this whole matter straightened out. I know from experience that after my Spikey-Wikey and I have our little tiffles, the best thing is going to the spa with some friends to talk things over."
Nyx sniffled again, and nodded her head. Rarity just patted her on the withers, guiding her out of the library and down the streets with Twilight in tow.
Aloe and Lotus walked past Nightmare Moon again, Twilight and Rarity across from her, and tried their best not to listen too obviously to the conversation the three mares were having about Nightmare Moon's love life.
"I see." Rarity nodded as the young alicorn finished her amazing and heartbreaking tale.
While they did not understand everything the three mares said, they understood well enough that Nightmare Moon - Nyx - was apparently Twilight's daughter, and she was going through her first breakup. And from what the twins could hear, it was a nasty one.
"Well, I suppose you two never do things small, after all."
"No," Nyx muttered, sinking deeper into the pool. Lotus tsked, reaching in to help her out before she got her mane wet again. "Thank you," she murmured in the same soft tone, the twins smiling sadly at the sight. How deep must their young love be for somepony like her to be this sad. If this Leman Russ were here, neither knew what they would do to that stallion who broke this poor filly's heart.
"Come here, darling." Rarity patted the table next to her softly, the young mare walking slowly over and onto the table with Aloe already working on her wings. Lotus in turn was working on the nervous wreck that was the mother of this sad, poor filly, trying her hardest to calm down Twilight Sparkle. "Good," Rarity sighed, reaching out to pat the alicorn's hoof. "Now, do you want me to start or do you?"
"I…" Nyx took a breath, tears threatening to break out. "I was horrible, wasn't I?"
"To a degree, Nyx, to a degree." Rarity spoke honestly, causing Twilight to twitch in anger. Lotus instantly touched a pressure point and Twilight's body became limp with bliss. "Leman could have definitely stopped and listened to you, but you could have also stopped and spoke with him about the whole matter clearer and explained the real situation about his psychotic meltdown and why Naoki was not a threat anymore."
"And I could have tried not to get so angry -"
"Absolutely not, darling," Rarity sharply interrupted her, tightening her pressure on her hoof. "What Leman said was downright disgusting, and it is horrible to know that Leman still has some of that mentality about those who stumbled in the past. Do not think even for a second he was right to say that to you, Naoki or any
. Everyone deserves a chance to redeem themselves. You are living proof that he is wrong." She leaned over and gave her a very tight hug.
"Remember that everyone can be redeemed. All they need is a helping hoof to show them the way and loving support from others. Look at yourself. The reason you are here now is because that wonderful mare over there saw a scared little filly and took her in as her own without a second thought. She raised you all on her own when others would have tried to harm you for what you once did. She taught you how to be kind to others, even when they don't deserve it. She showed how to be the best little filly you could possibly be, taking care to ease your fears when you were scared, kissing your wounds when you scraped your knees, and raising you as if you were her own flesh and bone daughter. She taught you how to be such a wonderful pony that when you were forced to grow up by other ponies to rule Equestria, you did not become the monster they wanted but instead remained the sweet pure young filly we all know and love. You fought to save your home and family, your mother, and willingly gave everything up just to make things right, even when you did not have to. Remember how you earned your cutie mark; you did it when you defended those close to your heart. Nyx Sparkle, you are a beautiful mare who has long ago eclipsed any past sins you might have once committed and I am beyond honoured to be your aunt."
Holding the younger mare close to her chest, Rarity did not care that her tears were ruining her makeup. Aloe and Lotus surreptitiously wiped their own tears away. Twilight used her magic to give the girls their own tissues to dab their eyes, smiling fondly at her friend and her daughter.
Nyx hiccuped a bit, smiling bashfully at all the praises placed on her. "Thank you, Aunt Rarity." She nuzzled the mare again before laying back down on her own table. Aloe returned to work on her wings; the right one, already cleared of dead feathers, gleamed flawlessly. "I just wished I knew what to do about Leman." She sighed sadly, still broken up about the stallion who had hurt her so deeply.
"Nyx, do you love your mom, yes or no?" Rarity asked in an almost lazy fashion.
"Wha -" She blinked at the white unicorn, confusion glimmering in her big bright eyes.
"Yes or no, do you love Twilight Sparkle?"
"Ye-yes, but -"
"Is your favourite meal tulip soup and alfalfa sandwiches?"
"No, it's -"
"Are you a Cutie Mark Crusader?"
"Yes -"
"Is your coat black?"
"Yes."
"Was the water in the bath cold?"
"No."
"Do you love your friends?"
"Yes."
"Do you love reading?"
"Yes."
"Do you love your aunts?"
"Yes."
"Do you like being Nightmare Moon?"
"No." Nyx responded, uncomfortable with the line of questioning. She tried moving her head to look at Twilight for guidance, but Rarity kept her head in place by her stare alone.
"Do you like crazy seaponies?"
"No."
"Do you like being a princess?"
"No."
"Do you like being reminded of your dark past?"
"No!"
"Do you still love Leman Russ?"
"YES!" she shouted, then blinked at the announcement. She placed a hoof over her mouth, surprised at what she just admitted to herself. "I still love him." The words must have been strange to her, but they were also the truth, judging by the smile on her face.
"I figured as much, darling." Rarity smiled coyly to herself. "You just needed to hear it from yourself, without you overthinking it."
"I -" Nyx shook her head slowly, Twilight watching the whole event tensely. As a mother, she was a bit overprotective, and the use of this common trick on her daughter rubbed her the wrong way. But any complaint Twilight might have had was quelled when the alicorn hugged the unicorn tightly. "Thank you," she whispered softly. "Thank you so very much."
"No problem, Nyx." She smiled, patting her back and nodding her head at Twilight to come over. The purple unicorn walked over and claimed her rightful spot, her legs around her daughter, nuzzling with only the love that a mother could give. "Now, we need to come with a plan as to how you two should talk when you do meet again, how it should go, and what you should use over his head." Rarity's smile grew a bit predatory, but Aloe and Lotus simply laughed, the rough aspects of a breakup cut off by Rarity's wonderful, skillful words.
"Trust me, both my little brother and I are rooting for you two and we don't want to see either of you staying hurt like this." A giant, eight legged stallion said from the bath, causing both of the twins to jump backwards. "We might get in trouble for this, and certainly have Skuld yell at us for pulling this stunt, but nuts to that." The large male equine figure flashed a smile to the noticeably less startled other three mares, but they all gave the stallion the same look that the twins were giving him. He blinked, tapping his face. "What? Something on my face? Why are you looking at me like that?"
"While we do appreciate your help, Sleipnir," Twilight said sharply, as Aloe moved to stand by the mare and Lotus went to block the exits, "this is the mare's room of the spa, and you did just barge in without knocking."
The pony-like creature blinked again and blushed, starting to move upwards. "Oh. Um, er... sorry, I'll just show myself ou -"
"Oh no, Sleipnir, please stay." Rarity gave him the same predatory grin she had given Nyx earlier, causing him to gulp. "We can go over our plans while Aloe and Lotus give our good friend a makeover. Right, girls?"
Sleipnir looked around and sighed, "Dammit."
159.2 (Awesomedude17)
Discord looked around the room, trying to find out where Berry Punch was.
"Berry? Where aaaaaare yooooooooooooooou?"
Discord pouted, and looked around.
"Berry?" Discord teleported away.
"Berry?" Discord came out of a cupboard.
"Berry?" Discord said, coming out of the teacup Angel was sipping from, causing him to have a panic attack.
"Berry?" Discord then saw a cardboard box with the words 'Boop Box' on its side. Discord opened the box, and Berry booped Discord's nose.
"Gotcha."
"Oh ho ho... That's really clever. Boop Box, I like it. I'll tell Pinkie."
"Oh, shut up, Discord, and come in here." Berry smiled.
Discord gave a sly grin, and booped Berry's nose.
"Of course."
159.3 (Vinylshadow)
-
It was probably a Chaos Game for the history books.
Discord, Luna, Celestia, Twilight, Cadence and Chrysalis all sat on clouds looking down at the game board. The reason for that soon became obvious.
The game board stretched for roughly a mile in every direction and more than two hundred cards were laid out in front of each player.
Due to the vast distance, they had switched to walkie-talkies to communicate.
"Hah! I countered your counter's counter-counter to my trap by redirecting it off of Luna's fifth counter to Twilight, using Chrysalis' deck as the anchor for it," Celestia said smugly.
"Yes, but in doing so, you activated Cadence's love effect, which reduced the accuracy of your attack," Chrysalis replied, rubbing her hooves together in glee.
"Which boosted my own attack and disabled Discord's twelfth card," Cadence said, looking at the board with binoculars.
"So the hand goes to me," Twilight said triumphantly.
Chrysalis and Luna swore violently.
"I had to give up two Loops' worth of cuddles with Trixie for my eighth offensive against you!" Chrysalis raged, while Luna looked with apprehension at the bunny suit she would be stuck in for the next four Loops she was Awake for.
Discord scowled and reshuffled the deck.
"Best out of seventeen?"
159.4 (Vinylshadow)
-
The Cutie Mark Crusaders sat in a circle in their Clubhouse, discussing their Cutie Marks.
"I've had microphones, disco balls, a subwoofer, nearly every musical note and a plane," Sweetie Belle said, holding up pictures of each.
"I've had every known type of building material," Apple Bloom said proudly.
"I've had nearly every kind of wing or feather from every kind of flying animal," Scootaloo said thoughtfully.
"You said 'nearly,'" Apple Bloom said. "What're you missing?"
"I've not had a butterfly," Scootaloo said.
"Well, to be fair, they're… well… slow," Sweetie Belle said slowly. "I don't think that's your thing. If you're anything, you're a..." She trailed off, frowning.
"Say chicken. I dare you," Scootaloo said flatly.
"No, no, not that. You're more like a… hummingbird," Apple Bloom said. "You're very maneuverable, and they're some of the only birds that can hover and fly in reverse."
"Well, whatever it is, I'm sure it'll be perfect for me," Scootaloo said with a smile. "As will yours, I'm sure."
"Aw, you're going all sweet on us," Sweetie Belle teased, giving her friend a hug,
"And no matter what marks we get, we'll always be friends, right?" Apple Bloom asked, hugging them both.
"Right!"
159.5 (Masterweaver)
Nyx sat in front of Golden Oaks, idly stroking her pet as she watched the ponies around her going about their day. "I don't know, Tanty. I mean..."
She sighed.
"It's just... You know how I usually don't like acting mature? Like how I'll try to remain a filly if I can, or maybe a party hardy teenager sometimes?"
The fear cloud next to her grumbled. A passing mare shivered in sudden existential terror, looking at her cutie mark like it was a foreign entity.
"I know, I know, technically I'm a couple billion -- er, million Loops old." The alicorn shifted, resting her head on her pet like a pillow. "But that's the thing. Usually when I think of myself as a grownup, I think of myself as... Nightmare Moon." She grimaced.
Larry wrapped a comforting pair of tendrils down her foreleg, growling comfortingly. One of the foals playing tag nearby suddenly realized that one day he would inevitably die.
"But... but it was always different with Leman, you know?" Nyx held up a hoof to the sky. "I mean, sure, we were kids together sometimes, but I could... I could be an adult around him, and it felt okay. It felt right. I was still Nyx, not Nightmare Moon. You know?"
She sighed, again. "And then he had to go and... and be some testosterone-filled jerk, and that thing that he said --"
Larry's tendrils tightened, the creature gurgling in sympathetic anger. A stallion nearby had a vision of another world and curled up into a fetal position.
"Ow! Hey! Hey, too tight Tanty!" Nyx playfully batted at the tendrils, which retracted with a small whine (a pegasus nearby started hallucinating and her wings locked up, causing her to fall out of the sky). "Oh.... awwww, I could never stay mad at you. Come here, let me give you a big hug."
This was the scene that Cheerilee walked into. "Um... Nyx? I think you need to restrain your pet's psychic powers again."
"What?" Nyx looked up from her hug, looking about. "What are you talking... oh. Ooooooh."
She winced.
"Um... Sorry about that, everypony! I, uh, I promise I'll personally pay for the therapy bills! Heh heh..."
159.6
"Okay!" Applebloom said, firmly. "Order! Ah'd like to call this session of the Cutie Mark Crusaders to order – but 'cause I ain't getting it, I'll settle for less chaos."
Scootaloo chuckled, then nudged her friend.
"Sorry I don't find it as funny," Sweetie said, sighing. "I'm just kind of worried."
"Yeah, so'm I," Applebloom admitted. "Okay, girls, let's try to work this one out."
"Cutie mark crusader detectives?" Scootaloo offered.
"Let's say more like private investigators."
"We're not working for anyone," Sweetie pointed out.
"Which is why it's private," Applebloom finished the joke. "Now. Item one: Diamond Tiara's bein' kind of a jerk."
"What else is new?" Scootaloo snarked. "Standard issue Diamond Tiara, at least when she's not Looping."
"Yeah, but usually when I set things up with the business deals an' all, she sweetens up," Applebloom reminded them. "Nothin' doing."
The others nodded.
"Silver's the same," Sweetie said. "Just... kind of cold."
"That does sound unusual," Scootaloo said. "Variant?"
"Well, it's not just that," Applebloom hedged. "But yeah, ah think th' 'Variant' stamp fits for this Loop."
"Why, what else is there?" Scootaloo asked.
"You ain't run into Twilight yet, have you?"
"Well, I haven't either," Sweetie said. "It's something else that's bothering me... basically, Rarity's not Awake, but she's not acting usual either."
"So are my sister and brother," Applebloom said. "Little things, but there. And as for Twilight..."
"What?" Scootaloo begged. "Is she a dragon? Is she evil? Is she secretly Trixie in a suit? Has she been replaced by Bella Swan?"
The others stared at her.
"No, no, what and ew," the earth pony filly said. "In that order."
"Then tell me, come on!" Scootaloo insisted.
"She's wanting to go baseline - some kind of experiment," Applebloom said.
"Well... maybe she's trying to see if she can skew things with the Gala or something?" Sweetie offered weakly.
"Dunno," Applebloom said, shaking her head. "Anyway. That's about all we know."
There was a pause.
"So... wargames?" Scootaloo asked. "I've got this great design for a hydrofoil torpedo boat..."
"While fun, I think that might wreck Twilight's plans," Applebloom said. "No for now."
Scootaloo pouted.
"I've got a board game," Sweetie volunteered. "Picked it up on Marain. Only... we might need a bigger clubhouse."
Twilight looked up at a knock on the door.
"Wonder who that is..." she mused, putting down her copy of the newspaper and trotting over to the door.
Opening it, she looked out on the worried faces of three young fillies.
"Come in," she said straight away, turning the library sign from please, come in, read a book for once to oh, forget it.
It had earned her a few laughs.
"So, what seems to be the problem?" she asked, as Spike made tea.
There was a splash, an ow, and a hiss from the kettle.
"Did you tip it on yourself?" Twilight called.
"Uh... yeah," Spike admitted.
"Spike!" Twilight said, with a sigh. "If you keep doing that, one of these days someone who's not heat resistant is going to be next to you!"
"Uh..." the little dragon said, nervous.
"It's okay," she decided. "I think... actually, I'm sure the girls would like something sweet. Can you go get three turnovers from Pinkie?"
Spike nodded, hanging up his apron. "Sure!"
"And get yourself one," Twilight added. "Plus a garnet for your trouble."
"Thanks!" Spike said, and hurried out the door.
"Nice work," Applebloom complimented.
"Thanks," Twilight smiled. "I thought it might be something Loopy... what's the matter?"
"Well," Applebloom began. "Remember how we had trouble with our families?"
"Speak for yourself," Scootaloo said with a shrug. "Mine are actually quite normal this time."
"First time fr' everything," Applebloom muttered. "Anyway, uh, we were wondering whether it was some kind of Loop Variant or something. And you're the Anchor... anything unusual about this Loop?"
Twilight frowned. "Not that I'm aware of, beyond what I've already told you... why, is something up?"
Sweetie presented her flank. "Look!"
Twilight looked.
"...there's nothing there," she said hesitantly. "Unless you got invisibility cutie marks?"
"Don't think so," the songstress said. "And I tried doing some music, too."
"I made a giant robot," Applebloom said. "It fell apart."
"And doing ramps in my scooter didn't work either," Scootaloo completed. "Normally that's enough to get me marked, but..."
Twilight's expression went unreadable for a moment. "That does sound like a problem," she said instead. "What about going alicorn? I remember usually..."
She trailed off.
"We ain't able t' test it," Applebloom sighed. "Two Loops back. We got killed in the middle of doing something impressive and lost the necklaces."
The Anchor gasped. "Are the Founders-"
"They're fine," Sweetie assured her. "But they got pulled back into our minds – we kinda need new ones, but Diamond Tiara built the chassis for our last ones and we'd kinda prefer that quality. Clover doesn't mind waiting a few Loops."
Twilight let out a whoosh of relieved air. "Thank teak, I was worried that they'd – you know."
"Pansy says she begs leave to inform you that it kind of stung," Scootaloo reported.
Twilight smiled. "Well, if she can joke she's clearly not too badly off... okay, I'll do what research I can. I'm sorry I don't have an answer for you that works."
"It ain't no biggie," Applebloom said.
"But," the Anchor went on. "Can't you just use your Element necklaces and crown?"
The Cutie Mark Crusaders (core group) froze.
"...no, we didn't think of that," Applebloom admitted. "Perhaps -"
"Pastries are here!" Spike called, and the shop bell dingled. "Pinkie gave us seven for the price of four, because she said there were six ponies that needed cheering up. Any idea what she meant?"
Scootaloo coughed.
"Not really," Twilight said, taking the bags in her telekinetic grip. "Probably just Pinkie being Pinkie."
"Sorry, girls," Twilight said, shrugging her new wings.
"This just ain't fair," Applebloom said, kicking at the floor. "I mean, what the hay kind of Loop even is this?"
"One where the baseline's fighting back," the newly reminted Alicorn said. "I couldn't ascend up until when I was supposed to..."
"Has this happened before?" Sweetie asked. "I mean – you've got more experience with Loops than the rest of us..."
"Well, sometimes," Twilight shrugged. "I've certainly run into the odd one where something's bound and determined to happen, like when that chest finally opened... but that was a kind of half-Awake haze, and you're all fully Awake."
"Speak for..." Scootaloo yawned. "Yourself..."
She shook her head. "Sorry, didn't get much sleep last night..."
"Sleepless nights excepted," Twilight agreed. "Anyway, if that is what's going on then... you've got a choice. Do we go along with it or try to break it?"
"Option three," Scootaloo declared, focusing. "We find Discord and get him to stop... huh."
Twilight's expression was a question in itself.
"He's not Awake," Scootaloo explained. "I thought for sure this'd be his doing."
"Well, if it ain't him, then..." Applebloom sighed. "We go along with it for now, I vote."
"Agreed," Sweetie said. "Unless it turns out it's trying to make us do something completely, unambiguously stupid."
"Well, I was planning on seeing if Gilda would mind some unofficial under-the-table Equestrian help with the Griffinstone situation - if that's where the Griffins are this Loop," Twilight clarified. "So... baseline?"
"Fine," Scootaloo agreed. "But I kinda want to do the long-jump at the Games anyway."
"I'll enter you for it," Twilight agreed. "You'll be good at it, actually..."
The soft, sparkling light faded.
"What just-" Applebloom began, looking around. "That felt... uh..."
"Kinda familiar," Sweetie finished the sentence. "But it wasn't exactly the same - what is it, Scoots?"
Scootaloo pointed.
Sweetie looked at her flank.
"What the..."
It was a cutie mark.
It wasn't the musical-note cutie mark she was used to, though there was a pink note device at the core. It wasn't any of the hundredfold variations she'd had over the course of the Loops, nor the 'true' version that adorned the flank of her alicorn self.
But, at the same time... the purple star on its three-colour shield felt more right than anything else she'd ever seen.
Neither of the others were looking at it any more, though. They'd turned to their own flanks, and seen something almost like the mirror of Sweetie's new mark – the same shield, but an apple for the earth pony and a feather for the pegasus.
And, as she'd had a musical note, Scootaloo had a stark pink lightning-flash and Applebloom a simple pink heart.
"Now that ain't normal at all..." Applebloom managed.
"Yeah, but..." Scootaloo took another look. "It kind of feels like it is."
"You've got your cutie marks," Diamond Tiara said. She blinked, and looked confused for a moment – then broke into a broad smile.
"Congratulations!"
"Sure, now that we got cutie marks, she's all -" Scootaloo began to mutter, then got shushed by Applebloom as Tiara was still speaking.
"I was wondering how long it would take," she went on. "But – well, I suppose you had to luck out some time."
"Luck out?" Sweetie repeated, sounding confused rather than outraged. "Luck -"
She stopped.
"Are you Awake?"
"She's not, I checked–" Scootaloo began, and then Tiara materialized an Element of Generosity and the pegasus rather abruptly had to eat her words.
"I wasn't until about a minute ago," Diamond explained, taking pity on them and letting her Element dissolve again. "But Silver and I ran into this expansion before. We didn't tell you back when we met in Hogwarts, because I thought it'd be better as a surprise."
"You knew about this back then?" Applebloom asked. "An' y'all didn't think to tell us?"
Tiara gave a broad, happy grin. "Of course I didn't tell you - why would I spoil the surprise?"
"...okay, fine," Applebloom muttered. "But this is gonna be strange to get used to... think we can do either baseline?"
"I'm still not clear what this one even means," Scootaloo admitted.
"Oh, dear, and you worked mine out..." Tiara said, shaking her head. "It's obvious. The ability to help others find their marks. That's why it's tri-coloured – you helped one another, and you help others."
"Oh, right!" Sweetie said. "So the outer layer is our teamwork, the middle layer's what we are, and the inner core is who we are, too. Deep down."
They considered that.
"I still think engineering's pretty good," Applebloom said, shrugging. "But this one feels nice too."
She glanced at Tiara. "Mind if I use this to mess with your baseline self next time around?"
"Oh, please do," Tiara shrugged. "I'll be the first to admit I need a bit of a kick in the flank..."
159.7 (Vinylshadow)
Luna woke up with a massive yawn. Getting out of bed, she stumbled to her window and drew back the curtains to a most interesting sight.
Changelings buzzed around Canterlot, but instead of terrorizing the populace, they appeared to be handing out small paperback books.
Her curiosity aroused, Luna opened her window and whistled to a Changeling.
It - she, if the fins were anything to go by - flew over.
"Hi! We're selling the newest volume of The Changeling Queen, would you like a copy?"
Luna took the offered book and blinked, all traces of sleep gone. Adorning the cover of the volume was Chrysalis wearing something Luna vaguely recognized as a Magical Girl uniform, tailored for quadrupeds. Also on the cover was the Smooze. Luna arched an eyebrow.
"How many volumes of this series are there?" she asked.
"Thirteen, and we've started a spin-off series based on an alternate scene from volume 10," the Changeling said happily.
Luna was silent for a moment before she spoke. "I don't suppose you have the first volume on you?"
Several days later, Celestia knocked on her sister's door.
"Luna? Are you feeling alright?"
When her sister didn't answer, Celestia opened the door.
"Lulu? Are you..." her voice trailed off into stunned silence.
Luna was curled up on her bed, horn glowing softly as she watched a quill zoom across a scroll. She pricked her ears and looked up.
"Hello, Celly. Sorry I haven't been around. I'm a little busy at the moment."
Celestia could only nod dumbly, staring at the posters of characters from the wildly popular The Changeling Queen series that covered her sister's walls.
Well played, Chrysalis... Celestia thought in bemusement.
Of course, she'd later deny her collection of paraphernalia was much larger than her sister's.
159.8 (Sonic Raynboom + Vinylshadow)
"Cornilight?"
"Yes, Raricob?"
"Why are we each a piece of corn?"
"It's a bad pun, Raricob. A very bad pun."
Raricob snickered. "Cornilight. Corny Light."
Twilight angrily popped her kernels.
"When you become an alicorn, will you be Twilicorn?" asked Raricob.
Twilight's kernels popped harder.
159.9 (Masterweaver)
Thoughtfully stroking the mane of her pet, the queen looked at the prisoner her guards had brought.
"Subjects," she drawled imperiously, "leave the throne room. I shall deal with this one... personally."
Quaking in silent terror, the room emptied, one or two sympathetic glances surreptitiously shot toward the chained individual. In mere moments the doors were shut; only the guards, the prisoner, the queen, and her pet remained.
After a moment, she leaned forward. "Well?"
"...Chrysalis, what the bark is going on here?"
"Ah, a feisty one. So interesting--"
"Come on, Chrysy, we both know you're Awake." Gilda pointed at the mare next to the queen. "Trixie wouldn't have agreed to this if you weren't, and your drones made a freaking Star Wars reference while bringing me here."
The changeling queen let out a sigh and leaned back. "In that case, I apologize for the chains. I just needed to make sure you were Awake before I decided how to handle you." She gestured to one of the drones, who stepped forward and started unlocking Gilda's shackles. "As for my presence... well, this is a bit of a project of mine."
The griffon shook her talon, rubbing at her wrist for a moment. "Really? Taking over Griffonstone?"
"Ah-ah-ah, I'm revitalizing Griffonstone." Chrysalis shrugged. "The takeover is mostly to ensure that I get the attention of the griffons. I've already ordered several civic projects started – well funded, of course, so that the griffons don't get too uppity at being ordered about. I've already had the central aquifers rebuilt, did you notice that?"
"Yeah, I did. So, what, you forcefully improve the standard of living, and...?"
"And," Chrysalis continued, "as much as the griffons resent me right now, as their lives improve they'll grow to appreciate what I've done for them, becoming very fond of me – and my changelings, of course," she added.
Gilda let out a little 'ah' of comprehension. "So they'll love you for what you've done. Mutually beneficial situation. Alright, I getcha there. Couple of questions, though." She pointed at Trixie again. "One, what is she wearing and why?"
"Trixie designed this herself," the mare replied. "It is meant to evoke the feeling of subjectivity to the queen, in both the positive sense of being adored and beautiful in her eyes and the aggressive sense of rebellion having potentially lethal consequences."
"No, I got the whole 'slave girl' thing, I was wondering about the feathers."
"That was supposed to symbolize griffons who attempted to resist and failed," Trixie explained. "The whole 'so beneath me I gave their pelts to my pet' sort of thing."
"Bones would work better for that," Gilda pointed out. "Right now you just look floofy. Alluring, but floofy."
"Noted."
"Secondly," the griffon continued, turning back to Chrysalis, "again, why the chains?"
"Right now I'm still in the domineering overlord segment of my plan," the changeling queen explained. "Since you left Griffonstone, you could--in theory--be the kind of griffon that led an uprising, so if I were the domineering overlord I appear to be I would, in fact, be obligated to bring you before me in chains and break your spirit. So basically appearances."
"Alright, makes sense. Send me warning next time, and I'll be your secret agent or something."
"Fair enough."
"Thirdly," Gilda finished, "speaking of rebels, what do you do when some griffon comes to kill you?"
"Basically I battle them one on one until they're down. Then, depending on how they did, I assign them community service somewhere or other." Chrysalis shrugged. "Usually border patrol or something like that."
"...You ran away from a fight with a dragon!"
"Just because I can't take a dragon doesn't mean I can't take a Nonlooping griffon. I'm much better at dueling than monster slaying."
159.10 (Masterweaver)
"Spike, does this dress make me look fat?"
"There is a bit of bulge around the barrel, but it's pretty obviously ruffles. If anything, the excess makes you look a bit underweight."
"Thank you, dear. A designer needs to know these things."
159.11 (Masterweaver)
Applejack stared.
Macintosh stared right back, sheer force of will keeping him from blushing.
"...So."
"...Eeeyup."
"...Just to be clear here, you're... still male."
"Eeeyup."
After a moment, Applejack shrugged. "As long as you're comfortable, Ah guess Ah can't stop you. Little weirded out, yeah, but this isn't the strangest thing the Loops have thrown at me."
Macintosh released a breath he didn't know he'd been holding. "Well... thanks for not freaking out, Ah suppose."
His sister looked over the dress he was wearing. "Trust me, Mac, Ah'm freaking out on the inside."
159.12: (Masterweaver)
Oh sweet tree, not this again...
Nyx turned to the cultists with a frown. "No, I will not bring about eternal night. Nor will I kill and or torture your enemies. That was all a phase, and I'm perfectly fine with my life as it is thank you. Now please, release me from this summoning circle. I was in the middle of making pancakes for my mother."
The hooded ponies were silent, presumably in shock.
"I'm serious, I left the stove on, and if the house burns down on my watch she's going to be really mad."
"...I was sure I got the sigils right," one of the figures muttered, rapidly flicking through a book.
"Maybe we used the wrong blood for the offering?" another suggested. "I mean, she might like less, uh, pure blood--"
"Is that what this is?" Nyx asked, looking down at the bowl at her hooves with disgust. "Ew! I don't drink blood! I prefer celery soup, thank you."
159.13: (Masterweaver)
Celestia had just finished her construction when Twilight Sparkle teleported into her chambers. This was most unusual, given that her chambers were specially enchanted to prevent such occurrences, and that Twilight had apparently grown a new pair of wings.
"Ah, Twilight! What a pleasant surprise--"
"No."
Celestia blinked. "Um... what?"
"No," Twilight repeated. "You are not going to use that device. You are going to disassemble it right now."
The white alicorn looked to her unfathomable machine. "Twilight, I'm far older than you are and--"
"No."
"...Yes, I am--"
"Time loop."
"...all right, fair enough," Celestia conceded. A time loop would explain Twilight's odd behavior. "Still, as the solar princess I do have some privileges--"
"This is going to end horribly for you and all of Equestria," Twilight replied. "Disassemble the love bomb now."
159.14: (Evilhumour)
"But you must!" the alicorn in the window pleaded.
"I said no!" the foal in the bedroom yelled back.
"Luna," Twilight shouted, her mane splintering around with bloodshot eyes. "We're trying to sleep, so stop bugging my daughter to take over your job so you can prank your sister!" Twilight was also annoyed, as someone stole her spray bottle and thus lacked the ability to spray ponies who needed it with the righteous cold water of justice and logic.
"....She is my daughter too," Luna said slowly, looking from side to side. "She should spend more time with me too."
"As long as Nyx wants to go with you and you don't fob over your work to her, then be my guest!" Twilight snapped, walking back up to her bedroom.
"So...do you wish to come with me, Nyxie?" Luna said weakly before Nyx pulled out Twilight's enchanted spray bottle and blasted Luna to the moon in a roaring torrent of water.
Slamming the door open, Twilight looked at her daughter snoring loudly in her bed, the massive rainstorm leading out of her window and the spray bottle that Nyx quickly pushed out of her hooves and went back to snoring loudly.
Twilight stared at her daughter, who had the decency to crack a serpent eye open at her, before sighing. "I don't care, Nyxie, I'm going back to bed and deal with Ivory and Luna in the morning."
"'Night, momma."
"'Night, dear." With that, Twilight closed the door to her daughter's room and went back to her comfy bed to sleep.
159.15: (Evilhumour)
"So, Luna," Celestia drawled out, looking at the city on fire, where ponies panicked as the Royal Guards did their best to enforce order. "You are telling me your hunger suddenly gained sapience and did all of this?"
"Of course, Celestia," Luna said a bit too quickly, eyes darting back and forth. "What do you think it was?"
"Oh, I don't know, maybe a certain princess decided to go on a bender, considering she is still drinking her cider loudly in my ear!"
Luna dashed away, her cask spinning in a circle as she ran off into the distance with Celestia chasing after her, leaving the black alicorn filly to facehoof. Her loyal fear cloud attempted to mimic the motion, but ended up resembling a large teacup.
159.16: (Alex Prior)
"Hayburger?"
Chrysalis sighed. "Remind me why was this a good idea again?"
"Because Trixie is helping Cady with her coffee machine and we decided to "get out of the way", so to speak?"
"Yes, I know that part. Why lunch?"
"Why not?"
Chrysalis was feeling conflicted. On the one hoof, it was greasy food which she liked. On the other, it felt like a date with a stallion she'd once loved (and gotten over, mind you.) She looked him in the eye. "Why are we here?"
With a sigh, Shining put the burgers away. "You were married to me once." He received a deadpan look. He sighed. "You're not that over it, are you?" He held up a burger. "We're friends having lunch while our other halves are dealing with something that's probably explosive." Shining shrugged. "Let's not make it awkward."
"You're the one that brought it up."
"Because I could see it written in your face."
"...No it wasn't."
"It still is." He levitated a pocket mirror up. "Look for yourself."
With slight bemusement, she read 'was once married to Shining Armor' on her forehead. She facehooved. "I knew he was up to something..."
Shining shrugged again. "He gets bored from time to time. Have I told you about the time..."
Discord, having disguised himself as a nearby gargoyle, grinned. He loved it when a plan came together...
159.17: (Rowan Ex)
"...and because of that, you got chaos by tails and chickens?" Silver Spoon asked.
Sweetie flicked her tail, causing a chicken to fly past them. "Yeah, but sometimes good ol' Tree gives those Nesting Doll Loops a slight difficulty as well, you know, we Loop, then it usually takes 100 Loops just to end that Nesting Doll Loop…"
"'Those Nesting Doll Loops?'" Silver asked, raising an eyebrow.
Sweetie flicked her tail again. "Variants, and that."
"Oh." The two then looked at Discord who was currently trying to contain a chickenado. "Hey, want to help Discord?"
Sweetie spun her tail ninety degrees. All of a sudden, all of the chickens hopped into Discord's head and vanished in a variety of colored feathers. The Spirit of Chaos looked at the two before he snapped his talons, causing tree sap to fall at them.
"Hmph." Discord walked away as he snapped his talons again, causing the tree sap to disappear. "That's for the chickens."
159.18: (Kris Overstreet)
Rarity looked over the rim of her glasses at Sassy Saddles, who shifted uncomfortably on her chair. "As grateful as I am that you volunteered your services so soon after the announcement of the Canterlot Boutique," she said, "I hope you understand that this job interview is no formality. It simply wouldn't be fair to either of us to enter into a long-term business arrangement without understanding one another's goals and intentions."
"Of course not," Sassy Saddles replied, a touch of nervousness in her tone.
Rarity gave a second look at the slender, well-bred Canterlot unicorn fidgeting on the other side of the desk. What, she asked herself, what, what, WHAT possessed my unAwake self to hire this mare, sight unseen, and put my career in her hooves based solely on a padded resume? I admit I am a trusting soul at heart, even by pony standards, if I do say so myself. But how could I have built a business from scratch in - I love Ponyville dearly, but the truth must be told - a cultural backwater, and earned enough money to open a shop in the most expensive city in all Equestria, with business skills like THAT? Hayseed Turniptruck has more savvy than that, for fir's sake! Was I bit with some kind of mosquito carrying Stupid-itis?
Calm down, Rarity. You're beginning to sound like Pinkie or Dash. Now is the time to be professional. Ms. Prim and Proper. Ms. Primmy Prim-Prim Properson of the Primville Propersons.
Oh, dear. Well, I'm not sounding like Rainbow Dash anymore, at least. Fifty percent success.
"Let us begin with your education," she said aloud, grateful her internal monologue hadn't leaked through her muzzle. "A degree in business arts with a focus in marketing, I see. Any classes in dressmaking? Fashion? Any artistic studies at all?"
"Good Celestia, no!" Sassy Saddles laughed, an edge just barely noticeable. "I love fashion - I used to say fashion is my passion, but I used that line to promote one of my former employers - but it's my love, not my talent. My dream is simply to run the greatest fashion boutique in all Equestria."
And how does one do that without understanding the artistic mindset, my dear? Rarity asked in the privacy of her head. Did that leak out? No, she didn't react. Good. "We'll come back to that point," Rarity said carefully. "Moving on, when you contacted me you said you had a business plan already prepared that would catapult the Canterlot Boutique to the top of the Equestrian fashion scene."
"Oh, yes!" Sassy Saddles levitated a large scroll over the desk and unrolled it. "It's a simple plan designed to maximize both profits and market share while making your name the talk of the town!"
"I see," Rarity said, looking down the illustrations. "We begin with the boutique, looking nice and classy."
"Beautify the Boutique," Sassy Saddles nodded. "And then, once we have an establishment fashionable ponies will want to enter, we move on to Marketing to the Mares!"
"Quite so," Rarity nodded. "We must let ponies know the boutique exists, after all."
"Not that kind of marketing," Sassy Saddles said. "We find out what mares want and base our product line around that!"
"Aaaah," Rarity nodded. "Well, as it happens, being that I spend rather a lot of time following fashion trends and artistic styles, I believe I have that step covered, thank you." Sassy Saddles looked ready to interrupt, so Rarity overrode any possible response. "Moving on again, we see a picture of my friend Twilight Sparkle. Might I ask what this represents?"
"Celebrity Status," Sassy Saddles replied. "It's well-known that fashionable ponies want to wear things that celebrities wear. And you happen to be friends with the four greatest celebrities Equestria has! So if we can get one of them to wear one of your dresses at our grand opening -"
"Ah, yes," Rarity interrupted. "That leads directly into this cluster of ponyquins all wearing the same dress. I presume this would be whichever garment my friend would be wearing?"
"The Success of the Signature Dress," Sassy Saddles nodded. "With everyone buying and wearing your design, your name will-"
"EXCUSE me," Rarity cut in. "Design? Singular?"
"Er, yes," Sassy Saddles said. "That's what a signature dress is, you see? And then we go to the Assembly Line, where we get you away from the sewing machine entirely and leave you to design the next signature dress!"
Rarity didn't do Fluttershy's Stare. She did, however, have a decent disappointed expression which her reading glasses magnified. "My dear," she said carefully, "have you even considered that, just perhaps, I do not wish to be parted from my sewing machine?"
"Er... but that's only manual labor," Sassy Saddles replied.
"It is a vital part of the creative process," Rarity said. "A creative process which you do not seem to understand, especially since every step of your business plan from the second item on works to destroy that very creative process." Taking the chart into her own magical grip, she brought it closer so she could point at each item. "Rather than pushing the creative envelope, as Rainbow Dash might say, you put the creative decisions in the hands of the public. You then push a product which might not itself be a fine masterwork by associating it with a popular figure- and, in the process, put a strain on my friendships by pressuring my friends to support my business. Then you mass-market a single design, ensuring that the thought on everypony's mind will be, 'Ho-hum, I've seen that before. That Rarity, she's a one-trick pony.' This is not fashion, this is a fad!" With a dramatic flourish she crumpled up the floating scroll and dashed it to the boutique floor. "This is not a business plan for a fashion boutique. This is how you DESTROY a fashion boutique!"
Sassy Saddles sat back in her chair, the large eyes on her narrow face full of sadness and fear.
"Employment history!" Rarity snapped. "Seven years ago, Double Pleat's Sweet and Elite. Where is it now?"
"It... closed," Sassy Saddles admitted quietly.
"Five years ago, Prench Lace's Discreet Designs. Where is it?"
"Closed."
"Four years ago, Beau Brummule's Business Best. Where is it?"
"Closed." Sassy Saddles' voice barely rose above a whisper, trying to crawl under the carpet and hide.
"Two years ago, Charles-Yves-Pierre-Soult-Sans-Brilliat-Savarin-Ferdinand-Thomas-Richard-Henri-Manfried-Mot-Jacques-Rocquefort Pony IV's Castle Couture. Your previous employment. Where is it now?"
"Er... it fell over, burned down, and then sank into a swamp," Sassy Saddles confessed. "Mr. Pony grew a little bit... er... peculiar towards the end of our association."
"And I know, because I looked it up, that all of those boutiques were busy right until the moment they closed. But Double Pleat is now a humble seamstress in Trottingham, Prench Lace left the industry entirely, Beau Brummule has become a notorious salt addict, and CYP-double-S-BSFTRH-double-M-JR Pony makes his designs in crayon on the walls of his padded cell at Celestia's Home for the Lamentably Peculiar!"
"I thought it was... just... you know, the artistic mindset," Sassy Saddles moaned.
"It IS!" Rarity's hoof slammed onto the desk. "That's what happens when the artistic mindset is constantly thwarted, forced to repeat the same thing, day in, day out, without satisfaction!" Rarity stopped herself from adding the words And it is all your fault to the end of that sentence. Sassy Saddles trembled in that chair, trying to curl in on herself. No, she was cornered now; time to lead her out of the corner, hooves on the right path.
"Miss Saddles," Rarity said in a much softer, gentler voice, "we designers enter this business not for the money but for the joy of matching the right clothes to the right pony. It is the joy of creation which raises us from mere tailors and dressmakers to the leaders of Equestrian fashion. When ponies come to us, they aren't simply looking to buy a dress. They are hiring the personalized services of a highly talented individual. They are hiring our vision, our imagination, our eye detail... and above all else, they are hiring our personal attention to the needs and desires of the customer. We charge top bit for those services. When we force the customer into a cookie-cutter solution for their image, we are short-changing the customer. We are also short-changing ourselves."
Taking off her glasses, Rarity stepped down from her chair and walked around the desk to Sassy Saddles' side. "I know this is a lot to take in at once," she said gently. "And it's the sort of thing which gets short shrift in business school. This is why I'm going to take you to stay with me in Ponyville for a couple of weeks to see how it works in practice. Once you understand Rarity's Rules of Time, Love and Couture, then you'll be prepared to operate my Canterlot Boutique."
Sassy Saddles blinked. "You mean... you mean I'm hired?"
"Provided you take that plan of yours away and burn it somewhere, yes," Rarity nodded. "You obviously have skills if you can make and keep a boutique profitable despite the, er, displeasure of the designers. And the Canterlot and Manehattan fashion scene dote on your ability to spot the coming thing. Once you understand the importance of the personal touch and the creative spirit, I can't imagine any manager in all of fashion could hold a candle to you!"
First Coco, and now Sassy, Rarity thought. These baseline expansions seem to have a theme of my redeeming well-meaning ponies. And indeed, it is the generous thing to do.
But I'd much rather not blunder into it through a traumatic experience, thank you, Yggdrasil. Perhaps you could just drop them on my doorstep in a basket with a note on the handle? Otherwise I might end up being the basket case. Thanks ever so, amen.
"Incidentally," she added, "I occasionally experiment in unusual materials for fabric. Do you have any phobias I should know about? Spiders? Water? Heights? Fundamental forces? Abstract concepts made manifest in tangible form? I won't tell anypony else, but it is really quite important that I know."
159.19 (Kris Overstreet)
"Broderbund Bonds and Bounty, this is Ralph."
"Good evening, Ralph. This is Rarity. I'm just calling to let you know that I found Carmen Sandiego."
"You WHAT?" the voice on the other end of the phone shrieked.
The master thief leaned over to the phone and cooed, "It's true. She found me."
"Not particularly difficult if one has an eye for detail and a snazzy wardrobe," Rarity added, stepping away from the handcuffed thief.
"Where are you?" Ralph asked frantically. "The statute of limitations expires in ninety minutes! I'll send a car right over to-"
"I'm at LAX, darling," Rarity said. "I just called to let you know I'm letting her go."
Carmen blinked as a key floated behind her. The locks on her cuffs went click.
"YOU WHAT??"
"Next time don't mock a lady's costume changes, dear," Rarity said. "Ta-ta!" She slammed the pay phone back on its hook.
"Well, congratulations," Carmen said, handing the cuffs back to Rarity. "You're the seventh Looper to successfully track me down and capture me, not counting those kids in my home Loop."
"Oh, dear," sighed Rarity. "Only seventh?"
"Well, you act like it's a large number," Carmen replied. "Not counting robotic or cybernetic Loopers in a surveillance state... let's see, the last one was that Goodwin chap, though I understand his boss is Looping too. Before him was Inspector Zenigata, not that he was actually aiming for me you understand. Wrong place, wrong time."
"Yes, I've met the younger Lupin," Rarity said. "I hadn't been aware the Inspector was Looping, though."
"Before him was Mr. Bond. That was... entertaining." Carmen smiled a smug little smile before continuing, "And before that it was the redoubtable Mr. Holmes. You know, the look on his face when he just barely fails to catch me is almost as beautiful as when he actually did?"
"I wouldn't know."
"Ah, yes. Before that, of course, was Saotome. If Ranma ever decides on a career of Looping crime, my dear, I shall have to hang up the trenchcoat."
"Never!" Rarity gasped, looking the beautiful burgundy coat up and down.
"And of course, the very first one to capture me was my dearest, darling Waldo."
Rarity blinked. "Waldo? Who's Waldo?"
"You haven't heard of Waldo?" Carmen asked. "Shy chap, loves red and white stripes, carries a cane, wears glasses-"
"THAT Waldo?" Rarity asked. "But - but he's just - I mean he does - he's not a detective at all!"
"It doesn't matter," Carmen shrugged helplessly. "How can you run from a man when, no matter where you go, there he is?"
159.20 (BIOS-Pherecydes)
It was a quiet Loop in Big Mac's Bar; other than him, only Berry Punch and the Visiting Looper Ruby Rose occupied the room. Idly cleaning his glass, Mac observed the duo as they waited. Berry, as was typical of her, was thinking up a new drink for future Loops; fully immersed in her creative process, she was hardly aware of anything else. Ruby herself was sipping a glass of non-alcoholic Apple Acres Cider as she disassembled and reassembled her scythe, testing to see if any part of it needed maintenance.
The sound of the door opening and a flash of sun drew the group's attention as Applejack made her way into the bar. Wiping the sweat from her brow she gave the trio a friendly grin as she pulled up a seat. "Howdy, ya'll. Now, I'm sure yer wonderin' why Ah asked ya two to meet me here, so Ah'll just skip to the point. Not that long ago, Ah had a Loop where Ah Replaced that Gilgamesh fella from Shirou's Branch."
Abruptly both sets of eyes were fixed firmly upon the Earth Pony with laser focus.
"You mean Gilgamesh 'I own all the best weapons since ever' Gilgamesh?" Ruby asked excitedly.
"The same Gilgamesh who has the Conceptual Existence of wine fit for a god by the barrel?" Berry continued, all but drooling at the idea.
"Heh. The very same. And jest before the Loop ended, Ah jest so happened to empty the Gate of Appylon into mah Pocket. Ya'll two wouldn't happen ta be interested in a little trade now would ya?"
Mac was surprised the two didn't break their necks from how rapidly they were nodding.
"Free drinks! On my tab, for the next hundred - no, thousand Loops! And half my blackmail folder!" Berry yelled, almost falling over herself to get ahoof of the legendary liquor. The things she could create! The drinks she could mix! The wine she could drink! There was no way she could allow this opportunity to slip from her hooves.
"Hooey! Ah'd have ta be a dang fool to pass up that kinda offer. Ya'll got yerself a deal." Applejack replied, spitting on the frog of her hoof and extending it forward. Berry didn't hesitate, repeating the gesture and bumping Applejack's hoof in agreement.
While Berry began scrawling new plans for her recent purchase, Applejack turned to Ruby. "As one Museum Curator to another, Ah'll make ya a deal. If'n Ah ever need any help with maintainin' all the techno gadgets Applebloom 's got stashed everywhere, ya'll agree to help me out, ya hear?"
Ruby nodded eagerly.
"And also Ah wouldn't mind gettin a bit a that there Dust Ah know ya keep taking from that Torchwick feller. Ah'm kinda curious if Ah ken use mah Earth Pony magic to grow different kinds a apples in it."
Almost before Applejack had finished speaking Ruby had pulled out several crates of Dust that she had 'liberated' from Roman. "Is this enough? I have more, do you want more?"
Applejack gave a laugh. "That there's plenty, thanks. Ah think this calls fer a celebration. But uh, since ya'll don't drink... Hey Mac, break out the good Cider will ya?" she called out over her shoulder.
Mac paused from his cleaning and gave a languid nod. "Eeyup."
"Thanks. Since Berry here has agreed to give me free drinks, ya'll ken go ahead and put it on mah tab. We'll talk later 'bout them Noble Phantasms and such."
Ruby grinned appreciatively and gave a salute. "Right."
Watching as the Huntress all but skipped over to the counter where Mac poured her a mug of his best (non-alcoholic) Cider, Applejack gave a good-natured grin before turning back to the still-out-of-it Berry. Nudging her withers a bit, she pulled her brother's helper from her fantasies. "There was one other thing Ah wanted to talk about. Ta try and redeem mah good name after the... Potato Acid incident. Ah think Ah've proven since then that Ah ken still brew a good drink with the best of em, but that still sticks in mah craw like nothin' else so Ah felt that Ah needed to do somethin' 'bout it.
"A long time back Ah had mahself a right doozy of a Loop involvin' SCIENCE! and Discorded Lemons. Ah ended up buildin' a super collider to get me some yeast quarks that Ah could ferment ta make 110 or more percent pure alcohol, although honestly that don't rightly make sense when ya stop an think 'bout it. Called it Large Hadron Cider. Point is, Ah figur'd out how to build it without having mah head all twisted 'bout and Ah thought Ah should share it with ya. If'n ya'll agree ta make sure everypony knows where ya got it from and ta stop talkin' bout the Potato Acid, Ah'll let ya have the instructions fer it."
Berry stared for several moments before she grabbed Applejack in a hug. She had made quite a few drinks over the course of the Loops, even the one which allowed her to ascend, but the number of them which could transcend the typical boundaries of natural physics numbered less than a dozen, and of them only the 307 Ale could be produced using standard equipment found in the Baseline. And even then, it was neither easy or cheap to create a tesseract in which to brew the powerful liquor. Not that bits had been a problem ever since she started Looping, but still.
Yet here she was, being offered a device which would allow her to brew alcohol which was potent all the way down to the subatomic level. That opened an entirely new avenue of fermentation research to her delighted mind, and already questions were beginning to swirl around her head involving the possible results from combining the Tesseract Still she used for her 307 Ale and the supercollider for the Large Hadron Cider.
She couldn't wait to start working. She had so many new ideas to try, she was practically giddy. And it was all because of the Apple Acre farmpony before her. As far as she was concerned Applejack had just become her new best friend.
Applejack laughed. "Ah take it that's a yes, then. C'mon, grab a seat and Ah'll pour us a glass. Careful, though, it packs a mighty powerful wallop at first."
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159.1 (Evilhumour, Gamerex27)
Good to see we're keeping in the spirit of Past Sins...with Twilight relatively useless, easily distracted, unable to help anypony, or failing when she tries. Maybe someday one of these stories will actually convince me that Twilight is a good parent instead of pushing that task onto other ponies.
Gods help the looping investigators if those two ever work together.
... An I the only one who wants to see that Gravity Falls loop fleshed out into a full story?
159.4
Now I have to wonder if Scootaloo's ever gone through her G3.5 role
Same goes for Sweetie Belle ("I was born from what?!")
Knowing the scope and size of the MLP Loops...probably
Oh yeah.
Fair point.
Poor guy.
Do.
This is confusing.
Agreed.
Heh.
Heh.
I can see why.
Oh dear.
Ah. Clever.
*groans*
*snickers*
Clever.
Fair enough.
True...
Clever way of phrasing it, Spike.
Ah yes, THAT episode.
Don't think blood even tastes that good.
I, don't want to know.
Well played.
YES. ALL the yes.
This amuses me.
I, see...
Heh.
This is great.
I can imagine. I wish we could see that loop.
... Well played.
Oh dear...
I liked the one with Sassy Saddles.
6589895
Actually, the one with the dress was written before Brotherhooves Social. Or any of the teasers.
Oh, for -
He is only called Waldo in the US of A. Literally everywhere else in the world - notably his country of origin - he is called Wally. You would think the loopers would know that.
The parts from the more recent episodes were funny. The part about Crusaders of the lost mark was great.
I assume that there is already an explanation as to why Cadance's pregnancy is possible in the loops by now.
6590327 She obviously met his American version. Similar to the first, but wears blue skies and whistles the National Anthem while at airports.
Carmen Sandiego and Waldo are the ultimate pairing!!!
In mother Russia, Waldo find you.
159.1: Oh Nyx...and go Rarity
159.2 Boop!
159.3: Definitely
159.4: Nope, no dramatic irony here!
159.5 Oops
159.6: Very nice
159.7: Write what you know n___n
159.8: Bwehehehe.
159.9: Very intelligently done. And dragons do not equal nonlooping griffons
159.10: Boys, notice this. Girls, accept the damn answer
159.11 Aw Aj you silly:P
159.12: Inferior blood too.
159.13: Is this from a fic?
159.14 Silly Luna, fear the spraybottle
159.15: Very much so.
159.16 D'aw
159.17: Very nice
159.18: Oh god yes, vet them thoroughly.
159.19: Oh Waldo.
159.20: Beautiful. Though, they're charging for drinks now?
159.6 =
Oh boy I do like the idea of Waldo and Carmen Sandiego getting together.
159.18:
As a general rule the more someone identifies with the label "artist" the less they understand mass appeal. This is why marketing is a thing; someone needs to be an intermediary.
Saddles' business plan works quite well for anything that isn't tailor made, individualized pieces. You can make a successful boutique selling mass produced designs of high quality. But, you're not going to be selling those designs to the same customers that are willing to drop a small fortune on a single piece. The conflict wasn't over a good business model against a failed one, it was over who the customer base was.
I wonder what the legend of the king of Heroes looked like that loop. Also, if by some shenanigans Gilgy somehow gets looping, who thinks he would ragecrash the next few loops after finding out about this? Oh crap, looping Gilgy vs looping Ruby Rose. The two weapon nuts, Ea vs Super War Corgi, twin anti-world weapons, place your bets.
159.20: Hah! It's been ages since I read Contraptionology!, but it remains one of my all-time faves.
Was 159.17 a variant with the A little loopy fimfic?
I hope she will use her new understanding of chaos magic in her new projects.
6590327 Yo, bruh, chill out.
Bruh.
Bruh.
Bruh.
If you're going to call somebody out on getting something geographically wrong, you might want to do the research yourself. He's originally called Wally in England and subsequently in many other countries, yes.
but The US is not the only country that calls him Waldo. And besides, this is a fanfiction written mainly by Americans, it's easy to assume that their US-centric world view left them thinking that calling him 'Wally' might confuse some readers that don't know of his origins.
So calm yourself friend, and consider that maybe your own US-centric world view isn't something to get upset at other people about.
ugh. sorry, but this line made me think of a totally evil kid i knew in school...to say he was proud of being irredeemably evil would be an understatement! he made me life a living hell for years, and the ONLY reason he got away with a single SECOND of it was because...his father was a teacher there. and what is he doing now? he's a TEACHER AT THAT SAME SCHOOL!
oh, but that's not the worst part: it's a privately run religious school! no, i'm not kidding, THE most evil person i've ever known is a teacher at a CHURCH-RUN SCHOOL!
Okay, I have to admit. Rarity being there to help Nyx so much through this trying time, having the strongest experience with a romantic experience is without a doubt, extremely well done and much better than the second chapter of this little tale for sure. Admittedly, the fact that Sleipnir himself decided to jump in order to show his support for Nyx was unfourtantely poorly undercut by the gag at the end. (Especially as ponies don't typically wear anything. Why would they divide between mares and stallions at the spar?), and I feel like Twilight should have been allowed to help out a lot more... but either way, very well done.
159.10 was a nice subversion through, and Applejack with all of Gilgamesh's stuff is fun.
Not 100% on the entire Sassy Saddles' affair through, there is a lot of headcannoning there...
8048314
Well then, he’ll get his just punishment one way or another...
Past Sins, her origin
.17
Is that A Little Loopy? It feels like it might be, and I really wonder how Sweetie would deal with it. Tbh, I kinda want to see it.
Of all the lame-ass dumb things that has been done on the show, giving the CMC such a Toyastic set of Cutie Marks is perhaps the lamest.
After all the build-up, everybody thinking they're going to get marks that reflect them, and that happens.
It's not anger at the episode itself you understand, though the way they handled DT's 'redemption' in that episode was also lame.
No, it's the Talking Heads at Hasbro making such an obvious push to increase toy sales.
I get it; that's why they wanted the show.
Doesn't mean I have to like it.
fUCKIN HELL
Spike, does this dress make me look fat?"
"There is a bit of bulge around the barrel, but it's pretty obviously ruffles. If anything, the excess makes you look a bit underweight."
"Thank you, dear. A designer needs to know these things."
Usually that question is a death sentence sometimes literally
10362821
reminds me of a scene in the online comic Freefall:
Florence Ambrose asks Helix, "does this dress make me look fat?"
Helix screams and runs away!
Florence thinks to herself, "not bad. a better sense of self-preservation than some humans i've met."
Except kyubei, we don't go near that.