Loops 30
30.1 (Stainless Steel Fox)
More Turning the Tables (at long last)
“Careful with that cabinet!” Prince Blueblood called out. “It's Chippendale!”
“I didn't know they went into furniture making after their detective career...” Pinkie Pie mused.
The size of the party would push the carrying capacity of Blueblood's yacht to its limit, so all non-essential equipment was being off loaded under the eyes and fussy attitude of the Prince. Inside the Town hall, Shining Armour passed a scroll to one of the pegasus guards and said, “Concorde, take this to Princess Cadence with all speed!”
“Yes sir!” The pegasus saluted and trotted out, flexing his wings.
Shining Armour turned to Twilight and asked, “Okay, so why have I just sent a message that may end up creating another evil alicorn?”
“The notes I included should explain how Cadence could use her love magic to 'burn out' the taint of evil that the Alicorn Amulet casts on its wearer. Of course she doesn't have the theoretical background to understand them herself, unless she took a night school course I didn't hear about, but Spell Nexus or one of the senior lecturers at the school can help her put it into practice.
“At the moment it's only a theory, but even so, the Amulet doesn't turn you evil instantly. From my research it's insidious, slowly twisting your perceptions, but that means that it'll take a long time to affect some-pony as good and decent as Cadence. As long as she only puts it on when she confronts Nightmare Moon, and takes it off as soon as possible, she should be fine.”
“I don't like the 'should'.” Shining grimaced. “How did you come to be figuring out something like that anyway?”
“Research!” Twilight grinned triumphantly. “I came across it while I was studying artificing techniques. Obviously, I wondered how you could get the power boost without the mental problems, and thought of Cadence's power. Admittedly the whole thing is a 'Hail Celestia' play, but an alicorn with the amulet's power boost is about the only other thing I can think of that could stand up to Nightmare Moon. You remember what Von Clawswitz, the griffon general once said?”
“'Better a dozen unneeded plans than one unmade one.'” Shining quoted. “Let's just hope it isn't needed.”
He hadn't realised Twilight had retained so much of the studying she'd done while helping him to prepare for his commission exam. But then, his little sister had been surprising him ever since they'd met up again. He knew she was smart, not to mention powerful, but despite the breakdown she'd had, now she was demonstrating a confidence and ability he'd never seen before. These friends of hers must really be something.
“Okay, we're ready to go, guys!” Rainbow Dash appeared at the doorway. They emerged from the town hall and out from under the day-light bubble to find the final preparations for their journey had been made.
The 'Blueblood', named for the owner's grandfather, was a typical luxury air-racer. A sleek single deck hull, a dozen pony-lengths from bow to stern and a quarter that in the beam, it lacked the size of a full yacht like that of Fancy Pants. However its rakish lines and white and gold trim as well as the twin sets of powerful wing-sails at the stern screamed both style and speed, or would have done if it hadn't been far too sophisticated to do anything as gauche as scream.
The envelope above was three times the size of the gondola, and decorated as a gold dragon with its wings raised in mid-flight. It was filled with lift-gas from reserves stored in the keel, and its interior surface had heating spells that could be activated to increase lift. Magic also powered the heating and cooling charms that drove the closed cycle steam engine under the stern. While more expensive than a regular coal fired boiler, it was far lighter and didn't require a stoker, both important factors on a small air-ship.
Blueblood was already at the controls, dressed in a natty billed cap and yachting blazer. The rear part of the open deck lacked a true poop deck, but it was raised a few hoofs from the sweep of the main part, with a chest high combing protecting the wheel. The other ponies trooped aboard, several having to go down into the long cabin that took up the balance of the interior that wasn't occupied by the engines and lift-gas reserves.
Big Mac was one of them, as the lower down his heavier wood body was the better it would be. Fluttershy had gone with him, her normal timidity around ponies apparently lessened by the fact that he had the appearance of a giant arborean predator who could rip her to pieces with a single claw swipe (Fluttershy had issues). Applejack was also down below with her brother, and a saddlebag full of apples and other supplies.
Rarity was on deck, and dressed in her own yachting costume. She'd apparently had one made for a long time, and she was going to wear it for all it was worth while she had the chance. Pinkie Pie was bouncing around on deck too, zipping back and forth to examine everything, while Rainbow Dash wasn't even on deck but above it, ready to fly escort and looking impatiently at the last two ponies to board.
The gang-plank retracted as they stepped on deck, and Blueblood manipulated levers and hoof pedals. The wing-sails at the back began to flap in a complicated mechanical pattern, and the dirigible started to rise, very slowly, and move forwards at an equally arthritic pace. Rainbow Dash had started to fly off, and zoomed back when it didn't follow her.
“C'mon Blueblood, get the hail out! I thought you said that heap was fast!”
Blueblood stared up at the annoyed pegasus, matching her expression. “It is, and I'll thank you not to call the Blueblood a 'heap'! However, I normally don't have this many passengers. It's taking maximum heat to the gas-bag and additional thrust from the wing-sails to get us to rise at all, let alone make headway! And without some air speed, I can't angle the dragon wings to provide extra lift. We're too heavy!”
“I knew I shouldn't have had that extra slice of cake!” Rarity bemoaned. “Tell me Twilight, has it gone to my flanks?”
“You look fine to me.” Twilight replied. “But we shouldn't be that over-loaded... Well, I guess we'll just have to give it some extra omph!”
“Oooh! Pinkie exclaimed, “I've never had had oomph before! What flavour is it?”
“Magic flavour!” Twilight grinned, and brought her horn down to touch the decking. A series of lines spread out from the tip, glowing as they etched a pattern into the wood.
“Careful!” Blueblood cried out. “That deck is made of Zebrican teak!”
“I'm sure we can sand it out.” Twilight replied without taking eyes or horn from the deck where an intricate ritual diagram had been burnt, with a triangle as the central figure. “If you still want to after you see what it does. Shiny, Rarity, could you stand at the other two points of the triangle?”
“Okay, Twily.”
“Of course, dear... this won't hurt will it?”
Twilight stepped onto the final point of the triangle and her horn started to glow as she looked between the other two unicorns. “Not a bit, it shouldn't even prove tiring... can you feel my magic?”
“If you mean that fizzy, tingly sensation under my hooves, then yes!” Rarity looked surprised. “Yes, I can!”
“Try to match it, you too big brother!” The three unicorn horns started to glow, and the diagram lit up in sympathy, glowing lines that mixed the colours of the three horns. Blueblood saw every dial on his control panel slam over to the maximum peg, and the Blueblood seemed to leap forward under his hooves. Suddenly she was as fleet and nimble as she ever had been or even more so. His air-speed gauge showed she was doing twenty percent over her maximum.
“Woo hoo! Now that's more like it!” cheered Dash.
“Careful! I'm not sure the envelope can take it!” The dragon shell that decorated the gas bag was also a framework that added support, while the wings gave lift, making it more than a simple blimp, but Blueblood knew they weren't designed for this speed.
“It's okay, I'm diverting some of the power into a structural integrity spell.” Twilight called back. “Or rather the rune-set is.”
Pinkie Pie was already at the bow, standing on her hind legs with her fore-hooves outstretched. “Hey! I'm Princess of the world! Whee! Except for Celestia, and Cadence, and I guess Luna...”
“Goodness, I hardly feel as if I'm putting any effort in.” Rarity said.
“It's the triune. The total power is far greater than the sum of its parts... rather like friendship.” Twilight wasn't exactly lying. However, this was the perfect way to disguise the fact that she was putting in far more power than the other two. She could easily have carried the whole air-ship at even greater speeds if she tapped her full alicorn powers, and she really wanted to get this done.
They'd made a good start; they'd already gone out over the Everfree and covered an hour's walk in a few minutes. Twilight could even see that they were not far from the clearing where Zecora lived. A flock of birds rose from the trees below, startled by the passing air-ship... No, not startled, as they swarmed up around it, black raptor looking things with glowing green slit-pupil eyes...
Dash dived on the cluster coming up on one side and tried to scare them off, but they ignored her, other than trying to catch her with their talons and sharp edged wing tips.
“Oh you want to do this the hard way? Fine!” Dash weaved and ducked the smaller creatures and lashed at one with a cloud-busting hoof. It connected, and the 'bird' poofed into black smoke.
“Eeek! Black Snooty!” Pinkie squeaked, but quickly recovered and pulled a long handled net from somewhere, sweeping it about to catch the birds.
“All hooves on deck!” Blueblood called out, reaching up and setting his billed cap at a rakish angle. “Prepare to repel boarders!”
Fluttershy and the Apple family members came storming up, crowding the deck, and both Applejack and Big Mac took a side, Applejack bucking out apples with pin-point precision and knocking the birds back, while Big Mac just demolished them with wide swipes of his claws.
“Please! Stop this, you don't want to get hurt...” Fluttershy tried to reach out to the birds, and recoiled with a whimper as she seemed to make contact with them. “They're not animals! They're... horrible!”
“Oh you did not pull that kinda horse-apples with Fluttershy!” Dash growled and flew over the top of the balloon to swoop down on the offending birds. However, it was clear that the gondola wasn't their main target. Bird after bird swept past the envelope, cruel claws and razor wings slicing at the fabric, creating rent after rent. The cuts healed as they were sealed back together with bursts of purple magic, but it couldn't quite keep up with the damage.
“I'm loosing lift!” Blueblood yelled, “I'm trying to compensate by feeding in more lift-gas, but my reserves are almost gone! Do something!”
The Blueblood started to sink and slow down despite the best efforts of the unicorns to support it. Dash and the others did their best to disperse the birds, but there were just too many of them. Twilight was once again trapped by her assumed role, but there were still things she could do. “Every-pony close your eyes!”
Seeing they had, Twilight's horn glow changed colour and brightened. Then it suddenly flashed with a burst of brilliant light the other ponies could feel as well as see through their closed eyes. There was a chorus of pained screeches as the entire area was lit to day-light brightness. The birds broke and fled, but the Blueblood had lurched sickeningly and dropped into a free-fall as she diverted her power into the solar flare spell and the power to the triune became unbalanced.
The ponies on deck grabbed onto whatever they could find, even Fluttershy, who grabbed onto Big Mac. All of them were screaming, though only Pinkie seemed to be enjoying herself. More importantly, Shining Armour and Rarity were lifted off the deck, out of contact with the diagram. Twilight decided she had to up her game and made her horn shimmer with layers of aura, duplicating how she'd once looked when hauling an Ursa Minor around by the scruff of it's neck..
The entire air-ship was enveloped in a purple glow as it slowed down, and the ponies were lowered to the deck. The envelope above was half collapsed, the semi-rigid support structure far more semi than rigid and clearly doing nothing to support them. They watched in awe as Twilight floated above the deck, sparks flying from the tip of her horn. The vision of magical power unleashed spoke to them. “Uh... guys? A little help here?”
That had Shining Armour and Rarity leaping back to their posts. Twilight lowered herself down and re-established the triune. Rainbow Dash cajoled Fluttershy away from her grasp on Big Mac's giant wood form, and into helping her shove some clouds underneath the keel. Between them, they brought the Blueblood down relatively unscathed in the clearing Twilight had spotted earlier.
“Whooe!” Applejack exclaimed, “I knew you had power, I didn't know you had that much!”
“Let's do it again!” Pinkie whooped.
“That was most impressive.” Rarity was checking over her costume to see the free fall hadn't carried away anything important.
Twilight blushed, partly from embarrassment at the success of her ploy. “It was a team effort, all of you helped. Besides, I couldn't let you all get hurt. I've hurt enough ponies already.”
“My beautiful ship...” Blueblood was examining the collapsed balloon sorrowfully.
Twilight shook her head. “I'm sure it can be fixed up, and if it can't, I'm sure Princess Celestia will replace it. You've already gotten us a good part of the way... We were on course, weren't we?”
Blueblood sniffed, his depression forgotten at the questioning of his skills. “Of course, assuming those maps you found were accurate! We didn't have time to drift when those birds attacked.”
“Those weren't birds. I think they were a manifestation of Nightmare Moon. We know she likes transformations.” Twilight replied, looking over at timber-wolf Big Mac. “That’s why I could drive them away with a solar flare spell.”
“Oh great!” Rainbow exclaimed, “That means she knows we're here! Are we going to get more of those scary-crows?”
To be honest, Twilight wasn't sure. The changes she'd made had caused Nightmare Moon to react differently. However, she had a pretty good idea of the being's general mindset, and she could even justify her conclusions with in-loop knowledge.
“Not those most probably, but she will keep attacking. However, I don't think she'll come at us directly, and not for some time. From what Shining told me, and what we saw at the Town Hall, she doesn't have massive amounts of power in reserve, not if she wants to keep Princess Celestia bound, and strengthen the bindings to make them permanent.
“She seems to be a creature of illusions and deceptions, changing forms and twisting minds. Even that attack in the Town Hall was transmutation rather than a direct damage spell. She'll need to husband her power, building up a reserve to attack us each time, so we should have some respite. It's also likely she'll try and trick us, or attack us indirectly through a proxy, rather than wasting power with a direct magic attack.”
She decided to pull in something else ahead of schedule. “Of course, now that we're down on the ground, I really wish we had a guide, some-pony who knows the hazards of the Everfree. No offense Prince Blueblood, but while I'm sure you can navigate, navigating it safely is another matter.”
“Sugar-cube, no-pony knows what lives in the Everfree forest!” Applejack exclaimed.
“Because no-pony that goes in, ever comes out!” Rainbow Dash added, stalking across the deck and making Fluttershy squeak.
Twilight looked over at the far side of the clearing. Zecora's hut was just visible beyond a screen of trees. She pointed it out to the others. “Well some-pony lives here.”
“That's crazy, who'd live in the...” Applejack went pale, “Zecora!”
All the Ponyville ponies shivered at the name. Blueblood and Shining Armour just looked confused.
“Okay, who is this Zecora, and why does she have you all so scared?” Twilight asked, as if she didn't know.
“Because she's eeeeevil!” Pinkie Pie said, waving her fore-hooves in the air.
“She's mysterious and scary...” Fluttershy added.
“All sinister in her cloak and stuff... Not that I'm scared of her, I'm just... worried, yeah worried about every-pony else!” Rainbow Dash added, though the way she had her wings wrapped around her demonstrated that whatever else, she wasn't the element of honesty.
“And she has an absolutely garish colour-scheme! Black and white stripes, can you imagine?” Rarity put in.
“She comes into town about once a month...” Applejack started, only to be corrected by Pinkie Pie. “... creeps evilly into town...” “... and hangs around the stores...” “... lurks around the stores...” “... and paws at the ground...” “... evilly paws at the ground...”
Twilight scratched the back of her neck with a hoof. “Still not seeing why every-pony's scared of her. Doesn't she buy anything at the stores?”
“Of course not! Every-pony closes up shop and hides when she comes into town!”
Twilight looked around at her friends. She hadn't liked this the first time she'd heard it, and it didn't get any better with repetition. She preferred to think the best of her friends, and this was them showing less than their best selves. “So no-pony's actually talked to her?”
There was a chorus of denials.
“Then how can you know anything about her? Wait... when you said black and white stripes, you didn't mean her clothing, did you?”
“No, she dyes her coat and mane that way.” Rarity responded.
“Then she's a zebra.” Twilight nodded as if confirming a theory.
“Is that some sort of evil spell-caster?” Pinkie asked.
“No, zebras are a race of ponies who live in Zebrica, a land far away to the south, far beyond the Macintosh mountains. They're most similar to earth-ponies with magic that relates to the earth and growing things. However their saganomas, a combination teacher/healer/mage have learned to use their earth magic to cast spells.”
“So I was right!” The pink pony exclaimed.
Twilight shook her head. “Hardly, saganomas are if anything the opposite. Lacking a horn, they compound spells from magical herbs and plants, or use them as a base to invest their own earth magic. Their magic is all about healing, protection and enhancing living things.”
“Then why is she always creeping about so creepily?”
“It sounds like no-pony's given her a chance to do anything else.” Twilight tried to find a way to get through to them. She decide shock tactics might work best. Her horn glowed and she was suddenly zebra striped, with her mane and tail highlights white against black. The Ponyvillians flinched away, but some-pony else laughed.
“What's so funny?” Rainbow growled at Blueblood, who was the source of the laughter.
“Just that you Ponyville ponies can be just as judgmental and wrongheaded as Miss Sparkle claimed I was. It's refreshing, the light from your halos up until now was making me squint, and that does terrible things to the corners of one's eyes.”
That got him annoyed looks from the six Ponyville residents until Twilight put in, “Pinkie, you know that it was your upbeat attitude and friendliness that helped me when I first arrived in Ponyville? I'm just glad I wasn't wearing this as a disguise, you'd have probably hidden under the counter or just bucked me back out.”
Shining Armour spoke up. “I've got to admit I'm finding this a bit strange too. Zebras don't commonly come to Equestria, they don't even have a full time ambassador in Canterlot, but I've done escort duty for their envoys before now. They're just another type of pony, nice enough folks, nothing to get worried about. Though I don't think I'd be too happy if I'd been treated the way you say she has.”
Twilight turned to the others. “Guys, I know you're better than this, shunning some-pony just because she looks different!”
Applejack chipped in. “T'ain't so much that as the fact she lives in the Everfree. What sort of pony would do that?”
That got relieved agreements from most of them, and Twilight dismissed the disguise. She'd never actually explored why they were so scared of Zecora to this extent, and she was happy to know it was less that she looked different than where she lived.
“A saganoma, as I said earlier. The Everfree has the largest and weirdest range of magical plants and creatures in the world. Saganomas use magical plants in their spells, it might be enough to tempt one to come here and research them.”
“Or she could be here because she was cast out because she was doing evil things...” Pinkie suggested. “I even wrote a song about it... 'She's an evil enchantrress! She something something prances... enhances... chances... Francis?”
She came to a stumbling halt as she tried out rhymes. “Well I started a song about her. It's a work in progress!”
“Catchy…” Twilight sighed. “Y'know, it's possible you're right, not likely, but I suppose any-pony could go off the rails. Even so, we have to go find out. If she was evil, or even has been turned evil as Princess Luna was by Nightmare Moon... after all, the best of ponies would feel a little unhappy at being shunned like that, and from what I understand, that's exactly the sort of thing a Nightmare exploits... well anyway, if she's a threat we have to deal with her before we go on, or risk her attacking from behind while Nightmare Moon comes at us from the front.”
Fluttershy shivered again and hid behind Big Mac. “Do we really have to?”
Oddly enough, it was Big Macintosh who answered her. “Eyup! Miss Sparkle's makin' a passel of sense. Better to meet Zecora now on our terms, than later on hers, I reckon. Besides, I always figured those tales about her were a heapin' helpin' of hooey.”
Twilight tried to reassure her. “I'll approach her. I've studied zebra magic and know at least something about its capabilities and its limits. As long as I avoid getting hit by any potions or powders I should be fine. It's the same for every-pony else too. And it's not like we don't have magic of our own.”
“Ohhh!” Pinkie exclaimed. “What if Nightmare Moon's granted her some of her power?”
“I should be able to sense that, I got a pretty good read on her magical signature back in Ponyville. But I doubt it, even if Zecora is in league with Nightmare Moon, the Nightmare isn't the sort to share power, not when she needs it herself so badly. Hopefully she's just a regular pony and we can get her as a guide instead. That's how I intend to approach this.”
“That's all well and fine, Twilight, but what's to stop her pretending to be all nice and then doing the dirty on us?” Applejack asked.
“You!” Twilight replied. “Or rather your element. The spirit of the element of honesty is within you, and if you focus on it, you should be able to detect whether she's telling the truth.”
“I thought we needed those dinguses from that palace to use the Elements?” Applejack scratched the back of her head with a hoof.
“Uh huh, we need them reunited to activate their full power and create the sixth element, but the spirit already exists in you. Just concentrate on listening to everything that happens with a open and honest heart, and you should be able to sense the truth. I know it's a lot to ask for you to put aside your distrust of her, but I'm sure you don't want to see any-pony treated unfairly.”
Applejack made a scrunchy face. “If'en you say so Twilight...”
The group got down from the air-ship deck and approached the hut, which was built into a tree. There was light coming from the window s and a thin trail of multi-coloured smoke issuing from a vent in one of the branches, and masks and vials of various concoctions hung from others.
Twilight gushed as they got nearer. “Oh my gosh! Real fetish masks! I've seen pictures, but the real thing... score one for the good guy theory, some are greetings, and some are specifically designed to ward off evil spirits. Quite powerful too, I can sense them from here. I don't know if they'd keep off nightmare Moon, but she'd have to work for it. Pinkie, looks like you were half right at least, she's definitely a saganoma, an enchantress.”
The others clustered behind her as she called out. “Hello? Is any-pony home?”
There was no answer for a few moments, then a cloaked figure opened the door. The Ponyville ponies gasped or eeked as their natures led them, but Twilight stood firm. The figure pulled the cloak back to reveal she was Zecora. She spoke in a forbidding voice.
“Leave this place you pony strangers, the Everfree is full of dangers!”
“Unfortunately, we can't. I'm Twilight Sparkle. I believe you are Zecora?”
“You know my name but still come near me? Unlike these others, you do not fear me?” Zecora was questioning, now and sounded slightly surprised.
“Should I have reason to?” Twilight asked. “You're clearly a saganoma, and everything I know about them say they're healers and teachers, who use their powers to help others not hurt them.”
Zecora smiled. “You know our ways and speak the truth, but your companions clearly need more proof. When to the village I essay, every-pony runs away.”
“I'm sorry you were treated like that, but I hope it won't prejudice you against my request. You've noticed the sun hasn't come up on schedule?”
“Even now I make a brew to scry the cause and what to do.”
“I can help you there.” Twilight explained what had just happened in Ponyville. She gave Zecora the hoof-clipping version of Nightmare Moon's origin, and how she was defeated the first time. She did a quick and very obvious scan spell to detect if Nightmare Moon was anywhere in the area (which also encompassed Zecora) before continuing.
“The only way to stop Nightmare Moon as far as we know is to find the Elements. According to our information the Palace of the Two Pony Sisters deep in the Everfree is the place to look. We were headed there by air-ship, but we were forced down. We will have to continue on hoof, but we need a guide, some-pony who knows the dangers of the Everfree and how to avoid them. Right now, the only pony who fits the bill is you.”
The zebra looked thoughtful. “It's true those ruins I do know, and find the safest ways to go...” She glanced at the Ponyville mares. “...my presence though they won't abide, a grave shortcoming in a guide.”
Twilight Sparkle turned to look at the still nervous mane cast. “Guys, I've scanned the area, no signs of Nightmare Moon's contamination anywhere. And Zecora is willing to help us. I think we should at least say thank you. Applejack?”
The mare in question had done her best to quell her fear and listen to the exchanges. Twilight was setting great store by this element business, and while she was pleased by the complement, the farm mare wasn't exactly sold on the idea that she had some mystical magic power inside her... apart from the standard issue earth pony ones. However, Applejack had never been a quitter, and she prided herself on being dependable.
So she'd done her best to listen to what the striped mare was saying, and so far, it hadn't been anything like she'd expected. Her weird way of rhyming wasn't normal, but the words held little of the rancor she'd expected. Indeed, she sounded a lot like a younger version of Granny Smith, wise and self assured. Something inside Applejack resonated with that, made her want to trust the other mare, but she mentally shied back.
What if it was a trick, what about the stories... Now she thought back on them, her stubborn sense of integrity was worrying at them. How exactly had they started? She couldn't remember, but they were things every-pony knew... of course, Granny Smith always said 'If every-pony knows it, but no-pony can prove it, there's a good chance every-ponies wrong.'
She made a decision. It wasn't an easy decision, or a comfortable one, but it felt like the right one. “Ah apologise Miss Zecora. I normally have better manners. I'm Applejack and I'd be only too glad to ask you to lead us through the forest.” She looked over at the others. “Folks, I think we've been doing the lady a disservice, both here and in Ponyville. I intend to make amends. Miss Zecora, when next you come to town, please stop on by Sweet Apple Acres and I'll make you one of my special apple pies.”
The zebra smiled. “Your change of heart is most insightful. The pie too would be most delightful.”
Rainbow Dash shrugged and called down from where she was hovering. “I guess if Applejack thinks your on the level, I'm okay with it. I'm Rainbow Dash, Dash to my friends, awesome to every-pony else. Welcome aboard.”
Rarity hesitated for a moment, then put on a warm smile. She'd been a part of the gossip, but she knew how that same gossip could get out of hoof, and now she met the pony face to face, she was feeling more than slightly guilty over her part in shunning the zebra, especially as both Twilight and Applejack had given her the all clear. Not to mention it rankling that Blueblood of all ponies had called her on it. The generous side of her nature kicked in.
“Rarity, maker of fine couture. I should apologise as well. If you are in need of a new cloak or something I would be only to happy to supply it.”
Fluttershy just squeaked 'I'm sorry!', but gave a nod.
Pinkie was the hardest sell. She gave an uncharacteristic frown, staring at the zebra but finally gave an equally uncharacteristic sigh. “Okie-dokie-lokie! But I'll be watching...”
The zebra mare actually laughed. “Pink pony, what do you think I'd do? Gobble you up in a big tasty stew?”
Pinkie brightened up. “Hey, that's a good line! I can use that!”
The stallions were a lot less trouble, they introduced themselves, and then Twilight looked around at the newly enlarged. Party. As Zecora slung a set of oddly shaped saddle-bags over her flanks, the purple unicorn asked, “Shall we get on then? We've still got a long way to go.”
30.2
"So... let me get this straight. Twilight walked in on ya with a bunch o' duplicates of her brother?"
Chrysalis flinched. "It wasn't like I planned it. The hive took the initiative to comfort me. And we didn't do anything, you know, I know how intimate you ponies think sex is...."
Macintosh raised an eyebrow. "Ah'd say it's more then just us ponies--"
"Basically, as Changeling Queen, I'm in charge of having everyone else's eggs."
There was a quiet moment.
Finally, the stallion managed a strangled cough. "Why is it Ah'm always tha one that people explain weird sex things to?"
"Because you serve the best cider." Chrysalis held forth her mug expectantly, and he filled it without thinking. "Anyway, my point was that I wasn't aching for a good rut. Frankly, I can get that anywhere, just shapeshift and flirt. But what I had with Shi--well, with my Shining was more then that, and that's what the hive mind tried to mimic. It kind of worked... in the same way that sugar-free chocolate replacement stuff kind of tastes like Pinkie's best brownies. So... they decided to multiply the experience..."
Macintosh nodded. "Ah see. And that's when Twilight walked in on ya?"
"Mmmhmm." She threw back her muzzle, draining her mug in one big gulp. "I wish I got drunk easier. Half of this is going straight to my mane..."
"Well... from tha sound of it... the hive mind was trying ta help ya. In its own way." The stallion shook his head. "Never really understood it mahself, but from what mah sister and her friends have told me it's something real... deep."
Chrysalis regarded him with a curious look. "How would they know?"
"Most o' them have been changelings in one loop or another. Apparently there was even one time where they all were changelings. Heck, Ah'd say tha majority of Equestrian loopers have been in tha hive, cepting mahself fer some reason. Oh, and tha nonpony loopers, like Spike or Discord."
"Wait. Discord?" The changeling queen leaned forward. "As in, primordial manifestation of Chaos Discord? He's looping? That explains so much--"
"No it don't. He was always like that."
"...oh. Huh."
"Eeyup, that was mah reaction too." Macintosh shrugged. "Anyway, what Ah'm saying is Ah don't really get tha hive mind. Yet. Ah'm pretty much resigned to tha fact that Ah'm going ta end up there in some loop. What's it like, exactly?"
"Didn't you just say that Twilight and her friends told you?"
"Well... they were in it fer a few loops at most. You've lived with it yer whole life. Makes sense ya'd have a different take on it."
Chrysalis nodded. "There is... an old adage. The hive serves the swarm, the swarm serves the queen, the queen serves the hive. It's... difficult to explain, but... while I have a level of control over the swarm, and I mean actual control and not just the political power that Celestia has over the nobles, the hive is something I... don't control. If a drone feels that something about what I want them to do is wrong, I can feel it no matter whether I order them to do it or not. Being a queen means you get to make all the decisions, but it also means you feel all the repercussions. Personally, I mean."
She sighed. "It's part of why... well, in my baseline loop, anyway, it was part of why I wasn't at all worried about attacking ponies. I could slap you right now and read your emotions, but... it's like the difference between reading a letter and talking to a friend, I suppose. Or maybe listening to a song instead of a speech... Something in that way. The others, they probably see the hive as more intimate, but from my view it's ponies that are less intimate. And when I was just a queen, I thought that meant you cared less then changelings did, that somehow you were... broken, and it was okay for me to consider you all basically talking prey that we could capture and raise."
Macintosh realized where she was going with this, pouring more cider into her mug. "But then Shining happened."
"...Not just him. He was a big part, but that whole loop was... different. Hives were smaller, and Celestia exterminated us when she could because she believed in preemptive strikes; the other nobles went along with it because the branding magical stuff didn't work on shapeshifters. And between that and all the slaves running through the underground, I realized that just because you can't... feel each other, that doesn't mean you don't care. In fact I found that your love can sometimes go deeper, exactly because you're so alone and want to let the other one know you care." Chrysalis brought her mug to her lips... and peered at it. "See, this is what I'm talking about right here. If you were part of the hive, you would feel what I was feeling and have filled this without me asking because you knew I was becoming emotional. But you're not, and you're not even empathetic... but you know me enough to predict I needed this. How do you do that? How can you read me when you don't even speak that language? How has your race survived this long without being able to communicate on that level, and yet somehow managed to form deeper relations in that void?"
"Ah ain't no philosopher," Macintosh began slowly, "but if Ah were ta seriously consider that question... Ah'd say that it's exactly because we don't have such close understandings of each other that we strive ta form deep relations. If'n we knew what we'd each be doing all tha time, we wouldn't be driven ta understand each other."
"But... you could hurt each other. On accident, even."
"Yes.... and that's part of why we try to understand."
The changeling queen sipped her cider. She still didn't quite understand... but that viewpoint would be one she would have to consider.
30.3
“Twilight,” Shining Armor asked, frowning. “Is this correct?”
“Is what correct, BBBFF?” Twilight replied, still scanning over the list as she helped things get set up for the Equestria Games.
“Well, I was looking over the contestant list, and… you’ve only put down three.”
Twilight craned her head to look. “Uh… yep, that’s right. That’s the only entrants we’re sending.”
“For all the games?” Shining shook his head. “Twilight, I know that Ponyville is a small town, relatively speaking, but usually small towns take this as an opportunity for everypony to show off their talents. You know, have a bit of fun.”
“Don’t worry.” Twilight shrugged. “We’ll be fine.”
Rainbow Dash hunched down, grinning like a loon. Her wings flared up to give her a starter’s boost, and when the gate came down-
She finished, sat down on the other side of the tape, and began eating a snack carrot.
“Wait, what just happened?” the race marshal said, checking a stopwatch. “That was… did she seriously do the marathon in ten seconds flat?”
“Nine point nine three,” Rainbow said, then frowned and threw her carrot away. “Man, I must be putting on weight… I’m getting slow.”
Twilight ticked the first box on her checklist. “Right, that’s swifter done…”
Fluttershy looked up at the high jump, wings strapped. “Er… I have to get over that?”
“Yes, you do,” a helper said helpfully. “Just do your best.”
“Okay.” The shy pegasus crouched down, then sprang…
And just kept on going up.
Twilight ticked the second box, higher, as Fluttershy cleared the cross-bar. “Certainly helps if you’ve got literal control over the muscles in your legs… and weighing as little as she does can’t hurt either. Right, two down, one to go.”
Applejack slammed her front hooves on the arena floor. “An’ who else is after a go at me?”
All the other competitors looked at her. Then they looked at the huge pegasus embedded in a wall.
“None of y’all? Aww, that ain’t fair on me…”
“Twilight, that was a terrible thing you did there,” Celestia admonished, covering her mouth to hide a smile.
“I know, I know…” Twilight shrugged, passing over the scroll with stronger ticked next to the other two. “Normally we sit them out, but I felt like they needed a go at least once. Especially Fluttershy.”
“True, she’s not exactly the most confident of ponies…” the Princess allowed, accepting the scroll. “Strange how much ponies stay the same, in the loops.”
“I think it’s because she actually likes being shy, you know…” Twilight ventured. “It’s a part of how she is, and it makes her more sure she’s not going to offend anypony. And she hates to offend…”
“Most insightful,” Celestia said, nodding to Twilight. “Well, do congratulate your friends. And I might well award copper medals this Games, because otherwise it’s just going to not be fair on the ponies who would have been third place.”
“I’m wondering how we’re going to get Dash home, actually,” Twilight confided. “That many medals might actually impede her takeoff.”
30.4 (Elmagnifico)
Macintosh sighed as he trotted through Ponyville, the day’s load of apples for market creaking along behind him. It was just after the start of a fresh reunion, and the denizens were just starting to get back to normal after the Summer Sun Celebration. Thus far, no-one had disturbed his routine. None of his sisters were Awake, and nothing remarkable had happened. He’d delivered the apple to the library on schedule. Nightmare Moon had been vanquished with a zebra potion, two pry bars and several metric tons of fruitcake. A slow day outside the bar, a good sign for the loop.
Spike waved to him as he passed by on his way to Celestia-knew-where. The little drake was friendly enough, in fact the two of them were pretty close to brothers-in-arms, being the only male Loopers aside from Twilight’s brother, who was a decent stallion too. Overall, a good friend, and seeing as how he was Awake, not in need of Mac’s immediate attention. He was confident Spike could handle whatever the loops threw and if he needed assistance with something the others couldn’t help with, he’d seek Mac out. Even his ability to turn into a ten-story powerhouse hardly made Mac twitch anymore.
It hadn’t always been that way though.
When he’d first been introduced to the community of Loopers, he’d seen big things. The most obvious, of course, being the extra parts each of Applejack’s friends were able to sprout at will. Others included subspace pockets, glowing swords, hornless telekinesis and underground bases with flying machines and fusion reactors. So many things were different among the Loopers.
Applebloom jumped off the cart and trotted away, as the way to school diverged from the route to market. She shouted a goodbye over her shoulder as Mac watched her, frowning in thought but paused to wave in case she looked back. Oftentimes the bullying on that front was solved in as simple a way as having a conversation with Filthy Rich, although it’d taken a few attempts to get the phrasing right so that Diamond Tiara would be chastised. Being too direct with the well-to-do pony didn’t get anywhere.
At first, the Loopers had presented a problem. Applejack’s friends were important ponies, helping them helped all of Equestria, not only because they were Elements of Harmony, but because helping them headed off a lot of the larger problems around Ponyville during the loop. So, over the course of his Loops he’d gotten to know them rather well, helping each with their issues and getting it down to the point where, all other things being equal, Ponyville stayed rather quiet after the initial Nightmare Night bump.
Rainbow Dash zoomed overhead, her contrail reminding Macintosh he needed to get in touch with her soon. Now that the Celebration was over, she’d be more obsessed with the Wonderbolts than ever. It would take a while to establish contact, and most of his help would be second or third-hoof. He really never came into contact with her unless something went drastically wrong, usually with one of her manoeuvres, either sending her crashing into something on the Acres, or himself.
Naturally, each change he’d made had altered how things played out, which meant new issues would crop up from the fresh circumstances. Over time he’d honed his perception, allowing him to preempt trouble and head off developing problems before they hurt anyone. He’d gotten especially good at reading the Elements.
He waved as he passed the unawake Rarity, doubtless on her way back to the Carousel Boutique. Her input would be needed later to alter how Applejack prepped her food stall for the Grand Galloping Gala, with fewer, more refined baked goods and the like. Blunting the unfortunate and unavoidable disappointment with Blueblood would come after.
Only now, they were completely different. He knew almost nothing about these ponies, and they’d already solved their problems their own way. Moreover, with all the horns and wings showing up, he’d had a hard time keeping up with the Loopers. Getting under their masks when they were around Ponyville was hard, as, like him, they’d be trying to blend in. When they weren’t trying to keep things close to baseline, he felt left behind as the phenomenal cosmic power and strange magic started flying willy-nilly. Helping was hard when you were too busy dodging disintegration spells to watch anyone else.
Fluttershy meeped in surprise as he left her a smile. He often wound up spending a disproportionate amount of time around her, as preempting the parasprites was easier said than done. She was a delicate case indeed, as increasing her confidence without doing the same harm as that Minotaur was a balancing act that left almost no margin for error.
It wasn’t until Applejack awoke one loop and stayed in her bed, fitfully dreaming, through the whole Reunion, only to proceed down to the cellar and drink their entire stock of her namesake, along with the rest of the alcohol, that Mac found his place in the Loops. Being the queen of the Changelings had rattled his sister fiercely, and left her needing family and counselling, in that order. Twilight had been eager to assist Mac with his sister, and together they’d helped her cope.
He responded to Time Turner’s query about Applejack’s recovery with an “Eeyup.” The Celebration usually left his sister fatigued, both physically and mentally, even if the Elements weren’t used to defeat Nightmare Moon. Having a Goddess of the Night dropped on the town tended to have that effect. Applejack hated being useless, and now she was taking it relatively easy at the Acres, just a few light chores. Of course, that meant he had to pick up the slack, but by now he knew just how much he could push himself before getting injured.
It was during that session of post-hive-mind therapy that Macintosh realized these ponies needed his help just as much as their non-looping selves did. Of course, chasing them around to watch them and try to preempt problems was a fruitless dream. He simply didn’t Loop enough for that. There was too much separation for him to help the Anchor and her friends the way he did Ponyville.
He returned Cherilee’s smile as usual. He normally kept his distance from the schoolmarm at first, although he did have to watch his beverages in February. That particular thread usually resolved itself with subtle changes in how he acted around Applebloom, with hints he was interested in this mare or that one, nothing blatant or false, but enough to keep him off the "eligible bachelors" list. Getting Cherilee to change the timing of the field trip until one of the Crusader’s less chaotic periods was the real challenge.
So, he’d started a bar. Alcohol still held its allure even for Loopers, and Apples knew how to brew the best stuff. Moreover, its presence relaxed most ponies, allowing him to see under the barriers they had erected to keep out the strife and erosion of time. It also allowed them to come and seek him out if they needed help or guidance, even if initiating therapy was often disguised, or rationalized, as a request for booze.
He passed Lily and her friends, which brought Zecora to mind. That, at least, was as simple as helping Applejack see through the rumours and hearsay surrounding the zebra. After her sense of truth was applied properly to the situation, his sister handled that well enough by herself.
Nevertheless, the bar was a small thing. Everything had to be available at loop’s start in case of an emergency, so he kept the furnishings to a minimum. After all, he’d only made it a public establishment in three especially crowded loops, after which he’d decided it was better to keep things simple. The Apple cellar served just as well as an above-ground building for Looper purposes. Wooden furniture was simple and common, but also relaxing, homely and unassuming. A stone fireplace made the place cozy and required minimal modification of the basement, aside from the ventilation. Overall, it reminded him of the small pubs he’d seen the one time the Loops had moved Ponyville to the Northern Dales, albeit with a more varied selection on tap.
He halted as Berry Punch teetered across the street in front of him, thoroughly sloshed as per normal. No helping that, unfortunately.
Most loops the emergency stock of Hard Cider was enough to tide over thirsty patrons until he could start brewing for larger crowds, although there were a couple barrels and microbrews he asked Twilight to keep in her subspace pocket and drop off at her earliest convenience whenever he was Awake. He was saving those for a special occasion.
He noted the extra spring in Pinkie Pie’s step as she passed him on the way to Sugarcube Corner. Looper or not, he wasn’t sure. Maybe she was just happy because of the baked-goods manner in which the Alicorn of the Night had been defeated. He could never be sure with her.
The pink mare had always been an enigma to him, in some ways worse than Ms. Sparkle because she stood up to close scrutiny and remained just as unfathomable whether she was looping or not. He could tell the difference, it just didn't help any in predicting her. Distracting her on her birthday had been easy enough. Physically bumping into her, apologizing and then helping her with some baking seemed enough, although her sheer variability meant nothing was certain.
Nevertheless, she proved an ally more often than not. After all, their missions were similar. Indeed, oftentimes there was little that would help ponies more than a smile or a good laugh, and that was something Pinkie Pie excelled at giving. Conversely, Mac was always happy to cater or host a party. Stress relief and games were a good way to blow off steam, and it lightened his workload when he didn’t have to pour every drink himself.
He was almost to the market when he spotted Twilight Sparkle a little ways off, conversing with a pegasus he didn’t recognize. Spike and a small black dragon were behind them, apparently comparing notes of some sort. They all waved, and Twilight looked like she was moving to intercept, so he’d likely be introduced to these newcomers. A fused loop?
Mac gave the oncoming party a welcoming smile and mentally sighed as he bid any hopes of a quiet loop goodbye.
30.5 (Masterweaver)
"...so why isn't Silver looping?"
Apple Bloom gave Diamond Tiara a look as she drove in the next piton. "Yer asking this now?"
"Would you rather I whine about how hard this is?" the purple filly countered, panting as she attempted to reach another hoofhold. "Cause, you know, I could do that if you like."
"Heh. Point." Bloom stretched, barely managing to grab an outcropping of rock. "But that was only a five."
Tiara snorted. "Oh darn."
"Right, so... ya know how Twilight's tha anchor?"
"Yeah?" The purple filly pushed herself up. "That means she loops all the time, right?"
"Well, yeah. More important, though, that means all tha looping... loopiness, Ah guess, flows from her. And if thar's enough loopiness, thar's a new looper. Ah think."
"You're not sure?"
Apple Bloom pulled another piton out of her backpack. "Well, Ah'm trying ta explain something that Twilight told me with all tha technobabble she explained. It might be that it's looseness in tha memory network of our reality or somethang... she has holographic diagrams, Ah'm simplifying."
Diamond Tiara's back hoof slipped off. "AAA! Ah, sorry, I'm okay, I'm fine." She panted as she recovered her footing. "Alright, so... Twilight's the center of looping. Got that. And things get loopier over time....?"
"Tha thing is, tha loopiness travels along... channels made by deep emotional impact. So, it went from her ta her friends first. Then it went from her to tha princesses. Then it went from her, through Applejack and Rarity and Rainbow Dash, to tha Crusaders...."
"Ah." The rich filly nodded to herself. "I'm beginning to see the pattern. Friends first?"
"Friends, family... and some pretty personal enemies." The farm filly nodded at her piton, pulling herself up. "Like Chrysalis, actually."
"Wait, Chrysalis? As in the Changeling Queen? She's looping?"
"Eeyup. Took her a while, but tha fact is she did leave a deep emotional impact on Twilight in tha baseline, so all Twilight had ta do was focus on her a bit more. Ah hate ta say it but, well, tha reason ya probably started looping is cause ya bullied us so intensely. Silver Spoon was always just following yer lead, so we didn't care that much about her. She's got a deeper channel ta you, o' course, but by tha time tha loopiness reaches ya--"
"I'm too far out from the center."
"Well, yeah. Fer now anyway." Apple Bloom shrugged. "Could be she gets in, eventually. Heck, if ya like, me and tha other crusaders could try ta be her friends fer tha next few loops, it would give her a better chance of waking up... Ah think. Ah'm not sure."
Diamond Tiara considered it. "I... don't want to force you to do anything you don't want to, but... well, she was my first friend. If you would try, that would mean a lot to me..."
"Heh. Ah'll bring it up at tha next Crusader meeting. Course, Loopiness is a tad bit random. Sometimes ponies start looping when it don't make no sense."
"You mean like Nyx?"
"Well..." Apple Bloom lugged herself onto a ledge and pulled Diamond Tiara up. "She's one example, yeah, but Ah was thinking more like Berry Punch."
The rich filly blinked. "Wait, Berry Punch? The town drunk? She's looping?"
"Yeah, once or twice. Doesn't make sense ta me either. By all rights Granny Smith shoulda been looping by now, and Berry oughta have been further out. Still... ya get what ya get, Ah guess. And it's not like it's anything as consistent as you or me anyway..."
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3252794
Because "Lullaby" has three syllables and wouldn't fit well in the song's melody? *shrugs* I don't know. I just used the song, didn't write it.
Hrm... Appears that 30.1 just did a Honesty Trial variant. Does this suggest 4 more tests? (Magic being its own special case.)
30.5 kinda makes me think others should be looping too. Lightning Dust, Prince Blueblood, basically any of the 'villains'.
If I was looping, I would get lottery numbers and travel. Then if I encountered the overpowered loopers that the mane 6 have become, I would wet myself and run away.
3253118
One of the problems with the fic recently, actually, has been a drive to expand the population of loopers - I feel, without doing due justice to many of the other recent loopers. Since we're up to about twenty of them by now, I decided to put a hold on new loopers for a while.
So it'll be a while.
Also, given what most Innortal-verse Loopers are like, Equestria is an island of sanity.
Ranma is kind of bad.
Naruto is worse still.
Harry has launched world conquest campaigns before.
Don't even ask about Sakura, she might hear you.
It's funny. Following the forum thread actually makes these a bit less interesting; I've already seen them. And yet I read them anyway. Go figure.
3253138
Speak of the forehead and it will appear.
Still, I definitely respect your wishes to keep the perennially Awake to a relative minimum. Even if best pony isn't on the list. Restrictions breed creativity, and creativity's what this whole project's about!
Wait, when did Big Mac get claws?
3253530
When he (like Applebloom) got transformed into a timber wolf: Nightmare Moon's magic transformed them into bushes and the best Twilight could do without going alicorn was changing their transformation anough to give them mobility. (loop 22.5)
I don't know why but it seems to me, that Zecora could represent generosity
I'm curious, did Innortal ever say what would happen to the loopers once Yggdrasil went back online? Considering you have several loopers now that are as powerful (or more) as the Norns and some have even created their own universes inside their pocket dimensions (Washu style I suppose), it might just break Yggdrasil again if it tried to wipe things back to a factory reset.
3255258
they would probably ascend after the loops ended. seeing as if they ascend to godhod they would destroy their home dimension
3255609
That's right. I remember Ranma mentioning that a couple of times now. The Loops have taken on a whole life beyond anything Innortal ever expected I'm sure.
What we need is a MLP version of 'The BET' of course the Loops is pretty much that I suppose.
3257221
Actually, I just tallied up the rough word count of Innortal's Loops-specific fic-ery, and it comes to something like 160K at the outside.
Meanwhile, this fic and my other Loops fic on fanfiction.net are, between them, something like 280K words.
So... er... does this mean that I have a quorum?
I love these characterizations of Chrysalis, and the nature of changelings, and also Big Mac. Fascinating.
3257490 You have another loops fic? What fandom's it for, and what's the link?
Schoolmarm
Yeah okay.
Yeah, loops are crazy.
Religion in a nutshell.
3253138
I bet Granny Smith is looping, but since she doesn't do anything/is forgetful, it's impossible to tell the difference. I believe I heard mentioned that Granny enjoys her drink, which would mean she'd met Berry. Probably shared a few drinks with her.
Thus explains Berry's involvement with looping.
3253020
It's connected with "lullaby" and "lull." According to the Oxford English Dictionary, "lullay" and similar words were just nonsense words that sound soothing and have long been used to help put babies to sleep. The word "lull" (like "a lull in the fighting") comes from those nonsense soothing words.
3252794 Sorry if this is late, but Lullay is a "nonsense" word used in older English because it sounded soothing to toddlers.
Now you know what I want to see? A Worm fused loop with Mac as Coil. Not only will the Undersiders, for once, have a benevolent boss not named Taylor Hebert, but he will be able to fix things like noone else. Assuming Coil's powers don't break all non-Worm loops.
7071865
That thought is sort of scary but I want to see it happen.
Is there no spell that simply spins something?
7071865
Seconded. Totally seconded.
So she has sex with her children? To intern have more children? Yeah I dont get that logic? I was expecting the opposite of that where she would just lay them naturally or something
I love Mac's bartender wisdom.
10001940
Study insects more and you will get what that is emulating
10001940
reminds me of some of my favorites, "of the hive" and it's sequels, where Twilight, and later Rainbow Dash, turn into Changeling queens...
eyup, i've heard that in at least one other story.