Fallout Equestria: Pie and Predation

[Dalinale]

"Maybe he just never found the right equine, griffon or... or perhaps he doesn't want a wife?" Doc suggests as a theory. "I reckon if you're really rich, it would be hard to find someone who truly loves you and isn't trying to just get at your money. We probably just need to get to know him more. Understand his motivations better."

Mirror seemed to have something else in mind, given that she frowned.


Choro frowns, looking to Mirror before turning back to Doc and Bertly. "It is a straight line now. I could probably teleport us the rest of the way. But if you'd rather, feel free to go ahead as far as I'm concerned"

Mirror didn't seem to have a particularly hard stance on if the chest was teleported away.


Choro looks meditative, pondering Mirror's question. She follows Doc, nodding slowly, before turning back to her fellow Unicorn. "The third emperor of Timbucktu never took a wife, or sired heirs. When asked about it, he claimed that his kingdom was his one true beloved mare, and that his heirs would be the cloud cities he had conquered for his realm." The little unicorn chuckles: typical pompous Pegasus ruler. She grins at Mirror. "Metaphor aside, he wasn't alone in thinking like that. Many great rulers didn't rush to designate heirs. Some were humble, some had other concerns. Princess Celestia never chose an heir while her sister was banished, because nopony was as powerful or as wise as her. And marriage would've only taken time away from her work for Equestria."

"...But Abbas has no thing to leave. If he does not make something to replace him, then his domain could become the sum of it's parts." Mirror replied, "He must have a favorite who can make a heir or a heir in mind, be cause he does not trust many ponies."


"Well, I wasn't sure if you could teleport a bin full of little critters. Like, does the spell go by mass or by individual?" Doc asked, because he didn't know what her spell's parameters really were. He moved with Bertly to go around the two mares so they could resume moving at their previous speed. "Thanks, C.."

Doc could see that the skybus had remained undisturbed since the group had left it... or had it?

...

Wait, those hoofprints in the snow came from Madie, if there wasn't a set leading out that'd be more concerning.


"No, she just thinks that democracy is a thing that works, when it's really, really easy to whip a group of people into doing what you want. Individuals are a pain in the ass, but get ten ponies together and I can make them think that being milked under the hooves of the Olives is actually good for them in ten minutes."

"It can only work if everyone involved have the same values; if she's from a small town that separated ponies into good and bad, that's understandable." Fan Knife replied, as if speaking about the failings of Equestrians soothed her, "I'm sure, say, the Olives could come up with a vote among themselves, but if you tried to get a hundred random people from this city to try and get something done, you'd be wasting time."


"I mean, sure, I didn't ruin anypony's life, but I didn't want to eventually become a pony who might. Y'know? I'm not beating myself up for it or anything; I just don't want to lean on it more than I have to. Like I said, I'm pretty hot. I don't need to mark the cards to get mares, so why not make myself a little bit better of a pony?"

"You're self aware and you're not airhead, you're already better than the vast majority of the Equestrian population when it comes to that sort of...stuff." Fan Knife replied, albeit somewhat awkwardly; the end of the bridge was just a few minutes away, and she began to pick up her pace slightly, "I'v never dated anyone, either here or my homeland. I think my sister was set up to date some ponies here at least a few times, but I think they thought that she was going to try and harvest their organs because she wanted to know their blood type and didn't want to date anyone who had kidney or liver problems, or smoked. Being in a relationship here in Equestria is a lot different then it was in Neighpon, too. But as far as being a decent pony, you're fine. I'd just have a backup plan encase you get pregnant or get acid splashed on your face, or something like that."

[Hazuki]

"It can only work if everyone involved have the same values; if she's from a small town that separated ponies into good and bad, that's understandable." Fan Knife replied, as if speaking about the failings of Equestrians soothed her, "I'm sure, say, the Olives could come up with a vote among themselves, but if you tried to get a hundred random people from this city to try and get something done, you'd be wasting time.""How did they handle things in Neighpon?" Viridia asked, feeling that would be a good way to get Fan Knife to open up about some of her own views on the matter. She figured they probably weren't extensive, given they probably weren't something she needed to consider guarding a hospital.


"You're self aware and you're not airhead, you're already better than the vast majority of the Equestrian population when it comes to that sort of...stuff." Fan Knife replied, albeit somewhat awkwardly; the end of the bridge was just a few minutes away, and she began to pick up her pace slightly, "I'v never dated anyone, either here or my homeland. I think my sister was set up to date some ponies here at least a few times, but I think they thought that she was going to try and harvest their organs because she wanted to know their blood type and didn't want to date anyone who had kidney or liver problems, or smoked. Being in a relationship here in Equestria is a lot different then it was in Neighpon, too. But as far as being a decent pony, you're fine. I'd just have a backup plan encase you get pregnant or get acid splashed on your face, or something like that.""Thanks." Viridia smiled at the compliment. "And what was dating like in Neighpon?" She asked, then considered the last statement. "Well, I only date mares, so the only way I'm getting knocked up is through some kinda magic. And, er, will your sister be able to help if I get acid on my face?"

[Inspector Valin]

Choro chuckles good humorously at that final observation. "You might have answered the question there, Ms. Mirror. Given how few beings Abaas seems to trust, and his general reputation, who would he take as a mate? How could he relate to an heir, born or chosen? Could he accept another horse or pony being just as smart as him, that someone else might be capable of running the domain he's still working to create?" The little mage seems skeptical. And a touch down-heartened. "Look at how Ms. Sari was acting around him. If his sister doesn't trust him, why would any mare want to get close to him, money or no? All the jewels in the world mean nothing if your stallion just ends up putting a knife in your flank when it suits his political plans, correct?"

[DigoDragon]

"...But Abbas has no thing to leave. If he does not make something to replace him, then his domain could become the sum of it's parts." Mirror replied, "He must have a favorite who can make a heir or a heir in mind, be cause he does not trust many ponies."

"Well... he trusts us with his life at the meeting in two days. Does an heir have to be blood relative?" Doc asks as he gains some ground. How many others has Abbas showed his vision of the future too? The shared dream Doc had with him seemed like there's a pretty good form of trust there.

[Dalinale]

"How did they handle things in Neighpon?" Viridia asked, feeling that would be a good way to get Fan Knife to open up about some of her own views on the matter. She figured they probably weren't extensive, given they probably weren't something she needed to consider guarding a hospital.

Fan Knife's ears twitched, and Viridia could've spotted the slightest hint of a smile flash on the filly's face before she replied, before briefly turning into a frown.

"Well, Neighpon was a Empire. There was the Emperor, and under him was the military, which governed all the external territories. The Emperor at the start of the war was from a old dynasty that used to be weak and couldn't control his vassals, but he modernized the country very quickly and swept away a lot of corruption. There really weren't any powerful nobles left who hadn't entered the military, or who didn't petition to try and enter the court. There were some major corporations that the Emperor gave monopolies and special rights to on the promise that they'd share everything they made with the government and the military, and those were mostly owned by peasant clans from isolated areas to enrich the outskirt areas and buy their loyalty. Ponies could vote for representation on the mainland, but the only really powerful political figures were in the military, especially the officers."

Fan Knife then shook her head, and her voice had a faint hint of melancholy.

"It didn't last, though. The emperor died and was replaced with his grandson, the government ran out of money, most of the competent zealots died during the war, and the military was spread too thin and didn't have the support from the capital to function well. Some of the companies were subverted and the colonies were being infiltrated and subverted internally. At one point the government all sealed themselves in a bunker in the base of a mountain after the capital was stormed by rioters, and Neighpon really only had a military government a year before the war ended. The new emperor was sort of insane and thought he controlled the sun, and basically the ponies he brought with him were all his immediate family and his supporters who were in the imperial cult. My sister actually got a line to the bunker a week before the bombings, and they said that they had no interest in her research and that they didn't care what she did. They were totally disconnected with reality, but the military still tried to keep the peace. They would try and create another Empire instead of creating a democracy, though."


"Thanks." Viridia smiled at the compliment. "And what was dating like in Neighpon?" She asked, then considered the last statement. "Well, I only date mares, so the only way I'm getting knocked up is through some kinda magic. And, er, will your sister be able to help if I get acid on my face?"

Fan Knife scrunched up her nose at Viridia's first question, looking somewhere between being deep in thought and about to sneeze.

"I don't think you'd really recognize it as dating. It's more about mutual understanding then showing affection, and you're not supposed to kiss or touch one another in public. One of my older classmates married as soon as she became a cadet, and no one but the two families knew that she was dating a stallion because she was quiet. It was always more about communicating feelings then acting on them until the time was right. But if you were living together, then you were basically considered to be a adult couple. There wasn't any laws telling ponies what to do when it came to that and I saw plenty of ponies ignoring those ideals growing up, but for most not being reserved wasn't a luxury they could had."

Fan Knife then stopped looking like she was having a migraine and quickly followed up with the rest of Viridia's questions; as she continued to speak, pride started to seep into her voice.

"When did you figure that you don't like stallions?" Fan Knife asked, the question sounding to come entirely from pure, honest ignorance, "With Equestrians, I always figured that gender barely mattered given how most act, they just cared about skill or emotional reactions. Anyway, if two mares can have a foal willingly with magic, one could have one unwillingly or without their knowledge, it's messed up but it wouldn't be the most depraved thing this city's produced. It's messed up, but that's the truth of it. The worst ponies here are mostly civilized, so instead of cracking skulls open they start getting creative with how they torment or weird ponies out.

As for the face thing, my sister once made a whale pony hybrid for the Neighpon government to make a giant seapony to fight zebras, wears her own skin, and has a donkey patient who doesn't have any of his original organs and is on his eight heart who's almost two thirds my age. If you have the caps, you could have her clone you a new body and have your brain put in it as long as the machines still work. She could do a face-lift with her muscle memory."


Choro chuckles good humorously at that final observation. "You might have answered the question there, Ms. Mirror. Given how few beings Abaas seems to trust, and his general reputation, who would he take as a mate? How could he relate to an heir, born or chosen? Could he accept another horse or pony being just as smart as him, that someone else might be capable of running the domain he's still working to create?" The little mage seems skeptical. And a touch down-heartened. "Look at how Ms. Sari was acting around him. If his sister doesn't trust him, why would any mare want to get close to him, money or no? All the jewels in the world mean nothing if your stallion just ends up putting a knife in your flank when it suits his political plans, correct?"

Mirror looked down at Choro as she lifted the chest, her brow wrinkling slightly.

"Sari is not smart. Abbas could move else where and be a cruel lord, or be a cruel lord here and have his griffons serve as solders. But he is not aggressive and has plans that do not benefit him at the end. A very rich stallion would have suitors here even if he was Rjufendr him self, or at least a concubine. That is how they are."


"Well... he trusts us with his life at the meeting in two days. Does an heir have to be blood relative?" Doc asks as he gains some ground. How many others has Abbas showed his vision of the future too? The shared dream Doc had with him seemed like there's a pretty good form of trust there.

"He might have a heir, but a lord like him, but different." Mirror offered, after some time in thought, "He has a long plan, but it is too big to do from one side."

[Forum Explorer]

Well it's a good thing Moonshadow has wings. She hovered over the stuff as she snuck around.

vs 96

[Hazuki]

"It didn't last, though. The emperor died and was replaced with his grandson, the government ran out of money, most of the competent zealots died during the war, and the military was spread too thin and didn't have the support from the capital to function well. Some of the companies were subverted and the colonies were being infiltrated and subverted internally. At one point the government all sealed themselves in a bunker in the base of a mountain after the capital was stormed by rioters, and Neighpon really only had a military government a year before the war ended. The new emperor was sort of insane and thought he controlled the sun, and basically the ponies he brought with him were all his immediate family and his supporters who were in the imperial cult. My sister actually got a line to the bunker a week before the bombings, and they said that they had no interest in her research and that they didn't care what she did. They were totally disconnected with reality, but the military still tried to keep the peace. They would try and create another Empire instead of creating a democracy, though.""That seems to be the main problem with Empires, doesn't it? Eventually, the leader's got to die and it's a crapshoot whether the next one is going to be any good. Not that immortality worked out for Equestrian royalty..." Virdia said. It was in this moment that she wished she actually knew more about history or anything outside of her specialized area of interest (The lower half of other mares). She probably sounded smart-ish.


Fan Knife scrunched up her nose at Viridia's first question, looking somewhere between being deep in thought and about to sneeze.

"I don't think you'd really recognize it as dating. It's more about mutual understanding then showing affection, and you're not supposed to kiss or touch one another in public. One of my older classmates married as soon as she became a cadet, and no one but the two families knew that she was dating a stallion because she was quiet. It was always more about communicating feelings then acting on them until the time was right. But if you were living together, then you were basically considered to be a adult couple. There wasn't any laws telling ponies what to do when it came to that and I saw plenty of ponies ignoring those ideals growing up, but for most not being reserved wasn't a luxury they could had."
"But...showing affection is half the fun of being in a relationship. I mean...I can get not wanting to do it in public. Seeing Doc and Mirror together makes me throw up in my throat a little, and that's just when they talk." Viridia said. "Do you think that it should have been that way, or that ponies should have been able to be a little freer with their emotions?"


"When did you figure that you don't like stallions?" Fan Knife asked, the question sounding to come entirely from pure, honest ignorance, "With Equestrians, I always figured that gender barely mattered given how some of them act, they just cared about skill or emotional reactions. As for the face thing, my sister once made a whale pony hybrid for the Neighpon government to make a giant seapony to fight zebras, wears her own skin, and has a donkey patient who doesn't have any of his original organs and is on his eight heart who's almost two thirds my age. If you have the caps, you could have her clone you a new body and have your brain put in it as long as the machines still work. She could do a face-lift with her muscle memory.""That's a long story." Viridia said. "Here it is: I enjoy looking at mares. They are my favorite gender. When I look at mares, I think to myself yes. When I look at stallions, I think to myself no." She grinned. "I know that sounds blithe, but, y'know, that's basically it?"

"Have i mentioned your sister is awesome?" Viridia asked. "Considering you are too, I'm surprised it's not a family thing with your father having been the Emperor of Neighpon or something." Like you'd just wander into a romantic subplot with the heir to a foreign throne. I mean, I've seen some crazy things, but doesn't that stretch credulity a little?

[DigoDragon]

"He might have a heir, but a lord like him, but different." Mirror offered, after some time in thought, "He has a long plan, but it is too big to do from one side."

Doc watches for the hoof prints used to come and go to the bus. The tracks would be safer spots to walk on. "Maybe he'll groom us to that role," he says with a thoughtful idea.

[Inspector Valin]

Mirror looked down at Choro as she lifted the chest, her brow wrinkling slightly.

"Sari is not smart. Abbas could move else where and be a cruel lord, or be a cruel lord here and have his griffons serve as solders. But he is not aggressive and has plans that do not benefit him at the end. A very rich stallion would have suitors here even if he was Rjufendr him self, or at least a concubine. That is how they are."


"I'm not so sure he's not aggressive. He's not physical about it. But he's not shy about pushing forward with his plans, employing warriors, or travelling in a big intimidating black carriage..."

Choro hums: all incidental evidence by Wasteland standards, but compare Abbas to a pony like Thanatos, Stitchheart or the Guild Mages, and he doesn't look as restrained as he might style himself. The little mare chuckles, "Still, if you're right, and he's not after simple power, that explains why he doesn't seek to consolidate as a traditional ruler would. His plan is what matters, its success becomes his legacy, anything else happens afterwards. If a mare and foals would jeopardize that in his, avoiding such a life is simply logical."


"He might have a heir, but a lord like him, but different." Mirror offered, after some time in thought, "He has a long plan, but it is too big to do from one side."


Doc watches for the hoof prints used to come and go to the bus. The tracks would be safer spots to walk on. "Maybe he'll groom us to that role," he says with a thoughtful idea.

"Wishful thinking, Doc!" The idea gets a snicker from Choro. Had she been closer, she might've playfully swatted at the doctor with a hoof. It's far from an offensive idea, but Sun and Moon, Vardo Wagon could be quick on that optimism gun.

[DigoDragon]

"Wishful thinking, Doc!" The idea gets a snicker from Choro.

"Just sayin'. If a rich horse calls me in a dream to save his sister instead of employing any number of his personal servants, then I must be doing something right to win his favor," Doc points out with a grin on his face.

[RCgothic]

Stellar discovered a new form of griffon magic; apparently, they could materialize ice-cold beers and bottles of water on command, given that Stellar had half a dozen talons holding out drinks for her. However, there was a clear winner, as one of the armored griffons, helmet off and exiting the carriage itself, was holding out a round long-stemmed cocktail glass filled with something pink that had swirls of orange and red in it. There was a little umbrella and the thick metal straw sticking out of it had a little merpony near the end. The armored griffon in question had brown feathers and small yellow beak with a shark black hook, and had a clear look of pleasent surprise on his face.


"Wow, you guys are all too kind!" Stellar flirts, outwardly shameless but inwardly cringing at her unaccustomed manipulation. She hopes it doesn't take too long for Moonshadow to find Viridia and Fan Knife.

"A cocktail would be perfect after all that exercise. You just have to cut loose once in a while, you know?" She smiles charmingly at the griffon offering it, with a commiserating side look for the others whose efforts have come up short.

"What's in it?" She asks. "No wait, don't tell me, I'd like to guess!"

She takes a sip and tries to puzzle it out.

[Dalinale]

Well it's a good thing Moonshadow has wings. She hovered over the stuff as she snuck around.

vs 96

Moonshadow found herself at the end of a small, cramped hallway; the floor and walls were made of black wood and the ceiling looked splintery. There was a layer of dust everywhere and there was no real sign that anyone had been where she was standing in decades, but there also wasn't any signs of water damage, so that was in the construction's favor. There was another wooden door at the end of the hall that was clearly locked; however, there was another exit in the form of a wooden hatch in the middle of the floor, which appeared to have been disturbed recently. A quick check made it clear that it wasn't rusty or trapped, and that it concealed a small ladder that led to a unlit larger space.


"That seems to be the main problem with Empires, doesn't it? Eventually, the leader's got to die and it's a crapshoot whether the next one is going to be any good. Not that immortality worked out for Equestrian royalty..." Virdia said. It was in this moment that she wished she actually knew more about history or anything outside of her specialized area of interest (The lower half of other mares). She probably sounded smart-ish.

"At the end, the existing upper class divided control of the country to the military and powerful social groups that emerged; it wasn't just the Emperor, but all his lackeys and the ones who thought he had special powers. If someone took control and made him a figurehead, that could have worked, but he was too ingrained in the political system. Even if you killed him and all his immediate relatives, it wouldn't be hard for someone in the upper class to forge some connection to the royal family and adopt their name." Fan Knife replied, showing obvious distaste for the fact, "Equestria's a bad example, because it was the only country back then to have a monarchy of immortal ponies. They're biggest problems started when they reformed the country into a normal government, and twenty years after they put six normal ponies in charge the nukes went off."


"But...showing affection is half the fun of being in a relationship. I mean...I can get not wanting to do it in public. Seeing Doc and Mirror together makes me throw up in my throat a little, and that's just when they talk." Viridia said. "Do you think that it should have been that way, or that ponies should have been able to be a little freer with their emotions?"

Fan Knife took her time to consider the question.

"Well, individual ponies can do what they want alone." she seemed to decide on, sounding slightly defensive, "And most holidays have some events for couples to do publicly, and there's plenty of hobbies for ponies to do. But Neighpon is also quieter then Equestria; Equestrians sing and dance more than any other country I have been in, and they're louder publicly about everything they do, too. In Neighpon, saying that you love someone and getting a positive reply back is one of the first steps, and if that's good you would usually meet up outside your usual group of friends about once a week. There was some subtlety to relationships in Neighpon, but if someone wanted to not do that, they were free to do so. Here, though? I don't care what Equestrian's do when it comes to that kind of stuff, it's a young country."



"That's a long story." Viridia said. "Here it is: I enjoy looking at mares. They are my favorite gender. When I look at mares, I think to myself yes. When I look at stallions, I think to myself no." She grinned. "I know that sounds blithe, but, y'know, that's basically it?"

Fan Knife blinked, and then nodded as a response.


"Have i mentioned your sister is awesome?" Viridia asked. "Considering you are too, I'm surprised it's not a family thing with your father having been the Emperor of Neighpon or something."

Fan Knife blinked again, and then frowned.

"Our parents had a peasant background." she replied, "Our mother was a army officer, and our dad went to a medical school in a foreign country on a government grant to educate native doctors. Our mother was successful in suppressing a revolt in the central mountain region in Neighpon, and she was promoted and got the ancestral land of the noble who previously lived there. Our father retired when my sister finished her schooling and got a advisory position in the colony that was set up in the country he was educated in, and I was entered into the special officer program designed to make up for the losses of commanders during the war. I don't know what happened to my parents when my sister and I left. The Emperors all really came from a pool of related families; there was a main branch, but there were ten other related families that could intermarry with the main line in case the only heir didn't have the bone density to walk or something. They're not really special ponies, but if you get five hundred ponies together, at some point a exceptional one will stand out, even ponies who's only real accomplishment was being born without any complications."


Like you'd just wander into a romantic subplot with the heir to a foreign throne. I mean, I've seen some crazy things, but doesn't that stretch credulity a little?

Best to check to see if there's a Moss Kingdom or something, if you think you're life is that weird.


Doc watches for the hoof prints used to come and go to the bus. The tracks would be safer spots to walk on. "Maybe he'll groom us to that role," he says with a thoughtful idea.

Mirror seemed to find Doc's idea plainly odd, given the way she raised her eyebrows.



[COLOR="RoyalBlue"]"Wishful thinking, Doc!" The idea gets a snicker from Choro. Had she been closer, she might've playfully swatted at the doctor with a hoof. It's far from an offensive idea, but Sun and Moon, Vardo Wagon could be quick on that optimism gun.


"Just sayin'. If a rich horse calls me in a dream to save his sister instead of employing any number of his personal servants, then I must be doing something right to win his favor," Doc points out with a grin on his face.

Mirror shook her head. "That is silly." she said, frowning, "If he told you his plans, then it can not be the whole plan. If you could harm him if you told some one else, then he would not have told you it. He might have told you his plans, but there might be a part that is different than the one he has told some one else, so that he would know if it was told to his enemies. And we can not be his heirs, he rules over horses and we are not horses, like he could not rule over Everfrost no matter how rich or kind he is."


"Wow, you guys are all too kind!" Stellar flirts, outwardly shameless but inwardly cringing at her unaccustomed manipulation. She hopes it doesn't take too long for Moonshadow to find Viridia and Fan Knife.

"A cocktail would be perfect after all that exercise. You just have to cut loose once in a while, you know?" She smiles charmingly at the griffon offering it, with a commiserating side look for the others whose efforts have come up short.

The Talon commander gave Stellar a smooth smile, seemingly confident with the situation, while the griffon workers, still looking surprised at the events, didn't seem particularly despondent but continued to look at Stellar with renewed interest, and all nodded in silent, enraptured unison.


"What's in it?" She asks. "No wait, don't tell me, I'd like to guess!"

She takes a sip and tries to puzzle it out.

The drink Stellar was given had coconut and strawberry juice on top of the pineapple flavor. However, she got a wake up call in the fact that the drink, to disguise the fact that no pineapple had probably entered Equestria in the last hundred years and finding strawberries that didn't bite back when you tried to pick them was rather hard, likely consisted mostly of some coconut-flavored liquor, likely rum or some other high-proof sugar based concoction, in a glass slightly smaller than her head. As such, the actual answer was that it tasted like fruit juice, with a bite that wasn't really present on her tongue but was felt a few seconds after the fact in the form of feeling as if she just hammered back all the shots that had been poured for the griffons in front of her.

"Well, do you like it? It's all yours." said the griffon commander, his voice carrying a note of pleasant surprise, "Stellar, right?"

[Hazuki]

"Our parents had a peasant background." she replied, "Our mother was a army officer, and our dad went to a medical school in a foreign country on a government grant to educate native doctors. Our mother was successful in suppressing a revolt in the central mountain region in Neighpon, and she was promoted and got the ancestral land of the noble who previously lived there. Our father retired when my sister finished her schooling and got a advisory position in the colony that was set up in the country he was educated in, and I was entered into the special officer program designed to make up for the losses of commanders during the war. I don't know what happened to my parents when my sister and I left. The Emperors all really came from a pool of related families; there was a main branch, but there were ten other related families that could intermarry with the main line in case the only heir didn't have the bone density to walk or something. They're not really special ponies, but if you get five hundred ponies together, at some point a exceptional one will stand out, even ponies who's only real accomplishment was being born without any complications.""Do you miss them?" Viridia asked.

[Inspector Valin]

Mirror shook her head. "That is silly." she said, frowning, "If he told you his plans, then it can not be the whole plan. If you could harm him if you told some one else, then he would not have told you it. He might have told you his plans, but there might be a part that is different than the one he has told some one else, so that he would know if it was told to his enemies. And we can not be his heirs, he rules over horses and we are not horses, like he could not rule over Everfrost no matter how rich or kind he is."

"He already does rule over ponies. Didn't you see those con...temptable 'Servants of the Sun'?"

Choro almost spits the term, an ember of wrath burning in the little mage's voice. She'd felt bad for the poor foals, but sweet Celestia, that name was a dagger to the heart. Trying to calm, she looks to Mirror, trying to explain the matter more directly. "The Wasteland's a dangerous place. Some ponies will have too much pride to let a horse tell them what to do. But some think only about the practicalities. Food, water, things like that. Abbas can provide those. And as long as he can provide those, ponies and horses are going to call him master."

[DigoDragon]

"That is silly." she said, frowning, "If he told you his plans, then it can not be the whole plan. If you could harm him if you told some one else, then he would not have told you it. He might have told you his plans, but there might be a part that is different than the one he has told some one else, so that he would know if it was told to his enemies. And we can not be his heirs, he rules over horses and we are not horses, like he could not rule over Everfrost no matter how rich or kind he is."

"He already does rule over ponies. Didn't you see those con...temptable 'Servants of the Sun'?"
"The Wasteland's a dangerous place. Some ponies will have too much pride to let a horse tell them what to do. But some think only about the practicalities. Food, water, things like that. Abbas can provide those. And as long as he can provide those, ponies and horses are going to call him master."

"Well, let's be fair. I didn't say how much of his plans Abbas told me. Just that he asked me to rescue his sister instead of all those griffons he hired," Doc says on his defense. "I agree that Abbas wouldn't reveal his entire plan to me. I bet I barely know any of it, just enough to do the bodyguard job in two days. Now, yeah, I'm being a bit too optimistic about heirs. I don't expect that'll ever happen."

Doc pauses a moment. "Buuuut, since he does rule over ponies, I bet those that rise up in his favor get rewarded. Would it reasonable if, say, we are granted a bit of land as payment for loyal services? Becoming a landowner under his reign ain't so bad, right?"

[RCgothic]

The Talon commander gave Stellar a smooth smile, seemingly confident with the situation, while the griffon workers, still looking surprised at the events, didn't seem particularly despondent but continued to look at Stellar with renewed interest, and all nodded in silent, enraptured unison.

The drink Stellar was given had coconut and strawberry juice on top of the pineapple flavor. However, she got a wake up call in the fact that the drink, to disguise the fact that no pineapple had probably entered Equestria in the last hundred years and finding strawberries that didn't bite back when you tried to pick them was rather hard, likely consisted mostly of some coconut-flavored liquor, likely rum or some other high-proof sugar based concoction, in a glass slightly smaller than her head. As such, the actual answer was that it tasted like fruit juice, with a bite that wasn't really present on her tongue but was felt a few seconds after the fact in the form of feeling as if she just hammered back all the shots that had been poured for the griffons in front of her.

"Well, do you like it? It's all yours." said the griffon commander, his voice carrying a note of pleasant surprise, "Stellar, right?"

Stellar's eyes widen in pleasure as she realises that yes, she really likes this drink!

"Strawberry Pina Colada?" she guesses. She takes another sip as she extends a hoof. She bats her eyelids at him. "Yes that's me. Stellar Blaze. And who do I have the pleasure of addressing?"

[Dalinale]

"Do you miss them?" Viridia asked.

Fan Knife shook her head almost immediately.

"Not really, I didn't really know them. I was put into military school when I got my cutie mark, and I spent six years there, and only my sister visited because she was still in the country. When I graduated from the combat curriculum early, my sister picked me up, and then we left the country about six months after that. My dad didn't visit often and my mom was at the graduation ceremonies at the end of each year, but that was it."


"He already does rule over ponies. Didn't you see those con...temptable 'Servants of the Sun'?"

Choro almost spits the term, an ember of wrath burning in the little mage's voice. She'd felt bad for the poor foals, but sweet Celestia, that name was a dagger to the heart. Trying to calm, she looks to Mirror, trying to explain the matter more directly. "The Wasteland's a dangerous place. Some ponies will have too much pride to let a horse tell them what to do. But some think only about the practicalities. Food, water, things like that. Abbas can provide those. And as long as he can provide those, ponies and horses are going to call him master."

"It sounds like you're jealous, lass." Bertly said suddenly, causing Mirror to stare at the robot in obvious surprise, apparently not used to a talking metal orb being in her life, "If all he offers is food, shelter, and water, then he has all the basic essentials for being a good employer, but it's a open market, after all. Find a better boss, helping his assets grow, and reaping the rewards is a perfectly fine thing to do. Perhaps you just need to stop hanging out in all these poor neighborhoods."


"Well, let's be fair. I didn't say how much of his plans Abbas told me. Just that he asked me to rescue his sister instead of all those griffons he hired," Doc says on his defense. "I agree that Abbas wouldn't reveal his entire plan to me. I bet I barely know any of it, just enough to do the bodyguard job in two days. Now, yeah, I'm being a bit too optimistic about heirs. I don't expect that'll ever happen."

Doc pauses a moment. "Buuuut, since he does rule over ponies, I bet those that rise up in his favor get rewarded. Would it reasonable if, say, we are granted a bit of land as payment for loyal services? Becoming a landowner under his reign ain't so bad, right?"

"What is a Stable? I have heard they are nice and one is filled with Abbas's merchant enemies." Mirror asked, "They are under the ground, yes? Then it would be safe."


Stellar's eyes widen in pleasure as she realises that yes, she really likes this drink!

"Strawberry Pina Colada?" she guesses. She takes another sip as she extends a hoof. She bats her eyelids at him.

The griffon took Stellar's hoof with a firm but light grip probably designed make his palms feel softer then they really were.

"Never met'r, but that's the name of the drink." the Talon commander replied as he smiled back, eyes glittering in the faint light.


"Yes that's me. Stellar Blaze. And who do I have the pleasure of addressing?"

"Andries Graeff, in the flesh. Call me Andy if you want." the big griffon replied, his voice light but confident, "I gotta say, you looked like the most confident one in your group of friends, so I'm guessing you're from around here, right?"

[Hazuki]

Fan Knife shook her head almost immediately.

"Not really, I didn't really know them. I was put into military school when I got my cutie mark, and I spent six years there, and only my sister visited because she was still in the country. When I graduated from the combat curriculum early, my sister picked me up, and then we left the country about six months after that. My dad didn't visit often and my mom was at the graduation ceremonies at the end of each year, but that was it." "Huh. Interesting. How did they handle cutie marks differently in Neighpon?"

[Forum Explorer]

Moonshadow goes down the hatch.

[DigoDragon]

"What is a Stable? I have heard they are nice and one is filled with Abbas's merchant enemies." Mirror asked, "They are under the ground, yes? Then it would be safe."

Doc raised an eyebrow to Bertly's statement, but there was a tiny hint of a smirk. He looks to Mirror and nods. "Back during the great war, ponies built underground shelters called Stables to protect their families from the fighting. Some were built well and worked out. Others... not so much. A few of the Stables still exist. This city I believe has two, one that has the merchants you mentioned and the other I am not sure. They're good shelters so I imagine someone lives there."

[Inspector Valin]

"It sounds like you're jealous, lass." Bertly said suddenly, causing Mirror to stare at the robot in obvious surprise, apparently not used to a talking metal orb being in her life, "If all he offers is food, shelter, and water, then he has all the basic essentials for being a good employer, but it's a open market, after all. Find a better boss, helping his assets grow, and reaping the rewards is a perfectly fine thing to do. Perhaps you just need to stop hanging out in all these poor neighborhoods."

"Jealous?!"

Choro looks as surprised as Mirror by Bertly's words. And significantly more angry. Any effort to maintain detachment is now well and truly gone. The little wizard glares daggers at the flying orb, pausing in her work to remonstrate with the robot and his newfound taste for psychoanalysis. "I'm not jealous of those three. They seemed more pitiable than anything. Their singing needs work and I think they've had less food than me these last few days. But excuse me for being offended a bunch of horse loving, second rate performer sellouts decided to rub salt in the wound by styling their little horse loyalty society with Celestia's mark!"

Flaring her muzzle, the little mage continues to stare at Bertly, running a hoof through the ground for emphasis. After a pause, Choro slowly turns back to the chest, hefting it once again. As she does so however, she adds a further rejoinder to the robot behind her. "And don't try and tell me horses give a different meaning to the sun. Those are ponies. Born in Equestria. And they're equating wealthy horses with the rightful monarch of all three tribes. They should know better"


"What is a Stable? I have heard they are nice and one is filled with Abbas's merchant enemies." Mirror asked, "They are under the ground, yes? Then it would be safe."


Doc raised an eyebrow to Bertly's statement, but there was a tiny hint of a smirk. He looks to Mirror and nods. "Back during the great war, ponies built underground shelters called Stables to protect their families from the fighting. Some were built well and worked out. Others... not so much. A few of the Stables still exist. This city I believe has two, one that has the merchants you mentioned and the other I am not sure. They're good shelters so I imagine someone lives there."

The new topic is certainly an easier one for Choro than the last. Doc starts to answer before she can, but once he's done, the little mage nods in affirmation. A fair summation, but she can add a little more. "They're designed to be completely independent from the outside world. In theory each Stable is under the authority of StableTec Headquarters, but I know ours never heard from them since the bombs fell. If they're still out there, the communication lines were damaged. In their absence, each one should have an Overmare in charge to provide a clear line of authority and resolve any conflicts."

She could've been quoting from some manual. Dichoro takes a seconds pause to straighten her hat and check the chest's position before continuing. "They can be pretty nice places to live in. We have to be careful with resources, since we're limited in our ability to resupply, but it's a lot safer than life on the surface. There's more of a sense of... togetherness. Everypony has to do their part to make the system work, so everypony else has an interest in their wellbeing." Choro sighs wistfully at the memory. For a moment, she's Cog again, bustling about the place, trying to remember her way through some of the less used corridors of the Stable. "I was the Overmare's aide back home, and one of my main jobs was just checking up on ponies every so often to make sure they were still happy and to help them with any personal problems they might have. It wasn't always easy but it felt so good to just... help. To see other ponies happy and singing and know that you played a part in making that happen."

[RCgothic]

The griffon took Stellar's hoof with a firm but light grip probably designed make his palms feel softer then they really were.

"Never met'r, but that's the name of the drink." the Talon commander replied as he smiled back, eyes glittering in the faint light.

"Andries Graeff, in the flesh. Call me Andy if you want." the big griffon replied, his voice light but confident, "I gotta say, you looked like the most confident one in your group of friends, so I'm guessing you're from around here, right?"

Stellar's eyes twinkle at having guessed the cocktail correctly.

"Enchanted to meet you Andy," she purrs. Surely it's wrong to manipulate somebody like this? Also you literally just told Madeleine to knock it off with the griffons, so add "hypocritical" to the list. But alcohol is beginning to give her a warm glow that tells that little voice to sit down and shut up and by the way you like the attention and maybe the nice griffon is even quite attractive in a griffony sort of way.

"That's right, and very kind of you to say," she replies modestly. Perhaps he hasn't met Viridia yet.

"Are you local? If you're party of Abbas's security team then we'll see you in Last Stop for the meeting."

[Dalinale]

"Huh. Interesting. How did they handle cutie marks differently in Neighpon?"

"You get a coming of age ceremony; if you're in the rural parts, you'd get brought before the elders of the village for them to see if you can do anything in the village, like become a farmer or fisherpony. If they don't think you could excel there, you'd get taken to the local lord or administrator, who will set up a apprenticeship with someone established, or arrange you being sent to the military. If they can't or wont, then you'd normally end back up in the village or join a band of traveling workers. If you have a more abstract cutie mark, then you could usually be dropped off at a priest's temple, or get pawned off to a traveling doctor. In the more developed areas, you'll get a party and you'll need to start to think if you would want to go into the government or one of the major companies." Fan Knife replied, "I'm guessing it's different in Equestria."


Moonshadow goes down the hatch.

Moonshadow found herself hovering in a small cylinder-shaped room; the floor was covered in a thin black carpet and the walls were smooth and had small, roughly carved square windows. The center of the room had large double-winding wooden staircase that went both upwards and downwards into the building, and the size of the steps obscured seeing what was directly above or below. The faint sound of wind was audible.


Doc raised an eyebrow to Bertly's statement, but there was a tiny hint of a smirk.


"Jealous?!"

Choro looks as surprised as Mirror by Bertly's words. And significantly more angry. Any effort to maintain detachment is now well and truly gone. The little wizard glares daggers at the flying orb, pausing in her work to remonstrate with the robot and his newfound taste for psychoanalysis. "I'm not jealous of those three. They seemed more pitiable than anything. Their singing needs work and I think they've had less food than me these last few days. But excuse me for being offended a bunch of horse loving, second rate performer sellouts decided to rub salt in the wound by styling their little horse loyalty society with Celestia's mark!"

Flaring her muzzle, the little mage continues to stare at Bertly, running a hoof through the ground for emphasis. After a pause, Choro slowly turns back to the chest, hefting it once again. As she does so however, she adds a further rejoinder to the robot behind her. "And don't try and tell me horses give a different meaning to the sun. Those are ponies. Born in Equestria. And they're equating wealthy horses with the rightful monarch of all three tribes. They should know better"

Bertly was silent after his chastisement, but Mirror seemed to find Choro's response to be somewhat dull. Her eyes narrowed slightly.

"The Servants here were under a pony named Snowflake, who was evil. But there are others under a pony named Sunrise, who was good and kept Sari alive when she was surrounded by enemies. They are silly but most of this place is silly, and Abbas is more a Equestrian then I am."


He looks to Mirror and nods. "Back during the great war, ponies built underground shelters called Stables to protect their families from the fighting. Some were built well and worked out. Others... not so much. A few of the Stables still exist. This city I believe has two, one that has the merchants you mentioned and the other I am not sure. They're good shelters so I imagine someone lives there."

The new topic is certainly an easier one for Choro than the last. Doc starts to answer before she can, but once he's done, the little mage nods in affirmation. A fair summation, but she can add a little more. "They're designed to be completely independent from the outside world. In theory each Stable is under the authority of StableTec Headquarters, but I know ours never heard from them since the bombs fell. If they're still out there, the communication lines were damaged. In their absence, each one should have an Overmare in charge to provide a clear line of authority and resolve any conflicts."


She could've been quoting from some manual. Dichoro takes a seconds pause to straighten her hat and check the chest's position before continuing. "They can be pretty nice places to live in. We have to be careful with resources, since we're limited in our ability to resupply, but it's a lot safer than life on the surface. There's more of a sense of... togetherness. Everypony has to do their part to make the system work, so everypony else has an interest in their wellbeing." Choro sighs wistfully at the memory. For a moment, she's Cog again, bustling about the place, trying to remember her way through some of the less used corridors of the Stable. "I was the Overmare's aide back home, and one of my main jobs was just checking up on ponies every so often to make sure they were still happy and to help them with any personal problems they might have. It wasn't always easy but it felt so good to just... help. To see other ponies happy and singing and know that you played a part in making that happen."

"We must ask for one, if there are no castles here." Mirror said, sounding firm, "There is much land here but it is crowded. A under ground fortress with room would be nice."


Stellar's eyes twinkle at having guessed the cocktail correctly.

"Enchanted to meet you Andy," she purrs. Surely it's wrong to manipulate somebody like this? Also you literally just told Madeleine to knock it off with the griffons, so as "hypocritical" to the list. But alcohol is beginning to give her a warm glow that tells that little voice to sit down and shut up and by the way you like the attention and maybe the nice griffon is even quite attractive in a griffony sort of way.

The griffon seemed rather polite, well built (what a wingspan!) and somewhat striking profile, and in general looked completely natural in wearing what looked like a sweet set of combat armor. He also had a sense of humor that wasn't in the vein of dead baby jokes, and had that aura of independence that was truly only given off by those comfortable at flying. Well, if ponies could get used to other ponies with long faces...

Anyway, Andries's beak formed a small smirk, a clear mix of admiration and amusement present on his face.


"That's right, and very kind of you to say," she replies modestly. Perhaps he hasn't met Viridia yet.

"Are you local? If you're party of Abbas's security team then we'll see you in Last Stop for the meeting."

"Actually, I'm from Albearta." Andries replied, chuckling slightly, "There wasn't much to do there for a griffon, the buffalo there have their own thing going on, so I traveled here and joined the Talons. This is a nice city, would like to keep it that way, too, found out there was a guy trying to keep it that way, and signed up with him a few years ago. If you're part of the boss's squad, I guess we will meet up there, huh. Been there before?"

[DigoDragon]

Bertly was silent after his chastisement

"Don't take it personally, B," Doc consoles the robot. "If I understand the wizard, I think Choro's issue is that the Servants use the same symbol of a historical ruler Choro reveres. She seems to feel they're stealing its meaning for themselves. It's like... if an unrelated group took Robronco's logo for themselves."



"We must ask for one, if there are no castles here." Mirror said, sounding firm, "There is much land here but it is crowded. A under ground fortress with room would be nice."

"Hmm, well if one becomes available that might actually be neat. Choro could probably tell us what living in them is like."

[Hazuki]

"You get a coming of age ceremony; if you're in the rural parts, you'd get brought before the elders of the village for them to see if you can do anything in the village, like become a farmer or fisherpony. If they don't think you could excel there, you'd get taken to the local lord or administrator, who will set up a apprenticeship with someone established, or arrange you being sent to the military. If they can't or wont, then you'd normally end back up in the village or join a band of traveling workers. If you have a more abstract cutie mark, then you could usually be dropped off at a priest's temple, or get pawned off to a traveling doctor. In the more developed areas, you'll get a party and you'll need to start to think if you would want to go into the government or one of the major companies." Fan Knife replied, "I'm guessing it's different in Equestria.""you'd know more than me about what we used to do. I got mine in a game of Poker."

[Inspector Valin]

Bertly was silent after his chastisement, but Mirror seemed to find Choro's response to be somewhat dull. Her eyes narrowed slightly.

"The Servants here were under a pony named Snowflake, who was evil. But there are others under a pony named Sunrise, who was good and kept Sari alive when she was surrounded by enemies. They are silly but most of this place is silly, and Abbas is more a Equestrian then I am."

"That word should mean more than geography."

Choro sounds torn, equal parts sad and angry, but the little mage finds it hard to be angry at Ms. Mirror after what happened earlier. She sighs belabourdly, taking a second to check their progress before beginning to explain. "Our kingdom lasted for more than a thousand years. We created a land of peace, harmony and friendship from the union of three tribes as one. We stood for something. But now? Now it's just land and ponies and that's all anyone cares about. Not history. Not principle. Not caring for other ponies and working together. Just who wins, who rules, who has power and who doesn't. That's it to these ponies."

Well, to most of them. Surface dwellers aren't devoid of virtue, but the things they are willing to accept in others sometimes drives Choro up the wall. The little mare breaths deeply, gasping a touch for air after her tirade. When she starts again, she's a touch calmer than before. "If some of the Servants have done good, then good for them. And maybe Abbas is more of an Equestrian than I give him credit for. He seems well read, and most of the reasons I'm suspicious of him boil down to rumors. But where we grew up isn't what makes somepony Equestrian, at least not to me. And the sun..." It takes the little wizard a few seconds to find the words. How do you express what somepony so wonderful means to you? Eventually she has to settle on simple words, though she does so reluctantly. "It's special. It's important. It's the sign of the greatest monarch ponykind ever had. To reference her while serving foreigners and their interests is disrespectful to Celestia, and to the memory of Equestria itself. We were a nation built on her wisdom and guidance. Without that..."

Choro trails off, looking down sadly. She waves a hoof in the direction of the far off glowing radio tower. This is what ponies today knew. Not the kindness and wisdom of ancient princesses. Just bleakness and death. It went beyond disheartening. The little mare looks somber.


"Don't take it personally, B," Doc consoles the robot. "If I understand the wizard, I think Choro's issue is that the Servants use the same symbol of a historical ruler Choro reveres. She seems to feel they're stealing its meaning for themselves. It's like... if an unrelated group took Robronco's logo for themselves."

Choro blinks at Doc's attempt to explain the situation. That was strange. She coughs a touch awkwardly, "I'm pretty sure Mr. Bertly knows who Celestia was, Doctor. She may have stepped down in the war years but she wasn't that obscure."

[Forum Explorer]

Moonshadow heads down.

[DigoDragon]

"I'm pretty sure Mr. Bertly knows who Celestia was, Doctor. She may have stepped down in the war years but she wasn't that obscure."

Doc looks over to Bertly, then back to Choro. "Well, reckon that's true, but my point is that you disagree with the Servants taking up Celestia's mark for themselves. They use the mark, but not her principals.."

[RCgothic]

The griffon seemed rather polite, well built (what a wingspan!) and somewhat striking profile, and in general looked completely natural in wearing what looked like a sweet set of combat armor. He also had a sense of humor that wasn't in the vein of dead baby jokes, and had that aura of independence that was truly only given off by those comfortable at flying. Well, if ponies could get used to other ponies with long faces...

Anyway, Andries's beak formed a small smirk, a clear mix of admiration and amusement present on his face.

"Actually, I'm from Albearta." Andries replied, chuckling slightly, "There wasn't much to do there for a griffon, the buffalo there have their own thing going on, so I traveled here and joined the Talons. This is a nice city, would like to keep it that way, too, found out there was a guy trying to keep it that way, and signed up with him a few years ago. If you're part of the boss's squad, I guess we will meet up there, huh. Been there before?"

"Actually I have been out that way to Cavalry once," Stellar says, sipping some more of her drink. Warm and fuzzy now. "A trade run with my folks. You're right, there wasn't much left to look at and I don't think it was especially pretty to begin with. At least, the bits I saw, which wasn't much," she admits in case she was being too critical of Andries' home.

"Yeah, me too," she says thoughtfully, Abbas' graph returning to her mind. "I have an idea that might help..."

Rather than elaborate she looks at him sideways through her eyelashes. "You're quite handsome by the way." And then she blushes.

[Inspector Valin]

Doc looks over to Bertly, then back to Choro. "Well, reckon that's true, but my point is that you disagree with the Servants taking up Celestia's mark for themselves. They use the mark, but not her principals.."

Choro takes a second to mull that over before nodding. "That's sort of it. I don't know what principles the Servants subscribe to, but what they've said, what Sari said and how Abbas acts makes me believe their actions as a whole run counter to Celestia's values and teachings. She wanted ponykind to stand together, to uplift one another, not to just fall into line behind a powerful despot, suborning yourself to another's will. She ruled over the land, but more as a parent than a monarch"

The little mare's mind briefly turns back to the Servants' little pantomime of welcome to Abbas. Choro can't help but sigh, "If she could see what her ponies were doing just to try and survive, to make sure they have food and water? Celestia would weep."

[Dalinale]

"Don't take it personally, B," Doc consoles the robot. "If I understand the wizard, I think Choro's issue is that the Servants use the same symbol of a historical ruler Choro reveres. She seems to feel they're stealing its meaning for themselves. It's like... if an unrelated group took Robronco's logo for themselves.

"Hmm, well if one becomes available that might actually be neat. Choro could probably tell us what living in them is like."


"That word should mean more than geography."

Choro sounds torn, equal parts sad and angry, but the little mage finds it hard to be angry at Ms. Mirror after what happened earlier. She sighs belabourdly, taking a second to check their progress before beginning to explain. "Our kingdom lasted for more than a thousand years. We created a land of peace, harmony and friendship from the union of three tribes as one. We stood for something. But now? Now it's just land and ponies and that's all anyone cares about. Not history. Not principle. Not caring for other ponies and working together. Just who wins, who rules, who has power and who doesn't. That's it to these ponies."

Well, to most of them. Surface dwellers aren't devoid of virtue, but the things they are willing to accept in others sometimes drives Choro up the wall. The little mare breaths deeply, gasping a touch for air after her tirade. When she starts again, she's a touch calmer than before. "If some of the Servants have done good, then good for them. And maybe Abbas is more of an Equestrian than I give him credit for. He seems well read, and most of the reasons I'm suspicious of him boil down to rumors. But where we grew up isn't what makes somepony Equestrian, at least not to me. And the sun..." It takes the little wizard a few seconds to find the words. How do you express what somepony so wonderful means to you? Eventually she has to settle on simple words, though she does so reluctantly. "It's special. It's important. It's the sign of the greatest monarch ponykind ever had. To reference her while serving foreigners and their interests is disrespectful to Celestia, and to the memory of Equestria itself. We were a nation built on her wisdom and guidance. Without that..."

Choro trails off, looking down sadly. She waves a hoof in the direction of the far off glowing radio tower. This is what ponies today knew. Not the kindness and wisdom of ancient princesses. Just bleakness and death. It went beyond disheartening. The little mare looks somber.

"Abbas is nearer to a kind and strong ruler than any one else here." Mirror said, shaking her head, "He has support and a goal for the future. If some one else was like him, if he was so wrong, than why has he not been defeated in battle? He is not a king, but this is a land of merchants, and he is the one who is freeing slaves brought here."


Choro blinks at Doc's attempt to explain the situation. That was strange. She coughs a touch awkwardly, "I'm pretty sure Mr. Bertly knows who Celestia was, Doctor. She may have stepped down in the war years but she wasn't that obscure."

Bertly made a sound that was somewhat like a cough, as filtered through radio static. It made the dog whine slightly.


Doc looks over to Bertly, then back to Choro. "Well, reckon that's true, but my point is that you disagree with the Servants taking up Celestia's mark for themselves. They use the mark, but not her principals.."

Mirror gave Doc a odd side-eyed look, as if she was surprised that he was standing up for the Servants.


Choro takes a second to mull that over before nodding. "That's sort of it. I don't know what principles the Servants subscribe to, but what they've said, what Sari said and how Abbas acts makes me believe their actions as a whole run counter to Celestia's values and teachings. She wanted ponykind to stand together, to uplift one another, not to just fall into line behind a powerful despot, suborning yourself to another's will. She ruled over the land, but more as a parent than a monarch"

The little mare's mind briefly turns back to the Servants' little pantomime of welcome to Abbas. Choro can't help but sigh, "If she could see what her ponies were doing just to try and survive, to make sure they have food and water? Celestia would weep."

"Most of the bad people I have met here are other ponies." Mirror said, "None of the ones who have said that they are part of old orders have been very nice, either, except for Glorious Dawn and Nightcore. Without a ruler, the old orders have no authority."


"you'd know more than me about what we used to do. I got mine in a game of Poker."

Fan Knife glanced at Viridia's flank for a few long moments before turning back to the path; a few more steps, and they would be back at the cavern.

"Well, gambling was illegal in Neighpon." Fan Knife said, with a slight hint of grim humor in her voice, "Did you bet anything important, or did you just make a lot of money?"


Moonshadow heads down.

The the spiral staircase winded down until tapered off into more typical set of stairs; soon, Moonshadow found herself at the edge of a balcony with nothing separating her from vast space of darkness other than low-lying wooden railing. There was about three feet separating her head from the smoke-colored ceiling, and the air smelled like heavy incense. It was clear that she was at the very top of the central chamber of the abbey, and it was utterly silent and there was not a single speck of light. There were two open doors just a few feet away from her on each side; to her left, there was one that was the start of a descending staircase, while to her right was the start of path that appeared to lead further around the edges of the chamber. Looking down showed that the chamber was dominated by wooden rows of pews, arranged around a central alter. There didn't seem to be anyone around, but the chamber was, truthfully, very large.

[Roll Perception.]


"Actually I have been out that way to Cavalry once," Stellar says, sipping some more of her drink. Warm and fuzzy now. "A trade run with my folks. You're right, there wasn't much left to look at and I don't think it was especially pretty to begin with. At least, the bits I saw, which wasn't much," she admits in case she was being too critical of Andries' home.

The griffon didn't seem to think that was the case, given the way that he nodded after she finished.

"Yeah, me too," she says thoughtfully, Abbas' graph returning to her mind. "I have an idea that might help..."

Rather than elaborate she looks at him sideways through her eyelashes. "You're quite handsome by the way." And then she blushes.[/QUOTE]

Charmingly, it took Andries a moment to recollect himself after the complement.

"And you are fierce." he said, sounding as if he meant it; he then glanced back at the carriage behind him for a few brief moments, and then turned back; his smile was still there, "The cargo has to leave in a few minutes, can't have the siblings freeze to death, but we'll both be in Lost Stop for a few days. There's some shifty folks around there, but," he suddenly placed a claw on one of his badges and looked up at the sky, looking like some patriotic piece of wartime propaganda before breaking out in a silly grin, "they usually don't pick on Talons. Besides, I know the guy who owns the only tiki bar left on the planet, he has a sauna in the basement, too."

[Hazuki]

Fan Knife glanced at Viridia's flank for a few long moments before turning back to the path; a few more steps, and they would be back at the cavern.

"Well, gambling was illegal in Neighpon." Fan Knife said, with a slight hint of grim humor in her voice, "Did you bet anything important, or did you just make a lot of money?""I was foalnapped and the raiders were bored, so they let me play poker. I won a grenade and they apparently didn't expect me to just activate it and fly out the window." Viridia said. "So, I won my life, I guess."

[DigoDragon]

Mirror gave Doc a odd side-eyed look, as if she was surprised that he was standing up for the Servants.

Doc really wasn't.



"Abbas is nearer to a kind and strong ruler than any one else here." Mirror said, shaking her head, "He has support and a goal for the future. If some one else was like him, if he was so wrong, than why has he not been defeated in battle? He is not a king, but this is a land of merchants, and he is the one who is freeing slaves brought here."

"I agree with Mirror, I haven't found anything that would indicate that Abbas will be a despot," Doc says as he approaches the bus with his furry cargo. "I reckon we ought to work with him. He has treated us well and trusts us enough to put his live in our charge. If he's a bad horse, we'll deal with it. But if he's a decent horse, then I want to believe he could really help this city unite for the better."

[Forum Explorer]

The the spiral staircase winded down until tapered off into more typical set of stairs; soon, Moonshadow found herself at the edge of a balcony with nothing separating her from vast space of darkness other than low-lying wooden railing. There was about three feet separating her head from the smoke-colored ceiling, and the air smelled like heavy incense. It was clear that she was at the very top of the central chamber of the abbey, and it was utterly silent and there was not a single speck of light. There were two open doors just a few feet away from her on each side; to her left, there was one that was the start of a descending staircase, while to her right was the start of path that appeared to lead further around the edges of the chamber. Looking down showed that the chamber was dominated by wooden rows of pews, arranged around a central alter. There didn't seem to be anyone around, but the chamber was, truthfully, very large.




Moonshadow paused, looking around and checking her Pip-buck for any hostiles or friendlies.

roll]1d10 vs 10

[Inspector Valin]

"Abbas is nearer to a kind and strong ruler than any one else here." Mirror said, shaking her head, "He has support and a goal for the future. If some one else was like him, if he was so wrong, than why has he not been defeated in battle? He is not a king, but this is a land of merchants, and he is the one who is freeing slaves brought here."


"I agree with Mirror, I haven't found anything that would indicate that Abbas will be a despot," Doc says as he approaches the bus with his furry cargo. "I reckon we ought to work with him. He has treated us well and trusts us enough to put his live in our charge. If he's a bad horse, we'll deal with it. But if he's a decent horse, then I want to believe he could really help this city unite for the better."

"Neither of you were on the ship when Ms. Sari outlined his methodology up to this point. How he killed their parents, seized land through force of arms and works with bad ponies freely. The last of which we know is true, because of the job he outlined to us." The little mage coughs, taking a second to remember the horse lady's exact choice of words, before relaying it to Doc and Mirror, alongside brief air-hooves. "He would break every system and moral code he encounters in order to get what he desires, which is power and the ability to gain more power."

The words are sobering, and Choro takes a second to let them sink into the air before continuing. "Viridia wrote it off as the Olives' influence. She was able to talk Sari off the ship. But I believe that Ms. Sari believed it, and the idea that a pack of outsiders could be that good at turning a sister against her brother doesn't make a lot of sense to me. Even if it's second hand knowledge, I take it seriously."


"Most of the bad people I have met here are other ponies." Mirror said, "None of the ones who have said that they are part of old orders have been very nice, either, except for Glorious Dawn and Nightcore. Without a ruler, the old orders have no authority."

"Well! Sorry I don't meet your standards."

Choro huffs, pulling her hat forward. That had struck a nerve. The little mage is silent briefly, trudging through the snow before her temper cools. With a sigh, she starts elaborating a little "The old orders are gone, yes. But just because they don't hold secular authority doesn't deny them moral authority. When times are dark, and the situation is terrifying, thinking of yourself as part of something great and ancient can be a comfort. The decisions and wisdom of ponies of yore can help us when we're faced with hard choices today. Most have forgotten their history, but I was able to study a lot, and it's what keeps me going some nights."

[RCgothic]

"And you are fierce." he said, sounding as if he meant it; he then glanced back at the carriage behind him for a few brief moments, and then turned back; his smile was still there, "The cargo has to leave in a few minutes, can't have the siblings freeze to death, but we'll both be in Lost Stop for a few days. There's some shifty folks around there, but," he suddenly placed a claw on one of his badges and looked up at the sky, looking like some patriotic piece of wartime propaganda before breaking out in a silly grin, "they usually don't pick on Talons. Besides, I know the guy who owns the only tiki bar left on the planet, he has a sauna in the basement, too."

Stellar quirks an eyebrow at his choice of complement, but her amused smile says Yeah, that's true. and she punches him playfully with a wingtip when he goes all faux-patriot. She closes her eyes briefly and begins to sway almost immediately.

"Also quite tipsy," she admits.

"If you know where to find more of these, I will definitely keep an eye out for you in Last Stop! And you know, if the Talon thing doesn't work out you could always be a bartender," she teases.

"Anyway, it sounds like I'm keeping you from your duty. I wouldn't want your 'cargo' to freeze! This has been most... Unexpected." She smiles and turns to leave, but she stops, chewing her lip uncertainly. She turns back. And then, acting on an impulse aided by alcohol, she cradles his face with a wing and kisses him on the cheek. She looks into his eyes for a long moment as she goes steadily redder, and then when she can't take it anymore she turns and trots back towards Doc, Choro, Mirror, Bertly and Madeleine, sipping from her cocktail as she goes.

[Dalinale]

"I was foalnapped and the raiders were bored, so they let me play poker. I won a grenade and they apparently didn't expect me to just activate it and fly out the window." Viridia said. "So, I won my life, I guess."

"Huh." Fan Knife said; she then took one last step off the grand crystal bridge and onto more mundane rock, "That's pretty good. I got mine after I won a sort of tournament the government held. I was the one who passed it, even though I was four years younger than the rest of the ponies in it, and I guess I got my cutie mark when I was wrapping it up. I think it was when I killed a stallion with a paper fan I was carrying."


Moonshadow paused, looking around and checking her Pip-buck for any hostiles or friendlies.

roll]1d10[/roll] vs 10

No hostiles, no friendly, nothing around out of the ordinary...

except for that weird door on the left side of the chamber; there was a opening in between two stone statues that opened up to what looked like a staircase that didn't have a obvious pairing on the other side.



"I agree with Mirror, I haven't found anything that would indicate that Abbas will be a despot," Doc says as he approaches the bus with his furry cargo. "I reckon we ought to work with him. He has treated us well and trusts us enough to put his live in our charge. If he's a bad horse, we'll deal with it. But if he's a decent horse, then I want to believe he could really help this city unite for the better."


"Neither of you were on the ship when Ms. Sari outlined his methodology up to this point. How he killed their parents, seized land through force of arms and works with bad ponies freely. The last of which we know is true, because of the job he outlined to us." The little mage coughs, taking a second to remember the horse lady's exact choice of words, before relaying it to Doc and Mirror, alongside brief air-hooves. "He would break every system and moral code he encounters in order to get what he desires, which is power and the ability to gain more power."

The words are sobering, and Choro takes a second to let them sink into the air before continuing. "Viridia wrote it off as the Olives' influence. She was able to talk Sari off the ship. But I believe that Ms. Sari believed it, and the idea that a pack of outsiders could be that good at turning a sister against her brother doesn't make a lot of sense to me. Even if it's second hand knowledge, I take it seriously."

"I stayed with Sari for six months. She is nice but dramatic." Mirror said, sounding very slightly short with Choro, "I have seen Abbas for less than a hour, at a party he had held. If he talked to every one at that party, than he had done more that day than Sari had did in two seasons. Her lands are peaceful but not notable and she has no neighbors except for Olives."


"Well! Sorry I don't meet your standards."

Choro huffs, pulling her hat forward. That had struck a nerve. The little mage is silent briefly, trudging through the snow before her temper cools. With a sigh, she starts elaborating a little "The old orders are gone, yes. But just because they don't hold secular authority doesn't deny them moral authority. When times are dark, and the situation is terrifying, thinking of yourself as part of something great and ancient can be a comfort. The decisions and wisdom of ponies of yore can help us when we're faced with hard choices today. Most have forgotten their history, but I was able to study a lot, and it's what keeps me going some nights."

"That is silly." Mirror Armor said, after a short pause, "You are not a priest, but a wizard, yah? The wisdom and decisions here caused a necromantic spell to be cast that killed most of the ponies who lived here. If you are a priest, you can talk about old orders and dwell on the past and thank your ancestors for living in a special place, or you can be a wizard and form new orders in a place that has none. You do not want to be in the Guild, correct? They work for money and for anyone with money."


Stellar quirks an eyebrow at his choice of complement, but her amused smile says Yeah, that's true. and she punches him playfully with a wingtip when he goes all faux-patriot. She closes her eyes briefly and begins to sway almost immediately.

"Also quite tipsy," she admits.

The griffon's lopsided smile crooked up one side of his beak, slow and smooth. The overall effect made Andries look rather, dare someone say it, dashingly handsome.


"If you know where to find more of these, I will definitely keep an eye out for you in Last Stop! And you know, if the Talon thing doesn't work out you could always be a bartender," she teases.

"Anyway, it sounds like I'm keeping you from your duty. I wouldn't want your 'cargo' to freeze! This has been most... Unexpected." She smiles and turns to leave, but she stops, chewing her lip uncertainly. She turns back. And then, acting on an impulse aided by alcohol, she cradles his face with a wing and kisses him on the cheek. She looks into his eyes for a long moment as she goes steadily redder

Andrias was clearly startled by the kiss; his eyes were wide with surprise, exhilaration, and possibly the slightest bit of fear in the 'I didn't see her go for my face' or in the 'Oh hey, so this is one of those turning point things' sense. He looked like he was going to croak out something, but he was interrupted by the sound of two griffons high-fiving one another, which caused the big griffon to grit his teeth. It took basically one good glare from the hawkish drake to silence the rabble.


and then when she can't take it anymore she turns and trots back towards Doc, Choro, Mirror, Bertly and Madeleine, sipping from her cocktail as she goes.

Stellar passed poor, impressionable Madeleine on her way out the gates; she didn't say anything but she was smiling too widely for any real comfort (no resemblance to the Crunchmunch mascots grin, thankfully).

Anyway, it appeared that Choro and Mirror Armor were taking turns moving one of Abbas's loot chests each, while Doc was hauling cuties around. Meanwhile, Stellar found herself getting warm and fuzzy around the edges, even the metal parts, or possibly especially the metal parts (Stitchheart's magic hooves might have gone a little overkill there, Celestia bless her), and wow, when's the last time she had liquor, the pinkish sugar-bomb in her hooves was practically a deadly weapon and, in hindsight, was probably mixed for someone a little more horse-sized.

[RCgothic]

Oh well, in for a cap, in for a bit! Stellar thinks happily as she continues to drink from the oversized glass. She pauses briefly to hoof-bump Madeleine before continuing on the the others.

"Hey guys, so, I kind of have a slight good news bad news situation," she says.

[DigoDragon]

"Sari tried to have Abbas assassinated, so I'm preeetty sure she hates him and will say anything bad about him," Doc says. "It's a strong court of opinion, but I wanna corroborate what she says first. Let's ask others what they know of Abbas and see the horse's actions ourselves."

He thinks for a moment, then Doc comes up with a comparison. "It's like what Dr. Tenaculum said about Dr. Stitchheart. Remember? Ten was saying that Stitch was this horrible pony that experimented on prisoners during the war and that she should be killed for her crimes. But you and I defended Stitchehart. Why is that?"



"Hey guys, so, I kind of have a slight good news bad news situation," she says.

And then Stellar ninja'd the rest of his comparison. "Oh, hey there Stellar. You look like you found the missing party. So... what's the slight good/bad news?"

[RCgothic]

"Bad news: Moonshadow and I got caught sneaking in. Good news: I managed to cause a distraction do she could sneak in anyway. Bad news: I have no idea where she Fan Knife or Viridia are. Good news: A nice griffon gave me this cocktail and I think I'd probably better share it. Bad news: I am now in no condition to be driving a bus, so we'd better hope Moonshadow and Viridia find their way back."

[Inspector Valin]

"I stayed with Sari for six months. She is nice but dramatic." Mirror said, sounding very slightly short with Choro, "I have seen Abbas for less than a hour, at a party he had held. If he talked to every one at that party, than he had done more that day than Sari had did in two seasons. Her lands are peaceful but not notable and she has no neighbors except for Olives."

Choro listens evenly to Mirror's testimony. This is new information; the pink mare's time with Sari gave an insight into her character. Once it iss over, the little wizard hums, meditating on what she'd learned briefly.

"None of that makes her a liar though."


"Sari tried to have Abbas assassinated, so I'm preeetty sure she hates him and will say anything bad about him," Doc says. "It's a strong court of opinion, but I wanna corroborate what she says first. Let's ask others what they know of Abbas and see the horse's actions ourselves."

He thinks for a moment, then Doc comes up with a comparison. "It's like what Dr. Tenaculum said about Dr. Stitchheart. Remember? Ten was saying that Stitch was this horrible pony that experimented on prisoners during the war and that she should be killed for her crimes. But you and I defended Stitchehart. Why is that?"

This one has Choro somber and thoughtful... until Doc gives his analogy. At that, the little wizard quietly snorts. "All that was true, though, Doctor. We found the evidence. You really could've picked a better analogy."


"That is silly." Mirror Armor said, after a short pause, "You are not a priest, but a wizard, yah? The wisdom and decisions here caused a necromantic spell to be cast that killed most of the ponies who lived here. If you are a priest, you can talk about old orders and dwell on the past and thank your ancestors for living in a special place, or you can be a wizard and form new orders in a place that has none. You do not want to be in the Guild, correct? They work for money and for anyone with money."

"I... I..."

Choro looks both confused and wounded. She still doesn't know for sure if Mirror is right about the Guild: instinctively she wants to argue, but the little mare knows full well she lacks he evidence. Thus she pivots backwards, puffing herself upright and addressing Mirror's overall point with the passion of a doctor who had been mistakenly identified as a nurse. "I'm a wizard because I respect the past! Because I wanted to follow in the tradition of Equestria's finest minds, and bring their light back into the world. If I just wanted to push the boundaries or be well rewarded, I'd have stuck with being a technician. An engineer. A scientist. It's their stupid high level thaumographic theory that got everypony killed: not traditional empirical arcana! It's a disgrace to our legacy, and a corruption of the simple principles of cute mark..."


Oh well, in for a cap, in for a bit! Stellar thinks happily as she continues to drink from the oversized glass. She pauses briefly to hoof-bump Madeleine before continuing on the the others.

"Hey guys, so, I kind of have a slight good news bad news situation," she says.

Choro turns, pausing in mid tirade at the sound of an encroaching pony. She looks at Stellar for a moment, "Somepony's trying to kill us?" the little mare offers, her voice an unusual deadpan.


"Bad news: Moonshadow and I got caught sneaking in. Good news: I managed to cause a distraction do she could sneak in anyway. Bad news: I have no idea where she Fan Knife or Viridia are. Good news: A nice griffon gave me this cocktail and I think I'd probably better share it. Bad news: I am now in no condition to be driving a bus, so we'd better hope Moonshadow and Viridia find their way back."

The explanation gets a snort out of Choro, and a faint smile. Unless Stellar has more to share, the little mage nods, and turns back around. They have to be almost to the carriage now, right?

[DigoDragon]

Doc's eyebrows did this little waggle between rising up and furling down at each point in the Good/Bad news stream. At the end of it, he was at a loss for words.

"I see... well, first thing, Stellar, you probably should stop drinking that. Give it to Mirror. She can hold her liquor better than any of us. Second, I'll finish my comparison with you later, Choro. I weren't done making a point. Now let's get this stuff in the bus and then figure out if we need to send a second search party to find the first search party."

Doc carefully maneuvers on previously walked on ground at the bus which was safe.

[Inspector Valin]

"We can't lose Ms. Moon. Unless she's gone into another warded area, I can find her with my PipBuck." Choro reminds the Doctor, desplaying it with a smile before moving as he suggested. Time to get this done with.

[DigoDragon]

"We can't lose Ms. Moon. Unless she's gone into another warded area, I can find her with my PipBuck."

"Don't worry, we won't lose her. Try sending Moonshadow a message with your pipbuck."

[RCgothic]

"I will share my drink," Stellar pouts, enunciating overly clearly.

[Forum Explorer]

[COLOR="#6633cc"]
No hostiles, no friendly, nothing around out of the ordinary...

except for that weird door on the left side of the chamber; there was a opening in between two stone statues that opened up to what looked like a staircase that didn't have a obvious pairing on the other side.


I'm going to find them banging or something aren't I? Moonshadow thought to herself as she went between the statues.

[Inspector Valin]

"Don't worry, we won't lose her. Try sending Moonshadow a message with your pipbuck."

"Hmm... okay."

Choro takes a second to tap out a message, [[Stellar drunk. Need help?]]

[Hazuki]

"Huh." Fan Knife said; she then took one last step off the grand crystal bridge and onto more mundane rock, "That's pretty good. I got mine after I won a sort of tournament the government held. I was the one who passed it, even though I was four years younger than the rest of the ponies in it, and I guess I got my cutie mark when I was wrapping it up. I think it was when I killed a stallion with a paper fan I was carrying.""Damn, bloodsports?" Viridia asked. "Or was he just in your way?"

[DigoDragon]

"I will share my drink," Stellar pouts, enunciating overly clearly.

"My apologies. Do what you will with it," Doc concedes. "Would you kindly get the bus door for us at least?"

[Dalinale]

Oh well, in for a cap, in for a bit! Stellar thinks happily as she continues to drink from the oversized glass. She pauses briefly to hoof-bump Madeleine before continuing on the the others.

Madeleine said 'Boop' as she hoof-bumped Stellar.


"Hey guys, so, I kind of have a slight good news bad news situation," she says.

Mirror looked up at Stellar as soon as she spoke, and then at Madeleine, who offered a hoof. Mirror seemed to be staring at her outfit, and seemed to be doing a rather complex assessment of the gorgeous blond in the sequined magician's assistant costume who had apparently spontaneously materialized out of Oakville, but took the hoof silently anyway. She was lifted slightly in the air as Madeleine shook the other unicorn's hoof up and down, to the obvious dismay of Mirror.


"Sari tried to have Abbas assassinated, so I'm preeetty sure she hates him and will say anything bad about him," Doc says. "It's a strong court of opinion, but I wanna corroborate what she says first. Let's ask others what they know of Abbas and see the horse's actions ourselves."

He thinks for a moment, then Doc comes up with a comparison. "It's like what Dr. Tenaculum said about Dr. Stitchheart. Remember? Ten was saying that Stitch was this horrible pony that experimented on prisoners during the war and that she should be killed for her crimes. But you and I defended Stitchehart. Why is that?"

"Stitchheart was a war criminal, but she was Equestria's war criminal." Bertly said cheerfully.


And then Stellar ninja'd the rest of his comparison. "Oh, hey there Stellar. You look like you found the missing party. So... what's the slight good/bad news?"


"Bad news: Moonshadow and I got caught sneaking in. Good news: I managed to cause a distraction do she could sneak in anyway. Bad news: I have no idea where she Fan Knife or Viridia are. Good news: A nice griffon gave me this cocktail and I think I'd probably better share it. Bad news: I am now in no condition to be driving a bus, so we'd better hope Moonshadow and Viridia find their way back."

Mirror stared at the pretty pegasus, and winced slightly after she finished.



Choro looks both confused and wounded. She still doesn't know for sure if Mirror is right about the Guild: instinctively she wants to argue, but the little mare knows full well she lacks he evidence. Thus she pivots backwards, puffing herself upright and addressing Mirror's overall point with the passion of a doctor who had been mistakenly identified as a nurse. "I'm a wizard because I respect the past! Because I wanted to follow in the tradition of Equestria's finest minds, and bring their light back into the world. If I just wanted to push the boundaries or be well rewarded, I'd have stuck with being a technician. An engineer. A scientist. It's their stupid high level thaumographic theory that got everypony killed: not traditional empirical arcana! It's a disgrace to our legacy, and a corruption of the simple principles of cute mark..."

"The wizards here are wrong." Mirror said, not looking back at her and sounding rather distant, "Equestria had large spells, but I know a Guild wizard used dark magic and that is why Doc and Stellar are in trouble with Olives. Special Snowflake also used dark magic and turned into a beast and she was not even a wizard. All the wizards here that reach for the past here are evil, and the ones who do not, like Nightcore, are not. The magic spells that killed this kingdom may have been done by ponies in robes or lab coats, it does not matter. If Equestrian wizards are those who look to the past, then they are very wrong. Wizards are to use magic to help keep what exists from going away and to strive forward like a knight of the mind."


Doc's eyebrows did this little waggle between rising up and furling down at each point in the Good/Bad news stream. At the end of it, he was at a loss for words.

"I see... well, first thing, Stellar, you probably should stop drinking that. Give it to Mirror. She can hold her liquor better than any of us. Second, I'll finish my comparison with you later, Choro. I weren't done making a point. Now let's get this stuff in the bus and then figure out if we need to send a second search party to find the first search party."

Doc carefully maneuvers on previously walked on ground at the bus which was safe.

The interior of the bus was mostly safe. The cuties that were awake chittered with cries of 'Nue mummah?' and 'Cowld dawkies!'. Meanwhile, the dog behind him sauntered up behind him, looking somewhat like he was expecting some sort of reward, like food.


"We can't lose Ms. Moon. Unless she's gone into another warded area, I can find her with my PipBuck." Choro reminds the Doctor, desplaying it with a smile before moving as he suggested. Time to get this done with.


"Don't worry, we won't lose her. Try sending Moonshadow a message with your pipbuck."


"I will share my drink," Stellar pouts, enunciating overly clearly.

Mirror leaned her head back when she noticed the rather large glass Stellar was holding; she had possibly mistaken it for some sort of ball, given that she really couldn't see in the dark.

"Why do you have a cold drink? It is very cold." Mirror said, raising a eyebrow while narrowing her left eye slightly, as if the fact was something of concern, "You do not need to share it if you do not want to, it is yours, but is it to do by being a pegasus?"


I'm going to find them banging or something aren't I? Moonshadow thought to herself as she went between the statues.

Moonshadow found herself standing in front of what appeared to be a long, winding wooden staircase that gave off 'Nightmare Night haunted house' vibes. Gazing down into the abyss of cold stone, the world utterly silent, made the beeping sound her cribbed Pipbuck made all the more alarming. Oh hey, new message! "Stellar drunk. Need help?" was displayed in her inbox in neon green lettering, although the implications of the words might have taken some time to hit.


"Damn, bloodsports?" Viridia asked. "Or was he just in your way?"

Fan Knife shook her head. Her tone was somewhat flat.

"It was small-scale lethal combat. The old method was that the officer's academe was split into two different schools, the White and the Red. At the end of each two-year training session, the two houses fought each other in a series of games, and the winners graduated while the losers had to repeat everything, but got to face new recruits during the next session. This wasn't efficient, so they created the tournament. Instead of a large-scale assessment, every individual officer who was expected to be involved in the higher grades of government was given a alternative exam which allowed lethal violence. There were two teams and only one would leave the island the tournament took place, but you didn't know who was assigned to your team at the start. My team had ten ponies on it, but I was the only one who made it off the island because the organizers released some prisoners of war from the colonies with small arms to make ponies try and band together around halfway though. Normally, one team is supposed to win with the vast majority of their members surviving, but things got out of hoof because I swapped some ponies identification emblems with that of the enemy team while they were sleeping."

[DigoDragon]

Doc secures the cuties in the middle section of the bus. He gets a few garments of clothes he saved and pit it over them like a blanket to keep them warm. "Shh, everyone rest now. It is night time, for good dreams," he tells the little abominations in a calm voice.

He then rummages through his saddlebag and gets out some food for Butch the dog, who earned himself a meal. Doc will fill a bowl or pot with water as well. He then turns to Bertly. "Thank you for your help."

Mirror's speech about wizards needing to strive forward caught Doc's attention. He offers to help with the loot while they continue the debate.

[Forum Explorer]

Tell her to save me some Moonshadow typed slowly back, before descending yet another staircase.

[Inspector Valin]

"The wizards here are wrong." Mirror said, not looking back at her and sounding rather distant, "Equestria had large spells, but I know a Guild wizard used dark magic and that is why Doc and Stellar are in trouble with Olives. Special Snowflake also used dark magic and turned into a beast and she was not even a wizard. All the wizards here that reach for the past here are evil, and the ones who do not, like Nightcore, are not. The magic spells that killed this kingdom may have been done by ponies in robes or lab coats, it does not matter. If Equestrian wizards are those who look to the past, then they are very wrong. Wizards are to use magic to help keep what exists from going away and to strive forward like a knight of the mind."

Choro actually pauses for a second at Mirror's final statement. She hadn't considered magical history quite in the light of that philosophical viewpoint before, but... Mirror is not wrong. The wizards of antiquity were trailblazers of a different sort, codifying and creating spells of their own, from Starswirl on down. They had no grand history of predecessors to look back upon and revere. They just got down to work. They tried to make things better for ponies, did their best to understand magic and use it to build a better world.

Just like Twilight Sparkle did. Was that why Professor Strata had... Could you consider the arcane sciences a progression of that...

No. No, she can't. She can't just... throw all that aside, put all that history behind her, even if the Everfrost princess had touched upon a good point. Sighing, Choro hefts the case high for the last stretch, chuckling dryly with affected mirth. "Well, if you consider me 'evil', so be it. At least it's a change from most ponies just thinking of me as a filly in a silly hat."

With a final relieved heave, the chest of money is aboard the bus. Choro smiles at the ever adorable cuties, looking over to see if Doc could do with any assistance before returning her attention to Mirror. "I take it you knew wizards in your homeland?" The little mage turns her head, raising a curious eyebrow at the foreign unicorn. "And they subscribed to this 'knight of the mind' philosophy? They abstained from dark magic?"


Tell her to save me some Moonshadow typed slowly back, before descending yet another staircase.

"Ms. Moon says she would like some of that drink." Choro dutifully relays to Doc and Stellar.

[Hazuki]

Fan Knife shook her head. Her tone was somewhat flat.

"It was small-scale lethal combat. The old method was that the officer's academe was split into two different schools, the White and the Red. At the end of each two-year training session, the two houses fought each other in a series of games, and the winners graduated while the losers had to repeat everything, but got to face new recruits during the next session. This wasn't efficient, so they created the tournament. Instead of a large-scale assessment, every individual officer who was expected to be involved in the higher grades of government was given a alternative exam which allowed lethal violence. There were two teams and only one would leave the island the tournament took place, but you didn't know who was assigned to your team at the start. My team had ten ponies on it, but I was the only one who made it off the island because the organizers released some prisoners of war from the colonies with small arms to make ponies try and band together around halfway though. Normally, one team is supposed to win with the vast majority of their members surviving, but things got out of hoof because I swapped some ponies identification emblems with that of the enemy team while they were sleeping.""Why was lethality necessary?" Viridia asked. "I mean. it sounds like if students are capable enough to be part of that, then it's kind of a waste to make sure they get killed? Like, I'd rather have one very talented student and one quite talented student than just one very talented student."

[RCgothic]

"My apologies. Do what you will with it," Doc concedes. "Would you kindly get the bus door for us at least?"

"Certainly," Stellar replies, affecting graciousness now that Doc's stopped bugging her. She helps with the door to the sky bus.


Mirror leaned her head back when she noticed the rather large glass Stellar was holding; she had possibly mistaken it for some sort of ball, given that she really couldn't see in the dark.

"Why do you have a cold drink? It is very cold." Mirror said, raising a eyebrow while narrowing her left eye slightly, as if the fact was something of concern, "You do not need to share it if you do not want to, it is yours, but is it to do by being a pegasus?"

"My distraction for Moonshadow involved extreme exertion," Stellar explains. "A cold drink is refreshing - I assure you I'm quite warm in my barding."



"Ms. Moon says she would like some of that drink." Choro dutifully relays to Doc and Stellar.

"I'll save some then. Did she say if she'd found Viridia and Fan Knife yet?"

Stellar sets the cocktail down on a fold down table in the bus for the moment.

[DigoDragon]

"If Moon asked to save her a drink, she's definitely fine and just done with the local weirdness. Think we should give her a few more minutes? ...unless Choro wants to use her Bamph powers?"

[RCgothic]

"Well sure, but don't we need to know if she's found them yet? If they're on their way out there's no point in Choro going in too."

[DigoDragon]

"Well sure, but don't we need to know if she's found them yet? If they're on their way out there's no point in Choro going in too."

Doc smirks. "Not that we could stop her if she wanted. C, did Moon say anything else in her message?"

[Inspector Valin]

"No, that was it." Choro clarifies cordially. She looks between Doc and Stellar with a quizzical look, in turn pondering Ms. Moon's position. "I asked if she wanted help. I guess this means either she's already found them, or she doesn't need back up."

[Dalinale]

Doc secures the cuties in the middle section of the bus. He gets a few garments of clothes he saved and pit it over them like a blanket to keep them warm. "Shh, everyone rest now. It is night time, for good dreams," he tells the little abominations in a calm voice.

The chatty meat lumps quieted down on his command.


He then rummages through his saddlebag and gets out some food for Butch the dog, who earned himself a meal. Doc will fill a bowl or pot with water as well. He then turns to Bertly. "Thank you for your help."


[Remove appropriate food items from your inventory.]

"I live to serve!" Bertly said, sounding about as enthusiastic as Butch was trying to wolf down two hundred year old canned food.


Tell her to save me some Moonshadow typed slowly back, before descending yet another staircase.

Moonshadow went down the stairs without issue; the ceiling was ribbed, while torch holders poked out between every pair of pillars carved into the wall itself. Soon, however, she found herself standing in front of a chamber that looked more like a museme set than a functioning room.

The room itself had a simple layout; to her left were two very old looking desks with two very old looking wooden chairs in front of them, the desks messily covered in papers and each having a ink well and quill present. To her right was single very large filing cabinet, eight cabinets high and ten cabinets wide and with a top bearing the load of several large square baskets, as well as a large wooden dresser with opaque glass doors that were dusty enough determine what was inside was impossible.

The far end of the room was slightly raised, and had a small square alter of sorts, one with a flat head and a rounded base and four lit candles on top of it, one on each corner. Directly behind the alter was a small, abstract marble statue of a alicorn wearing a shawl, about the size of a filly; the statue's features were vague, but a pair of wings and a horn was present, but there were no signs of a mouth or eyes.

Directly behind the alter was a set of large stone doors that blended in rather well with the walls themselves; they didn't appear locked, and were cracked open, just slightly.


Choro actually pauses for a second at Mirror's final statement. She hadn't considered magical history quite in the light of that philosophical viewpoint before, but... Mirror is not wrong. The wizards of antiquity were trailblazers of a different sort, codifying and creating spells of their own, from Starswirl on down. They had no grand history of predecessors to look back upon and revere. They just got down to work. They tried to make things better for ponies, did their best to understand magic and use it to build a better world.

Just like Twilight Sparkle did. Was that why Professor Strata had... Could you consider the arcane sciences a progression of that...

No. No, she can't. She can't just... throw all that aside, put all that history behind her, even if the Everfrost princess had touched upon a good point. Sighing, Choro hefts the case high for the last stretch, chuckling dryly with affected mirth. "Well, if you consider me 'evil', so be it. At least it's a change from most ponies just thinking of me as a filly in a silly hat."

With a final relieved heave, the chest of money is aboard the bus. Choro smiles at the ever adorable cuties, looking over to see if Doc could do with any assistance before returning her attention to Mirror. "I take it you knew wizards in your homeland?" The little mage turns her head, raising a curious eyebrow at the foreign unicorn. "And they subscribed to this 'knight of the mind' philosophy? They abstained from dark magic?"

"I knew many wizards. Some use dark magic, but most do not. There are no magic laws, but illusions are not popular, and magic that can change ponies thoughts and feelings are also not liked." Mirror replied, "My sister is a wizard, but I do not think you would want to see her."



"My distraction for Moonshadow involved extreme exertion," Stellar explains. "A cold drink is refreshing - I assure you I'm quite warm in my barding."

Mirror relaxed, and nodded in reply.


"Why was lethality necessary?" Viridia asked. "I mean. it sounds like if students are capable enough to be part of that, then it's kind of a waste to make sure they get killed? Like, I'd rather have one very talented student and one quite talented student than just one very talented student."

The ghoul closed her eyes briefly before replying.

"It wasn't, but you'd have to understand what the Emperor did to keep the nation from collapsing. The Emperor used to be thought of being the one to move the sun until Alicorns were discovered, and when most of the country learned that the Emperor had no special powers, the moral authority his ancestors had almost evaporated overnight except for everyone in the same room as him. When he came to power, he altered the government's stance on shrines and temples so that they became part of the bureaucracy; they really didn't fund it too much more then they had, but they made it so that participating in shrine activities was the most basic aspect of being Neighponese. About halfway though the war, though, there were several members of the higher ups who were closely aligned with the Imperial ideology, the same people who'd support the new Emperor. The board that made the new tournament thought the nation itself was impure after accepting the use of guns, so they thought that the most suitable penance was to have some initiates ritually kill each other to make it clear that the individual value of a solder was lesser than it ever had been and that one Neighponese solder needed to fight with the skill of many more in order to survive, or something stupid like that. They might had some sort of master plan that involved creating a new army core that was even more elite and smaller than it already was, but I never learned of it."

[Hazuki]

"It wasn't, but you'd have to understand what the Emperor did to keep the nation from collapsing. The Emperor used to be thought of being the one to move the sun until Alicorns were discovered, and when most of the country learned that the Emperor had no special powers, the moral authority his ancestors had almost evaporated overnight except for everyone in the same room as him. When he came to power, he altered the government's stance on shrines and temples so that they became part of the bureaucracy; they really didn't fund it too much more then they had, but they made it so that participating in shrine activities was the most basic aspect of being Neighponese. About halfway though the war, though, there were several members of the higher ups who were closely aligned with the Imperial ideology, the same people who'd support the new Emperor. The board that made the new tournament thought the nation itself was impure after accepting the use of guns, so they thought that the most suitable penance was to have some initiates ritually kill each other to make it clear that the individual value of a solder was lesser than it ever had been and that one Neighponese solder needed to fight with the skill of many more in order to survive, or something stupid like that. They might had some sort of master plan that involved creating a new army core that was even more elite and smaller than it already was, but I never learned of it." \"Huh..." Viridia considered something. "I wonder why there aren't more ghoul leaders in the wasteland. Just about all of them have a lot of life experience, practical stuff if they've lived up to now, and all the time in the world to learn."

[DigoDragon]

"I live to serve!" Bertly said, sounding about as enthusiastic as Butch was trying to wolf down two hundred year old canned food.

Doc smiles warmly in Bertly's direction.



"I knew many wizards. Some use dark magic, but most do not. There are no magic laws, but illusions are not popular, and magic that can change ponies thoughts and feelings are also not liked." Mirror replied, "My sister is a wizard, but I do not think you would want to see her."


"We can certainly do with less dark magic around here. Snowflake was not pleasant to fight," Doc says. He pauses a moment then asks, "It sounds like magic that affects your senses are considered bad. Why are no laws made to ban them? Just no support by the ruler to make the law?"

[Dalinale]

"Huh..." Viridia considered something. "I wonder why there aren't more ghoul leaders in the wasteland. Just about all of them have a lot of life experience, practical stuff if they've lived up to now, and all the time in the world to learn."

Fan Knife shook her head, and a brief look of surprise appeared on her face before vanishing.

"Becoming a ghoul instead of dying is entirely random, and I don't think you can understand that the vast majority of Equestrians back then were not strong ponies. They spent their entire lives trying to separate themselves from any kind of hardship, and most threw themselves into the systems they built to try and escape the fact that the war wasn't going to end peacefully. As soon as all those systems collapsed, I'd say that most of the ghouls that were made either tried to retreat to somewhere safe and pretend the world didn't end or go insane because they woke up and they had worms under their skin. I mean, look at the hospital; there were only a few ponies who became ghouls out of about several hundred patients and doctors, and out of them I'd guess myself, my sister, Tenaculum, and that Strata mare were the only ones who didn't have a mental breakdown after they woke up, and those last two did mostly nothing for centuries until you guys woke them up.

I'd say you're average Equestrian ghoul used to be a office worker or something useless like that, and if they could get pass the idea that their living years were mostly meaningless because their company doesn't exist anymore and their life will never be better than it used to be, then they'd still need to be able to survive in the wasteland, which they probably wont and they'll probably go feral anyway because it actually doesn't matter if they do their best if they wake up one day and hear their wife's voice coming from their pistol or whatever. Most ghouls that have made it this far have done so because they've resisted changing as a person as much as possible, because at a certain point I don't think becoming a ghoul has made any wartime Equestrian a better person."



Doc smiles warmly in Bertly's direction.

Bertly probably would've smiled back, if he wasn't a Mr. Handy.


"We can certainly do with less dark magic around here. Snowflake was not pleasant to fight," Doc says. He pauses a moment then asks, "It sounds like magic that affects your senses are considered bad. Why are no laws made to ban them? Just no support by the ruler to make the law?"

Mirror seemed to find the idea to be strange.

"Some times they are needed." Mirror replied, shaking her head slightly, "But they are not needed most of the time. Most wizards who make fake images or fake feelings are not common or strong and defenses against them made into magic items that are common and easy to find."

[DigoDragon]

"Some times they are needed." Mirror replied, shaking her head slightly, "But they are not needed most of the time. Most wizards who make fake images or fake feelings are not common or strong and defenses against them made into magic items that are common and easy to find."

Doc nods in understanding. He was just genuinely curious about magical laws. "How are the laws made in Everfrost? Is it solely the queen or do you have a court that votes on them? Just wondering how it works there compared to what someone like Abbas might want to do."

[Inspector Valin]

Choro seems to be fiddling with her small pile of personal possessions in one corner of the bus. However, her ears perk at the conversation turning towards Everfrost. She doesn't interrupt, but it's easy to tell the little mare is listening intently to this. She didn't want to pester Ms. Mirror about the matter but a land of unicorns was so intriguing. Better than the stupid land of pegasi jerks. At least Everfrost didn't betray Equestria, they were just never on the same page as us to start with.

[Forum Explorer]

Moonshadow went down the stairs without issue; the ceiling was ribbed, while torch holders poked out between every pair of pillars carved into the wall itself. Soon, however, she found herself standing in front of a chamber that looked more like a museme set than a functioning room.

The room itself had a simple layout; to her left were two very old looking desks with two very old looking wooden chairs in front of them, the desks messily covered in papers and each having a ink well and quill present. To her right was single very large filing cabinet, eight cabinets high and ten cabinets wide and with a top bearing the load of several large square baskets, as well as a large wooden dresser with opaque glass doors that were dusty enough determine what was inside was impossible.

The far end of the room was slightly raised, and had a small square alter of sorts, one with a flat head and a rounded base and four lit candles on top of it, one on each corner. Directly behind the alter was a small, abstract marble statue of a alicorn wearing a shawl, about the size of a filly; the statue's features were vague, but a pair of wings and a horn was present, but there were no signs of a mouth or eyes.

Directly behind the alter was a set of large stone doors that blended in rather well with the walls themselves; they didn't appear locked, and were cracked open, just slightly.


Moonshadow couldn't help but sneer at the alicorn statue. Still she kept her guard up as she peered through the cracked open alter doors

[Hazuki]

Fan Knife shook her head, and a brief look of surprise appeared on her face before vanishing.

"
I'd say you're average Equestrian ghoul used to be a office worker or something useless like that, and if they could get pass the idea that their living years were mostly meaningless because their company doesn't exist anymore and their life will never be better than it used to be, then they'd still need to be able to survive in the wasteland, which they probably wont and they'll probably go feral anyway because it actually doesn't matter if they do their best if they wake up one day and hear their wife's voice coming from their pistol or whatever. Most ghouls that have made it this far have done so because they've resisted changing as a person as much as possible, because at a certain point I don't think becoming a ghoul has made any wartime Equestrian a better person."
"I guess." Viridia conceded "Speaking of that, has your sister never looked into the feral problem? It seems like a real pain in the flank, and it's not like they'd have a choice about being test subjects."

[Dalinale]

Doc nods in understanding. He was just genuinely curious about magical laws. "How are the laws made in Everfrost? Is it solely the queen or do you have a court that votes on them? Just wondering how it works there compared to what someone like Abbas might want to do."

"Our laws are made from ancient sources, and are open and not precise." Mirror said, not sounding confident in her word choice but sounding like she was sticking with it, "Every two years, all the law speakers gather at the capital and review complex cases, and they take copies of the revised books of laws back to their villages if changes are made. When a wrong is done, the lord is the judge and it is solved through exchanges of gold, property, or other crimes. It it the judges right to make the punishment for a crime."


Choro seems to be fiddling with her small pile of personal possessions in one corner of the bus. However, her ears perk at the conversation turning towards Everfrost. She doesn't interrupt, but it's easy to tell the little mare is listening intently to this. She didn't want to pester Ms. Mirror about the matter but a land of unicorns was so intriguing. Better than the stupid land of pegasi jerks. At least Everfrost didn't betray Equestria, they were just never on the same page as us to start with.

Choro found that the dog had decided to sit in front of her at some point, and was looking at her with the unlimited affection inherent in such specimens of dog kind.


Moonshadow couldn't help but sneer at the alicorn statue. Still she kept her guard up as she peered through the cracked open alter doors

Moonshadow found herself staring down... what looked like a old-ass library of moderate size. There was no sign of any stumpy ghouls or pretty pegasi around, anywhere.


"I guess." Viridia conceded "Speaking of that, has your sister never looked into the feral problem? It seems like a real pain in the flank, and it's not like they'd have a choice about being test subjects."

"From what she's seen, it's not reversible." Fan Knife said, stepping out into the mouth of the cavern and turned back out towards the abyss, looking out at where the crystal outcrop was, "Some ghouls woke up feral because they snapped as soon as they woke up, or were conscious for a decade while their bodies rotted away. But it's more of a long-term process."

[DigoDragon]

"Our laws are made from ancient sources, and are open and not precise." Mirror said, not sounding confident in her word choice but sounding like she was sticking with it, "Every two years, all the law speakers gather at the capital and review complex cases, and they take copies of the revised books of laws back to their villages if changes are made. When a wrong is done, the lord is the judge and it is solved through exchanges of gold, property, or other crimes. It it the judges right to make the punishment for a crime."

"Judges? I think I read a history book about Equestria having those once," Doc says. He looks to Choro. "Hey, Choro, Equestria had judges once, right? Handled law and punishments?"

[Forum Explorer]

Moonshadow found herself staring down... what looked like a old-ass library of moderate size. There was no sign of any stumpy ghouls or pretty pegasi around, anywhere.


Moonshadow stifled a sigh. How is she not showing up on this thing? Also is there no pony around at all? Maybe it's broken. Moonshadow thought, staring at her Pipbuck's EFS as she slowly scanned the room.

[Hazuki]

"From what she's seen, it's not reversible." Fan Knife said, stepping out into the mouth of the cavern and turned back out towards the abyss, looking out at where the crystal outcrop was, "Some ghouls woke up feral because they snapped as soon as they woke up, or were conscious for a decade while their bodies rotted away. But it's more of a long-term process.""Hm, a shame. You'd hope that somepony would be looking into fixing that problem." Viridia said.

[Inspector Valin]

"Our laws are made from ancient sources, and are open and not precise." Mirror said, not sounding confident in her word choice but sounding like she was sticking with it, "Every two years, all the law speakers gather at the capital and review complex cases, and they take copies of the revised books of laws back to their villages if changes are made. When a wrong is done, the lord is the judge and it is solved through exchanges of gold, property, or other crimes. It it the judges right to make the punishment for a crime."

The little wizard hums, not even pretending to not be following the conversation now. This whole question of a foreign land of unicorns was too fascinating by half. Once Mirror's done, C tilts her head quizzically. "So... what do the law speakers do? Try to talk to the lord about how the crime fits within the law? Intemperate the laws?"


Choro found that the dog had decided to sit in front of her at some point, and was looking at her with the unlimited affection inherent in such specimens of dog kind.

"Aww..." Choro can't help but gently pet the big fellow, smiling back at it. It was nice to see a face that didn't judge her, or that she hadn't disappointed. She briefly checks her bag to see if she had anything appropriate to provide the dog in terms of food.


"Judges? I think I read a history book about Equestria having those once," Doc says. He looks to Choro. "Hey, Choro, Equestria had judges once, right? Handled law and punishments?"

Choro looks up from her search to smile at Doc, "Yes, that's right. They weren't lords though, they were independent officials. Celestia sometimes heard cases but most of the time a very wise pony knowledgeable about the law oversaw the presentation of events to a jury: a group of mares and stallions of the public. The jury had the power to decide guilt or innocence, while the judge used past law and precedent to determine the sentence, if the pony accused was found guilty."

[Dalinale]

Moonshadow stifled a sigh. How is she not showing up on this thing? Also is there no pony around at all? Maybe it's broken. Moonshadow thought, staring at her Pipbuck's EFS as she slowly scanned the room.

According to EFS, there wasn't even a radroach down here. In addition, the book cases themselves nearly reached the low roof, causing her immediate visibility of the area to be highly limited. Sickeningly, it appeared that the only real way to determine what was in front of her was to venture forward into the dark, ancient-seeming chamber.


"Judges? I think I read a history book about Equestria having those once," Doc says. He looks to Choro. "Hey, Choro, Equestria had judges once, right? Handled law and punishments?"

"Your home has no laws?" Mirror asked, sounding somewhat alarmed.


The little wizard hums, not even pretending to not be following the conversation now. This whole question of a foreign land of unicorns was too fascinating by half. Once Mirror's done, C tilts her head quizzically. "So... what do the law speakers do? Try to talk to the lord about how the crime fits within the law? Intemperate the laws?"

"In villages, they advise elders and make sure all know the laws. When they are with lords, they make sure their rulings are put down and discussed if they are problematic to them." Mirror replied.


"Aww..." Choro can't help but gently pet the big fellow, smiling back at it. It was nice to see a face that didn't judge her, or that she hadn't disappointed. She briefly checks her bag to see if she had anything appropriate to provide the dog in terms of food.


The amount of pure, unadulterated love coming off the dog was a rare thing in the world, and while Choro went to open her bag, it started to lick her free hoof, as if it was trying to get any bit of melting snow off from it.


Choro looks up from her search to smile at Doc, "Yes, that's right. They weren't lords though, they were independent officials. Celestia sometimes heard cases but most of the time a very wise pony knowledgeable about the law oversaw the presentation of events to a jury: a group of mares and stallions of the public. The jury had the power to decide guilt or innocence, while the judge used past law and precedent to determine the sentence, if the pony accused was found guilty."

Bertly, hovering nearby, appeared to be polishing a rather randomly placed plate that was lying about, quietly making a whistling noise as if he was in some kitchen somewhere.


"Hm, a shame. You'd hope that somepony would be looking into fixing that problem." Viridia said.

Fan Knife shrugged. "It can't be solved, it's totally beyond what she can do. She can do everything except raising the dead, but once they're dead she pretty much has to rely on her anatomy knowledge and the fact that ghouls can stay alive along as they're structurally intact, pretty much. It's more of a problem of the soul than the body, really, but that's entirely out of her knowledge base. After a certain point, I'd say that ponies are not supposed to even live much longer then they normally do without having the right sort of body, and after a certain point their brains would just get so full of stuff they'd either go catatonic or just snap. I mean, except for me and my sister. I'd say she could live forever, if she really wanted. I don't think I will, but I'm mentally fit and my sister has kept my muscles from decaying as much as they should have. A ghoul like Tenaculum probably would've lived for as long as he wanted, but I'd give Strata a few decades before she goes nuts or starts chewing on pencils to pretend to not start craving pony flesh or something. I hate to say it, but ghoul bodies usually are a good indicator if they're all right in the head. There's something to the idea that the more that one looks like a pony, the more they feel like a pony where it counts and they don't start slipping."

[DigoDragon]

"Your home has no laws?" Mirror asked, sounding somewhat alarmed.

"Nothing as organized as what your home has," Doc replies. He glances around. "The war destroyed just about every government office, so each settlement makes up their own laws. It would be nice if Abbas can pull off uniting everyone in this city under a common set of fair laws. How do the law speakers get their position? Are they appointed?"

[Hazuki]

Fan Knife shrugged. "It can't be solved, it's totally beyond what she can do. She can do everything except raising the dead, but once they're dead she pretty much has to rely on her anatomy knowledge and the fact that ghouls can stay alive along as they're structurally intact, pretty much. It's more of a problem of the soul than the body, really, but that's entirely out of her knowledge base. After a certain point, I'd say that ponies are not supposed to even live much longer then they normally do without having the right sort of body, and after a certain point their brains would just get so full of stuff they'd either go catatonic or just snap. I mean, except for me and my sister. I'd say she could live forever, if she really wanted. I don't think I will, but I'm mentally fit and my sister has kept my muscles from decaying as much as they should have. A ghoul like Tenaculum probably would've lived for as long as he wanted, but I'd give Strata a few decades before she goes nuts or starts chewing on pencils to pretend to not start craving pony flesh or something. I hate to say it, but ghoul bodies usually are a good indicator if they're all right in the head. There's something to the idea that the more that one looks like a pony, the more they feel like a pony where it counts and they don't start slipping." "Couldn't you just, like, take a Ghoul brain and put it in a robot body or something? Maybe grow some flesh to make it more real? I know there's flesh-making tech, since that crappy meat factory had something like that." Viridia asked. "Or would that be too disconnected, like you're a ghost in a shell?"

[Dalinale]

"Nothing as organized as what your home has," Doc replies. He glances around. "The war destroyed just about every government office, so each settlement makes up their own laws. It would be nice if Abbas can pull off uniting everyone in this city under a common set of fair laws. How do the law speakers get their position? Are they appointed?"

"They take apprentices, and if they have too many, they are sent to serve elsewhere." Mirror replied, sounding as if the concept of total anarchy deeply confused her.


"Couldn't you just, like, take a Ghoul brain and put it in a robot body or something? Maybe grow some flesh to make it more real? I know there's flesh-making tech, since that crappy meat factory had something like that." Viridia asked. "Or would that be too disconnected, like you're a ghost in a shell?"

Fan Knife gave Viridia a look of mild confusion, and then shook her head.

"It's not that simple." Fan Knife said, after some time of deliberation, "The shock of putting a pony brain in a artificial body is almost as bad in the long term as a pony turning into a ghoul. My sister has made clones of herself before with her old genetic material, but trying to get unliving matter to interact properly with living matter is basically impossible. You could play around with clones and artificial bodies and other stuff, but in the end none of those actually solve anything. My sister's skin-suit is close, but that needs to be totally replaced every few weeks. She can't make a living clone body immune to radiation or necromantic energy, because a ghoul brain wouldn't be compatable with one, and ghouls and Equestrian technology don't interact well, you just need to head over to Canterlot for proof of that. There are some ghouls that used to be rich and weird Equestrians before the bombs who could probably convince her to start researching it again, but ..."

Pausing briefly, she looked down into the misty ground, and shook her head. She sounded hesitant to speak, but kept talking anyway.

"My sister wouldn't want me to tell you this, but she did try and do something like you're talking about, really early on. It's not in the hospital, but the Ministry of Peace hub in this city had a medical pod designed for extreme cases that could reverse things that the Equestrian government didn't even want to alert their citizens existed, like advanced cases of Poison Joke. So, my sister went down there and came out of it completely alive. And she was alive, there was no sign of radiation or necromantic energy anywhere, and she needed to eat and sleep like anyone else. The thing is, though, is that after a week or so, her organs started to fail, and in about a month she was functionally undead again, but she felt it that time instead of not realizing it when it happened before. At that point, she came to the conclusion that whatever turns ponies into ghouls is as much a disease of the soul as it is of the body. But she doesn't like to go around saying that, because there's some ghouls who haven't gone feral on the hope that there is some sort of cure, and she really doesn't think she actually cured anything doing what she did, she just stopped the symptoms for a few days." she finished, biting her lower lip nervously.

[Forum Explorer]

According to EFS, there wasn't even a radroach down here. In addition, the book cases themselves nearly reached the low roof, causing her immediate visibility of the area to be highly limited. Sickeningly, it appeared that the only real way to determine what was in front of her was to venture forward into the dark, ancient-seeming chamber.


This seems familiar. Moonshadow thought, entering the magical darkness, as she recalled that whiny foal who wanted a book or something? Whatever, it likely wasn't important.

[DigoDragon]

"They start as apprentices. I think here they went to law school or something." Doc looks over to Choro. "Jury? I like that concept, C. I guess it would be fair if you're judged by a group of your peers."

Doc looked out the bus windows at the cold night. "Hope it's not going to be too much longer... guess while we're waiting is there anything left we need to do? Something to get, any goodbyes to say? Maybe to Tirkes and Amadi."

[Hazuki]

she finished, biting her lower lip nervously."Huh. You know what would probably work? If somepony turned the entire Mages Guild into Ghouls. Then, I bet the lot of them would work their butts off to cure it and probably do something. Magic's probably pretty good at fixing magic."

[Dalinale]

This seems familiar. Moonshadow thought, entering the magical darkness, as she recalled that whiny foal who wanted a book or something? Whatever, it likely wasn't important.

Moonshadow found herself passing by rows and rows of ancient bookshelves sporting equally ancient, boring books. It smelled of mold, old stone, and wood. Navigating though it wasn't particularly bad; normally, this would be the place in the fantasy movie where one of the books would try and get bitey, but a quick glance at the shelves indicated that there wasn't much in the way of carnivorous catalogs, merely mundane ancient texts.

[Need a Perception test.]

This continued for a while until she came to a clearing; said clearing opened up to nothing less than a wall of black silk curtains, suspended from the ceiling. They were a shade of utter black that was only interrupted by the occasional splotch of blues purples and the faintest traces of pale other-colors. There wasn't much of a breeze, but Moonshadow could see the faintest traces of rippling on silken surface, as if her very breath disturbed the quiet, dark place.

[Need Perception, Luck, and Charisma rolls on passing though.]


"They start as apprentices. I think here they went to law school or something." Doc looks over to Choro. "Jury? I like that concept, C. I guess it would be fair if you're judged by a group of your peers."

"In Sunnyside, Sari was the judge and the jury was also her." Mirror said, sounding as if she hoped that helped.


Doc looked out the bus windows at the cold night. "Hope it's not going to be too much longer... guess while we're waiting is there anything left we need to do? Something to get, any goodbyes to say? Maybe to Tirkes and Amadi."

"I am satisfied with leaving here forever." Mirror said, sounding cheerful, "The ponies here are nice, but Snow was here, and this is a silly place."


"Huh. You know what would probably work? If somepony turned the entire Mages Guild into Ghouls. Then, I bet the lot of them would work their butts off to cure it and probably do something. Magic's probably pretty good at fixing magic."

"Eh, half of them are already hopped up on a stupid unicorn drug." Fan Knife said, stopping briefly and taking a moment to adjust the weight she was carrying on her back now that she wasn't trying to not fall off a slippery crystal slope, sounding as if the thought amused her, "I don't think anyone would be out to get you except for them if you irradiated their water cooler or something like that. I think one of their founders was a ghoul, but I don't know their current policy on them. But knowing them, one of them would try and turn into some kind of wierd undead monster and try and conquer this stupid continent, and the half of them team up with them because they've been waiting for someone to try and become a evil undead alicorn or something dumb like that."

[DigoDragon]

"In Sunnyside, Sari was the judge and the jury was also her." Mirror said, sounding as if she hoped that helped.

"I am satisfied with leaving here forever." Mirror said, sounding cheerful, "The ponies here are nice, but Snow was here, and this is a silly place."

"I guess we'll find out if her brother is the same way. Well, this place did have nice ponies; Nightcore, Saltmarsh, Seaweed... oh. I noticed you figured out who her father is too." Doc smiled at Mirror's cleverness.

[Hazuki]

"Eh, half of them are already hopped up on a stupid unicorn drug." Fan Knife said, stopping briefly and taking a moment to adjust the weight she was carrying on her back now that she wasn't trying to not fall off a slippery crystal slope, sounding as if the thought amused her, "I don't think anyone would be out to get you except for them if you irradiated their water cooler or something like that. I think one of their founders was a ghoul, but I don't know their current policy on them. But knowing them, one of them would try and turn into some kind of wierd undead monster and try and conquer this stupid continent, and the half of them team up with them because they've been waiting for someone to try and become a evil undead alicorn or something dumb like that.""Yeah...or they'd find a cure and instead distribute treatments that never fully work, at a premium, to keep ponies hooked. And then use the complete cure only to get significant ghouls on their side, or owing them a favor, or whatever."

[Forum Explorer]

Moonshadow looked around as she moved.

Perception [roll0] vs 10

Perception again for the curtains [roll1] vs 10
Charisma [roll2] vs 6
Luck [roll3] vs 4

[Dalinale]

"I guess we'll find out if her brother is the same way. Well, this place did have nice ponies; Nightcore, Saltmarsh, Seaweed... oh. I noticed you figured out who her father is too." Doc smiled at Mirror's cleverness.

Mirror's relative good cheer seemed to sour for some reason at the mention of the filly, but she shook her head and continued to smile.

"And it is Abbas's now." she said finally, "And that is good, and there will be no Livewires or Snows anymore."


"Yeah...or they'd find a cure and instead distribute treatments that never fully work, at a premium, to keep ponies hooked. And then use the complete cure only to get significant ghouls on their side, or owing them a favor, or whatever."

Fan Knife, after a few moments of staring at Viridia in apparent mild shock, shook her head and started to move at a pace that could be considered to be about as fast as the filly could go while ascending up the path the crystal cave provided. Soon enough, the darkness of the stone began to give way to the eye-searing rainbow.

"First off, I wouldn't say anything like that to my sister, she spent a lot of money trying to get to a city where the Equestrian healthcare system didn't work like that." Fan Knife said dryly, "Also, you're giving them too much credit. They're leader might be strong, but she has a very loose hoof over their operations and I'm pretty sure whoever's heading their internal affairs council is incompetent or corrupt, or don't know half of what's going on. My sister once spoke to three different high-ranking members over the course of a month for three different projects, and none of them apparently knew that the others had gone to her even though they were all dealing with pretty serious issues. One had a pregnancy that looked like it was compromised by taint mutation, another had caught some sort of rare unicorn disease that was causing calcification crystals to grow in their nasal cavities and lungs, while the other got screwed up in some kind of abstract magical ritual or something. Anyway, the first one got saved, the foal came out with a little tendril instead of a horn and that got cured real fast, the crystal guy got his surgery, and the other dude got murdered after paying for the initial treatment and I'm pretty sure my sis just forgot about him. Those were the higher ups who had offices in their main headquarters, and I'm pretty sure that they all headed their own little unicorn circles."

Fan Knife continued to move briskly, and started to speak again when they were a little bit past the halfway point, very near to the entrance. Viridia did not feel the same sense of disorientation she had previously felt, possibly due to having something weighing her down to reality.

"I don't think there's any really important Equestrians who ended up becoming ghouls, actually." Fan Knife said suddenly, sounding rather cheerful at the topic of the devastation of the Equestrian ruling class in terms of their annihilation by the necromantic inferno, and giggled in a way that could only really be described as nasty, "My sister was once Hoity Toity's facelift doctor, and last time I checked he's in Hoofington trying to keep all the inbred great-grandkids of all his old celebrity friends from murdering each other, but that's it. The Equestrian royal family all died in Canterlot and the Stable for the rest of their high society was compromised; you sometimes get a pony who claims that they're descended from some prince or whatever, but that's just a Equestrian thing and you never really see any ghouls trying to pretend to be one, probably because they know how they acted. The only ghouls I know that managed to drag themselves off that mountain was that Guild founder, that guy was a piece of work. I only knew about him because he was a old stallion who got made irrelevant when that Sparkle ministry mare totally revolutionized what magic meant to Equestria, so he just became a anti-zebra reactionary who kept going to the only parts of Equestria with non-pony populations to stir up trouble. Something Neigh, or Night or something like that, Canterlot unicorns have weird names. Anyway, besides some ex-military propping up the Reavers and that General Winter who keeps yaks out from Stalliongrad, that's it. You could probably get all the important ghouls who are worth anything in a office meeting room."


Moonshadow looked around as she moved.

Perception [roll0] vs 10

Perception again for the curtains [roll1] vs 10
Charisma [roll2] vs 6
Luck [roll3] vs 4

Moonshadow found herself standing on a vast white plain, pitted and pockmarked with craters. When she looked up, and she did need to do so, she found herself looking up at a field of stars; improbably, in the corner of her eye, she saw a hint of blue and green and brown, and the bright light of the sun. For a few moments, there was the sensation that the mere feeling of looking upwards would send her spirally into a truly eternal night, to be the guest of whatever existed in the yawning gulfs between the stars, or of the stars, but...

The more she looked, the stars formed no familiar, threatening shapes; a Ursa Major or some other horrid monstrosity from legend was not to detach itself from the cosmos, and Nightmare Moon did not drop down on some fancy chariot. Instead, it seemed that the longer she looked, the more it was clear that she had called a bluff.

And at that, Moonshadow found herself not to be standing on the moon, but on solid ground. The curtains were behind her, now still. She was standing in front of a rather old stone door that appeared to have been recently pried open. Behind it was a crystalline cavern.

Moonshadow heard movement, and the muttering of voices.

[DigoDragon]

Mirror's relative good cheer seemed to sour for some reason at the mention of the filly, but she shook her head and continued to smile.

"And it is Abbas's now." she said finally, "And that is good, and there will be no Livewires or Snows anymore."

"Yeah, if I never meet another Snow, I'll be perfectly happy for the rest of my days. As for Livewire..." Doc pauses a moment. "Eh, she means well even if she has a really weird way of seeing things. Well, I'm pretty sure there's no other pony like her."

[Inspector Valin]

Mirror's relative good cheer seemed to sour for some reason at the mention of the filly, but she shook her head and continued to smile.

"And it is Abbas's now." she said finally, "And that is good, and there will be no Livewires or Snows anymore."

"It also paints a target on their back."

Choro finally looked up from playing with A Very Good Dog to address Mirror. Her statement had gotten a frown from the little wizard, but rather than getting more emotional she simply shrugs, "Just saying. I know you said they were attacked by pirates before. I know that anytown in the Wasteland is going to have to deal with raiders sooner or later, and the presence of those griffons would deter that. But now, anypony who dislikes Abaas has a reason to wish Oakville ill. And if he keeps trying to solidify control of Tauronto..."

She looks outside for a moment. The green glow of the Broadcast Tower is still visible in the sky. Humming to herself, Choro turns back to Mirror. "It's a trade. Safety from one threat to invite another. Border towns in the Unicornian era sometimes went through a similar dilemma: swearing fealty to the Bullion line would allow them some security against bandits, but less so from rival kingdoms or any independent pony with the will to give the king a bloody nuzzle. Safer for them than trying to attack the capitol."


"Yeah, if I never meet another Snow, I'll be perfectly happy for the rest of my days. As for Livewire..." Doc pauses a moment. "Eh, she means well even if she has a really weird way of seeing things. Well, I'm pretty sure there's no other pony like her."

The little wizard nods, slowly considering Doc's analysis of Livewire against what she'd seen of the overenergized unicorn. "She seemed nice. Apart from being kinda crazy. I'd like to meet her again when she's not being affected by all those drugs."

[DigoDragon]

The little wizard nods, slowly considering Doc's analysis of Livewire against what she'd seen of the overenergized unicorn. "She seemed nice. Apart from being kinda crazy. I'd like to meet her again when she's not being affected by all those drugs."

"I'm pretty sure Live will stick around Oakville, cause she sounded like she had big plans to help this town. Hopefully she stays off the drugs this time. She's lucky I happened by or she'd probably be dead by morning."

Doc glances outside to see what Choro was looking at. Ah, the tower. "I reckon if Abbas does unite all the little settlements together, they'd have a stronger defense against the new threats. United they'd be something far stronger than their parts, wouldn't they?"

[Hazuki]

"You could probably get all the important ghouls who are worth anything in a office meeting room."
"Not if you find a way to turn ponies into ghouls." Viridia pointed out. "Then anyone is a potential lackey."

[Forum Explorer]

Moonshadow found herself standing on a vast white plain, pitted and pockmarked with craters. When she looked up, and she did need to do so, she found herself looking up at a field of stars; improbably, in the corner of her eye, she saw a hint of blue and green and brown, and the bright light of the sun. For a few moments, there was the sensation that the mere feeling of looking upwards would send her spirally into a truly eternal night, to be the guest of whatever existed in the yawning gulfs between the stars, or of the stars, but...

The more she looked, the stars formed no familiar, threatening shapes; a Ursa Major or some other horrid monstrosity from legend was not to detach itself from the cosmos, and Nightmare Moon did not drop down on some fancy chariot. Instead, it seemed that the longer she looked, the more it was clear that she had called a bluff.

And at that, Moonshadow found herself not to be standing on the moon, but on solid ground. The curtains were behind her, now still. She was standing in front of a rather old stone door that appeared to have been recently pried open. Behind it was a crystalline cavern.

Moonshadow heard movement, and the muttering of voices.

Moonshadow checked her Pipbuck and tried to sneak up on the voices.

Sneak: [roll0] vs 96

[Dalinale]

"Yeah, if I never meet another Snow, I'll be perfectly happy for the rest of my days. As for Livewire..." Doc pauses a moment. "Eh, she means well even if she has a really weird way of seeing things. Well, I'm pretty sure there's no other pony like her."


"It also paints a target on their back."

Choro finally looked up from playing with A Very Good Dog to address Mirror. Her statement had gotten a frown from the little wizard, but rather than getting more emotional she simply shrugs, "Just saying. I know you said they were attacked by pirates before. I know that anytown in the Wasteland is going to have to deal with raiders sooner or later, and the presence of those griffons would deter that. But now, anypony who dislikes Abaas has a reason to wish Oakville ill. And if he keeps trying to solidify control of Tauronto..."

She looks outside for a moment. The green glow of the Broadcast Tower is still visible in the sky. Humming to herself, Choro turns back to Mirror. "It's a trade. Safety from one threat to invite another. Border towns in the Unicornian era sometimes went through a similar dilemma: swearing fealty to the Bullion line would allow them some security against bandits, but less so from rival kingdoms or any independent pony with the will to give the king a bloody nuzzle. Safer for them than trying to attack the capitol."

"It is no trade. A village with no protection could be a target for any lord." Mirror said suddenly, sounding very slightly bitter, "Having no side means that you are your own side."


The little wizard nods, slowly considering Doc's analysis of Livewire against what she'd seen of the overenergized unicorn. "She seemed nice. Apart from being kinda crazy. I'd like to meet her again when she's not being affected by all those drugs."

"She was the same, but she talked slower." Mirror offered, "I hope she is not a Svaðilfari type, but she could be happy if she helped the town."



Doc glances outside to see what Choro was looking at. Ah, the tower. "I reckon if Abbas does unite all the little settlements together, they'd have a stronger defense against the new threats. United they'd be something far stronger than their parts, wouldn't they?"

"Why yes, that is how it generally works." Bertly piped up, sounding amiable, as if he was holding a cup of tea or something, "But what threats are there to fair Tauronto? If this Abbas activist gets everything sorted out, he will likely have his riches but have more bodies backing his goals, and wealth and hooves are the two great assets in these sorts of matters. Given that it isn't likely that he won't be jailed, than perhaps it would be best to questions the horse's motivations and passions, and to get something on him."


"Not if you find a way to turn ponies into ghouls." Viridia pointed out. "Then anyone is a potential lackey."

Fan Knife, silently ascending, stopped for a few moments. Viridia saw the filly's ears twitch slightly, and then she continued walking again.

"There's easier ways to do that, though. Some ghouls treat each other like they're the only ones that matter, while others just think that they have a skin condition with some side effects. There isn't much unity anywhere except when there was some before the war, like the Reavers."

Fan Knife tilted her head back towards Viridia without ceasing her pace; while drained of the cheery malice it had before, she was still smiling.

"If you want to have a contingency plan, you could go through some of the books in the library, there's probably something in there to pull off something like you're thinking about. Normally, I'd say that messing with the Guild when it comes to magic would be bad even if you were prepared, but making them scramble would be pretty funny. Also," she said, looking forward again, "Moonshadow's coming down here, her wings are the smallest of your group so the noise is different."


Moonshadow checked her Pipbuck and tried to sneak up on the voices.

Sneak: [roll0] vs 96

After a few moments, two green dots appeared rather suddenly near her, less than fifty feet (curse Pipbuck's vertically-challenged sensory system!). Soon, in the dark, she found the source of the voices; within the depths of the rainbow-colored cave were Viridia and Fan Knife, the latter staring straight at her, the small ball of lightning Viridia was carrying apparently not even being a factor in her ability to see her creeping towards them. The ghoul had a little smirk on her face.

[Hazuki]

"If you want to have a contingency plan, you could go through some of the books in the library, there's probably something in there to pull off something like you're thinking about. Normally, I'd say that messing with the Guild when it comes to magic would be bad even if you were prepared, but making them scramble would be pretty funny. Also," she said, looking forward again, "Moonshadow's coming down here, her wings are the smallest of your group so the noise is different."Viridia felt like Fan Knife wasn't actually getting what she was trying to explain, but the urge to point that out faded in the face of Moony coming. "...and I mean, Stellar's cute, but Moonylicious has a butt that fits the name, y'know?" She said, hoping Fan Knife would at least get the plot to mess with Moonshadow.

[DigoDragon]

"I hope she is not a Svaðilfari type, but she could be happy if she helped the town."

"What's a Svaðilfari?" Doc curiously asks Mirror. "Is that like a... charlatan? Live does seem happy to help fix the town. Oakville could use repairs and a better water filter."



"But what threats are there to fair Tauronto? If this Abbas activist gets everything sorted out, he will likely have his riches but have more bodies backing his goals, and wealth and hooves are the two great assets in these sorts of matters. Given that it isn't likely that he won't be jailed, than perhaps it would be best to questions the horse's motivations and passions, and to get something on him."

"Well, not counting any pirates and raiders still out there after Abbas pulls off his gambit, there's a fair number of threats still within Tauronto," Doc converses. "The mage guild has a few members that would cheat, steal, and kill to get ahead. There's also that strange armored pony we met at CrunchyMunch who nearly lopped off Stellar's wing. Pretty sure we'll cross paths again after we thwarted her or him."

[Dalinale]

Viridia felt like Fan Knife wasn't actually getting what she was trying to explain, but the urge to point that out faded in the face of Moony coming. "...and I mean, Stellar's cute, but Moonylicious has a butt that fits the name, y'know?" She said, hoping Fan Knife would at least get the plot to mess with Moonshadow.

Fan Knife blinked before she replied, sounding confused.

"Wait, what, Stellar has more musc..."

Almost immediately, Fan Knife's leaned her head back slightly and her ears folded tightly down on her head, rather like a cat that had just been confronted with something puzzling. It took several moments from her face to transition from honest confusion to utter shock, her mouth opening slack-jawed and her face turning a rather deep, uniform shade of purple. She started to make some rather squeaky noises in a seemingly involuntary fashion, but she moved a hoof in front of her mouth and she moved her hat to cover her face, and started to shake her head in apparent disgust.


"What's a Svaðilfari?" Doc curiously asks Mirror. "Is that like a... charlatan? Live does seem happy to help fix the town. Oakville could use repairs and a better water filter."

Mirror looked vaguly uncomfortable, and moved her right back leg in place, as if the question made her jumpy.

"It is a... very strong pony who is frauded... for work." Mirror replied, her voice having a wavering quality that made her sound much like how she did when Doc first met her.


"Well, not counting any pirates and raiders still out there after Abbas pulls off his gambit, there's a fair number of threats still within Tauronto," Doc converses. "The mage guild has a few members that would cheat, steal, and kill to get ahead. There's also that strange armored pony we met at CrunchyMunch who nearly lopped off Stellar's wing. Pretty sure we'll cross paths again after we thwarted her or him."

"Your foe was a unicorn, correct? I'd think that they would be a agent of that so called guild." Bertly replied, sounding as if it was obvious, "Thugs and such are a dime a dozen, but a teleporter is a special kind of pony that wasn't very common even back when Equestria had the funds to train unicorns as right proper solders."

[DigoDragon]

Mirror looked vaguly uncomfortable, and moved her right back leg in place, as if the question made her jumpy.
"It is a... very strong pony who is frauded... for work." Mirror replied, her voice having a wavering quality that made her sound much like how she did when Doc first met her.

Doc starts to ask another question, but he stops and thinks. He nods slowly as it appears he understands what Mirror is alluding to. "I see. No, I don't think she's that." Because he can see Mirror is uncomfortable with the subject, he presses no further.



"Your foe was a unicorn, correct? I'd think that they would be a agent of that so called guild." Bertly replied, sounding as if it was obvious, "Thugs and such are a dime a dozen, but a teleporter is a special kind of pony that wasn't very common even back when Equestria had the funds to train unicorns as right proper solders."

"That seems quite possible, but we're going to need evidence," Doc says in thought. "The unicorn said he or she wasn't our first assassination attempt, right? So... someone hired 'em to kill us. But who wants us out of the way and what did we do to earn that level of ire?"

[Forum Explorer]

After a few moments, two green dots appeared rather suddenly near her, less than fifty feet (curse Pipbuck's vertically-challenged sensory system!). Soon, in the dark, she found the source of the voices; within the depths of the rainbow-colored cave were Viridia and Fan Knife, the latter staring straight at her, the small ball of lightning Viridia was carrying apparently not even being a factor in her ability to see her creeping towards them. The ghoul had a little smirk on her face.

Damn she's good. Moonshadow thought to herself ruefully.


Viridia felt like Fan Knife wasn't actually getting what she was trying to explain, but the urge to point that out faded in the face of Moony coming. [COLOR="#696969"]"...and I mean, Stellar's cute, but Moonylicious has a butt that fits the name, y'know?" She said, hoping Fan Knife would at least get the plot to mess with Moonshadow.

Aww, you'd break Stellar's heart talking like that, Moonshadow called, grinning with a bit of a blush as she emerged from the shadows. Her grin only widened at Fan Knife's reaction.

[Hazuki]

"Wait, what, Stellar has more musc..."

Almost immediately, Fan Knife's leaned her head back slightly and her ears folded tightly down on her head, rather like a cat that had just been confronted with something puzzling. It took several moments from her face to transition from honest confusion to utter shock, her mouth opening slack-jawed and her face turning a rather deep, uniform shade of purple. She started to make some rather squeaky noises in a seemingly involuntary fashion, but she moved a hoof in front of her mouth and she moved her hat to cover her face, and started to shake her head in apparent disgust.Viridia wanted to tease Fan Knife some more, but her reaction forced the Pegasus to settle for an encouraging smile. Besides, Player 2 had entered the arena.


Aww, you'd break Stellar's heart talking like that, Moonshadow called, grinning with a bit of a blush as she emerged from the shadows. Her grin only widened at Fan Knife's reaction."Both of your break my heart whenever you don't greet me with kisses." Viridia said, then flourished her wings and with them, her crystal pony royal armor. "Check out my new armor. I reckon I'm at leastt 20% cooler now."

[Forum Explorer]

"Both of your break my heart whenever you don't greet me with kisses." Viridia said, then flourished her wings and with them, her crystal pony royal armor. "Check out my new armor. I reckon I'm at leastt 20% cooler now."

Ha, it'd be worth it to see just how far you'd take it. Moonshadow said, laughing before admiring Viridia.

Very nice. The mares will be falling over each other to get to you. Moonshadow paused, of course you'll have to pry Choro off first. She's not going to leave you alone once she finds you've got some genuine royal armor from the Crystal Empire.

[Dalinale]

Doc starts to ask another question, but he stops and thinks. He nods slowly as it appears he understands what Mirror is alluding to. "I see. No, I don't think she's that." Because he can see Mirror is uncomfortable with the subject, he presses no further.

The look that formed on Mirror's face was patiently odd, but she said nothing else and shook her head and wandered towards a corner of the bus, apparently feeling the need to explore the strange vessel she had found herself in.


"That seems quite possible, but we're going to need evidence," Doc says in thought. "The unicorn said he or she wasn't our first assassination attempt, right? So... someone hired 'em to kill us. But who wants us out of the way and what did we do to earn that level of ire?"

"I don't know, lad, I'v known you for little more than 48 hours." Bertly replied, managing to sound about as dry as a entirely servile robot could without verging into straight sarcasm, "Have you ruined any cuteceañeras as of late? Broken any strikes? Any corporate espionage gone awry?"



Aww, you'd break Stellar's heart talking like that, Moonshadow called, grinning with a bit of a blush as she emerged from the shadows. Her grin only widened at Fan Knife's reaction.

Fan Knife grumbled out something that probably some horrible curse in Neighponese, as muffled through her hat.


Viridia wanted to tease Fan Knife some more, but her reaction forced the Pegasus to settle for an encouraging smile. Besides, Player 2 had entered the arena.

"Both of your break my heart whenever you don't greet me with kisses." Viridia said, then flourished her wings and with them, her crystal pony royal armor. "Check out my new armor. I reckon I'm at leastt 20% cooler now."


Ha, it'd be worth it to see just how far you'd take it. Moonshadow said, laughing before admiring Viridia.

Very nice. The mares will be falling over each other to get to you. Moonshadow paused, of course you'll have to pry Choro off first. She's not going to leave you alone once she finds you've got some genuine royal armor from the Crystal Empire.

"Yeah, it's probably royal alright; I don't think something that could've been made for just a general." Fan Knife said as she placed her head back on top of her head, face still a shade of livid bluish-purple but fading, and began to continue walking forward again, "The unicorn'll probably like the book. Isn't she Equestrian, though? Why would she care about something from the Crystal Empire? It wasn't all that great when I was alive; visiting there was sort of like visiting one of the horse nations, but instead of looking like a big shopping mall in the middle of the desert it was a bunch of overpriced glittery boutiques surrounded by a magic bubble that kept the place from freezing to death."

She paused briefly, and spoke again soon after, sounding thoughtful.

"I guess the food was nice." she conceded.

[DigoDragon]

"I don't know, lad, I'v known you for little more than 48 hours." Bertly replied, managing to sound about as dry as a entirely servile robot could without verging into straight sarcasm, "Have you ruined any cuteceañeras as of late? Broken any strikes? Any corporate espionage gone awry?"

"Nah, nothing of that sort. The first thing is, whoever tried to kill us was someone that knew we were going to the CrunchyMunch factory," Doc begins. "That would narrow it down to folks at the hospital and probably Andante. Choro, can you think of anyone else who knew we were going to the factory?"

[RCgothic]

"Nightcore, and the guild operatives knew," Stellar adds.

[Hazuki]

Very nice. The mares will be falling over each other to get to you. Moonshadow paused, of course you'll have to pry Choro off first. She's not going to leave you alone once she finds you've got some genuine royal armor from the Crystal Empire. "Choro's a mare, so that still counts." Viridia said confidently.


=
=
"Yeah, it's probably royal alright; I don't think something that could've been made for just a general." Fan Knife said as she placed her head back on top of her head, face still a shade of livid bluish-purple but fading, and began to continue walking forward again, "The unicorn'll probably like the book. Isn't she Equestrian, though? Why would she care about something from the Crystal Empire? It wasn't all that great when I was alive; visiting there was sort of like visiting one of the horse nations, but instead of looking like a big shopping mall in the middle of the desert it was a bunch of overpriced glittery boutiques surrounded by a magic bubble that kept the place from freezing to death."

She paused briefly, and spoke again soon after, sounding thoughtful.

"I guess the food was nice." she conceded."There's no way in Tartarus I'm giving Choro the spellbook, not when she'll probably want to lend it to the Olives or some ****." Viridia laughed. "Did you go to many other nations in your time...?"

[DigoDragon]

"Nightcore, and the guild operatives knew," Stellar adds.

Doc points to Stellar, indicating she brought up an excellent point to the mystery at hoof. "Yes, they also knew we were going to the factory, didn't they? Alright, so Bertly's suggestion is indeed the strongest one so far. Second question: Motivation. Most of the people we know at the hospital don't have a stake in the factory, so they can be ruled out. We do know that the mage guild collects a lot of old world tech, And they're not a really unified guild, so they'll have members with their own personal plans outside the usual guild activities. Plans to say... crib the bio-tech in that factory before we destroy it. So... we have Nightcore, Just World, the operatives you met, Stellar.... and anyone they told about our mission. I reckon we're gonna have to poke around the guild to round out our list of suspects, especially if we go out to Ministry Row. We just have to be careful, and not screw it up for Choro."

[Inspector Valin]

"I don't think that the Guild's our enemy. Even if somepony within the Guild is tied to this."

Choro sighs. She's not eager about speculating over a matter with so little to go on, but if the conversation's going to happen anyway, she might as well weigh in. "That assassin looked like nopony I've ever seen. That spear, the armour, the way she moved..." The little wizard's mental image lingers on the spear. She wants to propose a certian theory but... no, she has no evidence, and won't risk misleading the others. "I can't prove she's not a Guild agent. But my instinct is that she's affiliated with whoever set the factory in motion, that she's the one who killed the Olives' scouting party, and that our involvement there is what made her attack. If she wanted to just kill us..."

She waves a hoof around the confines of the Skywagon. "Well, we're outside the town, half of us are away and nopony's ready for a fight really. Why isn't she trying right now?"

[RCgothic]

"Badassly: Because I cut her to pieces and she doesn't have an awesome cybersurgeon like Doc here!" Stellar boasts, still happy trippy from the cocktail.

"Seriously though, we recovered pretty quickly. But perhaps we should be a bit more on our guard."

[DigoDragon]

"I don't think that the Guild's our enemy. Even if somepony within the Guild is tied to this."
"That assassin looked like nopony I've ever seen. That spear, the armour, the way she moved..."
"I can't prove she's not a Guild agent. But my instinct is that she's affiliated with whoever set the factory in motion, that she's the one who killed the Olives' scouting party, and that our involvement there is what made her attack. If she wanted to just kill us..."

Doc nods in response. He then says, "For the record, I don't think the guild as a whole is our enemy, but rather one or two members are out to get us. The guild just makes for a good curtain to hide from us. At the moment we only have potential suspects. We'd have to do a good bit of legwork to figure out who's the one that don't like us."



"Well, we're outside the town, half of us are away and nopony's ready for a fight really. Why isn't she trying right now?"

"Badassly: Because I cut her to pieces and she doesn't have an awesome cybersurgeon like Doc here!" Stellar boasts, still happy trippy from the cocktail.

"Seriously though, we recovered pretty quickly. But perhaps we should be a bit more on our guard."

Doc humbly takes the compliment with a smile. Shucks. "I reckon we are capable, but yeah, we need to step up our defenses. Last Stop sounds like a real rough town, so they might try something there."

[Dalinale]

"Nah, nothing of that sort. The first thing is, whoever tried to kill us was someone that knew we were going to the CrunchyMunch factory," Doc begins. "That would narrow it down to folks at the hospital and probably Andante. Choro, can you think of anyone else who knew we were going to the factory?"


"Nightcore, and the guild operatives knew," Stellar adds.


Doc points to Stellar, indicating she brought up an excellent point to the mystery at hoof. "Yes, they also knew we were going to the factory, didn't they? Alright, so Bertly's suggestion is indeed the strongest one so far. Second question: Motivation. Most of the people we know at the hospital don't have a stake in the factory, so they can be ruled out. We do know that the mage guild collects a lot of old world tech, And they're not a really unified guild, so they'll have members with their own personal plans outside the usual guild activities. Plans to say... crib the bio-tech in that factory before we destroy it. So... we have Nightcore, Just World, the operatives you met, Stellar.... and anyone they told about our mission. I reckon we're gonna have to poke around the guild to round out our list of suspects, especially if we go out to Ministry Row. We just have to be careful, and not screw it up for Choro."


"I don't think that the Guild's our enemy. Even if somepony within the Guild is tied to this."

Choro sighs. She's not eager about speculating over a matter with so little to go on, but if the conversation's going to happen anyway, she might as well weigh in. "That assassin looked like nopony I've ever seen. That spear, the armour, the way she moved..." The little wizard's mental image lingers on the spear. She wants to propose a certian theory but... no, she has no evidence, and won't risk misleading the others. "I can't prove she's not a Guild agent. But my instinct is that she's affiliated with whoever set the factory in motion, that she's the one who killed the Olives' scouting party, and that our involvement there is what made her attack. If she wanted to just kill us..."

Madeleine poked her head into the bus, looked around for a few moments, and stepped inside. She then headed for the mat of rags that she had previously been dumped on, stepped on it, and moved around in a circle as she dainty attempted to smooth out any creases or folds or particularly obvious pieces of wasteland debris before settling down and yawning rather loudly. Meanwhile, Mirror stared at her, apparently not really into the conversation and still unused to the unicorn in the funny outfit.


She waves a hoof around the confines of the Skywagon. "Well, we're outside the town, half of us are away and nopony's ready for a fight really. Why isn't she trying right now?"

"An idea," Bertly said, "How many members of this Guild are in this town? If they all have their own intrigues, attacking when there's many ponies who are friendly with us who could recognize them would be foolish, or tip them off."


"Choro's a mare, so that still counts." Viridia said confidently.

Fan Knife shrugged, apparently not having much interest in the subject.


"There's no way in Tartarus I'm giving Choro the spellbook, not when she'll probably want to lend it to the Olives or some ****." Viridia laughed. "Did you go to many other nations in your time...?"

"Yeah." Fan Knife replied, "My sister didn't leave Neighpon with a lot of foreign money, or a ID that would've been accepted, so we kept traveling west and finding work until we eventually ended up in Equestria a few years later after getting rich. It was okay at first, but I'd say that about halfway though the war there wasn't really any other powerful countries that weren't allied with Equestria or the zebras. There were a few alliances that tried to stand up to them and stay neutral, but they all ended up like Neighpon. All the nicer countries my sister and I went through imported all of their resources from both Equestria and the zebras before the war so they could spend more time and money on building their infrastructure and focusing on the arts, so when they began to fight they were pretty much helpless, and there was a sort of plague that started to kill young ponies and griffons over there, too. At the end, most ponies who could afford it lived in compounds in the cities and had food sent in from aircraft, and it was pretty much anarchy outside of those places because the law really didn't apply to anything outside of major crimes and the governments were mostly trying to avoid getting killed in riots. Not as bad as what it's like now, but pretty close, and it was dependently a little rougher to some degree. You Equestrians are really only a little split between the different types of ponies, but over there ponies and griffons had deeper identities tied to where they lived; there were also less pegasi, so most ponies only knew of griffons as the ones living in the clouds and what pegasi popped up lived in ground villages.

Two groups could live side by side in one country in different villages, but if one pony goes across into the other village and a pony from the other village saw it, that pony would get beaten with clubs and thrown into a ditch and the other pony could go into a pub and get drinks bought for him. That's just how it was over there before the bombs dropped; it was nice when there was money coming in, but once you stripped the idea that they were doing good for themselves, I'd say they were meaner and lower then Equestrians because it wasn't as if they could just walk a few miles somewhere else and make a new start for themselves. There was still good money, but I'd never want to go to Prance or Sydneigh ever again unless my sister needed to."

[DigoDragon]

Madeleine poked her head into the bus, looked around for a few moments, and stepped inside. She then headed for the mat of rags that she had previously been dumped on, stepped on it, and moved around in a circle as she dainty attempted to smooth out any creases or folds or particularly obvious pieces of wasteland debris before settling down and yawning rather loudly. Meanwhile, Mirror stared at her, apparently not really into the conversation and still unused to the unicorn in the funny outfit.

"Yeah, it's crazy-late and we're still waiting on four ponies. Well, we have suspects to look into, but I guess I can leave it on that for now." Doc decides to settle in, putting his things down in a nest-like spot. He takes out the box of magic roaches and gives them a sparkle cola and some food. His inventory is a little light, but not too bad. Could use more fresh food though.

Doc takes his notebook out. He writes down notes from earlier conversations, keeping a little journal of info and events. "...two days from now. Main court, inner ward..." Doc glances up at everyone. "So... Choro, you want to send Moonshadow another message, see if she's found them yet? If it's going to be a while, maybe we should take turns napping and being on watch? I think Stellar should get to relax first in case she's needed to pull the bus later tonight."

[Forum Explorer]

Anyways the others sent me to try and round you up. They're wanting to get the show on the road and head off. Moonshadow said.

[Hazuki]

Viridia nodded thoughtfully at Fan Knife's explanation, then blinked at Moonshadow's words. "Right, we were just heading back anyway."

[Forum Explorer]

Viridia nodded thoughtfully at Fan Knife's explanation, then blinked at Moonshadow's words. "Right, we were just heading back anyway."

Cool. Moonshadow said, yawning. So what is this place anyways? Shade's direct passage to Tartarus?

[Hazuki]

"No idea. There was a magical barrier that I could just...push aside, and then we found some crystals, and we took the crystals, and now we're leaving with the crystals." Viridia shrugged. "I didn't mess around with much of Shade's stuff, because I didn't want to get hexed or something."

[Inspector Valin]

Madeleine poked her head into the bus, looked around for a few moments, and stepped inside. She then headed for the mat of rags that she had previously been dumped on, stepped on it, and moved around in a circle as she dainty attempted to smooth out any creases or folds or particularly obvious pieces of wasteland debris before settling down and yawning rather loudly. Meanwhile, Mirror stared at her, apparently not really into the conversation and still unused to the unicorn in the funny outfit.

"Hello, Ms. Madeleine." Choro waves a hoof to the AI, smiling at her and pondering if she could help with her activities, before turning back to the others. Mirror's look makes the little mage's stomach churn a little. She's... still not happy with her. And she has every right to be beyond furious still. But she's already apologized and repeating that won't do much good. As such Choro just... deflates a little, looking once again more somber and contrite.


"An idea," Bertly said, "How many members of this Guild are in this town? If they all have their own intrigues, attacking when there's many ponies who are friendly with us who could recognize them would be foolish, or tip them off."

"Just two. But would anypony from the town notice us out here?" Choro asks, honestly unsure on the matter. "We're not that close. I'd have assumed anyone attacking us now could be pretty anonymous about it."


"Yeah, it's crazy-late and we're still waiting on four ponies. Well, we have suspects to look into, but I guess I can leave it on that for now." Doc decides to settle in, putting his things down in a nest-like spot. He takes out the box of magic roaches and gives them a sparkle cola and some food. His inventory is a little light, but not too bad. Could use more fresh food though.

Doc takes his notebook out. He writes down notes from earlier conversations, keeping a little journal of info and events. "...two days from now. Main court, inner ward..." Doc glances up at everyone. "So... Choro, you want to send Moonshadow another message, see if she's found them yet? If it's going to be a while, maybe we should take turns napping and being on watch? I think Stellar should get to relax first in case she's needed to pull the bus later tonight."

"Okay."

The little mage sounds reluctant. Back in the Stable, sending someone PipBuck messages in rapid succession was regarded as a faux pas, and quite infuriating. Still, she's only sent one, and even that was more indirect than anything. Just... keep it brief. She taps out "Found them?" in short order, and sends that off towards Moonshadow's device. Now they just have to wait.

[Forum Explorer]

"No idea. There was a magical barrier that I could just...push aside, and then we found some crystals, and we took the crystals, and now we're leaving with the crystals." Viridia shrugged. "I didn't mess around with much of Shade's stuff, because I didn't want to get hexed or something."

Huh. Cool. But if you didn't intend to steal Shade's stuff, why did you break in, in the first place? Don't get me wrong, I'm not disapproving, after all someone who is delusional enough to worship one of Luna's failures probably shouldn't be owning any sort of dangerous artifact either.




The little mage sounds reluctant. Back in the Stable, sending someone PipBuck messages in rapid succession was regarded as a faux pas, and quite infuriating. Still, she's only sent one, and even that was more indirect than anything. Just... keep it brief. She taps out "Found them?" in short order, and sends that off towards Moonshadow's device. Now they just have to wait.

Yes. On way back. Moonshadow sent back quickly.

[Hazuki]

Huh. Cool. But if you didn't intend to steal Shade's stuff, why did you break in, in the first place? Don't get me wrong, I'm not disapproving, after all someone who is delusional enough to worship one of Luna's failures probably shouldn't be owning any sort of dangerous artifact either. "I was looking for information, not loot." Viridia explained.

[DigoDragon]

"Okay." The little mage sounds reluctant.

"Is... are you alright? If you don't like my suggestion you can say so." Doc wondered if all the little problems today are snowballing together on the little mage's nerves.

[Inspector Valin]

"No, no, it's okay. I'm... okay. Just.."

Before Choro can say anything more, her PipBuck beeps. The little wizard glances down, then smiles. "They're all together. They'll be here soon." She can't quite hide a sigh of relief at the prospect. After all this talk of assassins, it'll be nice to be in the air again.

[Dalinale]

"Yeah, it's crazy-late and we're still waiting on four ponies. Well, we have suspects to look into, but I guess I can leave it on that for now." Doc decides to settle in, putting his things down in a nest-like spot. He takes out the box of magic roaches and gives them a sparkle cola and some food. His inventory is a little light, but not too bad. Could use more fresh food though.

The noises that followed from within the cardboard box were... crunchy.


Cool. Moonshadow said, yawning. So what is this place anyways? Shade's direct passage to Tartarus?


"No idea. There was a magical barrier that I could just...push aside, and then we found some crystals, and we took the crystals, and now we're leaving with the crystals." Viridia shrugged. "I didn't mess around with much of Shade's stuff, because I didn't want to get hexed or something."

"Do you want to burn this place down, then?" Fan Knife said, sounding as if the idea was just something that had come to mind, "This place has a lot of valuable stuff in it, this town isn't exactly fortified, and it can't really be moved. I mean, if your enemy learns that you were here, then they probably have a lot of ways to get back at you."


Huh. Cool. But if you didn't intend to steal Shade's stuff, why did you break in, in the first place? Don't get me wrong, I'm not disapproving, after all someone who is delusional enough to worship one of Luna's failures probably shouldn't be owning any sort of dangerous artifact either.

Yes. On way back. Moonshadow sent back quickly.


"I was looking for information, not loot." Viridia explained.

As the two pegasi soon approached the mouth of the cavern; nothing appeared to be in their way. The black curtain that was there before had seemed to have vanished, however, leaving a simple path out of the stone room.


"Hello, Ms. Madeleine." Choro waves a hoof to the AI, smiling at her and pondering if she could help with her activities, before turning back to the others. Mirror's look makes the little mage's stomach churn a little. She's... still not happy with her. And she has every right to be beyond furious still. But she's already apologized and repeating that won't do much good. As such Choro just... deflates a little, looking once again more somber and contrite.

Madeleine nodded back and smiled at Choro.


Doc takes his notebook out. He writes down notes from earlier conversations, keeping a little journal of info and events. "...two days from now. Main court, inner ward..." Doc glances up at everyone. "So... Choro, you want to send Moonshadow another message, see if she's found them yet? If it's going to be a while, maybe we should take turns napping and being on watch? I think Stellar should get to relax first in case she's needed to pull the bus later tonight."

A small thumk came from a corner of the bus; it appeared that Madeleine, with her legs tucked under her body, had decided to fall asleep with her head lying on the ground. Mirror continued to look at the AI like she was expecting for someone to either help her or, at the very least, say something.


"Is... are you alright? If you don't like my suggestion you can say so." Doc wondered if all the little problems today are snowballing together on the little mage's nerves.


"No, no, it's okay. I'm... okay. Just.."

Before Choro can say anything more, her PipBuck beeps. The little wizard glances down, then smiles. "They're all together. They'll be here soon." She can't quite hide a sigh of relief at the prospect. After all this talk of assassins, it'll be nice to be in the air again.

Choro found that she was suddenly being assaulted by a large, shaggy, happy carpet that happened to be roughly dog-shaped. The big lug, after licking her face again, immediately decided to settle down next to her and curl it's body around her, which mostly meant that Choro was suddenly enveloped in a large, warm mass of dog.

[Hazuki]

"Do you want to burn this place down, then?" Fan Knife said, sounding as if the idea was just something that had come to mind, "This place has a lot of valuable stuff in it, this town isn't exactly fortified, and it can't really be moved. I mean, if your enemy learns that you were here, then they probably have a lot of ways to get back at you.""Uh, no? There are foals here, Fan Knife. And, I don't care. What's she gonna do, get pissy that I walked through her room to steal from somepony else?" Viridia snorted.

[DigoDragon]

"No, no, it's okay. I'm... okay. Just.."

"They're all together. They'll be here soon." She can't quite hide a sigh of relief at the prospect.

"Ah good, Moony came through. Well, if something's botherin' you, C, don't hold it in." Doc smirks when Butch assaults Choro in licks and a dog hug. Good dog.



The noises that followed from within the cardboard box were... crunchy.

A small thumk came from a corner of the bus; it appeared that Madeleine, with her legs tucked under her body, had decided to fall asleep with her head lying on the ground. Mirror continued to look at the AI like she was expecting for someone to either help her or, at the very least, say something.

The crunching causes Doc's ears to lift up straight. He looks down at the roaches, then over to Mirror. "Those are the magic roaches I mentioned. They'll eat anything you give 'em, but they're gentle critters."

He gets up and rolls a pair of old shirts together to make a pillow for Maddie. Doc gently tucks her in and then sits back down to explain it to Mirror. "That's Madeleine. She's a... well we call it an Artificial Intelligence. Like a machine that can think for herself. This is her first time being a pony, so she has no clue how anything works in our culture. We meet a lot of strange creatures in our adventures."

[Forum Explorer]

"I was looking for information, not loot." Viridia explained.

I see. Did you learn anything? Moonshadow asked, nodding.


"Uh, no? There are foals here, Fan Knife. And, I don't care. What's she gonna do, get pissy that I walked through her room to steal from somepony else?" Viridia snorted.

Exactly. Besides, while I wouldn't mind stealing from her, I don't think she's done anything to deserve death. Moonshadow added, before falling silent now that they were back in her home proper.

[Inspector Valin]

Choro found that she was suddenly being assaulted by a large, shaggy, happy carpet that happened to be roughly dog-shaped. The big lug, after licking her face again, immediately decided to settle down next to her and curl it's body around her, which mostly meant that Choro was suddenly enveloped in a large, warm mass of dog.


"Aaaaggh!" Choro swas limply at the overaffectionate pile of dog, though it takes the little unicorn an effort of will not to burst out laughing at its assault. She smiles down at their new companion. She still doesn't feel like she truly understands their less than talkativefriend, but affecion and friendship are words she knows well, and both are always welcome in times like this.


A small thumk came from a corner of the bus; it appeared that Madeleine, with her legs tucked under her body, had decided to fall asleep with her head lying on the ground. Mirror continued to look at the AI like she was expecting for someone to either help her or, at the very least, say something.


"Ah good, Moony came through. Well, if something's botherin' you, C, don't hold it in." Doc smirks when Butch assaults Choro in licks and a dog hug. Good dog.

He gets up and rolls a pair of old shirts together to make a pillow for Maddie. Doc gently tucks her in and then sits back down to explain it to Mirror. "That's Madeleine. She's a... well we call it an Artificial Intelligence. Like a machine that can think for herself. This is her first time being a pony, so she has no clue how anything works in our culture. We meet a lot of strange creatures in our adventures."

"And it gets more confusing because while her body's sort of a machine it's also sort of..." Choro waves a hoof; that was one more mystery that still somewhat confounded her. As Doc works to make a blanket for Maddie, Choro fishes in her bags to withdraw a sleeping blanket that she gently tucks over the AI with her magic.

Job done, Choro looks back to Doc. She doesn't want to ignore what he said, but doesn't want to bring down the mood too drastically either. The little unicorn takes a second to gather her thoughts before beginning with a sigh. "Somedays the whole Wasteland bothers me. I suppose that's inevitable, but..." She waves a hoof, trying to find the right words to describe it. "I just think about how things used to be. I didn't expect the world to be like that, obviously, I knew what I was getting into when I left my Stable. But I can't stop myself. I spent all my life thinking about Equestria in the present tense: our stable was there to preserve its legacy, to pass down its history. It felt real to us, tangible. That was the world we thought of being above us, the world we dreamed about. The actual topside was something we tried to forget about. And now..."

She doesn't even come close to having the words for it. The continuousness of travelling through this, day after day after day. Choro just sits there morosely for a bit before turning to Mirror, still looking dispirited, "I'm sorry you have to see us like this. Our country used to be something amazing and wonderful. Equestria was a place of beauty, harmony and friendship. Now it's just a mess, with our old cities in ruins, our past buried under rubble and ponies fighting over lines on a map."

[DigoDragon]

"Well, C, at least you're adjusting better than Moonshadow. The wasteland bothers her daily," Doc quips, pausing in his notes.

"But yeah, Equestria is a bit of a mess right now. Still, there are some nice folks with good hearts living in it. Friendship isn't dead, it still lives on in us. We just have to band together and work toward rebuilding. "

[Dalinale]

"Uh, no? There are foals here, Fan Knife. And, I don't care. What's she gonna do, get pissy that I walked through her room to steal from somepony else?" Viridia snorted.



Exactly. Besides, while I wouldn't mind stealing from her, I don't think she's done anything to deserve death. Moonshadow added, before falling silent now that they were back in her home proper.

Fan Knife gave the two pegasi a odd look, and shook her head and continued forward.

"I don't know her, but this place was built on top of two different treasure troves, and as great as these gems are I'd bet the books here are more valuable to the right ponies." Fan Knife replied, "Do you think she could do anything with the stuff down here, being a priestess of Nightmare Moon and all that? Because now that I know this exists, I'm not exactly happy about it. She's with that short mare and that teenager with the colts, right? They're all from the same town, and if she wanted to get back at you she could hurt them before they knew what was happening."



The crunching causes Doc's ears to lift up straight. He looks down at the roaches, then over to Mirror. "Those are the magic roaches I mentioned. They'll eat anything you give 'em, but they're gentle critters."

Mirror looked at the cardboard box, and just nodded in reply, her curiosity apparently having been shot and buried some time in the recent past.


He gets up and rolls a pair of old shirts together to make a pillow for Maddie. Doc gently tucks her in and then sits back down to explain it to Mirror.

Handling Madeleine was a lot like handling a dead body that happened to be made mostly out of metal, which was about as pleasant as it sounded.


"That's Madeleine. She's a... well we call it an Artificial Intelligence. Like a machine that can think for herself. This is her first time being a pony, so she has no clue how anything works in our culture. We meet a lot of strange creatures in our adventures."

"Yes." Mirror said, nodding once, as if accepting that this was her life, now.


"Aaaaggh!" Choro swas limply at the overaffectionate pile of dog, though it takes the little unicorn an effort of will not to burst out laughing at its assault. She smiles down at their new companion. She still doesn't feel like she truly understands their less than talkativefriend, but affecion and friendship are words she knows well, and both are always welcome in times like this.

As Choro moved around and about, the dog was only ever a few inches away, apparently intending on following her no matter where she went and in disregards to any barriers that would prevent that, such as personal space.


"And it gets more confusing because while her body's sort of a machine it's also sort of..." Choro waves a hoof; that was one more mystery that still somewhat confounded her. As Doc works to make a blanket for Maddie, Choro fishes in her bags to withdraw a sleeping blanket that she gently tucks over the AI with her magic.

Mirror, hesitantly, raised a hoof, as to ask a question. Her eyes were narrowed, and she glanced back over to the sleeping cyborg.

"Did she clothe herself?" she asked, her voice almost frosty.

Bertly made a noise that sounded suspiciously like a chuckle.


Job done, Choro looks back to Doc. She doesn't want to ignore what he said, but doesn't want to bring down the mood too drastically either. The little unicorn takes a second to gather her thoughts before beginning with a sigh. "Somedays the whole Wasteland bothers me. I suppose that's inevitable, but..." She waves a hoof, trying to find the right words to describe it. "I just think about how things used to be. I didn't expect the world to be like that, obviously, I knew what I was getting into when I left my Stable. But I can't stop myself. I spent all my life thinking about Equestria in the present tense: our stable was there to preserve its legacy, to pass down its history. It felt real to us, tangible. That was the world we thought of being above us, the world we dreamed about. The actual topside was something we tried to forget about. And now..."

She doesn't even come close to having the words for it. The continuousness of travelling through this, day after day after day. Choro just sits there morosely for a bit before turning to Mirror, still looking dispirited, "I'm sorry you have to see us like this. Our country used to be something amazing and wonderful. Equestria was a place of beauty, harmony and friendship. Now it's just a mess, with our old cities in ruins, our past buried under rubble and ponies fighting over lines on a map."


"Well, C, at least you're adjusting better than Moonshadow. The wasteland bothers her daily," Doc quips, pausing in his notes.

"But yeah, Equestria is a bit of a mess right now. Still, there are some nice folks with good hearts living in it. Friendship isn't dead, it still lives on in us. We just have to band together and work toward rebuilding. "

Bertly was oddly silent as he produced a small brush and seemed intent on dusting off the junk pile. Meanwhile, Mirror shook her head out of her apparent fashion-induced funk, and blinked at the words of the two ponies.

"There are pegasi above the clouds, yes?" Mirror asked, pointing up at the rusty ceiling of the bus as if to make her point, "Why not go there, if they have a kingdom?"

[DigoDragon]

"There are pegasi above the clouds, yes?" Mirror asked, pointing up at the rusty ceiling of the bus as if to make her point, "Why not go there, if they have a kingdom?"

"The kingdom above is called the Enclave. The pegasi that live there are governed by their army," Doc explains in a calm tone. "They think that all of us ground-dwelling ponies are dumb and worthless creatures, so they will shoot us if we try to enter their lands. Their citizens aren't allowed to leave the Enclave and visit us either, or they get exiled forever. I've heard that exiles get their cutie mark burned off."

Doc pokes at his own cutie mark to add to his statement. "Now, I've heard that a few pegasi up there don't agree with those rules, so they left and formed a group called... Dash-ites I think. Some of them live in Last Stop, or so I've been told, but I don't know if they're any nicer than the Enclave."

[Hazuki]

Fan Knife gave the two pegasi a odd look, and shook her head and continued forward.

"I don't know her, but this place was built on top of two different treasure troves, and as great as these gems are I'd bet the books here are more valuable to the right ponies." Fan Knife replied, "Do you think she could do anything with the stuff down here, being a priestess of Nightmare Moon and all that? Because now that I know this exists, I'm not exactly happy about it. She's with that short mare and that teenager with the colts, right? They're all from the same town, and if she wanted to get back at you she could hurt them before they knew what was happening.""Ehhh, she's known them all their lives, I'm pretty sure. And also, she wouldn't do that, because most of the party still tolerates her." Viridia said. "Which they won't, if they find out she's hurt some foals. And that escalation means we'll murder the **** out of her." She smiled. "If she's as smart as she thinks she is, she probably knows that's not something she wants."

[Forum Explorer]

"Ehhh, she's known them all their lives, I'm pretty sure. And also, she wouldn't do that, because most of the party still tolerates her." Viridia said. "Which they won't, if they find out she's hurt some foals. And that escalation means we'll murder the **** out of her." She smiled. "If she's as smart as she thinks she is, she probably knows that's not something she wants."

Honestly, I've never met the mare, so I couldn't really say anything about her. But she never stood up to Snowflake, so I doubt she's going to come after the ponies that took her down. Especially since we didn't actually take anything.

[Dalinale]

"The kingdom above is called the Enclave. The pegasi that live there are governed by their army," Doc explains in a calm tone. "They think that all of us ground-dwelling ponies are dumb and worthless creatures, so they will shoot us if we try to enter their lands. Their citizens aren't allowed to leave the Enclave and visit us either, or they get exiled forever. I've heard that exiles get their cutie mark burned off."

Doc pokes at his own cutie mark to add to his statement. "Now, I've heard that a few pegasi up there don't agree with those rules, so they left and formed a group called... Dash-ites I think. Some of them live in Last Stop, or so I've been told, but I don't know if they're any nicer than the Enclave."

Mirror nodded several times as Doc spoke, and didn't appear particularly phased at the talk of branding ponies, but stopped nodding about halfway though and seemed deeply confused by his last statement.

"Are they traitors to that kingdom?" Mirror asked, sounding as if the concept troubled her.


"Ehhh, she's known them all their lives, I'm pretty sure. And also, she wouldn't do that, because most of the party still tolerates her." Viridia said. "Which they won't, if they find out she's hurt some foals. And that escalation means we'll murder the **** out of her." She smiled. "If she's as smart as she thinks she is, she probably knows that's not something she wants."


Honestly, I've never met the mare, so I couldn't really say anything about her. But she never stood up to Snowflake, so I doubt she's going to come after the ponies that took her down. Especially since we didn't actually take anything.

Fan Knife didn't reply until the group had made it roughly halfway through the library.

"I mean, this whole room's made of stone and we're probably about a hundred feet underground. If we light a match or something, I don't think the ponies upstairs would know until the smoke rises up to them." Fan Knife said, sounding slightly annoyed, "I know there's kids here, but if you're not going to destroy this place, what are you going to do with it?"

[DigoDragon]

"Are they traitors to that kingdom?" Mirror asked, sounding as if the concept troubled her.

Doc nods in the affirmative. "Yes, they are considered traitors to the Enclave."

[Inspector Valin]

"Well, C, at least you're adjusting better than Moonshadow. The wasteland bothers her daily," Doc quips, pausing in his notes.

"But yeah, Equestria is a bit of a mess right now. Still, there are some nice folks with good hearts living in it. Friendship isn't dead, it still lives on in us. We just have to band together and work toward rebuilding. "

"You said it, Doctor!" Choro grins at that, raising her hoof in salute to Doc. Celestia's name, it's good to have a stallion like that around. Nopony is better at cheering others up that Doctor Vardo Wagon.


Doc nods in the affirmative. "Yes, they are considered traitors to the Enclave."

"But that's okay, because the whole Enclave are traitors to Equestria in the first place! They stabbed us in the back during the war, and broke the unity of the Three Tribes. So... I guess betraying traitors makes them loyalists?" Choro offers, hesitantly. She's fairly sure Moonshadow isn't down here by choice, or at least dislikes Equestria as much as the Enclave seems to, but that's a complication she doesn't really need to try and explain right now. Ms. Mirror already looks uncomfortable with the idea that these ponies are traitors to their homeland, no need to make her start ruing their loyalty instead.

[Hazuki]

"I mean, this whole room's made of stone and we're probably about a hundred feet underground. If we light a match or something, I don't think the ponies upstairs would know until the smoke rises up to them." Fan Knife said, sounding slightly annoyed, "I know there's kids here, but if you're not going to destroy this place, what are you going to do with it?""Walk out of it?" Viridia said. "There are lots of buildings I've visited without doing something with them."

[DigoDragon]

"You said it, Doctor!" Choro grins at that, raising her hoof in salute to Doc.

Doc smiles and, after a moment of hesitation, salutes back. He doesn't feel the praise is needed for just being optimistic, but Celestia bless Choro's little heart it's nice to see her acting more herself now.



"But that's okay, because the whole Enclave are traitors to Equestria in the first place! They stabbed us in the back during the war, and broke the unity of the Three Tribes. So... I guess betraying traitors makes them loyalists?" Choro offers, hesitantly. She's fairly sure Moonshadow isn't down here by choice, or at least dislikes Equestria as much as the Enclave seems to, but that's a complication she doesn't really need to try and explain right now. Ms. Mirror already looks uncomfortable with the idea that these ponies are traitors to their homeland, no need to make her start ruing their loyalty instead.

"I'm not sure I'd call them loyalists. Dash-ite is pretty much is their label, isn't it? Well, reckon we could ask the ones in Last Stop about it. I've never actually spoken with a Dash-ite before. I think they only stop in my home town for medical treatment."

[Forum Explorer]

Fan Knife didn't reply until the group had made it roughly halfway through the library.

"I mean, this whole room's made of stone and we're probably about a hundred feet underground. If we light a match or something, I don't think the ponies upstairs would know until the smoke rises up to them." Fan Knife said, sounding slightly annoyed, "I know there's kids here, but if you're not going to destroy this place, what are you going to do with it?"

Ignore it? The place isn't being run by a psycho who is torturing ponies at the drop of a hat. Honestly, if you guys couldn't find any evidence or sign of wrongdoing, then Shade just seems like a pony with a bad taste in religion.

[Hazuki]

Ignore it? The place isn't being run by a psycho who is torturing ponies at the drop of a hat. Honestly, if you guys couldn't find any evidence or sign of wrongdoing, then Shade just seems like a pony with a bad taste in religion. "Well, she's apparently doing some really suspicious scavenging, and she has a big evil library filled with big evil books. She's not just a pony with a religion." Viridia pointed out.

[Dalinale]

Doc nods in the affirmative. "Yes, they are considered traitors to the Enclave."


"You said it, Doctor!" Choro grins at that, raising her hoof in salute to Doc. Celestia's name, it's good to have a stallion like that around. Nopony is better at cheering others up that Doctor Vardo Wagon.

"But that's okay, because the whole Enclave are traitors to Equestria in the first place! They stabbed us in the back during the war, and broke the unity of the Three Tribes. So... I guess betraying traitors makes them loyalists?" Choro offers, hesitantly. She's fairly sure Moonshadow isn't down here by choice, or at least dislikes Equestria as much as the Enclave seems to, but that's a complication she doesn't really need to try and explain right now. Ms. Mirror already looks uncomfortable with the idea that these ponies are traitors to their homeland, no need to make her start ruing their loyalty instead.

Mirror winced at Choro's explanation, for some reason.


Doc smiles and, after a moment of hesitation, salutes back. He doesn't feel the praise is needed for just being optimistic, but Celestia bless Choro's little heart it's nice to see her acting more herself now.

"I'm not sure I'd call them loyalists. Dash-ite is pretty much is their label, isn't it? Well, reckon we could ask the ones in Last Stop about it. I've never actually spoken with a Dash-ite before. I think they only stop in my home town for medical treatment."

"If they broke off from Equestria before it fell," Mirror asked, sounding as if she wanted to phrase her words very carefully, "Than they saved many pegasi, yes?"

Rather abruptly, Bertly made a noise; actually, that noise was the sound of his flamethrower priming, but that quickly stopped and the robot hovered over towards Mirror with clear enthusiasm.

"Lass, I recognize a accent!" Bertly said, somewhat cheerfully, which caused Mirror to be clearly alarmed, "If you need to sit down with a guide to Equestria, why, there's mare named Strata Survey traveling with us, she's a former Equestrian historian and archaeologist! I do believe that she could answer almost all of your questions about life here and could help you avoid going down towards any paths of thought that could be considered treasonous by the Equestrian authorities."

Mirror, looking at the robot with clear alarm, slowly reached out with a leg and patted the robot on the top of it's dome, like it was a particularly rowdy dog. Bertly chuckled at the misplaced attempt at affection.


"Walk out of it?" Viridia said. "There are lots of buildings I've visited without doing something with them."

Fan Knife said nothing, and continued to trot along.


Ignore it? The place isn't being run by a psycho who is torturing ponies at the drop of a hat. Honestly, if you guys couldn't find any evidence or sign of wrongdoing, then Shade just seems like a pony with a bad taste in religion.


"Well, she's apparently doing some really suspicious scavenging, and she has a big evil library filled with big evil books. She's not just a pony with a religion." Viridia pointed out.

Fan Knife was very quiet until the group had arrived at the stony steps at the front of the library; however, she stopped just before she took the first step, and turned halfway towards the pegasi. She sounded subdued, as if, now that they were exiting the library, now was the time for recollection and subtlety.

"You get a lot of weird Equestrians here from all over; ponies who normally couldn't survive elsewhere can do it here, so that means ponies with crazy ideas don't immediately starve to death." Fan Knife complained, "You can see the whole gamut here; sun worship, ponies who think the Ministry Mares are gods, ponies who worship old factories and machines, ponies who worship nature, and all sorts of little cults and traditions that they've managed to come up with in the last century. When you're whole spiritual belief system is based on a statue of Fluttershy that's in a old pill mill that was the focal point of whatever crappy hill community you're from along with a few picture books, then it's going to be mostly wrong. This, though..." Fan Knife said, voice turning a little quieter as she briefly glanced at a nearby row of books, "I don't like the idea that this Nightmare Moon worshiper has a justification for doing what she's doing rooted in reality. You two didn't find a holy book or anything coming down here, did you? I checked the front alter and around it, and I couldn't find one."

[DigoDragon]

"Moonshadow is a former Enclave soldier. She seems to know her history decently well by their perspective," Doc adds as well. "If I remember her side of the story, the Enclave broke off from Equestria because they felt their pegasi we're doing all the fighting while the unicorns and earth ponies we're slacking off. Would be nice to compare it to what Strata remembers."

[Forum Explorer]

Fan Knife was very quiet until the group had arrived at the stony steps at the front of the library; however, she stopped just before she took the first step, and turned halfway towards the pegasi. She sounded subdued, as if, now that they were exiting the library, now was the time for recollection and subtlety.

"You get a lot of weird Equestrians here from all over; ponies who normally couldn't survive elsewhere can do it here, so that means ponies with crazy ideas don't immediately starve to death." Fan Knife complained, "You can see the whole gamut here; sun worship, ponies who think the Ministry Mares are gods, ponies who worship old factories and machines, ponies who worship nature, and all sorts of little cults and traditions that they've managed to come up with in the last century. When you're whole spiritual belief system is based on a statue of Fluttershy that's in a old pill mill that was the focal point of whatever crappy hill community you're from along with a few picture books, then it's going to be mostly wrong. This, though..." Fan Knife said, voice turning a little quieter as she briefly glanced at a nearby row of books, "I don't like the idea that this Nightmare Moon worshiper has a justification for doing what she's doing rooted in reality. You two didn't find a holy book or anything coming down here, did you? I checked the front alter and around it, and I couldn't find one."

I was just looking for you guys, so I didn't notice anything of that sort. Moonshadow said. Though I'm kinda, not really, but a little bit, curious what you know about Nightmare Moon. I only real know her as Luna's stupid attempt to destroy the world which failed miserably. Twice.

[Inspector Valin]

"If they broke off from Equestria before it fell," Mirror asked, sounding as if she wanted to phrase her words very carefully, "Than they saved many pegasi, yes?"

Rather abruptly, Bertly made a noise; actually, that noise was the sound of his flamethrower priming, but that quickly stopped and the robot hovered over towards Mirror with clear enthusiasm.

"Lass, I recognize a accent!" Bertly said, somewhat cheerfully, which caused Mirror to be clearly alarmed, "If you need to sit down with a guide to Equestria, why, there's mare named Strata Survey traveling with us, she's a former Equestrian historian and archaeologist! I do believe that she could answer almost all of your questions about life here and could help you avoid going down towards any paths of thought that could be considered treasonous by the Equestrian authorities."

Mirror, looking at the robot with clear alarm, slowly reached out with a leg and patted the robot on the top of it's dome, like it was a particularly rowdy dog. Bertly chuckled at the misplaced attempt at affection.

Choro might not possess an inbuilt flamethrower, but the look she gives Mirror in response to her hypothetical is still smoldering with a fire of its own. She's clearly taken exactly as much offense to this suggestion as Mirror had expected. It's not her fault. She's a foreigner. She doesn't understand. With an effort, and a little fiddling with her hat, Choro elaborates as calmly as she can. "They broke off as it fell. Not before. The ponies in my stable had never heard of the Enclave, and our records date back to the Last Day. Their actions are likely what caused Equestria to fall: the Zebras would've had a harder time targeting us with all those missiles if the ponies we'd relied upon to defend us from the skies didn't turn traitor. However many pegasi they saved, it doesn't justify the number of innocent ponies that were killed through their betrayal."

Nothing could justify that. The little mage turns back to her doggie friend, patting him gently before glancing over to Mirror. "Why do you feel loyalty to them? They wouldn't reciprocate it. Their mission statement is that pegasus lives matter more than the rest of us. They're... jerks!" A slightly extreme term, but Choro truly means it. She can't think of a group of ponies who've ever done something quite so horrible, even historically.

[DigoDragon]

"Moonshadow still seems to bear some loyalty to the Enclave. I worry that if she tries to return up there, they'd shoot her."

[Dalinale]

"Moonshadow is a former Enclave soldier. She seems to know her history decently well by their perspective," Doc adds as well. "If I remember her side of the story, the Enclave broke off from Equestria because they felt their pegasi we're doing all the fighting while the unicorns and earth ponies we're slacking off. Would be nice to compare it to what Strata remembers."

Mirror blinked.


Choro might not possess an inbuilt flamethrower, but the look she gives Mirror in response to her hypothetical is still smoldering with a fire of its own. She's clearly taken exactly as much offense to this suggestion as Mirror had expected. It's not her fault. She's a foreigner. She doesn't understand. With an effort, and a little fiddling with her hat, Choro elaborates as calmly as she can. "They broke off as it fell. Not before. The ponies in my stable had never heard of the Enclave, and our records date back to the Last Day. Their actions are likely what caused Equestria to fall: the Zebras would've had a harder time targeting us with all those missiles if the ponies we'd relied upon to defend us from the skies didn't turn traitor. However many pegasi they saved, it doesn't justify the number of innocent ponies that were killed through their betrayal."

Mirror started to look as if she was confused.


Nothing could justify that. The little mage turns back to her doggie friend, patting him gently before glancing over to Mirror. "Why do you feel loyalty to them? They wouldn't reciprocate it. Their mission statement is that pegasus lives matter more than the rest of us. They're... jerks!" A slightly extreme term, but Choro truly means it. She can't think of a group of ponies who've ever done something quite so horrible, even historically.

Mirror continued to look as if Choro speaking gibberish, and spoke after she finished.

"I do not have loyalty to them, but Equestria had domains in the sky and the land. The pegasi lived in it, and they made a Enclave from it's unbroken territory." Mirror replied, not sounding certain of anything but continuing to speak, giving it a sort of a rambling quality, "Why would you not call it half of Equestria, if they were Equestrian pegasi who have survived and this land was ruined? They may not call them selves that, but they are. If they formed a proud army and they chose to flee, was that not a act to save those who could be saved? I know of the underground havens, but there are not many of them, for how grand these ruins are. If Equestria was special for it's three tribes and one severed themselves from it, than either they are what is left of Equestria or Equestria can not be formed again as it was. There are many here like Abbas who do not want to be Equestrians, but those in the clouds are more like those that I was told of than of hidden shelters or of the walking dead."


"Moonshadow still seems to bear some loyalty to the Enclave. I worry that if she tries to return up there, they'd shoot her."

Mirror seemed surprised and startled by the new information, but her eyes widened suddenly and she nodded.

"I remember the dead pegasus who was with you. She once said that she was not to go above the clouds as well, and said that they were fearful of what was below them." Mirror said, sounding grave, as if the topic upset her slightly, "My people visit strange lands, and there are rules to deal with strange magics and illnesses."


I was just looking for you guys, so I didn't notice anything of that sort. Moonshadow said. Though I'm kinda, not really, but a little bit, curious what you know about Nightmare Moon. I only real know her as Luna's stupid attempt to destroy the world which failed miserably. Twice.

Fan Knife, after giving a rather brief look at the library, started to trot along again, passing by the alter outside the door quickly. If it wasn't for the fact that Moonshadow could see in the dark, there really wasn't that much to indicate that the ghoul hadn't just vanished behind the door, but was instead somehow near the stone stairs on the other side of the room and was already starting to climb up them.

"I never heard about her in my homeland, but she was talked about some when I was alive in this country." Fan Knife said, her voice sounding only a little far away, "Not loudly, but enough to get the general idea. Anyway, I think Nightmare Moon was a costume Luna put on and anyone who says otherwise is fooling themselves in not wanting to own up to the fact that the ruler who tried to take over Equestria twice eventually got what she wanted. If ponies can live in Stables, they could probably handle a eternal night, and there were some ponies like Tenaculum who probably would've followed Luna's orders however she looked like. The zebras thought they were the same, too, and they would've been idiots to think otherwise because of her track record."

[DigoDragon]

"I remember the dead pegasus who was with you. She once said that she was not to go above the clouds as well, and said that they were fearful of what was below them." Mirror said, sounding grave, as if the topic upset her slightly, "My people visit strange lands, and there are rules to deal with strange magics and illnesses."

"Dead pegasus... ah, Joyous. Yeah, it's a general rule down here to not try and visit the Enclave."

Although interesting, this conversation is also a bit depressing. Doc digs into his backpack and pulls out a ruby. "Well, we can't change what was done in the past. We just gotta learn from it and forge ahead. Abbas is looking to unite this town and I'd like to find out what kind of leader he's going to be. He's paying us quite a bit, so I imagine he feels we're an important piece in his game of chess here. And... I am not sure how much this ruby is worth. Either of you ladies good at appraising gems?"

[Forum Explorer]

Fan Knife, after giving a rather brief look at the library, started to trot along again, passing by the alter outside the door quickly. If it wasn't for the fact that Moonshadow could see in the dark, there really wasn't that much to indicate that the ghoul hadn't just vanished behind the door, but was instead somehow near the stone stairs on the other side of the room and was already starting to climb up them.

"I never heard about her in my homeland, but she was talked about some when I was alive in this country." Fan Knife said, her voice sounding only a little far away, "Not loudly, but enough to get the general idea. Anyway, I think Nightmare Moon was a costume Luna put on and anyone who says otherwise is fooling themselves in not wanting to own up to the fact that the ruler who tried to take over Equestria twice eventually got what she wanted. If ponies can live in Stables, they could probably handle a eternal night, and there were some ponies like Tenaculum who probably would've followed Luna's orders however she looked like. The zebras thought they were the same, too, and they would've been idiots to think otherwise because of her track record."

That's interesting. I guess we'll talk later. We should be quiet now. Moonshadow said, following along as they hopefully left the building.

[Dalinale]

"Dead pegasus... ah, Joyous. Yeah, it's a general rule down here to not try and visit the Enclave."


Mirror nodded.


Although interesting, this conversation is also a bit depressing. Doc digs into his backpack and pulls out a ruby. "Well, we can't change what was done in the past. We just gotta learn from it and forge ahead. Abbas is looking to unite this town and I'd like to find out what kind of leader he's going to be. He's paying us quite a bit, so I imagine he feels we're an important piece in his game of chess here. And... I am not sure how much this ruby is worth. Either of you ladies good at appraising gems?"

Mirror, apparently finding the question odd, shook her head.


That's interesting. I guess we'll talk later. We should be quiet now. Moonshadow said, following along as they hopefully left the building.

Perhaps it was something about a pegasi being surrounded by stone, but Moonshadow could feel that slight, instinctual tension fade and be replaced with the more reasonable paranoia when she gradually became closer to ground level. The slight scent of incense started to creep into her nose, and soon she found herself stepping on wood instead of old stone. The central chamber of the church was vast even from a pegasus's perspective and murky even for her. There was no sign of any individuals in the room except for Viridia, trailing behind her. One of the front doors was opened just a hair, narrow enough for a skinny filly to slip through.

[Forum Explorer]

Moonshadow moves to the crack in the door, checking for anyone who would notice them leaving, and trying to remain hidden as she did so.


Perception [roll0] vs 10
Stealth [roll1] vs 96

[Inspector Valin]

Mirror continued to look as if Choro speaking gibberish, and spoke after she finished.

"I do not have loyalty to them, but Equestria had domains in the sky and the land. The pegasi lived in it, and they made a Enclave from it's unbroken territory." Mirror replied, not sounding certain of anything but continuing to speak, giving it a sort of a rambling quality, "Why would you not call it half of Equestria, if they were Equestrian pegasi who have survived and this land was ruined? They may not call them selves that, but they are. If they formed a proud army and they chose to flee, was that not a act to save those who could be saved? I know of the underground havens, but there are not many of them, for how grand these ruins are. If Equestria was special for it's three tribes and one severed themselves from it, than either they are what is left of Equestria or Equestria can not be formed again as it was. There are many here like Abbas who do not want to be Equestrians, but those in the clouds are more like those that I was told of than of hidden shelters or of the walking dead."

Mirror's words have actually helped calm Choro further: the more she speaks, the easier to see her fellow unicorn simply has a different way of looking at things. Smiling at the Everfrost pony, C starts to elabourate, "What defined Equestrian identity was the unity of the tribes. Earth Ponies, Unicorns and Pegasi: working together, supplementing each others strengths. The Enclave turned their back on that. You could argue their temporal authority is Equestrian, they maintained institutions of the old days, but spiritually they're nothing of the kind. Their existence is predicated on not just ignoring, but actively betraying their fellow ponies in a time of desperate need. As for the idea that Equestria can't be remade while it stands..."

Well, yes. For multiple reasons, including the absence of sunlight, their military threat, and the general state of the ground. Choro sighs, but she manages a weary smile. "You're not alone in that observation. But that shouldn't stop us trying. There are still pegasi in the Wasteland: not as many as before, but they're here. So long as all three tribes of ponies are still standing together, Equestria isn't gone yet."


"Dead pegasus... ah, Joyous. Yeah, it's a general rule down here to not try and visit the Enclave."

Although interesting, this conversation is also a bit depressing. Doc digs into his backpack and pulls out a ruby. "Well, we can't change what was done in the past. We just gotta learn from it and forge ahead. Abbas is looking to unite this town and I'd like to find out what kind of leader he's going to be. He's paying us quite a bit, so I imagine he feels we're an important piece in his game of chess here. And... I am not sure how much this ruby is worth. Either of you ladies good at appraising gems?"

"Too much?" Choro opined, chuckling darkly before offering a more serious take. "That's not an appraisal, just a statement of concern. I've spent the last several days not getting paid, and someone's offering this much in advance?" The little mare shrugs. "I don't trust it. But I didn't trust Abbas anyway, so take that statement with a grain of sugar."

Opinion offered, Choro falls silent, pondering the matter further. Thanatos has also given them a lot, before Ms. Viridia had been a jerk about it. But that wasn't with the expectation of working for him, it was for services already rendered. The one thing this meant... is that Abbas really wants them to go and do this job. Doctor Wagon's appraisal that it's because of trust in the group might be accurate, but the only fact they know is that Abbas wants them there. And that fact has multiple interpretations. If they all get killed there: it might serve as some nice distraction, and leave the horse able to recover his money.

Since when did you get so cynical?

Since about five minutes after I left the Stable!

[DigoDragon]

Since no one has an answer for Doc, he simply pockets the ruby again. "Well we did get paid a prince's sum for saving Sari's life. I think you got the same cut*--400 caps, 200 bits, two rubies and three bars of gold. Never thought I'd see gold come in bar form. I wish I knew what the exchange rate is."


(*reward (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?534142-Fallout-Equestria-Tarts-and-Tribulations&p=22944827&viewfull=1#post22944827) was divided among PCs.)

[Dalinale]

Moonshadow moves to the crack in the door, checking for anyone who would notice them leaving, and trying to remain hidden as she did so.


Perception [roll0] vs 10
Stealth [roll1] vs 96


Moonshadow, as she thoroughly checked the area for any hidden Nightmare cultists lying in wait or Special Snowflake 2.0, accidentally stepped on a loose floorboard. This wouldn't be so bad if the wooden board didn't immediately break, causing Moonshadow's right front leg to fall right through the floor. This, furthermore, wouldn't be so bad if her Pipbuck wasn't knicked a few times on the way down. Again, this wouldn't be a problem if her Pipbuck didn't somehow end up on full volume, aided by the acoustics of the saintly church, suitable to amplify a quiet pre-war organ, and her radio still wasn't set on Tenpony Tower's channel. On a better day, a quiet song would have been on the air, suitable for weary travelers in the Equestrian wastes who needed to be lulled to sleep, but instead the song that tore through the peaceful serenity of the humble chamber of worship was this (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2S1I_ien6A). A yank of her leg proved that, quite frankly, she was stuck. As the sound of the brass band cut through the silent, peaceful night like a knife, Moonshadow's head was angled towards the alter, and the mural behind it; Moonshadow could almost see the abstract depiction of the alicorn of the night look down on her, a thin eyebrow raised ever so slightly more than before.

[A successful Strength check is going to be needed to get Moonshadow from her situation.]


Mirror's words have actually helped calm Choro further: the more she speaks, the easier to see her fellow unicorn simply has a different way of looking at things. Smiling at the Everfrost pony, C starts to elabourate, "What defined Equestrian identity was the unity of the tribes. Earth Ponies, Unicorns and Pegasi: working together, supplementing each others strengths. The Enclave turned their back on that. You could argue their temporal authority is Equestrian, they maintained institutions of the old days, but spiritually they're nothing of the kind. Their existence is predicated on not just ignoring, but actively betraying their fellow ponies in a time of desperate need. As for the idea that Equestria can't be remade while it stands..."

Well, yes. For multiple reasons, including the absence of sunlight, their military threat, and the general state of the ground. Choro sighs, but she manages a weary smile. "You're not alone in that observation. But that shouldn't stop us trying. There are still pegasi in the Wasteland: not as many as before, but they're here. So long as all three tribes of ponies are still standing together, Equestria isn't gone yet."

Mirror seemed to find the idea dubious, but she nodded anyway.


"Too much?" Choro opined, chuckling darkly before offering a more serious take. "That's not an appraisal, just a statement of concern. I've spent the last several days not getting paid, and someone's offering this much in advance?" The little mare shrugs. "I don't trust it. But I didn't trust Abbas anyway, so take that statement with a grain of sugar."

Opinion offered, Choro falls silent, pondering the matter further. Thanatos has also given them a lot, before Ms. Viridia had been a jerk about it. But that wasn't with the expectation of working for him, it was for services already rendered. The one thing this meant... is that Abbas really wants them to go and do this job. Doctor Wagon's appraisal that it's because of trust in the group might be accurate, but the only fact they know is that Abbas wants them there. And that fact has multiple interpretations. If they all get killed there: it might serve as some nice distraction, and leave the horse able to recover his money.

Since when did you get so cynical?

Since about five minutes after I left the Stable!


Since no one has an answer for Doc, he simply pockets the ruby again. "Well we did get paid a prince's sum for saving Sari's life. I think you got the same cut*--400 caps, 200 bits, two rubies and three bars of gold. Never thought I'd see gold come in bar form. I wish I knew what the exchange rate is."


(*reward (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?534142-Fallout-Equestria-Tarts-and-Tribulations&p=22944827&viewfull=1#post22944827) was divided among PCs.)

Doc was answered with a wheeze, and a thumping sound. Strata sort of hobbled into the bus, with the stance of someone who had just recently pulled herself out of a vehicle accident without any blood or grime or anything to indicate that she had been in any kind of danger, actually. She limped past Steller, Choro and Doc without really acknowledging them until she came to the sleeping form of the Madeleine, and she then just sort of stared at her for a few moments. She then turned towards the rest of the group, eyes wide. From within her robes, she produced something grey and shiny on a stick, and held it in her magic.

"Alright, so that place was locked, but I got a lamprey on a stick anyway. The owner's name was Grog and she tried to knife me, and I only got away because I said I was with you guys, and then she still wanted me to buy a beer." Strata said, sounding as if she was slightly traumatized, "Can't we go back to the bride of Frankenstallion's place so we don't have to be here?"

[DigoDragon]

"Alright, so that place was locked, but I got a lamprey on a stick anyway. The owner's name was Grog and she tried to knife me, and I only got away because I said I was with you guys, and then she still wanted me to buy a beer." Strata said, sounding as if she was slightly traumatized, "Can't we go back to the bride Frankenstallion's place so we don't have to be here?"

"Well, that is the planned destination, but we're still waiting on two pegasi and a ninja to return from church," Doc answers, glancing over on the direction of the church with a concerned expression. "Dunno what's taking them so long. Hopefully they ain't caught."

He eyes the lamprey on a stick and raises an eyebrow. "Are those any good?"

[Forum Explorer]

Moonshadow scrabbled, trying to pull her head from the floor.

Strength [roll0] vs 3

[Dalinale]

"Well, that is the planned destination, but we're still waiting on two pegasi and a ninja to return from church," Doc answers, glancing over on the direction of the church with a concerned expression. "Dunno what's taking them so long. Hopefully they ain't caught."


"Meh, they need to break a leg or something." Strata replied, turning slightly to Doc and raising a eyebrow, "What's the worst thing that could happen? Two of them have guns and the other doesn't need guns."

He eyes the lamprey on a stick and raises an eyebrow. "Are those any good?"[/QUOTE]

"No." Mirror said, "It is burnt sour fish jelly."


Moonshadow scrabbled, trying to pull her head from the floor.

Strength [roll0] vs 3

Moonshadow managed to switch positions; unfortunately, that was facilitated by managing to flip herself over while her leg remaining exactly where it was before. There was a snapping sound that wasn't quite covered up by the tuba solo playing at the moment, and a rather great amount of pain centered in her knee, which was now currently bending at exactly the wrong way at roughly a ninety degree angle. Staring up at the ceiling of the church, mind suddenly hazy with a rather obscene amount of pain and brass band filling the air with a accompaniment to her misery, the image of a six red dots suddenly coming up on her Pipbuck's minimap could have almost passed her notice.

[Moonshadow takes [roll0] damage to her right foreleg.]

[DigoDragon]

"Meh, they need to break a leg or something." Strata replied, turning slightly to Doc and raising a eyebrow, "What's the worst thing that could happen? Two of them have guns and the other doesn't need guns."

"What's the worst that could happen? That they loot Shade's church and set the pulpit on fire," Doc answers without needing any time at all to imagine such a bleak outcome. "Hmm... I recall Andante mentioning a small family living within her church. So, maybe worse than arson is they get into a fight and someone is shot dead. Hmph, should of asked V what her intentions were so I'd know what to expect. Any return messages, Choro?"



"No." Mirror said, "It is burnt sour fish jelly."

Doc wrinkled his nose at that description. "Doesn't sound appetizing. What did you eat for the week you were here?."

[Hazuki]

Viridia tried to help Moonshadow out.

Strength? [roll0] vs 5

[Dalinale]

"What's the worst that could happen? That they loot Shade's church and set the pulpit on fire," Doc answers without needing any time at all to imagine such a bleak outcome. "Hmm... I recall Andante mentioning a small family living within her church. So, maybe worse than arson is they get into a fight and someone is shot dead. Hmph, should of asked V what her intentions were so I'd know what to expect. Any return messages, Choro?"

As Doc spoke, Strata's frazzled self turned away from him, and, like a snake noticing a baby bunny, seemed to recognize the sight of a unattended cocktail glass.


Doc wrinkled his nose at that description. "Doesn't sound appetizing. What did you eat for the week you were here?."

"Only that." Mirror said, nodding once, "I did not eat the Olive's food but for a orange."


Viridia tried to help Moonshadow out.

Strength? [roll0] vs 5

With a good, sharp tug, Moonshadow managed to heave a slightly bent Moonshadow out from the floor, and as she did so the old song had managed to finish and a new one (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hxibHJOE5E) started to play. Quite suddenly, Viridia felt the vaguest inkling that somewhere, out there, somepony was laughing at poor Moonshadow's expense and wasn't going to stop for a while.

[DigoDragon]

As Doc spoke, Strata's frazzled self turned away from him, and, like a snake noticing a baby bunny, seemed to recognize the sight of a unattended cocktail glass.

"Ask Stellar, it's hers and she's saving a bit for Moonshadow," Doc politely warns.



"Only that." Mirror said, nodding once, "I did not eat the Olive's food but for a orange."

"Oh an orange? Those are rare to get back home. Well then, we'll have find some decent food in Last Stop. I do have this if you want." Doc sits by Mirror and pulls out a ripe apple. He offers it to her. "A staple of old Equestria."

[Forum Explorer]

Moonshadow bit her lip so hard that it bled to prevent herself from yelping in pain. Finally free from the floor, she shuts off her Pipbuck.

We've got to go. Hostiles incoming. she hissed through gritted teeth as she started hovering to relieve the weight on her wounded leg.

[Hazuki]

"Okay. Lemme know if you need a hoof." Viridia said, then started to leave.

[Dalinale]

"Ask Stellar, it's hers and she's saving a bit for Moonshadow," Doc politely warns.

Strata looked at Doc as if he had simply told her no, and walked up to the raised back end of the bus and settled down on the rightmost bed in there, the one previously occupied by Strawberry Surprise, going by the odd stains and the previous presence of drug paraphernalia.


"Oh an orange? Those are rare to get back home. Well then, we'll have find some decent food in Last Stop. I do have this if you want." Doc sits by Mirror and pulls out a ripe apple. He offers it to her. "A staple of old Equestria."

Mirror's eyes lit up... with apparent fear? No, actually, that was just alarm. Quickly, however, she seemed to calm down, and she nodded her head and took the apple. She gave it a tentative bite, and she nodded in approval.

"Thank you." Mirror said, using her magic to slowly strip the ruby-red skin off the fruit in question in thin ribbons, exposing raw yellow flesh to the air, "It is good. What food do you have in your home? My home has few fruits, but many are brought from distant lands."


Moonshadow bit her lip so hard that it bled to prevent herself from yelping in pain. Finally free from the floor, she shuts off her Pipbuck.

As that cursed song was silenced, there was one question that would probably come to Moonshadow, as she exited the building; what the heck was a hand, and why would somepony hold it?


We've got to go. Hostiles incoming. she hissed through gritted teeth as she started hovering to relieve the weight on her wounded leg.

As Moonshadow left the building, the red dots did not seem to be in pursuit and she was able to make it out the front doors easily enough without causing too much noise. The sudden blast of cold air was decidedly unpleasant, but she was now exposed to the blessed sky again and was in a place where everything made sense. There was no sign of Fan Knife anywhere, not even the slightest tracks.


"Okay. Lemme know if you need a hoof." Viridia said, then started to leave.

The sound of the lake was genuinely the only sound of note, following a steady rhythm that was somehow in sync with the light snowfall that was still occurring. In town, Abbas, the horse who had a plan to rule the city, apparently couldn't really follow a timetable and the griffons looked like they were just now preparing to fully lift off while their boss was finishing up his second tea or eating a pound of hummus whatever horses did around midnight. There was no signs of her companions, which was probably a good thing, given that if they were doing something, she'd need to find another spooky place to break into. Looking out at the lake, that giant warship out in the bay was really the only thing visible, it's mountainous, snow-capped bulk highlighted by the faintest, repressed emerald light that came from that one weird national monument that was still standing. It sort of said something that the heart of this city was a cancer-causing useless pointy thing that somehow managed to stand in the face of logic and reason, didn't it?

[DigoDragon]

Mirror's eyes lit up... with apparent fear? No, actually, that was just alarm. Quickly, however, she seemed to calm down, and she nodded her head and took the apple. She gave it a tentative bite, and she nodded in approval.

"Thank you." Mirror said, using her magic to slowly strip the ruby-red skin off the fruit in question in thin ribbons, exposing raw yellow flesh to the air, "It is good. What food do you have in your home? My home has few fruits, but many are brought from distant lands."

Doc thinks back to home for a moment. "We have a few apple trees, and in addition we grow a lot of root-type vegetables; carrots, beets, and potatoes. Then there's the insects we farm for food. We make a paste out of them with whatever spices we can get from neighboring farms so they don't taste bland like mud. Not the greatest, but probably better than eel-on-a-stick."

"There's a neighboring farm that sells mangoes. Those are really good, but they're quite expensive and the farmer guards them well. We've had foals almost shot when they thought they could steal one." Memories of home make Doc smile.

[Forum Explorer]

As Moonshadow left the building, the red dots did not seem to be in pursuit and she was able to make it out the front doors easily enough without causing too much noise. The sudden blast of cold air was decidedly unpleasant, but she was now exposed to the blessed sky again and was in a place where everything made sense. There was no sign of Fan Knife anywhere, not even the slightest tracks.


Oh, damn it Fan Knife, Moonshadow sighed. Well, hopefully she'll show up at the van. I'm sick of looking for ponies, and I really want to just get some sleep.

[Dalinale]

Doc thinks back to home for a moment. "We have a few apple trees, and in addition we grow a lot of root-type vegetables; carrots, beets, and potatoes. Then there's the insects we farm for food. We make a paste out of them with whatever spices we can get from neighboring farms so they don't taste bland like mud. Not the greatest, but probably better than eel-on-a-stick."

Mirror's nose wrinkled slightly at the mentioning of insects, just a tad.


"There's a neighboring farm that sells mangoes. Those are really good, but they're quite expensive and the farmer guards them well. We've had foals almost shot when they thought they could steal one." Memories of home make Doc smile.

Nodding, Mirror smiled as Doc smiled. "When it is warm, berries are everywhere. The warm season is short, but blue berries and black berries can be made in to preserves. There are also long grasses and sheep." Mirror said, holding up the half-peeled apple as she did so, "But this fruit can not grow in my home, it is too cold. There is a place called Avalon, it is famous for this fruit and it is very pretty, but it is very dangerous. If we went there, we would die."


Oh, damn it Fan Knife, Moonshadow sighed. Well, hopefully she'll show up at the van. I'm sick of looking for ponies, and I really want to just get some sleep.

A quick glance to her right indicated that, yep, the Olives were still parked where she last saw them. Well, at least those ones were all a greenish color and knew when to have a normal sleep schedule, even if Viridia would hope they'd all catch some bug off Thanatos and choke to death on their own vomit.

[DigoDragon]

Nodding, Mirror smiled as Doc smiled. "When it is warm, berries are everywhere. The warm season is short, but blue berries and black berries can be made in to preserves. There are also long grasses and sheep." Mirror said, holding up the half-peeled apple as she did so, "But this fruit can not grow in my home, it is too cold. There is a place called Avalon, it is famous for this fruit and it is very pretty, but it is very dangerous. If we went there, we would die."

"Berries as preserves... that sounds good. Though what makes Avalon so dangerous, if you don't mind me asking?" Doc inquires.

[Forum Explorer]

A quick glance to her right indicated that, yep, the Olives were still parked where she last saw them. Well, at least those ones were all a greenish color and knew when to have a normal sleep schedule, even if Viridia would hope they'd all catch some bug off Thanatos and choke to death on their own vomit.

Cool. Moonshadow didn't care all that much. But good to know. She kept heading towards the bus.

[RCgothic]

As Doc spoke, Strata's frazzled self turned away from him, and, like a snake noticing a baby bunny, seemed to recognize the sight of a unattended cocktail glass.


"Can ghouls even get drunk?" Stellar asks curiously. "I mean, your hearts don't beat so how does the ethanol even get to your brains?"

[Dalinale]

"Berries as preserves... that sounds good. Though what makes Avalon so dangerous, if you don't mind me asking?" Doc inquires.

Mirror seemed to have to think about the question for some time.

"It is full of fairies. They emerged from ruins after all but Everfrost was destroyed." Mirror replied, sounding very grave. "They eat unicorns, some times they heal them, some times they steal foals from cribs, some times they save them, some times they wear pony hides and hunt travelers, and some times they throw feasts. They feel the same if they are hurting or helping ponies and have no reason in their minds. Death and life is same to them."


Cool. Moonshadow didn't care all that much. But good to know. She kept heading towards the bus.

Exiting Oakville and making that right showed that, yes, Stellar hadn't managed to lift the bus up by herself. The sharp pain in her knee was still there and it was already getting pretty swollen.


"Can ghouls even get drunk?" Stellar asks curiously. "I mean, your hearts don't beat so how does the ethanol even get to your brains?"

"You know, it's funny you asked that, I had the same fear." Strata replied, not moving from her spot on the floor by pointing at Stellar with a hoof, as if to make sure Stellar knew that she thought she had a point, "I have no clue, but I guess those self-help books were right and addiction really is a spiritual thing."

[DigoDragon]

Mirror seemed to have to think about the question for some time.

"It is full of fairies. They emerged from ruins after all but Everfrost was destroyed." Mirror replied, sounding very grave. "They eat unicorns, some times they heal them, some times they steal foals from cribs, some times they save them, some times they wear pony hides and hunt travelers, and some times they throw feasts. They feel the same if they are hurting or helping ponies and have no reason in their minds. Death and life is same to them."

"That does sound frightening. Fairies that could eat you just as readily as help you," Doc replies. He thinks for a moment, then says, "Do you remember the bar owner here, Andante? Turns out she wasn't actually a pony. She's a breezie. A little critter about this big with butterfly wings and long antennae. Kinda like a tiny pony. Dunno if that sounds similar to fairies in Avalon, but thought it might be relevant. Luckily, Andante doesn't seem interested in eating any of us. She's still that critical bar-owning mare in either form. Guess she'll be happy to know that Livewire didn't blow it up like Andante asked her."

[Inspector Valin]

"You know, it's funny you asked that, I had the same fear." Strata replied, not moving from her spot on the floor by pointing at Stellar with a hoof, as if to make sure Stellar knew that she thought she had a point, "I have no clue, but I guess those self-help books were right and addiction really is a spiritual thing."

"I don't know about that." Choro potters over, uninvited but happy to participate as ever. "It's just something you're used to doing. Something you remember enjoying. That doesn't make you an addict, on a physical or spiritual level. Just somepony who knows what she likes, right?" She looks between Strata and Stellar, a bit less sure of if what she'd said had made any sense. It just... felt right.

[Dalinale]

"That does sound frightening. Fairies that could eat you just as readily as help you," Doc replies. He thinks for a moment, then says, "Do you remember the bar owner here, Andante? Turns out she wasn't actually a pony. She's a breezie. A little critter about this big with butterfly wings and long antennae. Kinda like a tiny pony. Dunno if that sounds similar to fairies in Avalon, but thought it might be relevant. Luckily, Andante doesn't seem interested in eating any of us. She's still that critical bar-owning mare in either form. Guess she'll be happy to know that Livewire didn't blow it up like Andante asked her."

Mirror all but visably deflated at Doc's words, and instead of looking frightened, she simply rubbed her forehead with a hoof and looked irritated in some abstract way.

"The fairies are not pixies, and are tall and thin." Mirror said, sounding deadly serious, her nose wrinkled, and her eyes slightly narrowed, making it as if she was holding back a sneeze or something, "They have horns, but like deer. When they appear to be like ponies, they wear suits of skin with seams at the point of shoulder."


"I don't know about that." Choro potters over, uninvited but happy to participate as ever. "It's just something you're used to doing. Something you remember enjoying. That doesn't make you an addict, on a physical or spiritual level. Just somepony who knows what she likes, right?" She looks between Strata and Stellar, a bit less sure of if what she'd said had made any sense. It just... felt right.

"I dunno, that's what happens when a ghoul goes nutso, right? Like that stallion you guys shot at my door. He hadn't eaten or slept or done anything for about a hundred years, and there wasn't much left in him by the time you guys took him out, but I was taking the sort of pills that calcified frontal lobes at the same time and I have all my wits." Strata said, sounding rather tired.

[Forum Explorer]

Moonshadow flapped over to Doc and hovered near him. Hey everypony. I found Virida and Fan Knife, but I also managed to hurt my leg in a really stupid way.

[DigoDragon]

Mirror all but visably deflated at Doc's words, and instead of looking frightened, she simply rubbed her forehead with a hoof and looked irritated in some abstract way.

"The fairies are not pixies, and are tall and thin." Mirror said, sounding deadly serious, her nose wrinkled, and her eyes slightly narrowed, making it as if she was holding back a sneeze or something, "They have horns, but like deer. When they appear to be like ponies, they wear suits of skin with seams at the point of shoulder."

Doc listens to the description and considers how nightmarish that would look. "Thin and they wear pony skins... hmm, never seen anything like that." Well, maybe he did if Stitchheart counts, but she was wearing her own grown skin, not the skin of some pony flayed for it. So that probably doesn't count.

"Round here I reckon we have more mundane dangers. Probably not as interesting.... well, not counting ponies like Special Snowflake that is. That was a rare thing." Doc pulls out his cozy blanket for Mirror to use tonight. "In the morning we can buy you some gear at the stores. I have this spare suit of security armor, but maybe you have something better in mind. You were getting combat training by Tirkes at Sunnyside if I remember. I'm sure you know best what you'd prefer to wear. Weapons too."



Moonshadow flapped over to Doc and hovered near him. Hey everypony. I found Virida and Fan Knife, but I also managed to hurt my leg in a really stupid way.

Doc looks up at the returned pegasus. "Ah, good to see you're back. You managed to...? Ouch, that does look bad. Alright, let me break out the kit and see what I can do."

[Hazuki]

"I am also here." Viridia said, following Moonshadow. "I got new armor. It gives me plus one sexiness."

[Forum Explorer]

Thanks, Moonshadow said, landing gingerly and holding her wounded leg out to be inspected.

[RCgothic]

Stellar pouts, annoyed by a thing defying the rational sciences and tipsy enough that she forgets to hide her dissatisfaction.

She perks up when she sees Moonshadow and Viridia though. "Hey guys! I saved you some!" she calls happily, raising the oversized cocktail glass. Possibly the only way she could *not* have saved some would have been by knocking the glass over, the horse-sized vessel being easily large enough to get quite a few ponies paralytic, but Stellar appears well-pleased with her restraint in any case.

[Dalinale]

Doc listens to the description and considers how nightmarish that would look. "Thin and they wear pony skins... hmm, never seen anything like that." Well, maybe he did if Stitchheart counts, but she was wearing her own grown skin, not the skin of some pony flayed for it. So that probably doesn't count.

"Round here I reckon we have more mundane dangers. Probably not as interesting.... well, not counting ponies like Special Snowflake that is. That was a rare thing." Doc pulls out his cozy blanket for Mirror to use tonight.

Mirror, clearly appreciating the blanket, placed it over her back with magic.


"In the morning we can buy you some gear at the stores. I have this spare suit of security armor, but maybe you have something better in mind. You were getting combat training by Tirkes at Sunnyside if I remember. I'm sure you know best what you'd prefer to wear. Weapons too."

"I would like leathers with fur, with a set of plate if there is a smith," Mirror immediately replied, her eyes lighting up, as if the question caught her off guard. "and I would like a knife, a sword, and a axe. If there are polearms here, I would like one as well for reserve."


"I am also here." Viridia said, following Moonshadow. "I got new armor. It gives me plus one sexiness."

Viridia saw that Mirror Armor turned her head away from Doc after the stallion noticed that Moonshadow was down to three and a half legs and started focusing in on her with a rather intense expression of want.

...

Wait, no, that was different than usual; huh, so that was what actual greed being directed at her was like. The unicorn looked at Viridia like she had just seen her for the first time and wanted to know her better, and was possibly open to a handmaiden-feudal lord relationship if she got a crown. Honestly, it was like Viridia was a model on a runway and Mirror was one of the ponies actually looking at the dress instead of the model and was starting to do the mental calculations to suddenly start caring about what ponies she knew wore.


Doc looks up at the returned pegasus. "Ah, good to see you're back. You managed to...? Ouch, that does look bad. Alright, let me break out the kit and see what I can do."


Thanks, Moonshadow said, landing gingerly and holding her wounded leg out to be inspected.

The good news; it wasn't broken! It was just a filly's breath away from being so, though, so, with a very slow adjustment and a quick healing potion, the pain in Moonshadow's leg entirely vanished and it wasn't stuck in a funny direction, either.


Stellar pouts, annoyed by a thing defying the rational sciences and tipsy enough that she forgets to hide her dissatisfaction. She perks up when she sees Moonshadow and Viridia though. "Hey guys! I saved you some!" she calls happily, raising the oversized cocktail glass.


[Stellar saw that Bertly sort of hovered near her, possibly intending to help catch her fall or the glass in case she needed assistance.
Possibly the only way she could *not* have saved some would have been by knocking the glass over, the horse-sized vessel being easily large enough to get quite a few ponies paralytic, but Stellar appears well-pleased with her restraint in any case.

Mirror motioned towards Stellar and gave her a bright, cheerful smile, her eyes looking at the cup as if she simply wanted to try it.

[DigoDragon]

Thanks, Moonshadow said, landing gingerly and holding her wounded leg out to be inspected.

Doc repaired the damage and bandaged it up pretty well. "There, should be all better now."



Mirror, clearly appreciating the blanket, placed it over her back with magic.
"I would like leathers with fur, with a set of plate if there is a smith," Mirror immediately replied, her eyes lighting up, as if the question caught her off guard. "and I would like a knife, a sword, and a axe. If there are polearms here, I would like one as well for reserve."

"Ah, a blades kind of mare? I'm sure we can find something." He wasn't sure if plate was a thing still made, but Last Stop was a big town. Surely a smith there would know how to meld plates to a leather suit of armor. Fur lining was common enough too.



"I am also here." Viridia said, following Moonshadow. "I got new armor. It gives me plus one sexiness."

"Uh huh... So you went over to Shade's place and now you have new armor? I hope that was obtained legitimately."

[Hazuki]

She perks up when she sees Moonshadow and Viridia though. "Hey guys! I saved you some!" she calls happily, raising the oversized cocktail glass. Possibly the only way she could *not* have saved some would have been by knocking the glass over, the horse-sized vessel being easily large enough to get quite a few ponies paralytic, but Stellar appears well-pleased with her restraint in any case."I'm good, thanks." Viridia nonetheless smiled at Stellar, because it was nice to be back with the group.



Wait, no, that was different than usual; huh, so that was what actual greed being directed at her was like. The unicorn looked at Viridia like she had just seen her for the first time and wanted to know her better, and was possibly open to a handmaiden-feudal lord relationship if she got a crown. Honestly, it was like Viridia was a model on a runway and Mirror was one of the ponies actually looking at the dress instead of the model and was starting to do the mental calculations to suddenly start caring about what ponies she knew wore."...you can look, but you can't touch." Viridia told the mare. Partially because this was her armor forever now, partially because Mirror and Doc were "in love" and she wasn't into intentional cuckoldry.



"Uh huh... So you went over to Shade's place and now you have new armor? I hope that was obtained legitimately.""Yep. We ended up in this underground place that wasn't even part of the church, and that's where we found this and a bunch of crystals." Viridia nodded. "I figure we can sell most of it for group crap, but I got some samples for magic examination and stuff."

[RCgothic]

Stellar happily motions for Mirror to try some of her drink. Then she turns back to Viridia and Moonshadow.

"I suppose one of us had to be designated driver," Stellar replies to Viridia.

"Did Moonshadow tell you about the show we put on to distract the griffons who would have caught us sneaking in? I was all whoosh!" she sweeps with her wing feathers as though they were tiny pegasi.

"And then I was all twirl!" she pirrouettes slightly wobbly-ly.

"And Moonie was all sculpt! And then I went pow!" She air-punches.

"And then I strutted like th-" Stellar's reenactment comes to an abrupt end as she struts sideways into one of the bus's benches, landing in a tangled heap of limbs on top of it. She raises a feather undeterred "Except, like, 120% cooler! And it totally worked!"

She disentangles herself awkwardly, until she resting her head on her wings on the bench in front. "And I don't think you saw the next bit Moonie, but I totally charmed Abaas's hot griffon captain and he gave me a cocktail." She raises a feather to point at Mirror and the oversize drink.

"I think it was meant for Abbas or something. Heh. Sucker didn't stand a chance." she boasts, but then her smirk turns dreamy.

"Did you know griffons were hot?" She asks airily. "I didn't know griffons were hot."

[Hazuki]

"Did you know griffons were hot?" She asks airily. "I didn't know griffons were hot."Viridia stared at Stellar through the entirety of her rather unique description of events, taking in all of the drunken ramblings in the way that people tend to: By not really listening. But one comment caught her attention.

"You still don't, 'cause they aren't."

[Inspector Valin]

"I dunno, that's what happens when a ghoul goes nutso, right? Like that stallion you guys shot at my door. He hadn't eaten or slept or done anything for about a hundred years, and there wasn't much left in him by the time you guys took him out, but I was taking the sort of pills that calcified frontal lobes at the same time and I have all my wits." Strata said, sounding rather tired.

"Uh huh."

The topic of the second ghoul has left Choro looking rather glum. She hadn't forgotten but it still felt like something to feel guilt around. The Professor's one friend from all those years wasn't around anymore. The little mare just sat there in a kind of awkward silence for a while. She ought to say something.

Well, if they need a change of topic, she has one in mind. Choro coughs, "Professor, if you don't mind. I wanted to ask you about the Guild." The little mare raises a hoof. "I know you don't know much more about them than I do. But I'd value your perspective as an unbiased observer. If that's not too much trouble. I can share whatever I know."


Moonshadow flapped over to Doc and hovered near him. Hey everypony. I found Virida and Fan Knife, but I also managed to hurt my leg in a really stupid way.


"I am also here." Viridia said, following Moonshadow. "I got new armor. It gives me plus one sexiness."

"Welcome back!" Choro waves at the incoming party, looking a touch concerned as Moonshadow moves over to Doc. What'd happened there? Still, it didn't look too bad... She glances at Viridia more on impulse than anything. New shiny armor. One look is enough. Choro turns away back to Strata.


"I would like leathers with fur, with a set of plate if there is a smith," Mirror immediately replied, her eyes lighting up, as if the question caught her off guard. "and I would like a knife, a sword, and a axe. If there are polearms here, I would like one as well for reserve."

The little wizard's ears perk up at that. She doesn't interject, but she makes a mental note to talk to Ms. Mirror about the matter later. No sense in being rude and interrupting.

[DigoDragon]

[COLOR="#696969"]"Yep. We ended up in this underground place that wasn't even part of the church, and that's where we found this and a bunch of crystals." Viridia nodded. "I figure we can sell most of it for group crap, but I got some samples for magic examination and stuff."

In the back of his mind, Doc is a little skeptical about such a find. Seems too good to be true that they'd just stumble upon this find now before any residents had. However, he's not a prosecutor with evidence, so maybe it's none of his damn business. "As long as it ain't cursed. Crystals can hold bits of old magic in them, so you probably want it checked just to be safe."


He keeps his opinions on griffon hawtness to himself. More power to Stellar if she found a cute one.

[Dalinale]

"Ah, a blades kind of mare? I'm sure we can find something." He wasn't sure if plate was a thing still made, but Last Stop was a big town. Surely a smith there would know how to meld plates to a leather suit of armor. Fur lining was common enough too.

Mirror nodded in response.


"Uh huh... So you went over to Shade's place and now you have new armor? I hope that was obtained legitimately."


"I'm good, thanks." Viridia nonetheless smiled at Stellar, because it was nice to be back with the group.

"...you can look, but you can't touch." Viridia told the mare. Partially because this was her armor forever now, partially because Mirror and Doc were "in love" and she wasn't into intentional cuckoldry.

Mirror's horrible greedy unicorn self seemed to take that literally, and she daintily stepped away from her fiance and towards her, clearly intent on viewing the armor up close.

"Yep. We ended up in this underground place that wasn't even part of the church, and that's where we found this and a bunch of crystals." Viridia nodded. "I figure we can sell most of it for group crap, but I got some samples for magic examination and stuff."[/QUOTE]


Stellar happily motions for Mirror to try some of her drink.

Mirror hovers the glass over towards her head, and takes a experimental sip. Her eyes basically lit up like someone was shining a flashlight from behind them.


"I suppose one of us had to be designated driver," Stellar replies to Viridia.


Bertly made a sound that possibly indicated that the robot was happy that everyone was doing their best to follow the law.


"Did Moonshadow tell you about the show we put on to distract the griffons who would have caught us sneaking in? I was all whoosh!" she sweeps with her wing feathers as though they were tiny pegasi.

"And then I was all twirl!" she pirrouettes slightly wobbly-ly.

"And Moonie was all sculpt! And then I went pow!" She air-punches.

"And then I strutted like th-" Stellar's reenactment comes to an abrupt end as she struts sideways into one of the bus's benches, landing in a tangled heap of limbs on top of it. She raises a feather undeterred "Except, like, 120% cooler! And it totally worked!"

She disentangles herself awkwardly, until she resting her head on her wings on the bench in front. "And I don't think you saw the next bit Moonie, but I totally charmed Abaas's hot griffon captain and he gave me a cocktail." She raises a feather to point at Mirror and the oversize drink.

"I think it was meant for Abbas or something. Heh. Sucker didn't stand a chance." she boasts, but then her smirk turns dreamy.

"Did you know griffons were hot?" She asks airily. "I didn't know griffons were hot."

Mirror seemed to follow Stellar's story intently until Stellar came to the last part, and immediately reared her head back and stared at the pegasus in apparent alarm, as if the concept of a 'hot griffon' had never crossed her mind.


Well, if they need a change of topic, she has one in mind. Choro coughs, "Professor, if you don't mind. I wanted to ask you about the Guild." The little mare raises a hoof. "I know you don't know much more about them than I do. But I'd value your perspective as an unbiased observer. If that's not too much trouble. I can share whatever I know."

Strata, appearing to be somewhat invested in watching Stellar stumble around drunkenly, uncurled herself from the floor and stood up on her haunches, looking tired but coming around. She raised a eyebrow.

"I really don't know squat about'em." she replied, "Can you give me the run down on what they are, again? Wizards, right?"

[Hazuki]

In the back of his mind, Doc is a little skeptical about such a find. Seems too good to be true that they'd just stumble upon this find now before any residents had. However, he's not a prosecutor with evidence, so maybe it's none of his damn business. "As long as it ain't cursed. Crystals can hold bits of old magic in them, so you probably want it checked just to be safe.""STRATA! I need some magic done! Please thanks!" Viridia called out.

[DigoDragon]

Mirror hovers the glass over towards her head, and takes a experimental sip. Her eyes basically lit up like someone was shining a flashlight from behind them.

"I think we have a winner," Doc whispers to Mirror with a smirk. "Reckon I should get the recipe."



Bertly made a sound that possibly indicated that the robot was happy that everyone was doing their best to follow the law.

"Speaking of designated drivers, soon as everyone gets their things scanned and settled, I wouldn't mind us getting underway. If that's alright with the pegasi?" Doc asks in a polite tone.

[Forum Explorer]

Doc repaired the damage and bandaged it up pretty well. "There, should be all better now."


Aah, thanks Doc. Moonshadow sighed in relief, experimentally flexing her leg.


Stellar happily motions for Mirror to try some of her drink. Then she turns back to Viridia and Moonshadow.

"I suppose one of us had to be designated driver," Stellar replies to Viridia.

"Did Moonshadow tell you about the show we put on to distract the griffons who would have caught us sneaking in? I was all whoosh!" she sweeps with her wing feathers as though they were tiny pegasi.

"And then I was all twirl!" she pirrouettes slightly wobbly-ly.

"And Moonie was all sculpt! And then I went pow!" She air-punches.

"And then I strutted like th-" Stellar's reenactment comes to an abrupt end as she struts sideways into one of the bus's benches, landing in a tangled heap of limbs on top of it. She raises a feather undeterred "Except, like, 120% cooler! And it totally worked!"

She disentangles herself awkwardly, until she resting her head on her wings on the bench in front. "And I don't think you saw the next bit Moonie, but I totally charmed Abaas's hot griffon captain and he gave me a cocktail." She raises a feather to point at Mirror and the oversize drink.

"I think it was meant for Abbas or something. Heh. Sucker didn't stand a chance." she boasts, but then her smirk turns dreamy.

"Did you know griffons were hot?" She asks airily. "I didn't know griffons were hot."

It was pretty awesome. Moonshadow agreed. Though I didn't know you liked griffons like that. Oh well, whatever charges your cloud.



"Speaking of designated drivers, soon as everyone gets their things scanned and settled, I wouldn't mind us getting underway. If that's alright with the pegasi?" Doc asks in a polite tone.

We should wait for a little bit, give Fan Knife a chance to show up. We were right at the entrance to Shade's place when she pulled her disappearing act. Moonshadow said, frowning. If she bailed when I ****ed up, fine, but now where is she?

[Dalinale]

"STRATA! I need some magic done! Please thanks!" Viridia called out.

Strata made a noise that sounded a lot like 'yarp', her eyes widening and looking as if she was just caught off guard, despite having watched Doc make his prognosis, and sort of wobbled over towards Viridia with her horn lit up.

She then focused on the armor for about fifteen seconds, and then she just shrugged.

"Sorry, it's just glittery." Strata replied, turning immediately back to the spot she was rised from and settling back down, avoiding the dog as she did so.


"I think we have a winner," Doc whispers to Mirror with a smirk. "Reckon I should get the recipe."

Mirror nodded back at Doc as if he just said the smartest thing she had ever heard from him.


It was pretty awesome. Moonshadow agreed. Though I didn't know you liked griffons like that. Oh well, whatever charges your cloud.

"Griffons have lived in Equestria for centuries, lass, it's not like she's sweet with zebra." Bertly replied.


We should wait for a little bit, give Fan Knife a chance to show up. We were right at the entrance to Shade's place when she pulled her disappearing act. Moonshadow said, frowning. If she bailed when I ****ed up, fine, but now where is she?

A small thump came from the entrance of the bus, and Fan Knife hopped inside and quickly discarded her share of treasure onto the floor.

"Needed to wash my face with some irradiated water." The filly said quietly, before slowly making her way to right side of the vehicle, without a single dot of snow marking her hat or jacket, "So, did anyone die here when I was with Viridia?"

[Inspector Valin]

Strata made a noise that sounded a lot like 'yarp', her eyes widening and looking as if she was just caught off guard, despite having watched Doc make his prognosis, and sort of wobbled over towards Viridia with her horn lit up.

She then focused on the armor for about fifteen seconds, and then she just shrugged.

"Sorry, it's just glittery." Strata replied, turning immediately back to the spot she was rised from and settling back down, avoiding the dog as she did so.

Well, Viridia's words get Choro to look at her again. Withering disdain is still attention, right? Calling Strata over from another conversation like the older unicorn was her personal magic attendant. The little mage refrains from comment however, waiting until Strata has returned to her chosen corner of the bus before continuing. "They're local wizards, yes. They seem to be a fairly loose group, a lot of ponies doing their own thing and helping others with magic and technology. But they offer tuition and have an internal hierarchy and system. They offered me membership."

Choro looks sheepish at the last point. She does not want to recount just what happened with the entry exam right now. Perhaps that's what's kept her worried, rather than the Lodge itself. But she can still remember a less positive account of the guild-mages.


"They are powerful, secretive, and have no restrictions on their actions... They dabble in dark magic and worse; one cannot even go to the former campuses near the downtown core, as that is where they undergo their experiments and where they dump their failures."

Thanatos might not be the most reputable pony in the Wasteland. But she won't write his words off, even if Just World and Nightcore have given a better impression.


A small thump came from the entrance of the bus, and Fan Knife hopped inside and quickly discarded her share of treasure onto the floor.

"Needed to wash my face with some irradiated water." The filly said quietly, before slowly making her way to right side of the vehicle, without a single dot of snow marking her hat or jacket, "So, anyone die here when I was with Viridia?"

Choro sighs, more relieved to see the final missing pony than anything else. "No, thank Celestia. Everything's been quiet."

[DigoDragon]

Aah, thanks Doc. Moonshadow sighed in relief, experimentally flexing her leg.

"Yer quite welcome," Doc replies. He packs up his medical kit and cleans his hooves.



We should wait for a little bit, give Fan Knife a chance to show up. We were right at the entrance to Shade's place when she pulled her disappearing act. Moonshadow said, frowning. If she bailed when I ****ed up, fine, but now where is she?

"3... 2... 1..."


A small thump came from the entrance of the bus, and Fan Knife hopped inside and quickly discarded her share of treasure onto the floor.

"Bingo." Doc makes two beds from available cloth and clothing materials he's been collecting, one for himself and the other for Mirror. He lies down on one, adjusting his hat to partly shade his eyes.



Choro sighs, more relieved to see the final missing pony than anything else. "No, thank Celestia. Everything's been quiet."

Sure, thank Celestia no pony died, but what about thank the doctor who did most of the work today preventing death? :smalltongue: Nah, he doesn't say anything, just lets off a quiet chuckle while he relaxes. It just sounded kind of funny to him.

[Dalinale]

Well, Viridia's words get Choro to look at her again. Withering disdain is still attention, right? Calling Strata over from another conversation like the older unicorn was her personal magic attendant. The little mage refrains from comment however, waiting until Strata has returned to her chosen corner of the bus before continuing. "They're local wizards, yes. They seem to be a fairly loose group, a lot of ponies doing their own thing and helping others with magic and technology. But they offer tuition and have an internal hierarchy and system. They offered me membership."

Choro looks sheepish at the last point. She does not want to recount just what happened with the entry exam right now. Perhaps that's what's kept her worried, rather than the Lodge itself. But she can still remember a less positive account of the guild-mages.

Strata took a moment to ponder the concept, and then scratched the back of her head.

"Eh, I'd just play it by ear. It's not like they're wandering around wearing black robes and sacrificing ponies to Sombra or anything." she said, before suddenly looking more alert than she previously had and leaning in closer to Choro, "I mean, if they don't have any obvious goals, I'd just check and see who doesn't like them and why, and check and see if there's any other group like them that doesn't like them. Do you have any proof that they help ponies? If they're all hot air, you can do better then that."


Choro sighs, more relieved to see the final missing pony than anything else. "No, thank Celestia. Everything's been quiet."

Choro saw the filly yawn slightly as a response, acting uncharacteristically subdued as she apparently seemed keen to settle on the bare floor.




"Bingo." Doc makes two beds from available cloth and clothing materials he's been collecting, one for himself and the other for Mirror. He lies down on one, adjusting his hat to partly shade his eyes.

Doc soon felt Mirror sit next to him, mostly because if she was any closer to him she'd be laying sideways. Wrapped up in a blanket, the impact was softer than it probably should have been. With a gentle flutter of pinkish hair, Mirror was settled into place and seemed intent on not moving again, from the way she used her magic to get the thin coverings around her and him as snug as what was probably possible.

[DigoDragon]

Doc soon felt Mirror sit next to him, mostly because if she was any closer to him she'd be laying sideways. Wrapped up in a blanket, the impact was softer than it probably should have been. With a gentle flutter of pinkish hair, Mirror was settled into place and seemed intent on not moving again, from the way she used her magic to get the thin coverings around her and him as snug as what was probably possible.

Welp, Doc wasn't moving anywhere and he was perfectly fine with that. He listens to the conversations around him, lazily drifting slowly to sleep. He lets out a yawn.

"Night, Mirror. Sweet dreams to you," he whispers.

[Forum Explorer]

"Griffons have lived in Equestria for centuries, lass, it's not like she's sweet with zebra." Bertly replied.



A small thump came from the entrance of the bus, and Fan Knife hopped inside and quickly discarded her share of treasure onto the floor.

"Needed to wash my face with some irradiated water." The filly said quietly, before slowly making her way to right side of the vehicle, without a single dot of snow marking her hat or jacket, "So, did anyone die here when I was with Viridia?"

Equestria hasn't been around for centuries. Moonshadow said, idly. Really, it's the beak and talons that confuse me. Who wants to cuddle with a bag of knives?

We were just leaving. All aboard for the hospital. I guess? Unless we can still crash at your place Fan Knife?

[Inspector Valin]

Idly, Choro casts another glance at Viridia. She'd written the pegasus' new armor off as another unearned stroke of good luck, but taking a second glance does intrigue her a little. Something like that suggested the Crystal Empire of course. Did the Empire once control land as far south as Tauronto? Or could it have been more an example of cultural exchange? She looks the overly shiny mare over from a distance, wondering to herself about the armor. It's easy to get lost in thought about it, whatever she might think of the mare inside.

[roll0] Science, 90. (Not counting bonuses beyond C's labcoat. Figure it'd be harder to examine this way anyway.)


Strata took a moment to ponder the concept, and then scratched the back of her head.

"Eh, I'd just play it by ear. It's not like they're wandering around wearing black robes and sacrificing ponies to Sombra or anything." she said, before suddenly looking more alert than she previously had and leaning in closer to Choro, "I mean, if they don't have any obvious goals, I'd just check and see who doesn't like them and why, and check and see if there's any other group like them that doesn't like them. Do you have any proof that they help ponies? If they're all hot air, you can do better then that."

Choro nods: the advice is good. She taps her hoof on the ground, trying to think back. "They claim to offer education to those who need it. They also provided us the environmental suits we used in CrunchyMunch. Thanatos had a less positive view of them, but most of his allegations were against individual members or projects. His biggest indictment was that they don't discriminate in their clientele: they'll provide magical support to whoever can pay."

Which is hard to hold against any pony in the Wasteland, really. Still, Choro has her answer. The little mage turns her attention across the cabin, to the now tucked in Mirror Armor. It's hard to resist a little aww at the sight of her fellow unicorn falling asleep next to Doctor Wagon like that. With a warm smile, Choro murmurs to Strata. "Well, we've met a pony from Everfrost now. What do you make of her?"


Equestria hasn't been around for centuries. Moonshadow said, idly. Really, it's the beak and talons that confuse me. Who wants to cuddle with a bag of knives?

"They say true friendship never ends, Equestria my hoome..."

Choro doesn't look angry at Moonshadow's words, but she still manages to murmur a couple of lines of the national anthem under her breath. Still not dead yet, dagnabit. After a second, she actually weighs into the conversation, "Love is love. It's rarely rational. I knew a pony back in my Stable who thought dragons sounded adorable. They'd probably be even stranger to hug than griffons, wouldn't they? All those scales and claws and wings..."

[Dalinale]

Welp, Doc wasn't moving anywhere and he was perfectly fine with that. He listens to the conversations around him, lazily drifting slowly to sleep. He lets out a yawn.

"Night, Mirror. Sweet dreams to you," he whispers.

Mirror didn't answer except for some slight murmurs, apparently being keen on falling asleep before whatever was going to happen happened.


Equestria hasn't been around for centuries. Moonshadow said, idly. Really, it's the beak and talons that confuse me. Who wants to cuddle with a bag of knives?

"To be fair," Bertly said, sounding contemplative, "Hooves are not the most gentle of appendages, for those unused to them. Certainly, they are blunter instruments than tiny pointy claws."


We were just leaving. All aboard for the hospital. I guess? Unless we can still crash at your place Fan Knife?

Fan Knife took a few moments to quietly stand up, and then she glanced at the pegasus. She looked quite tired, actually.

"You guys can, sure. I'll put in the location on that thing on your leg." the filly said, pointing at Moonshadow's Pipbuck, "It's about at the halfway point, but the area's kind of deserted, so you guys shouldn't have any trouble. If the snow continues like this, getting to the hospital without resting wouldn't be safe anyway."


Idly, Choro casts another glance at Viridia. She'd written the pegasus' new armor off as another unearned stroke of good luck, but taking a second glance does intrigue her a little. Something like that suggested the Crystal Empire of course. Did the Empire once control land as far south as Tauronto? Or could it have been more an example of cultural exchange? She looks the overly shiny mare over from a distance, wondering to herself about the armor. It's easy to get lost in thought about it, whatever she might think of the mare inside.

[roll0] Science, 90. (Not counting bonuses beyond C's labcoat. Figure it'd be harder to examine this way anyway.)
(passes it due to the aforementioned bonuses)

The light-warping effect that seemed to be in place wasn't just a simple one, but actually seemed to be amplified by very slight, diamond-shaped warps in the armor, as if it was the product of nature and was grown for the very purpose of disorienting small animals that accidentally looked at it. As for anything obviously evil, there was nada and zip.


Choro nods: the advice is good. She taps her hoof on the ground, trying to think back. "They claim to offer education to those who need it. They also provided us the environmental suits we used in CrunchyMunch. Thanatos had a less positive view of them, but most of his allegations were against individual members or projects. His biggest indictment was that they don't discriminate in their clientele: they'll provide magical support to whoever can pay."


Strata snorted.

"Do you think the Olives use them? If they do, he might just have a beef with one or two of'em." she replied, shaking her head, "I really think you need to talk to a few normal ponies about it, not anyone who's been around for two hundred years or part of a old agrocorp. Like, one of those townies back there, not anyone who works for them or their family."


Which is hard to hold against any pony in the Wasteland, really. Still, Choro has her answer. The little mage turns her attention across the cabin, to the now tucked in Mirror Armor. It's hard to resist a little aww at the sight of her fellow unicorn falling asleep next to Doctor Wagon like that. With a warm smile, Choro murmurs to Strata. "Well, we've met a pony from Everfrost now. What do you make of her?"

"Dunno, pretty, not very bright, way too trusting? I knew a Nhorse guy in college, he was basically the same except that he was a earth pony, but that's not here or there." Strata whispered back, "I mean, have you asked about her from anyone besides Doc?"

[DigoDragon]

Mirror didn't answer except for some slight murmurs, apparently being keen on falling asleep before whatever was going to happen happened.

Doc's left ear twitched as he too was dozing off to sleep. It had been a long day and he sure earned this rest. Tomorrow, off to sell the cuties to Dr. Stitchheart. She ought to get a kick over these little bio-engineered critters. Perfect for her zoo...

[Inspector Valin]

(passes it due to the aforementioned bonuses)

The light-warping effect that seemed to be in place wasn't just a simple one, but actually seemed to be amplified by very slight, diamond-shaped warps in the armor, as if it was the product of nature and was grown for the very purpose of disorienting small animals that accidentally looked at it. As for anything obviously evil, there was nada and zip.

Huh. That's interesting. Choro considers the matter for a second. The shiny armor was designed specifically to distort light? That was worked into it? That had to be the work of a very skilled craftspony. Could there be more to the effect somehow?

Mm. She waves the thought away. Not important. And she's got better things to do than worry about the armor of the party's biggest jerk.


Strata snorted.

"Do you think the Olives use them? If they do, he might just have a beef with one or two of'em." she replied, shaking her head, "I really think you need to talk to a few normal ponies about it, not anyone who's been around for two hundred years or part of a old agrocorp. Like, one of those townies back there, not anyone who works for them or their family."


"I guess that makes sense." Choro looks a little uncomfortable at the admission but tries to smile all the same. "I'm still used to knowing everypony I guess. Even now, it feels... strange to start talking to a pony I've never met before"


"Dunno, pretty, not very bright, way too trusting? I knew a Nhorse guy in college, he was basically the same except that he was a earth pony, but that's not here or there." Strata whispered back, "I mean, have you asked about her from anyone besides Doc?"


"No, I haven't."

Well, aside from you, Professor. Choro hums to herself, still watching the sleeping mare with a smile. Thank Celestia she was okay now. "I suppose it's hard to tell much about somepony's homeland just by hearing them talk about it. You still don't have the context to it all. What part of their reactions are personal, and what's cultural."

[Forum Explorer]

"To be fair," Bertly said, sounding contemplative, "Hooves are not the most gentle of appendages, for those unused to them. Certainly, they are blunter instruments than tiny pointy claws."



Fan Knife took a few moments to quietly stand up, and then she glanced at the pegasus. She looked quite tired, actually.

"You guys can, sure. I'll put in the location on that thing on your leg." the filly said, pointing at Moonshadow's Pipbuck, "It's about at the halfway point, but the area's kind of deserted, so you guys shouldn't have any trouble. If the snow continues like this, getting to the hospital without resting wouldn't be safe anyway."



Says the rock hard robot, Moonshadow says, replying.

Oh, good. I didn't want to fly that far anyways.

[Dalinale]

Doc's left ear twitched as he too was dozing off to sleep. It had been a long day and he sure earned this rest. Tomorrow, off to sell the cuties to Dr. Stitchheart. She ought to get a kick over these little bio-engineered critters. Perfect for her zoo...

Doc found that he, too, had little reason not to fall asleep, as nothing tried to murder him.



"I guess that makes sense." Choro looks a little uncomfortable at the admission but tries to smile all the same. "I'm still used to knowing everypony I guess. Even now, it feels... strange to start talking to a pony I've never met before"

"I mean, if you aren't used to it, I haven't done it yet." Strata replied, "So you have more game at that then me, right now. Also, I'm guessing that hookah bars still exist, we should go to one."


"No, I haven't."

Well, aside from you, Professor. Choro hums to herself, still watching the sleeping mare with a smile. Thank Celestia she was okay now. "I suppose it's hard to tell much about somepony's homeland just by hearing them talk about it. You still don't have the context to it all. What part of their reactions are personal, and what's cultural."

"Normally I'd say you're right, but ponies don't usually say bad things that could make them look that back, because they don't really have a reason to lie." Strata replied, her voice turning back into a whisper as she looked at the harmless-looking unicorn, "Like, even if I grew up in the mountains, I wouldn't just go around and say my family was some sort of horrible stereotype of a terrible poor family unless that was the actual truth and avoiding that would be a lie."


Says the rock hard robot, Moonshadow says, replying.

"Oh ho ho ho!" Bertly chortled, the robot raising it's arms as if to feebly defend itself from Moonshadow's logic.


Oh, good. I didn't want to fly that far anyways.

Fan Knife silently managed to get close enough to Moonshadow to touch her leg in seconds. The look on her face was that of exhaustion and she looked primed to start prodding Moonshadow's Pipbuck so that the pegasus would open it.

[Forum Explorer]

Moonshadow opened her Pipbuck

[Dalinale]

Moonshadow opened her Pipbuck

Fan Knife stared at the blocky computer with what looked like distaste filtered through general annoyance, as if the very concept of Equestrian technology annoyed her, but, after a few moments of squinting, started to type with one hoof with a pause every few seconds, as if this was literally her first time typing into a computer. After a few moments however, there was a small beeping sound; soon, some place called 'Castle Loma' was on Moonshadow's Pipbuck map. Given it's rough location, it still closer to the hospital than not, but it would only take a hour's flight or so.

[Inspector Valin]

"I mean, if you aren't used to it, I haven't done it yet." Strata replied, "So you have more game at that then me, right now. Also, I'm guessing that hookah bars still exist, we should go to one."

Choro's curiosity about 'hooker bars' does not quite outweigh her reluctance to admitting a lack of knowledge infront of the most knowledgeable pony she's ever met. As such, the little mare nods, sagely trying to look like she knows what she's agreeing to.


"Normally I'd say you're right, but ponies don't usually say bad things that could make them look that back, because they don't really have a reason to lie." Strata replied, her voice turning back into a whisper as she looked at the harmless-looking unicorn, "Like, even if I grew up in the mountains, I wouldn't just go around and say my family was some sort of horrible stereotype of a terrible poor family unless that was the actual truth and avoiding that would be a lie."

The little mare hums, meditating on Strata's words. It's fair to assume Mirror's words are accurate: she has no reason to directly lie. But broaching the subject of the darker aspects of her homeland would be...awkward. She sits there in silence, pondering the matter a little. She would dearly love to ask Ms. Mirror dozens of questions about her homeland... but with what happened earlier, they don't really have the sort of relationship where such behavior would be tolerated.

Still, she's on the bus with us now. Maybe I can find a way to do something nice for her... and then I can ask her about where she comes from.

[Forum Explorer]

Fan Knife stared at the blocky computer with what looked like distaste filtered through general annoyance, as if the very concept of Equestrian technology annoyed her, but, after a few moments of squinting, started to type with one hoof with a pause every few seconds, as if this was literally her first time typing into a computer. After a few moments however, there was a small beeping sound; soon, some place called 'Castle Loma' was on Moonshadow's Pipbuck map. Given it's rough location, it still closer to the hospital than not, but it would only take a hour's flight or so.

Alright, all aboard for Castle Loma. Moonshadow said, gesturing for everypony who hadn't boarded to get on the bus.

[Dalinale]

The little mare hums, meditating on Strata's words. It's fair to assume Mirror's words are accurate: she has no reason to directly lie. But broaching the subject of the darker aspects of her homeland would be...awkward. She sits there in silence, pondering the matter a little. She would dearly love to ask Ms. Mirror dozens of questions about her homeland... but with what happened earlier, they don't really have the sort of relationship where such behavior would be tolerated.

Still, she's on the bus with us now. Maybe I can find a way to do something nice for her... and then I can ask her about where she comes from.


Alright, all aboard for Castle Loma. Moonshadow said, gesturing for everypony who hadn't boarded to get on the bus.

Choro saw Strata's face go from sleepy, to confused, to looking as if she had just suddenly realized something was wrong. Her eyes bugged out slightly and she raised to her hooves steadily, coughing a few times before she spoke.

"Uh, we're not going to the hospital? I thought we were going to the hospital, we don't have time for another stop, do we?" she asked, clearly nervous.

[Forum Explorer]

Choro saw Strata's face go from sleepy, to confused, to looking as if she had just suddenly realized something was wrong. Her eyes bugged out slightly and she raised to her hooves steadily, coughing a few times before she spoke.

"Uh, we're not going to the hospital? I thought we were going to the hospital, we don't have time for another stop, do we?" she asked, clearly nervous.

It's Fan Knife's home. It's closer, I'm tired, and it's cold out. We'll spend the night there, and go to the hospital in the morning.

[Dalinale]

It's Fan Knife's home. It's closer, I'm tired, and it's cold out. We'll spend the night there, and go to the hospital in the morning.

"Her house is a big-ass creepy castle that was already supposed to be stupidly haunted before she got off the boat!" Strata said, her voice coming out as a slight hiss of annoyance, "There's no way that it got any better after she moved in and there's no way it's not any less haunted after the world ended! I know it's going to sound funny coming from me, but what's going to happen when you hear something funny coming from the basement, huh? I saw we put it on a vote, I mean, I respect the pegasi, but hauling ass and making sure everyone else who's waiting for us is okay is our best bet."

[Inspector Valin]

Choro's looking torn. That note of worry in Strata's voice concerns her, but the storm has also gotten her worried, as has Moonshadow admitting her own tiredness. She tried to gently smile at her would-be mentor figure. "Professor, after everything we've been through, surely it can't be too bad. However many ghosts might be there, it'd be better to be sensible rather than risk the snow forcing us down in the middle of the Wasteland, right?"

[Forum Explorer]

"Her house is a big-ass creepy castle that was already supposed to be stupidly haunted before she got off the boat!" Strata said, her voice coming out as a slight hiss of annoyance, "There's no way that it got any better after she moved in and there's no way it's not any less haunted after the world ended! I know it's going to sound funny coming from me, but what's going to happen when you hear something funny coming from the basement, huh? I saw we put it on a vote, I mean, I respect the pegasi, but hauling ass and making sure everyone else who's waiting for us is okay is our best bet."

Look Strata, it's been a really long day okay? We flew to the factory, and from the factory to Oakville. And in between I've been shot, fought a giant monster, and dragged a cyborg corpse from the top floor of the factory to the basement. I'm exhausted. Moonshadow said, annoyed. So sure, let's put it to a vote, but you've got two options, either we sleep here in Oakville, or we're going to Fan Knife's castle to sleep there. Moonshadow paused for a second.

Actually, I vote for spending the night here. Why were we in such a rush to get out of town anyways?

[DigoDragon]

Doc found that he, too, had little reason not to fall asleep, as nothing tried to murder him.

It's the little things in life that make it good.



So sure, let's put it to a vote, but you've got two options, either we sleep here in Oakville, or we're going to Fan Knife's castle to sleep there.

Since he's asleep, Doc's vote is obvious if it needed to be counted.

[RCgothic]

"what's going to happen when you hear something funny coming from the basement,
”If there are ghosts I'll kick their flank," Stellar murmers snoozily, having nearly dozed off in her chair.

[Dalinale]

Choro's looking torn. That note of worry in Strata's voice concerns her, but the storm has also gotten her worried, as has Moonshadow admitting her own tiredness. She tried to gently smile at her would-be mentor figure. "Professor, after everything we've been through, surely it can't be too bad. However many ghosts might be there, it'd be better to be sensible rather than risk the snow forcing us down in the middle of the Wasteland, right?"


Look Strata, it's been a really long day okay? We flew to the factory, and from the factory to Oakville. And in between I've been shot, fought a giant monster, and dragged a cyborg corpse from the top floor of the factory to the basement. I'm exhausted. Moonshadow said, annoyed. So sure, let's put it to a vote, but you've got two options, either we sleep here in Oakville, or we're going to Fan Knife's castle to sleep there. Moonshadow paused for a second.

Actually, I vote for spending the night here. Why were we in such a rush to get out of town anyways?

Strata looked as if she was going to argue, but, after glancing around the room at the content, peaceful faces of half the people she was arguing for, she sighed, head lowered, and huddled back to the thin bedding at the back of the bus without another word.



As for the night, it passed by slowly. The worst thing that happened was that the dog had something that didn't agree with it at some point and that everyone in the bus was trapped in with it, and it couldn't be blamed on the presence of one of the ghouls. While the walls were thin, the cold was kept out. Nothing happened overnight and no one was missing come morning.



At some point during the night, a improbable warm front had come through. It was currently fifty degrees or so, the sky was a little less cloudy than normal, and there was a pleasant breeze; it was about the closest thing to perfect flying weather that existed in this day and age. Whoever woke up first and went outside would be greeted with the sight of two very large robots hovering in front of the bus as well, both with a light dusting of snow. Also, they'd probably be cold and hungry, but that went with the Wasteland. A quick glance in the general direction of where Oakville was indicated that it was, quite happily, not aflame.

[Everyone should eat and drink something.]

[DigoDragon]

Doc stretches as the morning light shines on him. He turns to Mirror and gives her a kiss on the cheek. "Good morning," he whispers to her.

It would be nice to just sleep in some, but his stomach prodded him to get up and make breakfast. Doc does so slowly, unwrapping himself carefully from the blanket burrito he found himself in. He opens a pocket in his saddlebags and sets up his hot plate and kitchen stuff, choosing a few cans of food and some fresh fruit to make into a few meals. The Food Sanitizer whirs to life and does it's work, removing some of the radiation out of the canned meals he's cooking up.

"I know what'll wake up the dead."

Doc sets up the little coffee brewer he acquired and powers it on. He opens the can of ground coffee, taking a whiff of the caffeine goodness. He scoops a bit into a paper filter and adds it ot the machine, then pours some clean water into the brewer's reservoir. In a moment it percolates and the aroma of coffee begins to spread. Aww yeah, this is the stuff.

[Forum Explorer]

Moonshadow shivered as she munched down on her food. So what's the plan after we get to the hospital? Pick up our passengers obviously, but where next? I want to drop by Cabbagetown, get my robots started on rebuilding the place.

[DigoDragon]

"Well, while at the Hospital I want to sell the cuties to Stitchheart. Hopefully I can get some more healing potions in the deal. Besides that just need to stock up on food and then... I guess we can stop at Cabbage town."

[Dalinale]

Doc stretches as the morning light shines on him. He turns to Mirror and gives her a kiss on the cheek. "Good morning," he whispers to her.

It would be nice to just sleep in some, but his stomach prodded him to get up and make breakfast. Doc does so slowly, unwrapping himself carefully from the blanket burrito he found himself in. He opens a pocket in his saddlebags and sets up his hot plate and kitchen stuff, choosing a few cans of food and some fresh fruit to make into a few meals. The Food Sanitizer whirs to life and does it's work, removing some of the radiation out of the canned meals he's cooking up.

"I know what'll wake up the dead."

Doc sets up the little coffee brewer he acquired and powers it on. He opens the can of ground coffee, taking a whiff of the caffeine goodness. He scoops a bit into a paper filter and adds it ot the machine, then pours some clean water into the brewer's reservoir. In a moment it percolates and the aroma of coffee begins to spread. Aww yeah, this is the stuff.

Doc found that the first to really great him was Bertly, who seemed to have been running silently throughout the night, his three red eyes providing some of the only light in the place. Now, however, he seemed to be inspecting the expiration dates on some of the discarded food tins and seemed to be disproving of them.

Meanwhile, Strata was already sort of up but seemed to have been set in motion by the sent of coffee, Mirror was still asleep, looking calm in dream-land, as was Madeleine, although she looked more like somepony who had passed out face-first given that the fact that she had fallen asleep in a sitting position and her head was currently supporting some of her weight.


Moonshadow shivered as she munched down on her food. So what's the plan after we get to the hospital? Pick up our passengers obviously, but where next? I want to drop by Cabbagetown, get my robots started on rebuilding the place.

Fan Knife, poking her head up from behind Moonshadow, from Doc's point of view, seemed to just look on the food on display and seemed uninterested. Meanwhile, Strata sort of lumbered over towards the coffee maker, clad in her crappy black robe, and seemed intent on claiming her share and was only blocked by access to something resembling a mug. The dog was already out the door and seemed to be doing dog things, while the cuties were peeping and making hushed sounds.


"Well, while at the Hospital I want to sell the cuties to Stitchheart. Hopefully I can get some more healing potions in the deal. Besides that just need to stock up on food and then... I guess we can stop at Cabbage town."

"I'm sorry, Cabbagetown?" Strata asked, snapping out of her funk and sounding sounding incredulous, "I know it has food and the robots got sent there, but I don't know why it's important enough to use those robots. Look, I know I just woke up a few days ago, but there's a whole lot of nothing around here, so why are we not using that robot army and, I don't know, just walk into the biggest town with our army of robots and declare ourselves their overlords instead of using that robot army to fix up a place named after the worst vegetable? I mean," she sniffed dramatically, "that's what'd I'd do in a post apocalyptic wasteland with a robot army, I just hope you guys get that. We'd just need to come up with some pseudonyms to hide our pasts and shove a bunch of money at Stitchheart so we could all live forever until we wouldn't want to, and we'd be golden. I bet I could get Viridia and that food robot in on this."

[Hazuki]

"I'm sorry, Cabbagetown?" Strata asked, snapping out of her funk and sounding sounding incredulous, "I know it has food and the robots got sent there, but I don't know why it's important enough to use those robots. Look, I know I just woke up a few days ago, but there's a whole lot of nothing around here, so why are we not using that robot army and, I don't know, just walk into the biggest town with our army of robots and declare ourselves their overlords instead of using that robot army to fix up a place named after the worst vegetable? I mean," she sniffed dramatically, "that's what'd I'd do in a post apocalyptic wasteland with a robot army, I just hope you guys get that. We'd just need to come up with some pseudonyms to hide our pasts and shove a bunch of money at Stitchheart so we could all live forever until we wouldn't want to, and we'd be golden. I bet I could get Viridia and that food robot in on this.""Ahahahahaha!" Viridia laughed sardonically, as she grabbed whatever food was in her packs. "No. For so many reasons."

[DigoDragon]

"Morning, Bertly. Seems the weather is better today," Doc greets back. Upon seeing Strata stalk the coffee maker like a cat, he cleans a mug from the bundle of office junk in his inventory. Doc pours some coffee and offers it to Strata.

He then returns to cooking for the cuties and magic roaches.

"I gotta agree with Viridia," Doc comments on Strata's idea. "If you take over a town with a robot army, you'd make enemies of the residents. Then the robots are gonna need a lot of maintenance and repairs after all the fighting, so you gotta find several mechanics to entrust that job to. But the fighting doesn't end there, cause then neighboring towns are gonna attack you as a threat, so you're constantly fighting to defend your territory. I dunno, seems like if you could convince a town to join you by their own choice rather than force you'd be in a better long-term position."

[Forum Explorer]

"I'm sorry, Cabbagetown?" Strata asked, snapping out of her funk and sounding sounding incredulous, "I know it has food and the robots got sent there, but I don't know why it's important enough to use those robots. Look, I know I just woke up a few days ago, but there's a whole lot of nothing around here, so why are we not using that robot army and, I don't know, just walk into the biggest town with our army of robots and declare ourselves their overlords instead of using that robot army to fix up a place named after the worst vegetable? I mean," she sniffed dramatically, "that's what'd I'd do in a post apocalyptic wasteland with a robot army, I just hope you guys get that. We'd just need to come up with some pseudonyms to hide our pasts and shove a bunch of money at Stitchheart so we could all live forever until we wouldn't want to, and we'd be golden. I bet I could get Viridia and that food robot in on this."

Because it has food and it's empty. As far as I know the biggest source of food in Tauronto is the Olives and many towns, including Oakville are dependent on them for survival. I'd rather the town be truly independent, plus we can also sell the food because literally everypony need food.

[Dalinale]

"Ahahahahaha!" Viridia laughed sardonically, as she grabbed whatever food was in her packs. "No. For so many reasons."

Strata gave Viridia a frowny face in response, but turned back towards the burnt dried bean water that was all the rage two centuries ago that Doc was making.


"Morning, Bertly. Seems the weather is better today," Doc greets back.

"Good morning, Doctor Wagon." the robot replied, giving Doc a wave and rising from his resting position, "I shall walk the dog."

With that, the robot hovered outside, taking Strata's eel-on-a-stick with him, and the dog followed him out accordingly.


Upon seeing Strata stalk the coffee maker like a cat, he cleans a mug from the bundle of office junk in his inventory. Doc pours some coffee and offers it to Strata.

Strata gave the coffee a experimental sniff, and started sipping it without any fanfare. Steam rose from the mug.


He then returns to cooking for the cuties and magic roaches.

At the sound of the dog exiting the bus, the six adult cuties that were awake peeked out from their crate and greeted Doc with a great 'Hewow daddah!' that was sufficiently obnoxious enough to shake the last vestiges of sleep from anyone on the bus who were still trying to ignore reality, except for Madeleine, who continued to lay completely still.


"I gotta agree with Viridia," Doc comments on Strata's idea. "If you take over a town with a robot army, you'd make enemies of the residents. Then the robots are gonna need a lot of maintenance and repairs after all the fighting, so you gotta find several mechanics to entrust that job to. But the fighting doesn't end there, cause then neighboring towns are gonna attack you as a threat, so you're constantly fighting to defend your territory. I dunno, seems like if you could convince a town to join you by their own choice rather than force you'd be in a better long-term position."


Because it has food and it's empty. As far as I know the biggest source of food in Tauronto is the Olives and many towns, including Oakville are dependent on them for survival. I'd rather the town be truly independent, plus we can also sell the food because literally everypony need food.

Strata shook her head and flashed a smile, as if her suggestion was just something minor and she didn't feel too much from the firm 'no's she was getting.

"Alright, but if the Olives have a monopoly on food and they're bad, why wouldn't they do everything they could to sabotage you guys setting up place to make food? I mean, back in my day they went from running a food truck to getting contracts from Stable-Tec, so even if they just considered you another business I'd think they wouldn't be too unfamiliar with corporate sabotage. If the robots are only going to degrade and we don't have the resources to maintain all of them anyway, why couldn't you just use them as a hammer and take what the Olive's have so it can be used better? Why start small scale when we have large scale tools?"

Strata finished by waving her right leg, coffee in hoof, in the general direction of Dazzler.

[DigoDragon]

"Using the robot army to fight the Olives directly seems more agreeable to me than using them to take over a local town," Doc says. He pours himself some coffee. After a test sip, Doc gives the cuties their food and water.

"Hello little cuties," he says.

[Forum Explorer]

Strata waved the two off, as if her suggestion was just something minor and she didn't feel too much from the firm 'no's she was getting.

"Alright, but if the Olives have a monopoly on food and they're bad, why wouldn't they do everything they could to sabotage you guys setting up place to make food? I mean, back in my day they went from running a food truck to getting contracts from Stable-Tec, so even if they just considered you another business I'd think they wouldn't be too unfamiliar with corporate sabotage. If the robots are only going to degrade and we don't have the resources to maintain all of them anyway, why couldn't you just use them as a hammer and take what the Olive's have so you could have a independent region instead of a little town?"

What makes you think they aren't going to? Moonshadow asked, grinning. She ignored the Cuties completely. For the degrading part, it's why I've been looking around for some trustworthy ponies to help with maintenance. But as for why don't we just go full out warmode on the Olives, it's because I don't know if we could win. I don't even know where they are all located or how popular they are in areas they control. All I know is that they are a powerful faction in Tauronto. So I'm not going to pick a fight unless I find that out, or I have to. She said seriously.

Besides, war and conquest are complex things. They aren't something you just do on a whim. It's one thing to say 'hey let's go conquer the Olives with our invincible robot army' but then you face the reality of stuff like what will we do with prisoners? How will we feed everypony when our workforce is also our military? What will we do with dissidents? And so on and so forth.

[Dalinale]

"Using the robot army to fight the Olives directly seems more agreeable to me than using them to take over a local town," Doc says. He pours himself some coffee. After a test sip, Doc gives the cuties their food and water.

Strata didn't directly respond, but sipped at her coffee the same time Doc did.


"Hello little cuties," he says.

Doc got a chaotic reception after the three dozen cuties that were still asleep started to wake up with some cutesy, almost synchronised yawning, and which followed by a small, high pitched chorus of needy, hungry little puffball pony things.


What makes you think they aren't going to? Moonshadow asked, grinning. She ignored the Cuties completely. For the degrading part, it's why I've been looking around for some trustworthy ponies to help with maintenance. But as for why don't we just go full out warmode on the Olives, it's because I don't know if we could win. I don't even know where they are all located or how popular they are in areas they control. All I know is that they are a powerful faction in Tauronto. So I'm not going to pick a fight unless I find that out, or I have to. She said seriously.

Besides, war and conquest are complex things. They aren't something you just do on a whim. It's one thing to say 'hey let's go conquer the Olives with our invincible robot army' but then you face the reality of stuff like what will we do with prisoners? How will we feed everypony when our workforce is also our military? What will we do with dissidents? And so on and so forth.

Strata was smiling by the time Moonshadow had finished.

"See, that's the thing, I didn't know how you guys were going to deal with it. No one over in that little town was drinking blood from a skull cup or was getting stabbed for oil to fuel those boats or anything, so if that's what normal looks like around here I guess my estimates for how bad everything is was way off. Anyway, if the problem is that we don't know enough about the enemy and not that we don't have the tools and weapons to act one what we know, I'd say that's a good situation."

[DigoDragon]

Doc got a chaotic reception after the three dozen cuties that were still asleep started to wake up with some cutesy, almost synchronised yawning, and which followed by a small, high pitched chorus of needy, hungry little puffball pony things.

"I reckon our situation isn't bad," Doc whispers, basically agreeing that the party is in a pretty good spot right now.

He distributes the food around so that the cuties all get something to eat, then Doc sits back near Mirror to finish enjoying his coffee. He nudges Mirror's plate of food close to her, and pours her a cup of coffee. ...hmm, Doc actually doesn't know if Mirror drinks coffee. Well, no time like the present to find out.

[Hazuki]

"Why are you going so warlord-y all of a sudden?" Viridia asked Strata. "I mean, you did tell me to test the magic on my sword by killing something, but I didn't expect plots."

[RCgothic]

"Also AIs are people and we shouldn't just command them because we can," Stellar puts in, pouring herself a mug of coffee and appearing no worse for wear the morning after.

[Dalinale]

He distributes the food around so that the cuties all get something to eat, then Doc sits back near Mirror to finish enjoying his coffee.

The cuties sounded like they were saying 'nom nom' as they chewed at their canned stewed veggies with vigor.


He nudges Mirror's plate of food close to her, and pours her a cup of coffee. ...hmm, Doc actually doesn't know if Mirror drinks coffee. Well, no time like the present to find out.

Mirror stared at the coffee like Doc had just served her a cup full of black tar. She nibbled at her hundred-and-seventy-year-old mandarin oranges with clear appreciation, but she glanced briefly outside, as if she was considering just drinking icewater instead.


"Why are you going so warlord-y all of a sudden?" Viridia asked Strata. "I mean, you did tell me to test the magic on my sword by killing something, but I didn't expect plots."

Strata seemed mildly surprised at Viridia's words, and she shook her head and took another sip of her coffee.

"Hey, hey, hold up the phone and put it on hold, I wouldn't say anything if I didn't think you guys were the good guys." Strata replied, motioning towards Viridia as if to indicate she was willing to back off from the subject, but still attempted to sound stern, "I mean, I'd trust you guys more with a giant robot army then most of the ponies I knew when I was alive. At some point, though, you're probably going to move on from beating giant monsters to fighting evil ponies, that's the usual progression for this sort of thing."


"Also AIs are people and we shouldn't just command them because we can," Stellar puts in, pouring herself a mug of coffee and appearing no worse for wear the morning after.

Strata looked at Stellar, and shook her head.

"Eh, if they're people, then they're people built by ponies to be used by ponies." the ghoul eventually replied, "If you left those two big ones outside on idle, do you think they'd move a inch if nopony told them to do anything?"

[DigoDragon]

Mirror stared at the coffee like Doc had just served her a cup full of black tar. She nibbled at her hundred-and-seventy-year-old mandarin oranges with clear appreciation, but she glanced briefly outside, as if she was considering just drinking icewater instead.

"Ah, so you're not a fan of coffee. I can understand, it's a bitter taste." He pulls out a bottle of fresh water for Mirror instead. "Maybe if I could find you some sugar and milk... oh, better yet, whiskey and cream. That's a fun drink for a cold night."

Doc mentally updates his shopping list in case he can find a Brahman farmer for the milk. And to stock up on more fresh food. Maybe a mix of old and new will be more palatable for her?


He hears the conversation nearby, but doc doesn't have anything to add at the moment. He slides Mirror's declined cup of coffee to Choro while finishing his own.

[Forum Explorer]

"Also AIs are people and we shouldn't just command them because we can," Stellar puts in, pouring herself a mug of coffee and appearing no worse for wear the morning after.

What isn't? Moonshadow asked. I mean, I've seen a pet bird help sew a dress back home. So if you're just counting intelligence, then nearly everything is some sort of person.

[Dalinale]

"Ah, so you're not a fan of coffee. I can understand, it's a bitter taste." He pulls out a bottle of fresh water for Mirror instead. "Maybe if I could find you some sugar and milk... oh, better yet, whiskey and cream. That's a fun drink for a cold night."

Doc mentally updates his shopping list in case he can find a Brahman farmer for the milk. And to stock up on more fresh food. Maybe a mix of old and new will be more palatable for her? He hears the conversation nearby, but doc doesn't have anything to add at the moment. He slides Mirror's declined cup of coffee to Choro while finishing his own.

"Why is every thing inside metal?" Mirror whispered over to Doc after he passed over the coffee to Choro, sounding rather confused, "This was not how Sari was. I learned what coffee was, but that was the one thing she did not allow others to have. I was allowed to try it once, and I could not rest for two days time."


What isn't? Moonshadow asked. I mean, I've seen a pet bird help sew a dress back home. So if you're just counting intelligence, then nearly everything is some sort of person.

"It changed when I was alive, too, and I'd bet that if you asked all the ten most important ponies in the kingdom about what species counted as what, you'd get ten different lists." Strata replied, "Minotaurs used to be called monsters, but that got banned after some petitioned for some land to settle on, and there were things in this city that usually lived in caves and guarded treasure elsewhere. Some super speciest ponies thought donkeys were more like cows and sheep than donkeys and let them use barns for housing, too. There wasn't a standard back when there were ponies who's entire jobs were to try and come up with one, so I'd just try and play it by ear."

Strata then took a small sip of her coffee.

[DigoDragon]

"Why is every thing inside metal?" Mirror whispered over to Doc after he passed over the coffee to Choro, sounding rather confused

"Decades ago during the great war, food was packaged in magical cans that preserved it for a long time. They packed everything edible into cans so they could stockpile them for years," Doc explains with patience. "These days it's not uncommon to find those old stockpiles laying about old buildings. They make cheap meals, especially in the winter time when fresh food is harder to grow. Don't taste like much though."



"This was not how Sari was. I learned what coffee was, but that was the one thing she did not allow others to have. I was allowed to try it once, and I could not rest for two days time."

"Wow. Yeah, guess you're not used to it. Was that why Sari didn't let others drink coffee? It's rare to find coffee back home, so everyone is only allowed to have a small ration each week."

[Dalinale]

"Decades ago during the great war, food was packaged in magical cans that preserved it for a long time. They packed everything edible into cans so they could stockpile them for years," Doc explains with patience. "These days it's not uncommon to find those old stockpiles laying about old buildings. They make cheap meals, especially in the winter time when fresh food is harder to grow. Don't taste like much though."

Mirror, after Doc explained himself, nodded once.

"I under stand, but why preserve plants and not meat or fish?" Mirror asked, "Can you not eat grass?"


"Wow. Yeah, guess you're not used to it. Was that why Sari didn't let others drink coffee? It's rare to find coffee back home, so everyone is only allowed to have a small ration each week."

Mirror blinked, and pointed at a mid-sized wastebasket that served as a little table when it was occupied by the other Doc and the siblings, now mostly covered by the pile of goat-stuff and supporting some knick-knacks.

"Sari's metal cup was that big." Mirror replied, with her eyebrows raised slightly.

[Hazuki]

"It changed when I was alive, too, and I'd bet that if you asked all the ten most important ponies in the kingdom about what species counted as what, you'd get ten different lists." Strata replied, "Minotaurs used to be called monsters, but that got banned after some petitioned for some land to settle on, and there were things in this city that usually lived in caves and guarded treasure elsewhere. Some super speciest ponies thought donkeys were more like cows and sheep than donkeys and let them use barns for housing, too. There wasn't a standard back when there were ponies who's entire jobs were to try and come up with one, so I'd just try and play it by ear."

Strata then took a small sip of her coffee."Why were people such ***** in the olden days? I thought it was meant to be all about friendship or whatever." Viridia asked.

[DigoDragon]

Mirror, after Doc explained himself, nodded once.

"I under stand, but why preserve plants and not meat or fish?" Mirror asked, "Can you not eat grass?"

"Hmm, that I'm not sure the answer to. We can and do eat grass, but I guess ponies a long time ago preferred canned vegetables over canned meat and fish. I'm not very picky myself; meat has more energy in it than plants. Well, when we go food shopping next, you can certainly help me pick out our meals. You seem to know your survival skills."



Mirror blinked, and pointed at a mid-sized wastebasket that served as a little table when it was occupied by the other Doc and the siblings, now mostly covered by the pile of goat-stuff and supporting some knick-knacks.

"Sari's metal cup was that big." Mirror replied, with her eyebrows raised slightly.

"Wow, that's a lot of coffee. Does she ever sleep?" Doc says with an impressed look.

[Dalinale]

"Why were people such ***** in the olden days? I thought it was meant to be all about friendship or whatever." Viridia asked.

"Nah, we got the buffalo to share their territory with us when we first showed up and started building a village where they lived and convinced the rest of the country that it was a dispute about agriculturalists against nomads instead of a bunch of settlers wanting unclaimed territory." Strata said with a weird smile on her face, looking sort like how Fan Knife usually did when she was talking about doing bad things.


"Hmm, that I'm not sure the answer to. We can and do eat grass, but I guess ponies a long time ago preferred canned vegetables over canned meat and fish. I'm not very picky myself; meat has more energy in it than plants. Well, when we go food shopping next, you can certainly help me pick out our meals. You seem to know your survival skills."

Mirror still looked confused.

"My home eats fish like ponies eat plants here. I need to change how I eat." Mirror said, staring at the ancient veggies with continual disinterest.


"Wow, that's a lot of coffee. Does she ever sleep?" Doc says with an impressed look.

"She eats a lot." Mirror replied, "But I think it is be cause she is four hundred and fifty keylows. Horses eat a lot."

[Hazuki]

"Nah, we got the buffalo to share their territory with us when we first showed up and started building a village where they lived and convinced the rest of the country that it was a dispute about agriculturalists against nomads instead of a bunch of settlers wanting unclaimed territory." Strata said with a weird smile on her face, looking sort like how Fan Knife usually did when she was talking about doing bad things. "The more I hear about them, the more I think the Princesses were a couple of the world's best con artists." Viridia mused. The smile didn't do much for her - she already had a Fan Knife for her ghoul-creep needs.

[DigoDragon]

Mirror still looked confused. "My home eats fish like ponies eat plants here. I need to change how I eat." Mirror said, staring at the ancient veggies with continual disinterest.

Doc nods slowly and looks at his empty cup. He turns to Mirror. "I suppose you'll have to get used to different food here. Fish is hard to find, but not impossible. Maybe Abbas knows where to get fresher food like what Sari was getting," he says with hope.



"She eats a lot." Mirror replied, "But I think it is be cause she is four hundred and fifty keylows. Horses eat a lot."

"Ah. I reckon that's true. She did have a lot of food at the table when I was there."

[Forum Explorer]

"The more I hear about them, the more I think the Princesses were a couple of the world's best con artists." Viridia mused. The smile didn't do much for her - she already had a Fan Knife for her ghoul-creep needs.

Thank you. That's what I've been saying. Moonshadow said.

[Dalinale]

"The more I hear about them, the more I think the Princesses were a couple of the world's best con artists." Viridia mused. The smile didn't do much for her - she already had a Fan Knife for her ghoul-creep needs.

Strata immediately frowned, as if Viridia said that she shot cats on sight, or something equally troubling.


Thank you. That's what I've been saying. Moonshadow said.

Strata shook her head, in actual mild shock at Moonshadow's words.

"What, no! The princesses were good ponies; it's just that Equestria is big, and was set up a thousand years ago, and ponies changed faster than what the administration could keep up with. After Discord, ponies were scattered all over the continent, and it took centuries to even establish Equestria as a actual country, instead of a region where ponies happened to live. If I went to Trottingham and then to Manehattan, and then to Canterlot, you'd think they were three different countries, and that's because it would've taken weeks on hoof to get to any of them from here until they invented the train. When it came to the buffalo, they got screwed over by the Apples, the same ones that had the Ministry Mare and the Stable Tec founder, but then the Princesses sent the Elements back to them before the war started and had them write up a permanent diplomatic solution. You also have to understand that the moment where they thought they were outmatched in terms of being able to run a modern country, they used a lot of their own money to create the biggest government to ever exist in history. Non-ponies had full rights and were exempt from having to serve in the war, and the government at the top was run by good ponies, it was just that a lot of bad ponies prospered due to the war."

Strata paused, and took a sip of her coffee; there was a slight shake in her hoof that faded quickly, and she soon spoke again.

"The real problem, the one that existed before the war, was that most non-ponies who lived in Equestria in Equestrian territory were mostly independent from the rest of the country and didn't usually interact with ponies, like a lot of griffons, and Equestria was mostly a rural society that didn't prioritize education about what was outside Equestia, or even inside it. Most ponies couldn't draw a map of Equestria's borders when I was growing up, and even during the war most ponies couldn't point out zebra lands on a map. Also," Strata said, wincing slightly, as if she felt a dull pain in her head from the thoughts she was having, "the school system we did have was run by a stallion who was kind of a dumb ******* who thought friendship could've been weaponized by the donkeys if we recognized that they were around since the first ponies showed up here, and that if we let Crystal Ponies into Equestia, it'd be a way for changelings to sneak into the country."

Fan Knife, a few feet away, sipping away at the contents of a small plastic bottle with some squiggle writing on it that she wasn't holding a few seconds ago, continued to look up at the other ghoul as if she thought her words were funny.


Doc nods slowly and looks at his empty cup. He turns to Mirror. "I suppose you'll have to get used to different food here. Fish is hard to find, but not impossible. Maybe Abbas knows where to get fresher food like what Sari was getting," he says with hope.

"Ah. I reckon that's true. She did have a lot of food at the table when I was there."

Mirror nodded as Doc spoke.

"Can you make food, like bread?" Mirror asked, sounding curious, "I can not."

[DigoDragon]

"Can you make food, like bread?" Mirror asked, sounding curious, "I can not."

"Well, I don't know how to make anything fancy. My dad's a chef though, so I know some basics. I certainly could learn more if I could get a small oven and the ingredients. And a cookbook. I've been collecting some books here, but don't have a cookbook just yet." Doc opens his bag and shows the collection of books he's been amassing; a farming guide, medical texts, some romance novels, obscure foreign subjects, history, and social studies. It's an eclectic mix. "Feel free to read them any time you're interested. I got them for us."


The long conversation across from them sounds like something Choro would jump into on the princesses' defense. Doc speaks up, "Not to end the conversation over there, but uh, let me know when we're going to be taking off. Bertly's out walking the dog."

[Inspector Valin]

Choro is being quiet. You wouldn't know she was even awake unless you were looking at her. The little pony is reading one of Strata's books, playing with Hazel before letting the little Cutie join her friends. She doesn't interject even once the conversation turns to Celestia and Luna, though it's hard to see her reaction behind the book. The little wizard mutters, more to herself than anypony else. "It's easy to criticize the Princesses when they're not here. To look back afterwards and see them as small. Just ponies."

She turns, only now seeing Doc's offered coffee. She closes her book before taking it, smiling at the stallion. "Thank you, Doctor. Today promises to be a long day."

[Forum Explorer]

Strata shook her head, in actual mild shock at Moonshadow's words.

"What, no! The princesses were good ponies; it's just that Equestria is big, and was set up a thousand years ago, and ponies changed faster than what the administration could keep up with. After Discord, ponies were scattered all over the continent, and it took centuries to even establish Equestria as a actual country, instead of a region where ponies happened to live. If I went to Trottingham and then to Manehattan, and then to Canterlot, you'd think they were three different countries, and that's because it would've taken weeks on hoof to get to any of them from here until they invented the train. When it came to the buffalo, they got screwed over by the Apples, the same ones that had the Ministry Mare and the Stable Tec founder, but then the Princesses sent the Elements back to them before the war started and had them write up a permanent diplomatic solution. You also have to understand that the moment where they thought they were outmatched in terms of being able to run a modern country, they used a lot of their own money to create the biggest government to ever exist in history. Non-ponies had full rights and were exempt from having to serve in the war, and the government at the top was run by good ponies, it was just that a lot of bad ponies prospered due to the war."

Strata paused, and took a sip of her coffee; there was a slight shake in her hoof that faded quickly, and she soon spoke again.

"The real problem, the one that existed before the war, was that most non-ponies who lived in Equestria in Equestrian territory were mostly independent from the rest of the country and didn't usually interact with ponies, like a lot of griffons, and Equestria was mostly a rural society that didn't prioritize education about what was outside Equestia, or even inside it. Most ponies couldn't draw a map of Equestria's borders when I was growing up, and even during the war most ponies couldn't point out zebra lands on a map. Also," Strata said, wincing slightly, as if she felt a dull pain in her head from the thoughts she was having, "the school system we did have was run by a stallion who was kind of a dumb ******* who thought friendship could've been weaponized by the donkeys if we recognized that they were around since the first ponies showed up here, and that if we let Crystal Ponies into Equestia, it'd be a way for changelings to sneak into the country."

Fan Knife, a few feet away, sipping away at the contents of a small plastic bottle with some squiggle writing on it that she wasn't holding a few seconds ago, continued to look up at the other ghoul as if she thought her words were funny.


I'd be more inclined to believe that they were good ponies if they hadn't started a war before stepping down. Except they didn't even really step down. They just gave their closest friends free reign to rule in their place. None of which had much of anything to do with actually ruling besides Celestia's personal student. Moonshadow said, shrugging.

But hey, maybe they had good intentions and all that. And sure, I'll believe that they never meant for this to all happen. she said, gesturing to the ruins around them. But having evil underlings? An uneducated populace? A complete paranoid racist as leader of a schools? That paints them as incompetent at best.

Really, I'm more inclined to think that they were simply more concerned with keeping their power, and by extension Equestria's power, and everything just sorta spiraled out from there. Because the stuff you said makes me think that they just weren't all that concerned about the average pony.

[Dalinale]

"Well, I don't know how to make anything fancy. My dad's a chef though, so I know some basics. I certainly could learn more if I could get a small oven and the ingredients. And a cookbook. I've been collecting some books here, but don't have a cookbook just yet." Doc opens his bag and shows the collection of books he's been amassing; a farming guide, medical texts, some romance novels, obscure foreign subjects, history, and social studies. It's an eclectic mix. "Feel free to read them any time you're interested. I got them for us."

Mirror's expression of appreciation turned into somewhat gentle frustration as she took one of the books and stared at the back of one of the romance novels, apparently trying to find where the runes were.


Choro is being quiet. You wouldn't know she was even awake unless you were looking at her. The little pony is reading one of Strata's books, playing with Hazel before letting the little Cutie join her friends.

The weirdo not-pony giggled after it was gently placed back in it's rightful place, a box lined with old towels, warm and safe and artificial.


She doesn't interject even once the conversation turns to Celestia and Luna, though it's hard to see her reaction behind the book. The little wizard mutters, more to herself than anypony else. "It's easy to criticize the Princesses when they're not here. To look back afterwards and see them as small. Just ponies."

"Thank you, Choro." Strata said, sighing happily and waving over to her as if she was exibit A for the sincerity of Strata's own words.


I'd be more inclined to believe that they were good ponies if they hadn't started a war before stepping down. Except they didn't even really step down. They just gave their closest friends free reign to rule in their place. None of which had much of anything to do with actually ruling besides Celestia's personal student. Moonshadow said, shrugging.

But hey, maybe they had good intentions and all that. And sure, I'll believe that they never meant for this to all happen. she said, gesturing to the ruins around them. But having evil underlings? An uneducated populace? A complete paranoid racist as leader of a schools? That paints them as incompetent at best.

Really, I'm more inclined to think that they were simply more concerned with keeping their power, and by extension Equestria's power, and everything just sorta spiraled out from there. Because the stuff you said makes me think that they just weren't all that concerned about the average pony.

Strata looked like was coming up with a response in her head, but Fan Knife spoke, instead, causing the ghoul to look down at the filly as if she had just realized she was a few feet away from her.

"The main thing they screwed up with was that they just didn't end the war before both sides had guns and fleets." Fan Knife said, "They controlled the sun and moon, and Celestia's sister could control dreams, right? They could have just kept the sun over zebra lands, and when zebras started to fall asleep, I don't see any reason why Luna couldn't just keep them from waking up and make them get locked into nightmares. There's one or two unicorns here who've figured out how to do something like that here after going through government archives, I don't see a reason why the pony who called herself Nightmare Moon couldn't do something like that if her sister was cooperating. A civilization like what they had could've been destroyed in a few weeks."

"You have absolutely no idea what your talking about." Strata replied, voice flat with annoyance, causing Fan Knife to shrug, "I don't think I have enough time to talk about how wrong that was, and we're both immortal."

"What? The zebras already thought she was evil and it took a thousand years before they did anything, and they had the best reason possible to start the war. If the zebras were baked in their huts until the most populous species in zebra lands were gazelles or something, Equestria failing could've been delayed another thousand years."
Fan Knife continued, "The only reasons the zebras could take on Equestria was that ponies were greedy and dumb, and that they outnumbered Equestria five to one. Seriously, your princesses screwed up so badly their air force just left and formed a junta by themselves, they didn't even bother to try and preform a coup, they just left and shut the clouds behind them because they thought that the two who controlled the sun and moon couldn't reach them."

Strata continued to look at Fan Knife as if she was a filly-shaped black hole where good vibes sort of gravitated towards and were obliterated. Fan Knife continued to look up at her slight senior, looking as if she and Strata was just having a pleasant chat.

[Forum Explorer]

Strata looked like was coming up with a response in her head, but Fan Knife spoke, instead, causing the ghoul to look down at the filly as if she had just realized she was a few feet away from her.

"The main thing they screwed up with was that they just didn't end the war before both sides had guns and fleets." Fan Knife said, "They controlled the sun and moon, and Celestia's sister could control dreams, right? They could have just kept the sun over zebra lands, and when zebras started to fall asleep, I don't see any reason why Luna couldn't just keep them from waking up and make them get locked into nightmares. There's one or two unicorns here who've figured out how to do something like that here after going through government archives, I don't see a reason why the pony who called herself Nightmare Moon couldn't do something like that if her sister was cooperating. A civilization like what they had could've been destroyed in a few weeks."

"You have absolutely no idea what your talking about." Strata replied, voice flat with annoyance, causing Fan Knife to shrug, "I don't think I have enough time to talk about how wrong that was, and we're both immortal."

"What? The zebras already thought she was evil and it took a thousand years before they did anything, and they had the best reason possible to start the war. If the zebras were baked in their huts until the most populous species in zebra lands were gazelles or something, Equestria failing could've been delayed another thousand years."
Fan Knife continued, "The only reasons the zebras could take on Equestria was that ponies were greedy and dumb, and that they outnumbered Equestria five to one. Seriously, your princesses screwed up so badly their air force just left and formed a junta by themselves, they didn't even bother to try and preform a coup, they just left and shut the clouds behind them because they thought that the two who controlled the sun and moon couldn't reach them."

Strata continued to look at Fan Knife as if she was a filly-shaped black hole where good vibes sort of gravitated towards and were obliterated. Fan Knife continued to look up at her slight senior, looking as if she and Strata was just having a pleasant chat.

Not even that. Moonshadow said, snorting. I'd be surprised if anypony here besides maybe Fan Knife knows this, because it involves how Celestia and Luna died during the end. Also it's classified, but you know, not that much considering I learned about it.

On the last day the Zebras launched a bunch of missiles towards Canterlot, like any other city. And what happened? The two sisters put up a shield protecting the entire city. Anger grew in Moonshadow's voice as she talked. All along they could do this. But no, only when their lives were on the line did they bother. If they had brought that power to the battlefield, those shields alone could've saved thousands. Let alone if they actually used combat spells as well. L- Moonshadow cut herself off, glancing at Choro.

So yeah. That's why I hate them so much. Not so much about any evil or incompetence, but because they had so much power and sat and did nothing while ponies fought and died in their name. And don't give me any crap about them being too important as leaders to risk on the battlefield. Rainbow Dash was one of the 6 Ministry Mares, and she still put her life on the line to fight for Equestria. And she was damn good at it too. We never lost a battle where Rainbow Dash was leading our forces.

[DigoDragon]

Mirror's expression of appreciation turned into somewhat gentle frustration as she took one of the books and stared at the back of one of the romance novels, apparently trying to find where the runes were.

"Are the books not to your liking?" Doc asks her.



Rainbow Dash was one of the 6 Ministry Mares, and she still put her life on the line to fight for Equestria. And she was damn good at it too. We never lost a battle where Rainbow Dash was leading our forces.

Doc's right ear swivels to the conversation, then flicks. "Seems a tragedy that only deserters still take up her name as a title."

[Dalinale]

Not even that. Moonshadow said, snorting. I'd be surprised if anypony here besides maybe Fan Knife knows this, because it involves how Celestia and Luna died during the end. Also it's classified, but you know, not that much considering I learned about it.

On the last day the Zebras launched a bunch of missiles towards Canterlot, like any other city. And what happened? The two sisters put up a shield protecting the entire city. Anger grew in Moonshadow's voice as she talked. All along they could do this. But no, only when their lives were on the line did they bother. If they had brought that power to the battlefield, those shields alone could've saved thousands. Let alone if they actually used combat spells as well. L- Moonshadow cut herself off, glancing at Choro.

So yeah. That's why I hate them so much. Not so much about any evil or incompetence, but because they had so much power and sat and did nothing while ponies fought and died in their name. And don't give me any crap about them being too important as leaders to risk on the battlefield. Rainbow Dash was one of the 6 Ministry Mares, and she still put her life on the line to fight for Equestria. And she was damn good at it too. We never lost a battle where Rainbow Dash was leading our forces.

Strata looked shaken, and, after a few moments, she sat down, sort of staring at the floor. Meanwhile, Fan Knife yawned.

"" Last pony my sister tried to save who had some long-term exposure to the Cloud under the best possible conditions looked like a fetus made of strawberry soft-serve ice cream by the time it worked it's way though her system, and then she just started losing her shape and started melting into goo. If your pony princesses are still alive, pity them, because they didn't teleport out and they sure didn't become ghouls.". Fan Knife said, appearing to inspect one of her hooves.


"Are the books not to your liking?" Doc asks her.

"Your writing are funny." Mirror said, sounding glum as she pointed at Doc's dictionary, "There are no things like it at my home, but I will need it for these. Every one at my home knows all of our words, there is no need to have books for words."


Doc's right ear swivels to the conversation, then flicks. "Seems a tragedy that only deserters still take up her name as a title."

Fan Knife glanced at Doc, and then towards Mirror, who seemed startled at the ghoul being there in the first place, and then she shook her head and yawned.

"Meh, there's worse. We should get going before one of them eats the ponies at the hospital, or wakes up my sister." Fan Knife said, wincing slightly when she looked outside at the relative brightness, as if anything above the light of a oil lamp annoyed her at this time of day.

[Inspector Valin]

Not even that. Moonshadow said, snorting. I'd be surprised if anypony here besides maybe Fan Knife knows this, because it involves how Celestia and Luna died during the end. Also it's classified, but you know, not that much considering I learned about it.

On the last day the Zebras launched a bunch of missiles towards Canterlot, like any other city. And what happened? The two sisters put up a shield protecting the entire city. Anger grew in Moonshadow's voice as she talked. All along they could do this. But no, only when their lives were on the line did they bother. If they had brought that power to the battlefield, those shields alone could've saved thousands. Let alone if they actually used combat spells as well. L- Moonshadow cut herself off, glancing at Choro.

So yeah. That's why I hate them so much. Not so much about any evil or incompetence, but because they had so much power and sat and did nothing while ponies fought and died in their name. And don't give me any crap about them being too important as leaders to risk on the battlefield. Rainbow Dash was one of the 6 Ministry Mares, and she still put her life on the line to fight for Equestria. And she was damn good at it too. We never lost a battle where Rainbow Dash was leading our forces.

The unmade comparison is not lost on Choro. The little mare looks at Moonshadow coolly, sipping her coffee. The philosophy of using magic for conflict is... something she would be willing to discuss another day. Not this early. Not after yesterday, and what she'd done to Mirror. Instead, the little mage holds her cup to one side as she regards her pegasus friend evenly. "How do you know that the Princesses never fought?"

Well, Historigoraphy wasn't exactly her subject, but a basic explanation of the principles couldn't hurt, right? Choro shrugs, "My Stable did not carry records of the war. But the Enclave is founded on the idea that Celestia and Luna's rule was distant and the common pegasi were being sacrificed for idle rulers. That's the binding ideology of your nation, the founding thesis that caused you to break the Unity of Tribes. As such, I doubt they'd keep records of history that conflicted with that central viewpoint."

The little mare looks a touch pensive. It's strange to ponder thoughts like this. Still, another point comes to her, and she offers it to Moonshadow, theorizing aloud again, "Even with the incident you describe... if the only goal was self preservation, why extend the shield around the whole city? Wouldn't they focus it on Canterlot Castle? A smaller shield would be stronger, and wouldn't have to stand against missiles targeted at the rest of Canterlot."


Strata looked like was coming up with a response in her head, but Fan Knife spoke, instead, causing the ghoul to look down at the filly as if she had just realized she was a few feet away from her.

"The main thing they screwed up with was that they just didn't end the war before both sides had guns and fleets." Fan Knife said, "They controlled the sun and moon, and Celestia's sister could control dreams, right? They could have just kept the sun over zebra lands, and when zebras started to fall asleep, I don't see any reason why Luna couldn't just keep them from waking up and make them get locked into nightmares. There's one or two unicorns here who've figured out how to do something like that here after going through government archives, I don't see a reason why the pony who called herself Nightmare Moon couldn't do something like that if her sister was cooperating. A civilization like what they had could've been destroyed in a few weeks."

"You have absolutely no idea what your talking about." Strata replied, voice flat with annoyance, causing Fan Knife to shrug, "I don't think I have enough time to talk about how wrong that was, and we're both immortal."

"What? The zebras already thought she was evil and it took a thousand years before they did anything, and they had the best reason possible to start the war. If the zebras were baked in their huts until the most populous species in zebra lands were gazelles or something, Equestria failing could've been delayed another thousand years."
Fan Knife continued, "The only reasons the zebras could take on Equestria was that ponies were greedy and dumb, and that they outnumbered Equestria five to one. Seriously, your princesses screwed up so badly their air force just left and formed a junta by themselves, they didn't even bother to try and preform a coup, they just left and shut the clouds behind them because they thought that the two who controlled the sun and moon couldn't reach them."

Strata continued to look at Fan Knife as if she was a filly-shaped black hole where good vibes sort of gravitated towards and were obliterated. Fan Knife continued to look up at her slight senior, looking as if she and Strata was just having a pleasant chat.

Choro looks towards Fan Knife more coldly. She knows that she's driving the Professor to distraction here. The little mare does not appreciate the ghoul filly's disregard for her counterpart in undeath. As such, she clears her throat and takes a step forward. "You are over-estimating Alicorn power levels, and have a strange view on how the war could've worked long term."

This seems to have taken C into full blown lecture mode. The little pony puffs up, and when she speaks it's with certainty, "Moving the sun and moon is a significant feat. However, it is not one that only the alicorns were capable of. The cycle of sun and moon predates the princesses. In the old days, skilled unicorn teams saw to it, even as late as the time of King Bullion. It was a factor in early negotiations between the three tribes. A city wide shield spell, as Moonshadow describes, sounds impressive... but I've read reports of lone powerful unicorns being able to work similar feats."

Choro tries, but she can not hide a grin at this fact. Old school unicorn magic was awesome: no science required! Humming, the little mage turns back to a more theoretical tac. "Celestia and Luna's power was significant, far beyond mine or any single unicorn I've ever heard of. But viewing the two sisters as gods shows how far removed we are from them historically. I doubt Luna would've been able to bind the entire Zebra empire in the manner you describe. If she could, then Nightmare Moon would have likely managed to dethrone Celestia. What could be done against that kind of absolute power. But hypothetical magic spells aside, the war as it stood could not effectively be won. That's the issue with defending yourself against an ideologically driven aggressor."

Choro pauses. The conversation's turning to darker ground, and it's obvious she's reluctant to discuss the matter. But Fan Knife brought it up, and it's hard for Choro to let Equestria's reputation be denigrated without an answer. "The zebras believed Princess Luna inherently evil. It was a matter of faith as I understand it. Conquering Roam would not quell that fundamental belief. Thus conquest and a conventional military victory were largely irrelevant goals. Even a ceasefire would be simply a delay. The only path to a long term sustainable peace would be ideological change within the zebra ranks. That would have been the correct path."

And the path not taken. Equestria had fought, from first to last. Choro sighs, "Either way. You're both missing the point."

This is... hard to articulate. Choro takes a long breath before speaking again. "The Princesses were the best of us. Our examples, our guides. They ruled not by giving firm orders and strategies, but by lifting ponies up and advising us on how to forge the path ahead. The cities and wonders of old Equestria were things built by everyday equines. The Sisters were not all wise or all seeing, and never claimed to be: when Celestia felt unequal to the task of governing Equestria in the face of war, she passed the torch to Luna. And to the rest of us."

The little mage looks to Moonshadow at that, almost pleading. "It was our nation. Yours too, even if you don't see it that way now. When Equestria fell, it was because the rest of us had fallen short of their example. Because we'd let profit, fear, anger and grief turn us into something different. Ponies profited from war so war was prioritized, and other ponies suffered and died for their betters making some extra bits. But widespread societal problems are hard to fix, so the impulse is to wave our hooves at the ponies in charge and say we could've done it better"

Only natural really. And in part a sign of attachment. Not caring is worse, and sadly more common. Choro looks down into her coffee, pensive. She's not got a thesis of her own here. Just a tattered perspective that's had to endure quite a bit these last few days.

[DigoDragon]

"Your writing are funny." Mirror said, sounding glum as she pointed at Doc's dictionary, "There are no things like it at my home, but I will need it for these. Every one at my home knows all of our words, there is no need to have books for words."

"That is a translation book I had gotten at Sari's place," Doc says, with renewed interest. "I've used it to teach myself your language."

He pulls out his notebook and shows all the notes he's made on mirror's language.



"Meh, there's worse. We should get going before one of them eats the ponies at the hospital, or wakes up my sister."

Doc nods in agreement for leaving.



Big_Speech

Doc raises his eyebrows. Wow. When the little unicorn gets passionate about something... you don't stand in the way. "I'd... like to try and do something to better those here."

[Forum Explorer]

"
Doc's right ear swivels to the conversation, then flicks. "[COLOR="#8B4513"]Seems a tragedy that only deserters still take up her name as a title."

Moonshadow shrugged The Pegasi loved Rainbow Dash. She was everything we admired and aspired to be. Even today she's a shining example of what a Pegasus should be. But in the end, she chose Equestria and the Princesses over us, and we never really forgave her for that. Moonshadow chuckled. Even her loyalty to the wrong ponies can be admired. Not that it's allowed after the first group of Da****es.



The unmade comparison is not lost on Choro. The little mare looks at Moonshadow coolly, sipping her coffee. The philosophy of using magic for conflict is... something she would be willing to discuss another day. Not this early. Not after yesterday, and what she'd done to Mirror. Instead, the little mage holds her cup to one side as she regards her pegasus friend evenly. "How do you know that the Princesses never fought?"

Well, Historigoraphy wasn't exactly her subject, but a basic explanation of the principles couldn't hurt, right? Choro shrugs, "My Stable did not carry records of the war. But the Enclave is founded on the idea that Celestia and Luna's rule was distant and the common pegasi were being sacrificed for idle rulers. That's the binding ideology of your nation, the founding thesis that caused you to break the Unity of Tribes. As such, I doubt they'd keep records of history that conflicted with that central viewpoint."

The little mare looks a touch pensive. It's strange to ponder thoughts like this. Still, another point comes to her, and she offers it to Moonshadow, theorizing aloud again, "Even with the incident you describe... if the only goal was self preservation, why extend the shield around the whole city? Wouldn't they focus it on Canterlot Castle? A smaller shield would be stronger, and wouldn't have to stand against missiles targeted at the rest of Canterlot."



And the path not taken. Equestria had fought, from first to last. Choro sighs, "Either way. You're both missing the point."

This is... hard to articulate. Choro takes a long breath before speaking again. "The Princesses were the best of us. Our examples, our guides. They ruled not by giving firm orders and strategies, but by lifting ponies up and advising us on how to forge the path ahead. The cities and wonders of old Equestria were things built by everyday equines. The Sisters were not all wise or all seeing, and never claimed to be: when Celestia felt unequal to the task of governing Equestria in the face of war, she passed the torch to Luna. And to the rest of us."

The little mage looks to Moonshadow at that, almost pleading. "It was our nation. Yours too, even if you don't see it that way now. When Equestria fell, it was because the rest of us had fallen short of their example. Because we'd let profit, fear, anger and grief turn us into something different. Ponies profited from war so war was prioritized, and other ponies suffered and died for their betters making some extra bits. But widespread societal problems are hard to fix, so the impulse is to wave our hooves at the ponies in charge and say we could've done it better"

Only natural really. And in part a sign of attachment. Not caring is worse, and sadly more common. Choro looks down into her coffee, pensive. She's not got a thesis of her own here. Just a tattered perspective that's had to endure quite a bit these last few days.

Because there is no evidence of it. Not even a rumor. Not even Celestia's damn cultists could make the claim that the Princesses fought. And yeah, I know my government covers a lot of history up and uses propaganda to rewrite history, but even then they aren't that good at it. Rainbow Dash is a good example. Despite officially being persona non grata, she still has fan clubs, and genuine Rainbow Dash stuff is worth a fortune to smugglers like me. Moonshadow shrugged.

As for why they protected the whole city rather then just the palace, who knows for sure? Maybe they had friends outside the palace they wanted to protect. Maybe they didn't want to see death so personally. Or maybe they thought the explosions would cause the whole city to slide off the mountain face, palace and all. Or maybe they even had a last minute change of heart. Moonshadow shrugged again.

That's where you're wrong Choro. They weren't the best of us, and all their power and experience just bred complacently and privilege. And their leadership style simply wasn't sufficient to lead us through a war. But you are right to an extent. It's not all their fault. We ordinary ponies had our share of blame.

But I think the biggest mistake was buying into Celestia and Luna's myth. They were basically worshiped, and ponies followed them blindly. But we had too much faith in our leaders, Rainbow Dash included. If we Pegasi hadn't waited til the bombs started falling to break away from Equestria, then maybe we could've forced the war to an early and peaceful end. Maybe if ponies hadn't been so convinced of the Princesses righteousness they would've been more open to Zebra myths and realized how far they'd go to prevent Luna from ruling. If we hadn't been so blinded by the glories of our victories on the battlefield maybe we would've remembered that it was all pointless so long as the zebras had megaspells.

Moonshadow sighed, Well hindsight is 20-20, and there's no point crying over spilled milk. Better we work on fixing the present then dwelling on the past.



"" Last pony my sister tried to save who had some long-term exposure to the Cloud under the best possible conditions looked like a fetus made of strawberry soft-serve ice cream by the time it worked it's way though her system, and then she just started losing her shape and started melting into goo. If your pony princesses are still alive, pity them, because they didn't teleport out and they sure didn't become ghouls.". Fan Knife said, appearing to inspect one of her hooves.



"Meh, there's worse. We should get going before one of them eats the ponies at the hospital, or wakes up my sister." Fan Knife said, wincing slightly when she looked outside at the relative brightness, as if anything above the light of a oil lamp annoyed her at this time of day.

Yeah. Nopony deserved what Canterlot got. Moonshadow shuddered.

Right. Let's get going, she said, tying herself into the harness.

[DigoDragon]

Moonshadow shrugged The Pegasi loved Rainbow Dash. She was everything we admired and aspired to be. Even today she's a shining example of what a Pegasus should be. But in the end, she chose Equestria and the Princesses over us, and we never really forgave her for that. Moonshadow chuckled. Even her loyalty to the wrong ponies can be admired. Not that it's allowed after the first group of Da****es.

It is a curious thing Doc ponders, that the Enclave would consider Rainbow Dash to be the quintessential pegasus, and yet they seem to overlook why Rainbow is such. Or maybe they do see it... and it scares them to admit they were wrong all this time?

Though mentioning Caterlot does remind Doc that the party should probably bury that canister of the sample somewhere if it hadn't already been disposed of.

"Yeah, can't change what others did in the far past. We learn and move forward, right?"

[Inspector Valin]

Moonshadow sighed, Well hindsight is 20-20, and there's no point crying over spilled milk. Better we work on fixing the present then dwelling on the past.

Choro snorts. "She says after dirtying the Princess' names as best she can." Still, she smiles and nods, waving her hoof at Moony as she steps outside to the saddle. Her muzzle had flared a touch as the Enclave pegaus had talked; it's obvious the little mage's mind is far from changed. Still, the same can be said for Moonshadow, and just arguing the point further won't get either pony anywhere

As such, Choro returns to her perch, gently patting Butch a little before looking between her fellow passengers."Our history is important. While we can't change the past, it's something I take a lot of solace in. Equestria was a wonderful place, with a proud history. The two sisters are a part of that, no matter how you try to denigrate them. The hooves that built the land of harmony can build it again. Even without the princesses, the sun and moon could resume their cycle once civilization starts to return, cities could be rebuilt, fields purified, radiation dispursed. Knowing what we've managed in the past, what we're capable of, how great the best of us could be... that gives me hope."

Pulling up her book, Choro glances through the Skywagon's front window at Moonshadow. She studies the pegasus, pondering her travelling companion while muttering to herself, "What gives you hope?"

[Hazuki]

Viridia got into driver's position. "Vroom vroom."

[Dalinale]

Choro looks towards Fan Knife more coldly. She knows that she's driving the Professor to distraction here. The little mare does not appreciate the ghoul filly's disregard for her counterpart in undeath. As such, she clears her throat and takes a step forward. "You are over-estimating Alicorn power levels, and have a strange view on how the war could've worked long term."

This seems to have taken C into full blown lecture mode. The little pony puffs up, and when she speaks it's with certainty, "Moving the sun and moon is a significant feat. However, it is not one that only the alicorns were capable of. The cycle of sun and moon predates the princesses. In the old days, skilled unicorn teams saw to it, even as late as the time of King Bullion. It was a factor in early negotiations between the three tribes. A city wide shield spell, as Moonshadow describes, sounds impressive... but I've read reports of lone powerful unicorns being able to work similar feats."

Choro tries, but she can not hide a grin at this fact. Old school unicorn magic was awesome: no science required! Humming, the little mage turns back to a more theoretical tac. "Celestia and Luna's power was significant, far beyond mine or any single unicorn I've ever heard of. But viewing the two sisters as gods shows how far removed we are from them historically. I doubt Luna would've been able to bind the entire Zebra empire in the manner you describe. If she could, then Nightmare Moon would have likely managed to dethrone Celestia. What could be done against that kind of absolute power. But hypothetical magic spells aside, the war as it stood could not effectively be won. That's the issue with defending yourself against an ideologically driven aggressor."

Choro pauses. The conversation's turning to darker ground, and it's obvious she's reluctant to discuss the matter. But Fan Knife brought it up, and it's hard for Choro to let Equestria's reputation be denigrated without an answer. "The zebras believed Princess Luna inherently evil. It was a matter of faith as I understand it. Conquering Roam would not quell that fundamental belief. Thus conquest and a conventional military victory were largely irrelevant goals. Even a ceasefire would be simply a delay. The only path to a long term sustainable peace would be ideological change within the zebra ranks. That would have been the correct path."

And the path not taken. Equestria had fought, from first to last. Choro sighs, "Either way. You're both missing the point."

This is... hard to articulate. Choro takes a long breath before speaking again. "The Princesses were the best of us. Our examples, our guides. They ruled not by giving firm orders and strategies, but by lifting ponies up and advising us on how to forge the path ahead. The cities and wonders of old Equestria were things built by everyday equines. The Sisters were not all wise or all seeing, and never claimed to be: when Celestia felt unequal to the task of governing Equestria in the face of war, she passed the torch to Luna. And to the rest of us."

The little mage looks to Moonshadow at that, almost pleading. "It was our nation. Yours too, even if you don't see it that way now. When Equestria fell, it was because the rest of us had fallen short of their example. Because we'd let profit, fear, anger and grief turn us into something different. Ponies profited from war so war was prioritized, and other ponies suffered and died for their betters making some extra bits. But widespread societal problems are hard to fix, so the impulse is to wave our hooves at the ponies in charge and say we could've done it better"

Only natural really. And in part a sign of attachment. Not caring is worse, and sadly more common. Choro looks down into her coffee, pensive. She's not got a thesis of her own here. Just a tattered perspective that's had to endure quite a bit these last few days.

Choro might have felt that she was talking to a wall when she was speaking to Fan Knife, as the filly remained unimpressed.

"I was alive when you're princesses were, sometimes they were on television." Fan Knife said, looking at Choro straight in the eyes, "They were either weak and unable to do anything, or they were the lynchpins that kept the country together. If they were both, than that explained why this country failed."

Fan Knife started to turn around, but then she paused and tilted her head towards Choro slightly. Her slightly widened eyes, combined with her slight smile, made for a unpleasant face.

"Ponies did look to them as examples, I'll give you that. That's why two of the joint owners of the company that saved your life was owned by the sisters of two of the Ministry Mares. I know for a fact that Stable-Tec's corruption makes that canning factory look like nothing. Power here wasn't made by people from the ground up, but it was distributed from the top to vassals below them to manage the affairs of the kingdom. There's no magical self-made evil ponies subverting their rules, they all ended up where they were because they were picked to be there. "

Fan Knife then walked off towards a spot in a corner, and laid down on her stomach, curling up slightly and becoming very still.


"That is a translation book I had gotten at Sari's place," Doc says, with renewed interest. "I've used it to teach myself your language."

He pulls out his notebook and shows all the notes he's made on mirror's language.

Mirror glanced at the notebook, then at Doc, and then at the notebook again. She seemed somewhat concerned.

"We will look through this and correct falsehoods." Mirror replied, "If you spoke like that, you would sound like a mare."



Yeah. Nopony deserved what Canterlot got. Moonshadow shuddered.

"What's that about the capital, now?" Bertly said cheerfully, bringing the dog in with him, which immediately attempted to see if any food had fallen to the floor, at the expense of any marginally smaller pony around. After a quick investigation, it headed for Choro with boundless dogish enthusiasm. Meanwhile, Bertly swiveled around to continue to face Moonshadow as she headed out of the bus, and made a sound that could've been a sigh after not getting a answer.


Right. Let's get going, she said, tying herself into the harness.


Viridia got into driver's position. "Vroom vroom."

The bus lifted off the ground easily, and Oakville happily vanished from sight as the bus ascended. While it would be bad to say that they would make it to Tauronto General in record time, it was probably going to be near that. What wind existed was gentle and was moving in the right direction, and, honestly, you could almost see the irregularly-shape mounds of concrete that indicated Tauronto's main cluster of medical centers from here. Behind the bus, two overly large robots were tailing it, and life was good. Heck, someone who was just sitting behind the sorry excuse for a wheel might as well have been driving the thing, given how smooth the ride was.

[Due to a natural 10 on a roll indicating possible natural hazards, there are no survival or endurance rolls needed here, it's literally the best possible weather for flying at the moment. Time between Oakville and the hospital is three hours, so mark that down in terms of rest and reading.]

[DigoDragon]

"We will look through this and correct falsehoods." Mirror replied, "If you spoke like that, you would sound like a mare."

Doc points to the blurb on the back cover. "The book says it has a minor enchantment that knows the reader's native language, but I don't know if it might be confused by us looking at it together? I'd love your help on the matter anyway. My notes are based on the way i heard you speak, so I'm sure they could use corrections."

He is willing to learn, and Doc will spend his time between lessons and using the herbs to restock his nearly depleted medicines.

[Dalinale]

Doc points to the blurb on the back cover. "The book says it has a minor enchantment that knows the reader's native language, but I don't know if it might be confused by us looking at it together? I'd love your help on the matter anyway. My notes are based on the way i heard you speak, so I'm sure they could use corrections." He is willing to learn, and Doc will spend his time between lessons and using the herbs to restock his nearly depleted medicines.

Mirror happened to be both wrong and right; Doc's notes were actually entirely correct, it was that the dictionary had some minor embellishments that made Doc's translated blurbs structurally look as if they happened to be written by someone who was doing their best attempt to write poetry. Happily, Equestrian-to-Everfrost was a lot more straightforward than it appeared and it wasn't particularly hard to make more straightforward translations, something that could be useful in the future, possibly. Speaking of hypothetical, Mirror appeared to be taking the whole 'travel by air on a rickety bus going about thirty miles per hour hundreds of feet into the air with only a few inches of steel keeping her from being sucked out from the sheer speed' pretty well, actually, given that it was the same mare he'd met about a week ago.

In terms of body language, his unicorn-fiance she seemed to be concerned with Madeleine and her general Madeleine-ness than Strata or Choro, which certainly meant something in terms of long-term unicorn management, even if that something was entirely obscure and, in true unicorn methodology, would probably only reveal it's importance after, given the luck of the party, after something was on fire or there was a horrible monster involved. Than again, given that something that was almost a literal carbon copy of Madeleine was, at one point, on fire and wanted nothing less than to feed the entirety of Equestria into a sausage casing and keep some malformed pony-animal hybrids made for hugging and love around to feed the scraps too and make burgers out of, it was possible that Mirror was picking up the residue of ambient chaotic evil. Alternatively, given that Madeleine was wearing something that generously could be said to not be generous and didn't have any obvious signs of malnutrition or meth usage, Mirror was wondering if the new unicorn was a groupie or whatever the Everfrost equivalent was.

[DigoDragon]

Mirror happened to be both wrong and right; Doc's notes were actually entirely correct, it was that the dictionary had some minor embellishments that made Doc's translated blurbs structurally look as if they happened to be written by someone who was doing their best attempt to write poetry. Happily, Equestrian-to-Everfrost was a lot more straightforward than it appeared and it wasn't particularly hard to make more straightforward translations, something that could be useful in the future, possibly.

Doc listens to Mirror's lessons, his interest in learning how to speak Everfrostian evident in the attention he pays her. A side benefit of learning this language crosses Doc's mind at one point--knowing a language not spoken in Equestria could potentially be useful for exchanging confidential information. A third party not familiar with it would be unable to figure out the information passed on. Maybe other party members would be interested in picking up some basic lessons on this language too? He would have to ask them later.



In terms of body language, his unicorn-fiance she seemed to be concerned with Madeleine and her general Madeleine-ness than Strata or Choro, which certainly meant something in terms of long-term unicorn management, even if that something was entirely obscure and, in true unicorn methodology, would probably only reveal it's importance after, given the luck of the party, after something was on fire or there was a horrible monster involved. Than again, given that something that was almost a literal carbon copy of Madeleine was, at one point, on fire and wanted nothing less than to feed the entirety of Equestria into a sausage casing and keep some malformed pony-animal hybrids made for hugging and love around to feed the scraps too and make burgers out of, it was possible that Mirror was picking up the residue of ambient chaotic evil. Alternatively, given that Madeleine was wearing something that generously could be said to not be generous and didn't have any obvious signs of malnutrition or meth usage, Mirror was wondering if the new unicorn was a groupie or whatever the Everfrost equivalent was.

"Something on your mind about Madeleine over there?" Doc quietly asks Mirror. "You seem to have a... like an intuition that something is not quite right?"