Celestia's Finest: Life in the Pits

[D.KnightSpider]

He'd never been much of a repairman, which was unfortunate since their present assignment involved taking apart gambling tables, hauling them downstairs and putting them back together. The disassembly was easy enough. The reassembly was going to be the tricky part.

From his position underneath a roulette table, Sniper caught a glimpse of Love moving about the room. He paused in his efforts to unfasten the table legs.

"How are you holding up with Blank?" He asked her.

[Elbeyon]

Between counting cards, packing game pieces, and taking stuff apart, Love is having fun. She can't say has ever dissembled and reassembled a casino until now. She moves closer to him to see if she can help when he speaks up. A big bag of game chips is in hoof, and she carries a saddlebag full of tools.

"I'm holding up as well as can be expected. It's tough handling the abuse. I've suffered through worse." Love tries to end on a slightly happier note. "He makes me happy too. He calls me family even if we don't exactly agree on what that means. I'm glad to see him making progress toward being healthier. I, erm, he wasn't doing too well there, but today has given me a lot of hope. It's exceptional that I have a brother!" She chuckles in half disbelief."

[D.KnightSpider]

"I'd offer to talk to him about that abuse, but I have a feeling I'd end up shooting him and that's an irony none of us can afford." Sniper sighs. "But you seem to be handling it better than most would. I have a feeling you'll pull him out of his funk in due time. Congrats on the discovery of a new relation, by the way."

He rests his head on the floor for a long moment. Then he resumes taking the second leg off of the table.

"If I can help you there, let me know. Outside of talking to him about his behavior, of course."

[Elbeyon]

Love starts organizing the pieces, again, so unpacking will be as easy as it gets down there. She chuckles. "Thanks for giving 'talking to him' some thought." There is a pause. "Rose is a step ahead and already threatened to shoot Blank. I mean that she for real pulled out her gun and everything." Love sighs. "What other choice do I have than to handle it? I hope your right. I have to be optimistic." She airs a weak smile at the congratulations. "Congratulations, indeed. Growing up, I never really cared about having or not having a sibling, but now, that I have one. I... want us to turn out on good terms. It's important to me."

Love gives him a friendly nod. "I'll let you know. Angel has helped him non-stop. Whenever I went back to camp to eat my meals, I always tried to eat them with Blank if he was in the mood, and Angel was always around. She has worked hard. I can only imagine her fatigue." Love thinks. "I should make sure to get her something nice."

[D.KnightSpider]

It took the firing of far too many synapses to process that information. Rose threatened Blank?

"That, well, makes my comment much less humorous that I wanted to it be. Banished if I know what goes on in Rose's head any more. It's like her and I've switched places. Even in terms of basic competency."

One leg down. Two to go. Sniper shifted and began working anew.

"Hornet squad has put up with a lot while we've been running around getting into trouble. I think we owe all of them a night on the town when we get back." He closed his eyes against an unwanted impulse. "Anyway... I figure you and Blank will eventually work things out. I don't think you'll be able to change his mind about Polaris by hitting him head on about his devotion. You may have to work parallel to-- huh." An old memory struck. "Y'know, fictional as the idea is... it might work."

[Elbeyon]

Love smirks. "Don't worry about not knowing. The joke didn't go to waste. I'd like to know that one day." She is at a loss for words about the last part, but she did hear him.

The mass of chips is starting to separate into discernible colored packages.

"Yeah, this first mission for them is a real doozy. My head could have appreciated them here today though." She smiles at a night on the town. "I'd like that. I know a couple good places nowadays."

"You really think so? That's... good to hear." Love seems comforted by his figuring. "I'm so close to the situation I can't see anything straight. I've been avoiding the subject of Polaris and the CPI all together. I didn't want to introduce anymore friction." She says with some pain, "I don't mind if he hates me as long as he is healthy." Love gets excited at his idea. "Oh, yeah!? What might work?"

[D.KnightSpider]

"I read a book once, a thriller." Sniper explains as he adjusted his position and keep working. "The core conflict involved an enemy super villain who has a body guard. He'd trained her from her youth up with some brainwashing to make her loyal. The only way the hero could break that conditioning was to find a way to put himself and the bodyguard on the same side.

"Something similar might work here. If you can get to know Blank, then eventually you might find an area of agreement and you can start chipping away at his devotion. In this case, though, it's not something you can force."

There. All the hardware was removed. Sniper began gathering it.

[Elbeyon]

Love process the story out loud. "We need to be on the same side. We need to work work together to overcome something. We can unite together against a greater threat. That's a good idea! I have been trying to make sure he doesn't see me as an opposing force. That's difficult considering his 'training', but I don't think I should motivate him with negativity." Love pouts. "I should have taken some child-rearing studies. This sort of snuck up on me. I am not prepared."

Love skips back to a brushed upon topic. "There is seemingly a party for every occasion. They can present difficulties. I got you something." Love walks over to him and puts a sobriety (30) pill-box next to him since his hoofs are probably busy. No bells or whistles, the box looks like something a pony would buy over the counter. "I'm not sure if it's something that interests you, but you can do whatever you want with them." She shrugs. He can throw them in the trash if he wants.

[D.KnightSpider]

"Is any pony ever ready to have children?" Sniper asks. Stars knew how horrible of a parent he would make.

He picks up the box, studies it for a moment, and then snorts in amusement. "Heh. Sobriety pills. I guess it can't hurt to be prepared." He pockets the pills. "Thanks. I mean that."

The hardware gets placed in a cardboard box atop the table. Once Brazen finished carting the whole mess downstairs, he'd go through the routine of putting it all back together again.

"So... I mentioned earlier that I had some news. I found out earlier that my mother's expecting again. I've got a brother on the way. How's that for surrealism?" A grin manifests.

[Elbeyon]

"I wanted to be better prepared. VR training programs. Development classes. An assistant. I've mostly lived alone since I've moved to Equestria."

Love continues on her nearly finished project. The craps pieces are almost packed in a way that'd do Red Tape proud (at the attempt).

She smiles as the pills are well received. "Glad to help! I got the idea when drinking was forbidden at our Good Hope party. It's only become more relevant as I have to keep turning down Mune's brews. I would have liked to have tried her creations, and now I can at least taste them even if they won't affect me as they're intended to do."

"Yep." A nod goes along with the re-announcement. Love brights up at the news. Her face rents a billboard for her smile. "Your mother is expecting! In good time!," she 'quietly' cheers! She giggles and tries to control herself so she doesn't spill the news to the whole base. "That is pretty surreal! Two brothers in a week!" Love keeps attempting a stifled smilingly and giggling.

[D.KnightSpider]

"If I had any parenting advice, I'd give it to you. But as it stands I've got nothing." Sniper replies. Not likely to ever have any, either.

On to the next project. He crouches next to a card table and prepared to repeat the process of prepping the table for transport.

"I know. At the rate we're going, before this mission is over, Rose will find a long lost cousin and Seafire will finally pop a few foals. Then you could taste Munes' work at a celebration and get parenting advice from Brazen all in one go."

[Elbeyon]

"I understand. Try not to read into this too much. You can feel free to laugh if you want. I think you might be good with kids. From what I've seen, you have a proper handle on the idea."

Love finishes with the craps pieces. She seals up the containers and moves to a table so she can start tying down the roulette wheel.

She laughs. "A bunch of Ace's children will show up. Is that the price I need to pay to taste Munes' work!?" She chuckles. Her mood slightly deflates. A pain hides behind her words. "I might have more siblings! A whole clone army!" Hyper Thought has her biology, and he is using her to make his 'tools'.

[D.KnightSpider]

He slipped underneath the table and set to work. He couldn't see how to respond to Love's child-rearing comments without it turning into a therapy session. Not commenting seemed the most prudent course of action.

"We're going to shut him down, Love. Hard. I don't know how we'll get around his vampirism but we'll find a way and stop him from hurting any pony else. I promise you I'll do everything I can, there. And if there are more clones running around, we'll handle that as well. For what it's worth, I'd be surprised if he did."

[Elbeyon]

The comment doesn't seem to have been well received. She wouldn't lie to him about this though. How he handled Diamond Hope's ideas seemed very parently to her. The topic won't be dragged out further though if Scope doesn't want to talk about it. It wasn't meant to be a conversation starter anyway.

"I know we'll capture him. He can't be allowed to continue his work." She thinks about what he is saying and tries to see the positive side of things. "If he did, my rather small family reunions would become large in a hurry." She tries to crack a smile. "I never gave serious thought about a brother, and now I might get the chance to have thirty! Fifty! One is alright with me. In some ways, I hope you're right, but I wouldn't put anything past him." Hyper Thought made mimics. He might be able to do anything with biology given time. He could be doing so much good for ponies if he wasn't busy making weapons!

[D.KnightSpider]

"Forgive how this sounds, but I don't see them cloning you for every computer operation. It would have to be something massive that would require the efficiency of a living computer."

Sniper kept at the task of taking apart the table.

"Let's just hope he doesn't start making clones of the rest of us."

[Elbeyon]

Love manages to find humor in the statement and chuckles. "I'm not exactly prime clone army material. I have to work out for these glorious muscles." She steps back and flexes her noodle arms. "He'd probably find a better mercenary for that." The chuckles subside. "I hope he wouldn't do that." She gets back to work.

"How is Rem doing? She seems careful."

[D.KnightSpider]

Works for me.

"I hope not as well. But I don't think Hyper Thought cares what we hope." Sniper says.

"Honestly, 'careful' isn't a word I'd use to describe Rem. She seems naïve and stunted-- which makes sense given everything that's transpired in her life. It's a good thing we found her first. A lot of factions could misuse her abilities and I don't know that she comprehends that not every pony has her best interests at heart." He sighs. "Right now, she wants to find Wrath and try to help her. I'm not convinced that's a good idea."

[Elbeyon]

She doesn't imagine Thought would care about such a thing. His motives do interest her though.

Wait. What? Love's cheeks redden. "That was a malaprop. I meant to say cheerful."

"Energetic is a much better word to describe her than careful!" Love goes quietly into thought when Scope says naive and stunted. "I wish we found her so so many years ago, freed her from her cage, but I'm very glad she can spend time with us now. She is a very special, talented fun loving individual. I want that cheerful nature to be able to stay and good things to happen to her." Love is surprised by Rem's latest interest.

"Wrath!? I know Rem wants to help everyone, but that's a very dangerous proposition. I don't need to tell you that Wrath is under the affects of a lot of emotion magic. I'd worry about about introducing Rem to a negative influence. She needs to be surrounded by friends and family."

[D.KnightSpider]

"I know. I might not have been forceful enough trying to dissuade her from that idea." Sniper sighs. "I've been too hesitant about a lot of things lately.

"But I don't want to control and stifle Rem. I don't want her to bite off more than she can chew either. She's not a child even though she's childish. I've got to respect her decisions while trying to keep her on the right path. It's a hard balance to find."

[Elbeyon]

Love gives a thoughtful, "hm," to not being forceful enough. "What you and Rem did is downright astounding. Both of you saved Merry and Emerald. The moment is worth celebrating and remembering as something positive. A celebratory moment may not have been the time to tempter that hopeful passion. I'm sure she wouldn't mind talking to you if you wanted to address the topic."

The roulette wheel isn't locking into place all that easily. Love is tempted to simply take the thing apart and pack up the pieces. Instead of going ham, she elects to tape the thing down with some fancy electricity triggered tape.

"Isn't she like one hundred years old? I understand not wanting act controlling or stifling. I can be too overbearing myself, and I've been thinking about the consequences of that. I think you're in a good spot and way of thing about everything though. Rem needs a thoughtful guide around pitfalls, but she also needs room to grow and develop herself like you said." Love pauses for a moment at that idea. "Finding that balance sounds super hard!" Love smirks. "This sounds like something too complex to go perfectly, but I'm here to try to help nudge things in the right direction. Rem is a good person. She will get some good music to listen to from me at the very least." Love chuckles.

[D.KnightSpider]

Something in Love's speech strikes a note of sorrow, but he doesn't feel like doing the necessary analysis to understand why.

"For what it's worth, I think you've come a long way on working with, for lack of a better word, your overbearingness." Sniper says. "And you're right. All we can do is try to provide guidance for Rem and hope for the best. Maybe this is a microcosm of what the Princesses feel most of the time."

Or maybe this was what being a parent was like. Hard to tell.

"Yeah. She's supposedly a few hundred years old and had some kind of falling out with Princess Luna. I haven't asked for details or specifics about her history because of the crystal spell that Sombra put on her. We've already seen that it overrides her free will and ability to share accurate information. Anything she says about their past wouldn't be reliable."

[Elbeyon]

Love hesitates to accept Scope's conclusion. "I'm not sure my change is for the better."

She jokes/teases, "The whole friends thing is probably really helpful too if not enjoyable at least. We can do that guidance thing too though."

The topic of the princesses draws her silence. She privately short-range comms him, "I've spent more time with Luna and Torch. Torch is Twilight's nickname. The Princesses are feeling a lot of things nowadays. I'd bet you're right though."

She keeps to the private comms, "I'd like to know what happened in the past as well. I do want to help and I'm curious too. You'll be happy to hear that I got some magic items that should help us decipher pedestal. We're closer to helping her than the other day. We're getting closer."

[D.KnightSpider]

Sniper keeps to the private comm., although he lets the comment about the processes go with a simple: "I guess I shouldn't be surprised."

"Hopefully, between some friendship and your new magical tricks, we can undo whatever it is that they did to Rem. It'd be nice to have that problem behind us.

"You don't seem to sure about your personality changes. Is something bothering you about them?" Sniper asks.

Three legs down, one to go.

[Elbeyon]

Love keeps to short-range comms. "Have you spent more time with Princess Celestial? I thought maybe you would."

"We'll get the pedestal sorted out." Love wanted to move past Rem's imprisonment too.

She inspects for a silent moment. "I suppose there has been a change in my methods. I want to change things, and I mean change in a serious way. I will need a lot of strength, but at what point does raw strength turn into a fault? I still feel as strongly as I did before this mission, but I'm only a single pony. The world is complex and needs countless different answers from countless different people. That's fine. That's good. I want to work with countless people. What if I compromise too much though and do less than I could have because of my restraint? I'm not saying that I won't expect mistakes - I make plenty of mistakes -, but a fault in my general approach. Everything requires its own answers, and I think my overbearing habits might end up doing more harm than good. I need to find a balance."

[D.KnightSpider]

"I'd planned on taking to Princess Celestia, but between the short turn around time between missions and the Rose drama, I didn't get a chance. And after screwing up so badly I no longer know that would be a good idea." Sniper let his head drop back against the the floor. Rose was a frustrating topic. "I never should have said anything about my attraction to Rose. You were right about that back at the castle. It... I should have been stronger... And we all paid the price for it.

"When it comes to being overbearing, well..." An analogy strikes. "... You know about combustion engines, right? So you wouldn't mind being behind the wheel of a car with a combustion engine, would you?" He waits a moment for Love's response. "How about being at ground zero of a high yield explosion-- without your power armor?"

[Elbeyon]

"There really wasn't that long of a pause between missions. The mission was the longest we had ever had, out of two. The pass time felt so short with everything that was happening." Love pauses to absorb the topic change. "I don't think you screwed up badly. Princess Celestia would be really happy to see you given the chance, especially if the meeting is not work related." Love shakes her head. "I don't want there to be any confusion about what I said back at the castle. I didn't want you to share my now dashed feelings with Rose, but I was happy that you shared yourself with another pony. I thought the two of you were going to be so happy together. I never would have foreseen how things ended up. There are other ponies though." Her ears slightly droop, but she is keeping a strong front aside from that. "If I was a better friend, a good friend, maybe, things would have turned out different." She pauses. "Rose has changed."

-

Love plays along with the analogy. "Yeah! Star and I are starting a little hobby work on an old combustion engine car." She smiles real big. "We're going to go looking around in the old junk yards once we get back to Equestria."

She easy answers him, happy to follow the trail he is laying, "I wouldn't mind driving a combustion engine car." A chuckle escapes. "I wouldn't want to stand at ground zero of a high yield explosion with my power armor! The thing is only rated against personal firearms." She answers him more directly, "I would not want to sit naked at a high yield explosion." She thinks sees where this is going and curiously waits for his input.

[D.KnightSpider]

"Maybe. Maybe we'll find out." Sniper says in relation to visiting the Royals.

In regards to the break up: "It wasn't anything that you did or didn't do, Love. Our separation wasn't your fault. It was mine. I wasn't ready to have a relationship, I knew that, and... I chose to believe the lie that I could love her instead of embracing the truth that I didn't empathize with any one. Eventually, I had to accept that reality for what it was." He sighs. "It was mine."

Sniper emerges from under the table.

"A combustion engine is propelled by a series of small sparks. Explosions if you will. But those explosions are restrained and directed to propel you where you want to go. When you brake and accelerate properly, it's a safe way to travel. In contrast, an uncontrolled explosion wipes out everything in its path and is destructive. Passion is the same way if you think about it."

[Elbeyon]

Love has a lot of confidence in the Princesses and shares that. "Princess Celestia is kind. I admire the warmth and love she showed for Powder Keg. Her empathy is inspiring." The praise is matter of factually said instead of excitedly,

She takes a deep breath, puffs up, and sighs everything away. "I don't know if I could have made a difference. I could have done better though." She pauses and rubs her mane. She needs to reserve herself for Scope instead of spilling her heart out. "It takes more than one pony to have a relationship. I thought I saw genuine affection. That spark of romance. The way you care for her." Love puts some stress in her mouth. She really saw it in him! "I feel like you've been horribly mistreated."

---

Love taps her chin. "Yeah, I can see how they are the same way." She chuckles. "I certainly don't want to wipe out everything in my way. I didn't have something so destructive in mind." She smiles. "I'll hold to my passion, but I'll try to be more purposeful with my sparks. That'll fit right in there with me trying to be more conscious of the consequences of my actions. I'll stay true while working toward my dreams."

[D.KnightSpider]

It must be nice to have empathy. Sniper turned Love's declaration over in his mind and then shrugs helplessly. He repeats: "I guess we'll find out." It was time to move past that topic of conversation.

"What's done is done, Love." He pauses to lean against the table. Sadness overtook him and, for once, he didn't bother to hide it. "And there's no going back. I guess history repeated itself. I spoke to Rose a while ago and... the whole thing was sham. There wasn't any love on Rose's side, she just wanted sex. I was forcing myself to feel affection and investment that really weren't there because I was so desperate for acceptance. For some pony to relate to me as-is without trying to change anything about me.

"When we were in the lab and trying to confront her about it, I almost gave in and slept with her because she was so desperate and pained. I'm glad that I didn't because, er... it was close. When the truth came out I wanted to walk away from the relationship but I felt a duty and obligation to stick by her. That's why I stayed in the relationship. Maybe we would have grown to love each other over time. Maybe not, but after Chrysalis there wasn't any way to salvage the relationship. Chrysalis did us a favor by--"

He stops short and closes his eyes. No, banish it. Lock the emotion away and don't feel. "It hurts, yes. But--"

He swallows.

"But, it has to be better than the lie."

-----

"It's all about application. Knowing when to accelerate, break and turn will get you farther than just wildly pushing everything forward." Sniper says. "So you've got the right idea."

I'm fudging the timeline of the conversations, but it works better this way.

[Elbeyon]

Love has all her projects off to the 'side' as she focuses on the conversation. She watches her friend and her heart aches. This whole situation is too cruel to him. "I didn't know how sour the relationship turned. You tried so hard for Rose and the relationship. You handled yourself with mettle that few ponies would have demonstrated. From what I saw of her actions I'm appalled by what she did to you. I want to hope that she entered the relationship seeking love with good intentions. That she wanted more than sex. You sought love from her." Love moves closer to take a seat nearby so she isn't so far away.

"I'm so sorry you got hurt. That Chrysalis and Rose hurt you. I'm ashamed of what I did in the lab and elsewhere. How I acted. I messed up. I'm sorry." She is upset, but she is refusing to show more emotion than Scope is showing. "You deserve so much better. You may not have found happiness there, but you'll find your happiness some other place someday. There are ponies out there that will accept you for you."

-----

Love smirks. "I maxed out my stats in acceleration and speed. Turning and breaking are my bad stats. I'm most adapted to moving in a straight lines really fast." She taps a hoof on the ground. "I need to work on my application. Life isn't a straight path forward. I need to practice more control for the sake of everyone around me." She hopes she isn't over doing it for Scope. A worried glance goes his way.

[D.KnightSpider]

Sniper's response was delayed, although not out of frustration or anger. None of his stock answers to Love's comment applied or were wholly true. The pause was as he tried to formulate a new response.

"You make it sound like I'm a martyr or something. It's all said and done at this point. I'm not angry at you and I don't hold anything against you. I'm still a little sore at Rose and Chrysalis but I expect that to fade in time. It's not worth holding a grudge over."

"If everything goes like I expect, then Rose's secret admirer will pony up and stop being secret. Then you'll have Star, Brazen will have Seafire, Rose will have her significant other..." Sniper smirks and goes for the tension killing shot. "... and I'll always have Lassie so that sounds like a win across the board."

Love's reassurances were well intentioned. He understood that. But it didn't prevent them from hurting more than helping.


-----

"I think you'll get it." Sniper repeats himself. "You've already come a long way and you've gotten a lot better about interacting with others. Truth be told, I think I'm getting along better with you than any pony else in the squad right now. I don't think any of us ever though we'd see the day."

[Elbeyon]

No, no, no. Love messed up somewhere. She misstep or went too fast again. Her eyes search his face in confusion.

"I didn't mean to say you are a martyr." Her eyes dart to his smirk. Love is having trouble reading his mood. She takes a deep breath to build her confidence. "Scope, are you in tactical mode?"

-----

Love has a mixed reaction to being told they are getting along best out of the squad. That could mean that all the other relationships are struggling. There is also a happiness there in him saying they are getting along. Love smiles at him, "I think we've been getting along really well. I've enjoyed our time together. Just let me know if you need some space." Love puts a hoof up to her mouth and does her maniacal laugh. Love worries about crowding his personal space since he moved in with her. They're living together in the same bunker now too.

[D.KnightSpider]

He shakes his head.

"No. I'm not in tactical mode. If I were I wouldn't be feeling the sorrow and anger that I do. I'm fighting my head, though." Sniper taps his temple. "I want to be angry, bitter and depressed about what happened. But I'm not letting myself. I've done too much of that in my life. It's hard, but I'm overcoming it.

"To blame myself exclusively for the break up and to punish myself for it would be a false judgment because it's not just my fault. The entire situation was a titanic mess. I was in the wrong. Rose was in the wrong. Chrysalis was Chrysalis. I can accept my part in the failure and move on with my life or I can let this wreck my life like my relationship with Stylish did. You keep talking about how horribly I was treated and I don't see that as something worth considering. Thinking about it is going to fuel my depression and guilt complex and I'm having a hard enough time pushing back on that impulse as it us. I've been it's slave too long. It's time I start running my own life instead of letting my guilt run things."

====

"While not an immediate need, I'd love some space. One of the reasons that I think we're all struggling is because we've been packed together like sardines this entire mission without really seeing each I other." Sniper says. He slips underneath and resumes work on the next table. "When we see each other, we're either sleeping with each other or getting in each other's nerves there hasn't been a chance for us to just be us. I think it's taking its toll."

[Elbeyon]

"Was it alright that I asked if you're in tactical mode? The room was hard to read."

Love is taken aback. "That's very insightful. I don't want you to feel like you have to shoulder everything yourself. I certainly don't want to feed your depression or guilt complex. The opposite in fact. You're putting up a good effort. I want to do what I can to support you!" She lightly smiles. "I can try to help push back against the negativity. I don't want to go overboard though!"

====

"Don't fret about telling me you need some space. I can miss the obvious clues. Tell me to back off, and I'll take three steps back. And, I'll come back just as easy when you ask for me to step closer!" She chuckles. "It does feel like it's been a while since we've had a private talk. The issues have been complex enough that we don't always agree. I'd like express myself for a little while! That's exactly it."

[D.KnightSpider]

"Nah. I don't mind the question about tactical mode. And I think you're doing find playing support... but at the end of the line I'm the only one who can change myself. So... yeah." Sniper lets the conversation hang, unsure of where to go from here.

Perhaps it's time to let the timelines join?

===

Sniper chuckles.

"On that note... I'll probably be moving out when we get back to Equestria. I originally moved in to be closer to Rose, but since she's no longer under Chrysalis' sway and we're not together, neither of those reasons are valid. Which, well, makes this a bit awkward. I'm probably going to need a favor when we get back to Equestria.

"We've been talking about me for a while now. What about you? Is there anything you want to discuss?"

[Elbeyon]

Sounds good!

Love nods along in agreement over her not trying to change him. She introspects and feels closer to Scope.

===

Love gives a good natured laugh. "That was quick." She chuckles and smirks. "I understand." Scope is a private individual. "Well, Scope, it has been a pleasure living with you. You made my house feel a little more like home. You're welcome to visit or stay whenever you like." He has been a good house mate. "Sure, I'll do whatever I can to help!" He'll probably need help finding a new place if he does decide to move out.

Love gets back to work.

"Today has been a loong loong day, but I'm really looking forward to this party. I'm going to party with some changelings(!) and make some friends!" Love seems happy at the prospect. "Pins, Needles, and I going to talk all night! I want to get to know Queen Chrysalis' family."

"Star and I are doing well. Thank you for that."

[D.KnightSpider]

Sniper chuckled. At least Love was being a good sport about it

"It's a little awkward. I don't know anything about business and you do, so, well, I've written something pro-Element and I need help working through the business end of getting published. Maybe I can give the Elements and Royals a bit of good publicity."

"Yeah." Sniper says. "I'm sure the party will be fun for every pony."

Not that he expected it to be.

"It's good to hear that you and Star are doing well. Do you two have any big plans for the future?"

[Elbeyon]

"Oh, think nothing of it! I have a bit of experience with Heimdall, but we're mostly on the supply side of things. I'm still learning a lot. It's a full-time job. I'd love to help you get published though! The world could use some more genuinely good publications on the Elements. I'd love to read your work! I'm sure the elements would appreciate it." Love gives him a real big smile. She never knew he was so pro element.

"I barely saw you last party and none the time before that." Love thinks to herself. She barely saw him at the Roost too.

"It helps when you have a friend to help point you in the right direction! We were going to go see her parents together, but everything that happened means I'm meeting with them by myself before the mission ends. We'll most likely take a vacation on the moon together." Love smiles and chuckles, "We have plans, but I'm not sure they'd qualify as anything big."

[D.KnightSpider]

"It's nothing too overt. It's, hopefully, a good story first and foremost with a few pro-Element passages. I figure that if I can hook them with a story then they'll be more open to the ideas within it. But at least you understand some legalese. It's all Greek to me."

"So you're going to meet the parents, huh? Good luck with that. Just watch out for shotguns and may you live long enough to send me a postcard from the moon."

Another table leg falls before him. Although fortunately not on him.

[Elbeyon]

"I have a feeling it'll be a good story." Love had been trying to read his work. She had even requested some of his previous pulp fiction in the past. "Queen Chrysalis liked your work." She chuckles. "That'd be something if you could open her up to the Elements. Though, she might be closer to them than I previously thought. I actually have a law tutor to help teach me the basics." She stands up and moves to the table to stabilize it for him. "I'd love to invest some time to help make this happen though. I enjoy a good story."

She nervously laughs at his question. "Yeah" She stresses her voice, "I'm going all alone to met her parents." She chuckles. "Thanks for the good wishes. I'm more worried about them dissecting me in every sense of the world than them blasting me away. Her parents are famous Equestrian scientists, very professional ponies, that helped pioneer the moon colony. I'm really excited to meet them and nervous too." She jokes, "If I embarrass myself in front of her parents I might move to the moon to escape such a fate!"

[D.KnightSpider]

"Hopefully." Sniper says in regards to the quality of his work. "I'll send you a copy for perusal."

He dismantles another leg. This one is easier with Love's help.

"Eh, if any pony tries to dismantle you then they'll have to answer to me."

[Elbeyon]

"Right." She tries to curb her enthusiasm. She winks down at him. "Hey, thanks! I'd love to read it."

Love puts a solid hoof on the table and chuckles. "Thanks for the reassurance. I haven't given many ponies access to my melon and even fewer permission to dismantle me."

"Did you get Queen Chrysalis' message from Rose?"

[D.KnightSpider]

"I'd hope that no pony has had permission to dismantle you. We like having you in one piece."

Sniper emerges from underneath the table. He doesn't answer immediately. When he does, it's slowly: "No, she hasn't. But if it's Rose's message to deliver, then it might be best to let her deliver it in her own time and way."

[Elbeyon]

Love smirks. "Sorry. I was talking about Silk and Gust, my doctor and sculptor respectively. I like being in one piece too! I plan to stick around for a long time." Love puts a hoof to her mouth. "Mwhaha. I like being around."

Love puts some stress in a cheek. "It's a short message." Love rubs her mane thinking about Rose being the one to deliver the message. "It's not a bad message. I'd like you to hear it before the party. Someone should tell you, and I think Chrysalis told Rose because she was the only one around."

[D.KnightSpider]

"Well, I'm glad about that. I'd hate for you to be done existing." One suicidal member of the team is enough.

For all of Rose's complaining about their current state of affairs, she could be a desperately aggravating mare when it came to the subject.

"Let Rose do it." Sniper repeats. He rubs a hoof against his forehead. "Whatever this message is, for whatever reason, Chrysalis gave the job to Rose. After all of her other complaints, circumventing her to deliver the message won't help our recent frictions. It'd probably set Rose off to complaining about trust and communication all over again."

And, frankly, he'd very much like to forget about the whole mess.

[Elbeyon]

Love gives a hearty laugh over silent comms. "I want to be around for a long long long time."

She fidgets a little. "Alright. I'll let Rose deliver the message." Love would have preferred to give Queen Chrysalis' apology since Rose might use the chance to complain at Scope. She wanted to give the message in a more pleasant manner. She mentally sighs. Maybe, Rose will forget the message entirely.

"You know how time travel is a thing. Did you know there are other dimensions or parallel worlds too?"

[D.KnightSpider]

"... No." Sniper admits. He falls silent as he absorbs the implications of this statement. "And I'm guessing that you've learned this from first hoof experience?"

[Elbeyon]

"Oh." Love says a little surprised, more at herself than his answer. "That would be the expected answer. My question was rather strange..." Equestria can be strange at times.

"Yep! I had some first hoof experience." Scope might be having some critical thoughts of her now. She shouldn't have any need to worry...

She takes some cable out of her bag and plugs into her computer. She offers him two jack ends for his goggles and earbuds. "I can show you visual and audio of my experience if you want." They might be talking over short-range silent comms, but it's harder to get more secure than a physical connection.

[D.KnightSpider]

Alternate dimensions...? This had all the makings of an existential crisis. Sniper accepts the wire and connects it to his HUD/Comm.

"I'm ready. Well, almost. What's the context of the video?" He asks.

[Elbeyon]

Love plugs a cable into her neck. She starts talking to him over the optic, "I may have done something that drew the attention of a time traveler whose time traveling created a target of sorts which caused a malfunctioning dimensional teleporter to accidentally draw me through into another dimension." She gives a devilish smirk at the explanation. She may have had fun saying that. "It'll be video of me sightseeing and some friends."

[D.KnightSpider]

"Um. Okay." Sniper's more than a bit hesitant about this prospect.

"Is this a prank?" He hasn't ruled out that it's a prank.

[Elbeyon]

Love vigorously shakes her head. The optic in her neck bends to her movements. "This would be taking a prank way too far. I prefer my odd occasion prank to end with everyone having a laugh, and I don't have a punchline prepared."

"You should remember this one." Love shows a picture of the blue box Crow Locke was guarding up on Tartarus. "Doctor Whooves and Derpy Hooves paid me another visit." She shows him a place he should recognize. It's her fishbowl lab. The box is in the middle of her office. The two ponies and a few loves are there nearby it. It looks like they're talking over some tea and muffins. Love is sitting at her desk and talking to Doctor Whooves. "That's the day everything started, and I didn't even realize it!"

[D.KnightSpider]

"So that's what Crow Locke was hiding. I forgot about that, actually."

Sniper watches the feed.

"Alright... so you met a time traveler. Did he take you on this inter-dimensional jaunt as well?"

[Elbeyon]

Love taps her chin. "I should have asked Dr. Whooves how they knew each other. That must be an interesting story!"

"We went back in time to watch Sweetie Belle's opera with Princess Luna and Princess Celestia. I did anyways. I sort of lost track of Dr. Whooves and Derpy before we reunited." She chuckles over the wire without her mouth or voicebox moving at all. "I think they had an entirely different adventure. My inter-dimensional jaunt was some time later."

"A LoveBot 'disappeared', and I had trouble connecting to it. When I finally did connect I woke up face to face with this beautiful person." Love shows him video of Drex performing his physical on Love. Love is careful not to show off the Power Ponies secret base. Love smiles real big. "That's Drex. He is a super genius scientist raptor. He works behind the scenes and helps out the Power Ponies."

"The Power Ponies are my good friends and superheroes that fight crime and save the world (on occasion)! There is the beautiful Mysterious Masked Matter-horn!" Love shows a picture of her in costume flying majestically through the air. "The scientific Radiance!" A portrait view of her shows as she is super excited by some curiousity. "The psychic Mare-velous!" Love has a very high quality shot of her looking at Love. The pictures continue after each name. "The courageous Zapp! She reminded me a lot of a wonderbolt. The super fast Fillisecond! The impossibly strong Saddle Rager! The heart of the power ponies Humdrum!" She smirks. "Gumdrop was there too on unrelated business. He is a really good cook and baker. He showed me a couple of recipes!"

"Together, They guard Maretropolis! A cultural and technological marvel!" Love shows a wide-angle shot of the city as she scans the horizon and takes in all the sights. She looks around at shops. She focuses in on ponies. She looks up at the sky. Her eyes seem to excitedly taken in all the sights in a semi-rapid progression.

[D.KnightSpider]

Sniper takes the entire display and spends several long moments processing it. If it is a prank, then it's an elaborate one. But a world of super heroes? Really?

"Yeah. That's... that's really something there."

Does not compute.

[Elbeyon]

Love looks to the side. "It is a little weird. Every place is different." Equestria was pretty weird to her too at first.

She looks back down and smiles. "The Power Ponies and friends were really nice!"

[D.KnightSpider]

"I guess it's a good thing that they were nice. Otherwise you might not have made it back in one piece." Sniper says.

He shakes his head and decides to file the information under 'Not To Be Considered'.

"You don't have any plans to go hopping through other dimensions, do you?"

[Elbeyon]

"I wasn't in too much danger. There was a hacker on the loose that could have caused me trouble, but Fluttershy had a real quick talk with him before anything like that happened. Ah! Fluttershy and Discord were there too and we couldn't have done what we did without them." She chuckles again without her throat moving. "I suppose that goes without saying with an Element and Discord." Love gives him some video of Discord giving the plants spots and Fluttershy flying ponies to safety during the townhall battle.

She taps her chin at his question. "I've been thinking about travelling. Time travel is messy when it comes to interfering with your own timeline, but it should be relatively safe if I'm cautious. Traveling to other dimensions sounds really exciting though! I might want to become a Jumper and hop around." She laughs. "Of course, I'll have to invent both Time Travel and Dimensional Travel myself! It's sort of like earning your own wings. I know its possible now, and that's the biggest help. Plus, I got a very useful clue from Drex!" She smiles real big.

[D.KnightSpider]

Sniper chuckles.

"What, the problems of this universe aren't enough for you? Are you setting out to become some sort of benevolent inter-dimensional overlord?

"At least your adventure went well. I'll leave the dimensional traveling to other ponies, though."

[Elbeyon]

Love chuckles. "I'm never going to run out of trouble no matter where I go."

She puts a hoof up to her mouth and laughs over the wire. "Maybe, I should! I've never tried my hoof at being overlord. I might find a calling." She puts her hoofs on the table and looks down at him. "Wouldn't that be something?"

"I'll need to figure out how to travel between dimensions. I don't have the magic, and the technology is beyond me for now. If I found a nice place to visit, would you want to come?"

[D.KnightSpider]

"Maybe it would be something. Provided that you don't set up some sort of elaborate dungeon proving grounds to find worthy champions. Only a mad overlord would do that."

Sniper looks back at the feed. He doesn't respond right away but collects his thoughts.

"I don't know, Love. I'd have to think about it before leaving the home dimension. I just... don't know. But if this is something that you want to do, then more power to you."

[Elbeyon]

Love keeps her hoof near her mouth and laughs. "Though that might be entertaining and provide some enjoyable memories for the champions, they might not want to consider working under someone who put them through the Trails of Love. I'd probably stick to traditional hiring methods. If I do look into that sort of profession, I'd finally have my excuse to build my spaceship! I'd need a mobile base to travel the dimensions. I so want my spaceship."

"Sounds reasonable. I still need to smooth out the details." Of course, the decision to leave isn't as simple as the desire to check out a new place. "I have a lot to do on my list, but it's on there somewhere. It's a busy year." She taps her chin.

[D.KnightSpider]

Sniper stops and squints at Love.

"Did you actually get that reference or were you amused at the convolution? Anyway, good luck getting Star to abandon the Thunderbird for your spaceship."

He slowly stands.

"Well, be careful. Pandora's box and all that. And... we should get back to work. This furniture won't move itself."

[Elbeyon]

Love scratches her cheek. "I was amused by the convoluted idea. It's not that strange of an idea. I've known groups that do entrance rituals. What was the reference?"

Love says amused, "Good point. I can't imagine in this world Star would give up the Thunderbird. Even if Star let me put my hoofs on her baby, the EDF has regulations about unapproved modifications. Something about the mechanics not being familiar with modifications to the standard blueprint or the design not being tried and true to function. The rules are very strict."

"Before we get back to work, there is something I need to give you." Love sends a file over the wire to his data chip. "I did have another run in with Discord and he told me something interesting. It's something you might want to spend some time mulling over. All done." Scope can disconnect if he wants, and Love will take her cables back.

[D.KnightSpider]

"Ah." Figured. Then again, it was a pretty obscure reference. "I was referring to Wizardry 1. You can look it up."

Sniper takes the chip and reviews the footage. He provides the usual customary frown and then hands Love her cable.

"I'd say that an important development and I have no idea how to exploit it. I'll have to think it over."

[Elbeyon]

Love unplugs the cables from her computer and takes the cable out of her neck to pack away for future use.

She hopes Scope is able to use the information and at least he knows what she knows now.

She goes back to holding the table for Scope as he takes the legs off.

"Oh, I'll look it up." Love does a quick search on the game. She skims a few lines in the summary. "Ah! That's really interesting! Wow, it's a treasure." She asks Scope, "Do you like video games? Holo games?"

[D.KnightSpider]

Sniper resumes dismantling tables.

"To be honest, I'm not really a video game fan. Especially the violent ones. They hit too close to home."

For the first time, the idea of trying to use VR to blow off steam manifests and with it comes the old predatory hunger. Sniper puts a hoof to his head and groans. That was a significantly less than helpful inspiration. There had been too many triggers for that vice lately.

Keep it together, Scope.

[Elbeyon]

Love seems to focus on his comment. "They aren't for everyone." Love likes them, obviously, but she'll let the video game topic go.

She looks down and asks in concern, "Are you alright?"

[D.KnightSpider]

"Yeah. Just realizing an idea is a bad one, that's all." Sniper says.

"Part of it is growing up I didn't have a lot of access to video games and the like. My mother considered them low-brow and my father was too busy putting me through basic training. I saw a few old titles, like Wizardry, a time or two. Just... never quite caught the knack, y'know?"

[Elbeyon]

Still concerned, she says with hesitation, "You seem to have a hoof on it." He does have a hoof on his head.

"Yeah, I can see never catching that knack." Love didn't even grow up with power so video games were out. "Did you grow up with other entertainment that your mother didn't consider low-brow? Basic training growing up must have been difficult. A few old goodies adds an air of culture." Love smiles. "I wonder if Melody ever played video games."

[D.KnightSpider]

"At least there's that." Sniper says.

"I somehow doubt that Merry has played Video Games. That seems like a strictly Equestrian thing." His tone is light enough not to be entirely serious. "Most of what we had were more classical in nature. Music. Arts. That sort of thing.

"Equestria is pretty bleeding edge, remember, much moreso than the neck of the Prench woods that my mother calls home. I think she was a bit intimidated by all the tech and whatnot. My father was always afraid that I'd turn into a mass murderer so his solution was basic training. He always expected me to go military anyway... "

He falls silent and puts his energy into undoing a table leg.

[Elbeyon]

Love smirks. "We didn't really have the power to waste if we had ever gotten one off a ship or airship. I know Octavia's special pony was heavily into electronics. I should spend more time with her since neither of us sleep."

"Ah, you grew up with the classical arts. The experience seems fantastical to me." Love knew he enjoyed art at the least. "Do you paint or sculpt? I'd love to swap music with you sometime. Do you have any favorite music? Octavia's music at the Roost was pretty great."

Love, "hm,"'s in agreement with the Equestria observation. "I can imagine why your mother might be intimidated. There is always something new, and everything is always quickly changing. There are countless things a pony would never know about without happenstance. That is discomforting to people. Do you know of any of her art online?"

She heard something really personal and sensitive! What should she do!? She has to try her best not to put her hoof in her mouth. She looks down at him. She carefully says, "That must have been hard. How did you handle that?" She thins her lips. "I understand if you've said all you want to say. I don't want to push you. It's seems like a tough subject. I'm here anytime to listen."

[D.KnightSpider]

"Oh, you meant that Melody. I was thinking of the wrong one." Sniper admits. "She doesn't strike me as the video game type either."

"Writing as close to the arts as I ever came. You don't need much by way of supplies and there's generally always a word processor or paper nearby so it was an easy hobby to enjoy. In terms of music, I'm fond of
the Grande Polonaise Brilliante."

"I don't know what happened to my mother's old art. She was never very famous so I doubt there's much demand. There might be a bit of it on a smaller auction site or something, but I've never thought to look it up."

Sniper worms his way out from under the table and stands upright. "I think that's the last one. I should check in with Rose to see what else she has for us to do."

There's no mention of his parental interactions, so it's a topic that's not up for discussion.

[Elbeyon]

"It's a fine art to practice. Piano and orchestra, huh? A great choice. I enjoy that type of music as well. Anything with a lot of skilled instrument work does it for me."

"Ah, alright." Love probably won't look up Scope's mother's art without some type of prompt.

She watches him stand up and holds the table closely to prevent any accidents. "I'm all done with the game pieces. Everything is packed, nice and secure." Once he is stood up and ready to see Rose, she puts her forehoofs together. "Good luck. I'm not going anywhere."

[D.KnightSpider]

Sniper hesitates as self-awareness informs him that he's being a jerk. He needs to start meeting his Squadmates halfway, at least.

"If you want to dig into my parent's history or mother's art then you can. There's not much to find, though." He extends a hoof to Love. "It was good talking to you."

[Elbeyon]

Love doesn't know how to respondent to his prying comment. "I'll keep that in mind."

She extends her hoof in kind with a smile. The physical contact should be brief. A quick shake and she says, "Good!" She jokes, "We should do it again sometime. I'd like that."

[D.KnightSpider]

"Yeah. I think we should." Sniper says.

And then, he takes off for the next assignment.