Fallout Equestria: Pie and Predation

[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.

[Roll Perception.]

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

Spoiler

Show

roll]1d10[/roll] 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.

Spoiler

Show

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."