Cloudbreak IC: Glimpse of the sky

[TheAmishPirate]

<Is it so wrong for me to want to give you more than you have? To offer you power, command? You've more and earned it.> Tossing her head with a frustrated whicker, she added, <I simply cannot see it being harmful for you to be able to state you have my official blessing in your action. Nevertheless, I can see you are not happy with this gift. I shall make sure to find one more appropriate to your temperament.>

Y'know what's cool? Turns out if you park on a memory long enough, the line between memory and thought blurs. Are you hearing the words that somepony spoke to you a while ago, or are you repeating it back to yourself in their voice? Who knows! The Scrapscallion certainly doesn't, and maybe that's why you hear your own frantic, desperate voice come back to you:

<You don't want this. I don't want this. But how do you all feel about being a Lieutenant?>

It was shortly followed by a hesitant Scrapscallion. <Yeah, that's...that's real generous of you, Your Highness.> Real, realllllllll generous, planned in advance, and divorced from current emergencies. Because you just said so, of course.

<Look, maybe you figure out what you want this thing to be, and until then I tell ponies that Princess Starlight Glimmer thinks the Scrapscallion is a cool guy. I gotta go plan some things, catch up with you in a sec.>

"Have you had much to do with the Enclave since the cloud curtain fell?" countered the Pegasus, as you head towards the armoury. "They're not in one base anymore. They're scattered all over the Waste."

"Place like this is a satellite outpost at best. You blow it up, they'll care yeah. They'll come looking eventually. But it's not going to stop their war machine, not when it's been spun up like this."

What do you do?

"And if we had the time to pull a job like that out our butts, we wouldn't need to hit this base in the first place." The Scrapscallion continued the thought. "So, a lot bigger than the punks I usually run into. But deep down, in their heart of hearts? They're still punks." He nodded sagely. "When spooked, their first instinct is to check their math, and that's the kind of breathing room we could use."

"You seem to know these guys pretty well. What spooks the Enclave?" He asked the Pegasus. "I'll also take 'gets them really really mad', because that'd work too." And it sounded like the perfect thing to blow off some mid-mission steam.

[Thanqol]

You can't see anything.

That is, until the dust swirls around something big.

And you spot prints the ground. Heading towards you. You can't see much, but it looks like an elongated hoof, with a single talon in front. Big enough for a pony four or five times your size.

What do you do?

Run away obvio -

Luminark let out a breath. Run away to where? This was already away! This was the most away away he was ever going to get and there wasn't anywhere further away he could go! And besides - he was committed to making this place something and that wasn't going to happen if he gave up and broke from the first monster attack...

He picked up a stool from a nearby table in his magic and levitated it above his head. "Stop right where you are!" he said, brandishing it.

[Elanorin]

A slightly burnt hoof knocked on the door to the Archmage's office.

She'd said she wanted to talk to her when she had a moment and Milliway figured now was as good a moment as any. She had wasted too much time already trying to repair the countless fractured pieces of her hotwired communicator link to the Peregrine. Her bare and scarred face was wet from the failure, and from the realisation of being too late to say what mattered most.

Somewhere on the eastern side of the library lay the scattered pieces of what once was her mask, her most private shield against the world, amidst the metal, glass and rubber confetti that were all that remained from the probably priceless other items she'd sacrificed in her call for help.

Only... it wasn't supposed to have been a call for help.

Not really.

It had turned in to that, because she took too long, because she hadn't been strong enough to ask for what she really needed.

"Archmage?" Milliway asked, her voice raw and uncertain. She remembered that last she saw Moondancer she'd been up to some pretty major Magic and cold shivers went down her spine at the mere thought of what it may do.

[BlasTech]

There, do you see? Ponies, observing the proper respect due to the Administrator. Perhaps it may be worth collecting a few samples on the way home. Not only would it diversify the gene pool, but also introduce new ideas into a staid research environment.

Then again, new ideas can also be harmful. Just look at what one non-standard pony like Luminark did with his extra bit of freedom.

Regardless. I am here for a sample of necromantic cloud, am I not? So that Ooky Spooky can tear my soul apart and necromantically bind my pieces back together, as you do. And, now that I think about it, it would be quite useful to search the Pink One's lair for any potential mind-altering substances, techniques, or tools, as when I return I shall have some work on my hands to restore my rule.

What's your approach here? Are you going to take your time, scope out the place and see what you can find? Or is it just a barrel-run straight to the Minister's office.

One will involve reading a sitch, but might mean you're slow enough for something to catch you.

The other is a straight up AUF to barrel through whatever defences are still active, but if you pull it off you'll be in and out quickly.

"And if we had the time to pull a job like that out our butts, we wouldn't need to hit this base in the first place." The Scrapscallion continued the thought. "So, a lot bigger than the punks I usually run into. But deep down, in their heart of hearts? They're still punks." He nodded sagely. "When spooked, their first instinct is to check their math, and that's the kind of breathing room we could use."

"You seem to know these guys pretty well. What spooks the Enclave?" He asked the Pegasus. "I'll also take 'gets them really really mad', because that'd work too." And it sounded like the perfect thing to blow off some mid-mission steam.

"They're already spooked." replied the Pegasus. "Ever since the Day of Rainbows tore open the cloud curtain, they've been living with a knife to their neck. They're probably thinking that any day now, they'll wake up to a clear sky. No clouds means no cloud cities. Means no cloud crops or cloud ships. Means no Enclave."

"I guess that's why they're attacking your Bunker, if they think there might be something there that might either get them back in control of the weather. Or if they think there's something there that might be used against them …"

"As for making them mad? You'd have to take down one of their senior commanders, or something as big as a Raptor-class cloudship, for them to pay you attention. But that attention comes with lots of plasma too so, y'know, your funeral."

What do you do?

Run away obvio -

Luminark let out a breath. Run away to where? This was already away! This was the most away away he was ever going to get and there wasn't anywhere further away he could go! And besides - he was committed to making this place something and that wasn't going to happen if he gave up and broke from the first monster attack...

He picked up a stool from a nearby table in his magic and levitated it above his head. "Stop right where you are!" he said, brandishing it.

The ripple in the smoke stops and swirls, you get the sense that it's crouching down to your height. There's a brief intake of air, before you're hit with halitosis at two hundred decibels.

*ROAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRR*

While I admire your courage Luminark, are you really planning to yell at this thing into submission?

IF so, uh … go aggro?

[TheAmishPirate]

"They're already spooked." replied the Pegasus. "Ever since the Day of Rainbows tore open the cloud curtain, they've been living with a knife to their neck. They're probably thinking that any day now, they'll wake up to a clear sky. No clouds means no cloud cities. Means no cloud crops or cloud ships. Means no Enclave."

"I guess that's why they're attacking your Bunker, if they think there might be something there that might either get them back in control of the weather. Or if they think there's something there that might be used against them …"

"As for making them mad? You'd have to take down one of their senior commanders, or something as big as a Raptor-class cloudship, for them to pay you attention. But that attention comes with lots of plasma too so, y'know, your funeral."

What do you do?

The Scrapscallion can spin miracles out of straw, but gosh, it sure does help if he's not already grasping at them.

"What about that pegasus in the wacky armor we saw earlier? Is that a senior officer? Would they care if something scandalous happened to her?" C'mon, give him something he can work with here!

[Thanqol]

The ripple in the smoke stops and swirls, you get the sense that it's crouching down to your height. There's a brief intake of air, before you're hit with halitosis at two hundred decibels.

*ROAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRR*

While I admire your courage Luminark, are you really planning to yell at this thing into submission?

IF so, uh … go aggro?

Luminark is planning to do exactly that.

He literally has no other ideas. He is stupid, panicking, coming up with hair-brained schemes he doesn't have the magic to pull off, that rely on allies or political games he doesn't have, or involve running away. But he can't do any of those things! He is a ridiculous little pony who has, for the first time, a friend - a friend who makes dresses and who he isn't going to abandon to the mystery invisible claw hoof thing. He will stand his ground because he has nowhere to go and nowhere to run and gosh darn it he will kick and bite and struggle all the way down because this is worth something, Celestia damn it! "Do your worst you son of a bitch!" Luminark screams right back at it, ignoring the spittle soaking his coat. He'll charge it with his horn and bare hooves if he has to.

[Go aggro at a 12, and it's advanced, so uh.]

[BlasTech]

Right. Milliway. It's been a while, but things are under a very limited level of control right now.

I mean, at least the door is locked. And the monsters that behind it are on your side.

For now, there is little left except for you and your thoughts.

And House of course, although the AI appears to have gone silent for some reason.

What do you do?

The Scrapscallion can spin miracles out of straw, but gosh, it sure does help if he's not already grasping at them.

"What about that pegasus in the wacky armor we saw earlier? Is that a senior officer? Would they care if something scandalous happened to her?" C'mon, give him something he can work with here!

"That'd be General Camber." replied the Pegasus, not sure if she likes where you're going with this. "She's high ranking enough to be the base commander here and the marefriend of Admiral Bellwether. So, yeah, the Enclave would care about her"

"... just what are you planning?"

What do you say?

Luminark is planning to do exactly that.

He literally has no other ideas. He is stupid, panicking, coming up with hair-brained schemes he doesn't have the magic to pull off, that rely on allies or political games he doesn't have, or involve running away. But he can't do any of those things! He is a ridiculous little pony who has, for the first time, a friend - a friend who makes dresses and who he isn't going to abandon to the mystery invisible claw hoof thing. He will stand his ground because he has nowhere to go and nowhere to run and gosh darn it he will kick and bite and struggle all the way down because this is worth something, Celestia damn it! "Do your worst you son of a bitch!" Luminark screams right back at it, ignoring the spittle soaking his coat. He'll charge it with his horn and bare hooves if he has to.

[Go aggro at a 12, and it's advanced, so uh.]

The air warps around you - your rage made manifest. It springs from you with physical force, slamming whatever this creature is into the wall of the house across from you with enough force to bow it in.

You've no clue where the power came from, perhaps it is some facet of this strange place.

In either case, the monster emits a hollow bellow of fear, sadness and pain. You spot its strange hoofprints in the dirt as it scrabbles back, but from the sound of it, it's not in any hurry to come close to you. In fact, it seems to be limping away.

What do you do?

[Thanqol]

The air warps around you - your rage made manifest. It springs from you with physical force, slamming whatever this creature is into the wall of the house across from you with enough force to bow it in.

You've no clue where the power came from, perhaps it is some facet of this strange place.

In either case, the monster emits a hollow bellow of fear, sadness and pain. You spot its strange hoofprints in the dirt as it scrabbles back, but from the sound of it, it's not in any hurry to come close to you. In fact, it seems to be limping away.

What do you do?

Luminark takes a shuddering breath. His knees are shaking. His heart is pounding. He's been afraid before but not like this - not the kind of afraid where he stands and faces it. He still can't believe that he did that - that he did something that suicidal - that brave. That he actually fought for something. And that he didn't...

His brain is swamped. Suddenly everything is there at once - millions of pages of books, advice, rules, philosophy. Stuff that he appreciated as intellectual curiosities and interesting what-ifs all suddenly pulsing in his adrenaline soaked head. He had no idea what to do with a victory because he'd never won anything that felt like a victory before and his stunned mind was turning to stupid old books for advice because it had nowhere else to turn.

"Wait. You can stay," he said in the disbelieving voice of someone who didn't quite believe the words coming from his lips, "but only if you behave yourself. Do you understand?"

[TheAmishPirate]

"That'd be General Camber." replied the Pegasus, not sure if she likes where you're going with this. "She's high ranking enough to be the base commander here and the marefriend of Admiral Bellwether. So, yeah, the Enclave would care about her"

"... just what are you planning?"

What do you say?

Oh ho ho ho

"A lesson in surprises." The Scrapscallion tapped his muzzle schemefully. "I'm not gonna point the Enclave at me. I'm gonna point the Enclave at her." And do that, he needed just one more vital tidbit of information:

"This General Camber; is she a mares-only sorta pony, or does she dabble in stallions?"

[Balmas]

It was shortly followed by a hesitant Scrapscallion. <Yeah, that's...that's real generous of you, Your Highness.> Real, realllllllll generous, planned in advance, and divorced from current emergencies. Because you just said so, of course.

<Yeah.> Crap. <You. You, uh, you do that.> Double crap, and also how dare he. Oh, there will be a reckoning, little pony, be assured of that. Doubt her, will he? She'll show him. She'll stuff rewards so far down his throat, he won't be able to burp without rewards coming up.

What's your approach here? Are you going to take your time, scope out the place and see what you can find? Or is it just a barrel-run straight to the Minister's office.

One will involve reading a sitch, but might mean you're slow enough for something to catch you.

The other is a straight up AUF to barrel through whatever defences are still active, but if you pull it off you'll be in and out quickly.

Oh, please. It's been two hundred years since the megaspells. Anything that could provide a meaningful opposition to The Administrator, Head Chief President Princess In Charge of Everything, is long gone.

Then again, it's been two hundred years in Canterlot, and this is the department of the Pink Psycho. She probably had something installed just to spite Starlight. Slow and steady is the name of the game.

9. What's my best way through the various defenses?

[Elanorin]

Right. Milliway. It's been a while, but things are under a very limited level of control right now.

I mean, at least the door is locked. And the monsters that behind it are on your side.

For now, there is little left except for you and your thoughts.

And House of course, although the AI appears to have gone silent for some reason.

What do you do?

Good point, he has been awfully silent.

"Uh, House?"

"House?" she tried to think of something to ask as an excuse to check on him. Maybe he was just distracted, focusing on securing the Library.

"How... uh, what's the status of our defences?"

[BlasTech]

Luminark takes a shuddering breath. His knees are shaking. His heart is pounding. He's been afraid before but not like this - not the kind of afraid where he stands and faces it. He still can't believe that he did that - that he did something that suicidal - that brave. That he actually fought for something. And that he didn't...

His brain is swamped. Suddenly everything is there at once - millions of pages of books, advice, rules, philosophy. Stuff that he appreciated as intellectual curiosities and interesting what-ifs all suddenly pulsing in his adrenaline soaked head. He had no idea what to do with a victory because he'd never won anything that felt like a victory before and his stunned mind was turning to stupid old books for advice because it had nowhere else to turn.

"Wait. You can stay," he said in the disbelieving voice of someone who didn't quite believe the words coming from his lips, "but only if you behave yourself. Do you understand?"

The ripple in the air shudders, pulling away from you and demolishing another wall in the process.

Its scream, shows the reasoning. This thing is terrified of you.

Do you want to try to manipulate it?

Oh ho ho ho

"A lesson in surprises." The Scrapscallion tapped his muzzle schemefully. "I'm not gonna point the Enclave at me. I'm gonna point the Enclave at her." And do that, he needed just one more vital tidbit of information:

"This General Camber; is she a mares-only sorta pony, or does she dabble in stallions?"

"Officially, mares. Population controls above the clouds." explains the pegasus "It gives preferential promotion and that's before she shacked up with the Admiral."

"In reality, I have no idea. Could be both or either." she continued, narrowing her eyes on you.

What do you do?

Oh, please. It's been two hundred years since the megaspells. Anything that could provide a meaningful opposition to The Administrator, Head Chief President Princess In Charge of Everything, is long gone.

Then again, it's been two hundred years in Canterlot, and this is the department of the Pink Psycho. She probably had something installed just to spite Starlight. Slow and steady is the name of the game.

9. What's my best way through the various defenses?

Poking your way along the corridors, you realise soon that rushing in headlong would have been painful and potentially deadly even to yourself. It starts when you round a corner and your horn seizes up in pain, a red mist descending over your eyes until you stumble back the way you came. Once back in the clear, you blink away sudden tears of red as you recognise the threat.

Broadcasters.

There must have been an old PA system set up in the atrium outside the Ministry Mare's office. A magical speaker or something that has since been corrupted by Pink Cloud into spewing necromantic death.

The corridor to the Ministry Mare's office is a death trap and magic isn't going to save the day. Broadcasters can attack unicorn and alicorn alike through their horns.

Your best way through is to head down to the generators and kill the power. Once that's done, you'll be able to access the office.

What do you do?

Good point, he has been awfully silent.

"Uh, House?"

"House?" she tried to think of something to ask as an excuse to check on him. Maybe he was just distracted, focusing on securing the Library.

"How... uh, what's the status of our defences?"

The reply was a few moments in coming.

"They're … well they're okay, Milliw- ma'am" replied House.

"I mean, they could always be more, but thankfully whoever's outside hasn't tried too hard to get in here."

[Thanqol]

The ripple in the air shudders, pulling away from you and demolishing another wall in the process.

Its scream, shows the reasoning. This thing is terrified of you.

Do you want to try to manipulate it?

"It's all right," said Luminark, still unable to shake the 'what the hell am I doing' from his thoughts. "Look, you can't go around roaring at ponies, okay? It's not nice when you do it, and now you know it's not nice when I do it. So let's neither of us do it, okay? Why don't you," I have gone actually insane, that is what is happening, "come and join me and Rarity at our tea party for the post apocalypse?"

[Manipulate: 7]

[Elanorin]

The reply was a few moments in coming.

"They're … well they're okay, Milliw- ma'am" replied House.

"I mean, they could always be more, but thankfully whoever's outside hasn't tried too hard to get in here."

Milliway blinked.

Since when did House hesitate?

Since when did he call her by name?

Since when did he use the completely nonspecific word 'okay'?

Since when did he make a mistake and corrected himself?

As weird as all that was... the weirdest of all was that she actually quite liked him calling her Milliway.

However, there was a significant chance that House, and the Library, had been compromised judging by this evidence and Milliway made a beeline for the central control room that held the core processors that she had uploaded House into.

[TheAmishPirate]

"Officially, mares. Population controls above the clouds." explains the pegasus "It gives preferential promotion and that's before she shacked up with the Admiral."

"In reality, I have no idea. Could be both or either." she continued, narrowing her eyes on you.

What do you do?

“Alright, alright, I can work with that.” The Scrapscallion shrugged. “Plan B: We frame her. Plan A…”

To spare the world a great many incredulous stares and “no no hear me out”’s, allow me to present to you the Scrapscallion’s plan as it stands:

1. Wait in General Camber’s quarters for her to come back. The Scrapscallion will be lying in the middle of the floor, tied and gagged. The Pegasus will be hiding nearby with an audio recorder (c’mon, you can’t go two steps in these old facilities without tripping over one of those) and the shocky stick.
2. When General Camber returns, she’ll naturally go interrogate the Scrapscallion, giving him a chance to ply his charms against her armored heart.
3. The Scrapscallion bamboozles her into partaking in highly illegal Grounder kisses. All of which will be recorded by the Pegasus.
4. Once they’ve got their evidence, and she’s completely distracted, the Pegasus knocks her out with the shocky stick.
5. Using the authorization codes and the ID of the guard they knocked out earlier, they send a message to the Admiral + Enclave fleet, accusing General Camber of heinous crimes. They make it sound real urgent, like maybe this is some ring of Grounder Smooch traffickers infesting the Enclave, and how their snooping might have been discovered. That way, when the Enclave comes to investigate, whoops! The guard who made that report has mysteriously disappeared! Highly suspicious…
6. Resume prison break, assured that the Enclave will be too angry to immediately attack, and all their rage will be directed at the wrong pony.

And if she’s not into stallions? Then they just skip to step 4, fake some evidence, and carry on as normal.

Sound good?

[BlasTech]

"It's all right," said Luminark, still unable to shake the 'what the hell am I doing' from his thoughts. "Look, you can't go around roaring at ponies, okay? It's not nice when you do it, and now you know it's not nice when I do it. So let's neither of us do it, okay? Why don't you," I have gone actually insane, that is what is happening, "come and join me and Rarity at our tea party for the post apocalypse?"

[Manipulate: 7]

The creature continues to howl, and a thick track of dirt is slowly ploughed as it turns to face you. The tone changes slightly, almost as if it has asked a question through its pain.

It might trust you, eventually, but for it needs something concrete to believe. Or it's going to continue to run.

What do you do?

Milliway blinked.

Since when did House hesitate?

Since when did he call her by name?

Since when did he use the completely nonspecific word 'okay'?

Since when did he make a mistake and corrected himself?

As weird as all that was... the weirdest of all was that she actually quite liked him calling her Milliway.

However, there was a significant chance that House, and the Library, had been compromised judging by this evidence and Milliway made a beeline for the central control room that held the core processors that she had uploaded House into.

Tell me Milliway, what does this control room look like? Is it all processor banks and cooling? Is it the old rig, just moved from your workshop to the library?

And where is the Crystal Heart in all of this?

“Alright, alright, I can work with that.” The Scrapscallion shrugged. “Plan B: We frame her. Plan A…”

To spare the world a great many incredulous stares and “no no hear me out”’s, allow me to present to you the Scrapscallion’s plan as it stands:

1. Wait in General Camber’s quarters for her to come back. The Scrapscallion will be lying in the middle of the floor, tied and gagged. The Pegasus will be hiding nearby with an audio recorder (c’mon, you can’t go two steps in these old facilities without tripping over one of those) and the shocky stick.
2. When General Camber returns, she’ll naturally go interrogate the Scrapscallion, giving him a chance to ply his charms against her armored heart.
3. The Scrapscallion bamboozles her into partaking in highly illegal Grounder kisses. All of which will be recorded by the Pegasus.
4. Once they’ve got their evidence, and she’s completely distracted, the Pegasus knocks her out with the shocky stick.
5. Using the authorization codes and the ID of the guard they knocked out earlier, they send a message to the Admiral + Enclave fleet, accusing General Camber of heinous crimes. They make it sound real urgent, like maybe this is some ring of Grounder Smooch traffickers infesting the Enclave, and how their snooping might have been discovered. That way, when the Enclave comes to investigate, whoops! The guard who made that report has mysteriously disappeared! Highly suspicious…
6. Resume prison break, assured that the Enclave will be too angry to immediately attack, and all their rage will be directed at the wrong pony.

And if she’s not into stallions? Then they just skip to step 4, fake some evidence, and carry on as normal.

Sound good?

Sounds … horrible, actually. As well as terrible and incredibly immoral.

Wonder and disgust both fight their way across the pegaus' face as you describe the plan. It's like a chariot wreck. You can't stop looking at it, you can't turn away as it happens.

And you can't really stop it once it's in motion.

The two of you make your way to the General's quarters, which end up not being too far from her office. Natch. I mean, who wants to walk any further to work than she has to.

Clearly the old Warden's room, there's a mirror, dresser, a few other cupboards and closets - all rotting with age.

The bed is new, as is the rack for holding a suit of Enclave power armour. Clearly from above, as evidenced by the cloud-terminal connected to them.

Now … you've got your rope, you've got your recorder. You've got a few minutes before the General is likely to come back.

What do you do?

[BlasTech]

The creature gives a pitiful wail before fading into view.

It's bipedal, a huge furred body suspended on two twisted legs that end in a claw-toed hoof. Giant eyes and a fang-filled mouth round out what any normal pony would call an abomination. And it would be very simple to label it as nothing more than a monster, something crafted in this weird realm between realities - unthinking, unfeeling and unnatural.

But the eyes it turns on you are full of pain and fear.

Its coat smokes from deep burns, wounds brought on by whatever it was you did when you unleashed your rage at it. One of its legs drags behind itself, useless, as it tries to push away. Your eyes can't help but trace the scars. Wounds you inflicted. What does that mean to you?

Its appearance also begets a dozen questions; what is it? where did it come from? what does it want and why did it attack the village? Are there more of it out there?

And, most importantly, if you want to establish this settlement properly (let alone bring it back to the material world) how do you do protect it?

What do you do?

[Balmas]

Poking your way along the corridors, you realise soon that rushing in headlong would have been painful and potentially deadly even to yourself. It starts when you round a corner and your horn seizes up in pain, a red mist descending over your eyes until you stumble back the way you came. Once back in the clear, you blink away sudden tears of red as you recognise the threat.

Broadcasters.

There must have been an old PA system set up in the atrium outside the Ministry Mare's office. A magical speaker or something that has since been corrupted by Pink Cloud into spewing necromantic death.

The corridor to the Ministry Mare's office is a death trap and magic isn't going to save the day. Broadcasters can attack unicorn and alicorn alike through their horns.

Your best way through is to head down to the generators and kill the power. Once that's done, you'll be able to access the office.

What do you do?

Starlight grits her teeth. It can never be simple, but at least engineering is well within her wheelhouse. She goes looking for the basement, but while she's doing that, she's poring through the skeletons of ponies long dead, searching for one that might have an intact weapon--a pistol, an assault rifle, a magic energy weapon for preference--so long as it's something that she can hold. If this is an area where her horn can potentially be disabled, she wants something she can use to pop broadcasters from a distance.

[TheAmishPirate]

Sounds … horrible, actually. As well as terrible and incredibly immoral.

Wonder and disgust both fight their way across the pegaus' face as you describe the plan. It's like a chariot wreck. You can't stop looking at it, you can't turn away as it happens.

And you can't really stop it once it's in motion.

The two of you make your way to the General's quarters, which end up not being too far from her office. Natch. I mean, who wants to walk any further to work than she has to.

Clearly the old Warden's room, there's a mirror, dresser, a few other cupboards and closets - all rotting with age.

The bed is new, as is the rack for holding a suit of Enclave power armour. Clearly from above, as evidenced by the cloud-terminal connected to them.

Now … you've got your rope, you've got your recorder. You've got a few minutes before the General is likely to come back.

What do you do?

Just 10% of the time is spent on getting the Pegasus hidden. She’s a pro, she knows what’s up, this is no biggie for her.

The same can’t be said for her rope-tying skills, which take up a whopping 80% of the time. Yes, the Scrapscallion knows that there’s more efficient knots. No, it wouldn’t be a good idea to use a standard hog-tie. Look, does he tell you how to do your job? Then maybe you should just trust him when he tells you the secret ways to tie somebody up attractive-like. Leave it to the expert here.

The last 10%, it’s too late to stop.

All they can do is wait.

[Elanorin]

Tell me Milliway, what does this control room look like? Is it all processor banks and cooling? Is it the old rig, just moved from your workshop to the library?

And where is the Crystal Heart in all of this?

Oh it's so much more than that. It's a Masterpiece.

When Milliway took over the Library apprentice position she was given ample time to settle in. Even though the learning curve was steep the Archmage's packed schedule (and tendency to get distracted) meant she had plenty time to rig things up here just right when she moved in.

But yes, she did lug the old rig over here. Why not? It was perhaps a bit crudely pieced together but it was solid and well built. The previous Library security system was... woefully outdated, sparse and... let's say 'optimistic' (frankly how this entire place had not been completely looted in broad daylight had mystified Milliway from day one). Still, as good as the setup had been in the workshop it was quickly obvious that it needed considerable upgrades when installed in the Library. Not only was the Library physically a hell of a lot bigger than her workshop, but the unique challenges of all the magnetic fields, statics and magic, interfering with the circuitry, requiring customised and localised firewalls, buffer zones and shielding to be improvised throughout the stacks.

It... was still a work in progress, a sort of trial-and-error, putting-out-fires, and improvise-and-see-what-happens, type situation but she felt she was making progress. She had installed the infrastructure to enable voice communication with central control throughout the entire Library when she decided to upload House to run it all. There simply wasn't any other program that had the capacity to run it all. And though transferring the AI from her mask, letting it move from being her private voice for only her to hear to be the pulsing lifeblood of the Library, had been a little sad it had also felt good to give House that opportunity. It was like giving him room to... grow. To stretch and hear, see and access the entire Library.

There was bound to be impacts on his subroutines, that's probably all this was, she'd identify the issue and fix it. Maybe there were some stray magnetic fallout from the explosion of her communicator that she needed to shield him from.

Yes.

That was probably it.

Most likely.

Probably definitely.

Those were the thoughts in Milliway's mind as she burst in to the large central control... well I was about to say room, but it's really more a convergence point of all her wiring, cooling systems and crystaloptics in the open central point of the stacks at the very core of the Library. A more-or-less circular bank of processor banks and control panels and screens seemed to focus the energy of the library here and though Milliway can hear and see all that House hears and sees when she's here, this place is mostly unmanned. She leaves it up to him to run the show and trusts that he would let her know if something comes up that she should know about.

Oh, the crystal heart? It's at the heart of it all, of course. It hangs overhead, suspended from the ceiling, with a cascade of cabling around it, twisting around it like strange black vines rising from the floor up to the high ceiling, twisting together to form a huge gnarly tree trunk of wiring, pulsing cooling and humming electricity. The heart is imbedded in the centre of the tree right where it begins to split to thick branches reaching up towards the ceiling.

The heart has a piece missing of course, like a bite taken out of it at the very top on one side. That shard is still deeply embedded in Milliway's chest.

[Thanqol]

The creature gives a pitiful wail before fading into view.

It's bipedal, a huge furred body suspended on two twisted legs that end in a claw-toed hoof. Giant eyes and a fang-filled mouth round out what any normal pony would call an abomination. And it would be very simple to label it as nothing more than a monster, something crafted in this weird realm between realities - unthinking, unfeeling and unnatural.

But the eyes it turns on you are full of pain and fear.

Its coat smokes from deep burns, wounds brought on by whatever it was you did when you unleashed your rage at it. One of its legs drags behind itself, useless, as it tries to push away. Your eyes can't help but trace the scars. Wounds you inflicted. What does that mean to you?

Its appearance also begets a dozen questions; what is it? where did it come from? what does it want and why did it attack the village? Are there more of it out there?

And, most importantly, if you want to establish this settlement properly (let alone bring it back to the material world) how do you do protect it?

What do you do?

Luminark takes a very... practical view when it comes to injuries, spiritual or otherwise. Components can come from anywhere, interesting combinations can be more than the sums of their parts, and squeamishness is something for ponies who weren't raised by necromancers and biologists. All of these problems - injury, spirituality and security - can be solved with a little creative reallocation of parts.

He whistles and points over one of the changeling ghosts. It's incomplete in its own way, a hollow fragment of a pony, without awareness or emotion. It'd make a perfect symbiont to this creature which seems to be some sort of raw, psychic underworld emotion. All he has to do is combine these two broken things and he'll have created something worthwhile.

His horn begins to glow. He begins to cast the spell, wrapping lines of ectoplasm together.

[BlasTech]

Starlight grits her teeth. It can never be simple, but at least engineering is well within her wheelhouse. She goes looking for the basement, but while she's doing that, she's poring through the skeletons of ponies long dead, searching for one that might have an intact weapon--a pistol, an assault rifle, a magic energy weapon for preference--so long as it's something that she can hold. If this is an area where her horn can potentially be disabled, she wants something she can use to pop broadcasters from a distance.

For all its reputation as a wartime ministry, the Ministry of Morale ponies seem annoyingly bereft of effective ranged weaponry. You find plenty of skeletons bearing more up-close equipment like joy buzzers, stink bombs and water sprays that, while hilarious, would be of limited use in a fight - let alone against broadcasters.

That said, you eventually scrounge up an old laser pistol from one pony who - judging from the faded print on the showbag he was carrying - was a visitor who was in the building when the megaspells hit. It's not much, and looks about ready to fall apart, but at least it's something.

As you approach the generator rooms, you hear voices from up ahead. Low, growling and guttural.

What do you do?

Just 10% of the time is spent on getting the Pegasus hidden. She’s a pro, she knows what’s up, this is no biggie for her.

The same can’t be said for her rope-tying skills, which take up a whopping 80% of the time. Yes, the Scrapscallion knows that there’s more efficient knots. No, it wouldn’t be a good idea to use a standard hog-tie. Look, does he tell you how to do your job? Then maybe you should just trust him when he tells you the secret ways to tie somebody up attractive-like. Leave it to the expert here.

The last 10%, it’s too late to stop.

All they can do is wait.

Eventually, after just long enough for your legs go a bit stiff, there's a rattle at the door and the Pegasus you spotted earlier enters, still in her jade carapace armour.

She doesn't seem surprised to see a pony in her room, but she does pause when she sees that it's you.

Shall we see what she's heard about you, Scraps? If so, make a Reputation roll.

Otherwise, let's have your one liner and manipulation roll and see where this disaster-train ride takes us!

[Balmas]

For all its reputation as a wartime ministry, the Ministry of Morale ponies seem annoyingly bereft of effective ranged weaponry. You find plenty of skeletons bearing more up-close equipment like joy buzzers, stink bombs and water sprays that, while hilarious, would be of limited use in a fight - let alone against broadcasters.

That said, you eventually scrounge up an old laser pistol from one pony who - judging from the faded print on the showbag he was carrying - was a visitor who was in the building when the megaspells hit. It's not much, and looks about ready to fall apart, but at least it's something.

As you approach the generator rooms, you hear voices from up ahead. Low, growling and guttural.

What do you do?

For now, Starlight sidles up, hugging the wall, and listening in. It's possible that these ponies--probably ponies?--aren't a threat, but she's not going to bet on it. If she can get close enough to hear what they're saying, she can evaluate whether they're friend or foe.

[That's an 8 on Read a Sitch, or a 5 on Act under fire, depending on which is more appropriate here.]

[BlasTech]

Oh it's so much more than that. It's a Masterpiece.

When Milliway took over the Library apprentice position she was given ample time to settle in. Even though the learning curve was steep the Archmage's packed schedule (and tendency to get distracted) meant she had plenty time to rig things up here just right when she moved in.

But yes, she did lug the old rig over here. Why not? It was perhaps a bit crudely pieced together but it was solid and well built. The previous Library security system was... woefully outdated, sparse and... let's say 'optimistic' (frankly how this entire place had not been completely looted in broad daylight had mystified Milliway from day one). Still, as good as the setup had been in the workshop it was quickly obvious that it needed considerable upgrades when installed in the Library. Not only was the Library physically a hell of a lot bigger than her workshop, but the unique challenges of all the magnetic fields, statics and magic, interfering with the circuitry, requiring customised and localised firewalls, buffer zones and shielding to be improvised throughout the stacks.

It... was still a work in progress, a sort of trial-and-error, putting-out-fires, and improvise-and-see-what-happens, type situation but she felt she was making progress. She had installed the infrastructure to enable voice communication with central control throughout the entire Library when she decided to upload House to run it all. There simply wasn't any other program that had the capacity to run it all. And though transferring the AI from her mask, letting it move from being her private voice for only her to hear to be the pulsing lifeblood of the Library, had been a little sad it had also felt good to give House that opportunity. It was like giving him room to... grow. To stretch and hear, see and access the entire Library.

There was bound to be impacts on his subroutines, that's probably all this was, she'd identify the issue and fix it. Maybe there were some stray magnetic fallout from the explosion of her communicator that she needed to shield him from.

Yes.

That was probably it.

Most likely.

Probably definitely.

Those were the thoughts in Milliway's mind as she burst in to the large central control... well I was about to say room, but it's really more a convergence point of all her wiring, cooling systems and crystaloptics in the open central point of the stacks at the very core of the Library. A more-or-less circular bank of processor banks and control panels and screens seemed to focus the energy of the library here and though Milliway can hear and see all that House hears and sees when she's here, this place is mostly unmanned. She leaves it up to him to run the show and trusts that he would let her know if something comes up that she should know about.

Oh, the crystal heart? It's at the heart of it all, of course. It hangs overhead, suspended from the ceiling, with a cascade of cabling around it, twisting around it like strange black vines rising from the floor up to the high ceiling, twisting together to form a huge gnarly tree trunk of wiring, pulsing cooling and humming electricity. The heart is imbedded in the centre of the tree right where it begins to split to thick branches reaching up towards the ceiling.

The heart has a piece missing of course, like a bite taken out of it at the very top on one side. That shard is still deeply embedded in Milliway's chest.

The sprawling mechanisms hum with life, the cooling fans pump air like enormous lungs, the lifeblood of electricity crackles around you - flowing to the Heart and the central processors. As much as it is the Library. It is also House. The two have become one, and no place else is this melding more obvious than in the arcano-tech blending that holds the Crystal Heart.

Does the Heart simply power the machinery, an enormous magical battery?

Or does it provide something … more?

And what does the Library do in return?

Whatever the case, the chip in the Heart is clearly visible in amidst the forest of wiring. It pulses, beating in time with the shard in your chest.

Displays along the nearest bank of processors blink, replacing scrawling diagnostics and system reports with the symbol of the Heart, backed by two golden wings.

"Ma'am." says House, his distorted water-voice echoing around the chamber.

"What can I do for you?"

What do you do?

Luminark takes a very... practical view when it comes to injuries, spiritual or otherwise. Components can come from anywhere, interesting combinations can be more than the sums of their parts, and squeamishness is something for ponies who weren't raised by necromancers and biologists. All of these problems - injury, spirituality and security - can be solved with a little creative reallocation of parts.

He whistles and points over one of the changeling ghosts. It's incomplete in its own way, a hollow fragment of a pony, without awareness or emotion. It'd make a perfect symbiont to this creature which seems to be some sort of raw, psychic underworld emotion. All he has to do is combine these two broken things and he'll have created something worthwhile.

His horn begins to glow. He begins to cast the spell, wrapping lines of ectoplasm together.

As you do this, a strange resonance begins to build in your magic.

Push, pull. Push, pull.

Anger.

Pain.

It reaches back along your magic, into your horn. Gripping your head like talons of fire.

Do you keep the connection going?

If so - open your brain fully and lets see what happens.

For now, Starlight sidles up, hugging the wall, and listening in. It's possible that these ponies--probably ponies?--aren't a threat, but she's not going to bet on it. If she can get close enough to hear what they're saying, she can evaluate whether they're friend or foe.

[That's an 8 on Read a Sitch, or a 5 on Act under fire, depending on which is more appropriate here.]

I'd say it's a read for now.

Go ahead and ask your question.

[Balmas]

I'd say it's a read for now.

Go ahead and ask your question.

Which enemy is the biggest threat?

[Thanqol]

As you do this, a strange resonance begins to build in your magic.

Push, pull. Push, pull.

Anger.

Pain.

It reaches back along your magic, into your horn. Gripping your head like talons of fire.

Do you keep the connection going?

If so - open your brain fully and lets see what happens.

Thing about Necromancy was that 'this spell is causing creepy side effects and agonizing pain' weren't necessarily an indication that the spell was going wrong. It was perhaps a sign that you had made bad choices leading up to this, but as for the casting itself it was generally a sign to push harder.

[Open Your Brain: 13]

[TheAmishPirate]

Eventually, after just long enough for your legs go a bit stiff, there's a rattle at the door and the Pegasus you spotted earlier enters, still in her jade carapace armour.

She doesn't seem surprised to see a pony in her room, but she does pause when she sees that it's you.

Shall we see what she's heard about you, Scraps? If so, make a Reputation roll.

[Reputation: 5 + 3 + 3 = 11. He takes +1 Forward with General Camber.]

General Camber’s heard of this pony. Who could mistake those gorgeous blue eyes, that rugged jawline, that bad-boy leather jacket? This is the Scrapscallion and - if you’ll pardon the pre-War expression - he’s a star down here. If we still had magazines, his face’d be plastered all over the covers. Folks everywhere would riot for the chance to catch his eye. Get him to smile their way. If they’re lucky, maybe he’d shake their hoof.

And you’ve got him tied up in your personal chambers.

Allllllll to yourself.

Otherwise, let's have your one liner and manipulation roll and see where this disaster-train ride takes us!

Let’s get one thing abundantly clear: The Scrapscallion isn’t thinking of a plan. Not for lack of information, time, resources, or anything else. A team of the Wasteland’s best minds, with all the material they could hope for, would be no better off than him.

Fact is, none of this was right. Nopony was supposed to be in her chambers. The Scrapscallion wasn't on the prisoner lists. These knots weren’t regulation. No guard would’ve dared to leave him alone. No guard should’ve left her alone. She didn’t look bored. She had a hotshot Admiral for a girlfriend. She wasn’t that pretty. Her murderous, jerkwad life was just peachy. She didn’t have any room for the Scrapscallion, and let me tell you babe, the feeling’s mutual.

Can you make the math check out? Don’t try too hard, you’ll hurt yourself.

All the hopes of Plan A (for Audacity) rested on the fact that General Camber wasn’t expecting to have to turn down a handsome stud when she walked in here. Any justification would give her a chance to realize everything was wrong, and then they’d never move her. One shot, in ambush, with everything he had, to tip her that one, crucial step over the edge. No plans. No tactics. No great battle of wits.

The only way this would work was if nopony thought about it too hard. The Scrapscallion was good at that.

He gave an earnest, entirely fake strain at the bonds, before laying down to catch his breath. He caught her in those big, blue eyes of his, putting on a roguish smile to sweeten the pot. “So.” He breathed, lips parted just so. “What happens now?~”

A challenge to put her on the spot. Sideswipe her with all sorts of delicious possibilities. Just enough of a tease to show he knows. Oh, how he knows. And he’s down with all of it.

So c’mon. What’re you waiting for?

Aren’t you tired? Aren’t you lonely?

Stressed, stressed out of your mind…

Wouldn’t it feel good to just...let it all go?

Why not take a little taste?

Just a little. A few moments. That’s all.

No one will ever know…

[Seduce/Manipulate: 5 + 4 + 2 = 11. The dice have spoken. While I still don’t want this going all the way, this is definitely a Moment of Intimacy. Will roll that on my next post.]

[BlasTech]

Which enemy is the biggest threat?

The gravelly voices can only really be coming from one type of creature - ghouls. The fact they're talking does mean they aren't the mindless creatures that feed on pony flesh that sometimes infest the wasteland. It'd almost be enough to conclude that they are absolutely no threat to yourself whatsoever.

Except … this is Canterlot. A Canterlot that has been buried in the necromantic energies of Pink Cloud for two hundred years.

Tell me, Starlight, have you ever met a Canterlot ghoul?

Thing about Necromancy was that 'this spell is causing creepy side effects and agonizing pain' weren't necessarily an indication that the spell was going wrong. It was perhaps a sign that you had made bad choices leading up to this, but as for the casting itself it was generally a sign to push harder.

[Open Your Brain: 13]

Luminark, has anypony ever told you that your skills in this place are beyond compare?

This is the second time now that you've bent this place to your will, and in return, it reveals to you yet another one of its secrets.

This place - this section of the Maelstrom - it has always belonged to you. But more than that, it has always been you.

Your mind built this town. Filling it with details that you've read, ideas that you brought forth and concepts that you'd digested. But - as you bridge the gap between the changeling's ghost and this beast, you realise there is another layer in there. Something worryingly familiar.

This monster. Or maybe creature is the better word. It's … also you. Just, not the part you usually are aware of.

It's the thought that rises only when you sleep. The emotion that lurks beneath consciousness. A creature of the ID.

When the link between your patient and the ghost completes - the creature … dissolves. Its twisted visage of frustration and hurt drifting away into a thousand motes of light. They swirl around you and into the ghost besides you and, as they do, something calms within you. You feel peace, lightness. Like when you finally give voice to a deep concern. When its let out and free.

The light builds, blinding and white.

And fades. Leaving you alone in the street.

Except for Rarity, who is staring over your shoulder with wide eyes.

At the olive coated pony standing behind you, blinking and confused.

What do you do?

[Reputation: 5 + 3 + 3 = 11. He takes +1 Forward with General Camber.]

He gave an earnest, entirely fake strain at the bonds, before laying down to catch his breath. He caught her in those big, blue eyes of his, putting on a roguish smile to sweeten the pot. “So.” He breathed, lips parted just so. “What happens now?~”

A challenge to put her on the spot. Sideswipe her with all sorts of delicious possibilities. Just enough of a tease to show he knows. Oh, how he knows. And he’s down with all of it.

So c’mon. What’re you waiting for?

Aren’t you tired? Aren’t you lonely?

Stressed, stressed out of your mind…

Wouldn’t it feel good to just...let it all go?

Why not take a little taste?

Just a little. A few moments. That’s all.

No one will ever know…

[Seduce/Manipulate: 5 + 4 + 2 = 11. The dice have spoken. While I still don’t want this going all the way, this is definitely a Moment of Intimacy. Will roll that on my next post.]

The Pegasus looks at you, lost in your eyes. Her helmet clatters as her hooves fail to place it properly on the side table.

She steps closer … timidly, but with a barely restrained energy. Her hooves tremble as they reach for you.

Closer.

Closer.

And then … the dam breaks.

-======-

A short while later, you and your Pegasus companion (i.e. your mission buddy, not your mission "buddy-with-benefits(?)") exit the room, the latter still trying to brush charred whipped cream out of her mane.

"I never realised that stuff was so flammable" she grumbles, tucking the shock-stick back in her packs while she walks away. "Those pre-war preservatives really should have more warning labels on them"

"Also. I have to say. That was either a masterclass, or absolutely disgusting. I still can't decide which. Probably both." she continues, sticking out her tongue in disgust.

Anyway, Scraps, you have your recording - scandalous enough to singe the ears of anypony listening to it. What do you do now.

[Elanorin]

The sprawling mechanisms hum with life, the cooling fans pump air like enormous lungs, the lifeblood of electricity crackles around you - flowing to the Heart and the central processors. As much as it is the Library. It is also House. The two have become one, and no place else is this melding more obvious than in the arcano-tech blending that holds the Crystal Heart.

Does the Heart simply power the machinery, an enormous magical battery?

Or does it provide something … more?

And what does the Library do in return?

Whatever the case, the chip in the Heart is clearly visible in amidst the forest of wiring. It pulses, beating in time with the shard in your chest.

Displays along the nearest bank of processors blink, replacing scrawling diagnostics and system reports with the symbol of the Heart, backed by two golden wings.

"Ma'am." says House, his distorted water-voice echoing around the chamber.

"What can I do for you?"

What do you do?

"Oh... nothing..." Milliway said as she began to scrutinise screens and tap on controls.

"Just, uh, checking your diagnostic logs. I had a small incendiary incident earlier... small explosion... nothing major. Just checking it hasn't burned any of your circuits or... anything..."

Tap. Tap-tap. Tap. Tap-tap-tap.

[Rolling to Read A Sitch: 4+5+0=9 What should I be on the lookout for?]

[Thanqol]

Luminark, has anypony ever told you that your skills in this place are beyond compare?

This is the second time now that you've bent this place to your will, and in return, it reveals to you yet another one of its secrets.

This place - this section of the Maelstrom - it has always belonged to you. But more than that, it has always been you.

Your mind built this town. Filling it with details that you've read, ideas that you brought forth and concepts that you'd digested. But - as you bridge the gap between the changeling's ghost and this beast, you realise there is another layer in there. Something worryingly familiar.

This monster. Or maybe creature is the better word. It's … also you. Just, not the part you usually are aware of.

It's the thought that rises only when you sleep. The emotion that lurks beneath consciousness. A creature of the ID.

When the link between your patient and the ghost completes - the creature … dissolves. Its twisted visage of frustration and hurt drifting away into a thousand motes of light. They swirl around you and into the ghost besides you and, as they do, something calms within you. You feel peace, lightness. Like when you finally give voice to a deep concern. When its let out and free.

The light builds, blinding and white.

And fades. Leaving you alone in the street.

Except for Rarity, who is staring over your shoulder with wide eyes.

At the olive coated pony standing behind you, blinking and confused.

What do you do?

Luminark feels fantastic.

So much tension comes off his withers, rolling from him in waves. He can't remember ever being this relaxed, ever having a moment away from the constant grinding tension and paranoia. A few times he'd felt like he'd almost forgotten it but... this was the only time when he felt like he'd done something about it. Just for a minute he felt like he could trust things again... cautiously, perhaps, but it felt possible. He was even like 60% sure that the binding would hold and not unleash a terrible Id monster upon the world - and those were pretty good odds when you thought about it!!

"Minister Rarity!" he said brightly. "Lovely to see you again! Next duty on my list is bringing this place back to Equestria. It's going to be a bit of a tricky spell - do you know anything about necromancy, by chance?"