MLP The Cycle 2: ETalUSUaSTWG 2 - The Good, the Bad and the Cutie: APØNYCALYPSE

Nobility derped toward her striped ear.

Spoiler

Show

"Good hearing you again! I am quite surprised you haven't taken over the moment, Luna has returned. Hmm.. but.. what kind of danger? What can I do to stop it?"

Nobility tilted her head.
"Cutie too...?"

Malachite raises her eyebrow
"What really? This is real? But I saw the code to all this, and this was all marketed as such, as for similar....its too similar. Too real. If this game simulates all this that they can respond as if like actual people...."
Say you have a model of something, you make it and its clearly fake because its so small and simple. But you make it bigger and more complex, you employ more and more exacting methods to simulate it down to every single little detail possible. You do this, until you make something so indistinguishable from the real thing: have you made the most convincing fake ever- or have you left behind forgery long ago, and simply created it without any falseness at all? There is a saying called "fake it until you make it". Has Alicorp not created a fake universe of a game, but rather a universe from a fake game?

And if that created universe is just as real as the one you come from......what does it say about the realness attribute of your own?
"By Celestia. How real am I? Is my universe simply one made of different code?"
Her eyes are wide as she considers the implications in internal horror.

Nobility now double face hoofed, using her wings.
"Why can't we meet sane ponies here and there?"

Spoiler

Show

"Is she the source of the danger?"

Dawn chuckles a little. She turns to the new pony. "We... think this is all real, but honestly I don't know. My guess is based on the fact that we do feel real pain. I mean, feels real enough that I would take it seriously."

"Well, I am glad some of you are choosing to take this seriously. The next step of Salvation involves Cadenza, here. She was once the Goddess of the Heart, before the angel attacks. The stone that she holds - and her unique powers - are the key to making Salvation work." Celestia glances over to the pink alicorn again, watching the former goddess for a few moments - though Cadenza still makes no real movements except to breath and stare down at the crowd before her. Around the crystal in her magical grip, you see a few faint sparks of black and teal lightning, though Celestia doesn't seem to notice it.

"Even if we are able to use Elysius to create a new world, there is little chance we can shepherd all of ponykind to the new world without incredible magic, beyond that which myself and Luna can perform together. No member of ponykind is capable of it. The crystal, however, will allow us to transport all of ponykind at once to the new world." You notice as Celestia speaks, Cutie gives her a small, little grin, before turning to look at Cadenza and Luna herself. "Before we can use the crystal, however, we must throw off the yoke of the angels. We cannot complete instrumentality with such dangerous beings running wantonly around Equinia... the same goes for the demons on Purgist, but we must focus on the angels first."

Celestia then walks back toward Cadenza, resting a wing on her back and looking into her eyes. She says something, and Cadenza nods in response. "I'm fine, auntie. Just... in shock." Cutie, meanwhile, turns her attention to Malachite, who has suddenly piqued the small pony's interest.

"You saw ...'code'? Weird. I don't think anypony else has seen that," Cutie quietly remarks to Malachite, looking to the rest of you. "It was probably just the magic of this world. It's pretty weird," she says. "Sometimes I think the magic is, like, a living thing, you know?"

Nobility

Spoiler

Show

It has to wait. This is far worse than I could have thought... They are going to bring the fight to the angels. The first time the angels attacked, the world changed. I... I do not know if anyone is truly ready for this. The voice goes completely dormant for a time, but your vision still lingers on Luna for a few moments more. I can't believe what they are trying to do. This is going over my head. And then, the voice shuts out completely. It seems Chausiku has left your consciousness alone for now.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Derjuin

"Sometimes I think the magic is, like, a living thing, you know?"

---

"It certainly is," Dawn agrees with a knowing nod. She looks at the new pony. "So, Malachite is it? It's nice to meet you. I'm Dawn."

Nobility eyes shrunk. Yes.. she agreed.
Ponies weren't much of fighters- basically, every time, an invading army came- they got conquered. (Naturally some heroes saved the day... but still) There were so much to process, and also, she might have few questions for the princesses, but.. not now.
Something more urgent came.

The princesses are maids. The Princesses are just maids...The princesses are maids. The Princesses are just maids... she wishpered to herself and trotted forward the princesses and stomped.
"NO!" She panted, the courage she gathered to yell at three goddesses, was maybe the hardest thing she had to do.
"I won't let you! This is stupid! this is madness! You can't hope win them by force! You'l just end up with even WORSE situation!"
She stomped again.
"Beside, the angels are not evil! And so the demons! All of residents of this world want to do good, but they have... other points of view- and you can't solve it with violence! Even if by some miracle you will defeat the angels- then, they will sulk and plan to attack again! So NO! NO NO NO!"
She panted, and now looked at the crowds.
"We came from a world, where Friendship can win everything. We... have first hoofed, befriended gorgons from Purgist.. I don't see why can't we befriend and come to understanding with the angels." She turned back to the princesses- her legs started to shake.

Spoiler: roll

Show

Heart[roll0]+4

Silver

Walking along a stone path that seems incredibly long, you suddenly realize you aren't near any of your friends... and the ponies around you aren't at all the ponies you saw leading you anywhere. Suddenly, the landscape shifts violently and everything goes black.

...

And suddenly, you can see again. It looks as if the universe itself expands endlessly around you, but you stand upon nothingness; and you realize that the universe around you is copied several times over in the patterns forming in the distance; identical galaxes spiral and weave incredibly close, moving at speeds unfathomable. And yet not too far away from you is a pony-shaped creature, sitting with her back to you. Her mane and tail are short, white and frazzled; somehow, she seems familiar as if you had met her before, yet a distant stranger at the same time.

Malachite, Nobility, Dawn

The crowd around you gasps and falls completely silent, staring between the goddesses and yourselves. They scarcely even move, though most of them end up focusing their gazes on the goddesses.

"We tried." Luna states flatly, staring - not with malice, but with sadness - at Nobility. "They attacked us. Not the other way around. They will not leave us so peacefully to our own devices. And so, we will not extend to them another chance to sneak attack us. They believe we -" she points to Cadenza and Celestia with her wings "- are a threat to their order."

"Friendship may be the ultimate power in your world, Nobility," Celestia says, approaching the filly slowly. "But this isn't your world. You must come to terms with that," She kneels down next to the panting filly, looking her in the eye. "Might I tell you something, little one? You made friends with the gorgons because they are from Equinia, having been banished to Purgist some time ago." She offers a smile, trying to assuage your fears.

"Besides, there are many factors that have changed. We are now the active party - that gives us an advantage. We are ready, unlike last time." Luna looks to Cadenza, her eyes on the crystal.

"You're really hung up on the angel thing, huh?" Dawn asks her friend.

Silver looks to his left.

Silver looks to his right.

Silver takes in the entire strange universe that seems to have formed around him. Time, space, everything feels odd. Last thing he remembers....didn't he sneak past the angels and head into the plaza, ready to witness Celestia and Luna's return?

".....Did I just die?" The question comes surprisingly easily. And yet, it somehow seems like a good explanation. There was nothing this time. No grand ink monster. No falling asleep and awakening in a different place. Just a sudden shift.

And this place....it feels different to that place Luna took him to in that dream. It feels so removed from everything. Dawn, Nobility, Cutie...it all feels like a distant memory. Were there more of them? What is...where is he?

Silver looks at the strangely familiar pony creature before him, somehow figuring he won't get a straight answer. And as he does, he wonders "Wait, is that....?"

Nobility breathed heavily, panting
She was arguing with Celestia and Luna.

Even her ego barely could contain it.
And strangely they talked to her like an equal.


"In my world... I didn't respected the magic of friendship..." she looked akwardly at her... friends.
"But I was wrong. I don't want to disrespect you in any way... but OUR Twilight Sparkle have taught us... important lessons. Please..." she bowed her head.
"Please. let me go talk to them. At worst, things can escalate to violence anyway. Maybe I'll just distract them... but I got to try." she waved her foreleg, and gestured toward the crowd.
"Think about your ponies, you are in charge off. Don't you want to let me, to give a last try, to save them from war?"


[/rollv]2d6+4[/rollv]

"Okay, but if we fail, you know... I mean, don't want to be a negative nelly, however really think if what's best is for everyone to leave this place, we shouldn't stop them. We can go meet the angels and... try something. But if we can't do it? They're probably gonna be real mad and come here to hurt everyone."

Silver

"No." The voice, like a filly's, seems to have come from the pony, who still faces away from you. The space around you contorts and twists into endless blackness, and a column of light envelops the filly. A fine mist seems to surround her, and you can see her features more accurately - specifically, that she has the same kind of slick shell, carapace and insectile wings of a changeling.

"You shouldn't be here." As she speaks again, you notice that her voice sounds a lot like Cutie's, only with a noticeably rougher, almost buzz to it. Were she not a changeling, you could swear they sounded like sisters.

Suddenly, her form vanishes, leaving the column of light...

Everypony Else

Celestia, Luna, and the crowd are all silent for some time, the goddesses focused on each other. As soon as Nobility mentions "OUR Twilight Sparkle", you hear a quiet gasp as the purple unicorn's gaze locks on your group, lingering for a moment before she quickly steps backward, bowing her head and returning to the silence of the crowd.

"I see only woe should you try to talk with them, Nobility," Celestia says, looking away. "The angels sent here to keep Equinia locked down are not the ones I am worried about. Metatrot and the archangels of Gildaea are, however, and those are the ones you will have to speak to." Just then, Luna cranes her head back and looks skyward, her wings splaying out.

"Sachiel will be the first. If you are so adamant in speaking to them... I wish you luck," she says to Nobility, nodding toward Dawn. "Though I believe you should heed your friend's words. There is no hope of a peace between us." She says, solemnly, before joining her sister's side, and the two begin to whisper with Cadenza, who seems of clearer mind now.

"Are you sure you want to do this, Nobility?" Cutie asks, seeming unsure about asking. "We don't know how the angels will react. Maybe we should all go, if you go."

"Wh-?!" Silver blurts out, angered by the filly's dismissive answer. "Don't just run away like that! Where the heck did I get warped this time?!"

Having no patience for the endless games of this world's citizens, he rushes into the pillar of light. With any luck, it'll lead him back to the others or to some answers.

Nobility took deep breathes.
"I... think that this.. our role, as the chosen ones. To set harmony back here..."
She folded her ears.
"If I won't give an answer, for.. 48 hours- assume the worst." She puffed her chest again.
"Do your preparations, but.. be more.. district about it..." she looked at Cutie
"I... am not much of use, beside talking.. Am I? I... think that I should at least try... you.. don't have to come with me..." but her voice shaked.

Malachite finally snaps out of her existential crisis.
"Whaa? Ok, something about demons and angels or whatever, I'm still new, but the point is, if this world is just as real as the one we come from and our world made a bunch of discs that made this world.......what made EQUESTRIA? I mean, if the game is just a portal to this world and Alicorp didn't actually make Equinia, then that means that something else designed all this but Alicorp for some reason decided to trick a bunch of young ponies into going to another world to do....what? Go around be heroes for some stupid reason? But Alicorp did create this world and it IS just as real, then why in Tarterus did they make universe creating magic just to trick a bunch of young ponies into going on quests to save a world they themselves created!?

Something just doesn't add up here about all this. What insane person goes to the trouble of designing an entire corporation, making a portal-disguised-as-game and sending it out only to shut it all down to trick like small number of fillies to fight some tyrant of all time and a bunch of demons or whatever? Something about this just seems ludicrously needlessly complex, I mean, why not just let people who are NOT fillies know so that they can save this?

It. Just. Doesn't. Add Up."
And that is not taking into account how Mr. Voidvoice McDeep and Princess Rose fits into all this.

Dawn, Nobility, Malachite

To Malachite's questioning, Celestia raises a hoof. "Perhaps others would not have taken it as seriously. There is a reason you were all chosen by fate, I am sure," she offers, folding her wings by her side. "You are, after all, bearers of the elements of Creation. Void, Light, Heart, Breath and Magic," she says, pointing to each of you in kind. "Not just anypony can wield them. Nor do the elements themselves wish to be borne by just anypony."

"As for you, Nobility... I can't let you go by yourself. If you insist on doing so, I will accompany you," Celestia calmly states, raising her head high as if making a royal decree. "You are more important than you think, little filly. Don't ever forget that."

Silver

As you ask your question to the darkness, you feel utterly alone and cold - as if nothing else in existence could respond to you now. Thankfully, as you step into the light, you get a familiar feeling of stone under your hooves and you hear murmurs as if surrounded by an uneasy crowd. Stepping fully "through" the light, the world of Equinia once more opens before you, and you find yourself in a crowd of ponies gathered in a garden of some sort, filled with large crystals wrapped in vines, a smattering of marble statues and trimmed topiary trees in the shape of ponies. At the center of the crowd's attention to see Celestia, Luna, a pink alicorn holding what looks to be a heart carved out of crystal in her magical grip; and your friends, Nobility, Dawn and Cutie, plus a pony who you don't quite recognize - though her black coat and green mane do resemble Cutie's own dark grey coat and teal mane.

The group seems to be engaged in some kind of intense talk, while Luna attends to the alicorn. Around you, you hear mumbling from the crowd.

"Who are those fillies? I've never seen them before."

"Some of the guards say they're the ones from the prophecy."

"They're just fillies. How can they save us?"

"Look, the goddesses trust in them. How can we not?"

"Yeah. If they say they'll save us, I believe it."

Nobility was stunned in awe. For now, ignoring the need to aknowledge the new crazy dork as sister in arms at the Creation Element Bearers, because of Celestia.

Tears stood at the corner of her eyes. It touched her. So much humility- instead of kicking Nobility away, she has accepted Nobility's offer and wanted to protect her, from what probably was her own stupidity.

At Equestria, she didn't even dared to idolize Celestia, she was.. just a fact- like the sun istelf.
Wether Celestia were a dimensional clone, or even complicated digital doll representing her- she was great. Royal, with the full meaning of the word.

Also.. her mother never offered to accompany her to anywhere.
Nobility, overwhelmed, folded her ears, and grabbed her long mane, and hidden half of her face in fluttershy-ish gesture, trying to hide her emtional moment, from the crowd, her friends and especialy Celestia. (And Silver)

She was at loss of words. 'B..but.. I am nothing but talkings.. beside... the angels might attack you right aw..away. I am.. sort of neutral here..." she protested weakly.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by igordragonian

She was at loss of words. 'B..but.. I am nothing but talkings.. beside... the angels might attack you right aw..away. I am.. sort of neautral here..." she protested weakly.

---

"This sounds like that 'baka' thing you like to say," Dawn says to Nobility. "Nothing stops the angels from attacking you. After all, you're one of the heroes that helped release Celestia. I don't think the angels will be happy about that."

Dawn then turns to Malachite. "Yeah, lot of unanswered questions. But we can figure it out together. Game or not, we;re here and we'll have to play through it."

For a moment, Silver stands stunned, the feeling of re-entering Equinia feeling oddly like whiplash. That place he has just visited....just what was it? And why did that filly remind him so much of Cutie? Alas, if it really was her, she probably doesn't remember. His mind in a brooding mood, the young colt takes a few moments to catch his breath, and to readjust to reality.

"Of course they'll save you...." he finally finds himself saying, his voice suddenly breaking out strong and firm as ever. Flicking back the torn banner he uses as a cape, and rustling the broken sword he carries bound to his chest, he flaps his wings and takes off into the air, above the crowd. "Who the heck do you think we are? We're the legendary heroes! No matter how many powerful monsters try and mess with us, we always come back!"

Not waiting for any further responses, he shoots forwards, flying towards the group of ponies he has gotten to know so well over these last few days. Silver lands next to them with a swift aerial flourish, and non-nonchalantly greets them. "Hey everypony! Sorry, I think I got held up back there for a few seconds by another vision thing. Are we preparing for another crazy plan?" Tilting his head for a moment, the adventurous-looking colt then looks over Malachite, Cadance and Twiliight, quickly deciding to just roll with it.

"Hi there! I'm Silver Lining, Thief of Breath and best magician in all of Equestria. I'm the hero who makes sure the others don't get themselves hurt when they run into angels and monsters."

Even in a situation like this, Silver would stop from showing off a little.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Theoboldi

"Hey everypony! Sorry, I think I got held up back there for a few seconds by another vision thing. are we preparing for another crazy plan?"

---

"Oh, there you are. Wondered where you got lost at," Dawn replies. "Uh, talk to Nobility. She's the one with the crazy plan to talk to angels."

"Indeed. Trusting our enemies to respect us enough to discuss our differences is what led to our defeat the first time," Celestia solemnly states, closing her eyes. "They clouded our beautiful kingdom over, and let that horrid grey inundate our world. No sun, no moon for our little ponies... only the veil of protection." She sighs and shakes her head, and Luna joins her side.

"A good deal of tyranny goes by the name of protection," Luna states flatly, narrowing her eyes. "Many of the ponies here do not know the war. They did not fight it themselves - they have only been raised in its aftershock... in a new age controlled by the angels."

"And we're going to help them remember... the freedom they once had," Cadenza suddenly says, turning to the group. "That is correct. We need to break them out of this servitude to the angels. It is killing their spirits."

As Silver swoops in and gives his speech, the goddesses Luna and Celestia smile, and the crowd's murmur becomes silent as they all stand and stare at the brazen display. After a moment of silence, all three of the alicorns turn to the crowd and raise their wings - Cadenza included - and the crowd's roar returns, even greater than before.

"I guess there's really no way around splitting up, if you really don't want us to go..." Cutie admits, shuffling up to Nobility. "Do you really think you can do it with just yourself and Celestia? Don't you want us to help you...?"

The colt standing in front of Malachite is a tall, somewhat lanky pegasus with a silver coat, and pale blue eyes and hair. His mane is bound in a short ponytail, and he wears a torn, golden scrap of a tapestry around his neck like a cape. Bound by a short piece of cloth, a broken sword with a gold hilt hangs at his side. His cutie mark is a Tophat and Cape Combo, trailed by a stylized orange Flame.

"Cool!" he yells, responding to Dawn with an utterly reckless look in his eyes. "Just so you all know, I'm going with her. She's too awesome in action to miss. Besides, it always pays to have a skilled performer with you. Cutie, you can come too."

"Well if y'all going I probably should come too to babysit," Dawn adds, not sounding thrilled at talking with angels, "Or blind something. I'm pretty good at light spells."

Nobility smiled. "Now, I truly believe we have a chance!" she raised her foreleg
"Let's do it!"

"I.. don't think I can do it without you... if.. you all ok with my plan, that it of course."

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by igordragonian

Nobility smiled. "I.. don't think I can do it without you... if.. you all ok with my plan, that it of course."

---

"And if we're not ok with the plan but still come along because maybe you'll succeed anyway through charm and luck?" Dawn asks.

"Element of Void? Great, I'm the element of NOTHING. I wonder if its fitting, given that I wonder whether or not everything is real. Sigh. But assuming anything is real, I guess I'll help you all, I'm great at hacking magic but....not much else, and I still have yet to try a spell that actually works in this world. So.....what do you think I can do with that? Assuming I'm not just somehow completely useless."
Malachite decides on this, putting on a determined expression. she was going to get to the bottom of this. There had to be something else at work here. Something she was missing.
"Hm. Perhaps observing these angels could tell more about all this. One thing is for sure: We need to find answers, for the good of everyone. no good can be done without clear information."

Nobility sniffed. "I don't think it's literal... but you also need to know of your title.." she paused.
"But you have to know, that this might be dangerouse, the angels have their point of view about the Greater Good."

"Yeah, void could be like... invalidating stuff. Ending effects or something like that which could be really useful."

Silver looks oddly insulted when Malachite describes herself as useless without her magic. "It's not like you need to be able to cast spells to be useful." he mutters, before turning his attention to other things.

"Anyways, angels. It's best we just show them to you, but they're basically a bunch of jerks. So watch yourself around them. And don't worry about your element." Without warning, he gives her a friendly nudge with his wing.

"They're all somewhat metaphorical anyways. Even if my shows do rob everypony blind of their breath. We've not even unlocked any of our own powers yet, except for some untapped potential. It's a far cry from going Super-Hayin, pardon the reference."