[Nexus] Random Places and Plots 5

[Chaotic Bob]

[Canterlot - Inside the Castle]

Luna's illusion is rather complete.
No immediate signs of blood-drippage would be visible to anyone who could not pierce the illusion.

It is all being neatly cleaned as they go.
Those crazy princesses, thinking of everything.
Or trying to.

Meanwhile, Leaky makes a somewhat valid point that Rainbow Dash decides she doesn't want to acknowledge.
So she just gives him a somewhat grumpy look and awaits Celestia's response.

...which is delayed slightly by her giving a somewhat dumbfounded look at Leaky.
"I...no. I'm sure there is a reason."
Subject promptly skirted.

Instead, a sad sigh and a little glow from her horn are produced.

Out from the side room drifts a crystalline prism, consisting largely of luminous light.
And curled up within, for all purposes sleeping cheerfully away, is Spike the dragon. Although last time anyone checked, trails of blackness didn't crawl between his scales and spines.

Another prism, just behind that, this one containing what seems to be a white-marble figurine of...a snake? It's shaped as one, although it lacks any discernible head or tail ends. Both sides taper off in neat, blank points.

"...Princess, what is that? And why is Spike in that there glowy box?"
"Wait...that looks like one of those things from that hole-in-the-sky in the other place. What's it doing here?"
"Twilight Sparkle has already been here then."

"What has claimed to be Twilight briefly entered the Ponyville library. I suspect she had intended to contest me, but left shortly after noticing Spike nearby. Not before casting a hex upon the dragon and attracting a number of these creatures from her entry portal."

That sounds simple and straightforward.

[Canterlot - Streets]

"...uh, okay."
The guards don't really know what to make of Magtok's claim, and just sort of edge away from him.
He's some sort of weird alien, but the Princess didn't seem to mind him.

Best to just pretend he doesn't exist.

Which is much less likely to work out in the city proper, as Pinkie Pie begins bouncing in the direction of the train station.
Numerous ponies everywhere they go will stare and talk in their passing.
"What is that thing?" "Something else invading the city?" "Isn't that an Element?" "That dress is hideous, let alone its wearer..."

The party pony doesn't even seem to notice.
"...and then we can wrap it all up in a bow and get the confetti cannons ready! This is going to be the best celebration ever, don't you think Maggy?"

[Gnrlshrimp]

[Canterlot - Inside the Castle]

Neatly cleaning the blood. Clever. Probably a good thing Luna didn't try to apply that part of her spell to the Cricketbatman himself.

It would not have ended well.

Rainbow Dash's grumpy look is ignored. There are more important things than a grumpy pony. Such as the prisms that Celestia just brought in. The dragon is unimportant (to the Cricketbatman at least) but that other things...

The Cricketbatman peeeers at it.

"The reason is that the ponies are a danger to the Nexus and must be safely returned here. Were...their presence not apparently necessary in order to save Twilight from the being that has...taken control of her, I would be insisting they remain here. Unless you have a means of removing the hex on the dragon...here, we should remove this distraction and focus on saving Twilight." The dragon will probably be fine if they deal with Twilight quickly. And if not? Eh, not big deal. The dragon's life is of no importance.

The Cricketbatman is not a nice fellow.

"As for that creature, do you have a use for it? If you don't, then I shall...remove it." The Cricketbatman takes a step forward, raising his weapon in one hand. He waits...for now, at least.

[Lord Magtok]

Canterlot - Streets

Magtok blinks. "Wait, celebration? I thought we were just making snacks while that one pony with the blue hair goes to do important problem-fighting stuff with the other ponies trailing after her. Also, with that thing with Twilight going on..."

We know you're crazy, Pinkie, but this is a bit weird, isn't it? I mean, your friend is in mortal peril, what's there to celebrate? As for the other ponies and such, Magtok just does his best to ignore them. This isn't the first time he's walked down a street and caused some heads to turn. Usually the owners of those heads are a little less clueless than these dumb donkey-people, though.

[Chaotic Bob]

[Canterlot - Inside the Castle]

Four sets of eyes stare at Leaky for a moment.
The fifth is staring at Spike rather wide-eyed and is scooching closer to him.

"Whoa, hey now. I think I know what you mean, and no. None o' that killin' nonsense. Not how things work here."
"Speaking of Spike though, do you have a fix Princess?"

Rainbow Dash is neutral enough on the haze-creature's life, after seeing what they could do earlier. They didn't seem to mind hurting people and she's not even sure they're really alive.
Spike, though, he's a friend. Hurt by another friend.

Princess Celestia looks to her sister for a moment before beginning to walk to the door, rather deliberately putting her path between Leaky and his target.
"I have something in mind. But for now, you are correct. Twilight takes priority. It is time to retrieve the Elements once more."

She is a practical ruler in times like this. No excess time on lolligagging conversation. Get the basic point across, let's go get our weapons.

[Canterlot - Streets]

Pinkie Pie stops bouncing, actually becoming silent for a moment as she more-slowly trots on.
"Gotta see what happened in Ponyville Maggy."
She has the weirdest sensation that something rather bad happened over there, despite having missed the entire conversation everyone had had about it at the MagCave.

Then she begins to bounce a little more.
"And a good party and some laughs can fix anything!
I bet if we show Twilight how much we like her, she'll get better! Or we can use the shiny rainbow friend beam and just have a victory part afterwards. A party either way!"

She could be worrying about Twilight.
Maybe inside she is.

But that doesn't help anyone/pony as much as a good smile would.

[Gnrlshrimp]

[Canterlot - Inside the Castle]

"It is not killing nonsense. It is often...necessary. Death is something that occurs everywhere. In great quantities. It is comparatively...rare for anything to reach the end of its natural lifespan. Not how things work here? It is how...things work everywhere." The Cricketbatman stares suspiciously at Celestia and Luna. The creepy creature thingy in the prism is clearly a threat and should be removed, but killing it is bad?

What a strange place this is.

What a...wrong place this is.

"Yes, the elements. The sooner you...save Twilight, the sooner I can leave you ponies back here and be done with this. I dare say...you will be glad to be rid of me too." The Cricketbatman is quite aware of what the group thinks of him.

[Zefir]

Necanth Prison- Spiral Staircase

There's another rest room like the one Zefir just visited about halfway down. This one is larger, with a king ogre-sized bed, a bucket with three rifles thrust into it and a large chest made of greenish blue wood.

Necanth Prison- Spiral Staircase

More guns? That’s still strange. None here but so many armory is strange. If they where overruned by the prisoners the weapons should be gone and the guards should leave a corpse here. He holds his gun up and looks around. Nothing to bother. He slowly heads for the chest and tries to open it

[Lord Magtok]

Canterlot - Streets

"Sounds like a plan."

Except, if it's that simply, why haven't the ponies already done exactly that? What's delaying everyone, why not just grab these Helements and get this nonsense over with? Magtok frowns thoughtfully, mulling it over in his head and he follows along after Pinkie.

"...So when this is all over, everyone's probably going to freak out and come up with some great excuse to cut off ties with each other's worlds, aren't they? Heck, Leaky's constant whining is pretty much as good an excuse as any, even if Twilight hadn't bumped into any trouble."

Magtok, that sounds almost like you're not absolutely overjoyed to hear that the ponies will be gone for good in a very short amount of time. Aren't you absolutely overjoyed to hear that the ponies will be gone for good in a very short amount of time?

"You think Whatshisname's going to make the change and end up on your side of the portal when it's all said and done? The guy who made the portal, I mean. One of the ones with all the magicky talk who keeps trying to be serious and important, without leaking or anything. Because I think he totally is."

[Chaotic Bob]

[Canterlot - Inside the Castle]

"Things may die when their time comes, but it ain't by our hooves. It won't be by yours either."
Applejack seems very firm on this idea, shooting Leaky a dark glare.

The ponies are not...completely ignorant of the subject.
They age. They get sick. Animals and plants have their food chains.
But it is largely segregated from their society, unallowed to dominate it.

Killing, especially, is separated out very strictly. Murder is a crime that hasn't occurred in Equestria in many years.

Celestia deigns not to even touch the subject, for reasons that bring a brief shadow to her face.
"The Elements have been moved since the changeling event. They are just up ahead."

"Can't wait to be done with all of this."
The pegasus of the group really isn't going to pretend to be fond of Leaky, or the Nexus, or...any of that really.
Entire place was completely insane and wrong.
"Grab 'em and go and be back for dinner tonight."


From the tower containment, the Elements have been moved to a small armory within the castle, behind a door marked very clearly with their symbols.
It's right over there!

Celestia will get to work unlocking it momentarily.

[Canterlot - Streets]

Convenient how the train has a station near the castle.
Probably for the royal work-force's convenience.

Either that or Pinkie Pie's hectic pace has just brought them really far in a physics warping amount of time.
Could be either, really.

Although the pace slows yet again and Magtok insists on bringing up a less-than-cheerful topic.
The bouncy baker pony fixes him with a scolding look.
"That wouldn't happen, silly. We've made too many friends to just go away forever!"
Is that a smidgeon of hopefulness?

"Leaky just needs a good party and he'll be as cheerful as a summer daisy too! Hehe, always wanted to say something like that. Applejack does it aaaaaall the time and I've never really done it before! Pretty easy peasy, maybe I should do more...'everypony is as cool as fresh ice cream'? Hmmm."

She is lost for a good few moments, trying a little too hard to imagine dessert analogies.
"Twilight's new friend? I hope he comes to visit us! She would really really appreciate it, I bet. And I could make him cookies!"

Pinkie doesn't seem to doubt for a moment that they're going to rescue Twilight and fix this entire problem. That everything is going to be hunky dory between the Nexus and Equestria and that everyone and everypony can be bestest friends forever.

A little too sure of it.


Train station will be rather barren today, for whatever reason. Likely some sort of event down in the Canterlot sports arena, so there aren't many ponies using the public transit.
Less talking about Magtok behind his back!

[Rebonack]

[Canterlot - Streets]

Oh hey.

A Gate suddenly started existing near the train station.

And would you look at that! It's the aforementioned magicy Whatshisface Magtok was just talking about! Though he's looking a little horse compared to when the cyborg last saw him. Hopefully Pinkie and Maggy haven't left yet.

If they have?

That would be pretty terrible.

"Pinkie! Magtok!" he yells as he comes galloping through the Gate, glancing around frantically.

[Gnrlshrimp]

[Canterlot - Inside the Castle]

"Who are you to say when someone's time has come? Ignorant little...pony." The Cricketbatman glares right back at Applejack. "Things may die when their time comes. If you knew...how many things had died at my hands..." The cricket bat idly twirls in his hand as he taps his foot impatiently. "I have to remove what I am told to remove. Because it must be...done. Things die at my hands because they have to. There is no option here, no room for debate, no...room for a silly little pony to tell me that I won't kill things."

The cricket bat twirls faster.

The Cricketbatman, for just a moment, feels tempted to do something very stupid.

...

And then he leans on the cricket bat and stares at Celestia. "Come. Get a move on, before any more of them decide to start...arguing about things beyond their comprehension."

[Chaotic Bob]

[Canterlot - Train Station]

"C'mooooon Maggy! Hup hup hup!"
Pinkie Pie continues to nudge the cyborg right up onto the train.
Convenient how Equestrian economics don't require them to get tickets beforehand.


And then Sigil and Rarity appear!
The former yelling a bit.

Teensy bit late.
Although technically the train hasn't left yet. Few more seconds yet for that.


[Canterlot - Inside The Castle]

"Hey! Don't make fun-"
"Calm down, Rainbow Dash."
Celestia swiftly cuts off another angry episode from the pegasus, stretching a wing out to signal "enough".

Leaky is fixed with a very firm look, one that she seldom finds need to use.
"That is quite enough of that talk for now. I am not sure why my sister is tolerating you, but I will not allow you to continue to speak to my little ponies in such a manner.
Behave yourself, I must unlock the seal."

Then the Princess goes to do just that, placing her horn to the door and channeling in a portion of her power.
The various symbols of the Elements glow and swivel, to the tune of mechanisms inside adjusting.

The various ponies are all rather relieved when the Elements of Harmony turn out to actually be in their container, after Celestia opens the door and retrieves it.
"Thank goodness..."
Five golden necklances, and one golden crown, each jeweled in a manner similar to six certain cutie marks.

[Rebonack]

[Canterlot - On a Train!]

Or soon to be on a train.

"Guh! It's boarding!" Sigil says as he dashes for the platform. If he can find Pinkie and Magtok getting back to the-

Oh bugger. Don't forget to close the door!

"Get clear of the Gate, Rarity. I'm going to close it until we get back."

Once the other unicorn is through Sigil will fiddle with the Gate's runes and cause the portal to spiral shut. Now it's just some fancy lights hanging in the air. So pretty!

Okay.

Now onto the train! "We need to search fast. This will all be pointless if we don't have Pinkie Pie."

[Lord Magtok]

Canterlot - Railroaded

Magtok peers out at the going-ons beyond the train, and blinks. Either that's the weirdest-looking pony he's ever seen, or Zee's son really needs to put some more effort into his disguises next time.

"...Hey Pinkie? Is it just me, or does that shouting guy over there look kinda like Twilight's new friend? If her friend was a pony, I mean. Since he's obviously not one."

[Gnrlshrimp]

[Canterlot - Inside the Castle]

The Cricketbatman folds his arms and says nothing, his gaze fixed on Celestia.

He does not seem impressed by her stern look, nor does he seem at all phased or concerned by her words. He does peer a little more closely when the elements of harmony are revealed. Perhaps he's wondering what all the fuss is about?

"Hmm, so those are the elements? Well I suppose all we need to do now is retrieve the pink one from...wherever she's wandered off to, find a replacement for Twilight, and then have you...ponies use those things on Twilight, yes?" Seems simple enough, right?

[Chaotic Bob]

[Canterlot - Traaaain]

Railroaded?
That's an idea. Magtok should be thrown onto the train tracks!
A novel idea in a novel place!

Pinkie Pie mashes her face into a window at Magtok's behest, eyes flicking back and forth.
"Hmmmmmmm, yep! Sure seems like him!"
Then she's bouncing a bit into a seat, humming away to herself.

That is that, it seems.


Rarity meanwhile, comports herself directly onto the train with a dainty air, as Sigil finishes closing the gate.
Then she points directly to the right.
"Pinkie Pie is right there, darling."
Bouncing in a seat near the entrance. Not even pretending to be hiding.

[Canterlot - Inside the Castle]

Rainbow Dash glances at Leaky for a moment before shrugging.
"Sounds about right to me."
Then she plucks the presented box up from Celestia's magic-field and gives a little salute.

"Take the Elements and liberate Twilight Sparkle from the Nightmare's influence, as quickly as you can. There's more at stake than just your friendship, in this."
"You got it, Princess. Can count on us!"
Applejack bows her head a bit before turning around.
"C'mon, we gotta get Fluttershy and Pinkie too."

The farmer pony and the pegasus will then be quickly moving off, not wasting any further time.
Celestia is just going to stare at Leaky with a frown.

[Gnrlshrimp]

[Canterlot - Inside the Castle]

Celestia stares and frowns at the Cricketbatman.

...

The Cricketbatman stares back.

"I can catch up to them easily. There is something you wish to...say to me, isn't there? Go ahead. Say it. I will listen." How oddly...diplomatic of the Cricketbatman.

[Rebonack]

[Canterlot - On a Train!]

It sure does look like him, doesn't it?

No doubt because it is.

Sigil blinks as Rarity points out Pinkie. ...right.

So.

She's just sitting there. Waiting. Well! That's a lot easier than having to turn the train upside down to find her. Certainly good that they didn't end up with a mystery on their hooves! Twilight isn't around to help solve it after all.

OKAY!

"Pinkie, Magtok? We have to go. The others are fetching the Elements right now. And once we have them we can go help Twilight. I really don't think that heading back to Ponyville for fudge is a good idea, all things considered."

[Chaotic Bob]

[Canterlot - Inside the Castle]

Celestia's frown deepens, ever so slightly.
Something about the diplomatic approach makes it worse.
"Equestria is a paradise, for ponykind. I have and will continue to devote myself to keeping it that way."

[Gnrlshrimp]

[Canterlot - Inside the Castle]

The Cricketbatman stays silent for a moment, perhaps pondering Celestia's words.

Eventually he speaks, looking down at his cricket bat. "Do you know what I am?"

[Chaotic Bob]

[Canterlot - Inside the Castle]

The look on Celestia's face is unhappily pensive, somewhere between being grumpy and trying to be polite.
It is the best answer he is going to receive.
"Why are you here? You did not need to enter Equestria to escort my subjects home."

[Gnrlshrimp]

[Canterlot - Inside the Castle]

"I did not know what this place was...like. I have to ensure the ponies return here safely. Were I not concerned that their deaths could be the cause...of major problems for the Nexus as long as they are there, I would simply have killed them and been...done with it. But as that is not an option, I must ensure they are in as little danger as possible. Which meant I...had to make sure this place was safe, no matter what anyone else...said."

Not even Luna's word would be good enough for the Cricketbatman.

He had to see for himself.

"Having encountered you, I can be confident they are safe here...but in coming here I have sensed that something is very wrong here. And that is another issue that must be...addressed."

The Cricketbatman idly wipes a drop of blood out of one eye.

"Do you know what is wrong with this place? Can you sense what problems you've...caused?"

[Chaotic Bob]

[Canterlot - Inside the Castle]

The Princess bows her head ever so faintly, taking the question into rather deep consideration.
She knows exactly what she has done, has weighed and measured it against the alternatives, and determined that she will always make the same choice.

"Nothing can be done without consequences. Grander things have more wicked consequences.
But for the happiness of my ponies, it is worth the risk."

[Gnrlshrimp]

[Canterlot - Inside the Castle]

"I don't think you know what the risk is. This is...why I asked you if you know what I am."

The Cricketbatman doesn't really know how to be nice. A pity, really. This is probably going to sound far harsher than it needs to.

"I am a servant. Imagine that everything that exists is one big park. A beautiful...massive park. And I am the one person who works in that park. I have to tend to it. The park has...the most fantastic array of plantlife imaginable. But weeds always sneak in. Over time, were it not cared for, the...park would become a filthy mess, overgrown with weeds."

The Cricketbatman leans on his cricket bat, his gaze fixed on Celestia's eyes. There's something rather unnatural about how he says all this, as if he's reading from a script.

"The weeds must be controlled. Removed. New weeds forever try to grow through, and...must forever be removed. Things that exist must be removed. They are weeds. If not controlled...the consequences would be far worse than things merely becoming overgrown and...messy. I destroy things, here and there, in order to prevent everything from being destroyed. You...see? It must be controlled."

The Cricketbatman takes a step closer, letting his cricket bat drag along the floor.

"You think you've created a...paradise for your ponies. As near as you can get anyway. But you can't just shut out all the bad in the world and pretend it...doesn't exist. This place is a...weed. A very small weed, still growing, but one that in time will be a serious enough problem to warrant...removal."

Another step, and then suddenly the Cricketbatman is right beside her, his eyes still fixed on hers.

"Whatever you think the consequences may be, think...again. There may come a time when I am told to remove this place, if it remains as it...is. And I will do so. Without question. Without hesitation. I am their obedient servant, I do what...must be done. You will not be able to resist. There will be no warning. You, your sister, all of this place and all of the ponies...will be removed. You will cease to exist. That is all."

If Celestia is paying attention, perhaps she will sense that there is something rather odd about all this. Almost as if the Cricketbatman has been brainwashed into believing this. He does not question, because the people he speaks of have made it so.

"This place is wrong. I do not know exactly how it is wrong, what exactly it is you've...done. But I've seen enough to know that it is wrong. If you do not fix it, one day you will...lose it all."

[Lord Magtok]

Canterlot - On a Train

"I totally said the same thing. Talk to Pinkie."

Magtok stays seated where he is leaning against a wall because pony trains don't have seating for bipeds, and stares off into the window with a bored, apathetic expression. He's already been talked into doing something he doesn't want to do, he's not about to change his mind again without some token struggle, even if it's just the absence of aid in convincing Pinkie, at least it's something.

[Chaotic Bob]

[Canterlot - On a Train!]

If only it was a party train.
Pinkie Pie would be so happy.

Instead she's appeared next to Magtok and is attempting to somehow tie a smiley-face balloon to his wrist, while she waves at Rarity and Ibby/Sigil with a free hoof.
It might be one of her rear hooves.

"Of course it's a good idea, silly. Fudge is great for all situations, especially bad ones!"
A mysteriously serious look.
"And this is a very bad situation."

Then snapping back to her giddy look, she resumes fiddling with her balloon.
"Besides, Dashie can come get us when we're done."

"Well...she is the fastest flier we know, I suppose...but I don't think she's quite that fast, Pinkie Pie."

"Psh, fastest pony ever!"

[Canterlot - Inside the Castle]

A mixture of looks briefly, and faintly, pass across Celestia's face in rapid fire.

Eventually in resumes her easily benevolent smile and she stares off down the hall.
"Duly noted. Is that all?"

It is the benevolence of someone pressing very near a snapping point, wisely devoting their energy towards self-control rather than anything else.

[Rebonack]

[Canterlot - On a Train!]

Or maybe one of her extra four forhooves? She's done that before. And it's creepy.

Sigil closes his eyes and lets out a long sigh.

"Twilight is going to die if we don't get to her with the Elements soon, Pinkie," the unicorn says, head hung low. "She's going to try to alter the Nexus. Forcibly. And the people there will oppose her. Lethally. The only thing that can save her is getting to her before she starts doing... whatever it is she's planning on doing. No parties. No fudge. We're going to go back to the castle and get the others. Then we're going to go rescue Twilight."

Should Pinkie start to object she'll probably find a hoof shoved in her mouth.

"No arguing. No excuses. No self-deception. We're leaving. Right now."

And with that he'll start heading for the door. If Pinkie refuses to follow? Well... he'll aim to wrap her in a levitation field and pull her along with him.

[Lord Magtok]

Canterlot - On a Train

Well, that's persuasion enough for Magtok! Now that the Nexus is in trouble, and not just some smelly pony, he's actually obligated to try to avoid getting in the way! Can't let some dumb magical horse mess with his homeland with creepy eldritch superpower shenanigans, right?

"Fudge later, then. And if the whole 'no more world-hopping or else this might happen again' thing comes up, I'll try to bribe my way back with a robot gazelle or something as a gift on behalf of the Nexus."

A hollow, empty promise. Magtok just doesn't have a clone to spare on such a trip, the resources to waste on a robo-gazelle, or the time to hang out with ponies he can barely tolerate.

[Gnrlshrimp]

[Canterlot - Inside the Castle]

Is that all?

The Cricketbatman considers this question for a moment.

...

Well, it's maybe worth mentioning one more thing?

"I hope I have made it clear that this group of six ponies is...not welcome in the Nexus. Their presence there is dangerous. If they should somehow end up there again after this, I will not harm them, but I will...bring them straight back here. Otherwise, once this matter is dealt with, I will not return here. My presence is rarely...desired in any place, let alone somewhere like this."

And with that, the Cricketbatman turns to follow after the rest of 'em.

[Chaotic Bob]

[Canterlot - Inside the Castle]

Leaky leaves.

Celestia bows her head a bit and lets out a long breach.
"This mustn't persist..."


Meanwhile, back at her chambers, Applejack is attaching the Element of Kindness to Fluttershy, already wearing her own Element of Honesty.

Luna taps at Spike's prison for another moment before turning to face those present.
"As soon as Rainbow Dash locates the others, we will depart and put an end to Twilight's slavery."


[Canterlot - On the Train]

Everyone was ganging up on her again, against her idea.

Pinkie Pie is sure they need to go check out Ponyville...
"We'll be right back, Pinkie Pie. We'll leave, use the Elements, and then return bright and happy for a party. We just need Twilight first, yes?"

A long, exaggerated sigh and the pink mare bows her head.
"Fiiine. But we're coming right back! My knees are all pinchy."
She doesn't like it, but saving Twilight probably is more important...

Best be quick about that leaving.
The train departs momentarily!

[Rebonack]

[Canterlot - Not On A Train]

Off the train they go! Good thing they were standing right by the door to begin with. "I'm sorry I didn't make it to the party at Magtok's, Pinkie. I never thought for a moment that an ancient evil being of indescribable power would kidnap Twilight for its nefarious purposes."

Sigil offers the pink pony a small smile.

"I've been thinking... maybe I could stay in Ponyville for a while after Twilight is better? If the Princesses allow it, of course. We could make it a combo-party?"

Combo parties are fun, right?

Rarity is given a questioning look by Sigil as he echoes, "Knees are pinchy?"