MLP The Cycle 2: Eclectic Twist-a-loo: Ultimatum - Shut Up and Save the World! Gaiden

[Zelphas]

An unintentional flourish? Curtain Call was the Bard of Hope! Any flourishes, pirouettes, or other displays of showmanship were always completely--all right, that was a complete accident. But he didn't have to admit that out loud! "That's right, you should back up!" he cries out in triumph as the shardling hesitates, only to blink in surprise as it is demolished from the map. "Do you think we still get EXP for that? How does the level-up system work in this game, anyways?"

The young colt glances over at Princess Lily as she speaks, connecting the flash of teal and some of Lily's stranger statements together. So, the leader of the supposedly good and orderly side of the conflict is mind-controlled, or brainwashed, or both. That's... great. "Our home kingdom had a run in with changelings, Princess," he answers, glancing up at the approaching meteors. "It... was not exactly a pleasant encounter, from the stories I've heard."

[DigoDragon]

Dawn Star

Dawn flops on the ground, dirty coat be damned. She gently presses a hoof against the base of her horn and flinches. "Oww... too much magic. Mon... tout est fatigué."

Her mane is a complete mess too. "Changelings? Those are... the bug ponies that imitate us ponies?"

[Theoboldi]

Dawn Star

Dawn flops on the ground, dirty coat be damned. She gently presses a hoof against the base of her horn and flinches. "Oww... too much magic. Mon... tout est fatigué."

Silver, who luckily is somewhat near Dawn at this point, quickly rushes over to her, catching her before she hits the ground. "H-Hey! Don't relax yet! There's more meteors coming down!" Making sure that at least she doesn't flop painfully, he then lets go of her, leaing her to either resume standing or to gently drop on the stone floor.

"You're relying way too much on your magic, you know." he comments under his breath, already turning away from the filly.


On his way to the Princess, he walks past Nobility, stopping suddenly after a few long moments of attempting to ignore her. "Um, thanks for that distraction earlier." he mutters, barely audible. "I don't think I could have trapped that monster without somepony to do that."

L
It takes some time for Lily to return her attention to you, her gaze locked over the destruction of the city. "I'm a what? Wait, what's this about ...changelings? Who said anything about them?" She tilts her head to the side, one eyebrow raised. "Do... do you know anything about changelings?"

Silver gives Princess Lily a closer look, focusing particularely on her eyes. Didn't he see something in them before? "What Dawn and Curtain said. I think they eat love, too, whatever that means. Are you sure you're alright, princess?" After waiting for her reaction for a bit he turns his head a little to look at the rest of the courtyard, hoping that he can spot the bug-like pony creature he saw earlier again.

Spoiler: OOC

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Cape-up-picking will ensue later. Didn't quite feel like the right moment yet.

[DigoDragon]

Silver, who luckily is somewhat near Dawn at this point, quickly rushes over to her, catching her before she hits the ground. "H-Hey! Don't relax yet! There's more meteors coming down!" Making sure that at least she doesn't flop painfully, he then lets go of her, leaing her to either resume standing or to gently drop on the stone floor.

"You're relying way too much on your magic, you know." he comments under his breath, already turning away from the filly.

Dawn Star

What she thought was going to be a gentlepony act of kindness didn't seem to turn out quite so... gently? Dawn lets herself slow-flop to the ground anyway after being criticized, watching Silver trot off to Nobility. "Your mouth is relying on way to much magic," she grumbles quietly about the colt, so that nopony else hears her.

[igordragonian]

Nobility is still shaken. And her mane! Her fabulous mane gotten dirty! She blinked when Silver Lining turned to her.
"Uh. It was nothing. All of you are under my responsibility after all. It also good to see that you weren't failing this time.' she said sticking up her muzzle, accepting his thank with nobility(?) and also giving him her thanks(?)

She looked at Dawn. "Remind me, that I owe you a day in the spa, when we are back. You saved my beautiful face from a terrible scratch!"
Nobility stared worried at the Princess.
"Changlings? They are so uncute! They almost have destroyed the wedding of Princess Cadence! And she dared to steal the dress which Ms. Rarity made for her!' she told enthusiastically to the princess. "But why were you talking about them, your highness?"

[DigoDragon]

She looked at Dawn. "Remind me, that I owe you a day in the spa, when we are back. You saved my beautiful face from a terrible scratch!"

Dawn lazily raises a hoof into the air. "Yay..." she deadpans.

[Theoboldi]

"Uh. It was nothing. All of you are under my responsibility after all. It also good to see that you weren't failing this time.' she said sticking up her muzzle, accepting his thank with nobility(?) and also giving him her thanks(?)

Silver rolled his eyes in response. He had no idea what reaction he had even hoped for. Still, at least she hadn't mentioned her 'charming' nickname for him.

"What's up with that name you call me, anyways? When have I ever fail at anything? I'm the one and only Silver Lining! All my tricks work out in the end." he asks, incredulously.

Spoiler: OOC

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Feel free to make up literally anything, Igor. The more ridiculous of a failed trick you can imagine for Silver, the better.

[userpay]

Brazen Hoof

Brazen apparently put more into the skip than they had intended, spinning a bit to bleed off the excess speed, but otherwise set to pounce on the shardling... Which suddenly isn't there. The colt stares for several more moments thinking it might be some sort of trap but when no shardling presents itself he looks around the area warily. Reading for new ones.

"As everyone has said where we come from our people have had run ins with them. Don't think anything happened recently though..."

[igordragonian]

Nobility hugged Dawn. "That would be just sooooooooooooooo fabulous!" She said excited, totally ignoring, her lack of excitement.
She looked at Silver Lining and laughed, leaving Dawn, moving toward him.
"Seriously?! Seriously? You ask!?" she laughed again, covering her muzzle, to keep a lady like attitude.

"You remember when you tried to pull a bunny from the hat, and instead you have burned the hat AND your eyebrows? I know it's might be a complicated trick for beginners, but.. how did you manage to burn it?! And your eyebrows?!" she snickered, holding herself from bursting into unlady like laughter.
"Silver Fail, does even your memory failing you?" She couldn't hold it, and bursted into a laughter right in his face.

[DigoDragon]

"Don't think anything happened recently though..."

"Would we even know?" Dawn wonders aloud.

Nobility hugged Dawn. "That would be just sooooooooooooooo fabulous!" She said excited, totally ignoring, her lack of excitement.

She looked at Silver Lining and laughed, leaving Dawn, moving toward him.

Dawn suddenly derp-eyed from a hug she was not expecting. And then the unicorn slowly flopped back down on her back, wondering what was that about.

[Theoboldi]

"You remember when you tried to pull a bunny from the hat, and instead you have burned the hat AND your eyebrows? I know it's might be a complicated trick for beginners, but.. how did you manage to burn it?! And your eyebrows?!" she snickered, holding herself from bursting into unlady like laughter.
"Silver Fail, does even your memory failing you?" She couldn't hold it, and bursted into a laughter right in his face.

Silver's face flushes red, and he quickly averts his eyes from Nobility. "T-That doesn't count! How was I supposed to know you needed a real bunny for that trick!?" He seems more flustered than angry though, indicating that the filly struck a nerve.

[igordragonian]

"Yeah? How about the time..." Nobility tried to say, but giggled too much to speak, then took a deep breath to stop her laughter long enough to speak
"The time, you told Boredom Call to pick a card, and it was your photo as a baby?" at this moment, Nobility lost her self control and fell on her back holding her belly from the pain of!laughing so much.
"Or... Or.. That time when-"
Another burst of laughter plus rolling*

[Theoboldi]

"Yeah? How about the time..." Nobility tried to say, but giggled too much to speak, then took a deep breath to stop her laughter long enough to speak
"The time, you told Boredom Call to pick a card, and it was your photo as a baby?" at this moment, Nobility lost her self control and fell on her back holding her belly from the pain of!laughing so much.
"Or... Or.. That time when-"
Another burst of laughter plus rolling*

By this point, Silver looks redder than a tomato. "I-I'd like to see y-you do better! Okay, m-maybe I wasn't always successful! But I'm still better than you, no-skill-ity!" He crosses his hooves and leans away, desperately attempting to look nonchalant.

Spoiler: OOC

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I am having a blast with this conversation, by the way. Let's keep it at 2 incidents for now though, Igor. Just to ensure we can name further ones in the future and that everyone else has a chance to make fun of Silver as well.

Though only when it is comedically appropriate, of course. Don't want this to look as if I'm giving license to turn my character into a complete punchline. Just that I'm totally fine with him being the occasional butt of a joke. Occasional being the keyword here.

[igordragonian]

By this point, Silver looks redder than a tomato. "I-I'd like to see y-you do better! Okay, m-maybe I wasn't always successful! But I'm still better than you, no-skill-ity!" He crosses his hooves and leans away, desperately attempting to look nonchalant.

Spoiler: OOC

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I am having a blast with this conversation, by the way. Let's keep it at 2 incidents for now though, Igor. Just to ensure we can name further ones in the future and that everyone else has a chance to make fun of Silver as well.

Though only when it is comedically appropriate, of course. Don't want this to look as if I'm giving license to turn my character into a complete punchline. Just that I'm totally fine with him being the occasional butt of a joke. Occasional being the keyword here.

,

Spoiler: ooc

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I agree. That why I didn"t let her finish.now it's Nobility's turn... Maybe. You can make up things if the plot or the comedy demand it

Well Silver Lining didn't failed to make Nobility stop laughing. She gotten back to her hooves, with a snobbish expriession.
"I am too important to do boring mundane things. Why should I learn how to do your so called "skills"- she gotten closer to him, spreading her wings like peacok.
"When I can simply PAY to B rated ponies to do what ever I need?" she paused with an evil grin which only Diamond Tiara could do better, her face too close to Silver's face. "Oh wait, I'll pay only to B rated ponies- not a C rated ponies like you! HA!" she mocked him in her best snobbish chuckkle- which were far less real than her previouse laughter. She backed off a bit, sticking up her nose, as if trying to look at him from above

[DigoDragon]

Dawn Star

"Mom, dad, please stop arguing," Dawn commented dryly.

[Zelphas]

"It's so sad when couples fight," Curtain Call comments (mostly to himself) in response to Dawn's witticism, watching Nobility and Silver arguing. He looks back up at the approaching meteor, then at the Princess, wondering how she'll react to all of this.

[Theoboldi]

,

Spoiler: ooc

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I agree. That why I didn"t let her finish.now it's Nobility's turn... Maybe. You can make up things if the plot or the comedy demand it

Well Silver Lining didn't failed to make Nobility stop laughing. She gotten back to her hooves, with a snobbish expriession.
"I am too important to do boring mundane things. Why should I learn how to do your so called "skills"- she gotten closer to him, spreading her wings like peacok.
"When I can simply PAY to B rated ponies to do what ever I need?" she paused with an evil grin which only Diamond Tiara could do better, her face too close to Silver's face. "Oh wait, I'll pay only to B rated ponies- not a C rated ponies like you! HA!" she mocked him in her best snobbish chuckkle- which were far less real than her previouse laughter. She backed off a bit, sticking up her nose, as if trying to look at him from above

Spoiler: OOC

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Eh, I'll make up some stuff later. Don't have any good ideas right now. For now, I'll just have Silver point out something uncomfortable.

Silver stares right back at Nobility when she closes in on his face, her mockery now making his blood boil. When she raises her nose, he puts his hooves down, giving the floor a little stomp.

"Hey, Dumbo." he says, face scrunched up in annoyance. "Maybe you haven't noticed, but you didn't bring any bits with you! They're all back home! Good luck paying anypony with only your winning personality!"

Then, he turns away, throwing Dawn and Curtain a rather fearsome glare for their comments. As if he and Nobility could ever be a couple! "What a load...."

[Derjuin]

Lily rolls her eyes at the arguing and bickering and name-calling, then lets out a sigh as it continues. "Okay, well, I know changelings can do some bad stuff, but they aren't all that bad. We're - well, I'm - looking for five of them. Uh, six. There are six changelings somewhere in the world. At least one of them was locked up in Gildaea, though I wouldn't be surprised if Rose explicitly left her to her imprisonment..." She steals a glance skyward, then continues, her eyes still watching the meteors overhead. "Changelings aren't native to this world, as far as I'm aware. I met one, once, and she was taken from us by the angels, who believed her to be a monster. I feel like they would be an excellent addition to your efforts, you know? Just don't tell the angels. I know they think we're all working together, but honestly, the best future for Equinia and the best future for Gildaea-and-Equinia are not the same."

By now, most of the meteors heading toward the city have veered off or disappeared entirely, though a large one is still heading straight toward your group. The Princess stands stoically, and the angels are now ascending from the courtyard, their prisoners in tow.

[igordragonian]

Nobility gasped. For once... She had nothing to say. Actually the realization was terrifing. The money of her parents was the only thing she had... That and her twin brother. She shutted up, feeling more alone than ever, folding her ears.

She took a deep breath when the princess have spoken again.
"Why should we care about bunch of uncute monters, your highness?" Nobility has asked.
"The angels... Are good. Right? Don't you trust them?"

Something had to make sense in this world!

[DigoDragon]

Dawn Star

Seeing that large meteor coming, Dawn finally gets up. "Uh, your highness? Should we get inside or something?"

[Theoboldi]

Silver shrinks down a little once Nobility quiets down, the vengeful expression he had until now suddenly replaced by one of uncertainty. "Wait, that's not right..." He just showed up Nobility, one of Ponyville's biggest bullies. He absolutely defeated her. She should be angry and bratty right now, and he should be victorious.

"I..I didn't mean it like that." he stammers, unsure of what to say. "...You still helped me out back there...." after that, he stays silent, ears folded much like Nobility's.

Only once Princess Lily interjects does he lift his head, intently listening to everything she is saying. Once she is finished, he looks up at the sky, his eyes following the angels. "Changelings or angels...I don't think I really trust either. But somehow, I think these angels are the worse of the two." He turns back towards the princess, looking somewhat more thoughtful now. "Can't we stop the angels from locking up all of these creatures again? I can't imagine they all deserve to be in the same place as these shardling things."


Once he has gotten an answer, whether positive or not, he once again gazes at the broken courtyard before him, and the large meteor heading his way. "Why does all of this have to be so complicated? And why did I feel bad for Nobility just now?" His eyes fall over the broken shards of the first shardling, and the torn up pieces of the Equinian banner he used to restrain it. And suddenly, an idea enters his head, one that he just cannot seem to get rid off. "You can't think about that stuff now, Silver. There's still another monster coming your way, and you haven't even figured out how to use your element yet!" He picks up one of the ripped-up pieces of cloth, one just large enough to fit over his back without getting in the way of his wings.

In one swift motion, he swings it over his back, and firmly binds it in place around his neck. With this newfound cape, he looks up to the sky, ready for whatever may come. "I'm not gonna run away. We could handle everything so far, didn't we?"

[Zelphas]

Curtain Call stares at Nobility as she seems genuinely stung by Silver's jab, but his attention snaps back to the Princess as she gives them another dose of Plot. Hmm... main quest, or side quest? he wonders as she mentions changelings. Changelings had attacked Canterlot that one time, but he had also heard that one had gone to a wedding in Ponyville and hadn't bothered anypony, so maybe they weren't all bad?

He listens to everyone's else's statements, wrinkling his snout at Nobility calling changelings "uncute monsters". Hasn't she read any old mare's tales? "Uncute monsters" are heroes in disguise, more often than not. He decides to pitch in with Silver's comment, however. "Why were they imprisoned, besides the fact that they aren't ponies? Please, we're just trying to understand this world," he prompts, forgoing the "confused little pony" act in favor of the "hero of Hope looking for understanding". If we can free some of the prisoners, that might give us a bonus to the rebel faction down the line, though it'll probably hurt our ranking with the angels...

[userpay]

Brazen Hoof

Brazen can't help but smirk a bit when the Princess does reveal her misgivings about working together with the angels. "Hmmm... I wonder if the changlings here are different than the ones we know..." The colt muses. The large meteor earns a squint from Brazen who then looks sidelong towards the Princess.

[Derjuin]

"Five of them were pulled here by the same phenomenon that brought you five. I don't know how, or why. The Prophecy only mentions five ponies to save Equinia, not five plus a handful of changelings. The other... the sixth is - well, he is a very important individual. If my hypothesis is correct, he is the Bearer of the Element of Life, and knows where we can find - or possibly, already possesses - the element itself. The others must serve some kind of purpose, for fate to have brought them to us." Lily looks to Nobility for a moment, weighing her words in her mind. "The angels are very different from us. They believe in a society of beauty, of order, and of perfect unity. Unfortunately, such a world isn't possible in their eyes without purging everything that doesn't measure up to their standards. Too much of a good thing becomes a bad thing, you see."

"Most of the prisoners of Gildaea are imprisoned for simply not being ponies. Too ugly, too raucous, too chaotic... crimes they hadn't actually committed. Imprisoned for qualities. The shardlings, and some of the demons that spawned deep inside the most hideous pits of Purgist, are truly the only creatures that deserve their imprisonment. But, Equinia can't fight the angels' terms. Not yet, at least. So, unfortunately, we can't stop the angels from taking these loose prisoners back to Gildaea. Once we're good and ready to throw off their yoke, however..." To both Curtain and Silver, Lily tries her best to explain. She points to an angel carrying off a griffon, and another carrying what looks to be a small dragon. "These creatures were simply pushed away from us by the angels. They claimed that they were unclean - and when we sought to bargain with them, we got... well, the Veil. They promised not to 'cleanse' our world of the unclean, by instead requiring us to be separated from them. If not by the veil of life and death, then by the Veil of their magic."

To Dawn, she shakes her head. "There's no need. It'll stop just short..."

The meteor continues to grow larger and larger, until it seems like the entire courtyard is about to be consumed. Suddenly, it stops - just as the Princess had said - and condenses into a small, blue-black ball of whirling energy. "Of course, she would send her shade..." Lily grunts, clenching her teeth.

In an explosive ripple, the ball expands rapidly until it fills a shape not unlike the Princess's, though it sports creepy bat-like wings and several sets of horns all over its body. It almost reminds you of Princess Rose, though its body is faint, like it's made of blue and black smoke.

"Lily the usurper! My mistress sends her regards," a prominent voice issues forth from it, and a soft and airy cackle can be heard afterwards as it throws back its transparent head. Lily simply sneers. "Or, should I say, Lily the mind-slave? Your actions, whoever you are, do not run unnoticed by the True Princess of Equinia." For a moment, Lily's determination seems to falter, but she resumes a ready stance and a furrowed brow in no time.

"Pay its poisonous words no heed, heroes! Attack!" Lily calls out, a magical shell appearing around herself.

The shade simply sneers.

Spoiler: OOC

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Is this the beginning of a Scene?

Maybe...?

Maybe not

[DigoDragon]

"So besides five of us, there are six changelings, Gildea throws out anyone not perfect... and... ugh, this is too much to remember." Dawn brushes some loose hairs away from her face. She's tired, and hungry, and upset, and she just wants to go home. The filly isn't even sure how to fight this apparition.

[igordragonian]

Nobility felt, well derped.
The angels weren't the good guys? Lilly will rebel against them? But then what the diffrence from Princess Rose? And changlings? Maybe anti element team?
There weren't enough information and time to decide what the right thing to do!
Wait? Usurper? A refrence to Games of the Stable?
She really hoped not see a stag getting killed by a boar.
Huh?! Battle?! But...
She can't let her underlings getting involved in battle which they do not understand! Especialy when it's clear that the element are NOT operational yet. But what could she do?
What Nobility always do- telling others what to do!
But to command a princess and a princess's shade?!
She closed her eyes and has imagined with maid uniforms. She then galloped, trying to stand between the two forces.

"STOP!!! AS THE SEER OF HEART I DEMAND THAT, YOU TALK THIS OUT! BOTH OF YOU, HAVE RESPONSIBILTY TOWARD YOUR SUBJECTS!"



Later she will faint... Right now she tried to look decisive and brave


(2d6)[10]+3

[DigoDragon]

"STOP!!! AS THE SEER OF HEART I DEMAND THAT, YOU TALK THIS OUT! BOTH OF YOU, HAVE RESPONSIBILTY TOWARD YOUR SUBJECTS!"

"Ugh, yes please. For the love of Prench crepes with cream cheese, just stop fighting!" Dawn pleads.

Spoiler: OOC

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Acting in Harmony with Nobility. Bumps that result up to a 15.

[Theoboldi]

Silver, his newly created cape swinging in the wind created by the shade's explosive creation is about to say something, when Nobility suddenly steps up and takes the words right out of his mouth. For once, he's actually impressed by her. This is far from the schoolyard bully he usually knows her as. "Maybe she's the changeling?" For now, he throws the thought away with a short grin.

Instead, he steps up alongside her, facing this Princess Rose in particular.

"Maybe this Lily is a phony. Who knows? I've never met her before. But you're just as much of a phony as her! How can you expect us to believe you care about Equinia when the angels are free to recapture all the innocent people you freed, while you're busy fighting with your sister?!

If you really care about anypony, you're gonna talk this out with her right now, whoever she may be! Both of you want this tyranny to end! So where I'm standing I see only one common threat, and it's no pony!"

His knees are shaky, and once again he's not sure what he's getting himself into. But the only thought in his mind right now is a demand for Rose to actually back up her words with the right kind of action.

Spoiler: OOC

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Acting in Harmony, which I suppose only adds another +1 for 16 total. Maybe my Special Purpose applies? Because I'm trying to show Rose that Lily also wants to stop the Angels?

If it does, do not apply any disadvantages from Rose hating Lily's guts.

[Zelphas]

"We've been here all of a few hours, and we can all see that something is wrong here," Curtain Call adds, looking warily at the spectre. "And the biggest thing we've noticed? No one's talking. All of you are set up to fight each other, and nopony seems to have any good reason besides 'the angels don't like things that aren't them'. You are sisters; our land is living proof that the bond between sisters can survive the distance of moons and the corruption of evil magic. Please, try to talk to one another; I have Hope that your bond can be saved too."

Spoiler: OOC

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Act in Harmony for another +1, bringing that total to 17.

[userpay]

Brazen Hoof

Brazen nods solemnly as Lily speaks of divesting the angels... Eventually. While his heart ached for the scattered people that are caught up in the angels action something more pressing faced them as the meteor condenses. Stepping towards the front of the group, stamping a hoof. "This is not the time for further fighting. Is this not a chance for the two sides to sit down and talk while there is the chance!?"

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Acting in Harmony with the others.