[IC] Equestrian Radio Show's Adventure Variety Hour: Explorers of STOMP

[CoffeeHorse]

Searching through a few corridors, Static Signal's team eventually found a set of stairs leading up. The next floor had pipes arrayed like bars to a jail cell throughout many rooms. With Square Fun leading them to where he sensed the teleport, they found a jail cell with a small puddle of water on the floor and wet hoofprints leading out of it and down the corridor.


Keen Craft slammed into the side of the minecart as it tightly rounded the turn. Speeding faster and faster, it was soon seen that there was an upcoming gap in the track. However, Shale Antiquity magically bent a ramp so it leaped from one rail to the next. After a corkscrew coil, the minecart began to slow down as the rail leveled off and was on solid ground in an area filled with crystals similar to the one they previously entered.


"I know right? They don't stand a chance." Dart Noveau said with a smirk. Regardless, she protectively stepped in front of Wanderlust and stood at her full height as she watched the lone pony and awaited Rhapsody's signal.

---

"Anchors?" Misty suddenly spins around quickly and points ahead with both a hoof and a wing. "I think that's the direction she went in!"

---

The group approaching Rhapsody's team began to fan out and then stopped with most of them taking hidden positions but one seemed to deliberately wait in plain sight.

"Are we sure this is still a training exercise?" Wanderlust hisses at Rhapsody. "10 on 5 doesn't quite seem fair."

"I know right? They don't stand a chance." Dart Noveau said with a smirk. Regardless, she protectively stepped in front of Wanderlust and stood at her full height as she watched the lone pony and awaited Rhapsody's signal.

Rhapsody smirks hearing Dart. "Oh, This is definitely still training, Wander. Such small numbers is perfect for a team with this many newcomers; enough to be be threatening but not enough to really over power us. In my time the team's faced thrice this many before and still won!" Rhapsody says as she looks down to her team; Dart's reply having given her some confidence in them. "Dart's got the right attitude. We've got this, we just got to play it smart. We don't want to spread out; if there's one tripwire, there a strong chance for more and we might not have anypony to help us when spread thin. They've got the advantage of knowing this area better then us. We need to make them come to us." She says glancing around the area from her aerial view.

"Which means one thing." She says having not sensed any weapons on them meant this would be a straight fight; just hooves and magic. So unless the other hidden ponies were all Saddle Ragers or Starswirls the danger was minimal. "Everypony stay on your guard, the one just waiting there is obviously a trap. I'm going to spring it it, so be ready." Rhapsody says, she didn't know anyone else's abilities enough to risk them in case she was wrong. She knew her own and she's taken down tougher odds then this before if it went belly up.

She races forward toward the lone pony and lands right in front of them, body tense as she was ready for an ambush. "Alright. What's you're deal here?" She growled softly.

---

The stallion who approached Rhapsody seemed to be attempting an incredibly poor attempt at a Trottingham accent as he responded. "Oh ho! Me and my compatriots were merely doing a bit of flower collection. You and your lot can simply run along now luv."

---

"Misty, hold up! They could be using her as bait."

Spoiler

---

 

[CoffeeHorse]

"What I sensed earlier was that whoever this is, they were enjoying this bit of mischief," Maple said, still unsure if the flavor tainted or not based on the circumstances.

---

Static Signal sensed that somepony was farther down the path but they seemed just far enough to walk out of range.

---

Static Signal sensed that somepony was farther down the path but they seemed just far enough to walk out of range. However, it seemed like a natural walk instead of a teleport.


Shale Antiquity very calmly pulled a comb out of thin air and adjusted her mane. "That was certainly different from my normal day. Is it safe to assume we follow the track onward?"

---

The stallion who approached Rhapsody seemed to be attempting an incredibly poor attempt at a Trottingham accent as he responded. "Oh ho! Me and my compatriots were merely doing a bit of flower collection. You and your lot can simply run along now luv."

Rhapsody rolls her eyes at the extremely bad accent. "That won't be happening." She says as glares to him, she was still convinced this was all part of the training exercise, that these were ponies that they hired to play a role rather then real villains. "The way I see it, is I am WAY above your weight class. I've shattered boulders with my bare hooves. You can barely keep your accent straight. Maybe you and and your LARPer friends might be good enough to take on the others, maybe. It might eve be pretty close to a fair fight. But You'd still have to get past me. I've taken on 5 to 1 odds and still came out on top. So, maybe if you ALL came at me at once, you might take me down.. maybe. But you'd still have the others to deal with, and you'd all probably be in fairly bad shape. Either way, I can't say I see this ending well for you. So unless they are paying you EXTREMELY well for that flower, maybe you need to ask yourself, do you feel lucky?" She says and assumes an attack stance, wings splayed to make her look bigger and more threatening as she stares the stallion down, not really wanting to hurt any of them if they were on the Museum's payroll. "Well, do you?"

Spoiler

---

"N-no ma'am." The stallion cowered as his accent was gone. "I'm sure my team would weigh this and feel other pursuits would be best. Isn't that right team?" The others stepped out where they could be seen and nodded though one commented, "I told you that accent was terrible."

---

 

[CoffeeHorse]

;and9ng lightly behind the minecart, Scarlet untied and stowee his lasso.

"it seems so, yes. Onward then, to the temple of doom. To the Key of the Conqueror!

'cough'

Keen Craft, are you alright?"

---

Static came out of his trance. "Right! Let's go then. She's alone. If we hurry we can catch up to her." Static sets off at a rather brisk pace.

---

"Do you mean hurry, or hurry hurry?" Misty asks, restraining herself from immediately charging ahead at full speed.

---

"I sure hope the third hurry isn't silent." Maple moans as she manages to approximate one level of hurry in order to keep up.

---

Static picks Maple up and gives her a ride, trying to keep up with Misty but not at all wanting her to slow down.

---

 

[CoffeeHorse]

Keen Craft replied with, "Fine, I guess. Could be worse. Have to keep reminding myself that this track is supposed to be 'ancient' for the training instead of something just poorly designed."


As Static Signal's team rushed to follow the trail of wet hoofprints, they found a door that had been hastily barricaded on the other side.

---

Static knocks on the door. "Hey, Anchors, it's us! Are you in there? Please let us in!"

---

Moonshadow, now finished with reinforcing the the stick so it'd hold the trip wire in place, regarded the group of ponies with a steady gaze, though inside he was jittery.

"This really is just a training exercise Pecky." He told her silently as they stood there. "Just like that Daring Doo experience we did at that convention! Best museum ever!"

Pecky gave off a few tweets.

"What? Of course they aren't real bandits. No real bandit is that terrible an actor."

---

Maple slumps off of Static's back - that was a bumpy ride, she'd have lost her cookies if she'd have brought any.

---

There was a pause of silence until, "Static?"

Square Fun teleported through and after some clattering could be heard, the door opened. It was a fairly large room filled with equipment with two doors on the far end. Anchors Away was there and she slumped in exhausted relief. "Running...isn't my best skill it seems."

---

 

[CoffeeHorse]

"I'm not planning on racing either of those three anytime soon." Maple said, Agreeing with Anchors.

---

Static catches Anchors mid-slump and pulls her in for a hug.

[Broke out of her cell and made it this far on her own! That's my mare!]

"I think I know the feeling. For a while there, I was the only one on the team who couldn't fly or teleport...unaided. Need a rest?"

---

"Water would be nice. I used mine up squeezing through the bars."

---

Static hand her his canteen. "Take all you need. Misty can always make more." Static looked around at the equipment in the room. "Everyone go ahead and rest up. I want to take a look at this equipment."

[spoilers]Static wants to try and figure out what this equipment does and how to work it. Not sure if that's General Knowledge or Technology.

Roll(1d20)+0:
14,+0
Total:14

General Knowledge: 14+14=28
Technology: 14+8=22[/spoiler]

---

As Anchors Away guzzled the canteen, Static Signal pondered the equipment. It looked like it was to build a multitude of generators. Square Fun brought over some charts he found with complex mathematical equations. "It makes you wonder if this would be the type of inventor who would use ultimate power to rule the world or to destroy it. Which is mutually exclusive, of course. There isn't any profit in the end of the world."

---

 

[CoffeeHorse]

"Haha! That's so true!"

---

Statics face contorts into an instant sneer. His ears pin back and his eyes are full of fire as he turns on Square. "Why did you say that?" he hissed in a deadly threat, nocking the charts out of Square's hooves. "'There isn't any profit in the end of the world.' Where did you hear that? Maple! Read his emotions. He lies to me, I want to know it. Who are you working for?"

---

Square Fun seemed taken aback. "What's gotten into you? I heard it while in Louisianeigh for a teaching conference."

---

Static's eyes narrow. He could remember Dazzling Midnight's Lousianeigh accent very well. Ponyfeathers! Everything about that mare was burned into his memory. Though he does relax a bit. Maybe...maybe he had nothing to do with COIN. But his suspicions weren't entirely abated."That's a dangerous phrase to just throw around. Who did you hear it from? Tall unicorn Mare? Dark purple coat? Blue hair draped over one eye?"

---

 

[CoffeeHorse]

Square Fun arched an eyebrow and sat down. "Huh. Not her directly but well..."

"The conference went well, both in the discussions about teaching and me getting the chance to mess with ponies. There's always fellow professors who are stiffs instead of inspiring. Add that onto the fact that I've slowly built up a reputation and I almost don't even need to try. I can 'accidentally' mention my word of the day and they'll swipe it. It'll be the goofiest thing I can come up with...then I'll opt not to use it. I don't need to force it in my classes since I already get along with them. I mean, they get to call me a square. But for the other stuff..." Square Fun became serious again.

"After part of the conference was over, we broke for lunch. Most stuck with the catered stuff but I decided to follow my nose. Since we were in Louisianeigh, I figured it would be worth trying out some local cuisine. Found an outdoor seating area and waited to be served. While waiting, I overheard a couple being really bossy and giving the waitress a hard time. I was about to give them a piece of my mind but then this unicorn mare walked over to them. That mare you described. She was carrying a coffee mug with her magic and when she reach them, she slammed it down on the table. The really important thing is that the table shattered into splinters but the mug was intact. This was a bit of a warning...a show of force if you will. From there the stallion jumped up (bear with me on the voices):"

"What is your problem?"
"Funny, I was about to ask you the same thing. The waitress works hard enough without the likes of you."
"The likes of me? That does it... I challenge you to a duel!"
"You must be either joking or dense."
"What? Nopony talks to me that w..."

"She tossed him...well, not straight up. More like an 86 degree angle. But she tossed him with her magic without a blink and really far. She then turned to his...wife?...and said," "You two are worthless and more importantly, you're wasting my time. Leave. Or else." "She caught the stallion before he went splat, dropped him the rest of the way, and the couple scattered. She walked over to the waitress and gave her a sizable sack of coins." "This is for my café au lait and beignets. Compliments to the chef on proper chicory usage. The rest is to pay for damages and your tip. You've worked hard today. I need to go fix the town clock." "And I guess she was right. I saw a clock tower but the time was way off. It didn't chime and I knew this all happened around noon.

That phrase you reacted to? It was said by an older bystander watching this. I believe it's a local thing but not particularly common since I heard it another time down there without noticing who said it."

---

Static twitched, not sure he could believe his ears. "Dazzling Midnight being chivalrous?" He scoffs at the thought. He then gets out of Squares face and starts to pick up the charts he'd knocked out of his hooves. "Sorry for my reaction earlier. That phrase and that mare and I have...unfinished business...between us. That phrase is a catch phrase for a very disreputable group of ponies called COIN. If I were you, I'd think twice about using it again.

"I don't know if your brush in with her was before or after I knew her. The thought of her being chivalrous just...doesn't compute with me.

"What do you remember of the older bystander who said it?"

---

Seeing as the conversation moved on before she had a chance to say she didn't want to use her ability on team members, Maple just kept quiet and moved over to Miss away to see if she needed any medical attention besides dampening.

"What can you remember about being taken Miss Away?" Maple asked while giving the Seapony a visual evaluation.

---

 

[CoffeeHorse]

Spoiler


" Oh boy, " Scarlet sighed. Shaking his head, Scarlet waved a wing at the minecart.

"Night Cap, this is a traing mission. While i'm you might get a shiny souvenir at the end of all this. I am quite certain The Powers That Be will look very poorly on us, should we finish our little test late and dragging a minecart full of crystals.

So no, we won't be bagging any loot today. Sorry my friend. Scarlet smiled reassuringly at his friend and, while he wasn't exactly thrilled by Night Caps treasure hunter attitude. He couldn't deny that the crystals were tempting.

Spoiler


"Glad to hear it.

I know what you mean though. A minecart ride over a 'bottomless' pit isn't something you whip up on the fly. This train9ng takes planning. It'll be interesting to hear what the others were faced with. Although i'd like to think that had we gone off the rails, either the 'bottomless' part of that area was an illusion. Or there'd be a Net,"[:color] he added with a wry grin.

[color=ff0000]"Anyway. Shall we move on?"

---

"Well, I don't like cages,"Anchors Away said in response to Maplejack. There weren't any visible injuries on her. "But otherwise, they winked in and out so quickly that I never got to look at them."

Square Fun pondered for a moment until it dawned on him. "Now I remember. He works at one of the libraries. I saw him on the way to the conference but it wasn't important at the time. When we meet back up with the others, I can get Darty to draw a picture."


With a *poof*, Shale Antiquity put her comb away and the group continued on. Walking further on, they came to a single exit to the mine that was partially covered by large, heavy rocks.

---

Static sighed. "Might be useful. In fact, I wouldn't mind having an in-depth talk about this librarian, Dazzling Midnight and the conference in general once this training session is done.

"In the mean time, I guess we better get focussed back on the training session. What were you about to say about these generators before we got...sidetracked?"

---

Misty helpfully picks up the charts off the ground where they had fallen after Static knocked them away and gives them back to Square Fun.

---

"N-no ma'am." The stallion cowered as his accent was gone. "I'm sure my team would weigh this and feel other pursuits would be best. Isn't that right team?" The others stepped out where they could be seen and nodded though one commented, "I told you that accent was terrible."

Rhapsody relaxes some. "Good. I'd have rather not hurt anypony here." She says as she looks up to the leader. "While I'm sure this team could use the combat experience, I'd have felt really bad about beating up some ponies that are just acting out a role. Now, then I think it might be good if you unarmed the traps you set, as a show of good will, and maybe tell us what you know? Then maybe I might tell the higher ups at the museum that you preformed admirably." She says with a soft smile.

---

 

[CoffeeHorse]

Square Fun held up the charts with his magic. "My guess is that the generators power the machine and shutting them down will be the key to stopping the machine itself. Though...with these calculations I don't think we're looking for the machine but rather we're already in it."


Keen Craft calmly flew over to the pile of rocks. "Music might be nice but since we're here, all of us will need to push these rocks out of! the way. Unless Scarlet has other suggestions, we can probably use the rope to pull the ones on the top off. To be honest, we can probably just pull three of these out of the way to get through."


As the others disarmed traps as Rhapsody requested, the leader said, "Well, we're suitably trained for physical combat scenarios...though admittedly we're the newer trainees instead of the vets. We weren't told everything but I do know the forest is quite large. We were also given a map to a hidden cache of supplies if needed."

---

"I hope it isn't the super pony squeezy 3000."

---

"We're inside the machine?" he asks, looking wide-eyed back up at the generators. "Like a virus...a biological weapon sent to destroy someone for being exactly what their creator made them to be..." he laments. "Sorry, friend. I wish you weren't so powerful that we have to destroy you."

*tick*
*tick*
*tick*
*tick*
*PING*

"Wait a minute! Can we do that? This machine was made to grant wishes. Couldn't we wish it wasn't so powerful so we don! 't have to destroy it? Like, somepony wishes for a cup of water...or enough financial stability to feed their family. Wish granted! But if someone wishes for an army to rule the world...it can't do that. Could we wish for that?

"Heck! Maybe we could wish for it to be sentient enough to determine whether or not to grant a wish. There's a danger of whether or not it'll decide to be for us or against us...but...couldn't we grant it that chance.?"

---

"This training exercise is really deep."

---

"I'm not sure I'm comfortable granting life ...on a training mission."

---

"In the end, we don't don't what restrictions this thing does or doesn't have. Also, we don't know if any attempt to weaken the machine can be simply reversed by somepony who reaches it later and wishes the machine stronger." Square Fun mused as he rolled the charts back up.

---

"Not only that, but we haven't had the best run of luck recently with Sentient magical objects." Maple says, her wingtips coming up to cover her face... what a mess she'd made of that.

---

 

[CoffeeHorse]

Static sighed. "Come on, guys! I know this is just a training mission. I'm not that dense. But if we're supposed to treat it like a real situation then...isn't granting sentient magical artifacts a chance better than simply destroying it?" He looks around at his companions and sighs. "Fine, so how do we take out the generators then?'

---

"Hmmm. Does anypony see an 'off' switch?"

---

"I wouldn't want to create life on an actual adventure either. The potential outcome of this idea could be really bad, Like an Ahuizotl's paw. We could wish for all the candy in Equestria and then suffocate under the pile, or wish Everypony was our friend and have it turn into a war over who was our bestest friend." Maple says before starting to look for the off switch too.

Spoiler

---

"Yeah, yeah! I get the point already! Anypony see any way to take these things out?"

Spoiler

---

"I wish we knew where the off switch was." Maple asks out loud and then waits to see if the machine gives here the info?

o_O?

---

 

[CoffeeHorse]

While Static Signal's group couldn't find anything other than the door on the far opposite of the room, they heard a bombastic voice announce from a hidden speaker, "The only thing you should be wishing for is a chance of making it out of here in one piece!"

---

"Well that sounded...ominous. All of a sudden I'm kinda wanting out of this room. Shall we move on? I'm not seeing much else to do here."

Static moves on towards the door on the far opposite side of the room...rather quickly.

---

"One piece? But there are five of us... so wouldn't that be five pieces? Ohhh, I don't know..." Misty follows Static to the door.

---

"Maybe they were just answering me directly Misty." Maple says, as she moves to catch up with her.

---

As they approached the door, they heard, "Indeed, I was replying to the little morsel but don't worry, I will find the heart of this machine first so my every wish shall be its command!" The audio quality from the speaker was poor but Maplejack now recognized the voice. There was only one who had called her 'morsel' before...

---

 

[CoffeeHorse]

"Changeling Champion! What is she doing here?

>_>
<_<

How good of a match did you have Static?" Maple whispered, before continuing in a louder voice...


"It is a pity the masked mystery mare isn't here to whomp your rump... but I'm sure the five of us will do."

---

"Mmwa hahaha! Silly pony, what makes you think I'll fight all five of you at once?"

---

[Pendulumnae? This just got interesting!]

"I didn't even see her there, he whispers back to Maple. "Easy enough to gloat from the shadows," he calls out to the Changling Champion. If your so confident in your abilities, why don't you show yourself? Otherwise, we're moving on here. We've got a machine to destroy!"

---

"It was worth a shot... I thought maybe you'd be Mare enough to be up for it? ..Should have known though, I've seen a few of what you consider good matches. Static is right though, we really don't have time to waste with curtain jerkers."

---

 

[CoffeeHorse]

Entering the door, Static Signal's team walked down a long hallway. Deeper and deeper they journeyed. Suddenly they heard a noise from above and nets, those most cruel craftworks, dropped down upon them!

Spoiler

---

"Oh no!" Misty engages in some fancy wingwork to evade the fiendish trap.

Spoiler

---

Spoiler



The net comes down around Static. "SON OF A..." I'm sorry folks. But even we aren't going to risk the FCC fines by airing what Static says next. Please enjoy the next few moments of some nice soothing music specially selected for moments like this!

*five minutes of elevator music.

"...if I ever see the mule who invented nets!"

---

Spoiler
Zam, Caldwin

Maple has a moment to register the net(s) coming down - having limitless faith in Misty, Maple sees that she's made it safely away. However, Static's moment of pause to cuss and bemoan the invention of nets seems to have distracted him long enough that he failed to move... Maple puts all her strength into her back legs and tries to clear both her and Static out from under the trap.

---

"Thanks, Maple. Between this cider-gut and that turtleshell on my back...there was no way I was making that. Glad you're here!

"Oh...and...could you maybe just forget I said all that just now. I sometimes dread what would happen if you started picking up on my vocabulary." He then catches sight of Anchors. "Uh...yeah...believe it or not, I am actually better about it than I used to be...honest!"

---

 

[CoffeeHorse]

Maplejack managed to valiantly push Static Signal out of the way of the net but an unfortunate stumble caused her to be caught instead. Nets also landed on both Square Fun and Anchors Away. "Oh no! I'm...

...wait." Square Fun calmly teleported out of his net. A cloaked figure winked in and then both she and Square Fun disappeared.

Spoiler

---

"rumps!"

---

Static cursed as he saw Anchors and Square disappear. "Blast! We just got her back! Hang on, Maple! We'll get you out of there. Misty, get on the other side, will you?"

Spoiler

---

"It's okay you guys, go help Miss Away. I think I've got this." Maple says, winking at Misty and giving an appreciative shrug to Static for his attempt


Spoiler

Maple wriggles out of one of the net's holes almost effortlessly - okay maybe she used a bit of her shifting magic to slim down her tummy a little. XD

---

Static stops his rather pathetic attempts at helping Maple out of the net as she seems to just slide out herself. "Yes...well...yeah. I think I'll just...umm...yeah!" He hustles over to Anchors. "This makes twice today for you, doesn't it?" He says as he starts ripping at the net. "The last training mission was actually kinda fun. This one...is getting annoying!"

Spoiler

---

 

[CoffeeHorse]

Misty, assisting Static, gives the net a yank.

Spoiler

---

Spoiler

Once free of her net, Maple joins the others assisting Miss Away. As they begin to raise it Maple rushes into the air and hooks a stray loop over her hoof and flies up. Instead of lifting from the bottom like Static and Misty - where she would have been both in the way and underhoof.

---

As the others disarmed traps as Rhapsody requested, the leader said, "Well, we're suitably trained for physical combat scenarios...though admittedly we're the newer trainees instead of the vets. We weren't told everything but I do know the forest is quite large. We were also given a map to a hidden cache of supplies if needed."

Rhapsody nods. "There is part of my that is a bit dispointed the others didn't get some combat, but on the other hoof I am glad I didn't have to fight you, I tend to feel bad when I beat up ponies that don't deserve it." She states. "I think I'd like that map, since I don't think you'll be needing it now. As I said, I will let my superiors know you all did very well. Maybe next time there is a training exercise you all might get to show off your combat abilities." Honestly, there was a part of her that wanted to see how well they could fight, as well as see the skills of her teammates... but with how angry she's been lately, she worried about just losing herself in combat and really hurting somepony.

---

 

[CoffeeHorse]

Fnu Aw:
"Darn. There's rocks in the way and we didn't bring a Rhapsody. Now what?"

Scarlet burst out laughing. He still hadn't actually seen Rhapsody punch a rock into submission. However, after Snowy and Static and Night Cap all pretty much implying her strength, he'd be crushed now if she didn't.

Spoiler


Keen Crafts comment turned Scarlets laugh into an ironic chuckle. Flying up to her he said.

"No no, Night Caps not call8ng for a song, Keen. You remember the black pegasus with the rainbow socks that took a team of her own off? Thats Rhapsody. Her physical prowess is, apparently, rock-breaking."

Getting serious {ish} again, Scarlet nodded from her to the rocks blocking their path.

"You're right on both counts otherwise though.

Keen Craft, you and i will work to rope and clear the higher rocks. Night, you work with Shale to shift the lower rocks, ok?"

Pulling out his lasso and extra rope, Scarlet set to work.

Spoiler

---

After getting the net off of Anchors Away, she asked, "What do we do now? Do we try to find the machine before that teleporter reaches it, or do we search for Square, or do we split up?"


Looking at the map, Rhapsody found there was a massive "slowsand" pit, followed by a "Cliff of the Unknown" farther into the forest with a big 'X' in the middle.


"I'm quite sure we'll need to wait before we can move the bottom rocks as you move that one! on top. However, I can help give that top rock a push." Shale Antiquity commented as her horn glowed.

Spoiler

---

"Well...

I've got a hunch that Square Fun was taken..." Misty spins around and points in a direction. "...that way."

"And the Changeling Champion is..." She spins around again. "...thattaway!"

Spoiler

---

"We can't split up. We still don't know what's ahead and every puzzle we've run into so far has been unpredictable with who we need to solve them. As for which objective to go for..." Static glances back at prison cells they just came from and back ahead where the machines must be. "Pony feathers!"

[Nopony left behind!]

[Fate of countless innocents and the end of the world!]

"Blast!"

[How does Rhapsody do it?]

Static sighs. "Unfortunately, the numbers are depressingly simple: one pony or the entire world. If Pend...the Changling Champion gets to that machine, everypony's in danger. We go for the machine...and make sure the Changling Champion pays dearly for it."

---

 

[CoffeeHorse]

Spoiler

"SIT TIGHT MR. FUN, WE'RE GOING TO STOP THE MACHINE, IF YOU CAN GET YOURSELF FREE MEET US HERE!" Maple calls out, at least now Mr. Fun should know where to come back to. Just in case Maple leaves a small bag of candies and a medkit for him before moving to go with the others.

---

Static looks back as Maple calls out and leaves a care package behind. "Bless your heart! Can you be on my team every time?"

---

While Misty Monsoon pointed down the path they were headed for the Changeling Champion, she pointed only slightly off of that for Square Fun. This meant he was presumably nearby instead of being taken to the jail cells.

Moving onward, the group soon reached an enormous room with spinning gears embedded in the walls. In the center of the room were five metal cylinders that were two ponies tall and nearly as long as the room. Pipes and cables were coming out of them as they loudly hummed with mechanical might.

---

"Great! This could work for us." Misty's pointing out of Squares location wasn't as far off as he feared. Just maybe..."Misty, Anchors...go save Square Fun while Maple and I figure this out. Be swift. Be very very swift. We're still in a race against the Changling Champion. If you're not back be the time we figure this out, we're moving on and you'll need to catch up."

Static studies the machine.

Spoiler

---

Looking at the map, Rhapsody found there was a massive "slowsand" pit, followed by a "Cliff of the Unknown" farther into the forest with a big 'X' in the middle.

"Okay team, We now have a map of the area, and all traps have been disarmed. Our oppenants apparently had a cache if they needed it, so lets go check that out." She reports as she returns to her team.

---

 

[CoffeeHorse]

Wanderlust nods, relaxing slightly. "Yes, ma'am."

---

"I find myself curious--Night Cap, what exactly is your specialty?" Shale Antiquity asked.


Trekking under the "night" sky, Rhapsody's team eventually came to the hidden cache. In it was a few med kits, some emergency food rations, and a compass. Along the way, Dart Noveau commented, "Good to get that resolved without fightin'. Know you gotta do it sometimes but that's not the kind of expedition I prefer. Speaking of which, what all kinds of expeditions have y'all gone on?"

---

Maple takes a look toward Misty and Anchors... it has been so much fun getting to team with Misty this time... do we really need to split up the group? SHe wondered... but Static was the team leader...

"Okay Static, let's do our best. Be safe Misty. ... Miss Away - I'll look after Static."

---

Misty puts a wing in Maple's shoulder and smiles. "You be safe too, Maple."

She gives Static an enthusiastic salute, then takes off to find Square Fun.

---

Maple absently turns her head to put her cheek on the shoulder Misty touched. but then quickly turns it into a full rotation so she's facing the way Static is again. A determined squint settling onto her face despite the colour in her cheeks

---

 

[CoffeeHorse]

Shale Antiquity chuckled. "You just told me what you think Brisk Iron hired you for. What do you see of worth within yourself completely separate from expeditions?"


The first thing Static Signal noticed was that there was a fair bit of extraneous material to make the generators seem more impressive than they were for the sake of the training exercise. Each seemed to have an internal dynamo that was powered by a magnet. The magnets were likely the key to shutting down the machine down.

Meanwhile, Misty Monsoon and Anchors Away found Square Fun in a massive room. However, he was tied up and blindfolded at the very top of a perplexing and plentiful pipework that filled the room creating both a cage and an elaborate vertical maze.

Spoiler

---

Scarlet took a firm grip on the rope, flared his wings, and heaved.

Spoiler

---

"WOW Static..look at all this fancy stuff!" Maple exclaims upon entering the area.

---

"Good to get that resolved without fightin'. Know you gotta do it sometimes but that's not the kind of expedition I prefer. Speaking of which, what all kinds of expeditions have y'all gone on?"

"The... unexpected kind.." Moonshadow really hoped this "Training mission" didn't end up like the Daring Doo Experience him and Pecky took, where he ended up lost in a very real temple with very real traps and monsters.

As if reading his thoughts, Pecky nodded in agreement.

---

Memories and thoughts that weren't entirely Wed's own bubbled to the surface. "I traveled the Badlands with Blue Yonder. I was hoping to see him here today."

---

 

[CoffeeHorse]

"That's...a fairly interesting response. I guess I'll allow you your privacy." Shale Antiquity commented as the top rock was pulled out of the way. "Well, hopefully these on the bottom will be easier since we can all pitch in."

Spoiler



Dart Noveau patted Wanderlust on the back. "Wish he were here too but he's doing his own thing now. A shame with all the different ways he figured out how to throw a boomerang. You'd be amazed."

---

"They fancied it up to look more impressive than it actually is," Static notes. "Be careful. Don't touch the wires. They aren't insulated."

Spoiler

---

Wanderlust smiles as images flow through their head. "I was."

---

"Heh, it was always nice to have somepony who could save two birds with one stone. Well...stick but you get what I mean." Dart Noveau recalled.


Static Signal remembered that magnets could lose their charge from sudden impact, heating them past a certain point, or being neutralized by an opposing magnetic field.

---

Spoiler


Static starts looking around at the area around him. "Hey, Maple, do you see anything that could be used as a hammer, a big stone or something...or maybe something that can get really really hot?"

---