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

CoffeeHorse

Exhausted, but still standing.
Staff member
Council of Elders
Citizen
"Are you okay Mr. Wanderlust? we could use your help with these Hooligans." Maple asks. looking him over a little more closely


Wanderlust groans, and mutters something about guardian angels. A little more coherent for Maple's help, he responds, "Just...gimme a minute. I'm looking for the tag-out option..."


Maple gives him a hoof bump and Jumps back into the fight... taking up a back row position to keep herself between Wander and the enemy


Static grins back at Maple. "What took you so long?" he asks in an obviously not serious, playful manner.


"I don't have to cheat by using counterfeit unicorn magic" Maple huffs back, equally playful and non-seriously

 

CoffeeHorse

Exhausted, but still standing.
Staff member
Council of Elders
Citizen
Misty lifts Symphony onto the roof of the boxcar. "Alright! C'mon, we gotta help the others! Let's go!"

[Note: this post was edited to have Misty carry Night Cap as well.]
[Specific wording of the edit is lost.]​


Spoiler

Using his momentum to swing himself around, Scarlet saw the gangs if fillies attacking Wanderlust and... Static?

How did...?

Shaking off thoughts for later, Scarlet launched himself into the fray! Cannoning into one of the fillies fighting Static, Scarlet snagged with his lasso and yanked the unfortunate pony of her feet. Sending her slamming into one of the fillies who seemed intent on pummelling Wanderlust into the floor. Then he lept forward to dish out a few choice strikes of his own to the (hopefully) disoriented ponys.

"You think i'll wait my turn while you pummell my friends? You will deal with me now!"


One of the fillies ran up to to Maplejack but then stopped. "D'aww, how adorable! Like...like a foal! Or...like a puppy! Oh, I know, like a..." "Cut the chatter and prioritize! One of them is down and another is adorable, so we can wait for heavy reinforcements on them since they'll be less of an issue. So now it comes down to the simple determination of which of the other two you think we can deal with the easiest." "Don't you think we should maybe deal with the easy targets first? And how will the reinforcements know who to deal with?" "Quit asking so many...alright, anypony got a marker?" A filly drew a big 'X' on Scarlet Spectrum's face. The others then focused on pummeling him. Then, a few more rushed in to the train car and joined the attack!

Spoiler


Finally done feeling sorry for himself, Wanderlust accepts that there is no tag-out option. This is the life he's stuck in. At least there were violent young children for him to vent at. As the fillies rushed away from him to attack Scarlet, he snags one of their legs with one of his own. "You know, I never actually took the Hippocratic oath." he comments to Maple. "There just never seemed like the time. One minute you're treating dragon pox, the next you're delivering a clutch of eggs, and then you're carted off across Celestia only know how many miles, and the next thing you know, you're on a train getting beaten up by teenagers. In this particular instance I'm a little glad that I didn't, honestly." As he talks, he levers himself up on his hind legs, using the other two to flip the filly into two of her comrades like a table. "No matter how far you travel, vows have a tendency of catching up to you."

Spoiler


Static turns his glare to the one who's giving out the orders. "You sure give a lot of orders, don't you? Guess that means you're the leader of this little gang then? Hello, new target! Static would almost feel bad about beating up on a juvenile. But let's face it, they are delinquents and they aren't exactly giving them much of a choice. So he dives in at the leader with reckless abandon.

Spoiler


Spoiler

Scarlet jumped back as one of the fillies lunged at him with a marker.

"What the...!"

Before he could say--or do--anything else, Scarlet was swarmed by the workers, much as Wanderlust has been seconds before. Taking the pounding with growls and gritted teeth, Scarlet decided to play up their attacks and attempt to lull them. Building his strength for a high speed countersttack!

But as the hits kept coming, Scarlets act became, well, less of an act.

Welp. Better me than anypony else.

 

CoffeeHorse

Exhausted, but still standing.
Staff member
Council of Elders
Citizen
Spoiler
Zam, Sunbeam, GSO

with another of her friends taking a group beating, maple sneaks into the pack of tiny stompers and starts applying items from her medkit... the worker next to her drops a hoof on him, Maple puts a medicated bandage down on it... During this time Maple jabs one with a wild knee to the solar plexus before the mob breaks up and she has a chance to run back over to Wanderlust and give him another little bit of aid


Misty Monsoon, Symphony, and Night Cap managed to reach the train car with their friends just as they all heard a thunderous sound approaching. Throwing open the train car door was a pink earth pony mare with a pale pink mane with a turquoise streak. She had a tulip tucked behind each ear and with her cutie mark being a tulip surrounded by dizzy stars--the same Rhapsody once found on several business cards--it was immediately apparent that this was none other than Tipsy Tulip! However, there was something else immediately apparent. The train cars were so tall and wide because Tipsy Tulip herself stood at a height eve! n taller than Princess Celestia. Wasting no time, she charged in and body checked Static Signal. She blocked his attack and only his own steely bracing prevented him from being bowled over. Looming over him, she down upon him and said while grinning, "Now now, dearie. It would behoove you to pick on somepony your own size." One of the workers tried to rush in and assist but she disapprovingly said, "What are you doing? Do you not see this beautiful machinery he's carrying? I'll handle this. You, remember that X marks the spot." So the rest continued to focus on Scarlet Spectrum, save for the one struggling to barely escape Wanderlust's grasp.

Spoiler


Static takes a couple steps back as Tipsy Tulip joins the fray...right between Worker 13 and Scarlet. [color=DFDF00]"Oww!"[/colorHe takes a deep breath as he squares off against Tipsy. [color=DFDF00]So, you're Tipsy Tulip: caused a bunch of Cuckarockas to riot on a town presentation in Caballuston, tried to bust into a bank in Petrichor Falls where a very dear friend of mine was thrown off a helicopter..."[/color A wide toothy menacing grin spreads across his face. [color=DFDF00]"Reckon I'm gonna enjoy this!"[/color

[color=DFDF00][/color


Spoiler


Spoiler
Zam, Caldwin

"From what I'd heard, I didn't think she'd be such a shrimp." Maple Laughs


Wanderlust tsks at the pony that nearly slithers away. "You're not going anywhere." He informs them gravely.

Spoiler

 

CoffeeHorse

Exhausted, but still standing.
Staff member
Council of Elders
Citizen
Spoiler

Scarlet weathered another round of beatings. However, just as he was about to counterattack, he saw the tall form of Tipsy Tulip enter the carriage and focus on Static. That changed his mind.

"So... You're the boss of these ne'er-do-wells, are you? Back off my friends!

Bursting free of the group of Worker ponies, Scarlet at the mare with the flowers in her mane and enveloped her a whirl red and blue spiral of hooves and wings and kicks and pain!


After arriving in the midst of the scuffle, Misty nearly goes crosseyed trying to figure out where to jump in and join the fray.

Spoiler


Symphony looks around at the battle around her as she tries to figure out what to do. She takes a breath and starts to concentrate her magical aura around her, as her power grows lightning strikes out against her foes.

Spoiler


As the workers continued to assault Scarlet Spectrum, Tipsy Tulip almost charmingly replied to Static Signal with, "You seem to be mistaking things ponies have done with my inventions with things I have done. If anything, stealing money sounds utterly uninteresting. I do wonder just what the results were with the cucarockas, though. Or perhaps what the machine on your back does. I mean, I've figured out the hull structure already but..." She was then interrupted by the attacks of Scarlet Spectrum and Symphony. Frowning, she said, "Hold that thought." She then strongly backhoofed Scarlet Spectrum across the room.

Maplejack realized that she hadn't been to this area before and she thought that she saw a bridge up ahead going across a large ravine and perhaps something approaching from the sky. However, this was interrupted by Scarlet Spectrum colliding into her and the inertia causing her to crash into Night Cap. Tipsy Tulip then charged Symphony, stopping just in front of her. Calmly placing a hoof over the tip of Symphony's horn, she scoldingly said,
"Watch where you point that thing. You just might hurt somepony."

Spoiler

 

CoffeeHorse

Exhausted, but still standing.
Staff member
Council of Elders
Citizen
Symphony blinks and glares slightly as she feels a slight numbness in her horn. "Heh... Y-You really think you're so big and bad?" She asks with a slight giggle. "You're nothing..." She giggles again. "L-Last time I faced... faced a mare made of lava. Now that... that was scary... You? You're just a pompous jerk that needs to be knocked down a peg or two. And if there's one thing that... that my family is good at... its knocking!" She says with another giggle and a soft grin. It was rare that she felt confident, but after her power up she certainly felt empowered and already knew what she was going to do this ego trip on four legs.

She closes her eyes as her horn glows. "Really... y-you should be the one watching where she points something... B-Because I'm sure this is still gonna hurt you m-more then me..." She says as she shoots off a powerful blast of fire from her horn, while Tipsy is standing right in front of her. Symphony huffs for a moment, looking like that attack drained her but after a moment she focuses her magic once again and looks revitalized. "And I... I can keep knocking for... for as long as it takes!"

Spoiler


Static intercepted the backhoof intended for Scarlet. "Eyes right here, mule!" Then Symphony lands her attack. "Makes it easier for her to do that," he says with a grin. "You're doing your sister proud, Sym! Keep it up!" He then returned his attention to Tipsy. "What happened with the cuckarockas I'm sure is a matter of public record. I don't think I'll tell you though, just because you want me to. As for my equipment, you can have it over my cold dead body!"

Electricity starts to crawl over Static's body. He's getting more and more pumped the angrier he gets. And Tipsy is making him really angry. Maples taunt to Tipsy helped him focus that energy into one single punch, which he was more than happy to deliver straight to Tipsy's smug little face!

Spoiler


Spoiler
Zam, GSO, Fnu

Maple groans after the collision, fortunately, the close contact -surprising though it was, allows her the chance to dispense some good feelings back into her teammates. "Ouchy, that's not the most fun way to get back into a fight... I think there's a bridge up ahead of us." Maple adds the last bit shaking a tiny bit of concussed-ness out of her mind.


"Here I coooooome...!"

A blue blur launches itself into the remaining worker fillies, bopping noses, feather-poking eyes, tripping hooves, and generally causing an unruly ruckus. "Ha-hah! That'll teach you to mess with my teammates!"

Spoiler


Having successfully defeated a single grunt, Wanderlust looks up to see Symphony blasting Tipsy Tulip, and monologuing besides. He feels...strangely proud.

As Night Cap sails past him, he's also highly appreciative of Tipsy's technique. He charges forward, planting his shoulder into on of her goons and launching them into Tipsy like a projectile.

Spoiler

 

CoffeeHorse

Exhausted, but still standing.
Staff member
Council of Elders
Citizen
Spoiler


As Scarlet fle through the air (and not under his own power), he wondered why he didn't hurt more. Then he collided with someone tiny.

Oh ponyfeathers, it was Maple!

However, before he could say anything, he felt a slight tingling and a burst of fresh energy. Leaping up and readying to charge back at Tipsy Tulip, `scarlet saw he friends laying down some major Damage and changed his plans.

"Time to thin the herd.

Lets get them!"


Shooting into a blue blur himself, Scarlet pinballed between three of the worker fillys and he didn't pull his punches.

They hadn't.


A few attacks bounced off the helmet of one of the workers and they scampered off. All the others were knocked out. However, once Static Signal punched Tipsy Tulip, one of the two tulips behind her ears went flying. Once it hit the ground, it exploded into a massive cloud of suffocating pollen that left the STOMP team staggering and choking. Turning to Maplejack, Tipsy Tulip said, "There IS a bridge up ahead. Are you team lead? You seem to be the only one who is actually observant. I wonder if..."

However, she was interrupted by the sound of something crashing into the roof of the train. Suddenly, a group of burly ponies leaped into the windows, followed by two others. The first was a pale blue pegagus mare with a most fancy hat covered in many flowers and fruits. The other was a grey pegasus stallion with a curly mustache. He wore a silver top hat and a headband with a large pouch on it. However, the apparent weight of the pouch made it sag a bit so that it was like a pouch eyepatch. Static Signal and a few others recognized this as Strolls Choice and Silver Clouds of TAKE! The mare pointed at Tipsy Tulip and shouted in a heavy Mid-Equestrian accent, "Your past few inventions haven't helped us with any robberies. We demand a refund and whatever's in your safe!" Tipsy Tulip laughed as she rapidly scooped up her workers, "First, that sounds like user error. Second, you can't really be dumb enough to try to rob me on my own train. This has all been very entertaining but I have work to do. Just mingle among yourselves." When Tipsy Tulip said 'mingle', Silver Clouds did a double take as he finally spotted the STOMP team. "You! You were the start of our bad luck and now you're going to pay!" The Take ponies then attacked. Most with an assortment of blows, though two teamed up to suplex Maplejack. Strolls Choice briefly clapped her forehooves together, producing a metallic 'clink' from her horseshoes. She then struck Night Cap and Static Signal each in the chest. It didn't hurt, simply tingling a little, but it left a faintly glowing mark. While all this was going on, Tipsy Tulip galloped out of the train car.

Spoiler


"Woah woah woah! Wait! Let's just all take a chill here for a second. You came here to fight Tipsy. We came here to fight Tipsy. Right now Tipsy is getting away and laughing her flank off at both of us. How about we both take care of her, then if you're still mad at us after that, we'll still be there and we can have it out then?"

Spoiler


Spoiler

"ouuuuchhhy." Maple groans and sticks her hoof out and trips one of the ponies who had just finished hitting her... it doesn't do much, but it felt good.

Spoiler


Spoiler

"Oh come on! Things were just looking up and you have to have a villains tiff!"

Focusing fully on the TAKE Pony striking at him. Scarlet retaliated in kind.

 

CoffeeHorse

Exhausted, but still standing.
Staff member
Council of Elders
Citizen
"Woah, woah, woah!" Wanderlust doesn't recognize any of their assailants, not that that's much of a change from prior moments. All he can do is snake out of the grip of his attacker and rush over to help Maple.

Spoiler


Spoiler

Maple wasn't unconscious, but she was as close to it now as she ever had been when locked in a sleeper hold. But then her mind filled with the most foul smelling ....

"By Luna's lustrous whispy whithers... did some pony...?" Maple sputtered and snorted as she stood and opened her eyes, as if there was any hope in tartarous that she could un-smell that smell in this or the next lifetime. When the tears in her eyes cleared, Maple scowled at Mr. Wanderlust.

"Thanks, for the help... remind me to hug you next month when I've forgiven you." She couldn't keep the smirk off her face though, so she gave up and gave him a hug now anyway.

Spoiler

"Hey you!" Maple yells to the pony she tripped a moment before... before leaving Wanderlust's side to rejoin the fight by tackling the take pony softly to the ground. After all, she'd thought she'd heard somepony trying to negotiate a ceasefire.


"What do you--" Wanderlust looks down at the balm in his hand. "Hey! This is my best recipe! I won a contest for this!"


Misty, caught in a coughing fit from Tipsy Tulip's pollen, is left defenseless against TAKE's assault... almost. She grabs her assailant by the hooves and holds them with a mighty grip. "Don't... *cough* go anywhere... *coughcough* until I can... *cough* breathe again!"

Spoiler


Spoiler
Zam, GSO, Fnu, Me

Seeing her friends in trouble again by this new enemy Maple calls out. "We clobbered one group of evil no-good baddies today already, we can do it again!" the encouraging words of encouragement fill the most wounded members of the team with ...courage and a little more pep for their step.

 

CoffeeHorse

Exhausted, but still standing.
Staff member
Council of Elders
Citizen
Strolls Choice cringed in disgust when Night Cap touched her and shouted over to Silver Clouds, "Ew! Honey, this stallion hugged me!" Racing over, he shouted, "No one is allowed to hug her but me!" However, he stopped right before he punched Night Cap as he heard Static Signal's proposal. After coughing in reaction to the pollen, a smile slithered across his face and he said, "Ah, an attempt at negotiations I see. See, you and your merry band has succintly caused grievous monetary harm to my negotiation's ability to accrue our choice of income. Any sort of collaborative effort would require restitution with interest but I'm sure that ponies such as ourselves can work something out. That contraption you carry seems like it might be quite expensive, we'll take that in exchange for our services."

Spoiler


"Why is everypony so interested in this contraption all of a sudden?" *sigh* "It's not even mine to sell, unfortunately. So I'm afraid that's completely off the table. We're also on the side of the law. So we're not exactly in the habit of giving restitution for wages lost in an illegal operation.

"What I'm offering is simple. We both want to take down Tipsy. Right now Tipsy is getting away. We can join forces and take her down together. You can take her on when your fresh and ready for a fight with us backing you up.

"We fight together and take down Tipsy, I'll let you decide what happens next. You can either cont! inue your fight with us, or...I'll be honest. I don't know you. If you were the ones behind the bank heist in Petrichor...that's between you and the police and Boss Vine. You haven't done anything illegal today (to my knowledge). I'm inclined to just let you walk.

"Or we can fight each other. Whoever wins our fight will be too bruised and battered to take on Tipsy. She'll get away laughing at the both of us.

"And that's what's on the table. Who do you reeeeeeally want to take down today, Tipsy or us?

"And if your answer's really us, like I said, we'll still be there after we take down Tipsy. So is it really that hard of a decision?"



Maple focuses her eyes onto the Take stallion who spoke last. "Would it make a difference to you if we withhold payment until after both parties fulfill their end of this contract?" As she speaks Maple watches for any and all unspoken reactions. "This equipment is currently necessary for us to complete our business here, but I see no reason why -in good faith, that we couldn't give it to you as payment when we are done with it." Maple Smiles, taking a cue from her visits to the Marketing department. "After all, you wouldn't want to acquire this device without seeing it function... or that it even does, we were just in 1 and a half fights it could be damaged. I'm sure you would rather we incur the cost of repairs while it is still in our possession. I personally would feel horrible if I were to give you fine ponies faulty equipment and cause the deal to go sour and only discover later that you were unsatisfied."

Spoiler
Zam


Static gives Maple a sharp look. "This is Keep property and above both our paygrades!" He looks back to Strolls Choice. "What I may be able to do, in an effort to foster cooperation, is offer to talk my chief into letting one of your ponies see a copy of the blueprints?"


Wanderlust has no idea what's going on, but he's made his peace with that, and trusts the team leads to sort this out. More importantly, if Maple's well enough to wheel and deal, then she doesn't need Wanderlust's attention anymore. He turns his attention to Scarlet, who seems in similar state to him, and awkwardly sets a jar of bruise balm next to the pony Scarlet was grappling with.

Spoiler

 

CoffeeHorse

Exhausted, but still standing.
Staff member
Council of Elders
Citizen
Silver Clouds pondered for a moment and then said, "You say she's running away but we are on her train. But indeed, we shall most certainly step aside and let you fine folks fight Tipsy. Please, be my guest."

Just then, Tipsy Tulip burst back into the room pushing a large cart of mechanical parts of different metallic colors and followed by two workers. Coming to a stop with parts spilling all over the place, she exuberantly announced, "Sorry to leave you waiting but I had to get a few things!" She began putting pieces together. "Inventing is such fun, even if I don't always know what the end result will be. But that's just how science goes. On that note..." She looked over to her workers and said,

"Quack."

The two workers reflexively ducked and covered as Tipsy Tulip pressed a button on the strange contraption. It began to spin like a top as gears and pulleys whirred to life. She then shoved it towards the STOMP team and it collided with Symphony. All the while, the TAKE ponies took up comfortable positions and enjoyed watching everything unfold.

Spoiler


Static moans, "oh...bleep!" Oddly enough, that's not the radio show being censored. That's actually what he said, folks!

[spoilerCalamitous Pollen - 1 is heads 2 is tails.

Roll(1d2)+0:
2,+0
Total:2

Lose 1d6 Energy
Roll(1d6)+0:
2,+0
Total:2

Take 1d6 Damage
Roll(1d6)+0:
1,+0
Total:1-5 armor Static takes no damage this turn

Save for Pollen

Roll(1d6)+0:
1,+0
Total:1
hug!

[0] Inventing! Standard Action (Conjuration)
Roll 1d4 and gain a corresponding effect...

Roll(1d4)+0:
1,+0
Total:1
What did I win, boss?

Energy=5-2=3
Life=88
Adrenaline=10
2 more uses of Stubborn.[/spoiler]


Spoiler
Zam, Patch

Having been heeled some more by her Medical mentor and all around super handsomest Stallion buddy Night Cap, Maple's own internal changeling metabolism boosts the power of the doctoring and she feels a lot better. That is until Tipsy returns and spills some junk at her hooves... and also sends out that awful stuff again.

Sputtering Maple throws some of the parts together haphazardly hoping that with some sort of blind luck something good comes of it as she has no idea what any of these things are.

Spoiler


As her previous target has slipped away in the confusion, Misty focuses her attention on the new threat posed by the chaotic contraption. But when she sees Maple fidgeting the widgets, she gets an idea. "How about adding a little hydraulic power?"

Spoiler


"there are very few situations I can think of where I wouldn't love your help Misty... and this is not one of those times." Maple smiles from ear to ear and moves her contraption toward Misty... if there's going to be something made from whatever this thing she put together, Misty would know what to do with it.


Wanderlust was ready to write the cart off as a bomb and send it careening back at Tipsy, but the rest of the team seemed to have other plans, so he instead focuses on patching up Scarlet.

Spoiler

 

CoffeeHorse

Exhausted, but still standing.
Staff member
Council of Elders
Citizen
Spoiler

It was a good thing Scarlet wasn't doing the negotiating due low energy, as he probably wouldn't have been as quick thinking or polite as Static, when the TAKE goons tried to sweet talk their way into a morse code machine.

All he could say in the brief moments that Night Cap and Wanderlust offered some quick aid (and stinging ointment) was.

"Yeah, that stuff really does smell horrible Wanderludt"

Then he la8nched himself at the returning Tipsy!

Unfortunately for Scarlet, as he twisted around Tipsy new contraption, the ink he'd been marked with earlier ran into his left eye. Scarlet gasped in surprise and reflexively shook his head, eyes squeezed shut. This not until caused him to veer slightly off course, but also flicked some of his mane over his face. So when the pegasus struck Tipsy with a firm headbutt! It wasn't quite as strong as it could have been.


Spoiler


Symphony quickly attempted to assemble something but the pieces left didn't seem to fit together. Static Signal found that he had made some sort of whirling contraption of rulers and hammers. While it was too erratic for construction, surely it could cause damage elsewhere! Maplejack found that her contraption had a variety of brushes and combs. When it went to work, she found it the most relaxing grooming experience she had ever had. Finally, Misty Monsoon's machine swiftly boiled water and produced some small mugs. There were some dispensers able to provide a limited amount of tea, coffee, or hot chocolate.

Tipsy Tulip swiftly ate her last remaining tulip and her bruises rapidly healed. Then she pointed at Night Cap.
"Quite impressive. Not particularly interesting, though. You should ask your friends for pointers since they did a great..." Alarms began sounding throughout the train. Tipsy Tulip quickly clicked her hooves together and a mechanical 'clang' could be heard under her. Her two workers then held onto her for dear life. "Listen up! We are about to be crossing the bridge. Doing so will put us in something akin to a freefall state. I'd suggest you hold onto something..."

Spoiler


Static grabs a firm hold of a nearby railing. He isn't going anywhere. Though he does give Tipsy a confused look. "I don't understand. You give us pointers on how to build tech and you give us advance warning of a bumpy ride. Tell me the truth. Are we just not fighting anymore? Cause, y'know...I'm actually kinda cool with that. We really only came to find a lost team. We had no idea you'd be....whoah!" Too many words, Static. All of a sudden, everyone was in freefall.

And where as Static was securely holding onto the railing, some of the samples he'd been collecting along the way were not so secure. As the train hit the freefall Tipsy was warning them about, those sample shook free of his satchel and fell right towards Tipsy, giving her a few solid hits. Static winced and gave her an apologetic look. "Sorry! That one's on me!"

Spoiler


*sip*

"Crossing a bridge? Hmm."

*sip*

"I suppose I ought to take her advice and hold on to something."


*sip*

"Oh, but this tea is ever so delightful. I simply can't put this cup down. When we've crossed the bridge, would anypony else like some?"

Spoiler


Spoiler

Spoiler
Zam

Maple looked Fabulous. If there was a magazine for fashionable short mares she could be on the cover... however that was the only good news. "Maybe you should have saved these parts and made this for yourself." ... Maple felt too fluffy to really trash-talk all that well, but she did feel a little bit better afterward regardless. Unfortunately, the Device she made was really heavy and Maple was conflicted about letting it go and then things got exciting.

 

CoffeeHorse

Exhausted, but still standing.
Staff member
Council of Elders
Citizen
Wanderlust has come down with a bit of tunnel of vision, and barely even hears Tipsy. He has had a very bad time of things, and right now he simply wants to tend to Night Cap's bruises. "Stop wriggling!"

Night Cap grabs the closest railing.

"...Thank you!"

Spoiler


Spoiler

This sudden change of events, coming so soon after the other sudden change of events, on top of the Ink on his face and Pollen up his nose...

Left Scarlet stymied.

What he wanted to do was not down Tipsy Tulip. Except now they had a bridge to worry about, Tipsy freefalling train and Static talking ceasefire.

Irritated, he said.

"You're one of those inventor types who sells their creations to whoever has the bits, them absolves themselves of any wrongdoing because 'It's not my fault bad ponies use my gadgets for bad things'. "

Then he realised he wasn't holding on to anything, or trying to hover.

"Oh ponyfeathers!"


[Sunbeam]​
I appreciate that no one suggested rerolls or magic points on my critical failure because you all understand how dedicated I am to hugging up as hard as possible at every opportunity.


Spoiler
Zam

Confused by an abundance of choices Maple stuffs the brushing machine into her mane for safe keeping. Not that it solves her immediate problems, it just gives her another free hoof to wiggle about along with her wings

 

CoffeeHorse

Exhausted, but still standing.
Staff member
Council of Elders
Citizen
"Oh dear..." Symphony said as they started free falling and rushes to grab on to the first thing she sees.


Spoiler

As Symphony spoke, the team heard something. It started quiet and then rapidly increased in volume. A cacophony of the grinding of multiple gears could be heard as they started to cross the bridge.

And then, they could feel their weight shift...

What initially felt like a fall was quickly found to not be unsupported as the bridge swung downwards like a pendulum. The track, now almost a pure vertical, magnetically connected to another and the train began its plunge into an opening in the ravine like a mad rollercoaster, eventually leading to a few loops and corkscrews through the caverns. During all this, Tipsy Tulip seemed ecstatic...and perhaps a little unhinged.
"oF cOurse I sEll tO thE hIghest bIdder! onlY thEy wOuld bE thE mOst inclIned tO pUt iT tO usE aNd thUs dIscover thE invEntion's mOst grAnd usAge. fOr scIence! hA hA hA hA hA hA!" "Boss, could you please maybe not do that...again?" one of the workers asked. "whY? dO yOu nOt fEel lIke lAughter iS cAthargic?" "No? Or at least...not like that." "yOu'll *cough* You'll learn about stress relief when you're older. On the question of compatriots, I found some ponies snooping around earlier and they're contained. If they're your friends, hopefully you can have a big reunion. I can't exactly let you leave since now you know too much but that's no reason to be inhospitable." As the train leveled out and slowed down, the STOMP team could see that in the cavern was a massive workshop that perhaps stretched for miles. They also saw that all the TAKE ponies had been knocked out by the ride except for Strolls Choice and Silver Clouds, who were missing.

Spoiler


[I have no intention of staying here!]

[Well, of course we're going to have to escape at some point. But if she's willing to take up to our compatriots, at least that's half the battle. We can figure out how to get out of here afterwards.]

"Maybe at some point we can discuss how you could trust us enough to let us go? I mean, our boss knows where we went and would only keep sending teams to find us. That's no good for anypony. But that can be discussed later. For now, I think it would be enough just to find our friends."

[And heal up so we're more ready to fight next time.]


Spoiler
Zam

Maple groans, having crashed into so many things while the train moved around that she'd lost track... thankfully the last impact was a soft one as she had slid to a stop against the side wall of the cabin. At least (she thought) she hadn't tumbled out a window.


Misty whimpers as she staggers to her hooves, with the teacup now sitting upside down on her head like a tiny hat. As a lone trickle of tea slides down her face, she licks it off of her nose. This makes her feel marginally better.

 

CoffeeHorse

Exhausted, but still standing.
Staff member
Council of Elders
Citizen
Scarlet stands and, thankfully, doesn't wobble. He does remain silent for the moment though, not trusting anything he might say to the mad inventor. So he merely walked up to stand next yo Static and gave Tipsy Tulip a flat look.


"You may have just gotten here but here is my base and home. I can't have you spreading that information. So I'll bring you to your friends but don't touch anything. Unless you brought a notepad and you're recording scientific discovery." Just then, two of the workers ran up to Tipsy Tulip with a large number of graphs and charts. "Boss, we were dynamiting that new pathway and I think we found something. We're still digging through the rubble but we're getting some sort of magical reading that's off the charts. Look at the charts!" And indeed, there were a lot of charts. "Quite the discovery! Well, I said I wouldn't be inhospitable so it seems all of you will get to see science in the making!" Tipsy Tulip excitedly led the STOMP team to a nearby wall that was being dug out by several workers. "What an occasion! It's only proper that I mark the time so does anyone...you there what time is...

...what?"
Tipsy Tulip had turned to Maplejack to asked the question but in that moment, the face of the watch cracked...

Spoiler


"Well, fair enough...we are at your base. But...I mean, we were inside the train. We may know that you're somewhere in this region. But given how fast that train was going, how we saw nothing from the outside...we really have no clue where we are. So...blindfold us on the way out...?"

It continued to surprise Static just how open she was with everything inside her base. Though given the fact that she wasn't anticipating letting them go, it probably made more sense than Static liked that she was being so open with her information.

Still, permission was given, and he intended to write as much! as he possibly could. All the notes he could possibly take on Tipsy and her operation just begging to be sent back to the Keep the moment he was alone with his Morse Code. And if nothing else, hopefully Maple could send an S.O.S. She was really good at sending up flares.

But then the workers caught his attention. When Tipsy asked Maple for the time and she saw her watch cracked, it occurred to him that he always carried a watch himself.

Spoiler


But before he could offer the time, unicorns started passing out. The last time he saw magic that only affected unicorns..."Hello, Dazzling!" he called out, half in anticipation and half in dread. "Long time no see. Fancy meeting you here." He gave a deep sigh and waited for her to show herself.

 

CoffeeHorse

Exhausted, but still standing.
Staff member
Council of Elders
Citizen
"oh no, my watch broke." Maple groaned


As the Unicrons dropped and watches cracked, bits and pieces of this teams STOMP reports bubbled up. All confirmed when Static spoke.

[color=#ff0000}"And i thought things were complicated before.

I wonder what she's after this time."[/color]


The teacup slides off Misty's head and crashes to the floor as she goes into 100% alert mode. She looks around frantically. "W-What's going on? Who's there?!"

Spoiler


Symphony passes out.

Spoiler


Wanderlust avoids the psychic assault by passing out earlier due to train tossing.

Spoiler


Maple never really enjoyed thinking about the sequence of events that resulted in her preferred pony form being a Pegasus, but it was times like this when she was thankful for it. she doubted right now if she'd be able to pretend to be hurt by this spell.

"If it is her, at least I'll finally get to see if she's as pretty as you two say."

 

CoffeeHorse

Exhausted, but still standing.
Staff member
Council of Elders
Citizen
There was a familiar tell-tale magical shudder in the air from the incoming teleport. The nearby wall where the workers had blasted it cracked and fell away to reveal a deeper cavern. Far inside and casting its own light was an object on a pedestal. A wand whose head floated separate from the staff and had four yellow triangles surrounding it almost like a stylized sun shape. However, this was reinforced by a smaller set of eight dark purple triangles that also gave some visual reference to positions of a clock. When Misty Monsoon glanced upon this, she once again had a brief vision of the sun. Something was subtly off about the sky but she couldn't place just what it was. But in that very moment, Dazzling Midnight appeared with Silent Belle next to her. Silent Belle initially staggered a bit but Dazzling Midnight reached out a forehoof to steady her. Tipsy Tulip simply said, "You didn't knock, dearie. And how exactly did you find my base?" "I wasn't looking for your base. I have no qualms with you, so if you just step aside, nothing bad will happen to you and yours." "I hope that wasn't a threat. You may provide good conversation but I'm not going to let you..." "No point in waiting to jump the loser. We better nab it now!" Strolls Choice shouted as she and Silver Clouds sprung from hiding and rushed the wand. With a hateful scowl, Dazzling Midnight turned and blasted the couple with a torrent of magic. The two fell to the ground in vastly older states as they groaned in pain. Dazzling Midnight walked towards them with a cruel and self important smile on her face. "I don't think you two realize just how cathartic it is to see the likes of you brought low. I've worked far too long and I'm far too close to my moment of triumph to see it ruined."


"Uh, Tipsy? Strolls? I realize we're more enemies than friends here...but I rather not see anypony hurt. So trust me...if Dazzling tells you she has no interest in you, thank your lucky stars and run away! Like...run!" Static then sighed and turned his attention to Silent Belle. "This is a long time coming, but...I'm sorry about the last time we met. Really, truly sorry. I'm not the same pony I was back then and if it's any consolation, I did get into quite a bit of hot water for how I handled our confrontation." He then turned to Dazzling. "So, you have your wand now. I know I would never have had a chance against you even before you had the wand. Now that you do, you could drop me any time you wanted. So...is there really any harm in us talking a bit first? If you still feel raw about it, I won't even try to fight you. It wouldn't even do me any good if I tried. But...I really think it would be best for all involved if you at least listen to what I have to say before we do this."


Maple groans from her spot on the floor.

"Somepony help me up so I can smack her in her stupid Ugly face before Static apologizes for not apologizing fast enough."


Static turns a sharp look towards Maple. "At your own risk, Ms. Jack!"


"Carry on them, if she didn't strike us all down while you turned your gaze away to give me that sour look... maybe you're on the right track." Maple's leg waves feebly at Static urging him to keep his focus on the enemy

 

CoffeeHorse

Exhausted, but still standing.
Staff member
Council of Elders
Citizen
While Static takes the diplomatic route, Misty nudges Night Cap and Scarlet Spectrum and whispers to them. "Sorry for not bringing this up earlier, but uh, I've been seeing some weird visions today? Like, I'm seeing the sun, but the sky around it is... off, somehow. I think... actually, I'm sure... that wand there has something to do with it. So... any idea what it means?"


Maplejack was tossed to one of the far walls. Dazzling Midnight turned to look at Silent Belle and said, "I had the situation under control...but thank you." She then turned to face Static Signal. It could be seen that several wrinkles had developed across her face. "First things first, a correction is in order. Under no circumstances did I say I had no problems with TAKE. They're very much a blight that I've actively avoided working with. On the matter at hoof, I appreciate the show of civility. I'll humor you...for now."


Static's first instinct was to try to go help Maple. But the situation was still delicate and everything he did or said needed to be measured. But surely Dazzling wouldn't begrudge him one aside statement. "Ms. Jack, for future reference...when somepony as bullheaded and pugilistic as me decides to err on the side of diplomacy...take note!"

Static took another deep breath and faced Dazzling. "I've learned a few things about you since the last time we met. Luna knows I have no love for the likes of Mister Silver who prey on those less fortunate than themselves. What he put your family through...it's abhorrent."

"But to go through time to 'fix' things...or to become time...have you thought about what happens if you do that?

"What happens if you go back and you fix your childhood and everything is happy for you? Do you ever join COIN? I mean, our individual teams may not get along...but let's think this through! You don't join COIN...what happens to Silent Belle? Serious question, because I don't know what all has happened between you two. But do you ever even meet?"

"And let's just get down to it. If you alter time so your childhood's happy, that means you never join COIN. That means we never meet and I never join STOMP. Without pride, because I was simply doing my job with all this...but do you know how many ponies die if I never join STOMP? I know of one in particular that I saved from a fall out of a helicopter."
At this he gave a cold glare at the TAKE coins. "And then there was the attack on the conservation speech not long ago, the attack at the ballet show, Nightmare Heights...I could go on. I've been very busy since we last met, saved a lot of lives. And how about the lives those ponies have affected?"

"How many ponies owe their lives to me...and consequently...to you? You can so easily wreck all that if you continue doing what you're doing."

"I know there's things about my past I wish I could've changed. My father disowned me when I was five. I only just recently reconciled with him. 16 bucking years wasted! You think I wouldn't want to go back and change that? But if I did...same consequences I just talked about!"

"And as for the pain you've been through...the heart ache...it doesn't need to be like that! Look around at your life. Silent Belle, Curled Page...Night Cap over there has a hell of a crush on you...just saying! And me? We got off on the wrong hoof. You may work for COIN. I may work for STOMP. And our two teams may be fundamentally opposed to each other. But individually...?"


Static holds his hoof out as a show of friendship "I wouldn't be where I am without you. I wouldn't have these friends, I wouldn't have this job. I think there's some leeway for being civil. Oh...and I absolutely wish I could've been in that Louisianeigh cafe to see what you did with those rude patrons who gave that poor waitress a hard time. I wish, I wish I could've seen it! Just a small aside..."


Maple hugged the wall and made a new friend. having slid down it she marveled at how wonderfully it met the floor at an almost perfect right angle.. very good design and excellent craftponyship went into it... the only indication that the floor sloped away to any extent at all was that the little blue Misties that spun around in front of her were having to tilt into the wind as they rounded the low facing side of her head... before continuing their orbits around. Maple surmised that if the floor had been level the Misties could simply glide ..what with being tiny fiction creatures not needing to actually make adjustments as they went... so it had to mean something that they did.

Also, a short river of drool had had began to run away from her slack jaw and lolled tongue... so that settled it. the floor met the wall at - at least 91% ... or perhaps some southern pony fraction of a degree that equaled a weird decimal point when converted to a more practical system. It was here while her mind was plodding along about writing a letter to Prince Shining armor to have the Crystal kingdom adopt the Maretric system that Maple discovered that she wasn't gaining any energy from the hug the wall was giving her and so she ended her third draft of the letter short to decide whether the wall was being mean or if it was somehow offended that she seemed to be spending more time with it's friend the floor now that she had slumped more to her back. ... Relationships were complicated.


Maple feels herself scooped up by a pair of hooves which then cuddle her close to a warm body.

"Stay with me, Maple... I really need you right now..."

 

CoffeeHorse

Exhausted, but still standing.
Staff member
Council of Elders
Citizen
"Hello Misty, I don't think I will be going much further today, we seem to have lost our train anyway." Maple smiled. this must be the queen of the Misties who had come to visit her, she was larger than the others and far more beautiful.


Dazzling Midnight was taken aback by Static Signal's comments and didn't immediately respond. She then sputtered, "How did you know that information about me? You're just..." Her accent had slipped and was less refined than normal. She briefly closed her eyes, then said. "I...I won't allow you to trick me! I've worked so long and hard on this. Once I have the wand, I can fix everything. I'll have enough power to set everything right. As far as Night Cap, I am at least old enough to be his grandmother. And even if not, his power allowed him to invade the only safe space I've ever had. One I carefully cultivated and protected, going so far as to never use my magic in my own dreams. He may provide good conversation but there is no romance to be had because I can't trust him. Especially since he let some things slip and thus can't keep a secret."


Patch:
While Static takes the diplomatic route, Misty nudges Night Cap and Scarlet Spectrum and whispers to them. "Sorry for not bringing this up earlier, but uh, I've been seeing some weird visions today? Like, I'm seeing the sun, but the sky around it is... off, somehow. I think... actually, I'm sure... that wand there has something to do with it. So... any idea what it means?"

Scarlet cocked his head, thinking fast as events escalated. Keeping his voice low, Scarlet said.

"Not entirely sure, Misty. Although the way Dazzling Midnight talks about this giving her the 'power to fix things'. Couple that with all this talk of going back in time to change her past? I would hazard a gess that maybe this wand has something to do with... changing days? Perhaps even changing time?

How your visions connect i don't know. But if this all about time, then they must tie in somehow."


Eyeing the others and giving Dazzling Midnight the once over, as well as having caught her 'slip' of character when her accent dropped. Scarlet wracked his brains to see if his has read anything that even hints at what this new wand is. What it might be capable of.

And if any of his wild guesses are even remotely close.

Spoiler


"I didn't learn this from him. I only know of his feelings for you because he made the smallest slips that anypony would have made and I grilled him on it. And maybe romance is out of the question. That's between you two and I really rather not know. But he can be a friend to you. And as far as friends go, he can be infuriating, but you can do far...far worse than to have him on your side."

"Even he doesn't know why he was directed into your dream. But he confided in me that it wouldn't have happened if, on some level, you didn't need him to be there. He genuinely wants to help you."

"Me? I can un! derstand why you'd hesitate to trust me. And if I told you why I know what I know about you, you'd probably not only be less inclined to trust me, you'd probably kill me on the spot. But I will say I've been very careful about keeping your secrets. And so has Night Cap. And right now, I genuinely want to help you because of what I know."

"You have a really good mask on, Dazzling. But I know you'r hurting. And that's maybe a little something I know about."


An earthpony that looks vaguely like Static but kinda not appears in front of everyone. "Five years and you tell me this? Why should I stick around? He's not my son!"

The earthpony morphs into a teenage version of Static on the ground holding his chest and coughing in pain. A taller pegasus looks down on him as he kicks him again. ”Don’t tell me nothing happened. I saw you dancing with her you dirty little earthpony trash!" The pegasus kicked Static, lifting him up off the ground with the force.

”Didn’t...know...she was...taken! Please...I’ll never...see her...again..." Static get’s kicked again for his troubles. Aww Look! Stasi's gonna cry! Cry, little foal. Cry!

The scene changes to a tall, bald, fat unicorn behind a desk looking down at a still battered and bruised Static. That'll be a weeks detention! But they're the ones who started it. I was just defen... Want to go for two? That's not fair! That's two! Wanna go for three?

Static flinches back to the present and looks back to Dazzling Midnight. "So you can imagine why I was a bit tickled when I heard about what you did at the diner. And you can imagine that I have no sympathy for Mr. Silver."

"You want honesty...I'll lay it all out on the table. I'll give you know reason to believe I'm lying or holding anything back."
Static took a deep breath. "I know what I know because I found your diary at the library. Out of respect, I didn't let anypony else so much as touch it. You may want to kill me for that...but first let me tell you..."

"I went into that library hating you. I hated everything about you. Until I went into that library, you were the boogeyman that tried to get me to spy on my employer, that threatened me in my own home and made it necessary for me to move. You scared the ever loving Tartarus out of me and I wanted you gone."

"But after what I read in that library...that has so far gone absolutely no further than me...I...want to help you. You were the boogyman. I never even considered that you were a pony...with dreams...with secrets...with secret pains that you were dealing with. I never even considered. But now...I want to help you because maybe...just maybe you actually had it worse than I did. But maybe I still know a little something about a painful childhood that maybe I can help you...and maybe you can help me!"

"Or you can kill me. I couldn't even begin to stop you. You have the wand. You have the power. You have all the cards. But think about that. You have all...the...cards. So let's just say for the sake of argument that I was trying to trick you. What does that gain me? You'll find it out eventually and you'll still be in the position of power to deal with that! Don't you see, Dazzling? Before you even came here to fight...you won! You've already won! You can have whatever you want. I'm just trying to get you to see...what you want...it could cost you...cost the world more than you ever know."

"Or you could accept my friendship. Accept Night Caps friendship. Let go of the pain. Let go of your past and dare to accept someone else's friendship.

"Remember when we first met? I was a pony living alone just on the other side of the slums, friendless, drunk on cider and looking only for the end of the day after a crap day at work. Now look at me! I don't have team-mates. Every single pony you see with me...we're friends...even the grouchy one!"

"I'm not saying it's easy. But...I'm actually happy. I have friends. I have a mare friend. I'm...happy! Isn't that so much different from how you first saw me? Isn't that better than holding on to a decades long grudge? Isn't it better than the shell of hatred you've created? If there's even a chance we could give this to you, isn't it worth trying?"



Scarlet was speechless. Though not thoughtless.

You do remember her saying she may in reality be much older than any of us, right Static? I think it is preeeeety clear that romance is off the table, period.
I see what ypu're doing too. I don't completely know what you know of her diary, or her reasons for doing what she's doing in order to rewrite history. But i understand.
Had i known of a chance to go back and undo my mistake and prevent getting Rain stuck in... wherever it is she is. Might i have to suvh extreme lengths to save her?
I want to believe you can talk her down with friendship. However, with the Wand of Eternal Skies and its power so close, can you do it?
And why are you pushing so hard for her to let Night Cap in?

Whatever happens, we need to get that wand away from the mad inventor and all those other opportunistic ponies!


Letting himself relax a bit. Outwardly at least, Scarlet remained silent and watched. Waiting to see which way things would turn.

 

CoffeeHorse

Exhausted, but still standing.
Staff member
Council of Elders
Citizen
Dazzling Midnight closed her eyes. "You say all this, and I'm genuinely happy things worked out for you, but do you truly realize what you ask? Stopping now means decades of my life were wasted. It means all I'll have to look forward to is either a prison cell or life on the run, something my childhood self certainly didn't plan for. Answer me this, Static-what future do you expect me to have?"


Static pursed his lips and sat down as he mulled it over. "That is a dilemma, I won't lie. You are rather well known...and not in a good way." Static took a deep breath. "Worst case scenario?" And he waved his hooves emphatically for emphasis, "I mean absolute worse...case...scenario...you do some jail time. Mind you, I've heard how little your powers make of jail security. You waltzed in, broke out Silent Belle and waltzed right back out. If you were to willingly submit to the sentence, and with a good word from us...you may be able to knock off some time off the sentence and when you get out, you'll have paid your debt to society and you'll be free. Absolute worst...case...scenario..."

Static rubbed his chin. "I think I can help you do better. My chief...she has the ear of some influential ponies...like...really...influential ponies."

[Like the ears of the royal guard and Celestia for Celestia's sake!]

"After I went to the library, I told her that I wanted to help you. She was amenable to the idea. Give her a reason to believe you want to change your life around, she'll make it happen."

"She helped a one time thief become a hero."
The subtle reminder of Snowy brought a wistful smile to Static's face. He wondered what he was doing now. "My first night on the job, I...made some mistakes myself." He said with a cringe and another apologetic look towards Silent Belle. "I'm no longer anything like the pony I was that night. And...without naming names...there actually is another ex-COIN agent in our employee...actually a pretty good friend of mine. Thank Luna...redemption is a thing that happens. And my chief, if you give her reason enough to believe your earnest, will help you achieve it."

"As for the decades you've spent in your endeavor...I have no frame of reference to share that with you. I've wasted a good chunk of my life, mind you...but that was years wasted doing nothing. You..."
Static sighed "Yes, you'd be giving up on goals you spent decades working towards. But...they were self-destructive goals! You've been working hard for something that will only bring you and the rest of the world misery. Years of work may be a hard thing to walk away from...but...if you save yourself in the process...and start to strive for something better...?" Static could only sigh.

"And you know...take it from someone who's also had a colorful past...being able to show someone else who's on the wrong path what your life used to be like and what it's like now...you can really help some ponies. I could've used someone like that. If it weren't for the chief, I'd still be that same drunk, hopeless pony you met a few months ago. There's thousands of ponies just like me. You could help them. And you'd have a hell of a story to tell them. If you, if me, if Princess Luna...if we can turn our lives around...you could give them that. And maybe then those decades wouldn't be a waste. You could use those years to give hope to other ponies." He then looked to Silent Belle. "And I don't see why I couldn't make you the same offer."


"You say 'without naming names' but Night Cap already slipped during our conversation that Splash Flaunt and her team made it out.

It all starts so simple doesn't it? A lie here and a theft there but everything will work out. It'll be okay in the end. COIN always had questionable elements but it started better than it is now. Most were more like Splash. But if she turned her life around and you turned your's around..."
Tears started streaming down her face as she lied down and covered her head. "I...I give up. I'm sorry! mom and dad."


Without even meaning to, Scarlet spoke up. Softly, he said.

"We all have things we regret. Actions or events we wish we could change. Yet if that change means you have to submerge who you really are, make choices you would never truly want to make. To the point that the end is all that matters, then the price is too high.

Static is right. Nobody is irredeemable. Nobody is beyond help if they need it. To always look back... To always linger on what was and not what is..." Scarlets breath caught a little as he again thought of Rain. With a cough, he continued. "We can help you make a future... make your future, a happy pne. Make sure that those who need to know, know that you deserve a second chance. A fresh start.

A new beginning."


Catching Statics eye, Scarlet grinned and nodded in silent affirmation of just how much faith and emotion the earth pony had put into his words.


Static wasn't sure what to do. This was what he hoped for. This was what he set out to do when he first read Dazzlings journal. But...he wasn't sure it would actually work. He took a couple hesitating false starts.

[This is not something I thought I would ever find myself doing...EVER]

Static gave Dazzling Midnight a hug.

...

...


"Is this awkward? This isn't awkward. Umm...tell me if this gets awkward."

 

CoffeeHorse

Exhausted, but still standing.
Staff member
Council of Elders
Citizen
Does my wishing i could take a picture right now make me a bad pony?

Scarlet also kiiinda sorta wanted to hug Dazzling too.


Caught up in the emotion of the moment, Misty gives Maple another heartfelt cuddle.

But then something in the back of her mind gives her a nudge, reminding her that Tipsy Tulip is still present. She turns and looks to see how the mad inventor is reacting to the unfolding scene.


As Silent Belle also joined in the hug, Tipsy Tulip said, "I guess I can't keep everyone here after a speech like that. Dazzling, the time...?" "It's 6:14...why?" "Just record keeping."

"And what were you needing to say, Night Cap?"


Spoiler
Zam

"Thanks Misty, I'm starting to feel better."


All that little Maplejack could feel from Dazzling Midnight was the bitter taste of regret and sorrow.

 

CoffeeHorse

Exhausted, but still standing.
Staff member
Council of Elders
Citizen
"She tastes sad, and regretful Static... but I can't tell if there's anything under that which we should be cautious about... she's really THAT sad about something."

Maple still wasn't willing to fully trust Dazzling Midnight, but she could empathize with her, and that was arguably a larger leap to have taken.


Misty sighs.

"Oh, I hope this means I won't be seeing any more of those visions."


"She tastes sad, and regretful Static... but I can't tell if there's anything under that which we should be cautious about... she's really THAT sad about something."

Maple still wasn't willing to fully trust Dazzling Midnight, but she could empathize with her, and that was arguably a larger leap to have taken.

Static felt puzzled. He was fully embracing Dazzling's redemption...and Maple was suspicious? How did that happen?

"I wasn't doubting it for a second, Maple. Not for me to tell, but she certainly has cause." He then turned back to Dazzling Midnight. "But it does get better. I promise."


Tipsy Tulip pointed at the wand. "So...that. What are you going to do with it? I'm getting bad vibes and wondering if I should just hit it with a hammer."


"The Chief will take care of it. This isn't the first wand we've come across. Meantime, nopony touch it. These things are typically sentient and love to mess with their handlers." He adds under his breath "Not a fun experience."

He takes the Morse Code Transmitter out. "Do you mind if I send a telegram telling my chief where to find us? I promise I'll tell her you've shown us the utmost hospitality. And she can get the wand and those bothersome TAKE ponies out of your mane. I...could also use coordinates if you got them. Things got so twisty turvy on that train."


Tipsy Tulip laughed. "Under no circumstances will I give you the coordinates. That's silly. However, I can send you on your way. I've got the tools if that thing is firmly in the 'do not touch' category and I'll gladly help you get TAKE out of here. Once you're away, you can freely contact whoever you need to."


"And the other team...and that's more than fair." He looked back over to Silent Belle and Dazzling Midnight. "It may take the chief a short time getting here. Who would you prefer to talk to her first? I'll be right with you either way."

 


Top Bottom