MLPFEMTORPG: >tfw no Phoenix Down Edition

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>>26043605
>Men talk of killing time, while time quietly kills them.

Post sheets for the 61st session of timequest

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>>26043633
http://pastebin.com/suUANz89

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>>26043633
http://pastebin.com/uMeKkzmM

>>26043633
http://pastebin.com/zfGK7ALa

>>26043633
http://pastebin.com/0DRyArfZ

>Year: 1 BE
>Forests outside of the Republic

>>26043649
>>26043745
>>26043792
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CK2hx377iU
Last session, Glace the gargoyle was defeated through the efforts of Nero and Honey, their battle raging flames and ice across the forest. With a final blow, his form nearly crumbled, and it was with a final jab of Sterling's own blade that the Order member was vanquished, avenging her death. He did not leave, however, without leaving a very cryptic warning that his curse would live on.

The sounds of their battle drew the attention of Starswirl, Luke, and Twilight as they investigated Eo-Naxx Fang's tower (Luke drinking a mysterious vial with no labeling that had turned his horn into a bright, flaming red color with sparks coming out of the top). They were teleported by the famous wizard to the spot of the battle's conclusion... and was met with tragic news of Sterling's sacrifice against the creature. Honey retreated into her battle mech to mourn her own way as the others were left outside in the growing, freezing cold, the fires beginning to give in to the winds.

>>26043649
Starswirl grins, "I visited your era frequently. There were many things worth seeing in the old Empire. Found the sorcery interesting. I was there watching you during your rise to the throne, when you got your mark. I was there the day you and your brother finished the Imperial Civil War. And, you remember how Urmah's couch just 'disappeared' one day?"

As you back off, Starswirl follows behind, and you hear a bit of static forming through the radio

(1/2)

>>26043912
(2/2)
>"Dude, turn that OFF they'll hear us!" Boo hisses
>Screech hisses back "Dumbass, it's Nero I can't! H-he-hey, Nero ol' buddy ol' guy.. heh... uh... everything's fine, we-we've got the time machine no problem, but..."
>"BUT shit's hitting the fan over here! I don't know if it's just our whole asylum thing but, the guards are really moving all over the damn place... a couple of them saw us head into the alley and grab the machine."
>"They tried to arrest us for looking suspicious, and we got away.. but, we had to show our wings to do it. Now the whole city's looking for us because they think we're spies!"
>Boo grumbles, "And what's worse, this blizzard is getting worse and worse over here, so... yeah, that doesn't make things much better... brrr..."

>>26043792
Twilight jumps back at him shouting at her, covering her muzzle, "Luke... I'm sorry, I didn't meant to..."

Starswirl steps over, sighing, "You should stop blaming yourself. Both of you."

Twilight looks up, "But..."

"Few have the good fortune to die with a smile on their muzzle. By what I hear, the last thing she'd want is you two doing this to yourselves."

Twilight sniffles, then looks at Luke. "C-Celestia has an entire garden dedicated to fallen knights... I think she'd like to be buried there, if she had the choice."

>>26043745
You look on at the frozen, screaming crystallized facade of Obsidious laying upon the ground, unable to answer you as you threaten to take out your anger upon him. The deep green glow of the stone inside his purple crystal glows intensely as you begin to wire him up to the core, your red glow fixating the wires directly into the main core of Crumple. The stone says nothing as you work, but your job is completed with frightening, inequine levels of success: the stone remains are successfully integrated with the core of Crumple, and is set to cause as much pain as possible to this hunk of crystallized mutation.

(1/2)

>>26043924
As you hook it up to the computer, you receive a layout of all systems functioning normally, but as you set up communication you see the following text displayed

>AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

>>26043746
>Also just outside the Republic in the icy forests
Last time, Steelnyxia were en route to the final resting place of Sterling, to do whatever must be done. However, their attention was drawn by a massive explosion, likely caused by the other party members they surmised, Steel doing most of the work to drag along their combined weight as Onyxia mourned Sterling's loss.

Along the journey, they were distracted by a pony hidden in the fog and obscured by a purple robe, waving his hooves frantically and calling for help that he had found someone injured and in need of rescue. With a glimmer of hope the mare he spoke of was Sterling, they followed away from the flames. However, upon reaching the spot, there was no body, and they were instead met with a frightful abomination of a bear, cursed with ice digging out of its skin and its temper uncontrollable.

It knocked Steelnyxia into the safety of the shadowscape with the pony, who Onyxia gripped in desperation.

(1/2)

>>26043940
>>26043746
The pony you latch on too stays silent for a few moments, having stopped trying to pry off Onyxia and letting her latch on. "...I am sorry... I needed help to try and save that mare, but, you clearly have your own troubles that have just gotten worse. With nothing to even show for it... what is happening?"
Steel tenses up, whispering as quietly as he can but still within ability for Onyxia to hear him under their breath. ("Onyxia... I'm sorry... your hoof, your body, us being in the Capital, this is all my fault... I dragged you into all of it... I wish I could unfuse. You deserve better than this").

You feel the crackling of your hoof intensify as you grip, but it still holds. Just outside, the cursed bear roars and growls, sniffing about for its prey. So close to the stranger, you can see a noticeable shimmer to his coat.

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>>26043912
Nero looks behind Him at Starswirl for a moment with a blank expression.

"I'm ignoring that." he says, turning back away and holding the radio to His ear.

>"Where are you two now? Do you need any help getting back here?"

>>26043924
>Celestia has an entire garden dedicated to fallen knights
"Thanks Twilight. Just. spare a sec okay."
Luke marches over to Nero

>>26043649
"This wouldn't of happened if you gave me and Sterling a walkie talkie!" And with equal amounts of snappy attitude Luke swipes away your walkie talkie and walks back to Twilight
[1d10] gonna roll for that just incase

>>26043924
>>26043745
Luke puts his hooves up on crumple to take Sterling's limp body. He hears a rage induced racket rattle from the inside of Crumple's head. "I'll -uh I'll just take this Honey. Don't be too hard on yourself." The racket continues undisturbed "Whatever, I'm sure what you're doing is healthy."
With Sterling in his arms Luke ambles back to Twilight.

"Alright Twilight, lets head to my car't"
Luke lights up his horn to track the alcohol stains in the backseat of his car't
[1d10]
"Alright Twilight

>>26044216
Nero holds the radio away, backing up.

"What are you on about? And where are you going?"

>>26043950
Onyxia squeezes her eyes shut. At the pony's apology and mentioning of help Sterling, feeling Steel's multiple apologies all on top of the helpless feeling she already had, she clenches her hoof down on the pony's back. Part of her wanting her hoof to shatter now, if only as a mask for the oncoming sobs.

>>26043924
>>26043940
Honey smiles smugly at the communication display before typing into the communication screen, both the keys and the letters on her end in her language.
>Comfortable? Good. I'm sure this is what my people felt when you did the same to them. And how nice; you're able to comprehend my language. This will be much more enjoyable than using that awful language you ponies spew off in.

>>26043924
>>26044216
Being in the cockpit, Honey hears Luke's plans.
"Wait, Luke. Fuck the garden," Honey says through Crumple, "let's bring her back to her time. At least then she'll be around Code and Pound and her family and shit. Better than some random ass garden that doesn't really mean shit to her."

>>26044254
Luke scowls at failing to grab your walkie. One day...
"I'm going to bury Sterling."

>>26044274
Luke stops in his tracks "Wow Crumple Thats.. a better idea, but thats gonna be incredibly awkward don't ya think. Like by their perspective we probably just left and then came back with her dead. That's just gonna been this whole thing that's awful to deal with. But shit, I don't wanna be that guy that says no, don't let her friends and family have closure it'll be awkward... eh. shit yeah lets do that, I was gonna drive up to canterlot might aswell go the extra mile right. I-If we do this we cannot return to the time right after we left their timeline. It has to be atleast a couple years. So it won't be so sudden right."

>>26044559
>>26044274
"If you're wanting to return Sterling's remains to her own era, we'll need the time machine. Boo and Screech have it, but seem to have fallen into some trouble. And this weather is getting worse."

"We should regroup and get out of the storm before you leave. As for when you arrive, you do not have a choice in the matter. The time machine is set to move forward one day for every era per day."

>>26044061
Starswirl grins behind him as he takes his call. "It's very comfortable. Absolutely ties the lab together. Thought you might like to know."

Over the radio, you hear a sharp crackle. Boo responds,
>"We're uh, not sure boss. This place isn't that easy to find your way around in even if it wasn't getting whiter by the second. I don't even know which direction is southeast anymore. Think I see an office of some kind, chimney's broken off of it..."
>"That's why they have SIGNS, idiot. And we came from the northwest direction, not south east!" Screech complains, "We have the time machine safe and sound and, maybe we can use this storm to our advantage, but these guards are crazy fast for no-wingers, they keep managing to cut us off. We might be able to just go straight up and hope the fog would keep them from spotting us... and, subsequently, shooting us down, but I'm worried about the machine getting damaged in the storm too."

>>26044216
Twilight nods her head as he goes to Nero, giving a few more sobs as she wipes her nose. "T-take your time."

You fail to take the walkie away from Nero as he holds it away from you.

As you reach up on to Crumple to take Sterling's limp body from Crumple's grasp: her cold body saps the heat away through your mummy wrappings as you take her, but even with her body, hair, and armor nearly frozen solid you get the sense of comfort from her peaceful smile.

Twilight sniffs as you take Sterling, and your magic is successful, giving you a clear indication of where you car is. It's a fair distance away, between the two teleports from Starswirl and the walk you took from the car't to him, but it's manageable. The storm's fog won't stop your magic and so long as you can stay warm you won't freeze.

>>26044639

>>26044274
The machine offers a few pauses in it's blips as the machine roars to life, tying in the magics of Obsidious' connection to stone and earth to your machine
>Stonesink: May automatically merge with any sort of stone or earth, and swim through it as though it were water automatically. Cannot see or hear above ground as you do so, no ranged attacks from below (though you may make melee as you come up, at a higher DC due to attacking blind but autocrits if successful)

>"Gaaaaahh.... what.... what.... you.... stop... this... my body... can't take pain.... kill you, I'll KILL YOU"
The text slides across the screen.
>"Let me go... or.. else..."

>>26044255
Twilight rubs her eyes, "I think the same garden exists in Canterlot in her time as well. It was one of the first things they built into Canterlot, I'm told it's a great honor for knights and guards."

>>26044255
The hoof does not shatter as you wish it too, but the stranger lets you hold on tightly and, as the cursed grizzly stomps around outside, hunting for you, he returns with a light embrace through your heavy metal body trying to console you..

At the first call of your sobbing, he quietly states, "All will be well... you do not have to answer anything. Take your time. Wherever we are, I believe we're safe." He says, trying to move the weight onto his hooves as he's gripped by Onxyia.

The bear stays stalking nearby, and he tries to lift Onyxia's body, "Again, I apologize for all this. Can you stand? I haven't introduced myself yet, I am Mulki. And you?" Steel says nothing as he feels your despair, and in return from the night you feel a flush of shame at having failed you.

>>26044657
2nd response meant for
>>26044274

>>26044657
"...I don't know. Barely know anything nowadays..."
Onyxia mops, staying on the ground but lifted to sitting as the pony moves.
"O-Onyxia."
She says quietly as she wipes the tears to little effect with her good hoof.

>>26044559
Crumple holds up a hoof.
"I am NOT in the mood to talk about time shit and non-sense. And really; I don't give a flying fuck, neither. We just go to her time, explain shit, say some final words or whatever, and go."

"And bust out your fanciest words: if we're gonna tell what happened, we're gonna make sure it's the best damn story ever. So that way, all future brats will know how fucking awesome she was!"

>>26044627
"Trouble huh? Figures with those two."

>>26044657
"Interestinga," Honey says as she observes the scanners of the internals.

>Your threats mean nothing. You wanted to be with your machine again, here you go. You got a free ride from me long enough; time you got what is coming to you.


"Huh, well don't you just know the right shit to make me look like a dumbass," Crumple says to Twilight.

>>26044627
>>26044657
>>26044559
"Alright, I'm gonna blast those two out of there," Honey says to everyone gathered.

Deciding to try out the new feature, Honey has Crumple start walking back towards the town, then activates the Stonesink, wanting to break in the new feature and get some extra zaps on Obsidious in. She sits and watches for awhile, wanting to see what this would look like. As Crumple travels, Honey makes some repairs to Crumple after all the damage it took from that fight.

>travelling back to town via Stonesink
>repairs along the way

>>26044639
>>26044274
LukeWarm shivers at touching Sterling's cold armor. He can feel the blood warming effects of that vodka wearing off. He Turns a 180 back to Crumple and puts Sterling back on his arms.

>>26044627
"Okay, but why can't we just set the timedials or whatever you to a month after that era, or maybe year. So at least they don't know we got her killed in the first couple of days."

"And Also why the fuck didn't I get a walkie talkie Nero!? This has been bothering me since we got here."

>>26044639
>>26044890
Nero keeps ignoring Starswirl as Crumple walks off.

"Have Freedom lead you to our location as soon as you have them! And avoid any unnecessary destruction!"

Nero shouts after Honey as she leaves, turning to His radio.

>"Fly out of the city and land in the first safe place you see. The machine was buried in snow before, it won't be damaged by these winds unless you drop it. Honey is on her way."
>>26044926
"Because there are no time dials. The time machine only reaches a pre-set number of eras, and those eras seem to progress in sync with one another. However long it has been to us, that is how long it has been to Celestia and her knights."

A portal opens near Luke's hoof dropping out a radio.

"I have been passing them out as I needed to. I did not imagine you would need one, being you were with Twilight"

>>26044890
>we're gonna make sure it's the best damn story ever
"Okay good idea, That'll make things way less awkward. I don't think she went out like a bitch, but we gotta make sure theres no doubt Sterling died like a badass."

Before you leave Luke comes running behind you "Hay wait up you asshole! Sterling's heavy!" But Luke fails to get your attention "Screw, I'll just stow her in my trunk -I mean back seat. Wow, sorry Sterling you know I'd never really put you in my trunk."

>>26044657
nevermind on that, Luke is still carrying Sterling.

>>26045002
"Thats ridiculous, who the hell makes a time machine like that. Or does the universe just know those eras exist for Celestia knows why and decided to inconvenience every time traveler like that.. Shit I'm not looking forward to this Nero."

Luke grabs the walkie talkie and promptly presses a button on it. You hear static ring from your walkie, when and if you pick up after the tone you hear this "I see how it is, Twilight gets a walkie talkie but Luke and Sterling gotta work something out with string cans. Real classy."

>>26044854
It is difficult to see under his cloak, but you sense the trace of a smile. "It is my pleasure, Onyxia." He pats your shoulder, "If you do not know, then you need not answer. I'm sure it will come."

As you begin to cry, you feel your hoof moved by Steel's influence, grabbing at his cape. He lifts it up to tab at your eyes, trying to dry them for you. As you sit down, Mulki looks at the shadowy apparition of the bear, who slowly begins to appear to grow bored. "I think that monster is finally going off... I've never seen a bear like that though. I hope it didn't touch that poor mare."

("He didn't. He couldn't have, I know those tracks weren't the bears. Onyxia, please, we have to stand... I can't fail you.")

>>26044890
After you type the response, you see the blip representing where the next character will show up blink for a few moments, then comes a response
>"Not like this."
>"It hurts."
>"Agony... it's too much"
>"RELEASE ME RELEASE ME RELEASE ME"
>"OR ONE DAY, I SWEAR, I will break free"
>"And then I will not spare a single antennae of your pitiful kind"
>"AAAAAAAAAAAAAA"

>>26044890
Twilight stares up at Crumple, eyes quivering, "I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make it sound that way. I just thought that... she could have both, is all."

>>26044926
Starswirl rubs his beard as he watches you continue to carry Sterling.
"Hmm. Should have something to travel in. Poor thing."

As you shout to Nero about the walkie, Twilight sniffles and holds up hers, "W-we had one for our group, Luke, there were only so many to pass around... all the more reason I shouldn't have let her go alone, with no way of calling us."

>>26045301
>>26045002
Starswirl muses silently as he is ignored, watching you issue orders to the bats over the walkie.

>"G-got it, boss-pony! We'll see you all outside, they won't get the drop on us." Screech replies, "Alright, Boo, let's do this. Shadowbolts for life."

As they hang up, Starswirl nods his head, jingling the hat bells. "So, my spell has been recreated by a machine? That's peculiar. None of the timelines I have visited had any sort of device. It feels odd, I'm not usually the one out of the loop like this."

>>26044890
The console lets out a long stream of 'A's again as you turn on the machine to full power, the stone-sink magic of Obsidious leaking through to Crumple's hooves as it slowly begins to melt into a patch of solid earth beneath the snow, sinking into the ground like a submarine.

Gale watches from their chamber as the sky disappears, his muzzle mumbling as he watches the light disappear. "Incredible... this machine can traverse the earth?! If the Pegasi had a dozen of these machines, we could take out both the unicorns and the earth ponies in one fell swoop..."

Freedom coughs as the machine begins to speed along underground, flying completely blind save for his near-omniscient sight. He struggles to stand, his face looking more sickly than before. "They're not gonna be all that far... they're makin' their move now, Honey, I'll tell ya where they get to."

[1d10+1]

As he closes his eyes, he mumbles, "She said thank you, you know. She was thinking of all of you."

>>26045099
>>26045002
The bearded pony raises a brow. "That is how your machine works? My original spell should allow for any time or era, given enough time, skill, and prepartion. To be limited to pre-set dates that are dictated by the flow of real-time, seems a significant flaw." Starswirl asks, seeming quite intrigued. "There must be some trade-off. Greater range? Additional transferable mass?"

>>26045301
Onyxia sits silent for a few moments, sniffling as the bear leaves.
"L-Let's get you home. I'm sure sh-she'll... she..."
Onyxia stops taking as a few more sobs make their way to cut her speech. She stands, keeping her cracked leg off the ground, holding it to her chest and walking with the other three for now.
"J-Just lead the way."
She mutters through another sniffle.

>>26045301
Luke puts down Sterling for a moment, so he can pinch his forehead as he kneels down "Shut up Twilight. Can't you just let me repress that for a while. I don't wanna talk about my dead best friend, I wanna talk about walkie talkies."

>>26045313
"I only feel mildly consolated to know that its not the universe screwing with us. I don't know why the guy from the primitive timeline is the only one timetraveling without their ass being dragged across the timespace continuum." Luke continues to vent "Fuck, my head hurts.. And suddenly I'm not numb enough to keep ignoring this blizzard brrrr. I'm, go fetch my car and bring it over. It's got a heater."
Luke sets Sterling down on the ground. "You guys watch over Sterling."

>>26045099
"I have no idea, it is Glitch's device. But the Order of Eon seem to suffer the same limitation, so I cannot say why it does that."

Nero glares at Luke as he calls him, going back to the bats.
>>26045313
Who hang up before Nero can tell them its just Honey coming.

"This one can actually change things." Nero says answering only Starswirl's last question, before raising His radio again and calling Onyxia.
>>26045486
"Onyxia! Where are you? Did you find Sight?"

>>26045505
>>26045313
>>26045313
forgot to say. Luke heads out of the clearing, toward his car't.

>>26045313
Honey ignores Obsidious like the expendable tool he is to join up with Gale and Freedom as she switches to remote control.

"Heheh," Honey laughs a bit, feeling kind of flattered since it was her mech and all, "well youa could all have youra own Crumples, but they'd onlya be the next best thinga compared to minea."

"But yeah, it'sa a new feature. Gota a unicorn hooked up whoa really had this coming to hima."
She looks at him with a smile, continuing with her repairs of Crumple close to the chamber.
"And yeah; thisa shit is really putting the paina on that fucker."


Honey nods to Freedom, but looks somewhat concerned.
"Hey, whata the fuck? You alright, old timer? Dont'a you go dying on me, tooa."
She hears his mumbles, and Honey goes a bit somber.
"Yeah...thata sounds like her. Wasa a good pony the momenta we both kicked griffon ass togethera. Just wish there wasa more I could do fora her...like tell Death 'go fucka yourself' and just...have her back. Kicka more flank together...."

>>26045505
Nero walks back to His chariot, holding the radio to His head waiting for a response as the griffons start trotting with Luke.

"We'll walk with you, Honey can find us if she needs to. Twilight, Starswirl, we're moving out."

>>26045486
Steel continues to dab your eyes with his cape, as Mulki turns to look around at the black surroundings, "Even with every thing so... bizarre, I think I recognize the way I came. Follow me..." he turns to look, his shaded mouth frowning as you hold your hoof. "You are sure you are okay to walk? That looks, painful... if you need us to slow, or take a break, tell me."

Steel continues to mumble, desperation in his voice... a sense of false hope. ("Wait, Onyxia," he whispers, "We don't need to turn back so easily. I can destroy that monster on my own, and then we'll find Sterling, and then... and then I'll make Master sorry he ever allowed this to happen to you. Don't give up hope... t-there must be a reason this happened, he did not find us by mere coincidence and told us of an injured mare.")

You begin walking slowly through the shadow-scape in the direction Mulki leads, the bear left behind as he tries to navigate the darkness. As you walk, you hear your walkie-talkie spring to life from within your bag, its message slightly static-y from inside the shadowscape but still audible to those close by.

Mulki turns his head as he hears the noise, but does not say anything before turning back. Steel looks at the bag, "It is the others... I could drop Mulki out without us, he would not hear us speaking to them if we stay inside."

>>26045510
"...it can actually change things..." Starswirl repeats, eyes opening up wider as he rubs his beard.

"You mean this journey you've made here, to this time: it was not set in stone? It's only happened now because you've made it happen?" He muses, "You've... altered the timeline."

Twilight nods her head, "I was amazed as well. I've used your method of time travel before, to go back a week, but all I was doing was replaying the past. But the machine's changed that."

He nods his head. "Hrm. Clearly. That's exceedingly more dangerous..."

>>26045948
>>26045505
Twilight's eyes open wide, "What?! How? How can you t-talk about walkie talkies?!" Her eyes begin to shimmer with liquid, "Y-your best friend is d-d-dead, and... and you don't want to just IGNORE it for a while? If one of my best friends died, I'd... I'd..." she closes her eyes, not wanting to think about the ordeal anymore. "Oh, Celestia..."

>>26045505
>>26045713
Nero taking to the chariot, Twilight nods her head and pulls up her cloak, aiming to walk behind Luke as they make their journey. Starswirl takes Sterling up in a shimmering golden field of magic, effortlessly lifting her. "I'll take your friend. Could use a quick reprieve from teleporting again."

Twilight sniffles as they walk along, "Your car't is still crashed in the snow, though... are you sure you can fix the engine?"

As you all travel through the snowy forest, the winds begin to pick up, snow and ice pelting at all of you as the fog deepens. Luke's horn leads him directly in the direction of the car't, but Starswirl and Twilight have to put up a barrier to keep out the worst of it

Starswirl grumbles, "Must be another surge. The storms have had a few of them recently. This one will only grow worse. If we cannot fix your vehicle, we should take shelter in Coltchester, it will be closer to Unicornia than the Republic by then."

>>26045959
>>26045553
Gale's ear perks up at that, looking to you, "Could we? Where do we get them?"

Gale, as you mention a unicorn is powering it, smirks, "You're using one of those prissy horned freaks' little magic tricks to power this machine? It just keeps getting better. We'll take 100."

Freedom coughs and hacks, holding his chest as his spasm gets worse. "Not exactly *COUGH* in mah power, Honey, hehehehe... my health was failin' long before y'all broke me outta the looney bin. Just a matter a time now."

As you grow somber, he raises his one good hoof, "She woulda liked that just as much, Honey. I've been lookin' around the timeline, and I can tell ya she loved every second of it. She didn't blame ya for nothin' even in the end. But there's always more ya can do for 'er, Honey." He smiles, "Remember 'er."


He blinks his eyes, "I got 'em. The bats got through with barely a nick, but there's some guards on their trail right naw. We hurry up, we can lose 'em."

Ascending Crumple up through the stone, you eventually unsink from the stone and crash through the snow, sending it flying up into the air as you re-emerge among the white void of the storm. You are outside the city limits, on the edge of it.

Nearby, but only just barely visible through the winds, you see Boo and Screech jump up in shock, "HOLY HELL!" They say in tandem, "Since when can Crumple come out from the flippin' ground?!" Boo asks.

>>26045948
"It's f-fine."
Onyxia says, her tone betraying her words

("...A fire like that that we saw, they must have been close. If they were, then she'll be... b-be fine.")

As the radio blares, Onyxia ignores it.
("I don't want to think about any of that right now... I just want to keep walking.")
She whispers to Steel, voice fading to a flat emotionless mumble from the constant reminders.

>>26045948
"Dangerous? How so? Or do you merely mean the timeline being altered, as it has been?"
>>26045959
"Vehicle or not, it is not a good idea to remain out here as this storm intensifies. Much less with the Order of Eon possibly still lurking out there in the snow."

"We will find Luke's cart, then Onyxia, and head to Coltchester. Crumple Zone can meet us there."

The king says looking down at Twilight and Starswirl from His chariot [which is one the ground rolling, not flying].

"Are Celestia and Luna staying with you at the moment?" Nero asks Starswirl.

Nero holds up His radio again.
>>26046117
"Onxyia! Are you there? What's going on?"

>>26045959
>>26045959
"Thanks Starswirl" Luke comments, for him taking Sterling off his hands

>Y-your best friend is d-d-dead
"Do you just like being a fucking drag all the time!?" Luke blows up "Do you get your kicks out of watching me put up with your shit Twilight? Yes my best friend is dead! Thanks for the reminder. Not like I don't have one literally floating right over my head in the blistering fucking cold! I swear to Celestia Twilight, unless we're at the funeral I don't wanna so much as hear you whimper her name or so help me I will strike you across the face! Do you UNDERSTAND!?"
Luke feels his rage warm him up. He continues to wrap his cape around himself.

Continuing to my car't.

>>26045974
"I'm jokinga, mostly. Don't think youa could be able to handle thea awesome badassness of one of thesea. Or fix it; thisa is kinda ahead of youra time."
Honey smirks herself.
"But I'lla take all that asa compliments. You've gota good taste in what toa blow shit up with, at least."


"Oh suna dammit, don't you go dying ona me now. Goldie won'ta shut the fuck up if youa died on my damn watcha. Hell, I'll fucking shovea metal parts into you toa keep you alive if I've gotta."
Tears well up as Freedom tells Honey of the other timelines.
"But...but Ia want that to me MY timelinea."
There is a pause after the selfish statement, mostly her choking up.
"But...alright. Ifa remembering her is all it takesa, then fine. I'll just kicka all asses from here ona twice as hard: for mea and for her."


With a look of new-found resolve, Honey gets into the cockpit once more as they near.
>Take a small break, you whiny foal.
She types to Obsidious.
>Your usefulness isn't over yet.

"Since now!" Honey yells through Crumple at them both.
"Now hurry the fuck up! I'm giving you guys cover fire!"

Crumple continues foward to close the distance with the bats further. As it nears, Crumple fires a swarm of missiles to fly and explode behind the bats, hoping to keep any guards from following with a literal firewall. Another swarm flies into the sky, Honey more pissed off at how difficult the storm is making everything.

>Wall of fire behind bats and blasting the storm!
>Cleave 2 theoretical targets, critfails 1-
[1d10+2]
[1d10+2]

>>26046117
Mulki looks at your icy hoof, nodding his head as he hears you're okay. "If you insist... just, do what you can to keep up."

("I am sure they will do just fine against the bear, but, what about Sterling?!) he whispers, ("Whatever took her could still be nearby, she could still be alive, I can save her, I can fix this...") he says in desperation, as the walkie begins to shout out static again, slightly audible even in the bag to the nearby Steel and Onyxia
>"...yia.........there?......oing on."

("It could be important, they may even have already found her, healing her... my Master will not take your friend away from you, I won't let him.")

As you walk through the darkened forest, the blurs of darkness get harder and harder to see, and even within the shadowscape, a deep chill has set in, Mulki shivering, "The storm is getting worse, if we can feel it even in here... I think we're close, follow me. This should be the right direction. We'll have shelter soon, if not much food."

Walking along, you clear a last patch of trees visible through the shadowscape, and out into a long plain leading towards a steep cliff. On top of the cliff you can see some houses, but Mulki looks perplexed beneath the cloak. "Wait... something's off. I don't recognize this place." He groans, shivering, "We're going to freeze out here. In here. Whichever."

>>26046196
Twilight's head snaps up, her face teary-eyed as you snap at her. "What?! N-no! Of course I don't, I didn't mean it that way!" She stands her ground, "I-I NEVER meant to hang it over your head, Luke, I'm sorry that I made it sound that way. I... I haven't lost a friend like this before. I don't know the right way of dealing with losing a good friend, forever. Maybe there is none." She looks down, "Do you really think just... not acknowledging it, even for just the moment, is the right way to go about it? Emotions shouldn't just be locked away."

>>26046614
>>26046194
Starswirl grumbles, "The way my spell worked, I did not have to worry about upsetting time. Everything I did had already happened. I could fool around in any era I wanted, experimented however I wanted, knowing that the timeline was stable as a rock. Now I'm hearing that that rock has been getting torn down and rebuilt on a whim."

He looks at Nero intensely, "It's reasonable to fear what the state of the rock will be in the long run. Whether there will be pieces of it missing. Or if there will even be a rock to make at all." He rubs his beard, "The idea of being able to reconstruct time... it's amazing, terrifying, exhilarating. I would be lying if I did not say my heart was beating faster just thinking of using this machine. But, everything I do would now have consequences... possibly dire ones."

>>26046194
As you mention the storm, he perks his ears, "There's that name again. Order of Eon. I presume they're some new enemy of ponykind? If they're using my spell, I have not heard of them either."

He perks up his head, jingling his bells. "Hmmm. That depends. Do you know the poem?

>>26046194
>>26046196
As the blistering cold increases in intensity, the lot of you manage to find your way through the forest towards the crash sight of the cart, mostly obscured by the blistering snow and growing fog.

On top of the cart, you can see a figure continuously swinging a bat into it over and over, smashing up the metal and glass through the sounds of the wind howling.

>>26046627
>>26046250
"Well, don't underestimate us. If our tool works, we take very good care of it." Gale smirks, "And this is certainly a tool we could use."

Freedom Rings coughs, hacking up some phlegm as he laughs, "Hehehe... death is a just another part of life, Honey. No one escapes it forever, much as they try. My time's comin' soon, but, I think y'all don't need to worry about me just croakin' it here. I'll manage. Heheheh..."
He nods his head, "And, it really is, Honey. Trust me on that... these bodies of ours, from lil' Breezies to almighty alicorns, they won't last nearly as long as memories will. If you're thinkin' of Sterling with every ass you take, then she's there kickin' it with you." He closes his eyes, yawning, "'Nuff said."

Obsidious responds back
>"Your death"
>"Will"
>"Be painful... every breezie's will be"

Boo and Screech jump for Crumple, flying into the cargo bay doors as they're shrunk down. They trail in a long series of ice and snow behind them, shaking off their manes and shivering as the doors close up. "DAMN! I-it's freezing out there..." Boo complains, "A-and I think they nicked me here, with one of their arrows, see?" The spot he points too, a scrap in his cloak, isn't even bleeding.

The fire missiles light up the white void, causing a powerful flash of flame to raise up and create a strong cover behind as you head on into the white storm above, blowing away some of the snow and vapor as you soar into it. The winds persist, and new snow is already beginning to replace that which was lost as the storm rages. But Crumple gets away successfully with no trailers.

>>26046614
>Note
>The walkie talkie message isn't unintelligble, the '"Onxyia! Are you there? What's going on?' part is audible to Steel and Onyxia. There's just a bit of static going along with it

>>26046634
"I'lla think on it. Though somethinga as awesome as this won't be cheapa."


Honey smiles at Freedom with a slight laugh.
"Yeah...thata sounds pretty nice. Thanks Freedom, Ia feel much damn bettera."


>Don't worry: you, and your dream of my death, will die once I am done using you for your magic. Much like you wanted to use mine. Funny how life works, isn't it?


Honey inspects the spot where Boo got nicked, giving him a small shove with a laugh.
"Oh, you'lla be fine. What abouta you, Screech? And isa the time machine safe?"

>>26046614
("I'm sure they found her, they had to.")
Onyxia rummages for the walkie-talkie, and turns it off.
("I... I don't want to see her like that. Please, I just want to forget this.")

"I-It might just be the shadows."
Onyxia sweeps the cloak, putting them back out into reality.
"Let's hurry you inside."
Onyxia places her good hoof on the cliff edge, metal running down the cliff face in attempt to make stairs.
>Transmute [1d10]

>>26046627
"Do we really have any reason to believe that time travel would do that kind damage to the cosmos? Others have expressed similiar concerns to Me recently, but being you invented time travel, after a fashion, you may have some insight they do not."
>>26046627
"It is a very long story. Suffice it to say that they are time travelers, and they are My enemies. And if you mean the 'trust-code' Celestia gave me-"

"Hush sun, fall to the east as the day is done. Hush moon, fade in the light for day comes soon."

"But I intend to avoid meeting them if at all possible. Their knowing of My presence here could affect the timeline in ways I do not want it affected."

Nero checks His radio again, still not getting anyway, He changes gears and calls Honey.
>>26046792
"Honey, have you found the time machine yet? I'm not getting any response from Onyxia."

>>26046627
Luke draws out a sigh "Sorry Twilight, this is just my way of doing things, alright.. I lost a cooky friend like that before, was my best fucking friend when I had no one else but a cat and an angry landlord." Luke says as he reminisces Creepy Crawly. "You wanna know how you deal with it? You just do. You're always dealing with it, its never something that you stop dealing with. That's just how it is. Am I sad? Yeah I am, about the second time I've been this upset. Do I wanna make peace with it. No! I don't want to make peace with it! I wanna find the person responsible for this and make him wish HE was the ONE pushin daisies. And at the end of the day, even if I get my closure, I'm still fuckin dealing with it. So whats the point of all this crying, to make myself feel better? Honestly, its the crying thats pissing me off. If you were being dignant about it like 'Damn didn't think Sterling would be reckless enough to get herself killed, you must've rubbed off on her Luke. Maybe we should kick Your ass. ha ha.' Then I say 'I'd rub off you too if you drank all the time' And then you'd probably say "Luke! I thought you were engaged!" because now I just realized how sultry that sounded. And then we'd share a laugh. Ha ha, hay! we're having fun to her memory. But instead all you wanna do is cry about it? What a freakin disgrace. I hope that ain't the way you behave when Pinkie Pie goes, or Rainbow Dash, or any'a them really."

They continue walking. When Luke finally comes across his car from the forest foilage he sees someone banging up his car't with a nailed up bat.
>Brotherhood http://pastebin.com/vVc3F76Z

"Hay! What in the hell ya think your doin! It ain't some metal hell beast!"
>The pony is shrouded with a thick fur cloak. He stands atop the Car't hood, just banging at the thing. He turns over toward Luke and pulls a pistol out form his cloak and shoots at Luke.

"Oh Shit!" Luke ducks behind a tree "He's got'a gun!"

>>26047017
>>26046627
>The Cloaked Figure shoots after Twilight, the pony closest to Luke during the moment.
>[1d10]

Luke jumps after the Cloaked Figure from his cover, with his bat held over his head to swing.
[1d10+1]
>Child of Gaia

File: Tumblr_mtb4aaB0Yb1rtljjxo10_r1_500.gif (846KB, 500x281px) Image search: [Google]

846KB, 500x281px

>>26047017
>>26047049
A wall of arrows fills the space behind Nero as the figure on Luke's car fires a gun.

"Another Order member! Hold your ground!"

Nero says opening fire on the cloaked figure.

[1d10+1] Inspire Self
[1d10] Blast

>>26046792
Gale grins, "We have resources... a few, anyhow, maybe one or two Crumples at the least."

Freedom smiles, "Glad I could help ya, hehehe... feels too good to do a lil' somethin' with what time I got left."

The message adds
>"Enjoy your irony while it lasts, bug"
>"I will not stand for this humiliation forever"
>"Once I am free, I will take great pleasure using your own machine for your own gruesome demise"

Screech smugly grins at his friend, "See? Told you." He takes the time machine out from behind his back, "And you know it! Phew... mission accomplished. Let me tell you, those guards were crazy good. Felt like they were always one step ahead until we used the storm to get away. But it's safe and sound."

>You hear the radio spring to life, "Honey, have you found the time machine yet? I'm not getting any response from Onyxia"
>>26046893
The walkie talkie turns off, and Steel responds ("She... I... how can we know Sight was telling the truth until we see it for ourselves? He-he's already lied to me throughout my entire adult life, what's one more?!")

Mulki shields his eyes from the snow as you flip yourselves back into reality, the storm's winds fiercely piercing into your chassis and his cloak as it intensifies.

Mulki is about to shout as you place your hoof upon the stone cliff, your black metal running up to forcibly forget it into a series of steps. The steps jut out of the cliff-face offering a way to climb, as Mulki turns to look at you bewildered.

"Incredible... what sort of magic was that? You just, shaped the stone..." He asks as another fierce gust picks up, "No time to admire now, come on!"

Heading up the stairs, you look to the houses that you saw from the cliff bottom, but see now up close they're all broken down, windows shattered, doors blown open. The snow piles high in those houses, offering little to no protection, though in the far distance away from them in the other direction of the cliffs, you can see a see a city with lights.

>>26047287
>>26046932
"Hmmm..." He rubs his beard, "I only know how I originally discovered it. After I learned how to traverse time, what I saw of it made sense: time cannot be changed, anything you do was supposed to happen and so such a worry was beyond me. It seemed no different than teleporting."

"Now that it can apparently be changed, I feel the need to re-evaluate. I cannot say anything conclusively without experimentation. I would even say that the fact it exists in the first place is evidence enough the cosmos are able to account for it. But, in the application of magic, anything is possible. Many spells that seem mundane can actually spell doom for us all if you abuse it in just the right fashion."

>>26046932
He smiles, "Ah, so they did trust you with it. Good."

He nods his head, "Yes, both of them. If they did as I said, their homework should be done and the shelves should be dusted by the time I get home, but, what is far more likely is that they have snuck out. Again. Hm. Should have asked Clover to check on them before she left."

Starswirl nods and rubs his beard, "And I agree with you. If we can help it, I think it wise we would let them go your visit without knowing you're here."

>>26047297
>>26047017
Twilight sighs as you explain your views on coping with loss. "So... that's it? You just 'deal with it'?" She shakes her head, "I... may want to re-word that phrase a little if I decide to use it for friendship lessons, coming from a princess that phrase probably wouldn't inspire a lot of ponies. I think I understand what you're talking about though."

She flaps her wings a little under the coat, "Loss is... just, something everyone has to learn to cope with in their own way. Maybe my way is crying about it, letting everything out at once... feels a little bit better than just, making a crack or two about it." She smiles, "Though, knowing Pinkie, that's exactly what she'd want, is, to make a joke. I didn't know Sterling for long, but, feels sort of what she'd want to."

She takes in a deep breath, wiping away one more tear. She tries a grin. "So, then, do you think she'd want your ass kicked now or later for being a bad inf-"

>>26047049
>>26047080
As all the chaos breaks lose, Twilight stops in her dialogue with Luke and gasps, watching the bullet come within a hoof's length as she dodges to the side. She quickly turns her horn around and fires a pink beam at the pony's hoof to disarm him
[1d10+2] Telekinesis, taking away the weapon

Luke jumps up high with his bat, the hard wood cracking against the cloaked figure's head knocking him off of the car and into the snow (2/5)

The blow hurts, but it saves him from the majority of Nero's arrows, which impact into the car itself on the opposite side of where he landed and penetrates its chassis, causing yet more damage to the vehicle.

Starswirl stands and watches, rubbing his beard. "Hm. Well, he's certainly not from this time, using a gun. Does the Order have a reason for fixating on his broken car?"

>>26047287
>Update to Screech's line, the time machine cannot be shrunken

"And you know it! Strapped it nice and tight on Crumple's back before we hopped in."

>>26047287
"Steel can you stop talking about it! I don't want to think about losing someone right now!"
Onyxia blurts out through the stormy winds, wanting to distance herself from what happened.

As they reach the broken town, Onyxia looks around, the sight not helping her mood. She looks over to the lights in the distance, sweeping her cloak over Mulki and herself.
"Is it the city over there you were looking for? Let's go."

>>26047287
"I'lla have to take a look whena we take a trip to youra home. Though...after Ia bring Sterling to be burieda, if you don't mind."

Honey just gives a small chuckle to Obsidious' threat.
>Hope you rested up.
Not long after the message, Honey has Crumple dive down through the snow and sink into the stone once more, the power core zapping Obnsidious. Better to avoid the storm as much as possible.

>>26047287
>>26047326
"Gooda. I say this one wenta pretty well."
Honey hears the radio and Nero's voice go off. In need of some more cheering up, Honey looks to Boo and Screech.
"Hey, keepa quiet for a bit anda play along," she says with a mischievous smile.

>>26046932
>>26047287
Honey picks up the radio and makes contact with Nero, sounding very angry.
"Noa! Those Eon fucks beat mea to them. Couldn't find thema anywhere, and had to gun downa a bunch of ponies because they were tryinga to shoot me out of the aira!"

>>26047080
"Nero, wait stop! My car't!"

>>26047306
Luke lands back on the snow, he turns back agog, to see his car't sliced up by arrows "Dammit! Nero, have some damn consideration! AHH! What the hell am I gonna tell my insurance!"

>The Cloaked pony's cloak has been thrown off revealing him to be a clean, slick back maned pony in a suit. He resembles LukeWarm, but looks a lot meaner.
"You got my car't wrecked douche!"
>"You've sabotaged my entire life"

>The Alternate Luke swings his bat high at LukeWarm, he pulls bat up to block and has it hit out of his hooves. Promptly after Luke throws himself onto his Alternate self and they begin wrestling in the snow whilst cursing at eachother.

"I don't give a shit! Go scratch some Lotto cards!"
>"Why don't you own up to the embarassing turmoil of your career and take a beating"
"Why don't you suck my balls"
>"I'd gladly castrate you, if you weren't already a dickless child!"
"OH Yeah!?"
>"Yes! you ignoramus!"
"Oh you son of a bitch, I'm really not in the mood right now ya'know"
>"Why? Run out of rum, drunky."
"My friend just died!"
>"Sober for the occasion huh?"
>The alternate Luke finally catches sight of Sterling's Lithe body being levitated. He pushes Lukewarm and exclaims "Sterling died!?"

>>26047297
"Even so, I doubt the cosmos could be completely destroyed by something so innocuous. It has apparently been bearing the burden of time travel for quite some time now. But I agree, more information is necessary."
>>26047297
Nero raises an eyebrow at this.

"You treat them as children? By this era they must be over a hundred years old, I would take a guess they are older even than you."

"What logic compels them to bear such an arrangement?"

The king asks, finding the whole matter slightly humorous.
>>26047403
Nero holds up His radio, listening, eyes flashing with great anger which rather quickly gives way to realization.

"That sounds terrible." he says passively.

"An unimaginable setback to all My intentions. I believe I will have to surrender to Eon at this rate. Especially with Lukewarm's era almost certainly utterly destroyed by your negligence."

He continues, still passive and unfeeling.

"Though, I would say the greater crime here is your atrocious murder of theatre. If Freedom Rings is with you, how could you 'lose them'?"
>>26047604
>>26047306
Nero continues keeping His arrows aimed at the newcomer as Luke wrestles him, listening to them argue angrily, not firing yet.

>>26047629
There is silence on the other end, only by a single word.
"Fucka."

"Ah, fine. Batsa are fine, time machinea is fine, Freedom is coughinga up his organs. And lefta a big firewall so nopony followeda us. So where and I supposeda to go now?"

>>26047646
"I was almost convinced. You should seriously consider a career on the stage." Nero jokes.

"Get back here, I'll decide what we're doing from there. Most likely, you, Lukewarm and the bats are heading to Expansion, Twilight, Starswirl, Freedom and I are heading to Coltchester."

>>26047681
heading to Sterling's Era*

>>26047326
>>26047681
"I likea to think I learned how toa put on a good act, all thingsa considered in my fucked up lifea thus far," Honey replies back, sounding a little bit proud of that.

"Works fora me, I guess. And whata about Gale? Pretty surea he's kill on sight ora some shit in thisa time. And I doubta this 'Coltchester' dump is goinga to be in the sky."

>>26047701
"Release him, or leave him with us. If you take him with you its yet another pony immune to the effects of time travel."

>>26047348
Mulki looks back as you shout at Steel, "What?! Talking about what, the cold? I know it's not a pleasant thought but losing one of us or both of us is something we have to worry about if we don't get somewhere warm!"

("Onyxia, I am just trying to HELP." He growls, "You came back here for me and now because of me... this was my failure, I have to do something about it.")

Mulki looks on surprised as you sweep the coat over him, looking at you with mild annoyance, "I would appreciate a warning for that, next time. But, at least it's a bit warmer without the winds. Thank you."

He turns towards the city lights, "No, not any city I recognize either. I haven't explored the whole of the Republic, but, not even the Capital City is that big... that has to be Coltchester." He shakes his head, "Graah... foolish... I've led us wrong. We're crossing into Unicorn territory, they'll imprison us if we're lucky and execute us if we're not... but, I guess we don't have much choice do we?"

You begin pressing on through the growing storm towards the tiered city, the lights growing slighty brighter as you make your way through the wide fields of snow separating you. You feel a large amount of pent-up aggression souring your taste-buds from Steel, as Mulki points out an approaching gate. "Tell me the guards can't see us like this."

>>26047722
>>26047403
>"Prepared for NONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONON..."

Obsidious' crazy texts fill the screen, many great expletives making their way across the console as Gale nods his head, "We could use them and would have the ability to trade."

You dive into the stone below, avoiding the storm entirely as you swim through the crust. Freedom coughs from the back, "If you're headin' on back towards the others, they left their spot. Headin' more east, towards the Unicorn territory they're gettin' close to stay on this course."

At your response at how well things went, Boo flexes his arm.
"Yep! Pretty damn well. Man, this whole deal's been non-stop win after win for us..." Boo chuckles, "Ain't nothin' slowin' down the Crumple Pain Train."

Screech stays quiet as a mouse as you make the crank call, but stifles a few laughs.

>>26047604
Twilight's blast successfully knocks the gun out of the alternate Luke's hoof, sending it into the snow as the two Lukes go at it on top of the ruined car't. She opens her mouth wide at the sight, "What?! ANOTHER other Luke? But, I thought Duke was the only one, how, when... why?!"

She runs her hooves through her hair, "This is it, this is the start of total temporal collapse isn't it? An army of Luke, spread throughout time and space ready to drink us all into oblivion." She shakes her head, and growls, "HEY! Would you stop hitting your self, right now?! Why is it two Lukes can't go a conversation without wanting to kill each other from my past experience?"

Seeing the floating form of Sterling, Twilight nods to alternate Luke, "Yes... she did. I'm sorry this has to be how you found out, uh... OTHER other Luke."

>>26047712
"Then witha you he stays. Froma what I've seen and heard froma him, I should be there toa take him home. It soundsa like a nice place where a mare likea me can let loose a bita."
With that last, happy message, Honey hangs up on Nero to continue earth submarining at Obsidious' expense.

>>26047724
>>26047629
He he nods his head, giving a jangle of the bells. "Correct. I'm enjoying my 70's, both of them are over a century. Celestia's closer to two."

He rubs his beard, "But, Alicorn youths are a... unique breed. I treat them like children because, even now, they are still children."

Twilight turns her head, "What..."

"Alicorns are gifted long, everlasting lives from birth. As a side effect, they age much more slower. Mature slower. Grow slower. Celestia's at this time you would mistake for... say, an adolescent of any other race."

Twilight's face turns red, "A... teenager? Th-that's insane, I never knew that about her! You're telling me she's younger than me right now?!"

"In appearance, and in some facets of her maturity, yes. She still has centuries' worth of knowledge, experience, but..." He groans, "the difference is in application. Trust me, our arrangement is fair. They 'act their age' quite frequently."

>>26047629
>>26047604
Starswirl looks at the two Lukes, nodding his head. "Hrrm. Well, you two appear to have some form of internal dispute. Get it? Internal dispute." He smiles, "Know the feeling of meeting ones' self is exhilarating, but most of us will likely freeze to death if you choose to settle it here. Whatever it is you two must do, save it for where it's warm."

>>26047735
"So I've heard." Nero says with some nostalgia after she hangs up.
>>26047724
>>26047604
Nero looks on incredulously as Luke fights yet another Luke.

"We do not have time for this! Luke, stop fighting yourself and get up! You!"

Nero points to Business Luke.

"Why are you here?"
>>26047738
"Celestia hinted such a thing to Me once, but didn't explain the details" Nero says looking to Twilight.

"The whole concept is ridiculous. My family lives for centuries, yet we mature no slower than any other man. Aging like trees sounds like a rather large defect in alicorn immortality."

>>26047722
("There's nothing we CAN do. We can barely walk, wildlife nearly killed us, and Sight can be watching us just like he did Sterling! I just want to get out of this place, so can you please shut up about it before the others somehow hear you and keep us here longer!")
Onyxia whisper shouts, Steel's feelings and the constant reminders wearing on her.

"Where are you from if you don't recognize it? These were the only places nearby in the woods from were you lead us."
Onyxia questions, her voice a little snippy.
"And no, nopony can see us in here."

>>26047724
Honey can't help but smile smugly at the text on the screen.
"Right, wella, got a list of shit toa do first. Can talk all thisa trade crap over a brawl ora something."


"Alright, keepa me updated," Honey says, adjusting Crumple's travel path to how Freedom says.
"Ifa you need a drink or somethinga, help yourself to whatevera I got."


"Ahh, he gota us," Honey says to the bats after getting off the radio with Nero.

As Boo comments about the Crumple Pain Train, Honey can't help but look at them somberly.
"Yeah, well, thisa isn't exactly all hookersa and shade from thea sun right now. Sterling...is deada."
Honey pauses a moment, taking a deep breath to keep her from tearing up again.
"Onea of the Eon fucks killeda her, left her in the cold anda to the...whatever eatsa corpses in this time. But wea killed the fucker that killed her, with hera own sword."
She inhales, then exhales deeply.
"Me and othersa are going to take hera body to her time to be buried. I'ma sure she would like extra facesa along, or you cana stay in this cold dump witha Goldie. Your choice."

Honey leans back in her chair, looking up at the ceiling of the cockpit with deep breathes and long, upset sighs/exhales.

>>26047724
Lukewarm sits by in the snow resting
"Don't worry Twilight, I've tried killing myself dozens of time, and have yet to get it right."

>"My condolences," Alternate Luke states "Please, call me Mr. Warm, if ya require a distinction."

"Yeah, we were thinking about going back to her time, and having a funeral" Lukewarm chimes.

>Mr.Warm appears distraught "How did this happen? Who did this to Sterling?!"

>>26047801
>"I came to have my revenge on your dull iteration of myself. But it appears I'll be attending two funerals today."

>>26047801
"Hmph." Starswirl grunts, "It has its downsides. There's an awkwardness to scolding a 150 year old, and acting like brats for decades can wear thin if Alicorn parents didn't have the patience to match. But there are many advantages that outweigh it. The more dedication and time put into something, the more worthwhile it becomes when it comes to fruition. The princesses will live for eons longer than your family, each will possess godlike control over the heavens and magic worthy of their own pantheon, and their power will exist entirely independent of any external artifact like the Heart."

He chuckles, "Besides, being a teenager for that long? I know some that would call that a dream."

>>26047811
Steel growls internally, his frustration palpable as he feels yours. ("FINE. Just... FINE. As you wish...")

He stays silent following this exchange, Mulki turning to answer Onyxia, "I'm... from the Republic. One of the outlying farms, away from the Capital. I assumed you are too, lacking a horn or wings. I must have been wandering that forest longer than I thought, I didn't think I'd take us to the far side of the forest."

He sighs, moving towards the gate, "Then, that's good. We could take any of these houses in the city, then, just until the storm dies down again..." Moving on towards the gate, a heavy iron grate raised up high to let in traders, the unicorn guardsmen pay you no mind as you enter the first-tier of the city, and are introduced to the lowest level of old unicorn hierarchy, entering an overcrowded, underprovided segment of the city. Stone houses are packed close and tight, the foggy vision of a castle looming over in the center of the city. Street lamps are lit, and unicorns left and right are struggling to make it through the stormy weather just to make it to their homes.

"I guess anyone will do... follow me."

>>26048026
>>26047815
Gale looks at his broken, casted wings as you mention brawling. "I think I'll need a handicap."

Freedom coughs, chuckling, "Ya got any whiskey? If I ever was gonna have a last drink.. I'd need some old-fashioned Republic Whiskey. If not then, some water will do me, hehehehe..."

Screech and Boo chuckle at the radio show they just put on, but both of their expressions turn somber, cold, after you drop the news.

Boo speaks up first, "Sterling is dead... holy fuck." He pushes his face into his hooves. "Holy fuck, you're not kidding... goddamnit..." You hear a few soft sobs from Boo, "Screw those bastards..."

Screech turns to Boo, wrapping a hoof around him to pat his back. "Wow... that.. that's some heavy shit... Sterling was nice, and they just..." He starts breathing quickly. "Holy ghosts, I'm just kind of setting in on how real this is... if they killed Sterling then, jeez, we're not half the mare she was. The Order's really not joking around..."

Boo and Screech look to each other, fear in their eyes as Honey takes to the pilot seat, plotted course for Nero and Luke's position.

>>26047859
Twilight lowers her brow, "That's not something to say like you're proud of, Luke..."

Twilight turns to Mr. War, flattening her ears, "Wow, you're... a lot more sophisticated than the other Luke, I hope you don't take that with too much offense. The other one, Duke, was kind of uncouth."

She looks at Sterling's floating body. "She went off to take care of an Order member on her own... she didn't win. Her killer has been destroyed, at least, but... we're just now reeling from the loss. She died just this afternoon."