MLPFEMTORPG -- Sick Tattoos

File: 1478181085386.jpg (185KB, 1218x852px) Image search: [Google]

185KB, 1218x852px

>>28927191
Post sheets

File: use your head2.gif (340KB, 245x220px) Image search: [Google]

340KB, 245x220px

>>28927198
http://pastebin.com/p1dtY3qj

File: Starman_Clay_Model.png (329KB, 517x875px) Image search: [Google]

329KB, 517x875px

>>28927198
http://pastebin.com/6dTx6i08

>>28927198

http://pastebin.com/gDe91UTz

File: ee57b951e7.jpg (277KB, 600x600px) Image search: [Google]

277KB, 600x600px

>>28927198
http://pastebin.com/YJFusUgn

>>28927198
http://pastebin.com/R0AXr1UU

>>28927198
http://pastebin.com/RaZG8KLM

Pryce 10/5 (9/5)
Flaming 4/5 (8/7)
Amy 4/6 (7/6)
Flow 6/5 (11/5)
Observer 7/5 (7/6)
Shei 4/5 (8/7)

>Today is Ludia, 15th of Dusk Reverie, 784, Kalpa 6217 (Late Afternoon)
>On the ship is 1 day's worth of food and 2 days' worth of water

Last time on HQ...

https://desuarchive.org/mlp/thread/28883125/#28884912

The Workshop team fought more with Jean Genie and Desert Lamp, putting the latter on the run. Zjetya had gone after Lamp to stop her, yet they found her slumped against a tree, with both wings missing, more likely pulled off by Lamp's powers.

The Witch team spoke more with Mudi. Strangely, she had seemed to have a radical change of heart from the loudmouthed, vindictive witch that Shei had encountered in the witchbone forest. Mudi proposed that she had discovered a way to abate the slow extermination of all mortal life that the presence of demons posed. Mudi wanted to establish a society in which demons and mortals could live in peace, under the rule of a totalitarian regime. In other words: peace through power. Her plan was to enter Tartarus and find something called the "Momentary Lake" to stabilize her power, which she had increased recently by consuming large amounts of witchbone, as well as obtaining a "piece of a demigod" - the wing of Laciela.

Flow and Hope were en route to Mudi's stronghold via winged monster, hoping that Mudi would be distracted with the party long enough for them to negotiate a release of those whom they suspected Mudi had erased from existence somehow...

>>28927268
https://youtu.be/5hm52f69Ikw
The winged raptor falters as the bee stabs it, but you slice away the attacker while the other bees get hits in on you and Hope.
>Flow 6/5
The two bees attempt to stab at you and Hope.
[1d10+2] [1d10+2]
Hope jams a small black marble into the face of his attacker. [1d10+3]

>>28927268
>>28927206
Momentarily shocked, Blessings loses her hold on the obelisk. "What are you doing!? Unhand them! What has changed from the plan? To come so far... THIS is why I have accompanied you for so long!"

>>28927230
Renee looks away, eyes half closed in frustration. Busta seems worried, but thoughtful. "Well, maybe if not Mudi... hmm... I wonder if the Accuser could..." he whispers to himself.

"Why not have some tea, friendo?" Mudi asks Busta, regaining her original demeanor.
"Y-you recognize me?" Busta asks incredulously.
"I never forget a buddy," Mudi reassures him.

"And golly, didn't mean to overwhelm ya with that much info all at once, but ya kept up well," Mudi says to you. "Ya got any other questions?"

>>28927226
https://youtu.be/kv6mGn-myO8
You get up. You sense a malevolent source of energy spiking from Shei, who looks wobbly.

>>28927266
You place the seal. As you emerge, Jean gets a wicked gleam in his eye sockets. "You should've stayed right where you are, leech!"
You become conscious of a hymn-like ringing, coming from the site of where the parasite dug into your face. The spot grows pleasantly warm, and your senses tingle and intensify; soon a phantasm of colors, prickles and ringing starts to overwhelm you.
>Parasitic Fusion Stage 2
>-1 penalty to any action which is not a direct attack

>>28927289
You heal Zjetya's minor injuries, but her wings do not reappear. There is no wound where her wings are supposed to be, suggesting they have been 'pulled' off supernaturally by Lamp's power. Like Observer, you notice the new change in Shei and the malevolent energy spiking off of him.

>>28927439
Observer rises back up, his body beginning to slowly bulge and ripple. Slowly he begins to form into the massive figure Jean is so afraid of, becoming an amalgamation between a voidling and the fearful figure.

>Shapeshift into Jean's Fears
[1d10]

>>28927439

"I'm happy to help with whatever you need," Amy says kindly. Then, her face gets more stern.

"But, you keep ignoring what I'm saying. I'm not helping you at all unless you tell me right now that you'll let the kitties do what they want. Tell me right now that you'll give Shei's Giggletox back. Tell me right now if you know how to help the pony with the gem in his head."

[1d10] if necessary

>>28927439
Flow recoils as the bees stab him, and he retaliates with a stab for each of the buggers.

[1d10+4]
[1d10+4]

>>"Oi, git away from ere' ye fookin buggerin' twats!"
Trapper swings the claymore at the two bees.
>Cleave; 2 enemies
[1d10]

Vice keeps his grip on the obelisk as Blessings protests.
>"J-just unhoof it, Blessings, apparently we're trying to negotiate something or another, now just let go. For piss' sake, don't make this harder than it needs to be!" he hisses at her.

>>28927439
>>28927484
Pryce urns from Zjetya staying by her as he stares down at Jean. His horn glows bright, burning with the building rage at seeing everyone drop around him.
"Observer, give me back my weapons!"
He shouts to the voidling.

Magic builds on his horn, the demon not worth his words to call out. His magic bursts out, sending a wave of flame over the area to scorch Jean.
>Smite [1d10+2]

>>28927439
>>28927500
As Blessing's grip looses hold, Flaming shakes her head, Obelisk still in her teeth before she sets it down by her hooves, "I-I know! I know you must be really confused, honestly, I still am, but, Mudi caught us down there. I want you to stay calm and listen to me very carefully." She asks with a deep breath,

"She might, MIGHT, be more reasonable than we thought. Amy's still talking to her right now, I-I think we can get her to give you your cutie mark back without any trouble."

>>28927534
Observer levitates the weapons over to Pryce while he shifts.

>>28927439
Shei-Sher's serious demeanor shrivels into a goofy display of silly faces he makes as he is overcome with pleasurable emotions. His stark awareness of the pleasure of grass on his hooves and air brushing past his skin clutters his mind with overly intense sensations.

His does his best to fixate on Jean, keeping focus as he recants a mantra mentally. As he does his world melts and swirls around him in psychedelic colors but Shei does his absolute best reign control.

"Ngnnngggh B-A-A-A-AHAHAHAH!!" He explodes in laughter and then announces with glee "I HATE YOU! PLEASE DIE!"
>CONTROL+1: Spell, attempts to take control of a hostile or neutral undead. More powerful undead may require a higher minimum roll. Also used to take control of a larger undead at recharge 2.
[1d10]

>>28927488
"Shucks, sorry for gettin' more caught up in all that serious talk earlier. I'll splash some water on Bailout and make him set the Cat Burglars free - they won't steal no more unless they wanna. I was thinkin' Shei'd wanna take the gigginox from me. See, we had kind of a contest over who was better at magic, so I'll hold onto it unless Shei wants to cancel the contest. If he cancels, he can just have it, but I doubt his pride would handle that okay."

Box produces the Farm and lays him on the ground. "W-h-o-l-e. H-e-a-l-e-d... "Mudi says thoughtfully. He's had this gem in his head a while now. Healing spells get less effective the older the injury is, because most traditions of healing magic have their roots in the study of Time. But with my words, I think I can. You want me to try?"

>>28927500
Sustaining considerable injuries, you slice the first bee in two and weaken the second one, which is blown away by the explosive marble in Hope's hoof.
>Flow 11/4
Trapper recognizes the path they follow; they grow near to the island holding Mudi's World, flying now over the golem district. "Tell me, ya daft old cunt. Score any good hunts lately? Takin' advantage of the chaos of this new world, or are ya new birds all a bunch of do-goody prissies?"

>>28927500
>>28927535
"Oh, truly? Scum like her is good at confessions and repentance when confronted. Why am I to trust her? Why do you trust her? Has she tricked you into some ill-begotten bargain?" Blessings hisses.

>>28927534
>>28927484
>>28927590
"What the-!?" Jean gawks, frozen in place as Observer transforms, giving Pryce an opening to blast him into the murky blue fog of the witchbone afterglow, where he momentarily vanishes.
Shei's nauseating hunger grows slightly, lurking like an insidious recurring thought.

>>28927612
Observer's body shifts to turn to Shei, grabbing his head and attempting to cure him.

>Purgative Dose: Rolling to snap Shei out of it
[1d10]

>>28927612

"Well, thanks for helping the kitties," Amy says happily. "And, just knowing that he has a WAY to get Giggletox back will mean a lot to Shei. He seemed like he thought he would never see it again."

"Please help him," Amy nods to the Farm. "I owe it to him."

>>28927612
Shei-Sher fumbles over his hooves but skitters back up into a full sprint in the direction where Jean vanished "This isn't hide and seek! Show yourself!"
>PHASE AURA
[1d10-1]

>>28927612
>>28927581
Pryce grabs his cannons in telekinesis once they're floated back, instantly burning bright when in his hold. He turns them towards Jean as he's burned.
"You can't run coward!"
He shouts, the twin candles firing a stream of flames into the fog after him to further smite the demon.
>Shoot [Dual Attack, Autocrit] [1d10+2]
>Shoot [Dual Attack, Autocrit] [1d10+2]

>>28927612
Flow wipes his brow and puts Schlangenschwert back in its sheath, with Trapper following suit for the claymore.

"Can't say I have, laddie. Sure I got a few good marks down, made a nice bit of cash, but, having to work under Ecclesia kinda makes it hard to go after marks meself, what with their policy on putting prices on bounty hunters. So in short, yes, they are goody-two-shoes, most of em still young as heck. Certainly ain't hardened by decades of havin t' survive, I'll tell ya that much. If it weren't for the fact that I couldn't make it out in this world alone, I would've ditched the lot after the Rapture. But what the heck, we've been through quite a bit, wouldn't feel right to just up and leave."
Trapper smacks Flow upside the head.
>>"Yer rambling, ya daft wanker."
"Piss off, I'm tryin' ta have a conversation with my good friend here."


Vice purses his lips in frustration.
>"Blessings, just let it go. You're only going to cock this whole thing up for all of us, and most likely get all of us vaporized, or worse!" Vice hisses right back.

>>28927612
Flaming shakes her head, "No! I mean, at least, I don't think so..." she lowers her head, "She... seems genuine. There's something about her I DON'T trust but, there is a desire to do something right. She wants to help the mortals achieve peace, a-and Amy believes she might have a chance through Tartarus, just like you were sort of thinking, right? And, besides that, she says she feels sorry about things she's done."

"I don't know what the stories with these particular shades are yet, but, she says she'll stop making them if we can help her. Amy's talking to her about a whole bunch of stuff right now, I really do think we can make this work. Sh-she didn't mean to sick those Shades on you, Blessings, she says it was an accident."

>>28927679
Flaming grabs at Vice by the sides, "B-be gentle, Vice: remember what Blessing's has gone through because of Mudi. We can't ask her to just 'let it go', that's not fair to her anymore than it is asking us to forgive the demon hordes."

>>28927690
Vice shoots Flaming a nasty glare.
>"And risk jeopardizing our lives, just because she wants to hold something that could potentially flip Mudi's crazy switch? I might be replaceable, but you are not. I'm not willing to take the risk of Blessings having something like this, knowing her current state of mind, Shorty. She might do something extremely irrational, and we'll have to pay the price."

>>28927636
As Mudi looks over the Farm, her eyes settle on his cutie mark. Gritting her teeth and shaking her head, she calls the drawings over to her. One drawing fuses with Mudi, making her look cartoonish, while another fuses with the Farm, and clenches his arms across each other. With one hoof, Mudi takes the gem and inches it out of his forehead; with the other hoof, she writes across his chest, "HEALING."
The Farm's mouth twists open as blood gushes from his forehead, spilling onto the floor and becoming cartoonish in appearance. Though his shrill, guttural wailing grows worse by the second, the gory empty spot in his forehead rapidly regenerates. When the long, agonizing process is over, the bloody gem remains realistic, but the Farm's body, now whole, is cartoonish. As the drawings remove themselves from Mudi and the Farm, the Farm sleeps, wearing an expression of intense exhaustion.

Mudi sets down the bloody stone and cleans herself with a word, looking with pity at the unconscious Farm.

>>28927679
>>28927690
"She feels 'sorry,' and it was a poor 'accident,' you say? Oh good; I'll just send that in a letter to the families of the fillies that I...!" Blessings fumes for a while. "...I owe you ponies too much. I'll relent for now, only because of your help in Fantasia and in the Tower. But should this appeal of Mudi's be naught but tripe, I shall be off," she says with a heavy sigh.

(1/2)

>>28927635
>>28927658
>>28927673
As you give chase, Observer's new power removes the Parasite from Shei; it curls up and falls, dead, out of Shei's cheek.
>Fusion effects undone

Pryce's attacks split Jean's body into many pieces, which fall to the ground in a heap; the remaining demon parasites burrow their way into the ground as they spill out of his body. Yet, the individual ribs hop off the ground, slicing at you with a mind of their own!
[1d10+1] [1d10+1] [1d10+1] Shei
[1d10+1] [1d10+1] [1d10+1] Pryce

>>28927679
Hope thoughtfully listens, nodding deeply but adding nothing. When you land on the island, Hope dismisses the monster. Waiting for you is one of Hope's thugs. "Ready for your orders, boss, but we can't find any of the stuff you told us about. Is there some kind of spell we have to cast?"
"Did you say you left one of these things in there?" Hope asks, poking Trapper and pointing at Flow, as though Flow were the clone.

>>28927758
Observer makes his way over to Jean's body, seeing if he can gain anymore information from his remains. Possibly where Mudi might be or how to reverse the parasites.

>Knowledge Extract
[1d10+1]

>>28927751

Amy watches the whole bloody display with serene sadness and concern, a large frown spread across her face. Tears well up cartoonishly.

When it is all done, she asks, "Will he be alright?"

>>28927751
Vice takes a breath and backs away from Blessings, adjusting his mane.
>"Thank you for seeing reason, Ble- Miss Blessings. I...apologize for losing my composure."

>>28927758
Trapper nods.
>>"Vice is in there, doing heck knows what. Flow made sure that he left at least one clone there to get info and protect-"
Flow covers Trappers mouth.
"Shut it. Yes, there is still one clone inside of Mudi's world. Why, you got an idea, sonny?"

>>28927758
Pryce's guns continue to burn even as Jean splits apart into chunks. But as the parasites and ribs split and spread, his guns cool. He grabs Zjetya, carrying her on his back to not leave her alone and unprotected. Seeing the oncoming bone shards, his horn glows as he rips the sides of Neither's robe he wears to free his wings, attempting to fly into the air to avoid them.
>Flight [Avoid [1d10]

Focus going to Shei as a parasite is removed from the goat, his horn glows white in worry for what might have happened before he came out here.
>Prayer for Deliverance [1d10+1]

>>28927732
Flaming flattens her ears, "I don't think ANY of us are replaceable, Vice, but you should give Blessings some slack. If it weren't for her we wouldn't know half as much about Mudi as we do, we owe her a little chance to cool down, don't you think?"

>>28927751
Flaming shakes her head, "I... I don't know exactly how you're feeling. What Mudi made you do, accident or no, it..." she shudders, "I don't know if I could ask the same of myself. Her method of 'peace' isn't exactly my ideal version of it either." She looks away at one of the clay statues, "She wants us to live along side the demons: just, FORGIVE them for destroying, killing, and pillaging all they have and even let them keep some of it in exchange for not annihilating us. It makes my blood boil. But, it's a peace that Amy believes in. And I believe in Amy."

She snorts, "I'm keeping my eyes on Mudi: I don't trust her either, not yet, but, if this IS a real change, and this does give us an option for saving our world, then, it might mean everything that's happened to you will be for something greater if we try and work together."

She looks at the Obelisk, "So, all of those shades are in here...? How did you do that?"

>>28927635
"Thank you Observer."

>>28927758
Once Observer softly punches cleansing energies into Shei, the kid stumbles over and feels the tingles leave him as well as the parasite. "eeugh, that was far worse than I expected."
Shei feels almost bewilderingly sober as his sense return.

Shei-Sher takes Pupil out to appraise Jean's head
>Appraise
[1d10] check if he's really dead

Shei-Sher ambles over to head as Pupil dangles forth staring at the lobbed off head of Jean. He encants something before laying his hooves onto the head and releasing dispelling energies.
>SPELLBREAKER: recharge 2, spell, ranged; nullify a spell or magic effect
[1d10] if the Ribs arent actually undead and are being controlled by Jean

>>28927783
"Physical wounds heal; mental ones don't," Mudi says ambiguously. "He'll probably never wanna fight again, so you should probably entrust him to Ecclesia. Maybe they'll take him as an olive branch from me to them?"

>>28927780
From the rags that constituted Jean's head, you learn an order: he and Lamp were to take the captured mortals to a small spring near the western wall of the Coppice Vimana, where there exists a Breezie Ring - a circle of mushrooms and runic stones that will teleport them to Mudi's World - her hideout and magical pocket dimension in the Forge Vimana. It's also where they were to go if they had to retreat for some reason.

>>28927790
"Here's what I'm thinkin': call him back. Supernatural spaces, whether made with magic or what, don't take lightly to disruption in their integrity. If you call back the guy you left behind, it'd be like breakin' a hole in a ship, and we can slip right in."

>>28927790
>>28927822
"A relic of the Abbey of White, cobbled together after the studies of the Soul from days of yore. My plan was to escape with either the Shades, Mudi's head or both, and find the bodies to put the souls back into. Another dashed, far-fetched plan, it seems." Blessings considers Mudi's points and the aforementioned peace. "Absolutely fruitless. You would need to see ten generations of mortals go by before mortals could even begin to forget what demons do. But in truth, days of unending battle and picking through ruins for food and water, fighting off our own kind for scraps of meals... it's not much better. Do as you must."

>>28927825
>>28927796
Shei blasts away one rib, but the others cut into him and Pryce deeply.
>Shei 1/5
>Pryce 0/2

The ribs collapse, apparently having been the last throes of Jean's power.

>>28927868
Flow sighs.
"Well, life ain't worth livin if you don't take risks."
He grabs the Inheritance and recalls Vice.

Vice opens his mouth to say something, but he disappears.

>>28927868
>>28927825
>>28927796
"The western wall of the Coppice Vimana. That is where we would need to go if we are to find Mudi." Observer says to Pryce and Shei, shifting back into his usual unicorn form.

>>28927868
Pryce collapses to the ground, using his last bit of power through the fall to make sure not to drop Zjetya and take the brunt of the attack. He struggles to stand back up.
>Recover [1d10]

>>28927887
"W-We're not going anywhere.... right now..."
Pryce gasps out in pain.

>>28927901
Observer walks over to assist Pryce, holding onto Zjetya for support. "Should we return Zjetya to the ship?" Observer asks.

>>28927918
"Th-That zebra... She took her wings..."

>>28927868
>>28927796
Shei-Sher falls flat on his bottom, exhausted. He runs a hoof through his hair. "Please tell me Spitshine didn't lose all his blood. And what of Neither-Nor's daughter? How did she fair?"

>>28927868
She looks at the Obelisk, hefting it lightly in her hoof before turning back to Blessings, "I think we can convince her to put them back wherever she found them. But, from what I hear, apparently some of the Shades are happier that way... if it is TRUE happiness and not her magic working on them, that is."

As Blessings brings up the uneasy peace, Shorthorns flops her ears down, "Tell me about it... I know I would never forgive them as a whole for the rest of my life if I had the option. But, I don't know, she says what she plans to do is make them 'free of hunger' or, something to make them better... I don't know if I understand the whole of it yet. But, it does seem to be a stronger option than most we have so far."

She looks down the steps, turning up to look at Blessings, "I'm going to see if I can get you your Cutie Mark back. I think it may be a good idea for you to stay up here, but, you're free to do what you feel like, Blessings. Thank you for listening to me..." she bows her head, graciously.

>>28927925
"I can rebuild her wings if necessary, I also believe it would be a bad idea to continue chasing after Mudi's subordinates."

>>28927948
"She got Wireframe too... We *have* to find her..."

>>28927931
"He's fine, I patched him up. Prisica... sh-she..."
Pryce voice chokes.

>>28927887
Shei springs up from the grass and jaunts over to Observer "You precocious viper, you! Excellent work. Do we have a way to telecommunicate with the other half of our party? They should know this. In any case, we should regroup if we are to face Mudi."

>>28927965
"We're not fighting anything!"
Pryce protests.

>>28927960
"I- may have gotten carried away. That Jean was so vexing. May Tartarus keep him in good company." Shei-sher fixes a glare at Observer "HOWEVER, It may of not ended like this had we stuck to my plan. Hm, Observer?" Shei-Sher remarks, Observer having instigated the fight (if I remember correctly)

>>28927960
"My condolences" Shei says in a quick and sterile fashion "What do you plan to do with her. And the Mariposan folk in the tower. They are not safe here."

>>28927982
"That is fiiiine, I do not want to fight her either. My word Pryce I might have my hubris but I'm not so succumbed with myself. I just thought you both might of been inclined to.. I am worried for my pet, but it is needless to say the ponies in the Tower are the priority." Shei-sher expresses some dissatisfaction.

>>28927868

"I don't blame him," Amy says as she looks at him sadly. "It's not something anyone should be doing anyway. I want him to just live a normal life."

>>28927960
Observer lets out a silent sigh, turning to face Shei.

>>28927965
"Assuming Flaming and Amy found out and didn't rush into meeting her. Regardless of what you both decide, I will be heading off to meet with her." Observer says, before inspecting Zjetya's injuries to see how urgent they are.

>Analyze.

"If she allows someone such as Jean to become her puppet, I see no reason why she would not listen to us after seeing us going such lengths to speak with her. Now do you two wish to follow me or rush off to retrieve a hostage from someone less injured than you?"

>>28927999
"...I don't know. We should just get back up there and tend to our wounds for now..."

>>28928033
"Why do you want to face her? That demon said they capture souls for her, and you just want to walk into her lair?"

File: Mariposa Map FINAL.jpg (1MB, 1024x768px) Image search: [Google]

1MB, 1024x768px

>>28927883
As Vice returns to Flow's side, you hear a slight ripping sound. Ahead, a portion of space hangs open as though it were a shred of paper. Pulling it back, Hope recalls his soldiers, and together, you proceed through. Once inside Mudi's World, Hope and his crones stand unnerved and amazed by the cartoonish setting and their changed appearances.
"Spread out; I'll ping you if I want you to start wrecking shit. For now, find spots where a few bombs would cause the most carnage," Hope instructs his soldiers, who spread out, eager for blood.

You and Hope return to Mudi's book-like mansion under the guidance of Trapper and Flow. You wait around the corner of a nearby building, but through the window, you see Amy, Flaming and the rest of the Witch team on the ground floor, speaking with Mudi. "Oi... that ya bird?" Hope asks eagerly, pointing at Renee's thoughtful frown as she listens in on the talks.

>>28927901
>>28927887
>>28927931
Pryce gets up, and Zjetya groans as she opens her eyes, having heard the sounds of conflict dissipate. "Ya got the last of 'im, I hope? Her scent leads that way," she says, pointing toward the east, toward the wall separating the Velvet and Coppice Vimanas.
>Analyze
Observer sees that the wings were 'pulled' off by Lamp. Much like the color applied to Wireframe, it seems that the only way to restore it is to null the effect when Lamp is close by.

>>28927932
>>28928027
As you head back downstairs, you see Mudi and Amy in conversation, while Rus explains things to Box, Renee and Onion. On the floor you see the Farm asleep, his head fully restored; the bloody gem that was once in his forehead rests to the side.

"Was my would-be executioner agreeable? I would hate to have to fight her allies along the way," Mudi says.

>>28928052
>>28927932

Amy looks between Flaming and Mudi with confusion. "Would-be executioner? What? Shortyhorns, where did you go?"

>>28928052
>>28928033
>>28928026
"Thank the gods your safe."
Pryce says as Zjetya wakes and talks with relative ease.

Standing, his horn glows a bright white as he casts off one more blessing to heal them and cleanse their bodies of the fight after seeing a worm purged from Shei earlier.
>Commandment of Balance [Auto]

He picks up Zjetya on his back.
"We're going back to the others for now. Come on."
Pryce says to Shei and Observer, walking back towards the tower to the rest of their group.

>>28928065
>>28928052
Flaming sighs and leaves Blessings to do as she was, and descends the stairs to join up with Mudi and Amy again. She gives a long, hard glare at Mudi, but gives a light gasp at the Farm now free of his gem.

"Y-you did it?!" Flaming shouts in honest surprise, leaping down the rest of the light over towards the former Farm as she eyes his crystal on the side. She pokes lightly at his hoof, seeing him as sleeping and looks at Amy. "She fixed him..."

She shakes her head, "Oh, um, I was just upstairs calming Blessings down. She was ready to start a fight, but, I've convinced her to go along with us." She stares up at Mudi, "For now... but, if you granted one of Amy's favors, I'd like you to consider a couple of mine next! Do you remember what Blessing's Cutie Mark looked like, lady?"

>>28928047
"Because I don't fear her like you or the other mortals do. If she wished me harm, she would attempt to make me her puppet before destroying me. That is enough for me to find a way to survive, if I fail at least my hunger will eventually over power Mudi's control." Observer says.

>>28928052
After looking at the strange effect on Zjetya's 'pulled' off wings, Observer looks to Pryce and Shei once more. "A null spell should restore Zjetya's wings if you use it on Lamp." He tells Shei, knowing he has a spell breaker.

After hearing Zjetya groan and begin speaking, Observer looks back down to her. "Hmn... I suppose that is convenient. Lamp must be retreating back to the Breezie Circle in the Coppice Vimanas. That is where they would need to go if they need to retreat." Observer says, helping Zjetya to stand up. "Are you alright, Zjetya?" Observer asks, if there was concern to the question then his tone doesn't show it yet.

>>28927960
>"She got Wireframe too... We *have* to find her..."
"Y-You were not able to heal her either?

>>28928033
"Wait, Observer please you can't leave me here with Pryce. Where is the solidarity! Pryce and I will bicker until the moon is full without you, and it's like he said. You can't seriously be thinking to face Mudi by yourself.

>>28928047
>>28928052
>>28928033
"Where is River Spring? I'm not going to engage that zebra unless we're fully recooperated." Shei-Sher looks for River and asks her for heals.

>>28928052
Flow peers out from the corner, still unnerved by the atmosphere in Mudi's world.
>>"Don't worry mate, you'll get used to it."
"Yeah yeah..."
He nods at Hope's question.
"Member of the church, no less. Odd that I fancy her, if I'm honest."

>>28928079
"No. Shei and I are going to the Breezie Circle." Observer says flatly.

>>28928118
"I am glad you see it my way." Observer says, still not sounding glad.

>>28928097
>>28928052

"Yeah, she should probably get that back," Amy says to Mudi.

"Isn't it great!" Amy says to Flaming with a happy wag of her tail as she looks at the now free Farm.

>>28928105
"Only a nullification spell? That's much better than having to fight her. I will come with you then. Wireframe pledged her service to my tribe. I have to stand by my title as Shephard and protect her."

>>28928105
"You'd risk your life on a chance like that? Haven't you seen what just one demon did? Think of what she could do!"

>>28928118
"No... but the zebra said it was just a coma state. I have no reason to trust anything she said, but I pray that's all it is."

"She's in the tower with the others, staying safe."

>>28928132
"Breezie Circle? Why would you go there, they can't help against these demons."

>>28928065
>>28928097
"I'm referring to Blessings, who's hiding upstairs and foments delusions that she can kill me," Mudi explains to Amy. "I would think that a demon-fighting coalition such as her Apostles would quite like the idea of a peaceful new kingdom."

Mudi seems a little annoyed at all the requests. " I don't think she would graciously let me go unpunished so quickly. Do you understand?" her expression gets dark. "Keeping her cutie mark on me - for the time being only - is insurance. Not for me, but for her. As long as I hold it, she cannot attack me, lest she never get it back. If she does attack me, or try to betray me if and when we make it to the Momentary Lake, I will not wait to repay and kill her. What if she were to sabotage the plan at the last moment? I'll give it back when the time's right."

>>28928079
>>28928105
>>28928118
Pryce fully heals everyone but Wireframe and Zjetya. River, Spitshine, Volkama and Deriva meet you at the entrance to the Workshop. "Prisca's still asleep and most of the mortals are recovering, save for two who were infected by demon parasites. Volkama contained them, but I don't know what we'll do with them, or those not infected," River says.
"We could take 'em to Ecclesia I guess, but that'd take kind of a long time. Plus we didn't find Sugar, only someone who wanted Sugar too..." Spitshine says.
"I can see to the safe removal of the demon-kin in Fantasia, where I dropped off the others of their ilk," Volkama says.

"Uh, guys? Wings still gone here, don't forget me," Zjetya says, wiggling her back muscles, forlornly looking at her lack of wings.

>>28928130
"What gent doesn't fancy a fat slice of ass? Even fruitcakes and dykes do," Hope teases. It seems they're still talking cordially in there. "Odd... negotiations? Betrayals? Whaddya think, we level the place? Kick in the windows, swoop down the chimney? C'mon lad, while I'm still young, yeah?"

>>28928144
"I devoured Jean Genies dying memories, it showed me there is a way to teleport to Mudi's pocket dimension."

>>28928151
"Good. Those of you who wish to follow us to meet with Mudi and possibly find Lamp along the way, then come with Shei and I." Observer keeps it short, seeing that the others have an idea of what to do.

>Ready to go to Breezie Circle.

>>28928134
Flaming smiles, "It is... maybe I can trust Mudi after all..."

>>28928151
"Blessings admits the current options aren't as ideal. She doesn't trust you yet, for fair reasons but, she is willing to give it a chance."

Flaming flattens her ears, "Um... I think I understood most of what you're getting at there, lady witch, but, if I can say one thing in response?"

She points up the stairs, "She was ready to attack with or without her cutie mark: having it won't really stop her if that was what you were going for. And, feel free to tell me if I'm wrong, but I don't think she'd be much more dangerous to you WITH it than without it, especially in this goofy lookin' place. But giving it back to her might help cement the idea that you mean well, which would be good for both of us, right?" Flaming asks with a wide, cartoony smile of attempted sweetness that actually looks a little horrifying.

>>28928151
Pryce puts Zjetya down once they meet up with the others, tossing off Neither's robe as well, the pains of guilt already high enough.
"We can't move them, Neither is out there and would likely come back soon. Leaving him to return to an empty tower, without the ones he's saved or his daughter... I couldn't do that. The best we could do is fix their barricade and leave the machines to their job..."
Pryce says depressingly.

He looks between Spitshine, Zjetya, and Wireframe, all needing help from conflicting areas in their search. To Volkama and the tower at what to do with the survivors here.
Pryce slumps to his flanks, sitting on the ground as the weight of the situation crushes his spirit. What are they to do, one demon crippled half of their group, and one wants to hunt the fiend's leader.

>>28928177
>>28928202
Pryce sits, head hung low. One passing thought crosses his mind, looking down as his robe tossed on the ground with one idea to help them.
"Neither of you are going anywhere. And neither will that zebra, hopefully."
Pryce reaches into one of his pockets, pulling out of the the two Breezy Candies that Seed-King gave him. He pops it into his mouth, hopping this might help at least two of their problems.

>>28928177
>>28928151
"Everything seems to be in order here. I will be leaving with Observer then. Be safe everyone."

>>28928151

"I hate betrayal," Amy says with a bit of a snarl. "I'd make sure it didn't happen. But, I understand being scared for this moment. As we're leaving, could you give it back then? I think it would be in your best interest too. She's less likely to betray you if she sees that you're genuinely willing to help her out."

[1d10] for negotiations

>>28928205

"See?" Amy laughs, talking to Mudi. "It worked on Shortyhorns!"

>>28928224
Flaming looks up in confusion, "What worked on me? Her helping the pony?" She blushes, "W-well, she followed through on a promise. It only seems fair to trust her a bit more when you prove you can be trusted."

>>28928151
Flow furrows his brow.
"Let's go in, swashbuckling and all."
>"Sir Flow, they were negotiating some sort of deal with Mudi. I think it best that we wait for a moment to see what comes."
"So? Let's go in."\
Flow leaves from the building they're hiding behind.

>>28928250

"That's what I mean! Being nice makes people like you!"

>>28928177
>>28928151
Shei-Sher retrieves a tome from his bag. He puts his sparce knowledge of neighsco to search the appendix for a section concerning Data or something Mudi related.

>"Deciphering the Language of the Breezies" by Narasimha

He then flips to the chapter and presents it to Observer "I have terrible neighsco Observer, could you skim this for me and tell me if there is anything pertaining to Mudi or Data?"

>>28928271
Observer stops for the moment, taking it to study the page and translate it over to Shei.

>>28928205
>>28928224
"I'll give her the Shades she's been collecting upstairs - they will be restored to their bodies if they wish, and I'll give her a demon to help her escort them somewhere safe. But with her cutie mark remains with me only until I'm able to get to the lake. It's not that I need the talent. It's that I have one last trump card I can pull on her. A mare like her, with weapons like hers needs only a second at the right time to ruin everything. What's to stop her from killing me when we get to the Lake, only to use it for herself? Or for someone else to swoop in and use it?" Mudi asks.

"I could see even the most trustworthy of the Choir considering such an act if not given a reason to fully cooperate," Rus Tea admits.

>>28928260
You and Hope charge for the door, yet the guards step aside and open the door, saving you the trouble of breaking it down. All the members of the Witch team, save for Blessings, are on the ground floor. When Renee sees you, she swings forward and hugs you securely. "Dammit Flow, I trust you, but could you at least leave me an explanation next time?"

(1/2)

>>28928218
>>28928223
>>28928177
"In that case, we'll stay and assist in the repairs, see if we can't make it look inconspicuous again," River says.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5iWVxKcGPxI
Pryce chews on the salty taffy-like candy. It's a bit old-tasting, and smells like dust, but tastes like sweet meadow sap. When he's finished, a warm wind hustles around you, and three small breezies appear. Their bodies follow the conventions of Mariposan ponies: smaller males, bigger females, unshorn fetlocks, bigger wings, etc.

Two of them, bodyguards, wear armor fashioned out of mud and sticks. The central one, a tiny pink mare wearing a toga and holding a ledger, floats forward, aloft in the ball of wind.

>["I don't recall a candy being loaned to anyone of your description. Did you find these somewhere? Are you members with the Grand Den of Winds Bank? Please provide your registrar number if so."] she asks in Neighsco.

>>28928289
>>28928271
The opening abstract on the concept of data briefly reads the following.
>"Data" is the ambient noise generated by one's presence in the world, and is a by-product of how the flow of Life, Death, Light and Dark are affected by something's existence. Data essentially constitutes a silhouette that lacks any trace of the original's personality.

>The 108 Archetypal Data Pillers act as draws for Data, categorizing them according to similar types of Data. Data's ultimate shape and function does not finalize until the moment of death. Zombification is deleterious to one's strain of Data, as Data does not rely on the Soul, and thus is corrupted by the actions of the zombie after its raising.

>Because of the physical and spiritual nature of Data, it does not accumulate in a world which has a <1% quotient of any Sphere.

>Data of one can be supplanted onto another, resulting in undefined behavior and even a form of resurrection.

(Would like to join but I am not allowed to talk in the chat)

>>28928323
Flow returns Renee's embrace, and gestures to Hope.
"Sorry, I was meeting an old friend of mine."
He lifts his chin at Box.
"My weapons, please?"

Vice and Trapper come in a few seconds later, panting as they fall on their faces when they reach the door.
>>"Oh bloody hell, they would just let us in?!"
>"It matters little now..."

>>28928345
Yeah that's a weird feature of the cytube. Get in and wait a moment, I think the wait time is like... 60 seconds or so. Sorry about that; I'd change it if I could.

>>28928328
Observer's attention is almost stolen completely away from the book, however he will need to read it later seeing what Pryce has attracted.

Observer approaches the Breezies.

>["Could you direct us to the Breezie Circle in Coppice Vimanas?"] He asks the breezies.

>>28928323
Flaming looks over at Rus Tea, tip-tapping her toes in contemplating as she tries to weigh her promise to Blessings against this other peace offering Mudi is attempting to make.

"Hrrrrm.... I'm not a big compromiser, but, I guess that sounds fair. Thank you, Mudi, at the least it'll help show her another side of you than what she knows. That's important. But you promise to give it back after you've done whatever you need to do in Tartarus? How far away are you from being ready to do... whatever it is you need to do in there at the Lake? What do you want us to do to help you?"

>>28928350
As Flow enters in the door, she gasps, looking at the goo knight in surprise, "FLOW! There you are! Where on earth did you go, we just lost you all of a sudden!"

>>28928267
"Yeah... I hope whoever's at the Crystal Workshop turned out to be as reasonable as Mudi is."

>>28928345

(Yeah. Wish we had a better chat system to use... It's a new and idiotic feature of the website itself, not just out chat room. If there's a way to change it, we have not found it.)

>>28928323

"That's... actually really cool of you," Amy says to Mudi. "You really like those Shades, and I'll make sure Blessings understands that. That should be a really great compromise. If she can't see that you're trying to do your best, then she's dumb."

>>28928323
>>28928350

"Sup?" Amy asks Flow with a smile as he walks in. "You look like you're in a hurry."

>>28928328
Pryce's face looks on of distaste as he chews the candy, perhaps he should have stored them better.

As the three breezies appear, Pryce's face light's up with a small bit of hope.
"Thank you for coming so quickly. I'm Pryce Etac, and Iwas given these candies by Seed-King, over in the Accorsian mountains in the Sinking Stone buffalo clan's land. Well, we met him there, I was given the candies in Nowhere. I hope that's enough."
Pryce rambles a bit.
"A-Anyways, please, we need your help. A zebra gravely crippled two of my friends, and is going to flee through a breezie circle in this city, over that way."
He points in the direction Zjetya and Observer talked of.
"Can you shut it down, stop it so she can't use it so we may catch up to her and cure our friends?"
Pryce pleads to the trio of breezies.

"Oh, almost frogt, I'm supposed to give a gift ,right?"
Pryce follows up, remembering what the buffalo told them when they were to pass through the forest all those months ago. He pulls off his bracelet, attempting to conjure up something befitting these breezies. A figurine of their likeness perhaps.
>Hat Magic [Porcelain Figuring of the pink breezie] [1d10]

>>28928379
"Coulda sworn I saw a ghost. Turns out I kinda did."
Flow gestures to Hope.

>>28928392
Flow winks and clicks his tongue at Amy.
"Ey up, lassie. Not really, I just thought we'd have to bust through the door. Instead, the guards just let us through."
>>"Wish we'd known that sooner..."

>>28928370
"No you fool, we can ask them to stop the circle so she can't use it to escape. Zjetya pointed out her trail already."

>>28928413

"Oh," Amy laughs. "I guess this is all kinda confusing, huh? I mean, everyone - or at least everyone other than me," she adds with another laugh. "Everyone expected to have to fight Mudi. But, she's totally nice now. She actually has a plan to make the world peaceful! We're gonna help her out!"

>>28928413
>>28928328
As Flow introduces his red-maned friend, Flaming looks at the cartoonified Hope, looking the pony up and down, "A ghost...? He doesn't look dead to me. He looks like a normal living pony." She pokes at his chest to verify he is solid and not transparent. "Yep. Definitely alive."

>>28928328
Shei-Sher takes his face out from the tome Observer was translating. His curiosity captured by the sudden entrance of breezies

>>28928439
"Do explain. I didn't know we were associating with witches now," he says with large amounts of venom in his voice.

>>28928442
"Well, he's certainly not a ghost, but I damn well thought he was. Coulda sworn I saw this pony die 12 years ago," he emphasizes with patting his hat.
"Introduce yourself, laddie. T' all of our wonderful guests," he says with trace amounts of sarcasm.

>>28928420

"How clever of you, Pryce." Shei says genuinely impressed. He taps Observer's head in scolding fashion >>28928370 "Shame on you for trying to steal Pryce's audience with the breezies."

>>28928350
>>28928439
>>28928442
Box spits out Flow's extra weapons into his grasp. "Glad to be helpful!"

Hope takes his hat off of Renee's head, puts it on his own, then tips it, in mockery of the way you do. "Everything ya like 'bout Flow, I do betta," he says. "I'm Hope."
"I see the resemblance," Renee says with a curtsy. "I am Renee, former Sister of the Union Church of Accorsia. Currently unsure if I'm fit or even want to join the church of Ecclesia."
"Oi, well don't flog this one too rough in the church's torture room, 'e's delicate," Hope laughs.

>>28928452
>>28928404
>>28928370
"Banks don't get involved in the affairs of others," the tiny breezie banker says. "Especially not to paying members. If I choose to shut down the Breezie Ring like you want, it's going to put you all in a big heap of debt. Is this acceptable?"

(1/2)

>>28928392
>>28928379
>>28928350
"If the records I was able to pillage from the Mind Vimana are still accurate to the current state of Tartarus, I only have to go to the first layer in order to reach the Momentary Lake. The Lake was born of the Collective Unconsciousness. It's an amalgam of sentiment, a longing for a perfect, beautiful moment to last forever, such as watching the sun set and paint all the clouds over a lake, or a beautiful night with one's beloved. The water of the Lake preserve everything, exactly as they are.

"Right now, I've absorbed so much magical power from Witchbone that my power is at its absolute peak. Yet, if I were to step outside this World, my power would hemorrhage and probably be my own undoing. I need to move my World to the Lake and enter it, so as to preserve my strength at its apex.

"There are two main things I need to get around: the Great Seal of Tartarus, and the Soterio Field, not to mention anyone and anything that'll try to stop us. That's why it's so important we gather as much support as we can now. The less power I have to expend on the way in, the more I can devote to governing MY new kingdom," Mudi says.

>For Amy and Flaming
Accompanying Flow is Hope, an elderly stallion wearing a military-style jacket, emblazoned with a banner of a condor in a killing dive. The left side of his face is awfully burnt.

"Oi, ya thinkin' of a vacation in hell, missy? How's a permanent stay sound?" Hope snarls mockingly at Mudi.

"Gosh, that's not a polite way to greet somepony," Mudi says, putting on a big grin.

"Set 'em free, you know who I'm here for," Hope says.

"I really don't know what you're referring to," Mudi says.

Hope pauses, then turns to Flow. "I don't see a liar's tell," he whispers, glancing at Mudi's eyes.

>>28928472
non-paying members*

>>28928472
"No. We must use the Ring to meet with Mudi."

>>28928472
"...You're a bank?"
He asks, head tilting in confusion. He quickly refocuses with time being of the essence.
"Yes, please. Place the debt on me, anything, just get that Circle shut down before the zebra uses it. And quickly too, please.

>>28928484
"We're stopping this zebra first. If you want to find Mudi afterwards go ahead, but we need to cure our friends and regroup. Start chasing after if you want now, while she's stalled."

>>28928472
Flow starts the arduous task of strapping his weapons onto himself, and rolls his front legs to stretch them out.
"Oi laddie, watch that tongue before I rip it outta yer mouth. Shame for you that I got all me stuff back, and now I could wipe the floor with ya."
He leans to Renee and whispers.
"D'you lot actually have a torture room?"

>>28928474
"What'dya mean a kingdom ruled by you? Sounds like a load of bollocks to me."
Flow taps his rear hoof on the ground.
"But, indulge me. What kind of kingdom d'you plan on running?"

He whispers back.
"It's /her/ realm, boy-o. I wouldn't trust any conventional methods of telling anything apart."

>>28928496
"Closing the Ring will prevent us finding Mudi. I will also not be given a large debt because of you." Observer says, looking to the Breezies.

"The answer is still no." He says to them, walking off to find the Breezie Circle if there is no other business to be had.

>>28928474

"Right..." Amy nods, unsure. "So, I think we should deal with that seal first. I feel like getting help will just happen while we do other stuff. Where's the Sorta Field? Is it in Tartarus? Why is it such a problem?"

>>28928474
>>28928460

"Mudi's plan is to use her power to make the demons... like they used to be? It's not really clear, but she's strong so I think she can do it. But, we need to get her into Tartarus to make it work," Amy explains to Flow and Hope.

"And, once it works, the demons won't be violent any more. At least, they won't HAVE to be. They won't need to feed off of mortals. They won't feel a need to be cruel. Then, we can have a peaceful world again with them in it."

>>28928502
"I told them to place the debt on me, and I called them here. You have no say on what they do. If you pulled through the one demon to find the circle's location, just pull Mudi's exact location from the zebra when you catch here there."

>>28928527
"You will regret this if you do." He says.

>Rolling because DM asked.
[1d10]

>>28928472
>it's going to put you all in a big heap of debt.
Shei-Sher becomes visibly distressed at the thought and is about to interject but then sighs in relief that Pryce will be the one shouldering the debt.

>>28928496
>>28928484
>>28928474
"Well then, we've already spent too much time idling. Let's go Observer."

>>28928523
Flow's eye twitches, but he keeps his lips sealed, lest his protests be heard.

>>28928474
Flaming listens intently as she describes the Momentary Lake, eyes slightly dawning in sparkling wonder as she tries to imagine it herself. "It sounds nice...."

"Okay, so, you mean we need to 'move' your whole WORLD here? What's the Great Seal of Tartarus, and, this Soterio Field?" She cocks her head, "And what kingdom are you making once this is all done? Are you making a place for the demons?"

>>28928474
>>28928460
As Flow introduces Hope, she smiles, "Oh! An old friend. Well," she bows her head before Hope, "A friend of Sir Flow is a friend of mine. Well met, Sir. I'm Flaming Shorthorns..."

As he asks about 'em', Flaming cocks her head, "Set 'them' free? You mean the Shades, right? She's going to, we already talked to her about it."

>>28928523
>>28928460
Flaming clarifies, "Apparently the demons, as we know them now anyhow, are ruled by vices and hunger. Mudi thinks she can use the power of other ponies' talents to somehow free them of that hunger, and make them easier to live with among mortals, if we can get her to a lake in Tartarus' first level."

>>28928540
"Yes, let us hurry before Pryce's self righteous nature prevents us from meeting Mudi."

>>28928542

Amy glares at Flow angrily. "I feel like we should talk things out," Amy says, her voice trembling slightly. "You and I haven't done that much."

>>28928539
>>28928502
Shei tugs on Observer "Please Observer there's no need for this. We don't have accounts with Breezies, they don't have our names. Come, digress, we'll find another way."

>>28928539
"If want want to toss your life away, then do it. But I'm not going to risk everypony else's safety for it."
Pryce says, tone rising, taking it as a threat.

>>28928472
[1d10]

>>28928543
>>28928554
Flow looks between both Flaming and Amy, and sighs as he puts a hoof on his forehead.
"And you lot just bought this story? It didn't even cross your mind that she might just be using this whole story as an excuse to get rid of the demons, who could possibly be her greatest threats, and build a kingdom where she rules over everything and anything with absolute power?"
Flow scowls.
"It didn't cross your mind that this might all be an elaborate ruse to get you on her side, lassies? Cause it sure crosses my mind."

>>28928588

"She has agreed to every single thing that I was planning on fighting her for. She didn't put up a fight about any of them. She let the kitties go. She helped this poor pony," Amy points to the ex-Farm. "She even agreed to give Giggletox back, but I said no because I figured it would be better if Verbadoo earns it back himself. She didn't have to do any of that," Amy says, clearly holding back anger.

"You don't want to go along with this because you're paranoid? Why do you care anyway!? Even if your paranoia turned out to be right, then all the demons would be dead. Isn't that what you want anyway? You love killing demons so much!"

Her teeth grow sharp as she growls that last insult. Then, she sits in her seat and does her breathing exercises.

>>28928621
*Shei
>pay no attention to the man behind the goat

>>28928588
Flaming growls, "Hey! I'm being careful here, Sir Flow. I'm aware of everything we've heard Shei and Blessings explain to us: I know for a fact how dangerous she can be, but," she pauses, "I-I've been surprised by demons already a number of times in this city. And Amy thinks there might be a way to peace through this. It isn't a peace I like every detail of, but it's more concrete than most other plans we've heard."

"She could well be tricking us, but, I'm not going to let her get away with it if she is. And she's been helpful so far. She's already fixed up that poor pathetic Farm pony we found. And I'm just about to ask why she got that weird orange feather of hers."

>>28928621
As Amy begins to lose her cool, Flaming puts a hoof on her chest, "Amy! Calm down, Flow only just got here and he has his own reasons to not trust demons of any sort. You want everyone to compromise? You have to work with the doubt of others. Just like Blessings', remember? Besides, Flow is our clan-mate."

>>28928523
>>28928543
"The Lake is an extremely dangerous thing in the hands of the wrong being. The Resplendent Ranks - demons in Tartarus who are ranked Count or greater, and are thus kept locked away in the bottom half - could not reach it even if they wanted to. But there are many demons on the upper half that would love to reach it and preserve their power. The Soterio Field surrounds the Lake and prevents anyone from reaching it. When you enter the Field, it culls all desire: your desire to reach the Lake, your desire for power, even your desire to leave the Field. Anyone who enters the Field condemns themselves to an eternity of laying there, along the outer edge of the Field, completely at peace, with all desire, even the smallest one, smothered.

"I don't know how to get around that, but I do have enough power to help Amy open it. You have a certain dress, don't you? The dress of the mare who once oversaw the maintenance of the Great Seal?"

>>28928543
"The kingdom where mortals and demons will live in mutual equality and fear of my power," she quickly clarifies.

>>28928499
Hope winks at the both of you, but Renee sticks close to you. "Most chapels do - those weapons doubled as our self-defense measures if bandits or heathens came knocking," she says.

"The short form is that I have plans to establish a kingdom where mortals and demons can co-exist in peace, like they used to, thousands of years ago, by living under mutual fear of an absolute power: mine. Demons don't respect anything but strength, and will invariably wipe out mortalkind because of how badly they outnumber us. Something has to be done, and while I know it's conceited, I want to be the first to do something. I already have most of what I need, but I still want the cooperation of as many groups as I can get," Mudi explains.

(1/?)

>>28928496
"It is done. I have to reopen it when this is all sorted out. I'll put it under your debt and register you. Your number is P-108229. What else?"

>>28928540
>>28928579
As you sprint over to where Observer saw the Breezie Ring in Jean's memories, you rush through lush forests and groves, maintained by small demons, colored in red and yellow clothing made of grasses and leaves.

You reach an area where there are massive mushrooms and stone pillars poking out of the ground along with the trees. You reach the Breezie ring: a circle of mushrooms surrounding a cluster of rune-covered stones. Just as you reach it, you see Lamp standing on the center, and vanish. You hop in after her, and vanish as well.

You emerge in a world where everyone and everything is stylized like a cartoon from the 20's. You are in a bustling worker town, full of forges and tall buildings.

https://youtu.be/zxjjie1Ohio

As you begin to look around for Lamp, Shei's body begins to feel much lighter, and emptier, particularly around the stomach area. Something feels missing.

(2/3)

>>28928543
>>28928542
>>28928523
"I'm here because I'm damn sure this mare has caused many of my spies and troops to vanish," Hope says, barely containing his malice.

"I assure you, the only ponies I've kidnapped in recent days are a town of ponies, not soldiers. I thought to save them to make them into Shades, but I've since changed my mind. I will protect them because the angels will not. What proof do you have of me vanishing them?" Mudi asks.

"Admittedly, not that much," Hope says, circling around Mudi. "Because whoever made them vanish also somehow erased most trace of their existence, but not all of it. Only a powerful being, such as yourself, could do such a thing, wouldn't you say?"

"I have no time for your conspiracies. Will you show yourself to the... uh-oh."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2t5hDj4TDPI

"Missing someone, my dear Hope?" an unseen, vaguely-familiar voice asks. "I heard someone mention the 'Great Seal of Tartarus,' and I just HAD to come get the gossip!"

>>28928645
>to help Amy open it

she's referring to the Great Seal

>>28928650
Observer looks about, body shifting to adapt to the surroundings to look like he's a drawing similar to the world. "Interesting... Now, to find Mudi." He says to Shei, his fourth eye beginning to open to help track Mudi.

>Fourth Eye
[1d10]

>>28928621
Flow leans forwards with a blank look.
"What I want, is to not have to bend my knee to anypony. Especially a witch."

Flow stretches his front legs to his sides, as if offering a welcome.
"Killing demons is just a hobby, my dear Amy. Something to kill time between other things. I don't give a damn about whether all demons live or die, but I do care about my own independence. What're you going to do, hit me? Bite me? If you want to take this outside, I'm all for it."
Vice gets in front of Flow and Trapper gets in between the two of them.
>>"Oi oi, let's leave the squabble for later, lads, we still have to deal with the fookin issue at 'and."
>"Yes, just put aside your differences so we can come to an agreement!"

>>28928644
"Yeah, well being forced to submit to a witch is tantamount to serving the demons! What're you going to do if she gets her power? Nothing, because you /can't/ do anything when she's that powerful. And a feather?"
>>"Yeah, orange, and sunset, if that makes sense."
Flow curses under his breath.
"Princess Laciela's wing."

>>28928654
Flow is caught off guard by the sudden voice, and brandishes the spinsaw, ready to take action.
"Oi. Who's there?"
He looks at Hope.

>>28928650
"Thank you, truly."
Pryce says, bowing his head.
"Yes, there is one more thing. Can you locate a deer for us? Her name is Sugar, and she should be somewhere in this city."
He looks over to Spitshine.
"Spitshine, tell them what Sugar looks like to help them out."

"...Also, how much is this debt?"

>>28928650
Shei-Sher looks over himself and his surroundings "Why would Mudi entertain a realm like this? I look like a caricature from a newspaper comic for Sabuul's sake."

Shei-Sher feels the eery emptiness in his stomach and takes it for hunger. He strips an empty page from his book and eats it.

Shei-Sher then begins searching through the town for Lamp.
>Phase Aura
[1d10+1]

>>28928644

"I know," Amy says serenely with here eyes still closed. "But, he killed Trike... He was my friend."

She opens her eyes and looks into Flaming's sadly.

>>28928672

"You don't even care that you're a murderer," Amy says in a tragic combination of anger and sadness. "That's just..." Amy sighs.

"KILLING people is NOT a way to entertain yourself!" she says sternly.

>>28928645

"I do have that dress," Amy nods. "But, do the demons have to fear you? I mean... a lot? Wouldn't it be better to make them respect you? I get that they only respect power. But, you don't have to use that to make them FEAR you."

>>28928654

Amy does several spins like a dog chasing her tail when she hears the voice. "Is that your sister, Moody?"

>>28928645
"So even if we somehow bypassed the authority to even reach that level, we might fall prey to the Soterio Field and drift into nothingness there?!" Flaming asks, somewhat alarmed. "Well, we'll have to find a way past that to get to the Lake..."

As you ask about the dress, Flaming's eyes light up. "H-hardspine's dress...? You mean, Lady Hardspine's wedding dress? How do you know about that?"

>>28928645
She narrows, "This kingdom of yours...? Where would it be once you start it?"

>>28928654
"She caused all of those disappearances?" Flaming snorts, standing besides Hope and looking up at Mudi accusingly, "Mudi, this isn't the time for playing with them! If you took his soldiers, you must return them."

She taps a hoof, "Uh, just one question: what do you mean 'erased all trace of their existence'...? You mean, like, you forgot about them?"

As the voice suddenly springs into existence, Flaming gets low to the ground, trying to recollect her memory of why the voice sounds familiar, "What?! Who's there? I've had enough games for one day, show yourself right this moment!"

>>28928672
"Ahah! I knew it! I THOUGHT it looked familiar, it..."

She pauses, "Wing? No, no Laciela has both her wings. This was just a feather. She's holding right now, see?"

>>28928690
Flaming sighs, "I know. I'm sorry. From what I heard he was the one attacking us: I don't think he provided many options."

>>28928687
"I rather enjoy this form. It makes me feel lighter and reminds me of how I felt in the void." He says, before raising his eyebrow to Shei. "Why are you eating so much suddenly?"

>>28928707
>>28928672

"WRONG!" Amy suddenly explodes. "He apologized for it. He was going to join us. He agreed to be my friend. We hugged. He was excited to be one of us. One of our clan."

"Then," Amy says, her body getting dark and warm. She points to Flow. "HE KILLED HIM!"

>>28928701
>>28928690
"The Garment of the Founder, once belonging to Princess Vinland, just might give Amy the power we need to open the Great Seal of Tartarus," Mudi explains.

>>28928672
>>28928690
>>28928701
The door to the cottage freezes over, then opens, revealing behind it a snowy, cartoony wonderland. Out steps a young mare, her body made entirely of ice, and she's dressed in traditional Mariposan (think Spanish) clothing, with her mane done up.
"Vizsla!" Mudi exclaims. "Gosh, you know how to keep a mare in the dark!"
"It's called having jobs to do, and having a special somepony; you should really try it sometime," Vizsla taunts.
Mudi pouts.
"Anyway - I couldn't resist the urge to make this little tea party into something better. The first meeting of all three Witches of Gehenna: Mudi, Vizsla and Azawakh," Vizlsa taunts, poking Amy's side. "Anyway: that old rag of Vinland's will get the Seal open, but if you think it's all sunshine and ladybugs after that, you won't last a second. Would you like my assistance, darlings?"

>>28928672
Multiple bounty posters in your and Hope's possession light up orange as Vizsla appears. None of the posters have a name or a picture of the demon, but all are marked "Danger, do not pursue alone!"

>>28928666
>>28928687
Shei feels extremely uncomfortable as he eats the paper, and extreme pain hits his gut. You hear a loud noise behind you: you see a cartoonified Lamp standing on the Breezie Ring you used to teleport in. She's stomping on the ring repeatedly. "Work, damn you! What the hell, it shouldn't be closed!"

She's holding a stomach in her hoof. The pain in Shei's gut intensifies.

>>28928674
Spitshine goes on a long-winded discussion of Sugar's appearance, including many affectionate and downright cheesy, yet romantic details, as well as some rather inappropriate ones for a colt his age.
The banker breezie smiles curtly when you ask about the debt. "Yes sir, we'll tell you when we have further details."
All 3 vanish.

>>28928736
"There is no need for the hostility anymore, Lamp. My idiotic ally convinced one of those breezies to close the portal." He says, attempting to cast a null bolt at the stomach to return it to Shei.

>Spellbreaker
[1d10+1]

"Now, would you mind directing us to where Mudi is? I wish to speak with her."

>>28928690
"Like I give a flying-!"
Trapper manages to cover Flow's mouth before he can hurl insults.
>>"Oi oi oi, just keep yer fookin gob shut, ya idiot!"

>>28928707
"Accordin to Hope, she had one of her wings, in full, not just a few feathers."

>>28928721
"Demons will be demons, lassie, I just put 'im down before he 'ad the chance to turn on us!"
He tosses aside Vice and starts rolling his front leg around.
"You wanna take this outside, lassie, eh? You wanna duke it out?"
He gets low to the ground, and motions for her to come at him.
"C'mon ye half-demon. I'd be glad to run you to the ground. A little bit of violence solves every problem, eh?"

>>28928736
Flow's glare at Amy snaps over to Vizsla, and he relaxes. He drops his aggressive stance and turns to face Vizsla.
"Well bugger me, another witch showed up."
He glances to the bounties in his coat, and then at Hope.
"Not gonna lie mate, I think we're way in over our heads on this one."

>>28928736
"B-A-A-A-H" Shei-Sher bleats in agony. He drops to his knee holding his belly. He regurgitates some of the chewed paper he swallowed onto the ground.

When he sees what Lamp is holding in her hoof and very real since of dread fills Shei as his pupil's shrink.
He musters enough energy whisper some words under his breath before throwing his hooves up at Lamp.
>SPELLBREAKER: recharge 2, spell, ranged; nullify a spell or magic effect
[1d10]

>>28928736
Pryce can't help but smile as Spitshine goes on his rant, even if it goes rather crass. It warms him to see hope still. Though as the breezies vanish, so does his smile.
"Wait!"
He says, reaching out to where they once were.
"...Hopefully they find her soon."
He mutters, picking his robe from the ground and putting it back on.

"That zebra should be dealt with easily now that she can't run. Let's fix their barricade here in case those breezies show up in the next few minutes, then go after those two grave chasers."
He says, tone having fallen a bit. He heads back up the tower, not going any further than Nether's room, not wanting to face the Mariposians. His horn lights, using his magic to help repair the broken barricaded door with the others.

>>28928736
As the snowy-wonderland takes shifts outside, Flaming turns towards the door as Vizsla steps in, the cartoon-y buffalo warily approaching her, "Vizsla...? THERE you are! Well, I guess this saves us the trouble of looking for you."

She looks between the 'three' witches (frowning slightly at Amy when they poke at her), and then turns towards Vizsla, "So you know of Mudi's plans? What exactly are YOUR plans, then? We realize Tartarus is likely to be dangerous, what do you know of it?"

>>28928741
"But... but that makes no sense Flow, we SAW Laciela less than a week ago, she had both her wings then."

She stares at the feather, "W-well, if it's true, then, where is the rest of the wing...?"

>>28928741
>>28928721
Flaming frowns deeply as Amy provides her side of the story, "W-well, maybe he had another change of heart after you went back down in the tower...?"

As Flow steps up to challenge Amy, Flaming growls, getting between Flow and Amy and staring down the goo pony, "HEY! If you wanna fight Amy, you can fight me first, got it? This isn't the stadium rules, I can take you on. We have to work together now, got it?"

>>28928736

"I'm sorry, again," Amy says softly as she is poked in the side by Vizsla.

She frowns as Viszla makes her offer. "I'm sorry if this sounds mean, but what do you get out of this?" Amy asks. "More than Moody, you seem like the kind of pony who doesn't do things for no reason."

>>28928741

Amy frowns at Flow in disappointment and shakes her head. "I'm sorry, but do you not see that the one doing the most betraying here is you. You're killing people who have agreed to help us. And now, you're even talking about killing me. This is why I'm worried about you. The one here most likely to betray us is you."

"I don't need to fight you, though. This isn't the kind of thing fighting would help. I already forgave you for killing my friend. That's why I never said anything. But, I felt like everyone needs to watch out for you since this is what you do."

"And, I get it. I really do. Listening to other ponies when you don't want to sucks. I've never done it. I spent my life not caring about things like authority. And, it sounds like you have too. That's fine. It's how it should be. I don't care about ponies and help ponies and not kill ponies because someone told me to. I've just found out that life is more fun if you are nice to everyone."

Amy looks at Vice and Trapper trying to stop Flow. "And, I get that understanding that is hard. It took me most of my life to get it. It comes easier to other ponies, I think. I think... we're both crazy... Which is why..."

Amy sighs. "I'm sorry, but all three of you are one pony, right?"

>>28928775

"Don't tell him what to do," Amy says calmly to Flaming. "He doesn't like that."

>>28928741
Hope keeps a stoic facade up, but you recognize this as his usual expression when genuinely terrified. "Keep it in ya pants, lad. Killin' yaself and her won't accomplish peanuts."

His glance alternates between the blank wanted posters and Vizsla. "Lad, were your posters blank before?"

>>28928760
>>28928740
Lamp jumps upon hearing you: Shei blasts his stomach with the null spell, and it vanishes, returning to normal in his body. "Gods damnit, you people need to learn when to leave someone ALONE!"

She pulls a large changeling's wing out of her coat, and draws a knife across it. "Okay, if you dispel this one, I'm gonna stab it and your friend Zjetya will never fly again. I'll let you see Mudi, if you just let me go home. You already killed one of my demons and I'll probably get in trouble, but it's better than getting my clothes dirty."

>>28928766
Volkama, Deriva, Spitshine and River get to work alongside you, stepping carefully around the traps as they help refurbish some of the barricades and set up new ones where the old could not be repaired.

>>28928779
>>28928775
>>28928741
"What do I get out of it?" Vizsla cheerily asks, slightly tickling Amy over her apology. "What good and devout pony doesn't want to enter the crypt of gods? For the first time in centuries, perhaps milennia of history, we're seeing a gathering of those powerful enough to open Tartarus. I simply must see it before the demons and angels wipe us out in their crossfire. We may see a full-blown war between the angels and demons soon you know. The Birdcage full of high-level angels, the demons swarming every square inch of territory, hunting for mortals to kill or capture... opening Tartarus now would be the spark of battle unprecedented since the Rapture. Why we simply need to work together, to ensure our mutual survival."

"As long as you don't impede what we want to build on the surface..." Mudi says cautiously.

>Paused

>>28928775
"Yeah? Well ask Mudi if she knows anything bout the wing. I'm sure she'd be delighted to give an answer," he says sarcastically.

>>28928775
>>28928779
Flow glares straight at Amy, Vice and Trapper both prepped to lunge onto either one should Flow make a move. He takes a deep breath and stands up straight, taking off his hood.
"Bloody hell, maybe I shoulda had what that Ecclesian bitch was handing out," he mumbles to himself.
"I ain't exactly keen on discussing why or why I shouldn't kill, it's a pony-eat-pony world out there, and I learned the hard way. Hell, just ask Hope, he'll tell you all about it. I personally don't care about being nice, or whether it's alright to kill somepony. And in all honesty, couldn't care less bout it. I kill cause I 'ave to, and it's bloody good fun. And yes, we are all the same bloody pony. What piqued your curiosity?"

>>28928810

Amy sighs. "Then, there's no point in talking to you anymore. I don't think you are you, Flow. I think splitting yourself is messing with your head more than you realize. Your other two selves are trying to stop you. You're literally trying to stop yourself. Don't you see how ridiculous that is?"

"I'm not telling you what to do because I think it's the right thing to do. I'm asking you to do this because you're my friend. I hate to see my friends suffer. And, whether or not you see that you're suffering, you are. I know this kind of inner fighting. I've been through it all my life. I went years thinking nothing was wrong. But... when I look back at that time now... Nothing feels more miserable to me. And, it makes me sad to see you going through that."

"But, you're lucky. You can fix this. All you have to do is be one pony again. I'm not asking you to do it all the time. When you need more of yourself, you're free to do what you want of course. But, you're... not you right now. And, that's not good for you."

>>28928779
Flaming growls, poking at Amy's chest, "Well tough. I like doing what others don't like me to do. It's what little sisters do BEST, right?"

>>28928810
"I was just about to, thank you very much..." Flaming says.

>>28928810
"Flow," she stomps a hoof, "I understand what it's like to fight for fun. It's a part of my clan's life style, of course fighting is fun! And, I realize how cruel this world can be. But if we're going to fix it, we have to start picking our battles more carefully starting right now. If we just go picking fights whenever we want, we'll be more likely to end up dead than actually working on our problem!"

>>28928810
>>28928841
Flaming blinks a couple times, turning to Vice, "Vice... did you say anything to me before about Flow acting more brash than usual, or, am I misremembering things?"

>>28928841
Flow opens his mouth to retort, but stops before he can get a word out. He looks at Vice and Trapper, and the both stare right back at him, ready to make their moves against him if he lunges or anything. He shifts his gaze to the ground, submerged in deep thought as he reflects on how his attitude has changed. He looks back up to Amy when he's done contemplating.

"When you tried on the Inheritance, and summoned...whatever you called her, did you feel that way? Like a piece was ripped out of you? Cause I feel fine," he arrogantly raises his front hooves to his sides, "I can operate normally, I can still walk, talk, breathe, sleep drink normally, so what if my personality is split a bit?"

>>28928870
He looks at Flaming, and dismisses her claim, looking right back at Amy.

>"Yes Miss Shorthorns, he most certainly /has/ been more brash than usual. Might I inquire as to why you're asking?"

>>28928870

"I-I..." Amy blinks in response to the question about little sisters. "Y-yes? I guess? M-maybe? Your question confused me..."

>>28928895
Flaming frowns, "Well," she asks Vice, "Do you think there's truth to what Amy said? Do you and Flow think differently when you're apart?"

>>28928897
Flaming snorts, "Right, you haven't had one before. I haven't either but I know the answer is yes. Little sisters never do what they're told."

>>28928895

"I know you don't care, but for one, you're murdering. That's kind of bad."

"But trust me," Amy says with a laugh. "I get it. I know split personalities. I love Ego like... I love myself. I wouldn't want to get rid of her. But, she IS me. She's inside me. But... you're not inside you. You're doing things separate from each other."

"I'm afraid you're going to do something you regret. YOU are afraid of doing something you'll regret. Look at Vice and Trapper," Amy points to them. "Your own self is afraid of what you might do if you stay like this."

"I'm afraid for you, Flow. What if... what if you do something you disagree with? What if you fight yourself? What if... you win? I would be devastated if my friend killed a part of himself. That would be the worst kind of suffering for you, and you wouldn't even be able to feel it. That would be so tragic that I couldn't bear it."

"Please, Flow..." Amy asks desperately. "If there is any part of you that considers me your friend, please. Just put yourself together. At least see if it helps for a while. Try. If not for yourself, then for me."

>>28928917

"Well, there's that. And... I'm not sure what you mean," Amy laughs. "That was like a triple negative or something."

>>28928917
Vice keeps his guard up as he eyes Flow.
>"I'd have to put my money on the theory having some validity to it. We're not exactly certain on how the Inheritance is able to split apart a being into multiple parts, as the trait is not exclusive to goo ponies, as evidenced by Amy's use of the relic. Splitting one's persona into several pieces might be an apt way of putting it, but it doesn't explain how the Inheritance works. In all honesty, I'd vouch that Sir Estuary would know more about how it functions, but alas, Flow had no time to inquire about his wherabouts with Flow."

>>28928939
Flow grimaces.
"Fine. If it'll get you to shut up about it," he growls.
The goo knight takes the Inheritance, and holds it as he recalls both Vice and Trapper back into himself, both of the goos casting worried glances at each other as they dissolve into puddles.

The two former goo clones' remains crawl their way back to Flow, and he absorbs it through his front legs, and he freezes, his gaze cast to the floor.

>>28928966

Amy smiles with tears of joy in her eyes as Flow reforms himself. When he doesn't say anything, a concerned expression covers her face.

"F-Flow? Are you alright?" she asks with concern as she bends over to get her face in his face.

>>28928939
"A... triple negative? What do you mean, how do you make something negative three times?"

Flaming smiles, tapping a hoof on Amy's legs as she keeps her calm and talks to Flow about rejoining. "You're good at this, if it were just me and him I'd probably still be yelling."

>>28928966
Flaming looks up at Flow, "Well... I guess one way we can try to find out is if we give it a try. You can come apart again too, right?"

She gasps as Vice and Trapper return to Flow, waving farewell to Vice in particular before it absorbs back into the body. "Well....?"

>>28928985
>>28928988
Flow comes to with a curious expression on his face as he looks up.
"Oi. Wotcher lassies. You 'lright? Course I'm alright, lass, never been better."

>>28929002

"FLOW!" Amy suddenly exclaims excitedly. "It's you!"

She hugs Flow hard, smooshing him haphazardly. "Thank you so much for giving this a try. This means a lot to me."

>>28929013
"Oi oi oi, git the bleedin 'ell offa me!"
He pushes Amy away.
"If me bird catches you huggin' me, she'll give me a roight wollop! Fackin 'ell..."
He slicks his mane back.
"Can't say I feel much different, save fer me knowledge comin back t'me. And me skill with a blade seems a wee bit sharper, no pun intended. Fackin' ell, I feel just loike me youth! Cept' with an even worse accent!"

>>28929028

"Sorry, sorry," Amy laughs as she wipes herself off awkwardly. "I think I like goo pony hugs."

"Well, I like you better this way," Amy says with a nod. "I think you should give it a try for a while. Besides, aren't super duper power ups like being able to split up in a dangerous situation just the coolest?" she laughs. "I mean, even if I COULD be a big scary wolf all the time, I wouldn't WANT to. It's so cool being all like 'Rawr I will end you!'"