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It's Always Sunny in Canterlot

By ManlyMan
Created: 2020-12-18 07:45:47
Expiry: Never

  1. >You are Sunset Shimmer
  2. >Sellsword and spellsword extraordinaire, practitioner of arts both martial and magical
  3. >The blood of demonkind courses through your veins, making you part of a race called ‘tieflings’
  4. >Not so long ago, you had looked into your past and wished to tap into your heritage for power’s sake
  5. >This led you down a dark, hazardous road that would have cost you your life, after forsaking your time as a student of the Princesses
  6. >At least, were it not for the intervention of one merry band of best friends
  7. >They stopped the demon-worshiping cult you found yourself a part of, and at first, you hated them
  8. >Hated them and the fact that they had robbed you of your chance to fully unlock the power of your bloodline
  9. >Spending some time with them had changed you, however
  10. >You went from being a power-hungry woman on a path to destruction to a generally kind, helpful soul
  11. >Alas, your time with your new friends was temporary, as they all had different paths to follow in life
  12. >And so, now on your own, you find yourself wandering towards Canterlot, where umpteen opportunities to amass wealth and prestige supposedly await the next hero-to-be
  13.  
  14. >Wandering through the forest near the city, you find yourself pondering on what to do when you get there
  15. >Will you do mercenary work? Join a guild? Study and write books? Perhaps set up shop to peddle your magical wares?
  16. >While you’d have to wait until you got there before anything could come to fruition, it didn’t hurt to have at least a rough idea in mind
  17. >The entire time, however, something is nagging in the back of your mind
  18. >Your intuition is telling you that you’re being watched, like there are eyes on your back
  19. >Seeing as it’s the ass-crack of dawn at the moment, there is yet to be much light, perfect for those trying to hide from you
  20. >Unfortunately for them, they apparently didn’t realize that seeing in the dark is no problem for you at all
  21. >The occasional snap of a twig or rustle of leaves is clearly audible, as much of the forest had yet to awaken
  22. >After a time, the out-of-place noises stop, and the sound of nature begins to grow
  23. >You don’t entirely relax, but the sensation of being watched disappears
  24.  
  25. >Nearing the edge of the forest, you can just make out the horizon
  26. >Canterlot may not be visible yet, but you can practically taste the smell of the old city
  27. >Or at least you think of what it would be like, you’ve always had an active imagination
  28. >Said imagination almost costs you a limb as four little men with faintly green skin, heads that look like a football, and more sharp, jagged teeth than anything their size has any right to have jump from the underbrush
  29. “Ugh, of course it had to be goblins...”
  30. >One of them makes a slash at you with a sword that looks like it’s more rust than not, but misses clumsily
  31. >Him being so close leaves you with a perfect opportunity to strike back
  32. >You don’t have your scimitar drawn yet, so you tear at his face with one claw, and grab him by the throat with the other
  33. >Sparks of electricity arc down your arm and into the goblin’s body, and the little bastard goes limp (-1 SP)
  34. >Dropping him, you now have space between the remaining three goblins, all of whom are wielding crude weapons, and you turn to face them
  35.  
  36. What do you do?
  37. >Go after the nearest one with your two claws
  38. >Draw your sword and start hacking away
  39. >Cast a spell
  40. >Ditch the little blighters
  41.  
  42. >You decide that now is the perfect opportunity to bust out your favorite trick for some crowd control
  43. “Taste the rainbow,” you say with a devilish sneer
  44. >From your hand bursts a prismatic wave, washing over the goblins (-1 SP)
  45. >They all give a collective scream, and fall to the ground
  46. >It seems that they were weak enough creatures that the spell didn’t stun them
  47. >Your spell full-on knocked them the fuck out
  48. >Making sure not to waste time, you drag them all next to each other, bind their arms, and leave some rope between them to link them all together
  49. >By the time they wake up and have recovered, they’ve all been tied up neatly
  50. >The goblins all stare up at you with fear in their eyes
  51. >Before you can leave with them, however, you feel that you’re being watched again
  52.  
  53. >You are given little time to wonder as three more goblins, led by a taller, more menacing hobgoblin, approach you from behind
  54. >It seems these first four were not the only members of the hunting party
  55. >Deciding to end things quickly, you move close enough for your spell to have an effect, and cast Color Spray again (-1 SP)
  56. >The three little guys all collapse, but the hobgoblin shrugs it off
  57. >He roars and brandishes a giant warhammer known as an earthbreaker as he moves in
  58. >From about thirty feet behind him, you notice a dark, hooded figure skulking about in the bushes
  59. >They’re too slight of build to be another hobgoblin
  60. >A wide range of blades can be seen hanging off of them
  61. >You aren’t given much time to wonder about that, seeing as the hobgoblin is ready to smash you like an overripe watermelon
  62.  
  63. What do you do? (Current HP: 20/20, current SP: 2/5)
  64. >Engage him in melee (sword or claws, your choice)
  65. >Try another spell
  66. >Call for help from the mysterious figure
  67. >Bail
  68.  
  69. >The stranger gets a quick glance from you, only looking in their direction with your cyan eyes once
  70. >They don’t give any sign that they understood you acknowledged them, though
  71. >As you see them dart across the path into some bushes that are closer to the fight, you draw your scimitar and give it a little twirl
  72. >The sharp blade glows with the magic you channeled through it (-1 arcane pool)
  73. >A step forward, and a grunt as you swing, and your sword bites into the hobgoblin’s flesh
  74. >Your confident smile disappears when the hobgoblin’s eyes roll into the back of his head and he gives a roar not of pain, but of anger
  75. >A rather violent response comes in the form of a wild scream and the head of his gigantic hammer nailing you in the side (-8 HP)
  76. “Argh!”
  77. >It certainly wasn’t enough to kill you, but holy shit
  78. >You’d certainly still be feeling that tomorrow morning
  79.  
  80. >Now that you’re close enough, you make to hit him with your scimitar and claw at him as well
  81. >Both attacks land, and he’s bleeding heavily, but still far from done
  82. >A rather heavy blow smacks you square in the chest (-10 HP)
  83. >Staggering to your feet, you make another attack at him
  84. >This time it digs into his leg, but it’s still not enough to take him down
  85. >The hobgoblin raises his earthbreaker above his head and gives a mighty, mindless cry of rage, ready to strike you down
  86. >Just as you close your eyes, awaiting your impending doom, you hear a sharp, wet noise
  87. >SHICK
  88. >You feel hot blood gently splatter on your face
  89.  
  90. >Looking up, you see that the point of a cusped sword is jutting from the hobgoblin’s throat
  91. >The dead-as-a-doornail hobgoblin drops his hammer and falls to his knees, and you see the dark figure roughly kick him off their sword
  92. >Of course, you know you’re in no shape to fight this person either, especially if they were able to finish off a raging hobgoblin like that
  93. >You stay on your feet, and aren’t sure whether you should run or not
  94. >But the figure grabs your arm, wipes the blood off of their sword on the hobgoblin’s clothes, and sheathes their weapon
  95. >Their other hand free now, they lower the scarf that had obscured their features, revealing a soft, somewhat round face with a somewhat large nose, clever eyes, and some of the most delightful little freckles
  96. >Their hair is a distinct, shaggy mess of green, and combined with their brown eyes, makes you think of a vegetable garden
  97.  
  98. “Who… are you?”
  99. >“That… that, er, doesn’t matter much,” they say in a feminine, yet gritty voice
  100. >She reaches into one of the pouches on her leg, and pulls a small vial from it
  101. >“Drink up, you must hurt like a son of a bitch after taking two hits like that,” she says
  102. >If she wanted to finish you off, she’d have probably done so by now, so you trust that it’s not poison inside
  103. >The blue elixir is light blue, syrupy, and tastes like amaretto without the alcohol
  104. >There is some sharp pain as you feel ribs pop back into place and other wounds you sustained mostly heal up (+10 HP)
  105. >While you were fighting, the tied up goblins were curiously silent, and now that the hobgoblin is dead, they’ve started muttering to each other in their bestial language
  106. >Your savior walks up to the remaining goblins, who are just beginning to stir, and gives each of them a solid kick to the head, knocking them out again
  107. >She then proceeds to draw a longer, heavier sword that she holds in both hands before lopping off the hobgoblin’s head
  108. >You stare a bit as she holds the dripping mug after cleaning off this sword as well
  109. >“...I need proof that the mark is dead,” she says a little bashfully
  110. “Thanks for your help, I don’t think I would have made it if not for you. Would you like to accompany me into town? I was going to bring these other goblins in to the local authorities.”
  111. >“Um…” she says, looking unsure
  112.  
  113. What do you do?
  114. >Reason with her to follow
  115. >Intimidate her into coming with you
  116. >Charm her with your seductive, demonic wiles
  117. >Give up and leave without her
  118.  
  119. >You’ve had plenty of girls fall for you from your teeth alone
  120. >Apparently, chicks dig other chicks who are so far on the ‘bad girl’ end of the scale in terms of looks that their smile is dangerous
  121. >And so you make sure to show off your fangs a bit with a smirk as you walk up with a confident swagger
  122. >That you sway your hips a little with each step and make sure your bosom does a little bounce certainly doesn’t hurt anything
  123. >Getting directly in her face, your grin gets a little wider as the lurk gets redder and redder, so much so that her skin almost matches your own crimson hide
  124. “Surely you can take the time to come along,” you say, tracing one of your talons over her chest, protected with a shirt of maille
  125. “Wouldn’t want to leave a pretty maiden like me to venture all by her lonesome, now would you?
  126. >As you say all this, you press your bodies together, your own fantastic breasts smooshing and practically engulfing her modest chest
  127.  
  128. >“NOw kISs!”
  129. >It seems that one of the goblins is at least smart enough to know Common
  130. >His call almost killed the mood, but you manage to salvage it
  131. “Look, even the little guys know that coming with me would do you well.”
  132. >You finish it off by giving her a soft kiss on the forehead
  133. >You’ve done it, she blushes so hard that her nose starts to bleed
  134. >“Mmph!” she sputters as she slaps one hand to her face
  135. >You back off a little to give her some space, and the goblins whistle and hoot in approval
  136. “So, I take it that’s a yes?”
  137. >The young woman gives a nod, trying to keep her nose from bleeding too bad
  138. “It’s settled then!” you say with a cheerful nod as you grab the earthbreaker, and then take hold leading goblin in the line by a length of rope that was hanging in front of him
  139. “Come on, you hooligans. Time to go.”
  140.  
  141. >The rest of the walk to town is quiet, but pleasant enough
  142. >The sneaky warrior’s eyes are boring into you from behind, you can feel it
  143. >Your ass especially, and so you make sure to strut in a way that swings your booty almost hypnotically
  144. >Finally, you approach the city gates, and are greeted by guardsmen who ask about the goblins
  145. >You explain everything to them, that they attacked you on your way here and the lady behind you saved your life
  146. >She came forward and said that the hobgoblin was a mark she was given by the Adventurer’s Guild, presenting the contract papers, and getting some nods
  147. >“We’ll take care of the goblins from here,” one of the guards says
  148. >“You take these to the guild and get some compensation for your efforts.”
  149. >He hands you three tickets before opening the gates
  150. >“Welcome to Canterlot.”
  151.  
  152. What do you do?
  153. >Follow the contracted killer to the Guildhouse
  154. >Look for a place to get a bite to eat and rest up
  155. >Find a smith you can sell the earthbreaker to
  156. >See what’s popping at Canterlot Palace, maybe get into the Royal Library for some study
  157.  
  158. >With little else to do, you decide that going to the Adventurer’s Guild with the assassin would be the best course of action
  159. >Redeem your tickets, get to know this girl, maybe get laid
  160. >As she tries to hurry off with the hobgoblin’s head, which has thankfully stopped bleeding everywhere, you give chase
  161. >When she sees you jogging after her, she falters for a moment
  162. >As do about half of the other passerby, one guy staring so hard that he smacks into a lamppost
  163. >All it took to catch up to her was a moment though, and she turns her head away when you’re at her side
  164. “Where do you think you’re going, cutie? You haven’t even told me your name yet.”
  165. >“I told you, it’s not impor-”
  166. “Of course it’s important, I should get to know my fellow co-workers, shouldn’t I?”
  167. >“Huh?”
  168. “I plan on joining the Adventurer’s Guild. It’s a way to get paid for putting my talents to good use, and also to get a girlfriend,” you say, muttering the last part under your breath.
  169. >“What was that?”
  170. “Nothing.”
  171.  
  172. >She finally sighs after a few seconds of awkward silence
  173. >“…It’s Wallflower Blush.”
  174. >You smile toothily at her, and put one arm around her waist, holding her close
  175. “You certainly live up to the last part of your name.”
  176. >Sure enough, bumping your hip against hers cast a reddish tinge over her freckled cheeks all over again
  177. >“S-stop it…!”
  178. “Not so used to flattery, are we?”
  179. >“No, not really…”
  180. >She looks at your claws, teeth, horns, and red skin
  181. >“…I don’t imagine you are, either?”
  182. >Your smile falls; that one hit a little too close to home
  183. “Well, I don’t usually get any real flattery, it’s mostly just stares and some of the weirdos who have a fetish for succubi but can’t be bothered to learn how to summon one.”
  184. >“Um, for what it’s worth, I th-think you’re p-pretty. Kinda, uh, scary too, but… pretty.”
  185. >That was close enough in your books
  186. >You lean forward and kiss Wallflower on the cheek this time, and you can feel her warm cheeks under your lips
  187.  
  188. >The poor thing is absolutely stunned by the affection
  189. “You’d better get used to it then,” you say gently, “because I don’t plan on leaving anytime soon.”
  190. >“You probably should, though.”
  191. “Why’s that?”
  192. >“We’re at the Guildhouse now, and the dormitories are on the far side of the establishment.”
  193. “What do you plan on doing with the head, then?”
  194. >“I’m dropping it off at the counter along with the paperwork, and then I’ll get paid in the mail tomorrow.”
  195. “Oh.”
  196. >The two of you find yourselves in front of a building that looks more like a small castle than a guildhouse
  197. >The heavy double doors in the front are pushed open, revealing a very busy establishment, with lots of people chatting, discussing contracts, or messing with papers
  198. >Wallflower walks you up to a counter, lays down the hobgoblin’s head and the rolled up paper her contract was written down on
  199. >A nod of affirmation from the clerk later, and she’s off
  200. >“It’s been nice talking to you…?”
  201. “Sunset Shimmer.”
  202. >“Yeah. See you later?”
  203. “Of course.”
  204. >She disappears by the time you turn in your own tickets, and the clerk hands 60 gold pieces for your efforts with the goblins
  205. >From here, you have a few places to go
  206.  
  207. What do you do?
  208. >Follow Wallflower to her dorm
  209. >Ask the clerk for any available contracts
  210. >Chat around with some of the other adventurers here
  211. >Go to the mess hall to get something to eat
  212. >Do some shopping in town
  213. Suggestions of your own are also welcome.
  214.  
  215. >While you may not know where Wallflower’s dorm is at the moment, you suspect that will change soon enough
  216. >In the meantime, you decide that now is as good a time as any to register in the guild and get a couple of jobs
  217. >Getting directions from the clerk to whom you’d exchanged the tickets for gold, you find yourself standing in front of a young sylph woman
  218. >She’s pretty enough, with pale skin and straw blond hair
  219. >Closer inspection reveals a pair of eyes that would normally just be crossed, but it looks like they can’t even do that right
  220. >You at least have the courtesy to not laugh or stare, but she smiles when you approach her desk, her tongue poking out of her mouth as though she’s thinking really hard
  221. “Uh… hi there, I’m Sunset Shimmer, and I’d like to register with the guild.”
  222. >“Fantastic! We can always use more guild members. Adventuring is a high-risk, high-reward profession, so we tend to have a lot of free spaces.”
  223. >The admittedly silly-looking woman digs around through a drawer in her desk before pulling out three pieces of paper
  224. >“Here! What you do is take these three entry-level tasks, and when you come back with at least one of them finished, you can join. If you have more than one when you return, you’ll get some extra money for your effort!”
  225.  
  226. >Giving a nod, you look at your first quest
  227. >A farm about halfway between here and some podunk, middle-of-nowhere village was having trouble with their sheep disappearing
  228. >According to the one who wrote the request, it’s “a huge stinking bug that looks like a cockroach and a centipede had kids and its spit can make stuff melt and it almost took Granny one night but my brother got her inside afore it could eat her”
  229. “Granny…? Her brother…?”
  230. >Taking a look at the address, you recognize it as Apple Acres
  231. >A few bells go off in your head; if Applejack hasn’t already dealt with the monster, what’s happened to her?
  232. >You look at the second quest
  233. >An alchemist who lives in the Everfree Forest is having some trouble acquiring particular ingredients
  234. >They’re too expensive for her to buy, and she can’t deal with the monsters on the path to the nearest location for it by her lonesome
  235. >She also has the strange habit of writing in rhymes
  236. >You figure that you’ll find out about that soon enough, and it sounds like an easy enough job
  237. >The last quest sounds the hardest, but also has the biggest reward
  238. >There’s a picture of a halfling woman in a hooded cloak
  239. >Wanted for multiple counts of theft, burglary, mugging, skullduggery-
  240. >A lot of this stuff is redundant as heck, making you wonder who has what kind of grudge against this person in particular
  241. >Regardless, you know that she goes by Sticky Fingers, and has a den somewhere in the city
  242.  
  243. >Your three jobs secured, you turn to leave, but the sylph’s voice stops you
  244. >“Not to be rude, but you’re looking a little beat up. You can rest in the guest rooms if you want; they’re no dormitory, but at least they’re not the stables.”
  245. >You give her a nod of thanks, and go to the mess hall to get some food before you rest up
  246. >Not that you’re super beat, but it would help to be at your best when you get to work tomorrow
  247. >A hot and a cot later, and you find yourself feeling as chipper as ever
  248. >Even better than the last time you woke up, actually
  249. >You slept like a rock, since it’s almost dawn again the next day, and you were asleep before high noon
  250. >A quick breakfast, and then you’re on the road
  251.  
  252. Since y’all are less than a goblin away from your next level, I decided that it would be best for you to just get your next level now.
  253.  
  254. Okay, so levelling up is going to work a lot like it did with Pie. I’ll list of some options, you guys vote, and the first to three votes wins. Feel free to ask about stuff that’s not listed.
  255.  
  256. For spells, I’ll list off three kinds of spells, and then put one or two that fit the category into your spells known.
  257. >Offensive
  258. >Defensive
  259. >Utility
  260.  
  261. As a Magus, you get a new arcana every three levels. Here are what you have to choose from.
  262. >Arcane Accuracy (spend an arcane point for a to-hit bonus)
  263. >Arcane Redoubt (spend an arcane point for an AC bonus)
  264. >Familiar (get a magical pet, duh)
  265. >Metamagic (pick one: Elemental, Enlarge, Extend, Piercing, Silent,or Still; you can spend an arcane point to apply the metamagic effects to a spell)
  266.  
  267. On top of all that, you can pick one of your other abilities to improve.
  268. >Demonhide
  269. >Demonsense
  270. >Fiendhands
  271. >Shatter
  272.  
  273. Going with the majority vote here, so Sunset’s gotten the Metamagic I arcana, and learned the spells Celestial/Infernal Healing (fast healing 1 for 1 minute, register as good/evil respectively), Duelist’s Parry (negate an enemy’s attack with an attack roll of your own), and Obscuring Mist (surround yourself with fog). Now, where to?
  274. >The giant bug on the Apple estate takes priority
  275. >The alchemist in the forest really needs your help
  276. >The thief needs to be brought to justice
  277. >Other (give your own suggestions)
  278.  
  279. >Concern for your newfound friends drives you to head to the farm first
  280. >However, while you don’t have any real fear of bugs, giant ones sound a little too dangerous
  281. >Some help would be nice, you decide
  282. >Needing some directions, you walk up the sylph again, who’s apparently stuck with the early shifts, seeing her in the same spot as she was yesterday morning
  283. “Hey, could you tell me where Wallflower Blush’s dorm is? I need to speak to her.”
  284. >“Who?”
  285. >You stare blankly
  286. “...Wallflower Blush. Assassin, wears a lot of dark earth tones, bristling with weapons?”
  287. >“Can’t say I’ve heard of her. You can try your luck in the dormitories or the mess hall, but I don’t know if you’ll find someone who doesn’t exist.”
  288. >Both curious and frustrated, you follow the advice you were given, and decide to go to the mess hall first
  289. >It would be easier to have a look around there first quickly before heading to the dorms, which would take more combing
  290. >At least, so long as it wasn’t full, which it probably shouldn’t be at this hour
  291.  
  292. >You don’t even get to the hall before you find who you’re looking for
  293. >Wallflower passes you by in something of a hurry, looking a little on the gloomy side
  294. >Quickly, you catch up to her and put your hand on her shoulder
  295. >She turns around with a surprised expression
  296. “Wallflower? Just who I was looking for.”
  297. >Her face wears a look of bewilderment
  298. >“Wait, you… you remember me?”
  299. >You look rather puzzled
  300. “Erm… yes? Is that strange?”
  301. >Wallflower looks away with what appears to be embarrassment
  302. >“Well, yeah. I joined the Adventurer’s Guild because the Assassin’s Guild declared me ‘too forgettable’ to join.”
  303. “Wait, what?”
  304. >“They have rules there based on not only aptitude in killing things, but also a strict dress code, because presentation is everything.”
  305. >Wallflower took a breath and recited, “Members of this guild are not assassins, but Assassins.”
  306. >You can even hear the capital ‘A’ in her voice somehow, with the emphasis she put on it
  307. >“To be an Assassin separates those cuts who go around murdering people for money from the ladies and gentlemen who are occasionally consulted by other ladies and gentlemen who wish to have removed, for a consideration, any inconvenient razor blades from the candyfloss of life.”
  308.  
  309. >Wow, those guys sound uptight
  310. >Then again, if professional killers like that wanted to stay in good graces with the law, you suppose, they would be pretty strict in almost all regards
  311. >She continued, “Then there’s ‘You are to have a silver-backed, full-length mirror in your room because it is a terrible insult to kill someone without looking your absolute best.’ I can’t even afford the mirror, and look at this!”
  312. >The young woman gestured at her clothes; quite drab, in all honesty, and while it would make for some great camouflage, it certainly didn’t look fashionable in the slightest
  313. >“If this is my best, I’ve got no chance.”
  314. “Well,” you say, a certain suggestiveness in your voice, “I’ve got a proposition for you. See, one of my friends happens to be an unparalleled seamstress. If you’d be willing to help me out, I’ll see what I can do about getting her to fix your look. Deal?”
  315. >“You’d do that for me? You barely even know me.”
  316. “True, but that’s something I’d like to change, if you know what I mean.”
  317. >There came the blush again, and you managed to suppress a giggle
  318. >“...Deal.”
  319. “It’s settled then. Come on, we’re headed to another friend’s place,” you say, dragging her out of the guildhouse
  320.  
  321. >Wallflower in tow, you head to the city gates, and follow the main road into the countryside
  322. >After telling her what you planned to do, Wallflower agrees to at least help you with baddies along the way, although the big bug at the farm would have to be yours alone to make it count
  323. >The trip would be less than a week on foot, and you’re no stranger to walking long distances
  324. >As the days go by, you learn more about Wallflower, and how she got to where she is
  325. >Raised by a single mother who was too busy trying to keep a roof over everyone’s head to pay much attention of her own daughter
  326. >The lack of family time got Wallflower into gardening
  327. >She accidentally began growing highly toxic plants, but when she found out, she didn’t stop
  328. >Instead, she turned to extracting and selling poisons to sell
  329. >When her mother found out, she was kicked out for ‘stoppering death,’ as her mom put it
  330. >With little else to do, she turned to mercenary work, and found that being so hard to notice suited her perfectly as a Slayer
  331. >As she explained earlier, her lack of presence and style made her unfit for the actual Assassin’s Guild
  332. >That seems kind of counterintuitive to you, but whatever floats their boat, you suppose
  333.  
  334. >Five days into your journey, and things finally get exciting
  335. >The early afternoon sun has warmed the earth quite well, making all kinds of creatures be more active
  336. >Unfortunately, some of the creatures aren’t as kind as the others
  337. >You and Wallflower initially notice a slight rumble underfoot
  338. >The vibrations grow stronger, and you notice a pair of cracks in the earth traveling towards the two of you
  339. >Just before they reach you, you both jump to the side, barely avoiding a pair of giant insects bursting from the ground
  340. >They match the description in the request, looking like a cross between a roach and a centipede, except that they’re only about the size of wolves
  341. >You have your scimitar out, and Wallflower has her two short swords in hand, and the both of you ready yourselves for battle
  342.  
  343. What do you do? (Current HP: 31/31, current SP: 8/8, current arcane pool: 4/4)
  344. >Engage in melee
  345. >Bust out some spells
  346. >Both (Spell Combat or Spellstrike)
  347. >Other (make a suggestion!)
  348.  
  349. Since there’s no majority vote here, I’mma just go with what suggestion I like the most.
  350. >Giving a jerk of your head, you signal Wallflower to sidle away
  351. >Just as she does so, your free hand crackles with arcane fire
  352. >A large burst of flames fan over the two bugs, and they give ear-shattering screeches of pain (-3 SP)
  353. >A quick step inward, and you strike at the nearest ankheg with your scimitar
  354. >You hit, but the creature is still alive
  355. >Wallflower takes the opportunity to move in on the ankheg’s opposite side and sinks her blade into the beast’s carapace
  356. >With a sickening crunch, the sword pokes out the other side of the bug, and it gives a feeble shriek before collapsing
  357. >The other ankheg howls angrily, and then attacks Wallflower, first using its forelegs like scythes and then biting at her
  358. >One claw hits, but does little more than scratch damage (-2 HP)
  359. >The bite is far worse, digging into Wallflower’s arm and latching on, with acidic spittle oozing into the wound (-7 HP from the bite, -3 HP from the acid)
  360.  
  361. >The ankheg’s mandibles refuse to let go of Wallflower, whom the insect has grasped onto with its forelegs as well
  362. >“Aaah! Help!”
  363. >Seeing your new friend in trouble, you bellow like a berserk war goddess as you coat your scimitar in ice crystals and go in swinging (-2 SP)
  364. >Your sword cuts neatly into the ankheg, but you’re not finished yet
  365. >You make a vicious swipe with your free hand, your own claws proving just as nasty as the ankheg’s
  366. >Those black, ironhard talons rip into the ankheg, and with a yank, you tear off one of its forelegs and a big chunk of the rest of the bug
  367. >It wails and chitters as it dies, relinquishing its hold on Wallflower
  368. >It takes a bit of doing, but you manage to pull your scimitar free of the frozen bugflesh, and then immediately tend to Wallflower, who is obviously in a lot of pain from the bite and acid burn
  369. “Hold on, I can help with this one-”
  370. >“No, d-don’t worry, I have some potions-”
  371. “Stop it, I’ve got this,” you half-bark at her
  372. >She does as she’s told
  373.  
  374. >You mutter a few words in Abyssal, the tongue of demons, your voice sounding far more menacing and malicious than usual as you do so
  375. >Once the incantation is spoken, you bite your lip, just hard enough to draw blood, but not enough to really hurt yourself
  376. >You top it all off by leaning forward and kissing Wallflower, making sure to use your tongue to force some of your blood into her mouth
  377. >At first, Wallflower looks disgusted, but after the brief, yet intimate kiss, you pull away and put your hand over her mouth
  378. “Swallow. Now.”
  379. >Wallflower follows your orders, not sure whether she should be blushing at the kiss or feeling queasy that she just drank some of your blood
  380. >Naught but a few seconds after she swallows, the more severe wound on her arm begins to glow with reddish light (-1 SP)
  381. >Slowly but surely, her flesh mends itself, leaving only a tender spot on her arm that’s still an angry red color, not unlike a far more mild acid burn
  382. >After about a minute, the spell has done all it can do (+10 HP)
  383. >It’s quite apparent that Wallflower’s still hurt, but only a little, and is healthy enough for travel again
  384.  
  385. “Feeling better?”
  386. >“Uh… yeah? But… why did you have me d-d-drink your blood!? That’s gross!”
  387. “I have a spell that lets me heal people over time through contact with the blood of a fiend. I’ve never gotten the chance to actually use it though, so I, um… wasn’t sure my own blood would suffice.”
  388. >“You made me drink your blood and didn’t even know if it would do anything!?”
  389. “...Yeah, I guess. All’s well that ends well, though. Come on, we still have a day before we reach the Apples’ farmlands.”
  390. >Wallflower still looked kind of disturbed by the whole thing, but takes your hand as you stand up and pull her to her feet
  391. “Sorry that out first makeout session had to be under circumstances like that,” you say, genuinely apologetic
  392. >Wallflower is silent, but blushes again
  393. >Licking your lips, you lean towards her and kiss her on the cheek instead with a smile
  394. “We can try again later.”
  395. >A nosebleed just as bad as the first one after the goblin fight streams down her face, and you laugh as you make your way down to Apple Acres
  396.  
  397. >Thankfully, the rest of the trek is less eventful, making for a good day of proper recuperation
  398. >By the time you reach the border of the estate, it is already sunfall
  399. >You can see two figures outside, both of them finishing up the day’s work
  400. >One is a tall, burly man, bigger than most half-orcs
  401. >Stronger too, by the look of it
  402. >He’s just finished unloading bales of straw into the stables, and brushes his sweaty, strawberry blond hair out of his face before looking up at you
  403. >The other one is a short girl with hair that’s even redder than yours, and is surprisingly pale for a farmgirl
  404. >She’s about to head inside when she notices the man looking in your direction, and follows his gaze
  405. >You recognize the two of them almost immediately as Big Mac and Apple Bloom, Applejack’s siblings
  406. >As you draw nearer, Big Mac gives a genial smile and a wave
  407. >Apple Bloom, on the other hand, looks antipathetic
  408. >You’re curious about this, but pay it little mind as you walk forward
  409.  
  410. “So, I heard you have a bug problem?”
  411. >“Eeyup.”
  412. >You always did find the Apples’ unique accent funny, but still pleasant to hear
  413. “Well, that’s why I’m here. My friend Wallflower-” you say, gesturing in her direction- “tagged along for the journey here, but going by the Adventurer’s Guild’s rules, she can’t help me with the ankheg if I want this to count for my record.”
  414. >Big Mac nods in understanding, but Apple Bloom scowls at you instead
  415. >“Why’d they think *you* would be the best one for the job? Ah’m never trustin’ them again,” she grumbles before stomping inside
  416. >You and Wallflower look on in bewilderment
  417. “I take it she still hasn’t gotten over when I fought her sister and everyone, has she?”
  418. >“Uhhnope.”
  419. >You sigh defeatedly
  420. “I guess it can’t be helped. Would it be alright if Wallflower and I stay the night so I can have a plan of attack by tomorrow morning?”
  421. >“Eeyup.”
  422. >Big Mac gestures for you both to follow him inside their surprisingly quaint abode
  423. >Indoors, the only thing that isn’t warm and cozy is Apple Bloom’s icy glare
  424. >The old, decrepit, yet surprisingly strong for her age Granny Smith is sitting by the fire, and at her behest, you and Wallflower take a seat near her while Big Mac goes to the kitchen
  425.  
  426. What do you do?
  427. >Ask Granny Smith about the ankheg, since she’s the one who was attacked by it
  428. >Try to apologize to Apple Bloom
  429. >Openly flirt with Wallflower
  430. >Other (make a suggestion!)
  431.  
  432. >Deciding to get down to business, you pour into questions about the monster from Granny Smith
  433. “So, where did you first see the ankheg?”
  434. >“He was diggin’ ‘round the flatter part o’ the animal pastures, Ah could tell, ‘cause he was leavin’ big ol’ cracks in the ground,” she explained
  435. >“Next thing Ah know, he’s gone ‘n snatched up a goat like it was nothin’! Crawled back into the hole, and Ah ain’t seen ‘im ‘til three days later.”
  436. “Mhmm.”
  437. >“That time, the varmint killed a whole durn horse, the poor thing looked like he’d been half-eaten by the time the bug dragged ‘em into a hole. Ah went to have a looksee, but the hole collapsed on itself as it went back down.”
  438. >Wallflower looked vaguely horrified at the thought of something able to haul an entire horse underground
  439. “Wow, a horse?”
  440. >You’re starting to get kind of worried about the task at hand yourself
  441. >However, you thought better of abandoning the mission
  442. >It would probably help get you in good graces with Apple Bloom again, at least
  443. >You listen as Granny continues
  444.  
  445. >“The third time the li’l bastard appeared was, oh, ‘bout a week ago, when Ah was gettin’ some eggs back at the chicken coop. He popped up outta nowhere, swallowed two hens in a single bite, then plumb near took mah head off. Still got a burn from ‘is slobber when ‘e missed.”
  446. >Granny Smith undid her bun and bent her head down for you to see
  447. >There was a bald patch that she was hiding with her hair having been pulled back, but now it was plainly visible
  448. >The scalp was still raw and red where it wasn’t scabbed over
  449. “Um, would you like some help with-”
  450. >“Nah,” Granny interrupted, waving off your offer
  451. >“Ah’m a tough ol’ bird, it ain’t nothin’ but a thang.”
  452. >Big Mac came from the kitchen with four tankards of cider just as Granny Smith finished, and he offered one to everyone but Apple Bloom before heading back into the kitchen and coming out with something else you can’t determine right off the bat
  453. >Taking a drink, you can tell it’s some good stuff
  454. >A little dry, but it barely registers as being alcoholic
  455. >It’s pretty easy to see why Applejack would talk about drinking a gallon of it after every worknight
  456.  
  457. “So, do you have any ideas as to why it shows up?”
  458. >Granny shakes her head
  459. >“Nothin’ much, just that he seems to like critters he can grab up and skedaddle on home with. Ah think he might figure out what’s what by the noise they make walkin’ around, though. If’n he hears either a lotta footsteps or a buncha li’l ones, it seems like he goes after those.”
  460. >You take a long draught and stroke your chin thoughtfully at this information
  461. >It’s big enough to kill and drag around a horse, snatch up a goat, and swallow two chickens at once
  462. >It burrows underground and leaves trails as it goes
  463. >It has corrosive spittle that can do some serious damage alongside its bite
  464. >It follows footsteps on the ground to find prey
  465. >From this, you think you can make a plan
  466. >After finishing your drink and spending some time talking with Granny, Big Mac, and Wallflower while trying to not notice the daggers that Apple Bloom is staring at you, you retire in the guest room
  467. >Much to your disappointment, Wallflower opts to sleep downstairs
  468. >She’s been on the hard-to-get side for the whole journey, especially after you helped her out with that weird healing spell of yours
  469. >A matter for later, you suppose
  470.  
  471. Morning time! With a decent breakfast, you, Walflower, and the rest of the household are ready to go at dawn. What do you do?
  472. >Wander around in search of the ankheg
  473. >Use an animal as bait to draw it out
  474. >Use a person/yourself as bait
  475. >Other (make a suggestion!)
  476.  
  477. >After eating and giving yourself a stretch, you ponder on what exactly to do
  478. >Baiting it out seems like an effective, if morally questionable idea
  479. >If you didn’t get rid of it though, it would probably eat a lot more than just the one animal
  480. >Or maybe…
  481. >You walk up to Wallflower with a devilish grin
  482. “Hey, cutie. I’m wondering, is it that you just can’t engage the ankheg, or do you have to stay out of it entirely?”
  483. >“W-well, I guess I can help a little… what did you have in mind?”
  484. >You shimmy a little closer, and put your hand around her waist, even toying with her belt buckle a little
  485. >She begins blushing again
  486. “I was thinking that I would be more than willing to help out a friend if they got hurt by a giant bug. I’d take good care of them, and make sure to keep them *happy* while they recovered, if you know what I mean…”
  487. >A look of alarm passes over Wallflower’s face
  488. >“Are you suggesting-”
  489. “I’m saying that if you agree to be bait, I’ll screw your brains out.”
  490. >Big Mac gives a ‘think of the children’ kind of glare before clapping his large hands over Apple Bloom’s ears
  491. >Wallflower is sputtering out of both shock and embarrassment
  492. >“What- I don’t- how could you even say that!?”
  493. “Just kidding, don’t worry. Although the sex offer still stands, whether you draw the ankheg out or not.”
  494.  
  495. >Ignoring Wallflower’s continued objection, you get back to thinking
  496. >The bug seems to prefer the flatter, open areas of the farm, especially where there are lots of animals
  497. >Whether that would be an advantage to you or not depends on the ankheg’s behavior after you draw it out
  498. >The problem of drawing it out still hasn’t been addressed though
  499. >You can’t use a person as actual bait, and the Apples would probably appreciate not having to lose another animal
  500. >A thought occurring to you, you turn to Big Mac
  501. “Hey, Big Mac, are you able to fight decently?”
  502. >“He was a militiaman for a spell,” Apple Bloom says indignantly, now that Big Mac let go of her ears
  503. >“So uh-huh, he can fight! Bet he’d kick your sorry butt, too!”
  504. >“You stop it this instant, Apple Bloom,” Granny Smith warns with a frown
  505. >“Keep insultin’ our helper here, and Ah’ll tan yer hide.”
  506. >Apple Bloom promptly shuts her mouth, but still scowls at you
  507. >You give a disappointed sigh
  508. >It seems you still have a long way to go with the young girl
  509.  
  510. “Do you still have your gear, Big Mac?”
  511. >“Eeyup.”
  512. >He jogs inside and comes back about five minutes later
  513. >He’s wearing some cheap leather armor, but it’s not in too bad of condition
  514. >As for weaponry, he’s got a spear, a short sword, and a battleaxe
  515. >Not bad, most militiamen don’t really get kitted out much
  516. >You turn to Wallflower, asking for confirmation on this being okay
  517. >“I don’t see why not, I just can’t help you with qualifying because I’m a guild member.”
  518. “Alright. So what we’re going to do is have Wallflower, Big Mac, and I walk around the pastures where some of the livestock are. With us stomping around along with the other animals, that should get its attention, and we strike as soon as it rears its ugly head.”
  519. >Wallflower opens her mouth to protest, but you interrupt her
  520. “You’re mostly coming along in case of emergencies. I’d rather forfeit the job than have anyone get killed if something goes awry, understand?”
  521. >“Oh. Sure, then.”
  522. “Granny, you and Apple Bloom stay behind. We can’t have anyone who can’t reasonably defend themselves getting hurt, okay?”
  523. >Apple Bloom just sulks irritably, but Granny nods
  524. >“Don’t you worry, you li’l rascals, Apple Bloom ‘n Ah’ll be just fine. Now get out there ‘n show that varmint why no bug should go messin’ with the Apples, ya hear?”
  525. >You give a nod, and then the three of you head out
  526.  
  527. >The next hour of wandering around the farm is absolutely banal, yet nerve-wracking at the same time
  528. >You know that it’s going to show up eventually, but it’s so boring
  529. >Neither Big Mac nor Wallflower are super talkative, so it’s not like you can even conversate to pass the time
  530. >It isn’t until you’re about to call it quits and come up with something else that your efforts finally pay off
  531. >There’s the same rumble that came from the two smaller ankhegs that you and Wallflower fought on the way there
  532. >Unfortunately, by the time you can see the lines in the distance, the vibrations have gotten a lot stronger
  533. >You brace yourself as it approaches, and when you recognize that it’s about to jump out, you signal everyone to dive out of the way
  534. >Just in time as well, as the ankheg bursts from the cracked earth with a deafening screech
  535. >“SKREEEEEEEEEEEEEERRRSSSCHHH!!!”
  536. >Looking at the thing, you see it’s bigger than a godsdamned bull moose, not the size of a horse
  537. “What the actual fuck, Apple Bloom?” you angrily growl, annoyed by her having undersold the ankheg’s description
  538. >Sword at the ready, you see Wallflower backing off but ready to spring into action, and Big Mac has his spear in hand in a more defensive pose
  539.  
  540. What do you do?
  541. >Run in and hack away
  542. >Hurl spells at it
  543. >A bit of both
  544. >Other (make a suggestion!)
  545.  
  546. >Deciding to take advantage of your magic to hopefully make an opening, you hold your hand out in the ankheg’s direction
  547. >A burst of multicolored light nails the bug in the face, and it gives a screech (-1 SP)
  548. >It seems to have been briefly stunned by the blast
  549. >Big Mac seizes the opportunity, and takes a quick step forward to make a jab at the ankheg
  550. >The spear sinks in neatly, but the hardness of the ankheg’s shell keeps it from going too deep
  551. >Your own time to move in comes, and so you close the gap to take a good swing with your scimitar
  552. >You hit it, but are about as successful as Big Mac in terms of dealing out damage
  553. >Big Mac gets in another jab, but is given a painful reprimand
  554. >There is a gurgling noise coming from the ankheg, and it spits a stream of yellowish fluid at Big Mac, who takes the full brunt of it (-16 HP)
  555. >He’s knocked to the ground, and you watch as his leather armor dissolves, the acid soon leaving heavy burns on his exposed skin
  556.  
  557. >”Big Mac, nooo!”
  558. >From behind, you hear the distressed cry of a young, horrifyingly familiar voice
  559. >Turning around, you see Apple Bloom running forward with a pitchfork in hand
  560. >She hurls it in the ankheg’s direction, but it glances off of the robust carapace
  561. >The ankheg at first pays her little mind, biting at you instead
  562. >There is a loud grinding noise of chitin on metal as you move with supernatural speed to jam your scimitar between its mandibles, fending off its attack (-1 SP)
  563. “Apple Bloom, get out of here! You’re going to get yourself killed!”
  564. >Your warning falls on deaf ears as Apple Bloom picks the pitchfork back up and tries to stab the ankheg with it
  565. >Again, she does little damage, but this time she draws the ankheg’s attention
  566. >There is a telling gurgle again as more of its caustic drool gathers around its mouthparts
  567. >Just as the stream of acid erupts from the ankheg’s mouth, Wallflower pushes Apple Bloom to the ground
  568. >Wallflower is able to avoid most of the acid, but it still breaks down enough of her armor and clothing to make it fall apart
  569. >She sits on the grass, her nude form exposed to the gods and everybody, and you take a quick look, at first making sure she’s okay, but are briefly distracted by her body
  570. >She’s lean, toned, and has a modest chest, but still looks hot enough for you to let her sit on your face all day
  571.  
  572. >Your reverence is short-lived, however, as the ankheg pushes you aside with a foreleg before darting forward and grasping Apple Bloom in its jaws
  573. >“AaaAAAAAAAAAAAH!”
  574. >Apple Bloom’s high-pitched wail drowns out any other noise you could have been hearing, and your blood runs cold
  575. >Its prize in tow, the ankheg darts into the burrow again, leaving a trail that you can follow
  576. >There is little time spent thinking as you make a snap decision
  577. “Wallflower! Give Big Mac a potion or two, and get him back on his feet! I’m going in!”
  578. >“Are you crazy-”
  579. “Shut up and do it!”
  580. >Without waiting for a response, you utter an incantation, and you feel like your legs can move so fast that you can fly, having cast the Fleetfoot spell (-1 SP)
  581. >Your enchantment in place, you switch out your scimitar for the earthbreaker before dashing after the ankheg
  582.  
  583. >Your strides are fast, enough so that you find yourself catching up to the nimble insect
  584. >Though you feel that you’re getting closer, Apple Bloom’s screams are growing weaker
  585. >Desperation overcomes you as you move ever faster
  586. >After a good two minutes of chasing, you finally reach a large chamber, circular in shape, about thirty feet across and twenty feet high
  587. >There are numerous white, sticky orbs about the place
  588. >Eggs, you assume
  589. >You see the ankheg spit Apple Bloom to the floor before it turns to you
  590. >The girl is bleeding at the sides, the ankheg’s acidic saliva having burned most of her clothes away and taken to burning her as well
  591. >Coupled with the puncture wounds from the ankheg’s bite, it doesn’t look like she has much more than a minute or two left in her
  592. >Your goal in mind, you give a battlecry, and the ankheg matches it with a shriek of its own before the two of you charge at each other
  593.  
  594. >As soon as you come within range, the ankheg makes to bite you, but you fend it off with your magical burst in speed again, blocking it with the head of the earthbreaker (-1 SP)
  595. >You wind up, and then give as hard of a swing as you can muster in return
  596. >There is a loud crunch as contact is made, the heavy bludgeon smashing into the ankheg’s side
  597. >The ankheg yowls before rearing back and spraying yet another burst of acid, covering your face and chest, but there was far less acid this time around (-10 HP)
  598. >It seems as though the ankheg has run out of its corrosive spittle
  599. “My turn,” you say with a savage growl
  600. >First, your earthbreaker takes on a faint glow of magic (-1 arcane point)
  601. >Then, before you take another swing, the weapon crackles with electricity (-1 SP)
  602. >An especially powerful blow nails the ankheg in the side, and the electric shock courses through its body
  603. >It gives a long screech, falling forward
  604. >The thing still refuses to give up, clawing at you (-2 HP) twice (-1 HP) and giving a bite (-6 HP), but your toughened skin prevents enough of the damage to keep things from being too bad
  605. “Time to die, you filthy cockroach!”
  606. >One last swing with your earthbreaker, and you crush the ankheg’s head and thorax, and it dies quickly, its legs curling inward
  607.  
  608. >Your first mission complete, you rush over to Apple Bloom’s side
  609. >She’s breathing, but her breaths are shallow, and she’s not moving
  610. >You know how you can help her, but it’s going to be super awkward
  611. >Biting your lip again, you follow through with the same procedure you did for helping Wallflower after fighting the ankheg nymphs from before (-1 SP)
  612. >Your mouth touches hers, and you let some of your blood drizzle over her tongue
  613. >“…Mmph…?”
  614. >Her sides glow, and her eyes flutter open as she comes back to consciousness
  615. >You pull back as soon as you hear her voice, putting a finger to Apple Bloom’s lips and telling her to swallow
  616. >She absentmindedly does as she’s told, and it isn’t until her wounds begin to close that what just happened dawns on her
  617. >“S… S-Sunset, did you… did you just kiss me?”
  618. “I saved your life, that’s what I did. Now come on, let’s-”
  619. >Apple Bloom’s eyes go wide as saucers
  620. >“You did! You did kiss me! Ah-Ah-Ah don’t even know what to say-”
  621. “Apple Bloom, stop for a second, we need to get out-”
  622. >“Mah first kiss, and it had to be with you-”
  623. “Would you stop it!?” you shout, some of your demonic heritage coming forth with an Abyssal accent
  624. >Apple Bloom promptly clams up
  625. “What’s important is that you’re not dying anymore, now get out of the way, because I need to make sure that these vermin don’t come back.”
  626. >She does as she’s told, and so you stand up, your hands covered in flames that shoot out over the ankheg’s eggs (-1 SP)
  627. >They sear and pop as they readily catch fire, destroying them completely in little time
  628. >Your objectives all completed, you guide Apple Bloom out of the ankheg’s nest
  629.  
  630. >The fresh air and sunlight are a welcome presence, as is the sight of Big Mac on his feet, albeit with some mild burns, and Wallflower able to cover herself with naught but her cloak and boots
  631. >Big Mac immediately runs forward and picks up Apple Bloom, looking her over to make sure she’s alright
  632. >Despite the bloody, shredded remains of her clothes, she looks like she’ll be okay
  633. >He turns to face you, his eyes welling with tears; he doesn’t need to say anything to convey how thankful he is
  634. >Apple Bloom looks at you as you mutter your Abyssal incantation once more, licking your bleeding lips, and the acid burns on your body disappear over the next minute (-1 SP, +10 HP)
  635. >She seems unsure about what she thinks of you now, but at least she doesn’t seem so hostile, instead giving an awkward blush
  636. >A victory, however small, for you
  637. >Now that Apple Bloom doesn’t hate you anymore, you can turn your attention to other matters
  638.  
  639. What do you do? (Current HP: 22/31, current SP: 0/8, current arcane pool 3/4)
  640. >Talk with Big Mac to see how he’s doing
  641. >Flirt with the half-naked Wallflower
  642. >Head straight for the house to rest up
  643. >Other (make a suggestion!)
  644.  
  645. >You shoot a glance in Big Mac’s direction
  646. “Hey do you think you’ll be alright?”
  647. >“Eeyup.”
  648. “Okay. I’ll catch you later, Wallflower and I need to talk about some guild stuff.”
  649. >“Who?”
  650. >Wallflower grumbles at the lack of recognition
  651. “…Nevermind.”
  652. >As Big Mac heads back to the house to deliver the good news, you walk over to Wallflower and put an arm around her waist
  653. “So, what did you think? Beating down giant bugs, saving lives, all-around heroism… do you think I’m guild member material yet?”
  654. >Wallflower starts blushing again
  655. >“Um…”
  656. “Is that doubt I’m hearing? Surely, you must think better of me than that,” you say coyly
  657. “I’m certain someone with the kind of wit, strength-”
  658. >You slide your hand down and wrap your fingers around one of her firm buttcheeks
  659. “-and sheer charm I have could join by this point?”
  660. >Wallflower gives a squeaky yelp at the sensation of your claws gently poking into her skin through the cloak
  661. >“A-ah, um, r-right!”
  662.  
  663. >You whip around to her front, stopping her in her tracks, and look her in the eye
  664. “Going above and beyond the contract like I did,” you continue, “deserves a reward all its own, I say.”
  665. >“Y-you think so?”
  666. “Of course. Who wouldn’t have earned a little something extra for saving a little girl’s skin?”
  667. >As you say this, you press your breasts into hers again, like you did when the two of you had first met
  668. >Wallflower’s starting to go beet red by now, unable to make eye contact anymore
  669. “Oh, what’s the matter? Getting a little… distracted?” you say, bumping your chest into hers again
  670. >“N-n-no!” says Wallflower, perhaps a little to quickly
  671. >You give a short, sensual laugh
  672. “I know a liar when I taste one.”
  673. >“Wait, what are you- mmph!”
  674. >With no more warning than your words, you push your lips to Wallflower’s, and her eyelids flutter while her face darkens even more
  675. >You get a little aggressive, putting your tongue in her mouth and snaking it around with abandon
  676. >She shows less enthusiasm, but that’s probably from her being a nervous wreck more than anything else
  677. >By the time you finally come up for air, Wallflower is already weak in the knees
  678.  
  679. >The thin rope of drool between the two of you snaps, and you grin widely
  680. “Delicious… but we’re not done yet, don’t think I haven’t seen you staring at two of my biggest assets.”
  681. >By now, Wallflower is able to do little more than gibber incoherently
  682. >“Bah-buh-buh, hub-hubbah, wah-wah…”
  683. “You know you want to,” you say, teeth bared in a mischievous grin
  684. >“Bwah?”
  685. >Impatiently, you roll your eyes, grab the back of Wallflower’s head, and cram her face into your cleavage
  686. >There’s a brief gasp, cut off by a mouthful of titty, and replaced by a contented groan
  687. “Oh, so the pervy little assassin loves my tits that much, does she?” you coo at her
  688. >All Wallflower does in response is grope at your breasts and start to turn blue in the face
  689. “Well, she can have as much of them as she wants…”
  690. >You jerk Wallflower’s face out of your bosom, and she gulps down fresh air
  691. “…if she’s willing to work for it.”
  692. >Wallflower looks positively stunned, sexually frustrated, and slightly betrayed
  693. “Like I said, Wallflower. The offer still stands.”
  694. >At that, you turn around and walk back to the house, with Wallflower awkwardly following and cursing the whole time
  695. >You drop your smug grin as soon as you walk inside, trading it for a friendly smile at the sight of Big Mac and Apple Bloom being tended to by Granny Smith
  696. >The two elder Apples greet you with a smile as well, although Apple Bloom looks bashful and turns away
  697. >You just hope that Applejack doesn’t take it too hard when she finds out that you made her little sister drink your blood and kinda make out with you to save the girl’s life
  698.  
  699. >Speaking of whom, that brings another question to mind
  700. “So, I’ve been wondering, where’s Applejack?”
  701. >Granny straightens out and turns to you; you’re pretty sure you can hear her joints creaking, thanks to your heightened perception
  702. >“Oh, Applejack? She said she was gonna be off doin’ some Harmony business with Princes Twilight, planned on gittin’ gone fer a month or so.”
  703. “A whole month?”
  704. >“Yeah, Ah dunno what she’d be gone so long fer, but Ah don’t question it when a Princess is askin’.”
  705. >She sits down at the kitchen table, and drinks down a mug of coffee
  706. >“Ah s’pose ye’re wantin’ to discuss yer payment?”
  707. >You scratch your head confusedly
  708. “What? The guild is supposed to give me the reward.”
  709. >“The guild is payin’ you fer killin’ the ankheg, not fer savin’ mah granddaughter.”
  710. “Really, you don’t have to. Any decent person would have-”
  711. >Granny interrupts you with a stern glare
  712. >“Any ol’ person woulda hightailed it outta here ‘n left Apple Bloom ta be bug food, but not only didja kill the bug, you saved Apple Bloom at the same time. Nothin’ Ah have could compensate fer what you’ve done fer me ‘n mah family.”
  713. >You cross your arms and begin thinking for a bit before walking up to Granny Smith
  714. “Well… I have something in mind that should work just fine, now that I think about it.”
  715. >“You do?”
  716. “Let me and Wallflower stay the night again to rest up, and I’ll consider your debt paid in full.”
  717. >Granny’s eyes well with tears, and she wraps her gnarled limbs around you
  718. >“Done,” she says, her voice muffled slightly by your collar
  719.  
  720. >You spend the rest of the day recuperating from your completed task
  721. >Thankfully for Wallflower’s armor, only a few key parts of it had been destroyed by the acid, and so you have little trouble fixing it with your Mending cantrip (-0 SP)
  722. >The entire time, Apple Bloom always falls silent in your presence
  723. >The awkwardness is almost as bad as when she openly hated you
  724. >It all comes to a head when you’ve finally started going to sleep
  725. >In the middle of the night, you hear your door creak open
  726. >Your drowsiness keeps you from reacting as fast as you would like, and by the time you open your eyes, the intruder is already upon you
  727. >Soft lips press against yours, which jolts you to full consciousness, and you get a look at who’s kissing you
  728. >To your horror, it’s Apple Bloom
  729. >Taking care to at least not hurt her when you break away, you push her off of you by putting your hand on her shoulder and giving a light shove
  730. >Bolting up, you look the young girl in the eyes, which are filled with guilt, confusion, and mortification
  731. “What do you think you’re doing!?” you whisper harshly
  732. >“Ah… Ah… Ah don’t…”
  733. >She can’t even speak properly through the embarrassment
  734. >She turns to run away, but you grab her arm before she can escape
  735. >“Ah’m sorry, Ah’m sorry, please don’t hurt me, Ah just wanted-”
  736. “Apple Bloom, I’m not going to hurt you, now calm down this instant. What’s wrong with you?”
  737.  
  738. >The poor thing starts crying, doing her best to not wake anyone up
  739. >“Y-you saved mah life, an’-an’-and you kissed me, even though I hated you, and-”
  740. >You press one taloned finger to her lips, silencing her
  741. “Hush. Tell me, how old are you?”
  742. >“A-Ah’m turnin’ fourteen in a month, AJ should be home just in time fer mah b-birthday.”
  743. >You sigh through your nose
  744. “How old do you think I am?”
  745. >“Uh… Ah’d say… twenty?”
  746. “Try ninety.”
  747. >“What? That’s… that’s older than Granny!”
  748. “Yeah, and even if I was only twenty, that’s still too old for me to be getting kisses from girls your age.”
  749. >“Th-then why didja-”
  750. “It was either I make things awkward between us or I let you bleed to death, and I would *never* consider allowing you to die, Apple Bloom. That’s not the kind of person I am.”
  751. >She plants her face in her hands, now painfully aware that a strange crush she has is going to be unrequited, probably forever, so far as she knows
  752. “…Look, right now is just not the time, alright? Give it a few years, and maybe thing will change between us. Maybe you’ll lose your infatuation, maybe I’ll reciprocate when you’re an adult, or maybe I’ll end up being your sister-in-law, I dunno. But right now? That’s a no go, and I hope you can understand why.”
  753. >“Mhmm…”
  754. >You give her a small hug
  755. “You get to bed now, okay? I’ll always be ready to help you, but you’ve still got to take things one step at a time.”
  756. >“A-alright.”
  757. “Good night, Apple Bloom.”
  758. >“G’night, Sunset.”
  759. >At that, she leaves for her room again, and you can get back to sleep
  760.  
  761. >Much to your disappointment, your slumber wasn’t interrupted again, albeit this time by Wallflower
  762. >Come morning, you curse your luck that you still haven’t managed to get her to lay you yet
  763. >What’s she waiting for, a wedding ring or something?
  764. >She needs to spend less time making poison and more time making love
  765. >At the very least, it would probably help with her antisocial nature to get laid once in awhile
  766. >And it would certainly help with your equally thirsty nature
  767. >C’est la vie
  768. >You get out of bed, are given another hearty breakfast, and profusely thanked again for your efforts
  769. >As you and Wallflower leave, the sneaky warrior tugs on your arm
  770. “Hm?”
  771. >“I’m going to head back to Canterlot, I think. If you can take on an ankheg as big as that one pretty much entirely by yourself, you really don’t need me to come along with you to finish the rest of your initiation quests.”
  772. “What do you mean-”
  773. >“Escorting an alchemist through the woods? Catching a petty thief? Child’s play.”
  774. >You forlornly kick at the dirt a little
  775. “So… I guess that’s it for now?”
  776. >Wallflower shrugs
  777. >“Yeah, for now. I’ll see you back at the guildhouse, okay?”
  778. “Okay then.”
  779. >Wallflower dashes off to the horizon
  780.  
  781. What do you do? Y’all are at 5,100/6,000 XP now, so I won’t bother with updating the sheet, since that’s the only difference at the moment.
  782. >Go to the alchemist in the Everfree Forest and see if you can get the ingredients and/or under her slip
  783. >Go midget hunting and/or midget fucking in Canterlot’s slums
  784. >Go to the Adventurer’s Guild to turn in your assigned quest and/or convince Wallflower that she is for sexual
  785. >Other (make a suggestion!)
  786.  
  787. >Deciding that the alchemist was your next priority, you let Wallflower and yourself go your separate ways
  788. >The path there, you realized, would take some time
  789. >About another week, you surmise
  790. >The lady apparently didn’t live too deep within the forest, but was still far enough to get some privacy
  791. >In the back of your mind, you can hear the voice that says the both of you will be thankful for the seclusion
  792. >All the better for being able to fuck so hard you’re both screaming and not attract undue attention from passerby
  793. >You lick your lips at the thought, and begin imagining what she might look like
  794. >Maybe thick and pillowy, a real titty monster with ass for days
  795. >Or maybe a skinny thing, someone you can split in half
  796. >Perhaps even a petite lady, and you can make her voice soar so high that her phials and beakers all shatter
  797. >Even if you’re a demon-blooded Good Guy™, that doesn’t mean you can’t be a horny li’l devil
  798. >Your goals in mind, you head towards the forest
  799.  
  800. >Time and landscapes pass you by, and rather boringly at that
  801. >You just wish you’d gotten down some kind of spell for flight
  802. >It’s more fun seeing the world from high above it
  803. >The sore feet would surely not be missed, either
  804. >Banality eventually wins you over, and you barely pay attention to anything but the road until dusk on the fourth day
  805. >There is a loud rustling from bushes in the rather sparse woods the road passes through
  806. >Unsure of what exactly it is that you’ve found, you give both pause and a studious glance in the direction of the noise
  807. >It soon goes from rustling leaves to gruff voices and a loud guffaw
  808. >“We gonna git summa da gud snu-snu tonight, boss!”
  809. >Snu-snu? Wait a godsdamned second, what the fuck?
  810. >Continuing down the road a little bit so as to get a better look, you see three orcs standing over someone in a small grove
  811. >Looking a little harder, you’re shocked and a little aroused at what you see
  812.  
  813. >Sitting there, bound and gagged, is the figure of a plump young woman
  814. >A pillowy tummy
  815. >Child-bearing hips
  816. >#ThickThighsSaveLives
  817. >Tigass bitties
  818. >Long, raspberry hair with violet streaks, and the top of it pulled into a bun
  819. >Decorated with a big pair of glasses, some piercings, and occult-looking markings, you realize what you’re looking at
  820. >big_titty_goth_gf.png
  821. >The last thing anyone like her deserves is to be raped by some orcish brutes, and so you decide that you’re going to play hero yet again
  822. >For a second, you get the sneaking suspicion that this is going to be a recurring theme throughout your career
  823. >Not necessarily the stopping-orc-rapists part, but certainly the saving-dames-you-wanna-fuck-really-bad part
  824. >Regardless of the train of thought you were just having, you have a situation to address that is dire indeed
  825.  
  826. What do you do?
  827. >Go full-on LEEEROOOYYY JENKIIIIIINS
  828. >Charge in, spells a-blazing
  829. >Be sneaky (you took Vanish for a reason)
  830. >Try to talk the orcs into letting her go, whether through diplomacy or intimidation
  831. >Ignore your instinct for saving ladies to smooch, and leave her to her fate
  832.  
  833. >Time to get spooky, you figure
  834. >Making sure that each of your hits will count, you draw the earthbreaker again
  835. >A couple of words in Sylvan, and you disappear (-1 SP)
  836. >It only lasts for about twenty seconds as of now, but that’s all you’ll need
  837. >You decide to go for the targets that you’re pretty sure you’ll oneshot
  838. >Two of the orcs don’t look quite so big and strong as the one they called ‘Boss’
  839. >Stepping quietly behind one of the lackeys, you channel some raw magic into the weapon, and proceed to smack him over the head, leading into a second hit that crackles with electricity (-1 SP, -1 arcane point)
  840. >The combo finishes off the first orc with no trouble
  841. >However, attacking made you visible
  842. >“WUT DA ZOG IZZAT!?”
  843. >You take advantage of their confusion to get the spell up again
  844. >Another Sylvan chant, and you become invisible once more (-1)
  845.  
  846. >Following the same process as before, although at least you don’t have to spend more from your arcane pool since that lasts awhile, you assume the position behind the other subservient orc
  847. >SMAAAASH!
  848. >That time, you didn’t even need to use any magic, you just caved in the back of his head
  849. >As he falls to the ground and you appear again, the tied-up woman finally gets a good glimpse of you, eyeing your form
  850. >You take notice, and give a confident grin before returning to the matter at hand
  851. >A two-hundred-and-fifty-pounds-of-angry-muscles matter
  852. >The orc’s leader is ready for you this time, and moves in with a surprisingly well-made falchion, big enough to hold in two hands
  853. >You ready yourself for the fight, but you weren’t ready for his weapon
  854. >A couple of swings are traded between you two, nobody really getting an opening good and proper
  855. >The skill of this guy is rather concerning; most orcs you’ve met are wild brutes, but this guy has had a lot of training, and is a skilled, practiced fighter
  856. >He doesn’t let you have the breathing room for the time to cast a spell, always keeping the gap between you closed
  857. >Finally, he sees an opportunity and takes it
  858. >The blade digs into your chest, and the impact of it is utterly visceral, rocking you to your core (-15 HP)
  859. >It tingles and burns on top of the pain too
  860. >Taking another look at the sword, you see why t hurt so bad
  861. >The dark metal tells you all you need to know
  862. “Cold iron… dammit!”
  863.  
  864. >The orc smirks at your realization
  865. >“Hah! Dis wuz far hunten fairies, but I guess it wurks far demon wimminz too!”
  866. >If you want to beat this guy, you’re going to have to be faster
  867. >You drop the earthbreaker and draw your scimitar, giving it a twirl to fill it with arcane energy
  868. “I’m not a demon, you asshole!”
  869. >You dart inward and land a good hit with your own sword, and throw in a slash with your free claw for good measure
  870. >They may not have done the damage that his weapon did, but now you’ve got him on the defensive
  871. >Putting the pressure on him keeps him from being able to attack quite so effectively, enough so that the next opening he hacks at is thwarted by you tapping into the supernatural speed granted by Duelist’s Parry (-1 SP)
  872. >“A she-devil, den! Ya gots da horns, da teef, da skin!”
  873. >He gets in one more attack, nailing you in the side (-11 HP)
  874. >“You’s a fiend ennyway ya lukken at it!”
  875. >You just yell angrily in response
  876. >Another hit on him with the scimitar, but he still seems to have so much more left in him than you do
  877. >Seeing this as the opportunity to turn the tables again, the orc gets in one more attack, and it crosses with the first one he hit you in the chest with (-12 HP)
  878. >You collapse to the ground, giving a pained moan of defeat
  879.  
  880. >“Such a pity,” the orc says as you lay there dying, “a gurlz like you woulda med sum gud snu-snu. Too bad ya gotta die.”
  881. >Your world slowly fades into ever darker blurs, and you can hear the muffled screams of the woman and the grunting chortles of the orc
  882. >As you feel yourself begin to perish, you hear a sinister voice in the back of your head
  883. >The voice is male, certainly not your own thoughts speaking to you, but he sounds very charismatic
  884. >“It would be a real shame for you to perish here, would it not, child?”
  885. >Whoever he is, he makes Abyssal sound more elegant than Prench could ever hope to be
  886. “Child…? What are you talking about…?” you wearily think to yourself
  887. >“You know that you have a demonic heritage, but have you ever considered just what kind of demon it was, exactly?”
  888. “No, not really…”
  889. >“Let the power in your blood take hold in your most dire moments of need, and it will serve you well, child.”
  890. “What do you mean…?”
  891. >“Submit to the fiend within, and you shall see.”
  892. >The voice fades away with cold laughter, and you can feel a recognizably demonic presence within, but the power it exudes is so much greater than what you had felt when you were defeated by the Elements of Harmony
  893. >In a moment of desperation, you let it pour into you, and you suddenly are brought back to the world of the living
  894.  
  895. >Grotesque squelching noises, painfully strong heartbeats, and a burning within your muscles like white-hot fire overwhelm your senses as you rise to your feet
  896. >You curl over, clutching your sides and give an agonized scream as a sensation not unlike fans of knives bursting from your back overcomes your willpower
  897. >As soon as the feeling in your back goes away, you straighten out and feel the popping of many joints and vertebrae, and the pain is replaced with an ecstasy the likes of which you’ve never felt before
  898. >Your wound have healed, you notice, and you can feel that you have such strength that the world could be compared to something so frail as paper and cobwebs in relation to your might
  899. >An unearthly cackle escapes your throat at the power that you’ve unlocked
  900. “I’m GoInG tO hAvE sO mUcH fUn TeArInG yOu ApArT,” you say in a voice that sounds like an entire chorus of demons singing and shouting at once
  901. >The orc has a look of disbelief and abject terror, the latter so strong to your demonic perceptions that you can taste it in the air, and you give a lick of your lips
  902. >He immediately bolts, his prize forgotten, but he doesn’t get far when you spring after him, carried by a magnificent pair of wings that look more like they belong on a succubus queen than yourself
  903. >You turn him around, take hold of his wrists, and kick him in the chest so hard that he flies back about ten feet while his arms remain in your hands
  904. “I cAn’T wAiT tO fEeL yOuR gUtS sQuIsHiNg BeTwEeN mY fInGeRs.”
  905.  
  906. >The orc is wailing, sobbing in pain and despair at his dismemberment, but you aren’t fazed in the slightest
  907. >You stand over him, lifting him by the throat
  908. “DiE wItH sOmE oF yOuR sTuBbOrN oRcIsH pRiDe InTaCt, WiLl YoU?” you hiss as you thrust your free hand into his abdomen
  909. >Twisting his innards around your talons, you give a tug, and most of his guts leave his body alongside your hand
  910. >You drop your gruesome work to the ground and flick most of the blood off of your arm as you leave him to bleed out, heading back to the grove where the woman is
  911. >When you turn to her, her face is white as a cloud from terror, but her eyes betray a sense of arousal, and you can even smell that she’s warm and wet from twenty feet away
  912. >Your first reaction is to grin at her, but when you catch a look at yourself in the polished glass of her spectacles, you’re kind of terrified yourself at what you see
  913. >Your skin has gone jet black, you have a crown of six horns circling your head,, and your eyes are a solid, luminous, acid green
  914. >You stagger backwards at the sight, and are filled with a sense of dread, and more importantly, failure
  915. >How could you possibly explain this to any of your friends? You’re a monster all over again!
  916. >The voice from before returns to you, however
  917.  
  918.  
  919. >“Calm down, now,” he says, almost as would a father to his weeping daughter
  920. >“Remember your true self, the *real* Sunset Shimmer. The redeemed villainess who would never betray her friends, the aspiring adventurer, the seeker of glory and bringer of justice.”
  921. >Doing as you’re told, you picture in your head what you looked like before the transformation
  922. >More pain shoots through you as you metamorphose to your original state, wings and horns alike melting away and buckling you over from the intensity of such torment
  923. >When it’s done, you fall to your hands and knees in lethargy
  924. >It takes a minute, but you’re soon able to hobble back to your feet, and approach the woman, who you unbind and ungag
  925. >Your deed done, you sit cross-legged in front of her, your breathing still heavy
  926. >There is an awkward silence as you catch your breath and she continues to stare
  927. >You finally break the silence
  928. “What… happened to me back there?”
  929. >The woman is hesitant to say anything, but does eventually reply
  930. >“You turned into… I don’t really know what, but it certainly wasn’t very pleasant for anyone involved, by the look of it.”
  931. >Great, you’ve found out that you can turn yourself into a monster, and now have someone who’s going to tell the whole world about it
  932. >You put your head in your hands as the shame rolls off of you in waves
  933. >Your fears are quashed by what she has to say next, though
  934.  
  935. >“That was totally wicked.”
  936. “ …*Huh!?*”
  937. >“Are you a cambion?”
  938. “A what now?”
  939. >“A cambion,” she says with a roll of her eyes, “someone directly descended from a demon prince.”
  940. >You scoff at the very thought
  941. >There’s no way that could happen, you remember your mother and father very clearly
  942. “No, I’m not that special,” you say, brushing it off
  943. >“You could have fooled me, what with how easily you killed the orcs.”
  944. >Her statements are somewhat concerning, and although they are meant to be thanks and praise, being congratulated for mauling someone so viciously does not sit well with you
  945. >You decide there and now that not biting off more than you can chew is your top priority in a fight
  946. >You really don’t want to have to do that again
  947. “What are you even doing out here, anyway?”
  948. >“I was on my way back to Canterlot,” she explains, “when I was attacked by those orcs.”
  949. >You sniff the air, and can still pick up the scent of her arousal in the air between you
  950. “Do you have a fetish for being kidnapped or some-?”
  951. >“Nope, nuh-uh, not me, you’ve got the wrong girl for that kind of sick stuff, why don’t we talk about the weather or something?” she squeaks out way too quickly with a blush
  952. >You give a snort and a smile before standing up and helping her to her feet again
  953. >Looking around the remains of the battlefield, you find your own gear, and take the orc leader’s falchion, feeling that it’s vaguely magical
  954. >You figure that it may come in handy sometime soon
  955.  
  956. >“Where are you headed, anyway?”
  957. “To the Everfree Forest, an alchemist there wants my help.”
  958. >“Oh.”
  959. >She looks a little dejected, and when she crosses her arms, you can’t help but lick your lips at the sight of her rotund bust squishing around in her woolen top
  960. “You can come along if you want, you know.”
  961. >“N-no,” she says, her blush darkening slightly, “I have business at the Royal Library that I need to attend to, and it can’t really wait much longer.”
  962. >She wills herself to make eye contact again before continuing
  963. >“You seem like an intelligent woman yourself. If you ever want to visit and study together, you’re more than welcome to stop by…”
  964. “I’ll take you up on that. But it would certainly help if I had something to remember you by.”
  965. >“Like what?”
  966. “Like your top.”
  967. >Her cheeks are positively aflame at that suggestion
  968. >“A-are you serious?”
  969. “I’m always serious when it comes to cute girls.”
  970. >You can tell that she really wasn’t expecting the ‘cute’ part there
  971. “A little memento to remind me of the pretty maiden whose life I saved would do me a world of good.”
  972.  
  973. >“…Okay.”
  974. >She bashfully pulls her top off and hands it to you, and you stare in awe at her great, honking titties
  975. >Contrasting with the wan skin is a pair of rosy areolae at the end of each one
  976. >“H-here you go,” she quietly forces out
  977. >Stuffing the garment away in your backpack, you can’t resist grabbing at the massive mammaries before you
  978. >The woman yelps in surprise, but soon gives a moan of pleasure as you squeeze and massage them
  979. >You pinch her pierced nipples, giving each one a soft twist and a pull
  980. >The smell emanating from between her thighs is practically intoxicating at this point
  981. >“I s-s-swear, you’re almost as b-bad as the orcs…!”
  982. “And yet you seem to like it anyway. Am I wrong?”
  983. >“Mmrph… no, you’re not.”
  984. “Good.”
  985. >You let go of her breasts and kiss her lips gently before licking her forehead
  986. “You ought to be more in the mood by the time I get back to Canterlot myself. After all, it’s not like anyone could *possibly* be horny after trauma like being kidnapped, right?”
  987. >The woman is fidgeting around in an effort to not begin masturbating at this point
  988. >“R-right!”
  989. “By the way,” you say nonchalantly, “I never caught your name.”
  990. >“M-Moondancer.”
  991. “Sunset Shimmer. Glad to meet you, Moondancer.”
  992. >“Likewise.”
  993. >You give one of her breasts another good squeeze, making sure to dig in your nails a little, but not enough to make her bleed
  994.  
  995.  
  996. “I’ll catch you later, then,” you say tauntingly
  997. “Just be sure to watch your back, though. You never know when someone decides you’re due for a little… surprise.”
  998. >You can almost see the steam coming from her ears at your parting words
  999. >She snatches up a cloak from one of the dead orcs and wraps it around herself before heading off in a different direction than yourself
  1000. >Moondancer… the name has a nice ring to it, you admit
  1001. >She’ll definitely be lots of fun
  1002. >You still have the alchemist to get to though
  1003. >That little encounter has you so riled up that if your next client happens to be a cutie, you’re relatively certain that you’ll end up pouncing like a feral beast in heat
  1004. >You figure that’s a good thing, it should make it all the sweeter when you fuck her silly
  1005. >Or get fucked silly
  1006. >Whichever, you just wanna get laid really bad now, regardless of who does the fucking
  1007. >At least it’s only another two days to the Everfree, one if you hustle
  1008. >Making camp at nightfall, you decide to get some rest so as to have the energy for the remainder of your journey
  1009. >Waking up, you feel more energized than ever, and somehow even stronger; good, you figure you’ll need it
  1010.  
  1011. Level up! At this level, some of your abilities improved, and you picked up the Spell Recall ability. Also, you get to add 1 point to any single one of your ability scores, and have access to 2nd-level spells. Same as before, you choose what kind of spells you want to learn at this level, and I’ll pick a few that fit the category.
  1012.  
  1013. Ability score:
  1014. >Strength (attack and damage with two-handed weapons/one-handed weapons in two hands)
  1015. >Dexterity (AC, attack and damage with light/natural/one-handed weapons, Reflex saves)
  1016. >Constitution (HP, Fortitude saves)
  1017. >Intelligence (Casting stat, arcane pool, Knowledge checks, spell DCs, SP)
  1018. >Wisdom (Some skills, Will saves)
  1019. >Charisma (Bluff/Diplomacy/Intimidate checks, and/or charming the panties off of every girl you meet)
  1020.  
  1021. Spells:
  1022. >Offensive
  1023. >Defensive
  1024. >Utility
  1025.  
  1026. Went with a boost to Dexterity, since that was the first one to get multiple votes, last I remember.
  1027.  
  1028. >Your strength renewed and then some, you begin your trek onward
  1029. >The first day brings little to no troubles, although by dusk, clouds have started to gather
  1030. >The second day starts out a dreary, overcast gray
  1031. >By noon, it’s already started to rain, and even though you have a hood around the collar of your armor, it only does so much
  1032. >At least your armor was made to withstand less-than-optimal weather, and so while you’re irritatingly wet, it’s not going to affect the leather much
  1033. >Small blessings
  1034. >Eventually, the roads have picked up puddles
  1035. >The earth is too hard and packed to turn into mud just yet, but it’s just getting all the more annoying to deal with
  1036. >About two hours into walking in the rain, you finally reach the fork that leads to the Everfree Forest
  1037. >There’s always been something of a foreboding presence that emanates from the place, but what you’re worried about right now is dealing with the flora and fauna
  1038. >You don’t know exactly how far into the forest the alchemist lives, but you don’t figure that it’s too far
  1039. >Far enough for some privacy, but not far enough for total seclusion, if she’s close enough to be sending letters to the Adventurer’s Guild
  1040.  
  1041. >With the forest floor being so much more soft and loamy, it’s already become a squishy mess
  1042. >Trudging through the mud and the muck, you get bored enough to start thinking about the potential girlfriends you’ve already picked up
  1043. >Wallflower is a real cutie, and a total sub at that
  1044. >She’ll be a lot of fun to boss around in the bedroom, that’s for sure
  1045. >Moondancer, on the other hand, you’re less sure about
  1046. >That she was aroused at the idea of you kidnapping her, or giving her a surprise fuck out of nowhere, and was so willing to give into your demands to give you her clothes and let you play with her tits gives you the impression that she’s one of *those* nerds
  1047. >The kind that have so many kinks and fetishes that they could almost definitely fill a large tome with them
  1048. >And you’re pretty sure that you hit, like, ten of them for her to be so willing to be lewd after she just watched you turn into a demonic monster and brutally murder her kidnappers
  1049. >Either way, whether she tops (doubt it) or bottoms (pretty sure), you know you’re going to have a lot of fun playing with Big Titty Goth Girlfriend™
  1050. >The thought of burying your face in her chest, sucking and biting so much that her breasts are covered in bruises has already banished most of the chill that the cool rain has soaked into your skin
  1051. >You can even feel a bit of moisture between your legs that certainly didn’t fall from the sky
  1052.  
  1053. >Such thinking has its consequences, unfortunately
  1054. >The longer you keep thinking about lewd things, the louder the forest seems to get
  1055. >A number of animals begin hooting and howling as you venture deeper
  1056. >It’s probably that they can smell your arousal wafting through the air, even in the rain
  1057. >Problem is, you can’t get the image of a fucked-silly Moondancer out of your head, try as you might, which just makes everything worse
  1058. >It isn’t long before a couple of timberwolves lurch from the underbrush, staring at you rather confoundedly with their glowing eyes in their wooden skulls
  1059. >The two of them start circling you, and a third one joins in
  1060. >You can’t tell whether they’re studs or bitches, nor do you really want to find out, and so you draw your fancy new falchion, giving it a quick brandish and coating it in flames (-1 SP, Flaming Burst property)
  1061. >Though they may have been initially interested for sexytiemz, the fire on your sword makes your intentions very clear, and they take a hostile position
  1062. >These things are admittedly pretty big, but they seem rather afraid of your fiery blade
  1063. >A couple of fake swings at them, and they soon dash off into the woods again, staying well away
  1064. >You can still hear them following you, which leaves your nerves prickling
  1065. >The sooner you can get to the alchemist’s hut, the better
  1066.  
  1067. >The falchion’s temporary fire enchantment fades soon, but the animals still give you a wide berth, even though they keep making lots of noise
  1068. >At least you’re not super horny anymore
  1069. >Finally, at long last, you smell smoke, and follow the trail to a clearing
  1070. >There stands a still-living tree, with a door and windows carved into it, and smoke rising from between the branches
  1071. “Ugh, thank the stars, I’m finally here.”
  1072. >You walk up to the door and give a weary knock
  1073. >“Ah, an agent, I reckon? Hold on, I’ll be but a second.”
  1074. >There are some light footsteps, and the door opens, a friendly warmth rolling over you from the doorway
  1075. >Upon seeing the one who answered the door, you give a surprised blink
  1076. >A little over six feet tall, slender, yet chiseled, standing before you is a drow with a striped mohawk and a genial smile
  1077. >Her long ears have large rings hooked in them, a series of golden rings spiral around her neck, and she wears clothing that seems far too simple for an elf
  1078. >Naught but a tied-on top that covers her modest, firm chest, a skirt that wraps around her hips and her upper legs at an odd angle, and a large, worn cloak with a spacy hood
  1079. >“I see the rain has brought pain from soaking you to the bone; come inside, you may dry, and warm yourself in my home.”
  1080. >At such a kind welcome, who would you be to refuse?
  1081. >Besides, you have work to do anyway
  1082.  
  1083. >Stepping inside, you get a better look at the place
  1084. >Myriad objects line the walls, everything from masks and fetishes to glass containers and reagents
  1085. >A large hammock hangs in one corner
  1086. >In the very middle is a large cauldron, beneath which a gentle fire smolders
  1087. >The smell inside is one of smoke, herbs, spices, and a faint, balmy odor, not unlike harsh medicine
  1088. >“Greetings, friend, and welcome to my abode. I imagine you seek some succor from the trials of the road?” she says, her rhyming ever present
  1089. “Er… yeah, to be honest. I’m not too cold, really, just sopping wet.”
  1090. >The drow gives you a wry grin
  1091. >“Wet indeed, if the noise of the wildlife is anything to go by! They are not so loud when between the legs of those who tread here… is dry.”
  1092. >It takes but a moment to understand what she’s getting at
  1093. “I, uh… what?”
  1094. >“The creatures of the forest could smell your arousal, and assumed you were a beast in heat,” she explained
  1095. >“I can only imagine their disappointment when it was not a mate they did meet.”
  1096. >She’s just getting better and better at embarrassing you
  1097. >“Please strip down, so I can dry your armor and clothes. Running your boots dry leaves them offensive to the nose,” she says while stringing up some twine
  1098.  
  1099. What do you do?
  1100. >Do as you’re told
  1101. >Object
  1102. >Flirt
  1103. >Striptease for the alchemist
  1104. >Other (make a suggestion!)
  1105.  
  1106. >You decide that if she wants you naked, the both of you should enjoy it, and so you rise, waiting for her to turn around before you start
  1107. >Your bags and weapons go first, rather unceremoniously falling to the floor so you can get to the actual fun bits
  1108. >The buckles and straps of your armor are next, and you make sure to take your time, using your claws and fluid movements to slowly disassemble it
  1109. >The bracers, boots, belts, and chaps drop as you undo them, and you kick them aside
  1110. >As you’re doing all this, the alchemist’s eyes follow your every move, and she gives a knowing grin
  1111. >She’s well aware of what you’re doing, but it seems she wants to play along
  1112. >When it comes to your top, you hold it closed with your clenched fists, and roll them around, squishing into your large breasts and moving them along with it
  1113. >There’s the occasional ‘accidental’ nip slip, and you begin to smile in return as the drow’s own smile grows
  1114. “So, I imagine you’re Zecora?” you say, making small talk while keeping your tone seductive
  1115. >She gives you a nod
  1116. >You respond by finally letting your breasts show in full, the leather garment sliding down your shoulders and off your arms
  1117. “Must be lonely out here, having no one to talk to over some coffee in the morning.”
  1118. >With your top fully exposed, you start swinging your hips back and forth, letting your contrastingly hard abs twist around with your sensual movement
  1119. >“Discriminatory feelings you inspire as a tiefling are something that I know, it is not often someone will soften their deep fear of the drow,” she informs you
  1120.  
  1121. >Zecora saves the mood in the nick of time
  1122. >“Though their feelings I do not blame, it is still such a shame, for my kind can set aflame the cheeks of many a dame.”
  1123. >Zecora struts forward, making sure to move almost the same way you do
  1124. >One of her spidery hands cups one of your breasts, and her fingers sink right into that soft flesh
  1125. >“So soft, how oft, I wonder, do you have pleasure at your own leisure with these tits that make my heart thunder?”
  1126. >You moan into your words as she fondles you with her deft hands
  1127. “Nnnngh… nowhere near as often as I’d like. I’m usually busy saving the lives of other pairs of tits, I don’t usually have the time to play with myself.”
  1128. >”Rather than merely play with yourself,” Zecora suggests, “give in to the ministrations of this elf.”
  1129. >She jerks down your breeches, exposing your ass and growler to her
  1130. >She’s surprisingly strong for someone who’s otherwise so scrawny
  1131. >Your pants still being around your ankles makes it easy for her to push you onto your back, landing on the hammock, which has a thick pad on it
  1132. >It feels like it must have been filled with feathers, it’s so soft and comfy
  1133. >Nowhere near as warm as the drow woman who’s standing over you though, her eyes looking over your body as though examining a fine steak
  1134. >She’s not even touching you, and you can still feel the heat radiating from her
  1135.  
  1136. >“Stretch your hands over your head, and let me see how fun you are to bed.”
  1137. >You do as you’re told, with a broad, toothy grin on your face, shivering with anticipation at what Zecora may do next
  1138. >She leans down and gives you a passionate kiss before moving her mouth elsewhere
  1139. >A few licks to your ears, even playing with your piercings with her teeth
  1140. >Kisses are planted all over your neck, chest, and breasts
  1141. >You get a surprise when you feel her drag her warm, wet tongue into your armpit and up to the base of your upper arm
  1142. >That, uh… felt a lot better than you thought it would, although it tickled a little bit
  1143. >Zecora’s attention is soon drawn elsewhere though, and she starts running her nails along the crevices of your abdomen and hips
  1144. >When she reaches your valley, she hesitates not even half a second before gently grazing your nethers with her nails
  1145. >Not enough to be a painful scratch, but you certainly feel it
  1146. >She toys with your labia relentlessly, her smirk broadening as you begin to squirm
  1147. “Mmph… my puss is going to eat your hand if you don’t put some fingers in there…”
  1148. >Zecora says nothing, but happily obliges, starting with just her middle finger, and soon slips the index in there as well
  1149.  
  1150. >Pumping her digits in and out, you can already feel an orgasm steadily approaching; it’s been so long since your last lay that your womanhood trembles over something so small as a couple of fingers
  1151. >You grit your teeth and clench your fists around the edge of the hammock, taking short, gasping breaths
  1152. “Ah… ahh… haaah…!”
  1153. >“About to come so soon? I thought you were stronger; well, just tell me when you want it no longer.”
  1154. >Zecora’s singsong voice echoed in your hand like the taunt it was, and your contrariness immediately responds with a surge of confidence
  1155. “Is that a challenge?” you say with a defiant sneer
  1156. “You must not know me very well.”
  1157. >Zecora laughs, “The night as of yet is young still; know you well by its end, I will.”
  1158. >Your pride kicks in, and through naught but willpower you force the oncoming orgasm back to where it came from
  1159. >Clamping your legs shut, you hold her arm in place, your knees passing her elbow
  1160. >Her expression betrays her surprise, and you look her square in the eyes as you use your hips alone to grind yourself on her fingers
  1161. >Taking it up another notch, you reach up to put one arm over Zecora’s neck and pull her down to meet your lips to hers in a fiercely passionate kiss
  1162. >In one final display of strength, you perform the ultimate power move...
  1163.  
  1164. >[spoiler]You reach with your free hand to grasp Zecora’s, entwining her fingers in your own[/spoiler]
  1165. >You’re too busy making out to see it, but Zecora’s eyes shoot open, and she begins to quake slightly at the sheer audacity over breaking such a strict taboo
  1166. >The smell of arousal grows thicker, and you know for a fact that it’s not all yours anymore
  1167. >“You would resort to the Forbidden Touch™? You undersold your nerve so very much,” Zecora says, breaking away briefly
  1168. >You stick out your tongue with a toothy smile and giggle softly
  1169. >Pulling her back down again, you lick inside the rim of her ear, and you can feel it swivel almost like that of a cat’s
  1170. >Zecora gives a heavy shudder at the attention to such a sensitive spot for her
  1171. “The tides have turned, elf.”
  1172. >“Though it may seem that way, there is a fact you still miss: my hand is inside you, and can do things like this.”
  1173. >She wriggles her fingers back and forth, and brings her thumb into the equation, rolling over your hard, wet clit
  1174. >The orgasm’s approach comes back in full force, and nearly overtakes you
  1175. >Not to be outdone, you [spoiler]hold her hand even tighter[/spoiler], and loll your tongue all around in her ear, drawing a sharp moan and a blush that you can even see even on her dark cheeks
  1176. >Both of you are on the cusp of coming, you can feel it
  1177. >Just as she gives your pearl a pinch, you lick-bite her lobe with your sharp teeth
  1178.  
  1179. >There is a deafening silence in the wake of both of your wailing in climactic splendor
  1180. >The entire forest has gone quiet, and the only sounds are your shared heavy breaths alternating with hers
  1181. >You weakly release her [spoiler]hand and her[/spoiler] arm, and she in turn withdraws her fingers from your valley
  1182. >“Though this night has been so sweet, I did not think that you would cheat,” she pants
  1183. “Rules are great when they help, but there are times when they get in the way, and if you‘re fighting a villain, you sometimes just gotta kick ‘em in the balls to win.”
  1184. >Zecora scoffs
  1185. >“Now I am a villain to you? Something about that does not ring true.”
  1186. >You wave it off
  1187. “Nah, you aren’t a villain, those dastardly hands of yours are,” you say jokingly
  1188. >The both of you pause for a minute, basking in afterglow, before you turn to look at each other
  1189. “Wanna go for round two?”
  1190. >“Oh yes, every last yes. Tonight has been just the best.”
  1191. >Your pieces said, the two of you get back into it, and by the time you finish, the canopy of the forest is bathed in the light of dawn
  1192.  
  1193. We have reached a point now where I would like to offer a change in perspective. Sunset is… busy at the moment, and so we can build up the world a bit more by spending some time as another character. There are three choices available to you, and the first to five votes (or whoever has the highest at the end of the day, if nobody hits five votes) is who we play with for awhile. Sunset is still the main protagonist, but through these separate quests, we can make other characters with whom she can forge friendships, swear to be bitter enemies, or fall deeply, madly in love.
  1194.  
  1195. >Lightning Dust
  1196. A half-elf Chaotic Neutral Swashbuckler, a guild member and gloryhound out to get drunk, get laid, and get rich, not necessarily in that order; as a Swashbuckler, there will be an option available in all your choices to just be a total cunt, or otherwise show off the size of your metaphorical balls, which carries risks, but can also reward you greatly.
  1197. >Tempest Shadow
  1198. A tiefling Lawful Neutral Inquisitrix, and the head of a division of Canterlot’s law enforcement, placed into such a position by Princess Twilight Sparkle herself. Inflicted with a Wild Magic curse, any magical scenario can become unpredictable and outrageous. Dominate your foes/girlfriends! Uproot conspiracies! FIGHT CRIME!
  1199. >Wallflower Blush
  1200. The human Neutral Slayer we all know and… well, the one we all know. Though lacking in confidence when it comes to being able to join the Assassin’s Guild, she’s not lacking in confidence in her ability to kill things before she’s caught, and these adventures will be all about taking on tasks that require her deadly brand of stealth.
  1201.  
  1202. >You are Tempest Shadow (to all but Princess Twilight Sparkle, the only person with the privilege of calling you by your original name, Fizzlepop Berrytwist)
  1203. >Commanding officer of the investigative branch of Canterlot’s law enforcement, Inquisitrix and bringer of cold, hard justice
  1204. >Just as all other tieflings, the blood of fiends runs through your veins
  1205. >Unlike most others, who are typically born with demonic genes, you are instead descended from devils
  1206. >A fact of which you are quite proud; devilkind is known for its great cruelty, but also for its orderliness and strict organization, traits which have served you well over the years
  1207. >Even during your time spent with the Storm King, a now-dead nascent demon lord, you found yourself to be a good leader, commanding troops and terrifying enemies
  1208. >It took betrayal from the Storm King and witnessing him about to deal an unfair, finishing blow to Princess Twilight for you to have a change of heart
  1209. >Since then, you have served her well, and in turn she has granted you station
  1210. >As well, she has tried to help you with your strange Wild Magic curse, but even her great knowledge and immense power seem to have no effect on it
  1211. >It seems even the gods themselves would curse your name, and for what? The supposed misfortune of bearing an infernal heritage?
  1212. >Bah!
  1213. >A pox on them, says you! They have no right to judge, not when they live so grandly in the Upper or Lower Planes while everyone else suffers their fates as mortals. The only divinities you answer to are the Princesses
  1214.  
  1215. >Speaking of whom, there has been a series of crimes related to the ones you serve
  1216. >Specifically, there is a string of murders, all of the victims being nobles or other people of status who have either voiced great displeasure with the Princesses or taken action against them
  1217. >As well, the cause of death seems to be the same in all cases as well; blood leaking from the ears and eyes, and many of the victims’ vitals are falling apart when autopsies are performed
  1218. >In particular, their lungs are collapsed and heavily ruptured
  1219. >Using magic has proven fruitless when looking for things such as poison or disease, and by the time the bodies are discovered, any chance for detecting and identifying a residual magic aura has passed
  1220. >Even the necromancers who ‘speak’ with the corpse find their efforts yield little, as the dead have no idea what it is that killed them, aside from there being a sudden burst of noise, pain, and then death overcomes them immediately
  1221. >Though true it may be that the Princesses are to a degree thankful for a lack of opposition, they do not appreciate that it follows in the wake of the deaths of their followers
  1222. >Indeed, such suspicious killings could only draw further ire, painting the Princesses as iron-fisted tyrants who have no qualms with forever silencing their enemies
  1223. >And that is where you come in
  1224. >As Princess Twilight’s trusted lawbringer, you have been appointed with the task of ending this ordeal as swiftly and efficiently as possible
  1225. >You are, after all, very good at making people regret… well, basically anything and everything they’ve done ever
  1226.  
  1227. >So, first and foremost, there are two possibilities for motive: either doing the Princesses a ‘favor’ by eliminating potential threats, or attempting to sully their names by portraying them as totalitarians who will not have their judgement questioned
  1228. >You have yet to discover the method of killing, nor do you have the foggiest idea of who could be doing it
  1229. >Magic is likely involved, but there is no actual proof of this
  1230. >If the culprit is in fact a spellcaster, that will make things very complicated
  1231. >There is little that you can do about things at the moment, aside from gathering further information
  1232. >At least there are several sources available to you
  1233.  
  1234. And so, we come to the first decision of our mono-manual Inquisitrix: whose cages are you going to rattle until some helpful info falls out?
  1235. >Talk to those who regularly work with dead bodies for an idea on what could possibly kill in such a manner
  1236. >Pry at some of the upper class to dig up any other commonalities between the victims
  1237. >Interrogate people who are regularly around the crime scenes for things like any odd happenings or suspicious activity
  1238. > Other (make a suggestion!)
  1239.  
  1240. >You decide that it would be wise to look for those who might be the next target, and so arrange a meeting with a couple of nobles and politicians
  1241. >One in particular draws your concern, that being Chancellor Neighsay
  1242. >That one who stoops so low as to use his station to enforce racist laws and traditions is a leader and lawmaker in such a cosmopolitan city makes you sneer in disgust
  1243. >Your suggestion to Princess Twilight of having him thrown in prison for hatecrimes was turned down by her, as well as Princesses Celestia and Cadance
  1244. >Princess Luna sided with you on the matter, or at least so far as feeling that he should be removed from his station
  1245. >You and the Princess of the Moon always seem to get along whenever you meet, however seldom such meetings may be
  1246. >The other Princesses may wish for something more gracious to sweep that annoying bishop from the political chessboard, but you and Luna feel that this is one case where the most direct method is best
  1247. >Perhaps the others will see the light in time
  1248. >Even you would not consider murder to be the best solution, however, and so will offer him at least some warning that his head my be next on the killer's plate
  1249. >Letting the gravity of the situation sink in ought to get him to at least loosen his tongue, though whether it convinces him to change his ways is another matter entirely
  1250. >The darker part of you wants to see his changes be too little and too late, and find his bleeding-eared corpse on the floor, but you chastise yourself for such thinking
  1251. >Slaying people out of such pettiness as disagreement over politics is something you had left behind a long time ago
  1252.  
  1253. >Your morbid thoughts are stowed away as you approach his estate that morning
  1254. >Giving the guards at his gate a cold glare, they open the iron bars for you, knowing both your position and that you would not be here without having important business
  1255. >Your dislike of Chancellor Neighsay is no secret, after all
  1256. >After giving the heavy front door a loud rap with your knuckles, the door is opened by one of his manservants, and you demand to be taken to see the Chancellor at once
  1257. >"I'm sorry, but Chancellor Neighsay is busy, and would like to be left alone in his study-"
  1258. "I don't rightly care about how busy he may be, for I am here on behalf of Princess Twilight Sparkle, however begrudgingly that may be so, and have matters to discuss that bear relation to something that may be a threat to his life."
  1259. >As the manservant is about to open his mouth to protest, you look him in the eye and frown deeply, making him wilt
  1260. "The Chancellor's study, now," you say tersely, and your request is not denied
  1261. >Upon reaching the door, you open it yourself without bothing to wait for the manservant, and enter the room with a scowl
  1262. >Neighsay turns around with a start, as well as a scowl that matches your own, but his expression fades upon seeing you; he knows exactly why you’re here
  1263. >“Ah, Inquisitrix Tempest Shadow! What a pleasant surprise.”
  1264. “There is nothing pleasant or surprising about this.”
  1265. >The Chancellor shook his head and sighed
  1266. >“Impertinent as ever, I see,” he grumbles before offering a seat
  1267. >You accept it, but never take your eyes off of him
  1268.  
  1269. >“What are you here to ask me?” he says, waving off the manservant who was still standing by the doorway
  1270. “There have been brutal murders recently,” you explain, “and the victims have all been those with an agenda against one or more of the Princesses.”
  1271. >“Surely then I could not be your suspect,” Neighsay says with a raised brow
  1272. >You shake your head
  1273. “And you are as self-important as ever, Chancellor. There’s no reason to assume you would ever be so competent as whoever is committing these crimes.”
  1274. >Neighsay squints at you, but strokes his goatee, putting on a show of being in thought
  1275. >“So you feel that I may be a potential victim?”
  1276. >You nod
  1277. “I need a more detailed understanding of your dealings outside of the office, because anything that might be painting a bigger target on your back will help us catch the mongrel robbing people of their lives before it happens. Contacts, organizations, activities, locations. I need them.”
  1278. >“And just why would I reveal such secrets to you? For all I know, you would just use them to fuel your grudge and find a way to get me out of office.”
  1279. “Because stopping the killer means that lives will be saved. You still have a right to live, even if you’re a dissenter.”
  1280. >“Pshaw!” scoffs Neighsay
  1281. >“Me? A dissenter? Preposterous! My loyalty to the Princesses is-”
  1282.  
  1283. >You slam your hand onto Neighsay’s desk, your talons digging into the hard oak like the spikes of a mace
  1284. “Your loyalty bears all the integrity of dry sand,” you counter with a snarl
  1285. “That you are a racist bastard who detests Princess Twilight’s love of educating all the masses out of xenophobic paranoia is known to virtually everyone with a head on their shoulders and at least one seeing eye, and though I have no desire to see you in a position of power, I also have no desire to see you in a casket. Unfortunately for you, someone out there doesn’t share my sentiment, and would just as soon put you in a grave as look at you.”
  1286. >Your outburst makes Neighsay clam up
  1287. “I normally would keep this confidential, but maybe a description of the bodies would help convince you to talk,” you say, your voice softening
  1288. “Blood oozing from the eyes and ears, like macabre tears. Their mouths, open in a soundless, agonized scream. And their innards?”
  1289. >You grind your nails a bit into the wood, take the handful of splinters, and sprinkle them over the rest of his desk’s surface
  1290. “Falling to pieces.”
  1291. >Cold beads of sweat appear on his forehead
  1292. “Again. Contacts. Organizations. Activities. Locations. I need them.”
  1293.  
  1294. >“ …A tavern basement.”
  1295. >You raise your hand to strike the desk again
  1296. >“The Empress’ Lock, we meet there every other night, tonight included, and… discuss things.”
  1297. “What things?”
  1298. >Neighsay is still reluctant to give many other details, and said reluctance is written on his face
  1299. >“I’ll let you see it for yourself. The password is ‘widdershins,’ and that’s all I can tell you.”
  1300. >You growl in frustration at his refusal to further divulge, but at this point you would probably have to resort to violence, and that would just get you in trouble
  1301. >After all, you aren’t above the law
  1302. >You ARE the law
  1303. >You stand up and take your leave
  1304. >It’s not much to go on, but it’s a lead, at least
  1305.  
  1306. What’s your next course of action?
  1307. >Continue interrogating (morticians, nobles, locals)
  1308. >Go to this meeting that Neighsay is due to attend
  1309. >Other (make a suggestion!)
  1310.  
  1311. >The meeting is your greatest opportunity at the moment, and so you decide that it will be your best bet for making progress
  1312. >Especially if the killer knows about the meeting and those they will find there
  1313. >It would practically be like shooting fish in a barrel with such a huge number of potential targets
  1314. >However, rather than simply go to the Empress’ Lock and wait, you decide to scope out the surrounding area first, looking for anything the killer might use to their advantage
  1315. >There are a few spots that would be great for sniping someone on the way out of the front door, numerous alleys, nooks and crannies to snatch someone away into, and other such things
  1316. >That is less important than anything to do with the building itself; the killings have mostly been indoors, and so you take note of features of the tavern’s architecture
  1317. >Most interestingly, there is a shed connected to the back of the building, but the door is locked from the inside
  1318. >Your suspicions grow at such a discovery, but unless you were to rip the door off its hinges—which, frankly, is far from beyond your capabilities—what lays inside will largely remain a mystery
  1319. >None of the passerby seem to be engaging in any suspicious behavior, but then again, civilians are typically very careful around you
  1320. >Both your appearance and reputation combine into a very nasty deterrent for many
  1321. >Having done all the scouting that you can, there is little else to do but wait, and so you enter the building
  1322.  
  1323. >Inside is a warm, bright atmosphere, with the smell of booze, roasting meat, and pipeweed smoke
  1324. >You have been here before, albeit only on occasion
  1325. >After all, Princess Twilight’s castle offers far better comforts
  1326. >Better victuals, better chambers, and typically better company
  1327. >There are times when you feel like what you are afforded at the castle is far more than you deserve; you have not forgotten who you used to be, and in some ways still are
  1328. >And thus, you decide to exercise some humility and dine and drink amongst the commonfolk once in awhile
  1329. >The barmaid who serves you this time around must be new, as you have never seen her before, and her awkwardness about serving you is apparent
  1330. >A pretty thing, but she is of little interest to you, except taking your order for some meat, vegetables, and mulled wine
  1331. >The eating is good, nice and hearty, and surprisingly light on the salt compared to most other bar food
  1332. >By the time you finish, you still have seen neither hide nor hair of Neighsay or any other nobles or politicians, and so have little to do but wait
  1333. >Though you consider yourself to be patient, the boredom tests even your will
  1334. >The boredom is shattered by the entrance of a particular individual, though they are certainly not amongst those you are waiting for
  1335.  
  1336. >A shock of shaggy blue hair, almost ghastly pale skin covered in tattoos that resemble sheet music, and a build that almost passes for human
  1337. >Combined with her smile being *just* too wide for her face, you recognize her as an elan
  1338. >An off-human race with a natural talent for psionic abilities, they have a reputation for being unintentionally disturbing because of how they are so close to looking like humans, but having a few traits that betray them and make others uncomfortable in their presence
  1339. >She notices you through outrageous spectacles with lenses made of a plum violet crystal, and waves
  1340. >Her slender form only makes her seem more alien, even as she tries to present herself in a friendly way
  1341. >You give a nod in return, and she does not seem to press the matter of getting to know you, for which you are thankful
  1342. >She is horribly out of place here, her exotic look making her stick out like a sore thumb, but seems to not mind
  1343. >You take great care to keep an eye on her as the evening approaches, and thus the time when you are to partake in the meeting
  1344. >The elan moves to a corner, and from a bag comes a staggering number of blue crystal shards, as well as four discs of magenta crystal, all of which float in the air
  1345. >She takes a position as though sitting down on a chair of nothing, standing on one foot while the other leg crosses over her knee, and the crystals all fan out in front of her
  1346. >Placing her fingers on a few of them, they light up at her touch, and emit a noise that is odd, but strangely pleasant
  1347. >Her digits make a dance over the crystals, flicking them to make harmonious music of the otherwise discordant sounds they give off
  1348.  
  1349. >You find the music, made of hums, echoes, hissing beats, and rumbling screeches to be even weirder than the elan herself
  1350. >In fact, you find the music so interesting that you almost miss it when Chancellor Neighsay enters the tavern
  1351. >You do catch yourself in time however, and turn your eyes to him, watching him not even give the bartender so much as a nod before heading to the stairs that lead down to the basement
  1352. >Waiting for a half a minute, you then follow him downstairs
  1353. >You find a door with a slot covered by a sliding panel, so as to let someone from the other side see through
  1354. >It opens, and the eyes that appear through the opening are confused, as well as a little scared
  1355. >”Inquisitrix Shadow? What brings you here?”
  1356. “I have business here that concerns the welfare of you all. The one who has been murdering those who would be in attendance of this meeting may well strike tonight, and I want to be there to prevent further deaths.”
  1357. >”Um, well, we aren’t-”
  1358. “Widdershins,” you say with a threatening squint
  1359. >There is conflict written all over what of this person’s face you can see, and they shut the slider before moving away
  1360. >Your keen senses catch through the door that the person is asking Neighsay what to do, and they return to open the door and allow you in
  1361.  
  1362. >Inside, the room is a little small, most of the space taken up by a large table
  1363. >Lamps keep the room alight quite well, making for good illumination
  1364. >Not that you need it, as you can see in the dark just fine, but it helps the others be plainly visible to one another
  1365. >Besides, your darkvision doesn't sit well with colors anyway
  1366. >Rather than sit, you decide to stand in a corner near the door, eyeing it as the flow of nobles and other upper-class people enter
  1367. >Gods, they're almost all just a bunch of grouchy, old, rich men
  1368. >You blink startledly at the sight of one particular attendee
  1369. "Prince Blueblood? What has possessed you to come here?"
  1370. >The prince is something of a distant relative of the Princesses, but royal blood still courses in his veins, enough so for him to be entitled to such a position
  1371. >As does the blood of celestials; the young man is an aasimar, although you are uncertain of which celestial he is descended from
  1372. >Despite your opposing bloodlines, he has always been rather sympathetic to your plight as a tiefling, suffering some level of discrimination and an immense amount of stereotyping because some otherworldly being decided to put their dick in a mortal, the only real difference being that he's rich enough that he can just throw money at people until the problem goes away
  1373. >He was even a very vocal supporter of your pardoning and acceptance into Canterlot law enforcement, which has you reeling and wondering what in all nine Hells he's doing here
  1374.  
  1375. >He gives a sly, charming grin
  1376. >"One could ask the same of you, Inquisitrix Shadow," he says casually as he takes the seat nearest to you
  1377. >"But if you must know, and I'm sure you do, I'm here for some catharsis. I love Auntie Celly and Auntie Lulu very much, but that hardly means I agree with them on everything. And what of yourself?"
  1378. "I came here because I aim to stop a serial killer who targets the wealthy, specifically naysayers-"
  1379. >The chancellor shifts in his seat uncomfortably at that
  1380. "-towards the Princesses. I have no love for them, but being a crotchety, salty old man who clings to every last copper doesn't necessarily mean you should die for it."
  1381. >Blueblood nods in understanding
  1382. >"Thankful I am that I'm not the avaricious type," he says with a small laugh
  1383. >You can tell that he's hiding something, you're just not sure what it is exactly
  1384. >The prince is very good at obfuscation and intrigue, both of which make for an interestingly effective combination in the political world
  1385. >As curious as you are, you are not here to investigate Prince Blueblood, and know you would drive yourself mad if you think about it all evening
  1386. "Indeed," you tell him simply before turning your attention back to the meeting
  1387.  
  1388. >Quite frankly, you would be less bored if you were in Princess Twilight's study and discussing arcane theorems rather than stuck here
  1389. >And you don't even cast arcane spells
  1390. >Everyone is at first very nervous at your presence until Blueblood and Neighsay reassure them that you're here to help, not arrest them all
  1391. >Now that that particular matter has been settled, they all dive into disgustingly petty complaints about the way things are run in Canterlot
  1392. >At least Blueblood keeps his bitching and moaning to being just about Celestia's frustrating love of contingencies and Luna's mildly terrifying love of combat
  1393. >He is also apparently quite disturbed from when he found out a week ago that Luna wants to fuck Dragonlord Ember, once the dragoness reaches maturity
  1394. >You decide not to question Luna's taste in bedmates ever again
  1395. >The hours drag on, and you're resisting the urge to snore when you notice something in the corner of your eye
  1396. >One of the magenta crystal discs has somehow gotten inside the room, and is floating in the air near the door, unseen by all but you and Prince Blueblood
  1397. >The disc begins to shudder briefly, then turns to make it look like a vertical blade about to slice into one of the attendees
  1398. >The air seems to ripple around it for half a second, and then…
  1399. >/WUBBA DUB-DUB, MOTHERFUCKER/ echoes in your head before a wave of sonic energy flies towards the target before you can do anything about it
  1400.  
  1401. >There is a loud crash and a pained scream from Blueblood as he leaps in front of the one the deadly soundwave was meant for, flinging both him and the one he was protecting against the wall
  1402. >Blueblood is alive and on his hands and knees, wheezing as blood leaks from his ears, eyes, and mouth, but it looks like the target, an older fellow who did not do much talking during the meeting anyway, didn't survive the blast, despite Blueblood's efforts
  1403. >The disc glides to hover just above the ground and slips under the bottom of the door before disappearing
  1404. >You quickly survey the room, trying to see through the chaos and panic who has been hurt
  1405. >It seems that Blueblood and the other man are the only ones who are hurt
  1406. >The others don't seem to have realized just what it was that unleashed the attack, but you have no doubts as to who the perpetrator is
  1407. >There's something of a dilemma at hand, however, and you need to decide what to do fast
  1408.  
  1409. What do you do?
  1410. >Chase the elan
  1411. >Help Prince Blueblood
  1412. >Calm everyone down
  1413. >Other (make a suggestion!)
  1414.  
  1415. >Saving Prince Blueblood's life takes priority here
  1416. >The elan shouldn't be too hard to spot later anyway, she stands out like a raspberry wine stain on a white silk shirt
  1417. >You dash over to him, and lay your hands upon his back
  1418. >His injuries are largely internal, so mundane methods will be of little use
  1419. >Risky though it may be, your only option is to use a healing spell, and so you mutter a few words in Celestial before your hands and Prince Blueblood are bathed in white light, pumping all the mana into it that you can (-8 SP, +30 HP)
  1420. >Though the prince is almost completely healed, when the light fades, his clothes don't seem to fit him quite right anymore
  1421. >Instead of a broad chest and shoulders, he has a somewhat slim hourglass figure and the features of a beautiful, pampered noblewoman
  1422. >Wild Magic has struck again, and Prince Blueblood has become Princess Blueblood
  1423. >Even through your stoicism would you find him? Her? Pretty enough to stare at, were the current situation not so dire
  1424. >Blueblood wipes the blood from her face and tells you, "Catch the culprit if you can, I can handle things from here- excuse me, can you explain what's become of my voice?"
  1425. "Look in the next mirror you find. In the meantime, you keep the situation here under control, and I shall return with that murderer in tow."
  1426. >Your piece said and instructions given, you bolt out of the room as fast as your legs can take you
  1427.  
  1428. >The elan is standing at the doorway, apparently waiting for you
  1429. >She gives you a taunting raspberry and thumbs her nose before whipping around and dashing away
  1430. >You will not stand for such mockery, and growl as you follow in hot pursuit
  1431. >The elan is unsurprisingly nimble, and quickly leads you down an alleyway
  1432. >Upon turning into the alley, you see that she has disappeared
  1433. >A curse falls from your lips in a bout of frustration, but a whistle from above catches your attention
  1434. >On the roof of one of the buildings is the elan, teasing you with a grin
  1435. >But then, she demonstrates how she perched herself on the roof in the first place by disappearing with a deep *WOOBH* noise and a flash of light
  1436. >The same sight and sound signal her reappearance several rooftops down the way
  1437. >She beckons you forth with a "Come and get me"gesture, and you begin to follow
  1438. >You are aware that this may well be a trap, and is in fact the most likely outcome, but there is little choice but to follow
  1439. >Trailing the elan’s erratic path, you find yourself slowly working your way deeper into the slums, with which you are not so familiar as the busier parts of town
  1440.  
  1441. >Eventually, you are lost entirely, and are essentially at the elan's whims in this maze of scum and detritus
  1442. >Even those who have never seen you or know who you are avoid you though
  1443. >It would seem that simply being a tall, one-armed tiefling woman with a variety of weapons and who's lone hand is big enough to wrap around their face is an effective deterrent from any who might think you a potential target
  1444. >Quite wise of them, so far as you're concerned, and at least it keeps you from running into too many distractions
  1445. >Even without being sidetracked by thugs looking to make a quick gold piece, the elan is infuriatingly difficult to follow
  1446. >You finally grow tired of this game, stop, and load your crossbow by holding its stirrup with your foot and loading the box of bolts
  1447. >Gripping the weapon with your one hand, you use your teeth to pull the lever back… and wait
  1448. >It takes a minute, but the elan eventually returns when she finds that you are no longer following her
  1449. >Quickly, you point the crossbow at her and shoot before she realizes what you're doing
  1450. >The bolt sinks into her shoulder and she buckles over, falling off of the rooftop upon which she was standing
  1451. >You drop your crossbow and catch her before she hits the ground
  1452. >Curiously, she has been silent the entire time, with not even so much as a yelp of pain
  1453.  
  1454. >With her in your grasp, you push the elan to the ground and sit atop her to keep her from escaping
  1455. >She tries to teleport away again, but your Wild Magic kicks in once more; you've known that it works just as well on psionic powers as it does on spells, and you give her an amused smirk as her skin is covered in crystal dust that shimmers in the light of the moon and streetlamps like glitter
  1456. >You jerk the bolt out of her shoulder—and still she does not scream, only drawing a deep, gasping breath at what had to be an agonizing experience—and hold both of her wrists in your hand, helping prevent her from fighting back too much
  1457. "So, would you care to tell me what your plans are, or need I beat an answer from your wretched lips?"
  1458. >The voice you heard at The Empress' Lock echoes in your head again
  1459. >/I'm trying to lead you back to my place,/ the voice says, sounding like that of a young woman who had been smoking from a pipe since she was old enough to eat solid food
  1460. >/I can explain everything when we get there, I promise! The others, too!/
  1461. >Your eyes narrow dangerously at her words
  1462. "Others? What do you mean, *others*?"
  1463. >The elan's face expresses reluctance
  1464. >You in turn grip her wrists painfully hard
  1465. >/Please, stop! Just let me stand up, I'll even let you keep holding me if you promise to let me take you, okay?/
  1466.  
  1467. What do you do? (SP: 28/36)
  1468. >Accept her offer, and follow her to get some answers
  1469. >Refuse her offer, and haul her off to jail to drill the information out of her
  1470. >Other (make a suggestion!)
  1471.  
  1472. >This whole situation smacks of deceit, but…
  1473. >There is no denying that you have an intense desire to know what the elan is talking about
  1474. >If there are others like her, the potential danger is immense
  1475. >You really can’t allow that sort of thing to stay hidden right under the Princess’ noses
  1476. “...Very well,” you say with a snort
  1477. >The elan grins relievedly
  1478. >You turn her over roughly, and she hisses in pain as you jostle her around and make a loop around her neck before using the same rope to bind her hands as well; if she struggles much, she’ll choke herself
  1479. >If you weren’t so angry at having to chase her, you’d have thought it was kinda hot to see her tied up
  1480. >You at least take some satisfaction in her pained expression as you manhandle her
  1481. >Serves her right
  1482. “Walk,” you bark at her, holding her not unlike a dog with a two-foot leash
  1483. >/Alright, I’m moving. Just don’t pull too hard okay?/
  1484.  
  1485. >The elan takes you along through winding streets and alleys even you were unaware existed
  1486. >As you walk, she tries to lighten the mood a little with some casual banter
  1487. >/So, got any hobbies?/
  1488. “Not particularly, no.”
  1489. >/Any way to kill time that isn’t your job?/
  1490. “I’m married to the job.”
  1491. >/Married, huh? Ever thought of getting married to a person instead of an occupation?/
  1492. >You blush, and jerk the rope a little
  1493. “N-no.”
  1494. >/That’s bullshit if I’ve ever heard it. Who’s the lucky one?/
  1495. “Shut up.”
  1496. >/Ooh! I bet it’s one of the princesses, seeing as you’re around them so much. Is it Princess Twilight?/
  1497. >You let go just long enough to clap her over the back of the head with your hand, then grab the rope again
  1498. “I told you, shut up!”
  1499. >/What the Nine Hells do you have against fun?/
  1500. “Just be quiet and go, dammit!”
  1501.  
  1502. >Your prisoner is blessedly silent for the rest of the walk, only giving you directions as you go
  1503. >After being led to an alley that’s barely wide enough to accommodate your shoulders, you walk down a set of stairs that ends with a door into a decrepit building
  1504. >The elan stops at the door, and a few tense seconds pass
  1505. >The door opens on its own, and the room inside is faintly lit by a few oil lamps
  1506. >You go in, but as soon as you clear it, the door shuts behind you
  1507. >/Not to sound threatening or whatever, but you might wanna untie me. I know that I’m not in a lot of danger, but the others might not think that at the sight of a rope around my neck, y’know?/
  1508. “Who are these others, anyway?”
  1509. >/Well, we have a Seer and a Telepath who’ve known about you coming here for the past half an hour or so, and a Shaper who’s kinda paranoid. I really think you need to meet them before you make any judgements, okay?/
  1510. >The mention of whoever this group is having a half-hour headstart on you is highly unnerving
  1511. >You’ve gotten this far, though
  1512. >Turning back would be a failure and a total waste of time
  1513. “If only for civility’s sake, then yes,” you say concedingly, and undo all the rope before putting it away
  1514.  
  1515. >As you do so, you get the terrible feeling that you’ve made a howling error in letting her go
  1516. >You fears are only slightly lessened when she doesn’t bolt on you or anything, instead walking up to another door, and gesturing for you to come closer before she opens it
  1517. >When she does, she pulls you inside, and you are greeted by an interesting sight
  1518. >Three others are inside, two of them also elans, but another looking to be just a normal human
  1519. >One elan is examining a harp; her mint green-gray hair has white stripes that make it clash with the rest of the place’s atmosphere, and her golden eyes glow in the somewhat dim light of the room
  1520. >The second elan, or third if you count the one you were chasing, has her thick curls split down the middle, one half being bubblegum pink and the other being a slightly faded indigo
  1521. >Her unnaturally cerulean eyes quickly move from some chocolate she was making on a nearby stove and lock with yours
  1522. >Sternness twists her irritatingly familiar visage, her stare being even more suspicious of you than you are of her
  1523. >Finally, the only human in the room is an ironically glaring contrast compared to everyone else because of how plain and unassuming she is
  1524. >Dark, ash gray hair, the fair skin of a woman who stays inside most of the time, and a garb that tells of her day job as an orchestral musician, her only striking feature being her dusty orchid eyes
  1525. >Everyone except your former prisoner looks at you with a dangerously questioning expression
  1526. >You may be able to overpower any of them physically, but unless you happen to get *very* lucky with your Wild Magic curse, fighting them would likely be suicide, and so you stiffen, keeping up an imposing posture
  1527.  
  1528. >/Tavi! I’m back, and brought her with me!/
  1529. >The human woman blinks as she turns to look at the bespectacled elan
  1530. >/Vinyl Scratch, what happened to you?/
  1531. >The one apparently named Vinyl Scratch runs up to give this ‘Tavi’ a hug, but is fended off with a drawing bow for a cello
  1532. >/I may love you so, but I refuse to let you bleed all over my clothes if I don’t have to. Who hurt you?/
  1533. >Vinyl Scratch gives a wave, saying /Ah, don’t worry about it! Tempest was just doing her job, and knows how to be tricky enough to catch me. I’ll patch it up in a bit, it’s just kinda painful, nothing serious./
  1534. >You give a small cough
  1535. “I’m sorry to interrupt, but… Vinyl Scratch, was it? Had mentioned ‘others…’ that I presume would be you three?”
  1536. >Tavi gives you a polite nod
  1537. >/Octavia Melody, at your service./
  1538. >The green-haired one gives a cheerful, almost dopey grin when she says, “Lyra Heartstrings!”
  1539. >The one who was making chocolate merely has to step closer for you to recognize her
  1540.  
  1541. “...Officer Drops?”
  1542. >”Good to see you again, Inquisitrix Shadow. It’s ‘Bon Bon’ while I’m in public, by the way.”
  1543. “Of course.”
  1544. >”And I trust you’ll be quiet about this? I really don’t want to have Octavia rewrite your memory and everyone else’s.”
  1545. >You give a raised brow to Octavia
  1546. >/I would rather not, but yes, I can manipulate your thoughts and memories. That I am so good at it makes me uncomfortable, and I would quite dislike having to use my powers on one such as yourself. I have heard many good things about your aptitude in law enforcement, and hold you in high regard./
  1547. >Your hand goes to your hip
  1548. “While I would normally chastise all of you for your stupidity in revealing your names, I find myself at a disadvantage. What do you want from me?”
  1549. >/Vinyl, Lyra, Bon Bon, and myself request your aid in rooting out impostors./
  1550. “I ask that you speak with your mouth, hearing someone’s voice when it skips the part where it goes through my ears first never stops being unsettling.”
  1551. >Octavia nods, saying, “As you wish, but I’m afraid Vinyl cannot comply. Her throat had been slit by a thief when she was... young, and so speaking without telepathy for her is impossible.”
  1552. >Vinyl Scratch grins her uncanny grin, and draws a line across her larynx with a finger
  1553. >Looking closely, you can see a long, thin scar right across the middle of her throat, but she shrugs and says, /We all have scars, some are just easier to find than others./
  1554.  
  1555. >You give Vinyl a nod of understanding, and then address Octavia again
  1556. “You mentioned impostors. Care to enlighten me on this subject?”
  1557. >”We have discovered changelings are attempting to infiltrate Canterlot, and we believe they may be doing so to dethrone the Princesses,” she explained
  1558. >Your eyes widen at such a preposterous claim
  1559. “Changelings? But Chrysalis-”
  1560. >”Queen Chrysalis and King Thorax aren’t the only changelings to rule over a hive,” Octavia continued, “and King Thorax’s hive hardly speaks for the majority of their kind. Many other changeling hives remain, filled with black, ravenous doppelgangers.”
  1561. “If those you’ve been killing are changelings, why don’t they revert when they die?”
  1562. >”We haven’t figured that one out yet,” Lyra piped in
  1563. >”They’ve discovered how to make their shapeshifting permanent, and you can’t really detect it without super-powerful, specialized abilities. Go to the morgue next time you can, and dispel any magic that you can on the bodies of the nobles who’ve died. You’ll see it.”
  1564. “And I’m to simply assume you have no plans to turn on me when I take my leave of here?”
  1565. >”I mean, that’s about all you can do,” Lyra says with a shrug
  1566. >”It’s not like you have much of a choice, and besides, why would we tell you all of this if we were just going to kill you when you leave?
  1567. “Villains only divulge their plans when they think they’ve already won.”
  1568. >”…Okay, so you have a point there. But really, we’re not villains! Promise!”
  1569.  
  1570. >Your hand leaves your hip, and instead rests on the hilt of your arming sword, albeit in a non-threatening manner
  1571. “I suppose you’re right about my lack of options here. Officer Drops, how aware of the situation are the Princesses?” you ask before turning to leave
  1572. >”They’re oblivious, or at least Twilight and Cadance are,” Bon Bon responds
  1573. >”You can never tell with Luna and her own psychic powers, and Celestia is even worse about it. I think that, if they know anything, they don’t know enough to act. Luna would probably be hacking people to pieces if and when she found out they were hostile changelings, and seeing as she’s not going that route, it’s safe to say that she’s not in the know.”
  1574. “And I suspect that you want them to be in the dark about it all?” you ask after pondering on this information
  1575. >Bon Bon nods
  1576. >”Twilight would panic, and Cadance would either go paranoid or fly into a rage, and neither of those two Princesses being in such a state would be conducive to stopping the threat.”
  1577. >You nod in understanding
  1578. “I can promise to keep it as far on the down-low as I can, at least so far as circumstances will allow.”
  1579. >”That’s all we ask. Now get moving, we only have so much time. The sooner we get this done and over with, the better.”
  1580. “Agreed.”
  1581. >Your meeting with the psionicists done and over with, you leave, and must make a plan of attack as to how you handle things
  1582.  
  1583. What do you do?
  1584. >Go straight to a morgue to investigate the bodies
  1585. >Go check on ‘Princess’ Blueblood
  1586. >Go to the authorities and report the psionicists for what may or may not be bullshit
  1587. >Other (make a suggestion!)

It's Always Sunny in Canterlot

by ManlyMan

Bikedykes and Leather

by ManlyMan