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BiE 36: Team Meeting.

By Mandroid
Created: 2020-12-19 12:42:47
Expiry: Never

  1. =BiE 36=
  2.  
  3. >The carriage bounced and bobbed along the road and into the forest.
  4. >Being crammed inside with four other ponies made the ride...interesting.
  5. >Eventually, the carriage stopped.
  6. >But not before the riders inside had been dropped into a pile.
  7. >"Whoever's hoof that is has five seconds to remove it before I do."
  8. >The offending hoof is removed as you all climb your way out of the carriage.
  9. >Before you are erected a good couple hundred tents of varying sizes.
  10. >Ponies of all shapes and sizes roam around the makeshift town.
  11. >No...not just ponies.
  12. >Your eyes make out several pairs of griffins as well as several unicorns. You even see a minotaur.
  13. >"Impressed, human?"
  14. >You turn to your side and spot Trixie beaming over her collection of cultists.
  15. >You grunt.
  16. >"Seems pretty organized for a religion supposedly based around the concept of Chaos..."
  17. >Trixie harrumphs. "We will not have a hired mercenary, and even worse, an -outsider- critique our methods. Now, come along. I want you to sit in on a meeting."
  18. First a camp and now a meeting? Is it a Chaos meeting?
  19. >She's a hypocrite, who cares?
  20. >Just follow along until you get what you need.
  21.  
  22. >The meeting was exactly as bureaucratic as you thought.
  23. >Long table.
  24. >Dozen or so high ranking cult officials.
  25. >The Holy Mother at the end, flanked by Trixie and some pegasus in red armor.
  26. >And you. Crammed between a griffin and an earth pony who smelled like he hadn't bathed in a week.
  27. >Trixie was using her illusionary magic to place markers over a map of Equestria and the surrounding countries.
  28. >"I will re-iterate our plan for those of you who are unaware." she says as she throws a glance at you.
  29. Fuck you too, Trixie.
  30. >"As you all know, Chaos is a state of things. One that is imprinted throughout the entire world almost as much as magic itself."
  31. >Four markers appeared over the map. Two to the North and two to the South.
  32. >"Our goal, is to collect four items that either caused mass Chaos, or are the direct result of it. Using these artifacts, we will tear open a portal and free our lord Discord." she says with a manic grin.
  33. >Everyone else at the table was wearing the same grin.
  34. >You sigh and raise your hand. "What, human?" Trixie asks.
  35. >"Why are we doing this? I mean, I know you want to free Discord, but isn't he a statue in Canterlot? Shouldn't the first task be getting that statue?"
  36. >The rest of the members of this idiot council all moaned like you had just asked why the sky was blue.
  37. >"Discord is not mere flesh, human, He is a spirit. A spirit that is currently trapped in the Tartarian plains. We will use these artifacts to open a portal to Tartarus and allow him re-entry into our world."
  38.  
  39. >"Isn't Discord supposed to be as powerful as Celestia? Shouldn't he be able to open a portal himself?"
  40. >You hear a sigh from the earth pony next you. "I have a question, why are we even entertaining this ape? He is no true believer, and I fail to see why our plans hinge on him."
  41. >You shoot him a glare. "What, ape? You think you can frighten me? I have fought worse then you in my-"
  42. >He gets no further as you grab his head and slam it onto the table.
  43. >You pull David out of his sheathe and stab him into the table barely a hairsbreadth away from the earth pony's neck.
  44. >"You ponies need to learn that I'm a lot scarier then you are."
  45. >Any traces of arrogance in the ponies eyes had evaporated as he eyed the blade at his throat.
  46. >A flash of light erupts from behind you and splinters over the back of your head.
  47. >You turn to see Trixie standing on the table, her horn still glowing. "That is why we need him. I have word from one of my sources that both this human and the other from P0nyville are entirely immune to magic. We can't overlook that advantage."
  48. >The only time that ever came up was when you first got here and saw Celestia.
  49. >She has spies in the palace?
  50. >Trixie continues to glare at you while the rest of the room looks on edge, the pegasus on the other side of Her Holiness looked ready to jump you.
  51. >"Now, release him human."
  52. >You stare down Trixie for what feels like hours.
  53. >Should just wreck these idiots...
  54. Easy. Remember the plan. We need them.
  55. >Yeah...but they don't need us here.
  56.  
  57. >You pry David out of the table and re-sheathe him as you walk out.
  58. >"Human! We are not done here!" you hear Trixie shout from behind you.
  59. >You stop and look at Trixie over your shoulder.
  60. >"Four artifacts to summon Discord. I help you get them and then I get what I want. I'm going to assume you aren't a moron and have some way of crossing that ocean on your map, so I'm leaving until you twits come up with a plan."
  61. >You continue walking out of the tent.
  62. >"Come find me when you have something, and not a minute before."
  63. >That went well, what now?
  64. We need food. And a place to sleep.
  65. >You wander around the camp looking.
  66. >Dammit, where is the cafeteria tent, or whatever?
  67. There has to be one with this many cultists.
  68. >Maybe they catch their own food?
  69. >You're interrupted by a trio of colts running past you chasing a ball.
  70. >Shit, they had kids in this mess?
  71. Fucked up.
  72. >"Hey. Kids."
  73. >They all turn to look at you.
  74. >"What are you doing here?"
  75. >The three of them glance at each other. "Uhh...our parents all brought us here, who are you?"
  76. Parents dragging their kids into a doomsday cult?
  77. >It's either that or pay for college...
  78. >"Nevermind, where do I get something to eat?"
  79. >The colts all point to a particularly large tent over on the other side of camp.
  80. >"Yeah. Thanks."
  81. >You can feel them stare at you as you walk away.
  82.  
  83. >Dinner consisted of some bread and water.
  84. >Can't get too fancy when you're feeding this many mouths in the middle of nowhere.
  85. >At least you were used to the diet.
  86. >It was night, late, the events of the day were beginning to catch up to you.
  87. >Apparently, tents were for actual members of the Cult, so you had to fend for yourself.
  88. >Deciding against sleeping near the outskirts of a camp in the middle of the Everfree Forest, you lean back against a tree next to the conference tent you stormed out of earlier.
  89. >Your mind begins to replay the events of the day.
  90. >You still remember Anon's face when you announced you were working with Trixie, he looked confused.
  91. >Anon always saw the world a bit more black and white then you.
  92. >Contrast to Rainbow's face; the rage of your betrayal was practically carved into it.
  93. >Still, you hope they're okay.
  94. >You didn't stick around to see the aftermath of the smokescreen.
  95. >And then with what happened with Lotus...
  96. >You felt a pang in the middle of your chest.
  97. >Why did she have to be there?
  98. >She better be safe.
  99. >Is she worried about you? Or did she do what you said?
  100. >Maybe you shou-
  101. No.
  102. We can't.
  103. The job is too important.
  104. >You sigh as you remember why you rolled in with Trixie in the first place.
  105. Mind like ice. Let nothing get in your way.
  106. >You take some deep breaths as you center yourself.
  107. >Anon, Rainbow, and Lotus would be fine.
  108. >Whatever they do after this, you're not going to be around to help.
  109. >You eventually succeed in banishing those thoughts and drifting off to sleep.
  110. >Whatever the council came up with, tomorrow would be an interesting day.

BiE 1: Introductions

by Mandroid

BiE 2: Train, pains, and narcissism.

by Mandroid

BiE 3: Exposition and espionage.

by Mandroid

BiE 3.5: More trains, soon to be back pains.

by Mandroid

BiE 4: Home Improvement.

by Mandroid