GREEN
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2290 12.56 KB 278
2290 12.56 KB 278
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=BiE 40=
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>You scarfed down breakfast and made your way to the chariot.
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>You were hitting the two Northern targets today, it was going to be quite the trip.
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>"Sir, sir!" you heard.
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>One of your new flight lieutenants fluttered up to you. "What order did you want to do today, sir?"
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>You looked over the crude map he had.
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>"We'll hit target two at night, there'll be less guards."
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>"Understood, sir." he flew off.
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>You came up on an interesting sight near the chariot.
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>Trixie, Stormwing, and the Holy Mother were seated around a table with a small black box on it.
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>Members of your raiding party were touching the box for an instant and walking away.
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Curious.
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>"What is this, Trixie?"
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>Trixie glares at you. "Because you refuse to bring the Holy Mother along on your mission, we must gain Lord Discord's blessing another way. This box is that other way.
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>Stormwing huffs. "I still don't know why we listen to the freak mercenary..."
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Oh hell naw.
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>"Because the freak mercenary seems to be the only living thing here who wants the mission to succeed. Leave the hard work to the new generation, Stormwing, stick to the paperwork."
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>Stormwing growls as you eye the box.
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>"Just put my hand on it?"
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>Trixie nods.
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>You place your hand on the box.
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>What was this supposed to-
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>A new presence fills your mind.
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"My, you're an interesting one."
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>VOICE.
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IN OUR HEAD.
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"Why yes, you must be tha-
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>OUT.
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OUT.
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> OUT.
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OUT.
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> OUT.
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OUT.
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> OUT.
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>You return to yourself.
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>You were holding David high above the box. Trixie and Stormwing looked ready to pounce.
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>You re-sheathe David.
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>"Never again."
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It's crowded enough in here.
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"All right! Raiding party, load up!"
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Time for a crime spree.
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>The Griffin Kingdoms.
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>Asgard.
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>Well, the mountains around Asgard.
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>The carriage was chaos.
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>Carefully organized chaos.
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>Griffin defenders harried the carriage as it bobbed and weaved around the jagged peaks.
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>Both doors were open and your heavily unicorn raiding party was firing shots at and griffin to get close.
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>You and the few pegusi you had on board were in charge of keeping any griffins from latching on and throwing them off if they did.
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>You generally were just supposed to fly through the peaks and raise as much hell as possible.
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>And while you did and all the battle-primed griffins chased you through the sky, a team of your griffins would steal the stupid crossbow you were here for.
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Just as planned.
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>When you weren't warding off griffins, you were directing fire.
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>"Aim high up on those cliffs! Cause a rockslide behind us!"
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>Two unicorns fire at the cliff you just threaded your way through.
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>Rocks exploded off of it, causing the griffins behind you to either break, get flattened, or try to wave their way through.
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I thought we said no fatalities.
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>No -direct- fatalities.
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>Okay, situational report.
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>It had been about ten minutes since you first engaged the griffins.
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>If the guards in the warehouse with the crossbow were all chasing you, then it should take your team...
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>Fifteen minutes?
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>Twenty at the most?
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>You hated all this sneaking around.
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>The carriage was rocked as a griffin half again as large as the others barreled his way inside.
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>"A griffin has boarded!" someone called.
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Dammit.
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>"Back to fire support! I have this one!"
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>You take a quick slash at the griffin before he can see you, hoping to end this quick.
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>You trace a line on his cheek but that's it.
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Fuck.
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>You dodge a retaliatory swipe from the griffin.
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>Damn, not a lot of room in here.
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Have to end this, fast.
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>You duck and dodge under a high swipe and deliver a combination kick to the head and swipe to the hind quarters as the carriage lurches.
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Was this driver drunk?
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>"Dammit! Keep us steady dri-"
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>Pain lances up your back and throws you to the front of the carriage.
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DAMMIT.
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RIGHT.
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ON.
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THE MANTICORE WOUNDS.
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>The cuts feel shallow, not much blood.
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That's it.
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>You bang on the driver window.
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>"GO NUTS!"
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>You grab the griffin by the tail and yank him back.
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>He squawks at you before your fist throws him back.
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>He paws at his face and takes a blind swipe at you.
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>You grab the hand and yell to the nearest unicorn.
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>You hold David out.
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>"MAKE IT HOT AND SHARP!"
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>The unicorn blasts David with an enchanting spell.
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>You can feel the heat radiating off your blade, you can almost see and hear the sharpness.
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>You flip David around and bury him into the griffins claw, he erupts out the other side.
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Dude!
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>A MAIMING IS NOT A FATALITY.
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>The griffin is squawking and screaming about his claw as you rush him.
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>"AFT DOOR, CLEAR A PATH!"
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>You push the griffin with all your might and watch him roll out of the carriage.
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>"Sir!" you hear.
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>You spot your theft team flying through the clouds.
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>"GET IN HERE!"
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>The team dives through the door and lands inside.
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>"SMOKESCREEN! GET US OUT OF HERE!"
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>A black haze erupts from the carriage as you disappear into the clouds.
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Situational report.
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>We got the stupid crossbow, what was it good for?
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It killed a High Thane or something.
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>Right, we got that and booked it. Griffins didn't follow.
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And now?
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>On the way to the next target and gett-ack!
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>You turn to the unicorn bandaging you.
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>"Easy! That's a busy area."
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>The medic was wrapping you in enchanted bandages.
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>They were supposed to numb pain and make the wound heal faster.
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>It was good that the wound was shallow and pain was all you had to worry about.
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>You grab the severed griffin claw from the ground.
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>Huh. It'd make a nice trophy.
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No evidence.
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>Come on, brain, what are the odds?
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Good enough that we don't want evidence.
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>You sigh and toss the claw out the window.
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>"Sit-rep."
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>A trooper approaches you. "We have Canterlot in sight sir, we're keeping low to avoid being seen."
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>"Okay, and where's the mesuem?"
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>"On the south side, sir. The ice should be in there."
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>Your target was a chunk of magic ice. It had apparently come from a really bad argument from the founding of Equestria.
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>"We'll be seen if we land in the middle of town and we have to assume they know who we are. Land us on the ground below Canterlot, as close to the museum as you can."
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>"Yes, sir." the trooper says.
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>You leap out of the carriage and hit the ground.
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>"Alright, small team. You five unicorns and you, griffin. With me. The rest of you, circle around until you see the signal to pick us up."
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>"What's the signal sir?" the ask.
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>"You'll know it when you see it."
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>Your team follows the griffin for a bit until you're directly underneath Canterlot's walls.
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>"Here?"
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>He nods.
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>You turn to the unicorns.
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>"Take us up."
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>Four of the unicorns spread out around you and begin casting.
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>The ground shudders and snaps and begins to rise.
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>You stay low as the levitating chunk of rock elevates you up to the walls.
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>"We're directly behind the Canterlot Museums walls, sir." the remaining unicorn said.
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>"Get us inside."
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>The unicorn begins his spell.
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>A portion of the wall begins to glow and starts fading away.
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>You and the griffin hop of your makeshift elevator and get inside.
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>The rest of your team follows.
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>You motion for them all to get low and take a knee.
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>"Okay, the guards don't know we're here. Let's keep it that way. Where is this ice being kept?"
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>One of your unicorns' horn glows. "This floor, near the North side."
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>"Good. Stay low, stay together, and don't draw attention."
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>They all nod.
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>"Good. Move."
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>You hated sneaking around.
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>Straight up bouts were much more your style.
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>But at least this was going well enough.
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>You and your team sneak through the musea-
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Is that a sombrero?
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>Dude. Steal that shit.
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No. No evidence.
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>Oh come on, when are we going to get a chance to get a sombrero here?
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No. It's too silly.
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>You are no fun, brain.
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>You eventually come up on the safe.
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>"Get it open."
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>One of your unicorns casts a spell causing the lock to open.
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>Inside sits a single pedestal with the ice on top of it.
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>"Grab it."
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>The same unicorn steps up to the ice.
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>That ice was supposed to be the coldest thing on the planet, the chill of discontent.
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>The unicorn levitated the ice off the pedestal
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>Alarms sounded as soon as he did.
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>Fuck.
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>A gate starts closing above the open doorway.
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>"Stop it!"
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>The remaining unicorns all halt the gate with their magic.
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>You wave the ice holder to you.
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>"Double time, let's go!"
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>The ice bearer makes it through the falling gate just as it breaks through the magical bounds.
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>And a trio of guards storm around the corner.
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>"Smoke em out! Back to where we came in!"
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>A plume of smoke fills the hallway behind you as your team dashes to the exit.
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>You bound around the corner and spot the exhibits close to where you came in.
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>A pegasus with a plumed helmet was waiting for you.
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A higher rank, it seems.
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>The pegasus lunges at you.
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>"Wings!"
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>Your unicorns stop both his wings and suspend him in the air.
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>"Door!"
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>The remainder fire concentrated magical blasts at the wall, causing a lovely explosion and kicking up dirt and smoke.
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>"Shield!"
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>All unicorns present drop what they're doing and erect a shield around all of you.
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>The pegasus sergeant clatters to the floor as his backup arrives.
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>"Why are you doing this? What's your plan?" he asks as he rights himself.
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>The carriage arrives to pick you up and your team jumps in.
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>You're about to hop in yourself when you turn to address the sergeant.
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>"Come to us and find out."
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>You get back to camp and throw Trixie her new toys, she's practically salivating over them.
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>"When are we doing this?"
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>"It will take some time to prepare the spell and get everything arranged. We shall be ready by tomorrow." she said with a manic glint in her eye as she trotted off.
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>You're about to head back to your tent when you stop outside another.
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>A bigger one, with two guards posted outside it.
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The Hole Mothers tent.
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>Should we check it out?
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We should.
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>You approach the door and look at the guards.
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>"The Holy Mother want to see me."
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>They step aside and let you in.
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>Idiots.
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No better than the Canterlot guards.
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>The interior of the tent was large and round, but sparse.
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>A bed, mirror, and a desk with that black box were the only fixtures.
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>Apart from the Holy Mother sitting in the middle of the room.
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>She was staring into space, you could see some drool.
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>You begin walking around the room.
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>"So, Holy Mother, let me ask you something."
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>"Gotta talk-think big man and do want." was your answer.
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Right...
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>"Why are you doing this? What's your big play? I figure that you must be up to something if you lead a cult where you advance by getting rid of the last pony to hold the seat."
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>"I hear ever and got block bad bug."
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>"And am I just crazy for thinking I can get a clear answer out of you?"
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>"You crystal look and very good at please you have to help me."
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Wait.
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That sounded almost...
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>Clear.
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>You turn around, the Holy Mothers eyes were clear and she was staring right at you.
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>"Please, you have to help me." she says again.
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>Okay. What goes on here.
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What changed?
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>You were walking around the room, asking her questions, and she started to get clear.
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Where are you?
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>You're standing in front of the desk with the box.
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>...you're standing in between her and the box.
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>"What is this?"
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>"I don't know..." she says.
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>She sounds like she's gonna cry.
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>You walk towards her, hoping the effect won't fade.
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>It doesn't.
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>"What's happening here? What's going on?"
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>She sniffs. "I don't know. All I know is that the Voice is gone from my head for the first time in months..."
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>She starts smiling. "It's finally quiet..."
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>You had your own idea about that.
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>"What's your name?"
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>"S-Screwball." she said.
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>"Do you know what's going on here, Screwball?"
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>"I-I know that the Voice has been using me to help get it free...and I know it has gotten a lot of ponies to do a lot of bad things..."
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>She got a far off look.
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>"It didn't always used to be this way..." she said. "I-I had a husband...a mother who loved me...we were trying to have a baby before all this started..." tears are rolling down her face.
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>She looks back at you. Her natural eyes were blue. "You have to help. You have to stop the Voice."
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>...
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We can't do anything. It's too important.
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>Yeah...yeah I know...
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>You sigh.
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>"I'm so sorry..."
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>You start to rise.
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>"No...No! Please! Please don't!" she cries as you start to walk away.
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>"Please don't let it come books talk us aware..."
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>Her voice trails off as you leave the tent.
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>Sleep was hard that night.
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We can do this. Tomorrow is the big day.
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>I know.
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We can't fuck this up.
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>I know...
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It'll all be worth it...
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>It had to be.
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