Incomplete CYOA by JESTER


                                            Do you hear that echo?

                                            Did you remember?

                                            Even if you do, would you like to turn back?

                                            Even if you don't, would you like to take that step forward?


                                            Ghosts don't exist. Memories do, though.

                                            If one thing should haunt you, let it be your memories, for better and worse. Every fragment of your past is to be treasured, after all.

                                            That's why you're taking this step, isn't it? To remember how you were able to make those memories? How you felt in those memories?

                                            A selfish wish, maybe, but it's okay to be selfish once in a while.


                                            We missed something, haven't we? Well, here it is. Sorry to keep you waiting.


                                            >It's strange to think about how distant you feel that you've grown to everyone else.

                                            >Looking around at everyone during the frequent "family" gatherings fills you with a strange feeling. Some strange mix of longing and apathy.

                                            >Shouldn't you be in high spirits, when you're with your closest friends and loved one?

                                            >So... why the subdued feeling?

                                            >It never got better. It just got more and more of a crushing feeling.

                                            >You should be better about this. You keep trying to realize that, but it gets worse and worse.

                                            >Just a few months ago, you got in a verbal fight with a few others. God knows that human and Equestrian alike were caught off-guard.

                                            >You won't pretend you don't stand by what you said. Yet, you wish you didn't feel a need to fight over it.

                                            >...maybe you've turned out to be a lousy friend.

                                            >But moping about it won't do you any good, will it?

                                            >No, not at all.

                                            >That's why...

                                            >"You're an odd one, but that's why I like you. Ciao!"

                                            >You're now taking action.

                                            >So let's call this a "soul-searching" journey. After all, you're doing this to be a better person.

                                            >As you justify your actions to yourself, getting lost in your thoughts, and thus ignoring Discord, he looks a bit peeved at you not indulging him in his banter, and then snaps his paw. With that, off he goes in a puff of various nonexistences, and a resounding "FRITTATA!"

                                            >Well, time to gear up and make sure you don't lose the train ticket.


                                            >Thankfully, you've been preparing for days, so the moment you arrive home you can quickly do one last once-over.

                                            >Supplies for day-to-day life? Check. A few protein bars, tons of bottled war, toiletries, and changes of clothes.

                                            >Supplies for potential shenanigans involving shadows and Personas? Check. Your equipment loadout(minus the godforsaken joke "weapon"), costumes(different from clothes), a hefty first aid kit for less supernatural wounds, and items for said supernatural woun-

                                            >...wait.

                                            >Wait, SHIT! You sold your Zap Apple Candies and Zebra Healing Potions to buy a weapon you don't hate! You're SOL if you run out of SP!

                                            >Actually, no, wait, there's that emergency feather under your mattress. Thank god you didn't remember to sell that.

                                            >Well, then again, you had to sell all your skill cards for cheap, considering that nobody could use them and not be suspicious, which is arguably a bigger loss.

                                            >Now that you think about it, this was a tragedy in terms of finances...

                                            >But hey. Free feather. Wait, this one looks... high quality.

                                            NEW! ITEM GET: Rainbow Phoenix Feather x1

                                            [Come on, you know what this is. It's a Phoenix Feather, but rainbow. Maybe it's SPecial[sic]! However, being as you're going alone, you think you have an idea for how to use it(and other Feathers) on yourself as a failsafe.]

                                            >You could've gotten SO MUCH for this. Enough to buy your new gear twice over and have enough for candies and potions alike.

                                            >Well. Clock's ticking, isn't it? You've got a train to catch, and you can just sleep on the way.


                                            Hours later...

                                            CRYSTAL KINGDOM TRAIN STATION

                                            >"...up! Sir, please wake up!"

                                            >You feel yourself stir from the abyss of slumber..

                                            >"SIR! I SAID WAKE UP!"

                                            >Scratch that, you got stirred AND shaken. Literally, for the latter!

                                            "I'M UP! I'M UP!"

                                            .>The conductor pony releases her magical grip on your tie.

                                            >"Oh, really? Could have fooled me, mister sleeps-through-the-announcements-and-train-horns-and-impromptu-barbershop-quartet-with-no-talent-for-singing!"

                                            "There was a barbershop quartet?"

                                            >The pony sighs, rolling her eyes. "Trust me, you didn't miss anything of value. Now move along, everyone else left!"

                                            >You get up, taking your luggage with you as you head out.

                                            >As you walk out, you swear you hear something behind you. Something that sounds like the mare yelling "HEY, YOUR BUDDIES OR WHATEVER TOLD ME TO TELL YOU-" but you passed it off as the wind.

                                            >...you're not a morning person. Well, it's night, but point is, you aren't you when you wake up.

                                            >Well, mentally, at least, since you were let into every confidential area you passed through, upon showing your identification. Your mask, specifically.

                                            >And eventually, you made it to your destination. The portal room.

                                            >It was revved up and ready to take you who-knows-where, just as promised. All you can do now is hope Discord doesn't stomp on your toes.

                                            >...

                                            >Even moving to stand in front of the portal is a momentous task.

                                            >Every step makes you ask yourself a thousand questions.

                                            >What if you're gone for too long and everyone panics, and the vacation excuse doesn't fly?

                                            >What if you can't come home for whatever reason, whether it's Discord's prank going out of his control or some other force locking you in?

                                            >What if you die and your family here never even gets to bury your body?

                                            >What if-

                                            >You shake your head HARD. Bad brain, bad!

                                            >Just... keep moving forward.

                                            >Keep walking until you're past that gate, and...

                                            >...why is this hard?


                                            >"STOP! STOOOOP!"

                                            >Well, that doesn't help with your hesitation.

                                            >You turn around, and sure enough, three figures are seen.

                                            >One an alicorn, two humanoid.

                                            "Luna? And-"

                                            >"What the hell are you doing, man?!"

                                            >"Yeah, why are you doing this?"

                                            >Your fellow anons speak as Luna charges forward, nearly tackling you with her embrace.

                                            >"PLEASE! Please, I don't understand what you're doing, but I beg of you, talk to us!"

                                            >This is exactly why you wanted to make sure nobody knew.

                                            >Looks like you're selfish to the end, huh.

                                            "...I..."

                                            >And you're already getting choked up, when you're the one at fault for this? Good lord!

                                            >You decide to just silently embrace Luna, and pray that this is sorted out ASAP and things can go back to the way they were.

                                            >Just come back quietly, never think about this again, go back to your family, try to feel closer to everyone, try to not have any conflicts and thus prevent any more fights, try to never disagree to make sure that never happens...

                                            >...just. Not this.

                                            "I'm sorry, this was stupid of me, let's go ho-"

                                            >"No, dude, do NOT pull that on us."

                                            >The formerly less cool of the brothers got right to the point, as you should've expected.

                                            >"You came here for a reason, right? One you feel strongly about."

                                            >The brother who seemed to be with you through thick and thin was also blunt in his response, but by no means curt.

                                            >"Please, just... we can talk! I won't be angry, I promise! So..."

                                            >You've never seen Luna this torn up before. Then again, nobody tried to pull this stunt before.

                                            >"...please talk to us."

                                            >...you realize that you've been crying for a while, even before they got here.

                                            >What a disgrace you can be.

                                            "Al-alright."

                                            >And a shaky voice, too. You have a LOT of nerve, acting like you're not the cause of all this.

                                            >Well, time to explain everything leading up to this.

                                            >And explain, you do.


                                            "...so that's my best idea. Start from scratch, see if I can get over myself, I guess."

                                            >A pregnant pause ensues between the four of you.

                                            >You try to resist the urge to say you'll blow it all off and come home, but not only are you afraid of how this discussion will keep going, you realize that's the problem.

                                            >If you can't communicate honestly, what else do you expect?

                                            >Then again, if not this, then-

                                            >"Jesus, man. No wonder you looked hesitant."

                                            "Eh?"

                                            >You blink at the sudden remark, turning to the speaker.

                                            >"You've been dwelling on this, haven't you? I get the problem. You have to pick between not leaving everyone, or not risking you hurting someone again, yeah?"

                                            "That's..."

                                            >...huh. That's actually really accurate.

                                            "Well, yes. But what do I do, then? I can't pretend I didn't get nasty to him that day! That's not something that can be swept under the rug for good!"

                                            >"I don't even remember what it was about, and he hasn't talked about it."

                                            >"Same here."

                                            >The two Arcanons catch you off-guard yet again.

                                            "Wait, then you're saying-"

                                            >"Listen to me."

                                            >Luna speaks up, drying her eyes.

                                            >"If you think that they despise you for a reason they do not remember, you are mistaken. That is far from the truth, you see."

                                            "...eh?"

                                            >You know fully well what she means, but you can't say anything else in response.

                                            >"Don't you know that all friends move on from their prior conflicts? I can promise you, beyond any doubt, that everyone has nothing but kind thoughts in regards to you."

                                            "But I'm barely engaged with them! I can barely-"

                                            >You stop talking after Luna hugs you midsentence.

                                            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=raQ8ATBniAQ

                                            >You stammer at the sudden act, as she sweetly caresses your back and head.

                                            >"Listen to me, my dear. Don't ever think you're a worse friend than other people."


                                            >The two Arcanons approach as well, squatting to your levels and placing their hands on the shoulders of you and Luna.

                                            >"Don't feel like you have to be around all the time because everyone else is. You're just as important as the rest of us, no matter how much you talk!"

                                            >"We wouldn't be a complete set without you, buddy!"

                                            >You can't stop yourself from crying HARD as you pull them in for a group hug.

                                            "I'm sorry...I'm sorry..."

                                            >That's all you can say as you hold on for dear life.

                                            >No matter how many times you say it, though, it doesn't even give the illusion of feeling better.

                                            >This was a mistake, wasn't it? You could've skipped this tearful intervention by talking about it, and not coming here.

                                            >Just imagining how Luna would feel if Discord didn't give her a heads-up made your heart feel like it was tearing itself to shreds.

                                            >...wait. Something didn't add up. Luna's actions don't make sense if-

                                            "L-*sniff*-Luna?"

                                            >Probably bad timing, but you're in too deep now.

                                            >"Yes, dear?"

                                            "Did Discord tell you about this?"

                                            >"Indeed, he did. Right on time, too."

                                            >"What did you expect, him KEEPING the secret?"

                                            >"Hey! This is a moment of gentle love."

                                            >You don't even chime in with a characteristic "no homo" as you usually do, while the four of you physically separated. There was still a problem.


                                            "What do you mean, right on time?"

                                            >"Exactly that. We teleported here the moment we heard the news."

                                            "But wouldn't he have told you while you powered the portal? I'm not saying you're lying, I-"

                                            >"I powered what, now?"

                                            >Oh god. You see where this is going.

                                            "The... the portal. There. He said-"

                                            >"DISCORD! COME OUT THIS ONCE, THOU DECEITFUL COURT JESTER BARRED FROM ALL NOBLE HOUSES!"

                                            >Royal Canterlot Voice. Not good. You and the other Arcanons prepare to hit the deck.

                                            >"Okay, okay! Jig's up, Loop-the-Lu! I'm out, see?"

                                            >Yep, there's Discord. sliding out from behind a pillar. No, wait, he slid the pillar aside while standing still. Should've guessed.

                                            >"THOU NEARLY SENT ONE OF OUR CHILDREN TO HIS DOOM! GIVE ONE GOOD REASON WHY WE SHAN'T EXACT JUSTICE UPON THEE!"

                                            >"Because the closeness you gained was a net positive, Lunamahna! Think about it, my deed caused this heart to heart to take place!"

                                            >All four of you stare dumbfounded. Personally, you're shocked by the fact that he was right!

                                            >Luna is more shocked by how she isn't back to acting like she's about to snap Discord's neck like a twig. She fixes that error by being angry again.

                                            >"And pray tell, WHAT IF THY PLOT FAILED, AND OUR CHILD PERISHED?!"

                                            >"It wouldn't and it didn't, prissy. What do you want, a thesis statement on how I prepared for any possibility?"

                                            >"WE-"

                                            >"Rhetorical question! Here you go."

                                            >Discord flies a paper airplane at Luna which boops her on the nose. She picks it up in a rage, unfolding it to-holy hell it's actually a dictionary-sized stack of papers pretending to be a single paper.

                                            >"And yes, I cited my sources. I majored in thesis writing, you know."

                                            >One of your brothers speaks up: "What was your minor?"

                                            >"Sports Management, why?"

                                            >"IT MATTERS NOT! THOU..."

                                            >Luna is clearly flustered, the first few pages set aside on the ground.

                                            >"...you were clearly prepared for this, assuming this doesn't turn into unrelated nonsense halfway through."


                                            "Hand on the bible that it only happens one-third of the way through, Lu-Lu-Lululu. It's this 'Bee Movie script' thing one of the boys told me about, funny stuff. Toodles!"

                                            >Luna doesn't even open her mouth to interrogate Discord before he poofs away. As in, a grey cloud with the word "poof" written on it in magic marker appears and vanishes within a second, taking Discord with it.

                                            >The mood wasn't just killed, it was tossed into a wood chipper.

                                            "...so."

                                            >"What now, man? We won't stop you either way."

                                            "Wait, what? I thought-"

                                            >"There's no shame in wishing to explore the world, my child. Or "worlds," to be exact. Just remember one thing."

                                            >Luna walks over, taking your hand in her hoof.

                                            >"You are always welcome home, whenever you wish."

                                            >You immediately kneel down for another hug.

                                            "I always planned on it."

                                            >After a moment, the two of you break off.

                                            >You have her blessing to go on this spiritual journey, but at the same time, you're confident that you can return home with no more fears and anxieties.

                                            >Yet, it's unlikely you can get another opportunity to go on another quest like this.

                                            >You have your supplies, way back home(assuming Discord keeps his word on that regard, well okay he will but it'll be in an annoyingly roundabout way and everyone will be pissed off by him being himself), and everyone's blessings. There's no morally wrong choice, the way you see it.

                                            >With that in mind, you...

                                            WARNING: This decision will affect the ending.

                                            -Proceed through the portal

                                            -Come back home


                                            There is no wrong choice, and no hidden negative consequences to get back at everyone who votes for the unintended result. I'm sure you can guess what will happen with each result. As such, the question will be restated plainly;

                                            Would you like to begin another quest?