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The Master's Legendary Quest - 20 - FINAL

By Trixiefap
Created: 2022-06-29 03:10:24
Expiry: Never
anonsafecyoaredheartrpgaiegame

  1. >You reconvene your senses within a place you’ve never seen before.
  2. >It looks like you’re on a floating island of sorts, but it’s all canyon rock, suspended in the nothingness of the silver liquid that you drank.
  3. >As in, the sky and horizon looks like that liquid, but you can see the rest of the island just fine.
  4. >You begin to walk down the path in front of you, unsure of your fate here.
  5. >It’s as if you’re in a lucid dream, but you feel every inch of your body in reality like real life.
  6. >The surreal experience would make your stomach churn, if you had one.
  7. >To be honest, you’re not quite sure what you are right now…
  8. >Just get it done, and you’ll be fine.
  9. >As you come farther through the increasingly narrow stretch of rock, you finall come to what seems to be the center of the island.
  10. >In the middle of the converging circle, there seems to be some sort of lucid blue liquid, calmly moving about like an ocean with waves.
  11. >But this liquid is blocked by a cage, anchored to the rock by four crystals.
  12. >Each of these crystals have some sort of thread made of light that warp into the center of them like a galaxy in space, and the thread reaches out to four gates across the circular canyon.
  13. >The First Gate has a symbol of one white figure, surrounded by many grey figures.
  14. >The Second Gate has a black and white swirl, winding tighter and tighter together into infinity.
  15. >The Third Gate has a figure of grey color, with a white figure holding out a hoof, and a black figure ready to slay the grey.
  16. >The Fourth Gate seems to be locked, and the symbol seems to say something in a strange ancient language that you can’t understand.
  17. >It looks like you’ll have to complete the first three tests to get to the fourth door.
  18. >And each door must correspond to the cage in the center, which must hold the blessing.
  19. >Should you take the first, second or third gate?
  20.  
  21.  
  22. >You don’t know what this place may do to you, so you have to act very carefully.
  23. >This is a trial for the greatest warriors of the Bison, so (and no offense to them) they most likely didn’t try any logic with these.
  24. >It’s purely heart and true value of character, like Chief Thunderhooves said.
  25. >So, no reason to go out of turn.
  26. >You step towards the first gate, looking up at its imposing stature.
  27. >Swallowing the lump in your throat, you stare forward and trot in, not looking back as you come up to a similar rocky bridge like the first one.
  28. >It’s a long road before you reach the end of the bridge, which is just a lonely little plateau with some sort of magical presence at the top.
  29. >You slowly begin to climb up the steps of the elevated island, and when you reach the top something about your presence sets off whatever the presence is.
  30. >The magic begins to flow through your mind before you have a chance to react, passing through your head like light passes through a curtain.
  31. >The flow then begins to swirl in six different spots, and a voice begins to echo across the dimension, a sound that you can’t tell what it is or if it’s male or female.
  32.  
  33. {Ask yourself, what really brings you here?
  34. Is it to protect those you hold dear?
  35. Or maybe you seek to destroy what you fear?
  36. As you are tested, you will see clear.
  37.  
  38. Friends and companions of those you share,
  39. but never to learn details of which you don’t care.
  40. Find the true soul you love, my little mare,
  41. Or against your coming trials, well you will not fare.}
  42.  
  43. >As the voice disappears, the magic begins to condense together in each of the five spots, and a blinding flash of light makes you cover your eyes for a moment.
  44. >When your vision returns, you gasp in surprise.
  45. >In front of you stands five incarnations of each of those you’ve come with this far.
  46. >Anon, Berry, Iron, Gable, Applejack and Pinkie.
  47. >They look the same as ever, each one frozen in time.
  48. >Anonymous is firing his Giga Buster at a dark force.
  49. >Berry Punch is blowing flames to melt the ice of the Windigo.
  50. >Iron Will looks invigorated while performing a motivational speech at the rest of the morale-shattered group.
  51. >Gable is roaring at the Ursa Polaris, scaring it away from the group.
  52. >Applejack is picking up a dispirited Anon from the chaos, consoling him.
  53. >Pinkie Pie is attacking the corrupted Princess Cadance, striking the pod of her back.
  54. >You realize that each of these moments they’re displaying are at a moment in time that displays their best traits, or their most heroic deeds.
  55. >Remembering what the voice said, you have to choose which isn’t true.
  56. >But they’re all true, aren’t they?
  57. >You never noticed before if they’ve ever seemed fake, so you have no idea.
  58. >They’re your friends!
  59. >What do you do?
  60.  
  61.  
  62. >Let’s think about this rationally.
  63. >For Anon’s moment, it seems like it is him.
  64. >He’s fighting a dark force, which shows that he represents light, represents good.
  65. >The dark force may very well be the shadow, but is it truly?
  66. >It doesn’t look like it, but at the same time, have you ever seen the shadow up close?
  67. >Anon and the Princesses are the only ones who have.
  68. >You can’t ask any of them about it now.
  69. >But looking very closely at him, you see nothing out of the ordinary.
  70. >So, what about Pinkie Pie?
  71. >She’s never liked hurting anypony else, much less killing something.
  72. >Her moment here is destroying the corrupted Princess Cadence’s weak spot, which helped turn the tide of battle.
  73. >Upon looking closer at it, you see that she’s frowning, and some of the normal bounciness of her hair is gone.
  74. >It looks like she’s doing what she has to do, but she most certainly doesn’t like it.
  75. >Well, that checks out for her, that truly is Pinkie.
  76. >But then again, can you really be sure?
  77. >Berry’s fire is melting ice that was encapsulated around AJ during the battle against the Windigo.
  78. >She’s trying to save her, it seems.
  79. >Berry’s always been a loyal pony, especially to Anon for saving her life.
  80. >It would be no different with one of her companions.
  81. >It checks out.
  82. >Iron Will is doing his thing, he’s helping you guys out of the rut you were in when you all found out that the Shadow destroyed Anon’s world, from that video that still shivers you to the core every time you think about it.
  83. >He might be a doofus with an ego, but he really is a nice guy underneath that ‘assertive’ hide of his.
  84. >You look closely at the way he’s talking, getting you guys to keep going.
  85. >It’s almost as if he doesn’t even believe what he’s saying.
  86. >Yet, he’s saying it anyways, because if he didn’t… where would your group be now?
  87. >That’s him, definitely.
  88. >How about Gable?
  89. >He may have just warmed up to us after the cold battle, but he’s a fighter.
  90. >It wasn’t like him to just scare away that bear, he would’ve wanted a challenge.
  91. >But after the way the bear’s family started to wreck your party, he stepped in and did what he needed to do.
  92. >He took a stand, and made sure we were okay.
  93. >He’s a fighter, but also a defender for those who cannot defend themselves.
  94. >You’ve seen that a few times now.
  95. >Gable is true here.
  96. >Finally, there’s Applejack.
  97. >At one time, Anon was being stupid and thought he could impose his thoughts on your relationship and Pinkie.
  98. >That still makes you angry, but you’ve long since forgiven him.
  99. >Mainly because he was so dejected after his mistake.
  100. >You didn’t see that though, until Applejack played mediator between the three of you.
  101. >When it comes to heart to heart conversations, she’s honest and kind at the same time.
  102. >Constructive honesty’s hard to find, most who are are simply brutal.
  103. >Not to mention, she always gave Anon exactly what he needed to hear at his other times of need.
  104. >She’s true to her character here as well.
  105. >But that means they’re… all true?
  106. >There has to be a mistake somewhere… right?
  107. >The voice said that you had to pick something.
  108. >What should you do?
  109.  
  110.  
  111. >Even though they’re all true…
  112. >Wait a minute.
  113. >You look more closely at each scene, now inspecting the group members that aren’t the focus of each scene.
  114. “Is Cadence an option?…”
  115. >You didn’t expect to get an answer, you’re just thinking aloud at this point.
  116. >In Pinkie Pie’s, the corrupted Cadence is not herself, obviously.
  117. >But she was being possessed by the Shadow, and here she is just like she was then.
  118. >There’s no change between the two, so… Even though she’s not herself, the scene itself isn’t lying.
  119. >That won’t work, then, will it?
  120. >In Applejack’s scene, Anon seems to have the same dejected expression.
  121. >No, not there either.
  122. >Gable’s scene has the rest of the party in it, but they’re very out of focus, so you can’t tell any detail.
  123. >It’s obvious they aren’t represented here, so you can’t use that.
  124. >In Iron Will’s, everyone’s facial expressions are a select form of sadness, expected after what they’ve just learned, so that won’t work either.
  125. >In Berry’s, it’s hard to make out what AJ’s expression is, but there’s nothing out of the ordinary as she’s encased in ice.
  126. >So that leaves the dark form in Anon’s.
  127. >You look closely at it, trying to see it for what it truly is.
  128. >You even step close and nearly stick your nose in it, because you see something.
  129. >…Wait…
  130. >The dark form has a figure inside of it.
  131. >It’s… Anon?
  132. >There’s two of him in here?
  133. >How could he be the dark and the light?
  134. >You don’t understand that…
  135. >It can’t be right.
  136. >Who should you pick?
  137.  
  138.  
  139. >Okay, the Anon you know, the one representing light stands there, that’s him.
  140. >You check all parts of his visible skin to make sure everything’s where it’s supposed to be.
  141. >By that, you mean his markings.
  142. >They may be intricate designs, but you’ve come to know them rather intimately.
  143. >They look the exact same from your memory, so that checks out.
  144. >The dark Anon, on the other hoof…
  145. >You check every sign of emotion on his face as best as you can, but since it’s dark it’s hard to tell.
  146. >From what you can make of it, he has more or less the same expression as the light Anon.
  147. >What that exactly is, you aren’t sure.
  148. >…Maybe that’s it.
  149. >Their expressions aren’t blank, but they aren’t anything else.
  150. >They’re… confused?
  151. >A look of confusion is on both of the Anon’s faces.
  152. >As if they actually see each other, but they don’t know why.
  153. >You have no idea what to make of that.
  154. >Who should you pick?
  155.  
  156.  
  157. >The difference between the rest of the scenes and Anon’s is… concerning.
  158. >The other ones have a distinct trait they’re showing, but this one you can’t wrap your head around.
  159. >But, maybe that’s the point.
  160. >Every other scene is showing them helping someone else, or doing something brave or selfless.
  161. >Anon’s is also battling something, but different all the same.
  162. >If you were supposed to find one that is wrong, then this must be it.
  163. >So… here goes nothing.
  164. “Alright, I’ve made my decision…”
  165. >You hope this is right.
  166. “My friends have each done these things, and they have helped others in ways that have shown what they’re really like… But Anonymous’ isn’t right. I was asked to look for something fake, and there’s something fake about it. I choose Anon.”
  167. >The definitive choice seals your fate.
  168.  
  169. {A difficult choice, one may agree.
  170. The one you care for most is fake, you believe.
  171. It is true that there is something amiss,
  172. And you have proven you know this.
  173.  
  174. But see, hark unto the true identity.}
  175.  
  176. >As the voice tempers, the scenes begin to move.
  177. >As the rest of them disappear, Anon’s remains.
  178. >The scene rips itself from its frozen jail, and begins to animate as the rest of the magic pulls itself into this one moment.
  179. >The ‘good’ Anon’s blast rockets forward, crashing into the dark.
  180. >The dark void roars in response, flying out and swirling around the magic to meet the good.
  181. >Whatever the dark version was, it was not Anonymous after all.
  182. >Or at least, it isn’t anymore.
  183. >The darkness assumes no face when it parts, and it is all you get to see before this scene disappears as well.
  184. >The air grows still within this realm as the magic from the scene converges together, into a single set of light-born shears.
  185. >It levitates into your hooves, and you realize it must be able to cut the threads holding the cage at the center of the island.
  186. >You turn around, wondering what to make of that test.
  187. >From what you gathered, that actually was the Shadow.
  188. >Anon did fight him before, and used that blast.
  189. >But you can’t remember it actually happening.
  190. >It starts to rack your brain, but you realize you need to get to this next trial.
  191. >You return back to the center, raise the shears high, and cut the string that is tied to the first gate.
  192. >As the light shears cut through it, they dissipate along with the thread.
  193. >Once the thread disappears, the crystal holding it unlocks itself from the cage, and begins to float upward into the silver sky.
  194. >That’s one down, then.
  195. >You look towards the second and third gates.
  196. >Which would you like to go to next?
  197.  
  198.  
  199. >Might as well keep going, right?
  200. >You approach the second gate, the one with the symbol of infinite swirling of white and black.
  201. >You hope it isn’t as literal as you think it is.
  202. >You step through the gate, and continue down the rocky path.
  203. >Each of these bridges keep getting smaller and smaller at the center of them, and this one gets narrow enough to where you’re hoping you don’t fall off.
  204. >Your eyes look down a bit, and your hoof slips.
  205. >With great reflex you manage to catch yourself before anything bad happens, but one lone rock chips off of the bridge, falling into a grey oblivion.
  206. >You never see any kind of splash or collision, but you just lose sight of it.
  207. >A bottomless pit that you can see the bottom of…
  208. >You instantly tense up and walk forward.
  209. “Just don’t look down…”
  210. >You walk the rest of the way stone-necked, making absolutely sure you don’t do that.
  211. >Once you reach the end of the bridge, you quicken your pace to be done with it, and you approach the next circle.
  212. >There seems to be a larger area this time, but there’s no plateau.
  213. >There isn’t anything, actually, just plain, smooth canyon rock.
  214. >As you step into the circle, nothing happens either.
  215. >What’s going on?
  216. “…Hello?”
  217. >You wander into the center of it, looking around for something, anything that might be coming.
  218. >Maybe you messed up?
  219. >Maybe you weren’t supposed to cut the thread yet, or you had to wait-
  220. >The ground trembles as you reach the center.
  221. >For some reason, you can’t move.
  222. >Nothing is stopping you, but you don’t have the will to actually walk.
  223. >You stand there, as something begins to vibrate the very being of your body.
  224. >You’ve been through a lot in the last month, but this is taking the cake for weird.
  225. >Before you begin to panic, some sort of magical tendril pops out of you.
  226. >A completely black claw begins to shred its way out of your chest, and if you were able to move, you’d scream.
  227. >You watch as more claws converge into flat hooves, and some sort of equine being removes itself from your body through magical means.
  228. >As the black form begins to compress and turn solid, black turns to white, and some of the white turns to pink…
  229. >And she turns around, staring at you.
  230. >It is you.
  231. >Another Redheart with the same look, the same expression, same cutie mark, even the same eyes, a mirror image.
  232. >When you tilt your head, she tilts hers as well.
  233. >You turn left and right, and so does she.
  234. >It’s so weird…
  235. >Is that really what you look like without a mirror?
  236. >This is what other ponies see…
  237. >You sort of wish you weren’t in armor right now for a better look.
  238. >So how does having a mirror image pertain to this test?
  239. >You’ll have to find out.
  240. >What do you say to yourself?
  241.  
  242.  
  243. >There might be something wrong here.
  244. >Before you even think about interacting with… yourself, you want to make sure that there’s nothing you missed.
  245. >You take a quick look around the rest of the circle, but there is still nothing here.
  246. >Then she must be your test?
  247. >Well, looks like there isn’t anything else you can do.
  248. >Your doppelgänger looks to be just as curious and confused as you.
  249. >Maybe the test is to bond with yourself?
  250. >You slowly approach her, taking a step forward after much caution.
  251. >She does the same, and now you’re pretty close to each other.
  252. >Here goes nothing.
  253. “…Hello? Uh… My name is Nurse Redheart. Who are you?”
  254. <”I’m you.”
  255. “You’re me?”
  256. <”Of course, who else would I be? I’m you, and you’re me.”
  257. “So… What kind of test are you?”
  258. >!Redheart takes a look of bewilderment.
  259. <”I don’t know what you mean by test. Are we having a medical examination?”
  260. “Er, no… Uh…”
  261. >She doesn’t seem bad at all.
  262. “Well, if you’re no test, maybe I need you for the next one?… Yeah. Let’s be friends, okay?”
  263. <”Friends?”
  264. >You raise your hoof with a happy smile.
  265. “Mhm!”
  266. <”But we don’t have any friends.”
  267. >What does she mean?
  268. “What do you mean?”
  269. >!Redheart’s originally innocently blank countenance now assumes the logical, matter-of-fact display you always have when you talk to your doctor.
  270. <”Cut the act. You know exactly who you are and what you do. What happened, Red?”
  271. >You…
  272. “W-what?”
  273. <”You know exactly what I’m talking about. You’ve been with this group for how long? How much longer before you have an aneurysm from holding everything back?”
  274. >You’re lost for words, unable to retort to what she’s getting at.
  275. >As she speaks, now she begins to circle you, her face no longer polite.
  276. <”Day in and day out you’re constantly wishing you could wipe that stupid smile off their faces, constantly making mistakes and never learning from them. You know little Hawthorn? The colt with the accident proneness?”
  277. “He’s… just a bit clumsy, he can’t help it-”
  278. <”Please. You just suck in every little bit of advice you have and just let him hurt himself every week, coming back to you so you can patch him back up. You never tell him otherwise or else you’re afraid he’ll tell his parents about the mean little nursemare. Don’t you remember the time when you wouldn’t take shit?”
  279. >The sound of your own voice cursing like that makes you flinch.
  280. <”You used to have a backbone, Red. Once upon a time, you’d tell it like it is, you wouldn’t spare his feelings just so he could go home knowing ‘it wasn’t his fault’. You’d make sure he’d never come back by his own accord. Maybe you’re afraid… Or maybe you just get off on helping little foals, do you? Or don’t you remember her?”
  281. >Your pupils dilate slightly as you remember the little mare at the playground, the one who gave you your cutie mark.
  282. <”You helped make her feel better, and you couldn’t stop being so proud. So proud in fact, that you lusted after it. How does it make you feel, knowing you thrive on others’ pain to live, to really, truly live?”
  283. >She won’t give you an out to say anything.
  284. <”You’re fucking pathetic. You’ve put on this disgusting charade, this polite façade that makes you nothing more than a doormat who will just do her job and never speak out, lest you fall back into that lust that you fear, yet desire so much. And now you’re being dragged along on this ridiculous adventure by an alien who you’ve given yourself to, making you think you owe something to him to risk your life, and let those little foals get hurt without the guidance of their special nurse, huh?”
  285. >You don’t know how to make her stop.
  286. “T-that’s not tru-”
  287. <”Don’t lie. You know exactly what you are in the dark, and you refuse to look yourself in the eye. So let me show you what you really are.”
  288. >What does she mean by that?
  289. >All of a sudden, her appearance shifts.
  290. >She’s still you, but her eyes sink in, her teeth grow sharper, her fur ragged and spattered with blood.
  291. >And as she begins to laugh, ringing out in your ears, your vision flashes before all those you’ve helped, all of those you were trying to save, trying to keep them healthy.
  292. >But every single frame, you see yourself holding your tongue, letting them go out with their stupid notions that they didn’t do anything wrong, so they’ll do it again and come back to satisfy your abhorrent desires.
  293. >It’s too much.
  294. >She’s right, she’s always been right!
  295. >What’s happened to you?
  296. >You’re… you’re pathetic!…
  297. [You are dispirited.]
  298. >!Redheart ceases her laughter, ragged hooves drawing the spear from her back.
  299. <”Don’t you worry now, Red. I’ll make it all better. If I kill you here, I’ll go back to the real world, and I’ll make sure you’re better than ever! You’ll never back away from your responsibilities again! Don’t you want that, Redheart? Don’t you want to be a good pony?”
  300. >You…
  301. >She’s right…
  302. >But is she?
  303. >Should you just… let her take you?
  304.  
  305.  
  306. >…No.
  307. >No!
  308. >You raise your shield in front of you, and draw you spear to hold it in a defensive stance.
  309. [ http://vocaroo.com/i/s0PmxDSG3vuZ ]
  310. “A nurse's job is to help their patient live. Not just to keep them physically alive, but to keep them happy, to keep them doing what they love and with those they care about. Otherwise they're just existing. And what we-- no. What -I- love to do, what I care about, is giving ponies the opportunity to be happy. I love helping people. I don't enjoy it because they're hurt. I enjoy it because I can make it stop hurting. That's why I'm with Anonymous. I follow him because I love him, because he's doing everything in his power to make the hurting stop!”
  311. >Your increasing strength makes !Redheart frown in response, and she brandishes her spear.
  312. “So if you think you can take my place, and masquerade your selfishness as generosity, your cruelty as kindness… you're not me. You're what's hurting me. And I'll do whatever I have to to make the hurting stop.”
  313. >As powerfully as you believe this, you still can’t help thinking about what she said.
  314. >But you won’t let her take you.
  315. >!Redheart’s voice is replaced by a guttural roar, and she charges you inequinely fast.
  316. >Looks like you’ll have to defend your own character!
  317.  
  318. [BATTLE START]
  319. >Redheart: [HP: 150/150, DS][Stats: 115 PD, 50 MD, +20 HP / +5 PA base, +40 PA Wep]
  320. Abilities:
  321. -Moderate Spear Combat (+5 PA skill)
  322. -Expert Med. Skill (+75% medkit efficiency, removes poisons/diseases)
  323. -Block (+5 PD and 25% chance to negate all dmg.)
  324. -Cross-Cutter (Good attack, 50% bleed chance, 3tcd)
  325. -Shield Bash (+20 PA, stuns for 3 turns, 2 turn CD)
  326. -Shoot (Shoots C.O.C.K.)
  327. -Heart’s Calling (5tcd, Gives 50% attack boost to entire party for next turn)
  328. -Quick Fix (Allows you to use two medkits per turn)
  329. -Biomedical Transfusion (Can re-brew a healing potion into a mana potion and vice versa at the cost of any enchantments)
  330. >!Redheart: [HP: 300/300][Stats: +40 PA Wep]
  331. [!Red is too fast! She charges and attacks first!][Abilities: Spear Combat (+30 PA, ½ chance to crit x2), Block (50% chance to completely negate all dmg), Negative Cutter (+30 PA, Good attack, 100% bleed chance, 2tcd), Dark Charge (+40 PA, x2.5, , 50% stuns for 5 turns, 5tcd), Black Heart Calling (+100% attack boost next turn, 5tcd), Expert Med Skill (Heal 100% of HP, 7tcd)]
  332. [AWAITING ENEMY ATTACK . . .]
  333. >!Red attacks you with Dark Charge! (5 turn CD)
  334. >7 (+40 PA)(x2.5) = >118<
  335. [-115 PD, +33% DS]
  336. >42<
  337. >Redheart avoids being stunned!
  338. Redheart: [HP: 108/150, DS]
  339. [AWAITING BATTLE COMMANDS]
  340. [REDHEART]
  341. >Attacks !Red with Shield Bash! (2 turn CD)
  342. >8 (+20 PA)(x3 triples) = >84<
  343. >!Red is stunned!
  344. !Red: [HP: 216/300, S]
  345. >!Red can’t attack!
  346. [AWAITING BATTLE COMMANDS]
  347. 1
  348. [REDHEART]
  349. >You utilize the power of your amulet to bring forth Heart’s Calling!
  350. >+50% Attack power next turn!
  351. >!Red is stunned! (2 turns)
  352. [AWAITING BATTLE COMMANDS]
  353. 2
  354. [REDHEART]
  355. >Attacks !Red with Cross-cutter! (3 turn CD)
  356. >89 (+50% Attack) = >134<
  357. >!Red is bleeding!
  358. >!Red bleeds for 10 damage!
  359. !Red: [HP: 72/300, B, S]
  360. >!Red is stunned! (1 turn)
  361. [AWAITING BATTLE COMMANDS]
  362. [SHIELD BASH REFRESHED!]
  363. 3
  364. [REDHEART]
  365. >Attacks !Red with Downforce! (3 turn CD)
  366. >75 (+12 PA) = >87<
  367.  
  368. !Red: [HP: -15/300]
  369. [BATTLE END]
  370. >…
  371.  
  372.  
  373. >…
  374. >With your final strike, your heavily weakened doppelgänger takes the full brunt of the downward swing.
  375. >The metal cleaves her in two.
  376. >Instead of blood and gore like you expected however, pure black void consists of her insides, and the split body freezes for a moment before suddenly exploding in a powerful torrent of magic that blows across the entire circle of rock.
  377. >When you manage to open your eyes again, you see your spear pristine and clean, held out in front of you with nothing.
  378. >As you sheath your weapon, the familiar voice hangs in the air once again.
  379.  
  380. {“With all of your troubles and trials,
  381. Defenses, lies and denial;
  382. You doubted yourself in wake of the truth,
  383. Covered in veils since your youth.
  384.  
  385. But you overcame, you did not falter,
  386. Destroyed the darkness that stood hither.
  387. Come forward and claim your right,
  388. but can the rest of your trials be solved by might?”}
  389.  
  390. >As the voice finishes, another pair of light-born shears falls into your hooves, and you know what to do.
  391. >You step away from the circular rock and cross the bridge, thinking about what your apparent dark half said.
  392. >Most of what she said was stretched truths and twists, but they had something real in them.
  393. >You do bridle your tongue far too often…
  394. >But why say something that will only make things worse?
  395. >Maybe you need to work on it?…
  396. >You pass the gate and reach the center of the island for the second time, and you reach up with the shears.
  397. >You clamp your hooves together, slicing the thread in one motion.
  398. >Just as before, the shears disappear, the thread is cut in two, and dissipates into the void.
  399. >The second crystal of the cage rises out of its pocket, floating into nothingness.
  400. >As this happens, you could swear you hear the sound of a gong.
  401. >In fact, you believe there is music… But it’s not music you’ve ever heard before.
  402. [ http://vocaroo.com/i/s0ahVeGVeiSb ]
  403. >You’ve removed two of the four crystals, so maybe things get interesting from here on.
  404. >You look at the final two gates.
  405. >When you look a little more closely, you spot something on the fourth you’ve never seen before.
  406. >There are three similar-looking crystals on its knobs, and two of them have been filled.
  407. >So you did have to do the first three gates before the fourth.
  408. >That means it’s time for the third.
  409. >You look over at it, remembering the symbol of the grey figure being offered a hoof by the white, and a sword by the black.
  410. >You wonder what this one means.
  411. >You step forward through the third gate, knowing there wasn’t much room for decision.
  412. >There is another bridge that takes you to another circle of rock, but you see something ahead.
  413. >There seems to be a wheat field, oddly enough.
  414. >And… is that a mill?
  415. >That is certainly odd, as it looks well out of place in the midst of a canyon.
  416. >Is there anything you’d like to do on the way to the third trial?
  417.  
  418.  
  419. >Status
  420. >REDHEART (cc): [HP: 108/150][Stats: 115 PD, 50 MD, +20 HP / +5 PA base, +40 PA wep]
  421.  
  422. Equipped: Highguard Glaive (1 hoofed, +40 PA, Grants Parry, Grants ability Downforce), Medic-Issued Crystal Leather Cloak (Reduces exhaustion), Thick Winter Coat, C.O.C.K. (R, +40 PA, 3 turn reload after six shots, 1 oz. of Kablooie powder per round of shots), Amulet of Heart’s Calling (+5 HP, grants ability Heart’s Calling), Crystal Plate Helmet (+8 PD, +5 MD), Crystal Platemail (+15 PD, +5 MD), Crystal Plate Flankguards (+10 PD, +5 MD), Crystal Plate Hoofguards (+7 PD, +5 MD), Highguard Shield Wall (+75 PD/+30 MD)
  423.  
  424. >You’ll need to be more careful if you have to fight anything else.
  425. >You disposed of… yourself quickly enough, but not before taking a sizable hit from the first charge.
  426. >In fact, it might be best to rest a little bit.
  427. >…
  428. [Dispirited removed!]
  429. >After laying near the wheat field you’ve come up on, you feel a little better.
  430. >You should also be careful about what things tell you, that’s for sure.
  431. >Coming up onto the wheat field, you scan it to make sure nothing’s wrong.
  432. >As you start to walk through it, the mill becomes much more clear, now.
  433. >But why would a mill be here?
  434. >There may not be much at Ponyville, but there’s a mill, and it has nothing to do with canyons.
  435. >Maybe you’re thinking about it too literally.
  436. >But still?
  437. >As soon as you ask yourself this, something else comes into view next to it.
  438. >There’s a normal house.
  439. >That explains it a bit more.
  440. >Maybe this is some faux pas farm or something?
  441. >You eventually exit the wheat field and look over the house.
  442. >It’s a bit rickety, but it otherwise looks rather comfy.
  443. >As comfy as it can look with a big shimmering silver sky behind it.
  444. >You step up to the windows and see that it’s furnished on the inside, too.
  445. >Nopony seems to be home, however.
  446. >You check the door and see that its unlocked.
  447. >What would you like to do?
  448.  
  449.  
  450. >You stay near the door, and knock a few times on the frame.
  451. “Hello? Is anypony home?…”
  452. >No answer.
  453. >You didn’t really expect one, though.
  454. >One last look around tells you there’s nobody anywhere near the mill or the field.
  455. >You decide it’d probably be best to go in, anyways, as it’s most likely where the trial is.
  456. >you turn the knob and push forward, the door creaking open as you peek your muzzle in for a moment.
  457. >Seeing nothing move, the green light goes off in your head and you step inside, the door slowly swinging back closed as you stand in the kitchen.
  458. >It looks like it was well kept, but whoever used to live here has long since abandoned it.
  459. >There’s neat and tidy chairs and tables, stoves and counters, even an old-style freezer.
  460. >Most of it’s covered with thick dust, though.
  461. >You look around as you move forward, eventually finding yourself in the living room.
  462. >There’s nopony here.
  463. >You’ve learned not to trust lack of action after the last test, so you’re not sure what’s about to happen.
  464. >Sure enough, there’s a sudden thump sound upstairs.
  465. >Didn’t stop you from flinching though.
  466. >Should you check out the noise?
  467.  
  468.  
  469. >You’ve got to check out that noise.
  470. >You know whatever it is isn’t going to be good, but there’s no point in standing around here without going to the next trial.
  471. >Turning towards the stairwell, you take a deep breath and keep your shield at the ready.
  472. “Okay… What’s gonna happen this time?…”
  473. >There’s only one way to find out, right?
  474. >You start walking up the stairs slowly, making sure your hooves are as soft as possible on the creaking wooden steps.
  475. >Once you reach the summit, you peek your muzzle out and look over to your left and right, surveying the upstairs.
  476. >On the left, there seems to be a few doors that lead to bedrooms and a bathroom, nothing too out of the ordinary.
  477. >There are a few doors on the right as well, along with an attic, and the far door at the end of the hallway.
  478. >All of the doors are closed except for this one, which has been slightly left ajar.
  479. >You’re pretty sure you know where this place is.
  480. >One of your hooves move forward so you can get up off the stairs, but the instant you do there’s the sound of jingling coins coming from the right end of the hall.
  481. >Why is money being handled, and who’s handling it?
  482. >What would you like to do?
  483.  
  484.  
  485. >You should probably check the rest of the area first before going to the obviously interesting totally the story-progressive event.
  486. >It’s most likely just a boring four turn battle like the last one anyways.
  487. >Wait…
  488. >Er, you get up and look to the left, approaching the door and examining it closely.
  489. >It’s locked.
  490. >Youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuouuouo3uorouedeoduanonoieoi3eouoirodf90u4308u59u98439u598sdf454 t̶6҉ry̨͠’̷ş͡ ͢*36ţ, ͢c̸̶h̶͢ąr̨̨̕a5c (̨g̕͡eń͢͜e̷̡͘r͏͏a͡t̶5̛̛6͠n̴̡ 4)͏ ̴̢͢a҉̧n͘d͠ =============f̕͏̸63̶̧3́̕6͏w҉s̸͠ ͟͢͠t̢͏h҉́͝e ̶͏c̴̀a͟n̷6̛n̢ =======6f ̴͞t̕͠h̵e̷͜͡ ̢ą͜n5̵0̴át̛́=èd ̴҉sę͝r5̶̴̢e͟s̷͢͞ ̀͘*r̸̷͘é̷d͞a̢͘t҉̕͏5̷̧ǹģ ͏t̷̛͞h̡͢e ̶̷̧s̸e͏a̷s̷̀́6n̛a͜͟2͜e͠ ́͢s͠e͞n̛͝͝s̕ȩ͟͠ 6͟͜f͡͡ ̵͘͢3͏ ͢f̕͜5̴́͟n̛a̶3̸e̴ ͏͢‘͏>You awaken You awaken You awaken You awaken You awaken You awaken You awaken, your legs covered in soft blankets. As your eyes wander the room, you realize that your surroundings match
  491. that of a hhhhhhhh0̸̀a͜g͝5̢͟c̵a̵a̕2́͟ȩ̀ ̷́s͏͢e͏̷n̡se ͡6f͢3̨ 0̷͜y͜s̵͡t͢͝è͡͝ry̵̢ ̸̧͞c̀4̛r҉e͡’͠͏ ͘͝ẃ͟͟5̷̴t҉̴h ́͢=ý:̕ ͝҉f̨̛r̨̕͝5́͡en̢͢d̕s̷h͘͏͏5̀*́͘ 5́s̷̢====== ̀͡͞0̸͟҉a͢g̢̢c̶͝te͡ŕ̨͜ş ̵͝͠6͘҉̸r͠ ͏̴e̵v͝e̴nt̨s͢ ̷͡arè͞ ̷́*̷4̛̕re͏҉ s̵̨*҉̧e̶͞c͜͞4͏̶̵3̸͘͜a̢͠t5҉6͜͞n͞͏…̷͝҉s ͢c͢͢6̛nt̡͟e̡̛n̷͞t́̀ ̶́͡r͠҉e͘҉3ate̡̕͘ḑ͞ ̶̢̛t͘͡6̨͢ ̷͢͠ţ͟h̕e̵͟͞ ͞f̸͢҉r͡͏a̴͢n̕͜c̀h̀͠5̢s̵̶e̡̕ ̀6̵͠f͠ ̨́0͏̛y̵ ̸̵3̷̀5̨t̨t̶̢3͠ȩ̨͘ ͝͡*̛͘҉6̶̨ń́ỳ҉:̵͝ ͏̛f͝r5̢͢en̢͢d̶͜͢s̶h̕5͟͞*̕͢͡ ̢5͏̧͟s͜ ̨͞͞0̶̡̧á́̕g̶̢͞ng̨4͝ą̀̕ge, ̧th͢e̢0̧=è̶̶s͝ ̀҉a҉҉r̀͘͞ỳ̷ ̡͠c̛̀̕4̸̀͟r̢̕͘ę̨’͝҉̴ ̸͜w͟5̡͞t̛h̷͟ ̡́n͜͠͠s͜f͝ẁ̶̶ ̛3̕á̢͞ng̸̕4҉̷͜a̢g̸̢è,҉͠ ̢̧t̷͡h͝e̕͜0̵̸ȩ̕errrrrrrrr
  492.  
  493. [ERROR]
  494. [PARSING ERROR LINES. . .]
  495. . . .
  496. . . . . . . . . . . . .
  497. .
  498. .
  499. .
  500. [CONSOLE: DATA NOT FOUND]
  501. [PLEASE RUN MASTERCHECKSUM.MLP.4CH.EXE]
  502. _
  503.  
  504. [Author's Note: The CYOA ended off here (more like died with a whimper.) It was a combination of many things that stopped the CYOA from continuing.
  505. Players losing interest, sessions going from every other day to weekly to almost bi-weekly, and just general burnout.
  506. It's something I wish we could have continued at some point, but that time has been lost.]
  507.  
  508. Footnotes:
  509. >This ending was in the middle of Redheart's test via the Buffalo to prove herself worthy to clear out a Lich in a sidequest.
  510. >However, from my memory of our plans at the time, the test's success would have resulted in the introduction of a Limit Break system that acted as a single transformation that allowed great abilities with heavy restrictions, and each character would have gotten one.
  511. >As for the story itself, they would have went to war with Chrysalis when she inevitably refused to parlay/negotiate; the party would have reunited with AJ and Pinke, travelled via ship and found the underwater seapony civilization which, in 2014, was a much different imagining than the movie that came out 3 years later; they would have had a character-study arc at White-Tail City that granted introspection into each of the characters motives and why they're in the game, and everything was going to wrap up after that in Canterlot and the Hollow Shades, the forest around the mountain below, and a secret final area.
  512. >Other locations for exploration were to include the Gryphon kingdom, the Caves of Maretonia, the Tomb of Kinich-Ahau, and any other places the players would have gone themselves.
  513. >Anymore spoilers/information, refer to the first document on who to contact, because you won't get it here.
  514.  
  515.  
  516. >All in all, this was a wonderful experience that I will never ever forget, and here are the people to thank:
  517.  
  518. Nehem (As Logmaster), the splitter and tech guy, who stuck it out to the end
  519. Obzedat (As Questionmaster), romance-expert and the reason why it got good (sorry about the changeling shit lol)
  520. CrazyRain (As Gamemaster), who may have left early but still gets an honorable mention
  521. Auzguy, the most faithful player, no matter how much we picked on him
  522. Grenadier, the artist who gave quite a few ideas for our story
  523. cho'gott, the man with the plan who helped drive things along
  524. Alphabro (AKA Dubsmenace, AKA MarineMarksman, AKA Big Willy), a good manly friend who helped get us started in players
  525. All the other players who participated (hopefully you!)
  526.  
  527. This is Storymaster, thanks for reading.
  528. END

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