Last thread, we entered a tower that was larger on the inside and found a wounded hand. We talked Morse with it, tried to help it, nearly killed it, saved it, and followed it after it said "Home" to us.
>INV: Crystal ball, bluish metal knife, some food, torch (Lit, still with around an hour of use left), Hat (Worn), Cape (Worn, part of it was ripped off to bandage the Morse Hand), some kid's ball.
Last thread: >>27159578
We climb for a while, the hand growing weaker and weaker, until we reach a well lit room, some kind of glass brazier hanging from a brass chain on the domed ceiling. I see a small drawer with some papers on it, but the hand seems to be going out to some balcony. Cold, humid air enters through the doorless aperture.
>>INPUT COMMAND
>>27166303
check desk
>>27166303
Watch the hand, then check the papers
>>27166303
Damn, that hand is really losing a lot of blood.
Grab the thing on the desk if you can put it in your inventory, and then follow the hand. We don't want to lose sight of the hand, and the desk isn't going anywhere.
Offer to cauterize the wound with fire, if the hand accepts it.
[1/4]
>>27166322
I give a quick look to the papers.
They have holes of different sizes. I've seen this, it's for automated Morse machines.
I could read it, but it'd take me a few minutes.
(The hand seems to be tapping something in the balcony, but whatever makes this place bigger on the inside must be distorting the sound. I could swear I hear heavy breathing.)
>>27166342
I put the papers in my bag and follow the hand. I'll offer it to cauterize the wound a soon as I know what is that's breathing.
[2/4]
>>27166446
The starless sky is the only thing over us. I can feel two large bodies-- one is the tower, the other I don't know.
[3/4]
>>27166452
(Is that an...?)
(Oh Tartarus)
>>27166480
Maaaaaybe take a few steps back.
[4/4]
>>27166480
>>27166492
A thousand thousand bells sound.
The hand connects to its home, its arm, with a wet sound.
A face approaches me, its margins only vaguely defined.
Its eyes see my soul, and have no care for it.
My breathing comes in short bursts. Panic rises in me. I step back, but my muscles lock.
I can hear it breathing, yet no air comes in or out of its mouth.
>>27166527
>help an unknown being in pain
>accidentally unleash demon upon our world
fuitflank_fug.png
Can it speak now?
>>27166527
Hello?
>>27166539
>>27166552
I gulp.
"H-hello?"
Its lips, too thin to cover the maw under them in the first place, expose the teeth further.
[I recognize you]
It approaches me. The voice does not come from its mouth, but from the bells in its flesh-- they all sing an aria, too complex for me to bear, and the resonances create a voice.
[You were a traveler]
[You helped the alicorn whore and her dragon fucktoy]
[You helped them try to kill me]
[Why are you alive]
[?]
[I told you to die]
>>27166598
R U N
>>27166598
Well it seems "it" doesn't like you for something, you should probably run. Fast.
>>27166598
Running away sounds good right now
Yell "You didn't tell me to die, you said NS FAL or something"
We don't want anyone to die, it's the first time we meet. We're confused, just looking for answers here.
>>27166612
>>27166615
I run.
[[[[Don't]]]]
The aria is too large
Too beautiful
It's not my muscles that lock,
It's reality that heeds to it
That weeps to the song and answers.
I am but a particle of the mechanism that was just triggered.
>>27166646
"I-- I don't know what you mean, the hand only said--"
[What it did while on its own is of no concern to me]
[answer,]
[Why are you alive]
[?]
>>27166713
Because I never died, what kind of question is that?
>>27166713
Because I'm stubborn like that.
>>27166760
>>27166753
My legs tremble. It grumbles impatiently.
(I am stubb--)
(I am but a particle)
The Morse hand writhes in its arm, ignored by the giant.
(I am stubb--)
(--But a parti--)
(--stubb--)
(--part--)
My breathing comes out in short busts, and a pain grows in my chest, but,
, but it is a good pain,
, my legs tremble, seeking to escape,
[I grow impatient,]
[traveler]
>>27166829STUBBORNPARTICLE
>>27166829
Resist this, we need to run NOW
>>27166829
Take control
[1/2]
>>27166849
>>27166864
>>27166887
(I am stubb--
A stubb--
I am a stubborn parti
"I am--
[Yes]
[?]
"I am a stubborn"
The hand is spazzming. The giant regards it, the hold on me growing weak for an instant, but losses interest in it almost immediately.
"I am a stubb--"
I feel the taste of copper in my mouth.
I don't feel my left arm.
"I am a stubborn
My legs
My chest hurts
I ru
fall.
(I totally didn't forget to upload the image)
>>27166922
Jump the gap, we can't really climb down carefully.
>>27166922
If we fall, tuck in and protect the head.
>>27166926
fall
i feel cold
the taste of copper makes me nauseous
>>27167023
Oh noes
Can we even stand up? Feel our shoulders, hooves?Is that a puddle of our blood?
>>27167051
Hold up I didn't even notice, who is this behind us?
Call for help
>>27167023
Try to get up, we have company.
>>27167051
It's the hands blood.
This is my first time touching Diamond Dogs in any shape or form, so, yeah. Should've done it before, I know.
>>27167051
I feel most of my body, but my left arm is out cold. My chest hurts.
>>27167060
>>27167069
I try to stand up.
Someone gasps behind me. I call for help.
"Who-- whoareyou!?" Asks a kid.
>>27167118
Applejack?
Traveler?
Our memory seems a little shaky right now.
>>27167118
Tell the voice we're "just a pony, and could use some help".
>>27167118
Hi! I'mPinkie Pie
>>27167140
>>27167142
I am
"I am..."
>>27167144
("Wowsers! You really are a stubborn mare!"
"Been told I am," I shake her hoof. "Applejack"
"I have a long booooooring name, but you can call me Pinkie Pie!")
"I am Applejack"
I fall again.
"Help"
Dubiously at first, the dog walks closer to me.
"What's wrong with you? How can I help?"
>>27167196
I fell. I think my leg is bust.
>>27167196Nice meme
I fell here, my shoulder is numb, my body hurts. Can you help me stand up?
We should get out of here, but at the same time, we haven't found what we were looking for...
I don't suppose this guy has anything like a health kit
Meme?
>>27167239
>>27167214
"There was--"
I stop, panic rising again and the pain in my chest increasing.
I hear.
There is no sound at all besides our breaths.
"My chest hurts, and I don't feel my leg"
The taste of copper won't go away. I search my bag for a water bottle and find nothing.
"We..." The dog pauses. "Me and my brothers have a place were we hide. I could help you there, and, and you could take a nap. Big bro always says all you need to feel good is a good night's sleep."
>>27167320
Yeah, that would be nice thanks. Can we go now?
I don't like it here.
>>27167351
He guides me, sometimes having to carry me, and at some point I fall asleep in a bed.
I wake up what feels like hours later to shouting.
"Re re, dura ke la mina! Questrian se!" There is a sound as if someone was banging a table with a hammer.
"Se!" Shouts back the dog that helped you. "Se, et tu!"
>>27167543
We can stand up? No pain? Sounds like they took really great care of us.
Go talk to them, thank them for the hospitality, apologize for causing an argument, propose to make it up to them somehow. Tell them we're on a quest to find some sort of miracle in that gloomy building.
>>27167543
I think we may have gotten our new friend in trouble.
We should take with his brother before things escalate.
>>27167639
>>27167583
I crawl the passage, having to stop halfway through to collect my breath, and step into the other room. My left leg seems better now, at lea--
A floating gauntlet points at me accusingly.
"Questrian. mina! Re!"
The dog looks at me, shouts at the armor pieces, and looks back to me.
"Pha! Lil bro thinks he's hot shit since he got that armor. He says you want to eat us and steal our toys!" He pauses "Why did you have his ball, anyway?"
>>27167750
we found it in the tower and there was nobody around
>>27167750
We found it in the hall we met you in.
>>27167779
"I found it. Near were you you found me."
The dog tells something to the armor, and I don't know how am I supposed to reach when the armor stutters.
"E-Ehk, Questrian ehk! Ehk ehk ehk ehk ehk!"
"Se!" Cuts the dog. The armor shuts up immediately. He turns to me again. "Forgive him, he always forgets his toys all over the place. He was calling you a liar," He rolls his eyes. "As if he hadn't begged me to help him find the ball."
I nod weakly.
"Thanks..." I leave it in the air.
"Quibra," He points at the armor "And Dere. Are you fine now?"
"A little," I nod. "Can I make up for the help? Anything?"
"Well..." He pauses. "Big bro went to do something, he insisted in that there was something he had to get at the top of the tower. Could you tell him to stop being an idiot and come back if you see him? Dere's getting worried."
>>27167866
Well he did help us, so it's only fair we help him in return.
>>27167866
The top of the tower, well that's where we're going. If we see him there we'll make sure to let him know how you feel about that.
>>27167962
>>27167907
I nod.
"Did he tell you..." I pause for breath. "Did he tell you what it was?"
"No, not really." It seems to be a sore spot for him. "I can give you some water, anyway, noticed you don't have any, and lil bro says your heart attacked you or something. He's always saying weird things about people."
"Oh" I blink, not knowing what to make of that.
"You get used to it. I'll be back with the water in a moment" He walks out of the room.
A moment of silence passes.
I look at Dere and clear my throat awkwardly. He stands still.
>>27168015
So uh, you like food?
I like apples.
It's my cutiemark. Apples.
Yeah.
>>27168059
(Can it-- he even eat?)
"Uh--"
Quibra enters with a canteen and throws it to me.
"Thanks"
"Don't worry, the waterfall's near. Oh, and be careful with the door."
I nod and make my way out of the cubicle, almost hitting my head with a small hook in it.
As soon as I am out, the shelves that cover the entrance slam closed.
I remember vaguely having come from the right.
>>27168217
That was actually kind of rude.
Can we at least have a torch? If not can we ask them to take one from the walls? Dere seems strong enough to do that.
We should get a map, or make one. Where di we come from, somewhere on the right? How far?
Let's go back to where we fell, and then explore left.
Rough map uploaded in a minute
>>27168266
>That was actually kind of rude.
>Can we at least have a torch? If not can we ask them to take one from the walls? Dere seems strong enough to do that.
I knock the shelves. A moment later, Dere pushes it open again, pressing his shoulder against it.
"Hey, uh," I ask Quibra, who is behind Dere "I don't have any light."
"Wh-- Oh! Forgive me, I always forget how much light surfacers need." He pauses. "We don't have any torch here, and we can't take out the lamps."
"And a brazier?" I point at the unlit one over the shelves. "Dere could take it out?"
"Yeah, sure," He says something to Dere, who shots me an untrusting look but does as requested.
They slam the shelves closed again, and I light the brazier.
It is uncomfortably hot and heavy, but bearable. I should get something else, anyway.
>>27168404 (You)
Map.
We haven't explored that much really.
Green is the start point, orange is Applejack.
>>27168404
>>27168431
Let's just go right to fill the gap on the map. We'll have to find something to carry that brazier. Or some sort of wood. Hey, maybe we can go outside and pick some sort of thick branch.
>>27168431
If we're on the bottom floor we should walk it until we hit dead ends.
>>27168473
>>27168502
>Right
There is a sound of water falling.
>>27168593
Continue forward slowly.
Eyes up.
So we've got a hook and a thing. And possibly another entity since living things don't show up outside the light.
>>27168593
>>27168688
I guess we can refill water here if needed
Sorry realized I hadn't made how the waterfal works clear enough
>>27168955
I continue right, wary of the hole in the ceiling, but thankfuly nothing bleeds on me.
This must be the waterfal Quibra mentioned. I don't have a clock, but it seems like it sends water only during odd minutes.
I think I could make the jump while it's off, but I'd be too tired to do it again until I had a moment to get back my breath. Just in case I hear for a moment, but no sound comes from the other side.
>>27168970
Sure, make the leap.
>>27168970
Oh I get it, you have to post during even minutes or else your flame goes out
Alright let's do this
>>27168970
Is it a proper solid waterfall or just streams of water? If it's just streams we should be able to jump through it whenever at the sacrifice of our fire.
>>27168970
What's on the floor near the waterfall?
>>27169039
Water, which is reflecting the light of the torches. So we should make sure we jump before then so that we don't slip.
>>27169039
I assume it's some sort of wet thing because it's near water, or maybe a wooden support. Didn't think it was dangerous. Maybe we should inspect it just to be sure, before jumping.
Making next room, still will accept commands related to this room until it's done.
>>27169020
At first it's a trickle, just enough to wet me, but by the time it stops it seems strong enough to break bones.
>>27169039
>>27169062
(Autumn leaves? Where are they coming from?)
I look at the waterfall. Yep, crearly coming from above.
(...there is a forest somewhere above?)
>>27169061It's not reflecting (I considered that but deemed it too time-consuming-- my light management only goes as far as clipping layers over a multiply layer, with the clipping layers having varying degrees of transparence to simulate the light's intensity. Still, I love how moody things can be made with only that.
>>27169115
>Autumn leaves
Remember Rainbow Dash
Haven't eaten a bite in a few hours now, brb
>>27169140
I remember running with someone vaguely, but the waterfar going on and off distracts me too much, as does the cold water falling on me.
(Thank Celest---
(Celes---
(Celest---|
(Thank the heavens for the cape.)
Sowwy for taking so long. An update or two more and I'll pause for the day.
>Right
I go to the next room, still searching for a place I recall being in.
A barely perceptible rasping, not unlike wind, comes from the other side of the door.
>>27169641
Press our ear against the door. Is the noise rhythmic like breathing?
>>27169641
Is that torch behind glass?
>>27169687
Both the glass and the brazier seem more ornamental than anything else. The coal is fresh, even.
>>27169664
I put the brazier in the floor to walk more comfortably and sneak up on the door.
The noise softens from time to time, but there's no rhythm to i...
A vague intuition tells me that there is a rhythm to it, actually-- only one too large for me to fully understand, the rhythm of a whole world working like a precise machine.
It's wind.
>>27169742
Any way to swap open the glass and swap coals?
>>27169742
Crack open the door and peer through.
>>27169742
Take a peek.
>>27170101
Is it supposed to be epileptic?
>>27170101what happened?
I had a minor real-life problem AND software decided to be a dick. I had to VNC to my linux machine and launch gimp there to make this damn gif not loop.
>>27169758
I could use a better light source... but my breath is still short from the jump. Better to give myself a bit more time before making any effort.
>>27169790
>>27170014
I peek in.
The sunlight blinds me for a second, by my eyes adapt quickly.
I can hear birds chirping from beyond the windows, and the smell of the books is soothing.
>>27170422
Wow, this is nice.
Lets take a look at those shelves, and the book on the table.
It all seems so familiar...
>>27170422
That's an extremely unexpected sight. Does a room full of books remind us of anything?
>>27170422
Can earth ponies even read?
>>27170442
The books on the shelves seem to be arranged by language-- just at a cursory glance I recognize Tharatean, Aeheran , Canary, and Caraval, and that's only the languages I have at least a basic knowledge of. There are at most two or three books in each language.
Hah, reminds me of that time Twi t--
Twi t--
Twi t--|
Hah, reminds me of that time I tried to make a book war in school. Almost broke a leg in that one.
The book on the table has no words in the cover, just a treble clef. It seems to be written in... Huh, hadn't seen Sim Pah sinc--
sinc--
sinc--|
Huh, hadn't seen Sim Pah in months. The title seems to be "Arias", but I am not very fluent in Sim Pah and there is another word I don't understand.
>>27170546
Crack it open. Flick through to the end.
>>27170569
For whatever reason, I picture the book as some kind of egg for a moment.
Why in Tartarus would I crack open a book? To make a book cake?
My stomach grumbles. Well, I guess that's why food came to my mind. I should eat something before going... back... into the tower...?
How is one even supposed to describe that? Am I even outside?
>>27170602
There's green outside. Break a window and nibble some grass.
I clearly don't get this CYOA
Why the fuck is AJ talking all cryptic and shit?
>>27170629
There's some restrictive mind bullshit going on. We're going for a 'miracle' at the top of the tower and every time her memories get brought up they're stopped and redirected.
>>27170629
Clearly some dark secret stuff happened a few months ago, and she's on her way to find a magic artifact or something.I'd appreciate if we could find something to learn more about that lore fairly soon.
>>27170602
Attempt to open window.Realize the "crack it open" is a phrase for opening something.
>>27170602
This could be some kind of trick. I mean one of the coulds isn't even completely filled in.
>>27170723
Now yes, I'll pause for the day in a command or two. Been... fuck, ten hours at this.
Also I had honestly expected someone to ask questions to Quibra.
I long for some green food (Maybe there are even flowers out there! Dadoffils!) but I act like a civilized mare and open a window instead of doing what I want and throwing a book against the glass.
The instant I step outside, something's... not missing, it never was. The tres look less green the closer I get to them, there is no sun-- it's almost as if someone took a piece of the world and put it here.
And what's worse, it feels as if the earth was ill. As if it was stolen of something recently, only hours ago.
But the grass is good enough, so I munch on it. I start feeling better almost immediately.
>>27170896
Look behind us. What does the tower look like in the day?
>>27170896
>SpoilerI expected Quibra to react more to us saying we wanted to reach the top of the tower. After that, we didn't really get invited to ask questions. Only once, and Dere doesn't speak our language apparently.
>>27171024
>s saying we wanted to reach the top of the tower
Wait, did we do that?
Ponies just aren't made for frontal view
>>27171018
There is no tow--
Wait.
>>27171162
Who's the creeper?
>>27171162
Uh. Howdy.
>>27170896>ten hour run
Based as fuck.
>>27171195
>>27171199
"Hallo?"
She points at her throat. There are scars there, of the kind you die with.
>>27171223
You can't talk? Can you write? Do you knowHorse code?
>>27171235
"Oh"
I pause awkwardly for a moment, then tap the floor in the first pattern I learned, out of boredom, besides a campfire.
"You understand me?"
She seems surprised for a second, but answers scraping the wood.
Long, short, two long, pause,short, pause, three short.
>>27171280
>yes
Well at least she understands us, ask her who she is.
>>27171280
"Im AJ. Can I help?"
If yes, "Can I come?"
If no, "Whats wrong?"
Alright, one more command and it's paused for the day. for realsies this time.
"Who are you?"
This takes too long, and she visibly grows impatient. Before I can ask anything else she disapears into the library, and a second later she gestures at me join her with a pen in her hoof.
I doubt, but she seems smaller than me. I am sure I can manage her if she tries anything.
There is a small jerking sensation when I enter, and I notice that inside there is one more window than outside.
The mare wrote in an empty page of the book in the table.
"I not good in Ekish. Think am Mirria. You who?" A second after I read it, she adds something hesitantly: "I see your cape more" She pauses. "See your cape more nextly?"
>>27171484
Can she only see red?
Tell her who we are. How is she doing? How long has she been living here? Does she know about a tower? A "miracle"? What happened here earlier today / yesterday? Why are there more windows on the inside?
>>27171548
"I am Applejack. How long have you been here?"
The questions seems to confuse her, "I remember small.Only hours very few. Was" She pauses "Was combating with" pause "Was combating with thing. No remember what."
I nod, "Do you know anything about this place?"
She looks at me in confusion.
"You," I point at her. "Know, have learned..." I keep using synonyms until she nods in understanding "About tower?"
She nods, "Bad hands, big. Hand attacked me, attacked hand. Think me killed it. Not know." She is hetistant about the answer, then adds "Miss me brother. Thing happened to him not very much before me was here. He had cape. Know few more things, but..." Once I read, she touches "See cape more nextly?" again with her pen. She writes "nextly / nearly / nearby / not from afar" close to it.
~~~~~~
Alright paused for the day, hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. Tomorrow you know few more things.
>>27171642
she want to see our cape so we will show her our cape
>>27171667"Know more things, but can I see your cape more closely?"
I get arcane when I am tired, sorry. I don't want to make the conversation more dificult than it needs be (Which I already did), that's the main reason I paused it.
bump before bed
>>27171642
You like the cape? You can take a look, sure.
It's a little torn up though.
>>27171642
We did sorta help the hand, so we should have her knife. We should give it back to her and explain what happened.
Will resume in about an hour.
Also, give a good luck to the way Pinkie was remembered, and think in basic memory techniques. You are all being too blunt in that.
>>27175426
Look. Fuck.
It rhymes!
INV:
>Water and food (3 rations of each)
>crystal ball (???, unused)
>bluish metal knife (Unused)
>Notes written in Morse(Unread)
>Hat (Worn)
>Cape (Worn)
Queued commands:
>Check windows
>Ask what happened earlier today
Which one should we do first?
"Yeah, sure." I take off the saddlebags and turn. I think in mentioning the knife to her, but I am not sure if giving her a weapon is a good idea.
She walks and examines the cape carefully.
>>27175665
Can't we combine the two actions? If not we can ask about what happened first.
That girl seems to really care about that cape. It must really mean something important to her.
Wonder what it feels like to miss a brother.
>>27175665
What's her brother's look like?
Maybe we can help look for him.
She could wear our cape while we do!
>>27175665
Ask how she got hurt.
>>27175699
>>27175682
"So, what does your brother look like?"
She grabs the pen again and starts making a drawing.
"I guess the cape was important?"
She nods, then makes a simpler drawing besides the one that's in progress. A cape and a crown, and a sketch of her shielding them against a beast.
"Oh," I don't know what else to say, so I walk to the windows and test them.
The left one is fine. The middle one opens upward, so it follows a pattern. As soon as I touch the right one, the stops me.
She mimics the gesture of peeking in and then an exhagerated screaming, only a raspy sound escaping her throat.
>>27175741Queued.
>>27175743
Alright. Lets not open that one then.
I'll ask her to join us in a moment, I am just waiting for a fitting moment.
>>27175768
>>27175741
>>27175699
"That bad?"
She nods.
"If you say so."
She returns to her drawing.
"And how did you end mu--" I start, but cringe immediately at my own words.
She pauses her drawing and is still for a second, but writes something, then curses mutely when she realizes she wrote it in the wrong language.
I recognize the glyphs, Tharatean. Not very far from--
From--
From--|
Not very far.
I stop her from scratching them, "An assassin attacked my brother. I was still a trainee back then and his bodyguard, my trainer, wasn't there."
I nod, and she seems to feel relief when she realizes I understood.
We pause awkwardly, and after a moment she returns to her drawing. She still seems to be frustrated.
"Do you want the cape?" I ask.
She stops suddenly, the point of the pen breaking against the paper.
With a weak nod, she bites the pen to resharpen it and writes:
"It's not the same, this one is shorter than his. But it's identical other than that."
I take out the cape and notice, surprised, than the end of it seems to be rimmed now, the part that I remember tearing off crearly. I give it to her.
I put on the saddle bags again, and she finishes the drawing. It's a dark gray pegasus (That could be the pen, though), wearing enamel armor. He seems to be awkward in it, but his eyes show an intelligence few can boast.
It's a great drawing actually. I feel sad for anyone who can't see it.
>>27175866
Ask her if she knows what the crystal ball is.
>>27175866
>It's a great drawing actually. I feel sad for anyone who can't see it.
Ask her where she last saw him. Can she draw a map?
>>27175996I actually just got done making this, dark blue is start.
Posting next panel in a moment.
>>27176023
Fuck me sideways with a laser drill.
>>27176029
Alright, so at this point we've explored most of the ground floor.
We should retrieve our rope from the entrance and check out that odd room in the roof near the dogs home.
>>27175996
>>27175957
>>27176058
"When was the last time you saw him?"
She hesitates, "Something bad happened to him, and I was fighting... something. A princess from afar and a dragon were fighting a giant with many hands. That's the last I remember before being here."
"Oh..." I cringe, what's with this place and siblings? "We can search him together, if you want."
She hesitates, but nods.
"Alright, I need to get something and we can look for him. I think I've seen most of this floor, so we should go up. Oh, and by the way, do you--" I start taking out the crystal ball, but something hurts my hoof.
The blue blade is shaking. It feels much sharp than it did before.[Checking the crystal ball queued.]
>>27176116
Show her it.
>>27176116
See if you can cover the blade with something.
Sorry, already had the panel drawn
>>27176163
I take the blade out, but it escapes my hooves. She looks at it with a shocked expression.
It jumps like a fish out of the water, nearly hitting us several times before impaling itself in the book case under the right window.
The latch opens with an underwhelming click.
Ozone enters, burning our eyes. I catch sight of a reddened sky.
;48 .(6)‡*8( ]5) );‡08* ;48 ]85.‡* †6)3?6)8â€
(8;?(* ]45; 35¶8 ?) .?(.‡)8 )‡ ;45; ]8 95: 4850
We grab our heads, a feeling like molten iron penetrating our ears.
;48 .(6)‡*8( ]5) );‡08* ;48 ]85.‡* †6)3?6)8â€
(8;?(* ]45; 35¶8 ?) .?(.‡)8 )‡ ;45; ]8 95: 4850
The window closes.
The blade falls still.
We breathe deeply. Mirria can't take her eyes from the blade
>>27176222Forgot to take out the black pixels, don't mind them.
Also I am one third demon now. Muahaha.
>>27176222
Is it yours?
>>27176308
She shakes her head and, after a moment, takes the pen again.
"I had it, but it never felt like it was mine"
(Okay)
"And, ah, do you know what this is?" I put the crystal ball in the table.
Her eyes take a calculating look, and she weights it carefuly.
"No, but I've seen zebras use it for decoration." She pauses. "The right size for a hoof, and good weight besides. It'd be a good weapon, even if it wouldn't last more than two or three hits."
>>27176362
Well don't use it, someone else might know another use for it.
Had made this panel the instant your reply appeared.
>>27176362
>>27176431
We walk out of the library, Mirria with her pen under her ear and me having packed the ball again. The cold air hits me immediately, but I can bear it.
>>27176456
Up and right.
Already making next panel.
>>27176527
(Finally)
>>27176617
get ye rope
>>27176637
It feels like reuniting with an old friend.
>>27176681
Well we're back where we began apparently.
I say we go top right.
>>27176681
We had a lot of old friends didn't we.
Already on to the upper room, accepting commands until it's posted.
>>27176855
Check'd. But you'll have to be more indirect, remember the way we remembered Pinkie.
>>27176813
"...do you also feel the sudden, inexplicable need to insult an Operator?" I ask Mirria.
She no
ds. I shudder.
"...and as if the universe itself had crashed for a second and started working again just as quickly?"
She nods behemently.
>>27176681
Top right sounds good.
Gotta eat, brb
Oh for god's sake
After a little while the sockets spiral into the other walls, and we climb to some kind of observatory. Well, I climb, Mirria just flies, carrying the brazier.
When I get up she is standing besides a table filled with papers, another pen in her ear. The papers seem written in either morse or braile. Saddly, I don't know braile, and neither does she seem to.
The brazier is dead near the entrance, its coal losing what little heat it had quickly.
>>27177579
Let's grab these papers, we'll decrypt everything when we have enough light to read it.
What is this dome? Is there a window on the right? Can we use that telescope hidden in the dark?
When we go back we should go pick some wood to make a new torch.
>>27177661
I grab all the papers, even the ones in braile so Mirria has something to write in. We'll get around reading them later.
>Dome
The glass seems to be at least twenty centimeters thick, and is lighted by a ring-shaped brazier in the inside, which also makes the place uncomfortably hot after the cold of the tower. The glass must be covered with something, as it sparkles clean and feels almost rubbery when hit
>Telescope
It doesn't seem broken, but there are no stars to look at and the forest around us is dark.
>Wood
I contemplate breaking the chair to make a torch with it, but without some cloth and fuel it'd last five minutes at most.
>>27177766Op you forgot your tripcode
Break the chair for later use and see if we could take the telescope with us.
>>27177766
>no stars
>no moon
Spoopy
I don't suppose Mirria can see a thing either. Let's go back down to the entrance, and then down right..
>>27177766
Maybe we should take the time to read the papers we're carrying now.
After all,reading is fun!
I will forever hate the fact that there is no way to lock in names/trips to certain threads. I can't see a script for that being so complicated
>>27177826
>>27177840
I ask Mirria if there's anything she wants to see in the telescope. She shakes her head.
I break the chair (I haven't seen any other wood outside the library) and pack its wood in my bag. There's a pair of binoculars in the chair I hadn't noticed, which I give to Mirria-- I can definitely carry more than I do, but they have a strap to hang them from one's neck and I don't see why I should carry everything.
I don't think there's much left to do here.
>Down right.
Huh, maybe I could read the papers at Quibra's place. I ask Mirria what she thinks, but she doesn't know who he is.
>>27177886YES! I'VE BEEN WAITING SOMEONE TO READ THE FUCKING FIRST NOTE SINCE FOREVER!
Gimme a moment.
First notes found, 1/2:
Can you understand what I say?
How about now?
Great!
Now, try to say "Cat"
Perfect, perfect. And what sound does a cat make?
Wonderful! I knew you'd work, not like that Tantabus fiasco...
I didn't mean to imply anything. No, no one said anything bad to daddy.
If you do that to anyone I'll have to kill you. I am sorry, but it's the truth.
Now, now, you know I wouldn't ever want to do that to you, but you must understand, with the things you could do if you ever awo
Huh?
No, I am not a dream. I already told you, most people are awake during the day. Some day I'll let you wake up, when you are ready.
But as I was saying, you'd be dangerous if you woke up. That's why you must learn self-control before I can allow you to.
Now, can you say dog?
No, you don't need so many hands for that. Just two suffice.
Why do you like growing so many hands, anyway?
They want to grow?
Really?
Huh, I'll have to look into that.
Well, can you say dog?
Excellent!
I know you don't need that to talk with me, but don't you want to talk with other people some day?
Yes, I know Morse is slow, but everyone knows it.
No, you can't just tell people to use something faster. It'd be impolite.
First notes found, 2/2:
I already told yo
No no no
Sto
Shut up
(There is a shape that isn't part of standard Morse besides this one. It looks like a [!])
You will shut up this instant
Fine. Finally. Now, what had you so upset
(Another shape, this one a [?])
You had a dream
([?])
What was it about
([?])
Rabbits around you... I can't say I know what those mean. Just rabbits, nothing else
([?])
Rabbits running circl
Wait, when did I ever show you rabbits
([?])
No, I am not angry, but you can't go out yet.
(There is a note scribbled in this one, in... I don't know the language. Weird, the more is in Tharatean.)
--
Read rest of the notes? They seem like some kind of register at a glance, rather than a journal.
>>27178150
Can our new friend understand the rest?
>>27178150
Keep reading. Show Mirria them too.
Sorry, real life happened
>>27178190
>>27178241
I show the note I don't understand to Mirria, and she writes "Must've forgotten to lock something. Check later" under it.
I start reading the logs:
D13: minus three stars.
D14: Minus one star.
(There is a note written in ink besides this, "Why does it hate the stars so much? I only wanted to have something to look at")
D15: Minus twelve stars.
(It goes like that for a while)
D74: The moon appeared for a eight minutes. It was promptly deleted after that.
(Another note, "Was princessa Luna trying to communicate? All the way from Equestria?")
(More...)
D108: Last star gone
D109:
D110:
D111:
("Boy sent more hands. Disposed of them.")
D112:
("More hands. Will have to relocate.")
D113:
("The forest is broken. What broke it? The boy liked it.")
That's the last thing written.
>>27178633
Well that's weird as shit. We should move, head back down to the bottom floor and heck out the right path.
>>27178742>head back down to the bottom floor and heck out the right path
It leads back to the hallway were Quibra's hidding place is, see >>27176681 and >>27176976
>>27178775
>>27178810The tower is circular.
>>27178824Okay
>>27178848
I take out the rope, but Mirria grabs me by the chest and takes me up.
Now that I think it, maybe I should've filled the brazier with coal.
I ask her what she is, and she writes "Seems like an armor stand" in the wall.
>>27178948>what she is
it*
>>27178948
Can we steal some coals from below? It'd be nice to see before we start messing with anything.
>>27178948
Okay, fill brazier.
>>27179077
>>27179135
Well, most braziers are uncovered. Could as well make something of it.
I don't take much coal, however. Better to either get some fresh coal or ration it.
>>27179181
Good, now back up.
>>27179181
Let's check that stand again, now that we can actually see it.
>>27179211
>>27179215
An armor stand, covered in a thick layer of dust.
>>27179257
Great, waste of time. Lets go see the dogs.
>>27179316
I tell Mirria to prepare for Dere and knock their door, and a moment later they are out.
Quibra notices the brazier and gives me an odd look.
"You still got that thing? Figured you'd have gotten something better by now."
>>27179507
Like what ?
Ask him if he can read the entries.
>>27179507
Where would I get something better?
[1/2]
>>27179610
>>27179709
"Like what?"
"Dunno." He shrugs. "There's a small store room just under were I found you, but I haven't gone there in some time."
I nod and show him the entries in braille.
"You got any idea of how to read it?"
"Big bro taught Dere, I never learned got the hang of it myself." He pases them to him.
Dere takes a moment to react, staring at Mirria. He seems to rattle, particles of dust falling from his junctures.
"Questrian, zeba li. Et zeba li." He says shakily.
Quibra gives him an odd look and shakes his head.
"There he goes again. He says your" He looks at Mirria. "voice is crying"
I translate for Mirria. She seems to be offended, but makes no comment.
"Et tu, diota nifico?" Quibra pushes the notes into Dere's gauntlet "I swear..."
After a moment, Dere starts reading.
>>27179843
Give Mirria a pat on the back.
>>27179965
I put an arm in Mirria's withers. It seems to calm her, if only a little.
>>27179843
He frequently jumps entries with no more than a comment on it being the same as the last, so we are done with them quickly.
D114: Hands learned Morse-machine code. Found several reading my journals after a small walk. Disposed of them.
(A while passes with entries empty after the number)
D120: Boy came to me personally. Said the forest was broken. Told him to bring the stars back if he wanted help. He had a tantrum and stormed away.
D121: Boy came again. Same thing happened.
D122: Again.
D130: Noticed what's the problem. The water generator of the forest is damaged, and the trees are growing sick from the excess water. Boy asked me for help again, but refused to bring back the stars. I don't even ask for freedom, I don't know why he hates them so much.
(A while passes with only more mentions to the boy trying to fix the forest)
D150: I am growing sick of this place, and I can't be safe if the boy knows where I am. Searching where to relocate.
D151: Managed to make a (Quibra takes a second to translate this word, but Dere seems to insist in a particular meaning) portcullis to the sea. There was a whale. Will relocate there as soon as I can.
D152: The boy came and broke the door to the sea in a tantrum after hearing the whale sing. Never had seen him so angry. He stormed off.
D153: Have the pieces to make another door to the sea. Will try to. Not much hope, the whale probably ran away after the door broke, the reaction on her end was probably violent. Maybe the top of the tower.
That's the last entry.
>>27180099
Well that didn't help much, ask them if they have a use for the crystal ball. Also did we ever get the knife back, if so ask them about it.
>>27180099
Welp, that's that. We should find out where that storage room is exactly.
>>27180195
"This? Pha! Zebra sentimentality, they get propos..." He trails off. "Someone put ghost metal when they melted the glass, barely can feel it. Throw it away first chance you can, shit's cursed."
I tell him to wait me and, a moment later, return with the dagger.
"Tarus!" He curses as soon as he sees it "What kind of ritia coats a weapon with ghost metal of all things!? Pha! Accursed Questrian, kill with this and your flesh will rot in life! And good coating good silver, even worse!" He gives it back with an expression of utter disgust. "The silver is crying, mare. Melt the silver or free it, it wails for both."
>>27180208
"Already told you, mare, under the place were I found you. From there go right, down, and left. A straight line from here."
>>27180208
>>27180302
So straight from the entrance hallway instead of up like we did before. Let's thank them and head over, unless someone else has something to ask them.
>>27180302
Say thanks, then head towards the storage.
We should try to melt the knife in one of the larger braziers around here.
Updated map, will make text bigger next time.
Storage room in progress.
>>27180395
So we're heading to the question marks next.
Three quarters of the time were spent in the boxes. Fucking small objects that have to be within relatively small areas and have varying shapes and sizes
I try to melt the blade in a blazer, but the handle seems to slip on my hooves every time I try. I give up when the edge of the blade bounces near my skin.
We descend a flight of stairs, going down a level.
This seems dangerously similar to a personal storage. The kind that is owned by someone who'll say "Yeah, it's on the floor near the broken table" with a straight face.
>>27180709
Ask if Mirria can get the highest box.
>>27180709
Take a look at those red lights.
>>27180709
What are those lights made out of?
>>27180709
Look for labels. Failing that start searching boxes.
>>27180760
>>27180778
>>27180776
>>27180847
She flies to the highest box and tries to push it without success. She opens it and shows me a few identical, unused braziers, all like the one I already have. I shrug, and she flies down with only a brazier of her own.
I give a good look to the lights-- they seem to have heavily compressed coal, burning despite the fact that the glass seems airtight. Mirria tries to touch one, but winces and takes her hoof away before even touching it. I guess it's hot, then.
I look at the boxes, searching for some pattern, but the very few labels there are are just too vague; "Things for the forest", "Things for the bathroom", and "broken things" being the most clear ones. All the rest are written in a chicken scratch I can't even begin understanding. The fact that most labels are an epileptic mix of glyphs and languages only worsens things.
We start the slow, boring process of opening the boxes. Half an hour later, we have grown just too tired of the dust making us cough, and in mute agreement stop.
>Available inventory:
>>+100 chicken soup boxes
>>20~ flasks of glitter
>>+50 Kg of blank paper (Ruined by humidity)
>>10~ Kg of blank paper (Not ruined by humidity)
>>5~ litters of a variety of oils
>>A humorous cow figurine
>>10~ Kg of animal fat
>>A box filled with empty chicken soup boxes
>>30~ square meters of white cloth divided in pieces, all seemingly of the same batch. (Surprisingly good state)
>>An ax that doesn't seem to have been sharpened in a few decades, and is little but rust
>>10~ Kg of coal
>>A Morse reading machine in poor, but ultimately working, state.
>>+100 empty glass flasks, most large enough to hold about half a liter of water.
>>A broken telescope
>>A box of replacement telescope lenses.
>>A box of unused clay dinner plates.
>>A box of unopened peach cans.
>>27181053
Might not be the best formatting method.
>>27181074No joke, next time I'll put a space between the numbers and the >
>>27181053
We should eat, then go grab some wood and make some torches with the oil and fabric.
Alternatively we might be able to make an oil lantern of sorts with the jars.
>>27181053
Can we repair the telescope?
>>27181153
A short dinner of peaches later, we set on to make torches. The flasks don't seem to be made of a glass able to stand temperature changes very well.
> 12 torches added to inventory.
Out of pride more than anything else, I replace the broken lenses in the telescope. It has a good layer of rust, as the paint peeled off, but that'd take a few days of work to fix.
Mirria seems to have liked the peaches.
>>27181336
What's that thing in the corner?
>>27181350
Grab two flasks and some peach cans, fill the flasks at the waterfall and then head up to the room with the desk.
>>27181467Queued
>>27181453
Mirria notices some kind of valve behind the boxes. There is a warning sign over them, depicting water flowing and three exclamation signs.
She gestures at me, should she open it?
>>27181536
Uh, maybe we should ask the dogs about it first.
>>27181716
"The sign had water?" I nod "Well, there's the waterfall." He pauses. "You should be careful with that, make some plan. We don't want to loss our water, don't we? We could help, if needs be."
Dara shouts something from inside.
"Oh, siria nu, tu tu! Diota!" He goes back in, already in an argument with his brother.
>>27181536
Welp. Try it. Don't break the damn valve.
>>27181867
After a few minutes of looking at the valve dubiously, Mirria seems to have an idea. She flies and mimics shouting while holding one of the brass chains.
>>27182000
>>27182125
Alright 13 straight hours of QM'ing. I love threading stories but I am getting arcane again. Paused for the day.
I'll try to keep smaller sessions during the day instead of wake up->QM->sleep, or maybe hold it weekends only. I'll see in the morning.
>>27182167
>during the day i
During the week*
>>27182167
Night
>>27182167
If you can afford to run all day, more power to you. But that tends to work better during the weekends.
Sessions that span several hours at most per day work well on just about any schedule though, from what I understand.
beb
>Wake up at 5AM
>bump
>back to bed
syquic bitches.
>>27185040
>Syquic
...and this is what happens when I bump at 5 AM.
Resuming.
INV:
> Hat (Worn)
> 12 torches
> White paper
> Bluish metal blade (Described as "Cursed" by Quibra, does not want to be melted)
> Crystal ball (Described as "Cursed" by Quibra, doesn't seem to do anything)
> Rope
> Notes in Morse (Read)
> Notes in Braille (Read)
Mirria:
> Cape (Worn)
> Two pens
> Binoculars
> Torch
Queued commands:
>>27181467
Last posts:
>>27181536
>>27181833
>>27182000
Growing tired, Mirria takes a paper from my bags and makes a quick doodle.
The text says
>"Stop!"
>I stop
In Tharatean.
>>27186357
Ah, I see. She thinks we should split up, and one of us watches the waterfall while the other uses the valve.
Sounds alright, as long as she can hear us.
>>27186367
She nods with a smile, then takes a empty peach can. She writes again under the doodle:
"I'll hit it if I can hear you, go"
I nod and go to the waterfall, then shout as loudly as I can.
If there's an answer, I can't hear it.
>>27186440
Fug.
Shout again further from the waterfall.
>>27186528
The answer comes quickly.
>>27186572
Good. Ask our dog friend if he'd be willing to help.
with him in the middle we could shout from the waterfall.
[1/2]Made a minor change to Mirria, her eyes were too hard to see before.
>>27186590
Quibra accepts.
[CONTROL PASSED TO MIRRIA]
>
The valve is hot, more hot than I was willing to admit to Applejack, but I hold it firm.
Almost immediately the dog shouts at me to turn it clockwise, and I do. Then, counter clockwise.
His voice grates into my ears-- dogs have a squeaky tone that no one else seems to notice. Or maybe that's jealousy talking, their mouths can produce more sounds than that of any other sapient.
A moment is spent fine-tuning the valve, and some piece is shaking behind a wall. I
i want toboopmirria
[2/2]
>>27186624
The wall explodes, and two pipes appear release steam into the room. The valve grows hotter.
The cape protects me far more than any piece of cloth should, but I still get out of the steam's way. The cape seems to like it, seemingly holding me tighter.
I can almost feel the smell of Hlaoo in it. I wonder where he is, but shove the idea aside almost immediately. I'll find him, the important part is to be clear and methodical about the search. And that includes taking every chance to open new pathways in this labyrinth.
The valve starts growing colder, and molten slag forms from the unshielded outside of the pipes. The dog shouts something about the stream of water growing stronger, but I can barely hear it.
>>27186822
Shut the valve if possible, then run.
>>27186842
It spins without resistance.
The dog shouts something about an inundation.
The roar of water reaches me, and cold water seeps down the stairs.
I don't think I can outrun an inundation. The cape holds me tighter. The dog brothers are shouting something.
>>27186934
Fuck. Run.
>>27186934
Vamoose.
>>27186967
>>27187008
On my way to grab Applejack, I find the dogs arguing. Dere's helmet of a head rattles with his screams, and he points at me and Applejack angrily.
>>27187072
Tell her it broke. Lets see what happened to the waterfall.
There are two solutions to this puzzle, each of which requiring something I've mentioned by name
>>27187206
The ceiling is outputting too much water for the drain to take. Applejack's torch is snuffled out.
>>27187370
Uh.
Plug the pipes with the telescopes or the clay plates?
>>27187526I mentioned them by name between the puzzle starting and now.
I'll go for the "Run the fuck outta there" if the solution isn't found in an hour. And I'll try to calibrate the next puzzles better.
>>27187566
Try to plug a pipe with the crystal ball.
Try to plug a pipe with the cape.
Try to plug a pipe withDere.
You actually have both solutions in that one. I did note the cape being able to withstand the temperature of the steam, and Dere could have forced the tubes to connect again, being made of armor.
But yeah, the point where players have to just use their inventories at random is when you need to change your method for puzzles.
>>27187635
I run back and first cover myself with the cape as if it was a shield, flying against the strenght of the steam, then turn it and use it to envelop the tubes. Some steam escapes, but the cape encloses itself around it tightly.
Clenching it in place with my arms, I turn the valve with my hindlegs. managing to reduce the stream of water and, after a while, seem to have brought it to a point Quibra I pleased with.
At the border of collapsing, I try to open a can of peaches, but it burns my hoof.
Fuck.
[CONTROL PASSED TO APPLEJACK]
Quibra is nodding, pleased.
"The noise of that thing going on and off was making me go mad," He comments. "Now it's much softer. I bet one could even fly up there"
>>27187808
We should check how Mirra is doing and find out what happened.
>>27187808
Yeah, well we're going to need something special if we want to fly up there. Only Mirria can fly, so let's go find her. Ponies don't grow wings.Well, some do...
>>27187808
Good, now lets go check Mirra.
>>27188874
>>27188900
>>27188963
She is half asleep, trying to insult a can of peaches.
>>27189010
Thank her for fixing that. It was quick thinking.
Could she move that box on the top shelf for us?
I think it's got hot metal on it.
>>27189047
I tell her she did good.
She throws the can of peaches against a wall, yellping when the hot metal burns her hoof, and falls asleep.
Alright. I could use sitting down for a few hours myself.
>>27189147
Lay down next to her and rest. Resting next to another body is always nice.
L-lewd.
[1/2]
>>27189161
The water is seeping into the ground, and the room is warm, so everything'll be dry in a few minutes at most.
Quibra peeks in a few minutes later and sends Dere to fix the tube, but I ignore them.
>>27189297OKAY I CLOSED THE SPOILER THIS TIME WHAT THE FUCK.
>>27189307Dunno how you messed that up.There's two spoilers,like this.
>>27189319But I checked for that this time.
Okay on to draw, strange happenings or not.
>>27189297
Can we retrieve the cape? It obviously means something to Mirria.
Next panel still in progress, take this as a small bonus.
>>27189430
I get Mirria's cape and put it over her back. Dere was playing uperhero with it, but she doesn't need to know.
>>27189557
Take the humorous cow figurine.
OKAY THIS IS A LIFELESS HUSK WON'T STOP STARING AT ME FUCK IT I'LL MAKE A NORMAL PANEL
>>27189820
Very familiar.
>>27189820
Add the white reflective bits to the eyes.
>>27189849Yup.
