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>2 0 Multiclasses
googl/3Gzb5Z
>1 4 rules
googl/jyvXV
>1 4 Multiclasses
googl/6Tvgb
>Expanded Racials 3 5 (New Release!)
googl/LdJNFf
>OP Image:
googl/IpKEC
>optional dice-bot script
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>>27846035
>Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin.
Post your sheets for the 79th session of TQ
>>27846058
http://pastebin.com/zfGK7ALa
>>27846058
http://pastebin.com/uMeKkzmM
>>27846058
http://pastebin.com/ken587Xq
http://pastebin.com/suUANz89
>>27846058
http://pastebin.com/0DRyArfZ
>YEAR: 1501 AE
>Dome C-545
>Last session: http://arch.b4k.co/mlp/thread/27731404
Last time, upon arriving in the Future Era with the intent of locating the Order of Eon member Claw, the party learned more of the issues that were cropping up and around the Dome. Crumple (revealing her true identity, Honey, to Glitch for the first time) grew interested in the irate Blasters group to the northwest, as they sold him a device that a suspicious figure had used to infiltrate the Dome's security.
>>27846177
"Huh... yeah, seems a *COUGH* pretty piss-poor name to use nowadays. I can get started but, let me know how it's doing as soon as you *COUGH* can. What I have in mind doesn't mean shit unless I get a location soon. And Crump?" He coughs, "Just don't get blown up out there. I just met the little squirt in that tin-can and would like to get to know him... her." He laughs, "That's gonna take forever to get used to."
>>27846261
Southern Point, upon learning how dangerous the ultra-violent heat waves of the sun outside of the Shade was, began crafting a dress with her magical thread to withstand the heat.
As you propose selling it to someone going out there, Tech Support turns down to look at the dress you sew to protect its user from the sun's harmful rays, looking somewhat incredulous. "I would think it a waste, if you don't mind my saying. A dress that pretty would surely get ruined out there." She says ignorant of its magical properties.
Closed Circuit says, "Whoever you sell it to would look damn fine as they did so, though. Between you and me, the surface... well, it IS pretty bad, but, there's at least a few interesting things to see out there. You can only stay in this Dome for so long before you go stir-crazy. I lead most of the scavenging teams, you can make a killing out in the Shade. Those Blasters in particular? Rumor has it they're loaded with Pre-Sunfall technology that they never share with anypony."
>>27846546
>>27846176
>>27846497
>>27846177
>>27846261
The bats back up nice and far as Jean wanders back over to Luke, Steel looking down as Luke successfully picks himself up off the ground, "It wasn't a sucker punch. You had time to dodge it." Steel protests.
As Luke completely went off on Onyxia, the bats looked at him with an incredulous look as Steel stands still as a statue, looking down at Onyxia and Luke as she attempts to seal your bandages shut, failing in the process of making them stick before her leaving off down the hall. After hearing the entire speech, Steel turns to Onyxia, wordlessly and expressionlessly listening to her counter. Afterwards, Onyxia's attempt to transmute the walls of the corridor goes through successfully: her black crystal extends over the ground and metal making up the hallway stretches up over the top to the cieling, a large pony's hoof extending out of the the cieling. Boo and Screech's ears raise up, Boo shouting, "Oh shi-" before the hoof starts to move to slam down on top of Luke. Steel shouts, putting an iron hoof on Onyxia's hand, "Wait, Onyxia, don't -!"
As it comes down, Luke manages to push his hooves up, holding up the iron hoof temporarily as his muscles strain against the weight. After a few moments, Luke manages to roll out from underneath the heavy iron hoof as it slams into the ground of the dome, barely knicking his arm as he slides out from underneath with Jean and gets hit for 2 points (3/4).
As the floor cracks, you both hear Tech Support's cry. "WHAT THE BLAZING SUN IS GOING ON IN MY DOME?!"
>>27846559
>>27846415
>YEAR: 1018 AE
>The fucking moon.
As you fall to your knees, Twilight's eyes open wide, shocked at the sight of you brought to your knees by the beautiful sight. "Nero...?"
She turns to look at it as well, Nau staring up into space as Discord gives a oddly silent nod of the head as he gazes around. "Indeed it is. The one and only. To think, dear Luna had a view like this for a thousand years." he chuckles, "In my opinion, it has a way of making even the biggest of us feel smaller." He turns around him to gaze off into the dark of space behind him, "We're all very small..."
He turns to you and gives a shorter bow, "Consider this view my gift for your return, Nero. I take it you approve? Utter speechlessness is also an acceptable answer."
>>27846546
"Hey, I lasted this long, haven't I?" Crumple says to Glitch with a laugh.
"I've been through so much shit lately, I'm damn near untouchable at this point."
>>27846559
Seeing Tech Support come out, Crumple just keeps walking out of the dome.
"Fuck if I know. All I know is, I've got places to be, and Blasters to blow up."
"If anyone wants to tag along for some REAL fun, hurry the fuck up."
And with that open inventation sent out, Crumple takes the exit to head up to the surface and begin to the flight to the Blaster's base.
In the meanwhile, Honey switches Crumple to autopilot and takes a small trip to the inner depths of Crumple. She remembered Screech saying something was up with Obsidious' crystal thing, and now seemed like the perfect time to check that shit out.
>>27846559
"I prefer dresses to fancy doohickeys; dresses I understand. If I got too caught up in collecting shit out there, I wouldn't know whether I was selling crap or something I'd want to keep."
When she notices Luke and Steel's fight, her wire makes a snikt sound.
[1d10+3] Trap against Luke
>>27846573
"Not I." Nero cuts in when Discord calls Him small.
"The heavens only weigh down those who were small in spirit to begin with. From here, I can raise My hoof and blot out the whole world. How then do you call Me small?" Nero asks rhetorically, rising to His hooves and turning back to Discord, who stands a fair distance away.
"Tell me. You said a moment ago that you would not fight with Me against Eon. Is that because you will not, or because you can not? Is this great magic of yours the equal of Eon, or its lesser?"
>>27846559
Onyxia doesn't turn back as the hoof goes down. She marches down the hallway and back outside where they came in from, ignoring the Tech's shouting.
>>27846559
>>27846778
Luke inches out of deaths way and falls on the floor prone and exhausted. Beads of sweat run down his face as he catches his breath. Jean licks his face like it might help.
Luke gets up "You crazy fricken bitch, you could of killed me! Not to mention you're messin these good folk's home -hay where are you goin I'm not done talkin to you." Luke goes on a warpath toward Onyxia.
>>27846629
Glitch follows you out of his lab, "Heh, true enough, but you know what they *COUGH* say: the only reason shit hasn't hit the air filtration systems is there's a clog. And that's bound to break. Just don't let it go to your pea-sized head, I'm just starting to *HACK* like ya."
>>27846629
Tech Support glares at you as you pass her by, Closed Circuit waving more fondly as you set the course to exit the Dome. You come across the gate leading to the surface exit (similar to the one going below) and you leave to find Obsidious.
You find him in the same place as before, hooked up to your machines, but you notice that his crystal-head might have taken some damage over your last few fights: there's a noticeable crack in the purple gem coating that surrounds the glowing green crystal within, and light is trying to escape through it. The screen shows a blinking '_' for his speech-to-text.
>>27846694
Closed Circuit crosses her hooves and tilts her head, the red-headed pegasus's eyes squinting, "Really? That's what I LOVE so much about doohic-er, I mean, salvage. You can never tell whether it's helpful or useless, it's kind of a thrill. Plus there's the tinkering, ooooh..." she shivers. "I've never actually owned a dress. I've seen pictures but, yours is pretty much the only one intact I've ever seen."
As you watch Luke and Onyxia fight, Steel turns about as he sees the wires encircling around the unicorn, moving aside as you set your trap successfully to catch him if he attacks. "Good. I think this may be getting out of hoof." You follow them down towards the cavern you entered from.
>>27846778
As Tech Support continues shouting, "Onyxia?! Please, do come back and explain yourself!" Closed Circuit moves between you, trying to calm her down. Steel shakes his head, quickly following behind you as you make for the rear-tunnel, the sounds of laser fire having finally died down.
"Onyxia, what happened just then? You could have hurt him." Steel asks plainly.
>>27846997
>>27846752
Discord rolls his eyes, twirling about in mid-air as he floats closer to Nero while still gazing at the moon. "Oh, don't take it so closely to heart, my good stallion. Just an old all powerful spirit waxing poetic, hmhmhm..." he puts his claws on your shoulders, "I do take pleasure in knowing you appreciate the view."
You see Twilight testing the gravity with interest, hopping up and down slowly in the 1/6th normal gravity as Discord lets go of your shoulders, twirling his claw about, "Well, I don't think it's so much a crude matter of simple 'power'. I've never fully confronted the creature in such a fashion, though from what I hear I would not assume there's a thing I can do that it cannot. However: I'm a tad embarrassed to admit I would simply be useless in such an epic battle."
He snaps his fingers, and six little figures representing the Mane 6's cutie marks, "You know of its unique trait, yes? The lauded ability to replicate any power seen on this Earth? Well, I happen to know for a fact of a certain, extremely BOTHERSOME one it's appropriated on its own time..."
>>27846865
As you walk off, you hear Tech Support continuing to shout as Closed Circuit plays defense for you, the crowd that was originally so excited now shaking with tension as you follow Onyxia back to the cavern entrance. Boo reaches up and pats on your shoulders, "Uh, dude, I don't really dig how Onyxia just tried to make you a pancake and all but, isn't there a rule about dames and giving them space when they're this pissed off?"
Steel looks behind as you follow them, raising up his cape, "Luke, don't continue this. She's clearly upset and it's affecting how she thinks, we can talk over this later when she is calmer, can we not? If you're angry at her, take it on me."
>>27846997
Onyxia stops walking for a moment as Steel questions her actions, but she doesn't turn her head.
"What was I supposed to do, let him continue running his mouth? Should I have let him drag my mom into his insults too?"
She starts marching down the tunnel again, going out past the defense turrets.
"Should've done it sooner..."
She mumbles under her breath in a huff.
>>27846997
Honey keeps an eye on a screen of the outside, not wanting to end up getting too close without knowing it and having to make a mad dash back to the cockpit.
Honey examines the crystal, not having a damn clue about anything magical, but her first instinct is to probe around Crumple and apply a strip of duct tape to the crack.
With that handled, she goes to the text-to-speech.
>"Hey you fragile bastard. What the fuck is going on with you?"
>>27847009
"The Elements of Harmony." Nero says simply.
"So much for your being an "all powerful" spirit. Though I would say your defeat at the hooves of both Twilight and Tirek already established that fact, Draconequus."
Nero starts to walk across the lunar surface, sticking His hooves into His pockets as He goes with Discord [and Twilight if she follows], looking up at the Earth.
"You said you didn't hear of Eon from Celestia, so would I be right in assuming you have some first hand knowledge of it? Unlike yourself, I fully intend to do battle with this creature, so its imperative you tell Me everything you know about the Eon."
>>27847009
>isn't there a rule about dames and giving them space when they're this pissed off?
Luke swats Boo's hoof off his shoulder "Take up with housewife monthly, I got things to say!"
>She's clearly upset and it's affecting how she thinks
"If I had a tampon and prozac for everytime I heard that."
Luke continues following Onyxia, his cat trailing behind him.
>>27846778
>>27733679
"First off from what I could tell you home was corrupt to the bone with changeling marxists in my era and it seemed like every big bad was just around the corner to stop us from doing whatever we were doin. So fastfoward ten or twenty years sans Nero I think your home was probably shitty fricken military state bent on conquering the rest of Equestria like it's always seemed to be. You think you could of saved your dad on your own. He wouldn't even be here without this bullshit bugaloo through time we've been dancing. And in case you hadn't noticed harboring a changeling is ILLEGAL in pretty every province on earth, especially Equestria. So for Dresses to let the guy stay after being after being a threat to his country, thats pretty fucking nice of him. I would'a just sent'em to the gas chamber. Y'know we give Nero a ton of shit pretty much whenever given the opportunity but the guy's been a helluva sport about it. He can be an obnoxious show off but the dude's a pretty good guy Onyxia. Especially considering he's saved equestria like what 3 times already? I know its a team effort and all but the guy is the definitive Twilight Sparkle of the group!" Luke rants and rants and rants
>>27847361
>>27847009
>>27847101
"Gimme your measurements," she says to Closed, trailing off as she follows Luke and Onyxia. "Right after I get back.
She throws on her anti-sun dress when she sees them getting closer to what she assumes is a dangerous zone. She zones out during the rant and allows the wires to trace funny shapes in the air.
>>27847101
>>27847390
>>27847361
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWPe7hrEZhI
You three all move out of Dome C-545's gate, the citizens watching you down into the defense turret stair-well on the opposite side of the cavern. As you all enter, the turrets spin and turn on you for a moment before beeping, recognizing you three as friendly, and move on back towards a front facing position. You hear the sounds of a robot exploding as you near the bottom, just in time to see a massive horde of metallic parts littering the entirety of an abandoned metro-railway station. The metro station is in even worse state than when the party first arrived, blaster scoring marks everywhere among the bodies of metallic components, and you all arrive just in time to see one unicorn-shaped attack bot that had attempted to ascend the stairs being blasted by a bolt of energy before exploding into a million pieces in a flash. There is no rail-way car on the tracks right now, and the control station is besides the track, lit up.
>>27847101
Steel shakes his head, "That's something I'd expect of myself, Onyxia, but you're better than that. Luke is a fool, none of this is news. You shouldn't let him get to you, he's not aware of all that's going on. Perhaps if we simply explained?"
>>27847390
Closed Circuit blinks her eyes, tapping her hooves together, "M-my measurements? Well... I mean... thank you, but I don't know what I'd even wear it to." She stops, holding a hoof to her chin, "Weeeeelll.... I could think of a FEW things..." she smiles widely, wondering about the aspect of wearing it. "I'd be the starlet of the whole Dome..."
>>27847361
Steel grunts as he stands beside you, trying to keep you from acting too aggressively, "I don't know what either of those are, Luke. Listen to me: you're angry. So is Onyxia. Do you really think anything you say is going to make an impact like this? At the very least leave her family out of it, or else I can't promise she'll continue behaving so kindly."
>>27847507
>>27847105
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jxn1sqAQ-c
You monitor the screen showing you what's going on outside: the familiar wastelands lay out in front of you. The moon above looks little different as it casts its protective shade, and a vast sand-storm gathers in the direction of where you're headed. You know it will take quite some time to reach.
You take a look at the crystal and successfully patch up the large crack with the duct-tape, its glimmering shine halted from escaping.
The screen continues to flash before text appears
>'IN PAIN. IN SO MUCH PAIN. MERCY.'
>'I... I cannot take it anymore. You win. Mercy'
>>27847173
Discord nods his head, and Twilight's ears flatten. "So... even if we brought you along to fight, it'd stone you in a moment."
As you mock Discord's power, he scowls, tightening his fist. "Hmph. Well, I suppose all of us have our little weaknesses. I suppose you would know a thing or two about that." He smiles, "How IS he, by the way?" Looking down at your shadow, you can see a familiar, brotherly grin forming with green eyes peering out at you.
As you walks across the surface, Discord rolls into a spiral, "I'm not entirely sure if you know less than I do about the monster. I first learned of the creature in my former, glorious reign. Life was good: I had just dethroned its former rulers, and those two meddlesome celestial tykes that would become my nemeses still hadn't arrived. In the midst of my fun, I came across a rather interesting knight, wielding an even more interesting staff. After I had a bit of fun with the boy, I decided to keep the staff, feeling a magical disturbance I had never felt before." He snaps his fingers, and a large elongated and sharper version of Eo-Naxx's staff, the top three prongs actually serrated, pops into view, swirling about with a green aura. "I began to peel back its secrets... and that's when I first learned, and made acquaintance, of the monster."
>>27847511
Honey still keeps an eye on the monitor in between wait times for Obsidious to answer. She wasn't worried about the sandstorm: previous Crumple could get through it, and no doubt current Crumple could as well.
She reads Obsidious' response, giving only a slight huff with a smirk.
>"I usually do win."
>"Of course, you've made me life easier by making Crumple's life easier. Just think; if I hadn't found you and hooked you up like this, you might've ended up worse. Maybe...dead for good?"
Honey can't help but smirk in her re-confirmed position of power over this guy.
>"You've kept Crumple alive, which means you've kept yourself alive. And I have no plans of this little 'arrangement' from ending."
>"Unless you have something more...useful to offer than what you have been doing."
>>27847507
"Well he did, alright?"
Onyxia spits.
"I don't care what he said about me, but how you can you be all calm after he kept insulting you the entire time since we stepped inside the dome?!"
Onyxia stomps up to the station, her coat practically pitch black and dull as if shes covered in tar.
"It wouldn't make a difference anyways, he's been this dense and crass the entire time."
>>27847507
Onyxia looks down either way of the rails, grumbling at no way to continue. She goes to the control station, growing more frustrated with her lack of knowledge on how it works. She presses a few buttons, trying to gauge which are the correct ones from whatever labels remain.
>>27847511
Nero stomps the shadow into dust to make it return to normal, before turning to Discord.
"My brother is fine. And unlike your 'weaknesses', Mine has never actually defeated Me." Nero says walking along, taking His hooves out of His pockets. Nero's eyes open wide as the staff appears.
"Steel's staff. So you cannot simply 'see' things as Ug or Freedom can? I had supposed you might have had that ability, given how vast I heard your mastery of sorcery was. What of time travel? Did you actually go and meet Eon? Do you possess that ability?"
>>27847507
Luke continues talking his mouth off as they amble into the eery environment possibly crawling with agressive creatures. LukeWarm however pays no mind to this a speaks a the standard volume for his tirades.
"Steel would you shut the hell already, I'm talking to you."
>>27847507
>>27847101
"Anyways about your family, they're actually very sweet folk. They took me in like I'd been a neighbor for years and even gave me food to take home. Just plain good ponies which begs the question how they could raise a stubborn filly that ain't got a worry for shame or respect but makes up for it in a surplus of pride. I mean it makes sense when you factor in the loss of a father figure but shit I've seen orphans that wouldn't bite the hoof that feeds them. Hell I've seen orphans that'd bite their own hooves for food, even do tricks and put on shows sometimes. But here you are disproving any shadow of a doubt that it takes more than upbringing to spoil a kid rotten, it also takes a little changeling."
>>27847651
"When you want me to drop the axe?" she whispers, flicking Onyxia's tail with the wire.
>>27847674
>>27847507
"Would you just shut up already!"
Onyxia shouts, slamming her hooves on the control panel ad stepping back out to the station's platform.
"You can't even take being ignored as a hint, are you that brain-dead or do you just love hearing yourself talk?!"
Onyxia stomps her forehooves on the ground.
"Just buzz off and harass somepony else already!"
Crystal spreads out over the station's pathway, breaking up the stone or metal and raising it up in spikes to keep Luke (and unfortunately anypony else there) from following and to attempt to force them back.
>Transmute, Sentry Auto since it is a harmful action towards Luke
>>27847738
"What axe?"
She says through her teeth, still in rage at Luke.
>>27847752
>are you that brain-dead or do you just love hearing yourself talk?!"
"It's a self-perpetuating mix of both! Railing on you helps me ignore this massive headache I have right now from being a cancerous alcoholic without any hooch." Luke says with all the tenacity of before but instead of an insulting tone its a plain repsonse
>>27847637
Crumple speeds above the barren and deserted plains, passing ruins long passed and occasionally a mutant looking up at you like a passing jet
>Will time-skip to destination when you're finished speaking with Obsidious
The blinking screen pauses as you speak, eventually returning
>'IT HURTS'
>Y-yes, see?! Surely without MY power, we would have BOTH died. I have shown you just one facet of my abilities. NOW, if you take me out of this wretched, torturous hell...
>I'll do whatever you say. Just release me from this... I-I almost died when the crack started to form. If this rock shatters, I'll die, just like my brother
>brother dead
>AAAAAAAAAAAAA
>>27847661
Twilight smiles and looks up at Discord with a smug grin. "Ooooh. That's gotta sting."
Discord chuckles, "Right. 'Never'." Before he points at the staff.
"I need to know what I'm looking for... and care enough to try. But yes, time travel is one of the abilities I possess." He snaps his fingers, and you hear a roaring torrent akin to the time portals and the staff. You see a spinning wall of water begin to rise up out of the moon's surface, surrounding you and Twilight in a large diameter as the watery whirlpool barrier continues to rise. A dim green glow begins to set the scene."
"I dove into the staff, and felt a connection to a creature, terrifying a presence as any I've imagined. I followed it, and I could feel myself being pulled through the echoes of time as I did so," and he turns around, looking at the swirling water. "My journey wound me up in a place like 'this'. It felt like a place out of time, safe and secluded. I couldn't quite pick out what era it was, "
Twilight looks around in shock, "And... did you see it?"
"I did. And I tried to have my way with it, intoxicated by the sheer energy I could feel from it. Only to fail utterly."
>>27847887
>>27847674
Steel reaches up and grabs you by your shoulders with a tight-iron grip, "I'm TRYING to help you, and Onyxia. I care for her and so her business is my business. Deal with it."
He sighs, "What she did was rash. In the wrong. But I ask you forgive her, take it easier."
>>27847651
"He can say whatever it is he wishes about me, I don't care. But what he made you do... Onyxia, I know what's going on isn't easy for you, but you're better than that. I know you are. You could have hurt him. Heavens know I try but that's just me, Onyxia. You're more patient than that." As her coat fades, he puts a hoof on her cloak, "I realize it's a lot... more than a lot... to stomach but, this is not healthy for you. Doing nothing changes nothing. At the least, his idiocy didn't deserve a roof falling over his head."
>>27847752
>>27847674
>>27847738
Onyxia's crystal spreads out across the stone and metal making up the floor of the metro seperating Luke and Onyxia as she tries to operate the controls, raising it up in a series of sharp spikes angled outwards as Boo/Southern/Screech and Luke are forced to move off from her or run into the spikes.
As Onyxia tinkers and then eventually SLAMS on the control console, you all hear a loud, grating ringing of bells coming from the audio speakers as the console flashes. A mare's voice speaks
>"NEW ARRIVALS AT DOME C-545 FROM DOME E-220"
Lights come from down the tunnel as a rail car appears from within, sliding down to a slow stop along magnetic rails before the two-cart metroline opens up its sliding doors, a dozen silvery crawling machines on treads sliding out towards the ruined bodies of the other robots in the metro. They chant in an upbeat sing-song voice before they're impeded by the spikes.
>'salvage-salvage-salvage-salvage-salvage'
>>27847765
>>27847896
"The one that can do this," she whispers back, as the wire slices up a spike that got too close to her. "I thought a fight was gonna break out but apparently it already happened and nobody invited me."
>>27847875
>Jean telepathically relays a comment to Luke in what to him sounds like the voice of Morgan Freeman "Your anger is the divine rage of T.gondii let it channel through your vices. The animating contest of freedom compels you. Your every whim is guided by the divine scent of the Lord. It pervades your senses like the ichor of an expensive wine."
"Oh Celestia.. My cat's talking to me again" Luke says out loud this time.
>>27847887
>Time skip next post, please; can say the conversation is interrupted and Honey just leaves him
>"Both? You silly tool, I could've gotten Crumple sinking into stone without you. You just shaved some time off the process."
>"Release you? Last we spoke, you were so intent on killing me."
>"I have no reason to believe you'll really do as a say. You'll likely find some rocks, then try and crush me again."
>"Of course, fail while doing so."
>"You've been a useful tool, but certainly not a loyal tool. So if you want something from me, either tell me what else you can do, or hope to hell and back your little crystal can hold up to some more Crumple-level wear and tear."
>>27847896
Luke contains himself for a moment when Steel asks him to take it easy "I could take it easier if I had a drink."
>>27847896
>>27847765
Blocked off by the crystal Luke leans back on a wall and grumbles to himself still very pissed. He can faintly her something Steel is telling Onyxia "Hay, you guys got something to say to me. Say it to my face, not behind your pillow fort."
>>27847913
"Aye, Southern. You see how I get when I do get the bottle. Do me favor, pour me a glass, huh?"
>>27847896
The rail doors open and Luke is only modestly surprised by the crawling machines "Ahh, shit I hate crammed metros. well c'mon move aside" Luke picks up his cat and wades casually through the machines as he finds himself a seat.
>Innocent: passive; appear unimportant, uninteresting and generally like a forgettable bystander. Unless you are caught doing something illegal, you will at most be escorted outside, but more likely you'll just be ignored by guards and the like
>>27847913
"Do it whenever you want, I don't care."
>>27847896
"What if I wanted to hurt him?!"
Onyxia responds as she works the controls.
"I've been trying to get through this whole travel as best I could, and then he has to go and drag my family into his insults, acting like none of this is a big deal! How can I sit there and let him insult everypony I care about and me? How can *you* sit back as he insults you, and keep letting him do it?!"
>>27847896
>>27847674
"He deserved it plenty for everything he's droning on about. Saying how I should be praising Nero for saying one thing. If that's how things are, Luke should be doing plenty more for me after WE SAVED LAVENDER FOR HIM!"
She shouts out extra loud for Luke to hear over the endless rants.
"But I'm not going and spitting that out repeatedly, am I?"
>>27847896
>>27847994
Onyxia looks over as the train car comes to a stop and a troop of robots step out. She is about to step out from the controls to take it away from here. But as she sees Luke get on, she looks back to the buttons and tries to send him off so she doesn't have to listen to him anymore.
>>27847887
Nero looks up as the waves rise, the roar of time echoing around them, His expression cold and serious.
"Can you take Me to see it? You and I, alone?" He asks, excluding Twilight and Nau.
>>27848027
"I'm not saying you should praise the guy. Just y'know shake his hoof, stop with the animosity all the dang time. The least you could do is just act like a friend."
>WE SAVED LAVENDER FOR HIM!"
"That was a team effort! And you know it! Low blow Onyxia, I gave up having skin to help kill Chitus."
>>27848105
"If it wasn't for me, a CHANGELING, to pull back all the love Chitus stole she would have died that night with him!"
>>27847994
"Hold that thought, I think one of them is about to commission me to skin you."
>>27848027
"On a scale of 'paper cut' to 'censored', what do you want done? Honestly I still have no idea what most of you people are like. And I'm gonna need a guarantee that Steel won't gut me for this."
>>27848132
"Like I said, do whatever you feel like. At this point I don't care what happens to him. And Steel won't interfere with anything."
>>27848121
"Yeah, Onyxia pretty sure Nero had a hoof in that too. And yeah I'm grateful to you by not acting like an ass all the time. Why can't you do the same for Nero."
>>27848132
>commission me to skin you
"pfft beat you to it sister." Luke says referring to the time he burned himself alive. But Southern probably doesn't know of that.
>>27847919
Boo looks at you as the spikes push you back, twerking his head, "Huh? What'd she say, I didn't hear."
Screech groans, "Boo, come on man, cat's don't talk. They just get hair all over your bed and your clothes and then expect to be rewarded for doing jack shit."
>>27847980
>NO-NO-NO-NO!
>This machine... it's non-stop pain, you could never imagine
>You KNOW what I can do, we've fought time and again
>Let me OUT so I can help you
>Please
>I cannot die I cannot die I cannot die....
>Time-skip
After a few hours of soaring through the shade, thankfully uninterrupted unlike the norm, you come through the barren wasteland to within a few klicks of where you remember the Blasters' headquarters would be since your last visit. With telescopic views, you manage to peer ahead and get a decent look at the structure: their Dome located nearby in the mountains less than a kilometer away, the highlight of your view is the large military outpost, surrounded by thick walls and hiding dozens if not hundreds of armed long-range weaponry, and three control towers raising above the other buildings in the base. Behind them guarding their rear is the indescribable heat and light of the sun, on the outskirts of the Shade.
As you approach, you recall their radio signal, but a few lights on your dashboard inform you that you can already detect bogies taking off from within the complex.
>>27847913
Steel turns to you, looking his head down and shaking, "It wasn't much of a fight but, tensions are still fairly high. It could easily break out into one."
The batpony Screech looks at the spike as it's sliced off, moving over to stand side by side with you, "I'll uh, I'll stick close to you. Just in case that happens."
>>27848246
"How could he have had a hoof in that? You keep bringing him up, do you just think he's responsible for literally everything ever?!"
Onyxia seethes.
>>27848132
>>27848157
"Can you make him not talk along with whatever else you want? I'm getting sick of his voice."
>>27848279
>>27847994
Steel scoffs. "Well, it's a start. You for once don't have one? If I find one I assume you could try and listen to her?"
Boo chuckles, "Hey, why don't you go looking around this broken down metro dude, maybe there's some radioactive waste that'd make a killer martini."
>>27847994
The crawling machines are barely a foot-high as they crawl around you, continuing to chant as they tickle your hooves in the process, little claws poking at you before moving on
>'Not-salvage flesh bag not-salvage flesh bag'
>>27848027
"I don't feel I'm much worth defending. You certainly are, but as insulting as his comments on your father was... and how quickly I'd do the same in your position... I think you're better than that. Better than I. You're going through too much right now, but attacking one of our few allies won't help you feel better, Onyxia. Least of all while we're here looking for Claw." He stays besides you as Luke begins heading in, "You're angry, Onyxia, I understand anger. But I won't let it control you like it controls me."
>>27848105
>>27848027
>>27847913
Luke enters the train-car after the machines leave, crawling around and over the spikes to get at the metallic remains of the last raid party, sitting down comfortably as Onyxia looks at the controls.
>Select Destination for Passenger Demise (in order of stops)
>DOME E-220
>Everfree City Metro Stop
>Dome G-777 (UNAVAILABLE DUE TO TRACK DESTRUCTION)
>Dome E-662
>>27848293
>>27848038
Discord looks around the swirling pool surrounding you all, then shakes his head. "Not anymore." He points at the summoned staff of Steel's, snapping his fingers as it dissipates into dust. "The staff held the connection to Eon, and it's using that I could follow it to the source. And, I'm afraid the staff is gone: I lost it and all my prizes when I was first defeated by Luna and Celestia a thousand years ago. Where it is now, I have no idea. Every time I attempt to find it using my magic, or to find my way BACK to Eon on my own, my vision gets... muddled, confused. It's quite vexing, actually, as I usually ENJOY that when I'm the one doing it."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mrv9n7JQC_M
He looks at Twilight and Nau, Twilight obviously having visual reservations about not getting to see it but understanding of the need to protect your young. He turns back to you, "But, I CAN put on a wee show of what it was I saw." He snaps his fingers, and the scenery around you shifts, the wall of water expanding and growing outwards to reach up miles into the dark void of the moon's stratosphere. In a diameter of several miles, you find yourself placed on top of a hill, and off in the distance Discord's illusion springs to life several spikes jutting out of the ground one by one, numbering in the thousands as they spring up across the fields of the moon, dark-black in color with a green glow across them. Off in the distance, a figure looms, a solid 'ball' of a segmented shell, rolled up into a large ball dozens of stories tall (bigger than the estimate Freedom Rings gave you), similar spikes to what you see on the ground dotting the surface of the creature's shell, some much more massive than others.
A low hum like a turbine sounds in the air as you watch it from afar, the massive beast seemingly in a hibernated state. "Ah, there the little rug-bug. Have you seen the creature before?" Discord asks as he sets the scene up from his memory.
>>27848279
Honey put out the thoughts of Obsidious' pleas for mercy. There was no way of really releasing him from that crystal, even if she wanted him out.
Back in the cockpit, she has the radio wire up to Crumple's voice.
"Hey hey hey! Kill the damn shelling! It's you're favorite customer! Crumple!"
As Honey speaks, she has Crumple perform evasive maneuvers to avoid whatever bogies my be headed her way.
"And this is the only warning I'm giving you! You may have been some of the best clients, but I am NOT putting up with whatever bullshit you have going on unless you want me to solve it for you, as usual!"
>evasive maneuvers
[1d10+1]
>Crumple's (Honey's) attempt at some kind of customer-to-previous-employer 'diplomacy'
[1d10]
>>27848279
On Screech's comment about cats Luke idly responds "yeah but they're pretty fricken cute. Seriously though I've been hearing weird shit from my cat. You guys pickin up on any of it with your super sonic ears or whatever?"
>>27848293
"Steel I'm listening to her right now, getting me tipped ain't gonna help. But it'll keep me from makin a fuss."
With a desperate tone Luke responds to Boo's joke "I'd try anything at this point, even if it is waste."
>>27848284
"I vaguely remember him keeping her on life support with his ambient love powers and yadda yadda twilight was talking."
>>27848407
>>27848293
>>27848284
Making sure she has a seat to wherever Onyxia's going and not to where she's sending Luke, she fashions a muzzle to hold Luke's mouth shut.
[1d10+3] close enough to trap I think
>>27848293
"You're worth defending to me, that's why I can't see how you're just letting him say all that! And how can he be an ally when he started all of this, tossing around insults."
Onyxia looks at the possible tops listed for the controls, and sets the car to go to Dome E-662. She doesn't recognize the name of it, so it should be far enough off.
"I don't care about finding Claw, and I'm being 'controlled by anger'. I'm fine."
She says, still angry.
>>27848407
"Chitus was there, so she still had a connection to her love that he stole. That was it, no 'ambient' anything."
>>27848305
"So if we found you another such staff, you could take us to the creature?" Nero asks curiously, before the scene takes shape.
He stands atop the hill, body radiating with light as He looks down at the massive creature below. His brow furrows.
"Its growing. And multiplying." He says sounding disgusted.
"Not with My own eyes. Only in depictions. What a disgusting creature it is. It makes a mockery of existence that such an ugly creature should be the strongest living thing."
"Tell Me, Discord. This creature which is the end of all things. Are you sure there is nothing else you know of it, that I myself do not? And do you know anything of its Order that has so far escaped My vision?"
>>27848370
As you tune into the radio, you quickly slide on through until you find the correct channel for speaking with the Blasters, a familiar, rough toned mare's voice singing through,
>"Oh heeeey, Crumple! Long time no see. This is Lead Head.... wait a second. Voice is familiar but your design sure isn't..."
As you approach, you see incoming on the screen: five long-range missiles, coming at you miles away homing in.
>"Well, whether that is you or not ya ol' junk-heap, sorry to say our 'bullshit' is new policy: turn your ass around NOW or get blown to shit like the last dozen scum-sucking outsiders that thought we were kidding. I like you Crumple but we have orders."
>>27848407
Screech turns to you, flattening his ears, "Uh, I can hear her purring from farther away than normal. Is that what you're talking about? Because that's all your cat says, is 'purr', 'purr'."
Steel sighs, "If you were listening to her you'd be able to tell your approach isn't working. Is now really the best time for this anyhow, on our way out of the Dome?" He shakes his head, "I'll see if there's any."
>>27848437
>>27848407
Your wires successfully wrap around Luke's muzzle, the wires tightening around the lips of his burned bandage-wrapped mouth to keep them held tight, as Steel gives a light chuckle.
"For the record, I would in fact stop an attempted dismemberment. We need him in tact. This however, I can approve of."
>>27848470
"Onyxia, he's an ally because when my Order sends its monsters, he's fighting on our side. Breaking his muzzle is satisfying but it hinders our objective. We don't have the luxury of letting his immaturity get the best of you." He puts a hoof on your shoulder, "Claw is the reason we're here, Onyxia: we need to find him as he's the only lead left on the Order as it is now. I won't rest until they endanger innocents no longer."
>>27848600
>>27848470
>>27848407
>>27848437
As Luke boards the metro-line, Onyxia plugs in a destination, and the mare speaks over the sound system
>"DESTINATION: DOME E-662. Passenger mercy execution commencing. Have a nice death!"
It says in a sing-song voice as the train begins moving in the opposite direction down the tracks, taking Luke with it on the journey as he begins to pass into the tunnels of darkness.
Boo and Screech cringe as he goes off, flapping up to look at him go off. "W-what did that thing say would happen!?" Boo asks a little worried, beginning to fly after him down the tunnel.
>>27848506
Discord taps his chin, "Hmmm, yes, I suppose any of the staves will do. I know there's more than the one I stole but, who knows where to find them." He shrugs, taking a look at the still creature as its dim light glows.
"Ooooh, so harsh, Eon-Slayer. I think he's adorable just the way he is." He says with a chuckle, poking at one of the illusion's spikes, "When I met it for the first time, I thought to put it in a little cage to take home with me, but the little bugger disrupted all of my magic... anything I did was fizzled out, cancelled by yet another, multi-colored magical energy I did not recognize... and one I wouldn't see again, until it was used against me firsthand."
"Well, as to ALL what I know ," he snaps his fingers, a pair of glasses appearing on his face and a heavy stack of books appearing around you. "I'd have to spend SO much time comparing notes and what you've learned, but, what's the point: you've clearly done your homework, well on your way." He reaches forward and puts a gold-star he pulled from nowhere on your shirt, "And besides, where's your sense of adventure!? Do you really want me to just TELL you everything, my good fellow, or wouldn't you much rather go out and find it yourself?"
>>27848600
"I've had a bit of an upgrade while I've been gone, Lead Head. World may be ending, but I plan on seeing the end and not die early," Crumple replies back, stopping where he is at the moment seeing as there is time before the missiles.
"Now before I blow those missiles out of the sky, and you damn well know I will and can Lead, tell me what the hell happened. If some ugly griffon motherfucker strolled in, tell me now; I'm trying to hunt him down and give him a good blasting."
"If not, still fucking tell me. I need some new toys, and you're the only ones I don't have to shoot up to get said toys. And you can pass that off to the leader as well."
Crumple says, but still keeping an eye on how far away the missiles are before he actually has to do something about them.
>>27848615
"Forget it, the robots always say that and we disabled all the dangers on the track when we last came through here."
Onyxia says to Boo dismissively.
>>27848600
"I don't care if it hinders anything or not, he's not any sort of ally if he acts like that."
Onyxia looks up at Steel, and pushes his hoof off.
"That's the reason everypony *else* is here. I'm only here because I have no control over that time machine to get home. And right now I want t get my mind off everything that's just happened."
Onyxia says, head turning down to the controls to see if she can call in a new train car for Everfree City.
>>27848600
>>27848437
As the wire ties around Luke's muzzle he messes with the wire trying to get it off. He furrows his brow at Southern and Steel, you'd expect he'd say real funny guys in a sarcastic tone of phrase.
>>27848615
When the intercom sounds and the doors close Luke's face waxes with the fear of imminent death.
Luke's and Jean's face can be seen by the party through one of the windows as they're sent into the dark tunnels.
Jean extends her claws and cuts the wire around Luke's muzzle [1d10]
Meanwhile Luke flicks open his zippo lighter to light the area
>>27848615
Nero glares at Discord, peeling the sticker off His shirt.
"I don't have time for this. I have a war to get back to. I can worry about extracting what else you know later. So here what is going to happen."
Nero says straightening up, His divine light going out.
"You are going to repair the Ur-Lucius. Immediately, and how it was. While you're at it, you can complete my ziggurat and save My servants the time and money. After that, you are going to teleport Twilight, Nau, and Myself to the Crystal Empire. From there, you are free to do as you wish, as long as it doesn't involve you anywhere near My city."
"And if, for whatever reason, you're wondering why you're going to obey this oddly stringent list of commands which I have absolutely no way to enforce, it is because you actually doing as I say is the single most unpredictable and chaotic thing you could do right now. Also I'll give you..."
A transparent portal opens above Nero's hoof, dropping something out.
"This pencil." Nero says with a serious expression at Discord, waiting for him to crack.
>>27848665
>"Yeah, we were all wondering why we stopped hearing about you on the radio: we thought someone actually managed to do the deed for a bit there. Glad they was wrong."
>"Griffons? Well, one of them was but the others... grah, damnit Crumple I can't go talking about that shit, the Elder's word is the final word, no exceptions. Long story short, Crumple: we had some guys we thought we could trust come in and fuck us over real good. So turn back, cause even if the lot of us like ya there's a lot more anger at the outsiders!"
As you argue with her over the radio, you see the missiles coming into view, homing in on your position: roll dodge (instant).
>>27848679
Boo turns back to look at you, flattening his ears, "R-really? Why the hell is everything in the future looking to kill everything else?!"
Steel sighs, "He's not courteous, no, and as a friend I agree he's making a poor example. But your allies are not always supposed to be your friends. I know I've fought along side some soldiers that I'd trust with my life but would never share a pint with."
He turns towards his hoof as you brush it off, "...I know you want to go home, Onyxia, but fate has a reason you're here with me now. I do not believe the timeline is safe until the order is stopped, and I know you have an important role in stopping them. I believe in you."
You tinker with the controls on the Metro Line, and you hear the controls whir as the request for another train is sent through, a little electronic diagram showing another train about to pass Luke's on the way to you. It arrives promptly in a similar fashion, parking in front of the station and opening up.
>"Departing for EVERFREE STATION"
>>27848856
>>27848739
Steel doesn't have facial features, but his blank stare just seems to scream back, "It is a LITTLE funny."
As the train goes rolling off into the dark tunnels of the metro line, you see Boo and Screech shouting after you as the fly to keep up, the cart's lights turning on and negating the need for the lighter as you're given a full view of the scorched inside of the car.
>"Thank you for choosing to ride with Metro Line! Welcome back, employee LUKE WARM! We're sorry to report that your contract has been terminated, as you are over a week late for orientation. Our first stop on our way to Dome E-662 will be dome E-220."
As the metro line moves along, you see Boo and Screech panting as they grab onto the sides of the open windows, Jean successfully cutting your bindings.
>>27848861
>>27848797
As you give out your demands, Discord snaps his fingers, dispelling the images of Eon's breeding grounds and the swirling river around you as he crosses his arms, smirking at all of the demands you give him as Twilight looks on, perplexed at your idea as you attempt to get him to do those things.
She moves over and whispers, "Nero, I don't think you should bother, no offense but Celestia's not even able to get him to do things she wants all the time, and she's known him for years."
As you reach the end, Discord has that incredulous 'and if I refuse' look about him, smug grin and glaring eyebrows, but then as you reason it's the single most unpredictable thing he could have done, he looks blankly, blinking a few times.
"Hmm... no, what if I ... hmm..." he rubs his beard, thinking of the prospect. "No, I suppose that WOULD be rather unpredictable and chaotic of me..."
As you throw in the No. 2 Pencil, Discord looks down, picking it up in his claw and staring at it, before looking at you with a smirk. "Pfff...pfff hahaahahahahahahahahaha!" He says, holding the pencil in his claw. "Oooooh... who ever said you don't have a sense of humor? Alright, your wish is granted Most Comedic of the Crystal Ponies."
Twilight looks on blankly, twitching her eyes. "Wait... what... how did... what did you just do? I don't get it, what's a pencil have to do with anything?"
>>27848861
Luke rushes over to the window side Boo and Screech. Luke looks down at the rail track speeding by too quickly for a safe landing. He says to the bats "You don't think it was being serious about having a nice death, right? I mean who builds a tram like like that!"
>"I sense imminent death my lord" Jean says
>>27848856
"They should at least have common courtesy."
Onyxia grumbles.
"I don't want to have a role! I never asked to get pulled into any of this, and I had no way to get back to my normal life until it was too late. The only thing that keeps me here is wanting to help you get back to normal, but at this rate I—
...f-forget it."
Onyxia turns away from Steel, looking out for the train to arrive. Once it does, shes double checks the destination, and sees if there's any express option to get there as quick as possible.
Stepping away from the controls Onyxia heads down to the car, taking a seat.
As she sits, stomach bunching up and cape no longer covering it with a more vertical posture making her physique look worse than it is, Onyxia unties the cape and tosses it at Steel, not looking at him.
"You can take this back. No point when its been shouted for everypony to hear."
>>27848868
Nero looks over and up at Discord.
"She doesn't get the pencil thing." He says, intentionally excluding her from the joke, before walking over to His chariot and dissipating it, before putting a hoof on the time machine so it goes with them when they port.
"I am serious about that temple though. I don't want you desecrating it with your foolishness. I am not above retracting My payment if the work is substandard." Nero says in His typical high and mighty persona [but ironically, given the subject] as He waits for Discord to work his magic.
>>27848856
"You realize how suspicious as hell you just sounded?" Crumple says, the enhanced minigun and howitzer appearing as the missiles come into view.
"Sorry, but now I HAVE to know what the hell happened. So tell the Elder to either come out and tell me now, or I'll blast my way to find out what I know!"
Rather than dodge, Crumple opts to shoot the missiles right out of the sky with a bombardment of firepower.
>shoot them out before the reach Crumple (Cleave 5, critfail on 4- due to talent, crit 9+, dual, no elements to them)
[1d10+2]
[1d10+2]
"Listen Lead Head, I like you all as well, so I'm giving you, and anypony else listening in, and anypony who'll fucking listen, put my voice on your bases' speaker system if you fucking have to!"
Honey gives Lead some pause, as much as she'd think would be long enough for her to do so, unsure if Lead Head actually would or not.
"Get the fuck out of my way, and you'll be fine. Shoot me, and you're fucking dead! If this griffon is who I think it is, there's more at stake here than just protecting your awesome stash of guns and shit!"
>Another 'Crumple' (Honey) diplomacy/intimidate
[1d10]
And with that, Crumple starts rocketing his way right to the Blaster's base, the minigun still spinning and the howitzer ejecting the empty shells and loading up new ones.
>>27848922
The bats barely crawl over the side of it as they give a few huffs, stretching their wings out. "W-well Onyxia said that you guys already went through this before and knocked out all the scary stuff s-so isn't that good!?" Screech shouts.
Boo looks over the outside of the window as you guys work your ways through the tunnels, landing in front of another metro-station, this one with out any robots in the front as it pulls to a stop. "I hate the future already..."
The abandoned metro-station echoes in front of you as you arrive: before when you came here, you remember there were Uni-Bots that boarded your train and employed you and Ug, but there are none here this time.
>>27848949
Steel looks down at you as you shout back at him, following you within the Metro Line cart as the cheery voice sings up again
>"Welcome back to Metro Line! We're surprised to see you visiting again after your previous visit, but we're welcome to have you experience the release of death with us again. Please remain seated while the train is in motion."
Steel looks around, "This is a very strange time..." before turning back to you. "I'm sorry, Onyxia. I know you're only seeking to help me return my original form... but I cannot let what Sight has done go unaccounted for. And I cannot do it alone." As you toss up his cape and throw it back at him, revealing your increased weight, he resets it upon his back. "...If it helps at all, I thought you look better without it. I love seeing you as you are." He turns towards the tunnel as the train moves on ahead, screaming into the dark. "At this rate you'll-..." he asks, hoping you'll finish your sentence for him.
>>27849040
>>27848980
Discord chuckles, "I can't believe it..."
Twilight looks angry, her wings flapping up, "Seriously! WHAT is with the pencil?! Is this a thing?"
"Oh, do not worry your pretty little head, Princess. You'll get it. Or not." He chuckles as he stores the pencil on top of his ear, turning down to Nero, "And don't worry about YOUR pretty little head Emperor. I would never part with such a meaningful and well thought out gift. Do say hello to the Missus for me, I'll be over for tea." He gives his fingers yet another snap, and you are blinded by a bright light.
You reappear in the throne room of the Crystal Empire, two guards standing besides the throne giving a massive shout of surprise as you suddenly pop in from nowhere, Twilight shaking her head from the disorientation as they ready their spears at the sight of you two, unable to see your faces from behind as you face the opposite direction. "By the gods! More intruders?!"
>>27848983
Crumple unleashes a salvo of projectiles at the on-coming missiles, blasting out 4 out of five of them one at a time as they make their way towards you. But the last one impacts, and causes a massive explosion, damaging Crumple's systems severely as the engines sputter out and begin to fail. They've definitely acquired some upgrades to their missiles' payload.
>0/6, falling helpless
As you shout at them on the horn, Lead Head at first persists
>"Damnit Crumple, you're a good customer, and ya helped us out before, but this is serious! Some of our most precious tech got stolen right from under us, and three of our best soldiers were killed, we can't afford trust right now, not to anyone. E-even you..."
As you give the speech at the end, warning them of what comes their way if they continue to shoot their guns, you hear nothing for a long while, unsure if Lead Head put out the word.
Eventually, you hear another click.
>"All long range, cease fire, scuttle all artillery salvos, hold your fire!"
>PAUSED
