Previously...
http://pastebin.com/pBpNL2kb
 
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>Deep in the jungles of South America...
>Where the plants grow thickest, the sun shines hottest and the animals are deadliest...
>A cataclysmic ritual is underway.
>In a grand valley forgotten by man but remembered by the ages, a massive temple of stone resides.
>This grand ziggurat, a magnificent work of art in of itself, is home to a dark, terrible power.
>Hundreds of willing servants, wielding spears and carrying torches, move amongst its walls and stairs, chanting, singing, praising their master.
>Bowmen circle the premises, searching with hawk like eyes for any intruders.
>Baskets of food and gold, tribute for the upcoming sacrifice, are paraded through the grand temple.
>The warriors of this culture, the strongest of the men, chant and sing as they stomp their feet and spears into the earth.
>In the center of this place, lit by the flames of the many torches and bonfires, is a great golden idol, a spire of power.
>It radiates and hums with energy provided by the worship of these men, and it is harnessed by their leader, a beast with a mind as wicked as any man's and a body far stronger and more agile.
 
>For he is Ahuizotl, the terror of the jungle, the bringer of draught and burning light, master of all he surveys.
>Under the iron grip of his animal paw, this great ritual has almost come to fruition, which will grant to him what he has waited so very long for: the power to purge all of modern civilization with magnificent flames and subjugate all of mankind to his whim.
>Through the power of this ancient tool, the Sun Spire, he will accomplish this task.
>He smiles a wide, toothy grin as he observes his obedient subjects parade food, gold and banners proclaiming his glory.
>His time was now.
 
>But outside, another lurked in the shadows, with far different plans: to stop him.
>Her grip tightens upon her trusted tool, a whip, as she looks down upon the archer patrolman.
>When he nears, she drops from the tree, landing upon his shoulders. Clenching her thighs around his head, she twists as they fall, snapping his neck.
>She is up in an instant, hiding the body beneath the thick brush. She runs to the outskirts of the temple grounds.
>Carefully, she looks around the corner. She spies the grand march of people, knowing that she can't be seen by them.
>The dagger belted at her hip, impractical for combat due to its ornamentation and ceremonial origins, is a reminder of how careful she needs to be.
>For it is the only tool that can truly kill Ahuizotl and banish him to the underworld for ten thousand years of torment.
>Or so the legend she translated says. She hopes to hell that it's true---she's spent the last two months of her life working on this case.
>Seeing her opportunity, she dashes to a nearby pillar before dropping down to the marketplace below. Once there, she takes down a hooded merchant and knocks him out cold, dragging him behind a tent. There, she strips him and dons her disguise; his clothing.
>Now, able to blend in, she moves amongst them. Having diligently studied their culture for more than a month, she knows enough of their language and hand signs and chants to get past the guards, who are far too distracted with their own revelry.
>She is in the temple now. Drums beat around her. The heat from the many fires is sweltering and she begins to sweat underneath the hood.
 
>Following the parade, she moves closer and closer to the heart of the temple, where the ritual is about to finish. Her heart beats.
>A gigantic gong is rung and it echoes off the walls, making her shiver. She looks up, her eyes going wide as Ahuizotl appears upon the altar, his doglike head set upon a grand apelike body. The elongated tail that emerges from his backside, ending in a third hand, holds a knife. Golden finery is draped around his body, including bracelets, necklaces and jeweled bands.
>It is deathly sharp and adorned with jewels and gold. The third hand passes it to one of his main two, and he holds it aloft a woman on the altar below.
>She is not bound. It is considered an honor.
>The great beast Ahuizotl roars, bringing all in the room to silence. The drums cease. The chanting echoes away. Now, the only sound is the crackling fire.
>He speaks, his voice rough and terrifying.
>"Now... now, the time has come!" he triumphantly shouts. The crowd cheers before a wave of his hand silences them once more. "With our sacrifice, the grand power of the Sun Spire will be within my grasp! Then, waves of fire shall wash across the shores of every city; every outsider shall be burned by my fury!"
>Again, the crowd roars. She reaches for her whip beneath the robes.
>"Bathed by the blood of a mortal, the fire shall awaken! It will rise and together, we shall make history grand! Unified beneath my rule! Glory to Ahuizotl! Glory to my empire! Glory to the burning flames!"
>He holds up the knife over her chest, preparing to strike.
>He is stopped by a whip wrapping around his fist, pulling the knife aside. Suddenly, two boots are planted onto the sides of his head, knocking him from the altar. The robe is discarded, cast into a nearby fire pit.
>Daring Do stands atop the altar now, to the shock and awe of all assembled. She takes a moment to place her pith helmet atop her head.
 
>Ahuizotl looks up at her with his devilish eyes. "Cease her!" he commands.
>She reaches for the gun strapped to her thigh. With it in hand, she quickly guns down three spearmen who charge her. Leaping from the altar and knocking over a golden brazier of burning wood, she leaps for the knife that Ahuizotl needs to complete the ritual.
>The beast reaches for it, but Daring Do's legendary agility is underestimated by the sinister creature. She grabs hold of it, leaping over his hand, before spinning and throwing it into the fires of a deep chasm.
>Another spearman charges at her, and with a deft maneuver, she kicks him into the flames. Two archers fire at her but she is gone, running across the temple. She reaches a long tapestry and begins to scale it, even as the various worshippers take up chase of her.
>She reaches the top, swinging herself onto a nearby balcony. A guard is there, who tries to overpower her. She ducks low, grabbing hold of his waist and uses his momentum to throw him over the railing.
>She takes out the dagger, the tool that can deal the killing blow to Ahuizotl, and slices the tapestry with it. The guards climbing it fall to the ground in a large heap.
>"Sorry, Ahuizotl!" she taunts. "You'll have no ritual today!"
>Then, she feels a tapping on her shoulder. She turns, ready to attack, only to see her partner, Caballeron, standing there.
>But shouldn't he be waiting for her at the boat?
>Then, she feels it. A dart in her side from his tranquilizer gun. His smile is the last thing she sees before she blanks, falling from the balcony. She faintly feels the sensation of being caught... by Ahuizotl.
 
>Daring Do's eyes slowly open as her consciousness bleeds back into her. She is strapped to the altar. The heat from the fires and the noise from the chanting is much grander now, and the first thing she sees are the horrible eyes of Ahuizotl staring down at her.
>"My dear Daring Do..." the beast says, trailing a massive hand along her face. "You've given me so much trouble. You bested me at every turn. But now... you've let your own trusting nature get the better of you."
>Behind him, Caballeron smiles as he looks down upon her.
>"How... how could you!?" she shouts at him. "Don't you know what he intends to do!?"
>"He intends to pay me, extremely handsomely, for delivering you right to him," he says in his thick accent. "You are the guest of honor at this occasion, Daring Do."
>She shuts her eyes, a tear rolling down a cheek as her fists clench and she struggles against the bonds. "It doesn't matter! I cast the sacrificial knife into the flames! The ritual is stopped; what you do to me now doesn't matter!"
Ahuizotl and Caballeron share a knowing, pleased look. The doctor speaks, "That would be true... if I had told you the truth of the matter."
>Her eyes widen.
>Ahuizotl rears up and holds aloft the dagger she carried. "You see, Daring Do, this dagger is tied to the Sun Spire. It is true that it is the only tool that can destroy me... but it is also the only tool that can unlock the power of the Sun Spire through sacrifice! I must thank you for retrieving it for me... and for showing up to your sacrifice in such a prompt fashion."
>Now, it is all clear to her. She played right into their hands and now the world was to end because of her.
>"No... No!" she shouts, trying to pull free. It is pointless. The bonds are too strong.
>Despair and panic sets in as she realizes what is about to happen to her.
>The chanting grows louder.
>The flames grow hotter.
>Ahuizotl holds up the dagger, and then...
 
>A strange sound echoes through the temple, greater than the chanting.
>A cloud of purple and blue smoke emerges from the ground, and from within it emerges a blast of red energy.
>Like a red lightning bolt, it strikes Ahuizotl in the chest, burning him and knocking him from the altar.
>Caballeron holds up a gun, but it too is blasted from his hands with expert precision. The gun falls to the floor, half-melted.
>The smoke clears and there stands a robed figure, his identity masked by his hood.
>Several guards spring up to attack him, but each is put down by a blast from his eyes, the searing-hot lasers scalding the skin wherever they touch.
>The figure looks at the chains holding Daring Do and with but a glance, they are destroyed.
>Feeling her sudden freedom, she rolls from the altar, dashing for her whip. She leaps over the head of a surprised guard, landing atop a table where her whip lays waiting.
>Ahuizotl scrambles back up to his feet, looking at the robed figure with furious eyes. "Who are you!?" he shouts.
>The figure says nothing, electing instead to merely hold up his hand.
>Before the astounded eyes of the temple, Ahuizotl, Daring Do and Caballeron, within his palm appears...
 
>...a red, one-hundred sided die, glinting like a polished ruby in the flames.
>He drops it to the ground, letting it roll.
>It lands upon 14.
>Telekinesis.
>Now, he levitates from the ground, his robe flowing around him. The die vanishes in a flash of red light.
>Archers fire at him, but their arrows are stopped in the air before they can reach him, hovering and still. The same goes for any spears hurled his way.
>They stop when they see the visage of this robed man who cannot be harmed by their primitive weapons. With but a command of his mind, their weapons turn towards Ahuizotl and fly at him.
>The beast howls as some of the arrows and spears pierce his thick hide, falling to the floor. The spears and arrows embedded in his side snap as he rolls, spilling his own blood on the floor.
>One his feet in a moment, he reaches for a burning brazier and hurls it at the robed man.
>Again, it stops. He casts it aside and pulls bricks from the walls and floors around him. The people scream and run as he tears sections of the floor out from under them with his mind and begins flinging them high-speed at Ahuizotl, who takes each hit with a howl and a sneer.
>Caballeron quickly makes a run for it, intending to leave through a secret back entrance.
>His way is blocked by a woman wearing a flashy show outfit, a purple cape and a wizard's hat. A white mask hides her face. She holds a wand in one gloved hand.
>"Going somewhere?" she asks.
>Daring Do appears behind him, tripping him with her whip. She looks at the strange magician.
>"We're your friends in this," the woman tells her, conjuring up a rope with her wand to tie Caballeron up. "Stop Ahuizotl!"
>Daring Do nods and returns to the main chamber, where Ahuizotl and the robed man are battling.
>The beast scales a nearby wall, gripping thick vines with his apelike hands and feet, before leaping at the robed figure.
>He brings his hands up over his head and balls them into fists, intending to smash the smaller man.
 
>The man roars with fury, throwing his arms out in a telekinetic surge of pure force. It knocks Ahuizotl back and destroys the roof of the temple, creating a whirlwind of stones and vines that reaches into the skies above.
>Daring Do shields herself as she feels the pulse of the blast wash over her, but she is unharmed. She looks at the robed man, amazed at the power he displays.
>Ahuizotl, cast upon the sacrificial altar and cracking it in half, looks up at the man. "How... HOW!? No mortal man possesses this power! It is impossible!"
>Daring Do sneaks closer, reaching the shining ceremonial dagger, cast from Ahuizotl's grip by the blast.
>Ahuizotl continues to shout. "Who are you?! I must know! Mortal? Demigod? Demon? How do you wield your power!?"
>Daring Do leaps up onto the altar, straddling the surprised beast's chest. "You've got bigger problems!" she screams, plunging the dagger into his chest. "Like ten thousand years of torment!"
>He screams in pain, knocking her aside. He scrambles for the dagger, trying desperately to pull it out. Flames surge from the wound, encasing his body in burning pain. His howls become less human and more animalistic as Ahuizotl gives in to his primal instinct in the face of his death.
>He rolls around, trying to free himself from the biting flames, but they will not cease. Eventually, he is still, and the flames completely consume his body, turning him to nothing more than ash in the wind.
>Light from the afternoon sun streams in now, and the whirlwind of stone and temple blocks ceases, the debris either cast for miles out into the jungle or set down.
>The robed man levitates to the ground. His flash associate walks up, holding Caballeron in some kind of purple aura with her wand. A stretch of duct tape is around his mouth.
>"I think this belongs to you," she says, setting him at Daring Do's feet.
 
>Daring Do nods, looking around at the destroyed temple. "The survivors of Ahuizotl's empire will flee this valley," she tells them. "The world is safe. But who are you? And how can I ever thank you for saving my life?"
>The woman straightens and takes off her hat, giving a wide, sweeping bow. "I am the Great and Powerful Blue Mage!"
>"I've heard about you in the news," Daring says, surprised at their being here. "And you..." she says, looking at the man, "aren't you..."
"The Dungeon Master."
>"That's right! Two months ago, I saw you two on TV busting some kind of bank robbery! But how did you know about all of this and how are you here in South America? I've been trying to stop Ahuizotl for two months!"
>"Well, that's where my associate comes into play," the Blue Mage explains. "His die grants him all sorts of powers. One of its faces grants him future-sight into a twenty-four hour window. He rolled it earlier today, and saw our home engulfed in fire! We quickly learned where it came from and came here to stop it before it happened! My magical wand allows us to teleport great distances."
 
>"That's amazing..." she says. "Well... I can't think of a reward more fitting than saving the world, but there's plenty of gold around here for the taking..."
>Blue Mage seems to hop at the idea, but is held back by the Dungeon Master.
"We're fine, thanks," he says. "In fact... Since there are no cameras around, I suggest we keep our involvement in this strictly secret."
>"Fine by me," Daring Do says, taking off her hat. "I'm... A.K. Yearling. It's nice to meet you and it's damn nice to still be alive."
>Blue Mage and Dungeon Master both shake her hand.
"We should get going," the Dungeon Master suggests. He looks at Daring Do and asks, "Need a ride?"
>"I have a boat nearby. I'll be alright."
>"Just a little bit of gold?" his blue-haired companion begs. He shakes his head and she sighs. With a twirl of her wand, they're gone, vanished into blue and purple smoke.
>Daring Do shakes her head, still amazed at what just happened. She looks up at the afternoon sun.
>Things were looking a little brighter.
 
>You are Anonymous, Anon to some, but known worldwide as the Dungeon Master, the mysterious die-rolling superhero.'
>Possessed of an extremely powerful alien artifact taking the form of a die, you fight crime with your partner, Trixie, known as the Blue Mage.
>You hold up a newspaper, reading its headline. It was published this morning. Esteemed archeologist and novelist A.K. Yearling has made worldwide headlines for her discovery of an ancient civilization and its hordes of gold. She'll be living comfortably off of the royalties of the discovery for her entire life.
>You scan down the page, where she talks about how it has always been her dream to find something like this, and her desire to retire and take her writing career a bit more seriously.
>She makes mention of two very special friends, and promises to dedicate her next book to them.
>You smile, setting the paper down and taking a drink of coffee. Though the world may not know your true identity, it satisfies you enough to know that you've made it safer and helped someone achieve their dream.
>You feel a pair of delicate hands on your shoulders. Celestia, your former high school principal, is behind you, nude and coaxing you to come back to her bedroom.
>Well, you've never been one to disappoint her. Taking her hand, you lead her to the room, watching as she lies down upon the large bed, her smooth skin splayed out across the sheets, her tanned skin contrasting with its pure white.
>Her lips part and she whispers her lusty desire into your ear. It's always the same, but it never gets old. You capture her lips in a tender kiss, kicking off your clothes as you do so. Once this is done, you make your way into the bed, feeling the warmth of her skin as you begin to explore each other's bodies.
>Your legs intertwine as she reaches down to grasp your hardness, both of you moaning into the kiss.
 
>It's been like this ever since you graduated high school; nearly three days out of the week is spent at her nice home, making passionate love.
>You remember earlier in the year when you rolled the die and first gained the power of persuasion, how you used it to charm Celestia into lewd, amazing sex in her school office.
>She hasn't been able to get enough of you since. Now, here you are, in her bedroom once more, gently squeezing and playing with her bountiful cleavage.
>As her grip tightens and she jacks you off a little harder and faster, preparing you for what is coming next, you can't help but find this a fitting reward for saving the world yesterday.
>But thoughts on Ahuizotl and South America are far away as Celestia pushes you onto your back, lining up her moist nether lips with your rock-hard cock.
>She moans as she lowers herself onto you, quickly taking you entirely within her. The feeling, the warmth---you've felt it countless times but it still never ceases to make you shiver with pleasure.
>Nor her, if the ecstatic look upon her face is any indication. Leaning forward, her chest heaving with each breath, she places her hands upon your chest and begins to rock up and down.
>The moist interior of her pussy is like hot velvet as it hugs your dick, sliding up and down, coating it in the fluids of her passion.
>You sit back, closing your eyes. Your hands find their way to her wide hips, gripping them. You buck upwards a bit, matching her pace, slamming into her when she comes downwards.
>She screams in pleasure, moving faster and faster. Her breasts bounce with her motion and she grinds her hips into yours, riding you for all your worth.
>She bites her lip as her fingers claw at your chest, desperate for something to grab onto. Her toes curl and she lets out a soft series of sighs alongside her loud moans.
>Under pressure like this, it's hard not to give in and go off early. But with Celestia, you've built up a longer stamina.
 
>It's like you've been going through training sessions with her. Given that you explode at least three times every time you come over to her house, it certainly feels like a workout when it's all done.
>For what seems like hours, but isn't truly, she rides you. When it finally does come to an end, it's a screaming, climactic moment. She throws her head back, issuing her longest, loudest moan as she climaxes around you.
>She continues to move, her quivering walls contracting and milking your cock, begging for its contents. You release within her, as you always have, spilling your seed deep inside of her.
>Slowly, she calms down, leaning over you. Sweaty, panting and with half-lidded eyes, she nears your face and purses her lips for a kiss.
>You kiss her softly, tenderly, as she slides off of you. She rolls to your side, holding you close. She's still at least a foot taller than you, eclipsing you when standing or lying next to you, but you don't mind.
>Your hands find their way around her body, holding her close as your tongues dance together in a loving, playful war. Beneath her sheets your legs intertwine once more and you share in each other's warmth.
>Goddamn, you love these after-sex cuddling sessions. You can use her chest like a pillow and the sensation of her nude form against your own is simply heavenly.
>Celestia breaks the kiss, looking deeply into your eyes.
>"Thank you..." she says, before her eyes slowly close and she drifts off to sleep.
>You smile, holding her close to you. You find that sleep is rather easy after a lovemaking session like that.
 
>You awaken in the late afternoon, finding the bed empty of her presence. Then, you smell it: she's making lunch.
>You throw your clothes on and head downstairs, finding her in a pair of snug sweat pants and a loose-fitting white t-shirt.
>It's damn sexy, if you do say so yourself. Which you do.
>Celestia turns and smiles as you sit at the table. She's cooking a large steak exactly how you like it.
>As she brings the finished meal over, the two of you make idle conversation. She's only wearing a pair of small white socks on her feet and she playfully brushes them against your leg as you eat, your eyes making contact.
>Just then, you hear the front door to her home open up and close. Before you two can properly react, her sister Luna walks in.
>And sees you both.
>"...Anonymous," Luna deadpans. She looks at her sister with a rather blank face. "I suppose our lunch plans are cancelled?"
>Celestia's eyes widen. "Oh... I had... forgotten..."
>Luna's eyes look to you, narrowed in disappointment. "Yes. I can see that. Well, I suppose we'll reschedule."
>She turns and storms out. You quickly take off after her, catching her outside at her car.
"Vice Principal, wait!"
>She stops at the door to her vehicle, looking back at you angrily. "I am NOT your vice principal any longer, Anon," she reminds you. "And while I don't consider us nearly on the level for it, you may call me Luna in lieu of such a formal title."
"Look, I'm sorry; I didn't know you had a lunch planned with your sister and I---"
>"Silence!" she says, shutting you right up. She can be damn authoritative when she wants to be. "Anon, I don't like you."
"So I remember when you told me last time."
 
>"In case you've been too busy burying your head between my sister's breasts to notice, your antics have reached the worldwide stage, young man. If you desire to hop around the world, stopping petty crimes and gaining fame, I wish you would leave my sister out of it. You've yet to consider the consequences of your actions should your identity ever be discovered. The last thing I want is for my sister to be involved in a media mess like that."
"Look, Vice Pr---Luna, I know. But you and I... our artifacts, we can do so much with them! There's so much good that we can do with them!"
>"You preach this and yet here you are, reaping the benefits of your powers with my sister," she says, disgusted.
You hold your hands out. "Well, I... Nobody's perfect," you reply.
>"Indeed." She gets into her car and pulls away, not even sparing you one last look before driving off.
>You shake your head. Luna may be possessed of one of the same alien artifacts as you, but that doesn't mean she's your ally.
>You sigh a bit. Perhaps she's right and you've been spending too much time in Celestia's home.
>You return inside and bid her goodbye, that you'll be back later in the week perhaps. Though saddened to see you go, she understands the awkwardness her sister brought into the situation.
>She still knows nothing about either of you possessing advanced alien artifacts. You've been wondering about telling Celestia the truth, but have never decided to. Things are just easier this way, not counting Luna, of course.
 
>You decide to head back home and clear your head a little.
>Maybe the girls are up to something interesting?
>Speak of the devil. Your phone buzzes in your pocket. You take it out, seeing a text from Twilight.
>"Rainbow and I wanna talk to you---at your place atm, can you come home?"
>Hmm. You wonder what that could be about. You shoot a quickly reply saying that you're on your way and slide your phone back into your pocket and continue on your way, stepping a little bit faster. You wish your car was here, but you teleported into Celestia's home last night and the power's worn off.
>Perhaps a roll of the die will speed things up a bit; you never can tell with it. But that's half the fun. You summon it, giving it a good roll on the concrete.
 
>The die is cast and lands upon 36. A smile comes to your face as the die vanishes.
>Probability Manipulation, a most interesting power.
>The ability to affect the likelihood of something happening or not happening.
>For example, the likelihood of you winning the lottery---which is what you used this power for the last time you had it.
>Combined with the various wise investments you set up when you had Intuitive Aptitude, you had more than enough money for your own place.
>Now, you can afford to live comfortably in your own home. Your investments don't steal money from anyone who doesn't deserve it---like Flash Sentry and Sunset Shimmer. But they're not in any position to do anything about it.
>After all, they're still trapped on in the Shadow Realm, courtesy of Luna and her magical helm.
>Perhaps it can be called a Shadow Helm?
>Never mind that. With your newfound power, you can make something that's unlikely to happen much more likely to happen.
>Like, say, the likelihood of a beautiful woman pulling up and offering you a ride home.
>And on that note, Rarity's here. She pulls up to the sidewalk in a gorgeous white convertible, tilting her sunglasses up a bit.
>"Hello, Anonymous," she says, waving her fingers. "Need a ride?"
"I'd love to," you reply, climbing into the passenger seat. You buckle up and look at Rarity.
>As always, her hair is magnificent. She's wearing a white designer shirt and a purple skirt which shows off just enough of her toned, creamy legs.
 
>She smiles and pulls away from the curb.
>"Funny I find you here, walking alone," she says.
"Yeah, a real coincidence that you happened to be driving by," you snicker a bit.
>"I was just on my way back home to drop off a few needed supplies. I've got a new fashion line I'll be showcasing soon!"
"Where at?" you ask.
>"Manehatten! I'm so excited for it!"
"That sounds like a pretty big opportunity for you. When will you be going?"
>"It's next week. I finish the dresses today and then I start packing. Oh, how I wish everyone else could go there to see them! It would mean so much to me!" she says, hinting a little in your direction.
You smile coyly. "It'll be done. I think we can do with a change of scenery."
>She lights up with a wide smile, practically giddy with anticipation. "Oh, Anon, you're simply the best!"
>It's always been like this. You've used your powers to help the girls in a number of ways; like using super strength on Applejack's farm or securing funding for Fluttershy's animal shelter.
>In return, they help you in a number of ways to keep your identity as the Dungeon Master hidden. Usually by providing alibis for your current whereabouts in case anyone gets curious.
>Rarity even made costumes for you and Trixie.
>Of course, it's not just about favors for favors; you've managed to build a strong friendship with the girls, often hanging out with them or going to various events together.
>You still haven't gotten them into D&D yet, though. Ah well, in good time.
>Rarity is still beaming with happiness over her friends joining her in Manehatten.
>To that end, you use your abstract powers to change the course of events for the future: you alter the probability of the girls being free next week for the trip to make it extremely likely as opposed to moderately likely.
 
>It's an odd power, but one of your strongest abilities if you know how to use it correctly.
>And, to the best of your knowledge, it's the only power that can affect the roll of the die, allowing you to essentially choose what it lands upon next.
>Rarity pulls up to your house, parking in the driveway. She leans over and gives you a kiss on the cheek.
>"Thank you so much again, Anon. I'd love to stay, but I need to get home. I've got so much to prepare!"
"I'll see you soon, Rarity," you tell her as you exit her car. You give her a wave as she backs out, that she returns with a cute blown kiss.
>You proceed up to your door, entering the security code, a combination that only you and your closest friends are privy to.
>The double-security doors open up, allowing you access into your sanctum.
>You enter the living room, following the noise of the television. Rainbow Dash is there, watching sports on the large TV. Nearby, Twilight sits near the roaring fireplace, her head buried in a book as per the norm.
>They both look up as you enter. Immediately, Twilight hops up to you with a smile.
>"Hello, Anon! How is your day?" she beams, trying not to come on too hard.
>You smile. You've known for a while that Twilight likes you.
"It's getting better," you reply. "What's up with the text?"
>Rainbow kicks her feet up and walks over. "I need your help, Anon."
"Sure thing. What is it this time?"
>She digs into her pocket, pulling out a flier. She hands it to you.
>You take it an look at it. It's a poster---two people wearing blue jumpsuits with yellow lightning bolts, goggles and jetpacks.
>"They're called the Wonderbolts!" Dash says, obviously excited.
 
"Is it a movie or something?" you ask.
>"No! They're super heroes! Captain Spitfire and Lieutenant Soarin of the Air Force! They're sponsored by the government and they fly around with awesome jetpacks and fight crime!"
>You cock an eyebrow. Government-sponsored super heroes?
"I take it you like them?"
>"They're the coolest! Last week, they stopped a high speed car chase and saved three people!"
"Funny how I haven't heard about that..." you say, looking at the flier.
>"They just showed up on the scene and saved those people, then held a huge press conference to announce their identities. I would give ANYTHING to meet them!"
"Is that what this is about?" you ask.
>She vigorously nods. "You can make that happen, Anon! Please? PLEASE?!"
>Rainbow's hands are clasped together, almost begging you.
You cross your arms. "I don't know, Rainbow... I'm not sure how well these Government-sponsored super heroes would treat me, since my identity is secret."
>"I just want to meet them! Get their autographs, apply for membership in their club, you know..."
You hold up a hand. "Wait. This is about joining them?"
>"Of course I want to join them! Can you imagine how cool that would be? Well, of course you can, you've actually flown before!"
>Twilight scratches the back of her head. "I think you need to be in the Air Force to join the Wonderbolts, Dash..."
>"Nuts to that! I want to join them now!"
You put a steadying hand on her shoulder. "Rainbow, I understand your excitement. But I think you should just settle on meeting them first, at least until I figure out a way to give you guys super powers."
>"You've been trying that for months!" Rainbow says. "Nothing in your die can grant other people powers, remember? Only you." Her voice is a little sour with jealousy.
>You think for a moment.
 
 
>And after another moment of some advanced manipulation of probability, you change the future.
"Hey Rainbow, I think you should turn the news on," you tell her. She looks at you, confused. "Go on."
>She turns the channel to the news. There, a sudden report comes on, interrupting some new celebrity scandal.
>"This just in: The Wonderbolts, the dynamic duo of Captain Spitfire and Lieutenant Soarin of the United States Air Force have publically announced their upcoming appearance to happen in Manehatten at a gathering of various officials and foreign dignitaries next week. Special guests will include Shining Armor, the husband-to-be for Princess Mi Amore Cadenza---"
>Twilight turns to you. "My brother never told me about this gathering... Anon? Did you do this just now?"
You nod. "And it happens to coincide with Rarity's upcoming fashion show in Manehatten, so we can all go together."
>Rainbow dashes up to you and throws her arms around you in a strong hug. "Anon, I don't know how or what power you just used, but thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you!"
"You're welcome," you reply, trying to get her to not squeeze as tightly.
>Twilight is impressed. "How did you get my brother and his fiancé to appear there as well?"
"Well, I needed a reason for us to go to the ceremony, a connecting thread if you will. You'll get the invitation from your brother to the event in the mail. Plus, your schedules for next week is clear, so it all works out perfectly!"
>She smiles. "How do you do it, Anon?"
"Don't thank me---thank the magical die."
>Rainbow suddenly parts from you. "Wait... this is next week! I need to go pack!" Without saying goodbye, she runs out the door, hops on her bike and takes off, hardly even adjusting her helmet.
>Leaving you and Twilight alone.
 
 
>"That's awfully generous of you for her," she says, stepping a little closer.
"Well... I do what I can."
>"So... what are your plans for the rest of the day, Anon?" she says, a little bit hopeful.
You look into her purple eyes. So beautiful and radiant... "Careful, Twilight," you warn. "I might get ideas."
>"Would that be such a bad thing?" she teases, setting her book down. She steps a little closer.
>Her face is inches from your own.
"You know why I think this is a bad idea," you remind her. "It can be dangerous. If I'm ever found out..."
>"I don't care about that," she says. "I know that I would be protected." She reaches up and places a hand on your chest.
"There's... more complications than just that," you say. You think about Trixie and Celestia, the latter of whom you're already in too deep with.
>She leans back a bit, her eyes betraying a bit of sadness. "Is this... about Trixie?"
"Not... entirely..." you admit. She's about to pull away when you grab hold of her waist and pull her close. "Twilight, listen, please... I care about both of you... but both of you care about me the same way. I can't just choose one without making the other feel awful."
>It's been like this ever since you and Trixie teamed up and formed a super hero fighting team. Twilight has been pining for your affections just as much as she.
>But that's only caused tension between the two of them. It's never upgraded to a full-on fight, but they can't stand to be in the same room for very long and their conversations are never more than a few words long.
>"You don't know how hard it is to see you and her go off and fight crime together... while I'm forced to stay here, alone."
 
"Twilight... I can't help that, much as I've tried...
>"I've been reading so much lately," she tells you. "About super heroes, secret identities, their love interests... I want this, Anon... Please... I know the risks and I still want this."
>For a moment, you almost falter and pull her in for a kiss. But you stop and pull away, leaving her disappointed.
"I'm sorry, Twilight... I don't want to be in the position to choose right now."
>She looks away. "I... suppose I understand..."
>It crushes you to hurt her like this.
>It stings more considering the fact that you're nailing Celestia as a direct result of your powers, and rejecting Twilight and Trixie's advances because you can't decide between them...
>Hypocrisy sucks.
"Twilight, I... I just don't know what to say. I care about you too much to hurt your feelings or see you hurt."
>She looks at you. "If that were true then you'd throw caution to the wind and just try!"
"But... Trixie..."
>Twilight's heard enough. She turns and leaves out the front exit, not stopping when you try to get her to stay.
>You sigh and sit down on the couch.
>You summon the die. How can this thing make your life so convenient and complicated at the same time?
>Damn this thing and damn you're indecisiveness.
>Well, it won't do well to sit around and mope about it.
>You alter the probability of what face the die will land upon, making it extremely likely to land upon 37---Technopathy.
 
>You've been meaning to use this for a while now, but never rerolled it.
>As the die vanishes, the power returns to you, swapping out your Probability Manipulation.
>You forgot how this feels. Now, you're ready.
>Immediately, you go to the garage. There, Robbie waits for you, alongside the suit of power armor you once used to defeat Flash.
"Hello, Robbie," you say, walking over to a large pile of electronics you've been gathering. Spare computers, televisions, wires and, of course... your car.
>"Hello, Anonymous," he greets in his robotic voice.
"We're going to give you a little upgrade, Robbie." You hold out your hands, sensing Robbie, the mechsuit, your car and the electronics.
>With a great deal of concentration, you break each of them down to their base components. Slowly, they whirl about the room, as if suspended in orbit. Each one is scanned by your brain and understood. Each piece is compared against others. Ideas are born from these possible combinations.
>A schematic begins to form in your brain, which you start constructing. The pieces meld and merge together, wires fuse and metal bleeds into itself. The car's wheels spin into place, glass and copper taking new form.
>Experiments are conducted. The project goes through three stages. A mental checklist forms of things you need it to be able to do and with the materials available how much of it you can accomplish within reason, given power requirements and space available.
>So much concentrated effort over so long a period begins to put a large strain on you. It hurts to keep going, but you press on. You remember when last you used Air and Wind Manipulation to defeat Flash and Sunset, how the strain of using the power so greatly nearly killed you.
>This isn't as extreme as that, but your head is throbbing and your nose is bleeding a little.
>You bear the pain.
 
>Eventually, the project is completed. When it is done, you open your eyes and look at your new car.
>Or should you say, Transformer. You've combined Robbie's AI, the vehicle and the mechsuit into one super-weapon that is automated, self-sustaining in its power supply and combat ready.
>It can drive itself, act independently for its own survival or for the survival of others and be commanded from anywhere in the world by your newest invention: a wrist communicator that serves as a cell phone, watch, GPS and minor holographic projector.
>You strap it to your wrist. You look at the transformer, running your hands along its sleek hood. You look into the driver's seat, seeing the setup.
>There's a computer terminal with a wireless uplink and a wide variety of uses. There are two stations, one for the driver and one for the passenger.
>In addition to the windshield having a small holographic heads-up display with information processed in real time, the vehicle can also turtle up and seal its interior environment from any harm that might come from the outside.
>And, of course, it can also transform into its mechsuit variant. You can pilot it directly or Robbie can take control.
>The car version can also transform into a battle variant for high speed combat on the road, with weapons emerging from its hood and sides. It can also fly with jets and go underwater.
>And it buckles itself when you sit inside.
>You cannot WAIT to use this thing.
"Robbie? You in there? How's it feel?"
>The car speaks to you with an upgraded voice module. He sounds a little bit like KITT from Knight Rider.
>"Systems are operational and in nominal condition. I feel good, Anonymous."
"Excellent. How long will the current power supply last, given a reasonable amount of activity?"
 
>"Computing. Within understandable limitations and factoring in full-time activity and use, the current power cell will last for three thousand years."
"Wonderful! I want you to monitor police radio frequencies and report any unnusual activity to me right away."
>"I understand and will comply, Anonymous."
>You close the door and head back inside. You suddenly find yourself rather tired for some reason. You check your new wrist console.
>It's nearly midnight.
"Goddamn!" you exclaim.
>You didn't think you had been using your powers for that long. It only felt like an hour...
>The headache returns. Or had it always been there?
>You feel your nostrils and your fingers come away bloody.
>Oh god. Oh shit.
>You fall down onto one knee. Your head is practically screaming at you.
>Your brain feels like it's on fire.
>Did your powers cause this?
>Then, you hear it.
>"A... non..."
>From far away, like a voice at the end of an impossibly long hallway.
>"A... non..."
>Closer.
>"A... non..."
>Breathing in your ear.
>"A... non..."
 
>You scream in pain as what feels like lightning shoots throughout your body. You jolt upwards, smashing a portrait on the wall with the back of your head.
>You stumble through your home, knocking things off of shelves and bumping into walls.
>Your nosebleed hasn't stopped. Your ears are bleeding as well.
>Your eye sockets are bleeding.
>Oh god, is this death?
>Is this what it feels like?
>You desperately shout, call out, try to regain motor function but cannot.
>You're in the dining room. You regret buying that nice glass table.
>Because you crash right into it, shattering it completely.
>You roll over the broken glass, your legs kicking outwards. You grasp at a chair, trying to pull yourself upwards. You fail.
>The pain is unbearable and is only getting worse. You cannot think coherently and find yourself lying there, staring up at the room's light.
>You hear the voice again.
>"I see you, Anon..."
>Pain, like someone stabbing a knife into your chest and twisting it.
>"I see you now for what you truly are..."
>Your skin feels as though it is covered in acid.
>"Torn by trivial thoughts, unable to overcome your own weaknesses..."
>It feels like insects are burrowing through your body, feasting upon your insides.
>"Constrained by such a feeble imagination..."
>Your eyes are boiling out of their sockets, bubbling down your cheeks.
 
>"Your utter insignificance is rivaled only by your feeble, childish understanding of reality..."
>Now your fingers are being bent backwards, snapping, followed by your hands, then arms...
>"What a pathetic form of life you are... So simple, so weak, so fragile... So, this is humanity at its basest..."
>Your brain feels like it is being fried from within your skull.
>"And yet... so unalike anything I have ever encountered before... I see why they sent their gifts to your world... but to have something like you find it..."
>Then, it all ceases, and you feel nothing. You are utterly paralyzed, completely unable to move or feel.
>"Through you, I shall learn so much. Through our sufferings, your triumphs, your failures, your hopes, your dreams, your nightmares, your imagination... I shall learn what it is to be... human. I will add it to myself and through it I shall come that much closer to utter perfection. And then... all that you know, everyone you care about, everything you have ever known or will ever know upon your small, small world... will be mine to do with as I please. You will be the key, Anon... the key to my humanity."
>Your vision swims, but before you completely lose consciousness, you see two yellow eyes staring at you.
>"I'll be here soon," the voice promises.
>Darkness swallows you and you only know sleep.
 
>You feel something. A softness. Gentle, sweet, yet urgent and panicked.
>Your eyes slowly open and take in the sight of Twilight, holding you by the shoulders, tears streaming out of her eyes.
>"A... Anon?" she says with a shaky voice. "Please, speak to me..."
>Then, the pain starts to bleed back into your awareness. You're lying in the middle of the floor, amongst shards of broken glass. Your shirt is covered in blood and your own vomit.
"Oh... oh god, I..." you cough up a little blood. Your arms are covered in scars and scratches. "I'm hurt..." you manage to say.
>"Of course you are!" she says, looking at your many wounds. "How? Were you attacked? Speak to me, please!"
"I... I heard... a voice..." you tell her. She holds you close.
>"It's alright, Anon, it's alright... We'll get you better, I promise... I called an ambulance and its on its way. Just please don't die, please..."
>Though you are in a great deal of pain, you smile and touch her face, accidentally bloodying it.
"Twilight... I won't die... Not yet. I'm... I'll be alright."
>She takes your hand and holds it to her chest. "Anon, I'm so sorry I left earlier, I was just so angry and upset at... everything! I'm so sorry, I should have been here for you."
>You shake your head.
"Nothing... to be done about it... the voice..." You focus as hard as you can, trying to figure out what happened. That voice... it did something to you... but who was it? And what was he speaking about? "It spoke to me... About..."
 
>She silences you with a sudden kiss. She pulls away with some blood on her lips.
>"Anon, I love you. I've been meaning to tell you for so long. Please, don't talk, you're delusional from pain. Please just hold on and stay still until the medics come. I can't lose you, Anon, please..."
>You blink a few times, blinded by the light above and her sudden display of affection.
"L-love? I..." Your breathing becomes a little more haggard and you cough up some more blood which scares her. "Twilight, you don't understand... the light... the voice... there was a voice at the end of a tunnel..."
>"Shhh," she says, frightened and scared for your life. "Please, Anon. There is no voice. I'm here now. It's me. Just focus on me and stay here with me. There is no light at the end of the tunnel. Don’t die on me…"
>Not knowing what else to do, you hold up your other hand, summoning the die. You drop it onto the ground and it rolls amongst the shattered glass.
>You lose consciousness just as it rolls and the medics rush into the room. The last thing you see before falling into a deep sleep is Twilight's concerned eyes.
 
>You're warm. That's the first thought that comes to your mind.
>You're lying in something soft, and as your eyes slowly adjust to the room around you, the dim lights come into focus, allowing you to understand your current situation.
>You're in the hospital. Your arms are bandaged up and some tubes are sticking into your wrist and one of your fingers is in that funny little tan device. Your clothes are hanging in a nearby corner.
>The lights are turned down low. Morning sun makes its way through the curtains of the window.
>As far as you can tell, you're alone in the room. You ache a little bit all over.
>Your throat is sore. You notice a glass of water on a table and quickly gulp it down, coughing a bit to clear your throat.
>You try to remember how you got here.
>Visions of your final moments before losing consciousness flash before your mind.
>You heard a voice, and you lost control of your body.
>Then, Twilight was there... She said... she loved you.
>After that, nothing. Darkness. Then waking up here.
>The door opens, interrupting your train of thought. A nurse enters, who you recognize as the old school nurse.
"Nurse Redheart?" you ask.
>"Oh, good, Anonymous! You're awake. How are you feeling?"
"What happened to me?"
>"You were brought in with cuts, bruises and a pretty bad concussion. You've healed well."
"Didn't you work at the school?"
>She smiles as she checks your vitals. "Yes, but I work here now. Better pay." She takes out a small light and shines it into your eyes. "Well, you seem to be doing better. Can you move?"
 
"I think so." You lift your arms and flex them a bit, squeezing your fingers. "My legs feel fine, too."
>"Perhaps, with a final checkup from the doctor, you can be released tomorrow. Can you tell us what happened to you?"
You pause. "It's... I don't know. I just kind of lost control."
>"Do you remember it happening?"
"Some of it quite vividly," you reply. "But I don't know what caused it. I was hearing things, seeing things. My nose, ears, and eyes were bleeding."
>"Oh dear. Well, we ran an extensive series of tests and can't find anything wrong with you, physically anyway. Do you mind me asking if you are alright mentally? Have you been going through considerable stress lately?"
"You could say that."
>"Enough stress to want to hurt yourself?"
"No, nothing like that... just... Relationship stuff. Conflicts with my job. You know."
>"I can understand that." She takes a few notes. "Cases like this are as rare as they are odd. It's possible that it was an isolated case, but if you lose control of your body like this again, I'm going to have to recommend medication and therapy. Losing control of your body isn't a pretty situation."
"So I'll just be released on good graces, then?"
>"Yes, but if anything happens, please don't hesitate to call us. Headaches that won't go away, dizziness far beyond the norm, flashes where you cannot remember what happened in the past five minutes or even longer, abnormal bleeding; anything."
"I will. Tomorrow, then?"
 
>"Yes. But first, you have a visitor waiting in the lobby. A Miss... Sparkle."
You nod. "I'd like to see her."
>The nurse nods and leaves the room.
>A moment later, the door opens up and Twilight enters the room, smiling as she sees you awake.
"Hey," you greet her.
>She moves up to the bed, pulling you into a hug. You slide your arms around her, holding her close.
>It hurts a little, but you don't really care. She smells nice.
>She pulls back a bit, looking at your cuts with concerned eyes. "Anon... are you alright?"
"I feel a little bit banged up, but I'm okay," you tell her. "I'm glad I got here in time. Thank you."
>She pulls a chair up to your bed and sits in it. "I... I was in here for the first two days. I read to you. Thought it might make you feel better."
"Two days? Wait, how long have I been in here exactly?"
>"Just the two."
"Have we missed Manehatten? Rarity's show or the big party?"
>"No, but that's not important compared to your health, Anon."
"I'm fine, really. Just a little sore. When do we leave for Manehatten?"
>"Well... Rarity got tickets for tomorrow."
"Well that's perfect! I get out tomorrow." She still seems uncertain. "Twilight, please, trust me. I'm fine." You reach out and take hold of her hand.
>This seems to reassure her. "Okay. I believe you." Now she pauses in thought, and awkwards changes the subject, "So... about... what I said, when I found you..."
>You look into her eyes.
"I don't remember anything," you lie.
 
>She seems surprised. "Oh! Well... It's just that, when I found you... I was very scared. And concerned for you. You looked dead, all covered in cuts, blood and... well, you know. And I was just so frightened that... that you were going to die."
"I understand," you tell her. "I'd act the same way if I came upon any of you girls like that."
>"But it's more than that," she insists. "I said... Well, you were awake at the time, talking about something, and I... Well, I thought you were about to die, and that I wasn't ever going to get the chance to talk to you again, and..."
"...And?"
>Her purple eyes look up at yours. "I guess I said something kind of silly, is all."
"What was it?"
>Now, she averts her eyes, nervous. "N-nothing."
>You reach up and take hold of her chin, turning her head to face yours.
"Please tell me. I'd like to hear it."
>Her lip quivers slightly. "I... think you may already know, Anon..."
"Maybe I do and maybe I don't," you reply. "Maybe I want to hear it again."
>"Please, Anon... I... I can't, I just..."
"Did you mean what you said? You thought I was going to die, right? You wouldn't have said something you didn't mean if you truly thought I wasn't going to wake up."
>Her breathing is growing a little quicker. "Anon, I..."
"What?" you persist.
>The door opens, and the two of you separate. You had gotten surprisingly close to her during the conversation.
>Trixie.
 
 
>"Anon!" she says, skipping over to the bed. She throws you into a hug. "I'm so happy you're alright!"
>Your crimefighting companion squeezes you into her chest, pressing your head against her breasts a little. Well, not a little, more like a lot.
"Oh, yes, I'm fine," you tell her, disentangling yourself. "I just..." your voice trails off.
>Trixie and Twilight look at each other, then each look at you, alternating a bit every few seconds.
>The awkwardness in this room is so thick it could be cut with a knife.
>"Maybe I should go," Twilight suggests, a little sadness in her voice. She gathers her things and moves to leave.
>You want to ask her to stay, but don't know the right way to phrase it.
>You know why she wants to leave. Trixie's power intimidates her, as does her status as your super-powered partner.
>You can only imagine how this must make her feel when both of you are in the room together... especially considering what Twilight just revealed to you.
>She leaves the room, closing the door behind her. She doesn't stop to look or say goodbye, now that Trixie is here.
You look up at her. "Trixie, I---"
>You are silenced by her lips.
>Surprisingly, Trixie climbs onto the bed, straddling you as she vigorously kisses you. "Oh, Anon, I'm so glad..." she says during pauses. She's borderline assaulting your mouth with her own, not giving you a chance to reply.
>Your hands find their way to her shoulders. Part of you thinks you should push her off, but part of you wants this to happen and lets it.
>You squeeze her shoulders and find yourself kissing her back with just as much passion, giving into the inner fight going on inside your head.
 
>Her hands are on your chest, digging her fingers into your skin as she opens her mouth.
Finally, you push her back a bit. "Trixie, I..."
>"Shh. I know," she says with a smile. "Let me just do this, Anon. I was frightened after I heard the news that you were hurt."
"Don't you want to know HOW I was hurt in the first place?" you point out.
>"I'm just glad you're alright," she admits. "But alright. What happened?"
"I... uh, don't really know."
>"Fair enough, that's done with," she says, diving back downwards. She pushes your blocking hands aside and kisses you again, moaning softly against your lips.
"Trixie, I---mph!"
>There's a hand on your crotch, rubbing, and it's definitely not yours.
>Suddenly, the door opens. Your heart nearly jumps out as you imagine it to be Twilight who walks in, seeing you like this.
>It's Nurse Redheart. She nearly drops her clipboard. "Now, see here!" she begins.
>Trixie flicks her hand towards the nurse, summoning her blue wand. She uses it to push the woman out of the room and slam the door behind her, locking it with big, thick chains.
>Nurse Redheart knocks on the door from the other side, pounding on it.
"Trixie! You could have just given away our damn secret identity!" you scold her, sitting up and pushing her off of you a bit.
>"Oh, Anon, relax," she says, giving her wand another flick. The pounding stops. "There. Memory cured of the last five minutes. Abra-cadabra, poof. Now then," she says, dispelling the wand and crawling closer. "...Where were we?"
"Trixie, stop," you tell her. She does so, looking at you confused. "I'm... I'd like to rest, you know? I was hurt badly. And I... I need time to think. About you, about... everything."
 
>"...You don't want this?" she asks, sitting up. Her face seems a little hurt. "But, Anon... I..."
"It's not that I don't want... you know. It's just that things are getting a little crazy right now and our relationship might not---"
>"Oh, shut up!" she says, jumping off the bed to your surprise. "For months we've been doing this! Partners in crime fighting, but not in love!" She throws her arms out and shouts, "What is it, Anon!? I can fight bad guys too! I can defend myself! We both have powers and we both like each other! Why won't you let this happen!?"
"Trixie, you don't understand, I---"
>"I understand plenty!" she interrupts you. "I understand that I've been patient! Waiting! Wanting you! I've put up with it and your excuses, but now, here you are, hurt and wounded and all I want to do is show you how much I care about you and you STILL won't let me! Why?!"
>You are silent as you stare her down, at a loss for words. 'Because I like Twilight too? Because I'm secretly having an affair with our old school principal?'
>She stomps her foot on the ground in a huff, angered by your lack of response. "If you don't want this, then fine! I don't want it either!"
"Trixie, wait, that's not what I---"
>In a flash of purple and blue smoke, she's gone. The chains on the door are gone, too. Nurse Redheart walks in.
>"Are you alright, dear?"
"...Been better."
 
>Tomorrow. You're released from the hospital in good shape. A little sore yet, but otherwise alright.
>You check your phone. Twilight has sent a text telling you that she, Rainbow and Rarity will be leaving for Manehatten soon.
>Your car has driven itself to the hospital and has waited for you. It pulls up.
>"Hello, Anonymous," it says as you climb in. "How are you feeling?"
"I'm alright. To Twilight's, please."
>"Estimated time: five minutes," it reports. It drives out of the hospital parking lot, driving you towards her home.
>During the ride, you consider this whole Twilight and Trixie situation. Trixie hasn't responded to any of your texts.
>You do like her... but you like Twilight, too.
>Damn these conflicting emotions.
>You summon the die. Having gone without its granted powers for more than two days you, you admit that you've missed the feeling.
>You've used it pretty much every day since you got it, after all. And why wouldn't you? It's always seemed to come through for you in some way or another.
>You open the window and toss it out. Not to get rid of it, of course, quite the opposite.
>To roll it.
 
>76.
>Temporal Revision---the ability to rewind one's life up until the point where they received the power while retaining all memories of the events.
>You've never rolled this one before---it should be fun.
>You arrive at Twilight's house not too much later. Your car pulls into the driveway, disengaging the seatbelt for you as you climb out.
>Twilight probably has the tickets ready for the flight. You'd like to take your car out to Manehatten by just flying it, but it doesn't have a cloaking device and a flying car would really stick out.
>Still, that'd be a hell of a road trip... but without any roads, of course.
>You knock on the door. Twilight answers.
>"Oh, Anon! Hello," she says, trying to sound chipper.
>You haven't seen her since she left the hospital room with you and Trixie.
"Hey Twi," you reply, stepping inside and kicking off your shoes.
>"So... how are you feeling?" she asks.
"Better. Listen, about yesterday..."
>Rainbow walks around the corner, wearing a Wonderbolts T-shirt. "So, when are we going?"
>"Soon," Twilight shifts her focus to her rainbow-haired friend. "Rarity's got all the preparations made so as soon as we're all ready, we can head to the airport."
>"Can't Anon just teleport us?" Rainbow asks.
"If I wanted to keep rolling the die until I got that power, I could, but I'd rather not," you tell her. "It's a little inconvenient. Plus, with the chances being 1 out of 100, it could take a long while before it landed on it."
>"Well, it's not exactly a 1 in 100 chance, right?" Twilight points out. "You told me about rolling double digits and gaining two powers at random, and rolling 100 granting five. So, since there's nine sets of double digits, each granting two of the ninety other options, plus the 100 which grants five, the exact odds of gaining teleportation, or any other power, are---"
"Twilight," you interrupt the adorable egghead, "it's alright. I'm ready to go."
 
>"It's just as well," she says, pulling out a notepad. "I think my math might have been wrong. I need to run some calculations..."
>"What about Trixie?" Rainbow asks, drawing both of your eyes. "She can teleport any time she wants, right?"
"That's... not a good idea," you tell her. "We... had a bit of a fight."
>Now, Twilight's attention is solely on you. "Really?" she asks, sounding a bit hopeful. "What about?"
"I'd rather not talk about it," you dodge the question. "Let's get going, eh?"
>"The sooner the better!" Rainbow says, running to get Rarity.
>Twilight tugs on your arm, stopping you from following. "What's this about, Anon? Are you and Trixie... broken up?"
"Twilight, we were never anything more than super hero partners. She... wanted more than that. I didn't give it to her."
>"Why?"
>You look into her beautiful eyes, finding yourself revisiting the reason of why you denied Trixie's advances.
"A few reasons..." you trail off.
>Rarity and Rainbow Dash run around the corner, both excited to head out. You and Twilight quickly drift apart and follow them outside.
>"Oh, I just cannot wait to get there!" Rarity exclaims. "It's going to be everything I dreamed and more, I just know it!"
>"You said it!" Rainbow says, climbing into the backseat of your car. "I can't believe I'm going to get to meet the Wonderbolts! Oh man, I bet they're twice as cool in real life than on paper!"
>They're both practically bouncing in their seats. It's pretty cute, you have to admit.
>Twilight climbs in next to Rainbow, sitting behind you. You sit in the driver's seat, but don't touch anything. After all, the car does all the work for you.
>It pulls out once everyone has buckled up.
>"Anon!?" Rarity says. "Your car! It's driving itself!"
"Neat, huh?" you say, crossing your arms and letting a little smugness bleed through. "All thanks to technopathy. It's also a transforming robot."
 
>"That... is... so.. AWESOME!" Rainbow Dash says, sticking her head between the two front seats. "Can it talk too?"
>"I can indeed, Miss Dash," the car replies. Rainbow squeels a bit.
"It can fly, too," you tell her.
>Rainbow's eyes go wide. "Then we have to fly it! We can show the Wonderbolts! They'd let a flying car join their team, right?!"
"Rainbow, that'd blow my cover," you remind her. "A flying car is like a flying elephant; people don't just ignore that kind of thing."
>"Well, yeah, but---"
>Twilight interrupts. "He's right, Rainbow. It'd be far too unsubtle to take a flying car to Manehatten."
>"What about at night, then?" she asks. "We could fly it at night!"
>"But I need to be there tonight to check in!" Rarity tells her. "We can't wait until dark just to fly a car, as fun a prospect as that sounds."
>Rainbow sits back and crosses her arms in a huff. "Fine..."
>The rest of the ride is pretty mellow. You get to the airport and have the car drive itself back home as you unload your things. Rarity's baggage is by far the biggest, making you wish you could reroll up super strength just to carry it all.
>Once inside the busy terminal, you check in with the main counter, getting your flight passes.
>You walk towards the gate your flight will be departing from.
>Rarity cannot stop talking about how excited she is for her fashion show, and Rainbow Dash likewise for the Wonderbolts. Twilight smiles at how happy her friends seem.
>She herself is happy to get another chance to see her brother, Shining Armor. He's a decorated military officer and is marrying the foreign dignitary, an actual princess despite how archaic such a thing seems.
>Princess Mi Amore Cadenza. You've seen her in the news sometimes; a very important figure in a lot of circles. A big world peace advocate, if you recall correctly.
>Such a marriage means big things for Twilight's brother. You look forward to getting a chance to meet him.
 
>You reach the luggage turn in point and wait a while for Rarity. You turn, seeing her standing near her luggage, about to hand it over to an attendant. She turns and doesn't notice as someone bumps into the cart, making the large stack tumble a bit.
>You didn't notice it in time either. It falls right on top of her. Rainbow shouts and you and Twilight turn, seeing Rarity crumble under the weight of her bags.
>Good thing you didn't change your roll. You rewind time, seeing everything play backwards in slow motion. Taking things to about a minute prior, you quickly whip around to see Rarity standing near the stack of her luggage.
>You hop over the safety tape and grab her wrist, pulling her aside. She falls into your chest, clinging on as the bags fall behind her. Her confusion gives way to fear and then sudden realization of what would have happened to her if you hadn't pulled her aside.
>"Oh, Anon!" she says, looking from you to the bags and back. "I could've been crushed!"
"I know," you say. "It's a good thing I noticed in time."
>She hugs you tightly, thanking you a few times. A few of the airport attendants rush over to help out with the bags.
>"Oh ma'am, I'm so sorry!" the man who bumped into the luggage says. "I just, I, uh, that is, is there anything we can do to make it up to you?"
>Rarity pulls away and calms down a bit. "Please, sir, just do be more careful in the future," she tells him.
>"I will. Thank you. Thank you!" he says, excusing himself.
"You could've really let him have it, you know," you point out.
>"Accidents happen, Anonymous," she replies. "Besides, I'm not the kind of person to really lay into somebody else for you."
>The two of you look over to see Rainbow Dash yelling at the poor man.
>"...I have Rainbow for that." She laughs a little, before pulling your face closer and planting a kiss on your cheek. "Thank you again, Anon..." she whispers before returning to her luggage.
 
>You return to Twilight's side. "That was amazing, Anon," she compliments you. "How did you know that was going to happen?"
"Good fortune," you reply coyly.
>"The die?"
"Yes. Temporal Revision---I can rewind life."
>"Have you used it for anything besides saving Rarity?" she asks.
>You look at her for a moment. You then grab her and kiss her passionately, taking her completely by surprise. You wrap your arms around her slender form, holding her close and tight against your body.
>She practically melts into the kiss as soon as her defensive barriers give way to your suddenl onslaught. Her arms find their way to your back, clinging onto your shirt as she moans lightly.
>This is more than you thought it would be. Your lips feel like lightning as your stomach tightens a bit. Twilight seems so willing, so thankful that you've finally done this, like she's been waiting and hoping for it for so long...
>Then, in a choice that nearly kills you, you take it all back and the moment is rewound.
>"Have you used it for anything besides saving Rarity?" she asks.
"Nope," you lie.
>She shrugs and goes to help her friend with her bags.
>You watch her go, realizing in that moment just how much you actually want to have Twilight in your love life.
>Kissing Trixie was fine, but the passion, the energy, the eagerness that Twilight put into that kiss that didn't happen...
>There was something special about it. You don't know what it is. Trixie and Celestia's kisses were both fiery and powerful in their own right, but Twilight's...
>You shake your head. You try to remember why you've kept yourself from her.
>She could get hurt. She's already your friend, but if she upgraded to being your lover, any potential enemies you make, should they ever figure out who you are, and who she is to you, will target her to get to you.
 
>You sigh. That may stop you from going through with it, but not to stop wanting it.
>That kiss only made it worse. You realize now that when she said those words to you as you were lying and bleeding on your floor that you might feel the same way about her as well.
>Damn.
>That's only going to make things harder.
>You try to push those thoughts from your mind and proceed with the girls to the gate. Eventually, the flight arrives and you board it, flashing your tickets.
>You sit next to the window. You've always liked looking out at the world during flights.
>Twilight sits next to you, and Rarity next to her. Rainbow sits not too far away, her head buried in a magazine featuring the Wonderbolts, naturally.
>You check your watch. The flight will take about five hours. Rarity and Twilight are making idle chatter as the plane fills up and eventually pulls away from the gate.
>As the stewardess conducts the safety briefing that happens on every flight, you lean your head back and close your eyes.
>Manehatten won't be too far off.
>Heh. The movie they're playing is Spider-Man 2.
>A little ironic, especially considering that a hefty chunk of that movie's plot focuses on the love story between Peter and Mary Jane.
>Of course, Peter stays away from her because it could endanger her life. This doesn't stop him from loving her, even going so far as to forsake his powers for her.
>You summon the die and look at it. Is it a gift or a curse that you possess this artifact?
>You look at Twilight and catch her eyes for a moment. You smile, and she smiles as well. There's a happy spark in her eyes that you can't help but find adorable.
>Peter still ended up with Mary Jane. So what if he eventually sells his marriage to the devil to save Aunt May's life?
>God, that was fucking stupid. You watch more of the movie to forget about One More Day.
 
>As it nears the end, you think about how Peter and MJ's relationship only strengthens from the sacrifices her makes to be with her despite his great responsibility.
>Maybe... it wouldn't be so bad to try starting something deeper with Twilight.
>The movie wraps up and you watch the ending scene with Peter and Mary Jane in his shitty apartment. Police sirens ring outside, but he doesn't want to leave her.
>"Go get 'em, tiger."
>You smile a bit. The movie's a little cheesy, but it's always been one of your favorites.
>You steal another glance at Twilight, who's fallen asleep, snoozing softly into the neck pillow.
>Hell with it. You'll give it a shot.
>You know the worst that could happen, but if you never take risks, you'll never know what joys they could bring, despite the potential consequences.
>You'll tell her tonight.
>Smiling with newfound confidence, you look out the window once more to see a man out on the wing of the plane.
>You blink, and then he's gone.
>Wait, what?
>Your illusion of safety and comfort is suddenly gone as you look outside. You only saw the thing for a brief second before blinking and it wasn't there anymore.
>Or was it there at all?
>It was odd... brown fur and yellow eyes...
>Familiar yellow eyes...
>You shake your head and stare out the window, feeling like William Shatner in the Twilight Zone.
>Was there really something there, or are you going crazy?
>You close the window. You try to ignore it.
>You can't. You open the window back up, seeing nothing.
>"Anon?" Twilight softly yawns. "You alright?"
>You must've woken her up with your sudden, erratic movement.
"I'm fine," you reply, still looking outside. "I just... Nothing. It's nothing."
>She nods before closing her eyes again. You close the window blinds once more.
>Maybe it was just a figment of your overactive imagination.
>Yeah, that was it.
>Nothing more.
 
 
>Manehatten. The Big Apple.
>The city is enormous and you've only visited here once before.
>But it was only for a few seconds, since you had teleportation and were just hopping all over the world.
>Certainly not enough time to really get to see it very closely.
>It's evening when you arrive. You leave the airport with the girls, catching a cab to the hotel.
>All the way they're looking out the windows, awed with the sights and sounds of the big city.
>You can't say you blame them. The city's buildings and lights are designed to catch the eye.
>The traffic is crazy and people are absolutely everywhere, but you make it to the hotel in time. All four of you check in and get assigned two rooms.
>"So, who's sharing what room?" Rainbow asks, looking at the three of you.
>"Well, I think it only right that Anonymous have a room to himself, and the three of us share one," Rarity says. "After all, it wouldn't be proper otherwise."
>"Not entirely," Twilight says. "I mean, if he wanted, Anon could share his room with one of us so that everyone gets a bed." She looks at you, hinting a little.
>You gulp.
"Well, I mean..." You look at the three of them and shrug. "I don't mind sharing a room."
>"Cool! Then I call dibs," Rainbow quickly claims the spot.
>"Wait! I want to!" Twilight says.
>"Too late, I called it," Rainbow elbows Twilight lightly in the sides. "Unless Anon would rather have YOU sleep in there with him... Anon?"
>All three look at you for an answer. Damnit, you'd like Twilight to but can't think of a way that it wouldn't sound desperate.
>You decide to play it disinterested.
"I honestly don't mind who it is, girls," you lie. It's not like one is as good as any other, but how are you supposed to articulate that?
>Either way, the deed is done. Rainbow's your roommate for the time being.
 
>Twilight seems a little disappointed.
>Fuck it. You've got room to experiment.
>Rewind!
>"Not entirely," Twilight says. "I mean, if he wanted, Anon could share his room with one of us so that everyone gets a bed." She looks at you, hinting a little.
You jump at a response. "I'd like to share my room with Twilight."
>All three look at you, shocked a little by the bluntness of the statement.
>Fuck that.
>Rewind!
"Twilight, I've got a new book I picked up in the airport terminal and I was wondering if you could help me sort of understand what it's about. Is it alright if we work on that in our room?"
>Smoother. Twilight smiles, but seems a little confused.
>"I don't remember you picking up a book in the terminal..." she says.
>Fuck it, you can do better than that.
>Rewind!
"Maybe that's not such a bad idea Twilight. How about you and me?"
>Good enough. She smiles, blushing a bit as she nods. "Okay! Sounds good to me!"
>"Heh, I bet it does," Rainbow says under her breath.
>You pick up your suitcase and head to the room with Twilight, splitting off from Rainbow and Rarity, who are just across the hall.
>You enter the room with the sliding key, holding the door open for Twilight as she walks inside, setting her bags down on the bed she decides to sleep in.
>This is a nice room. Rarity picks the best hotels.
>Twilight sits on the bed and sighs.
>"I can't believe we're really here," she says. "So much has changed... I'm going to get to see my brother and the Wonderbolts tomorrow! And you know, this really is all thanks to you, Anon; I just can't believe how much my life has changed since you entered it."
 
"You mean since I got the die," you point out.
>"Well... yes, but you were always the same person, right?"
"That's debatable. I think the die might've changed me in a few ways."
>"Like how do you mean?" she asks. "I mean, I understand that people are often a reflection of their surroundings and other factors like wealth and power, but at your core, you're still always the same person, you know?"
"That's true," you say, setting the suitcase down. "I feel the same in a lot of ways, but now... Well, I can do things I've never done before."
>You look at Twilight.
"Like this trip with you and the girls. Without the die, I wouldn't even be talking to you."
>"You don't know that, Anon," Twilight says, moving closer. "I'm not impressed by your powers, I'm impressed with you as a person. Don't you think that you might've tried getting close to us without the die?"
You stand a few feet from her now. "Honestly?" You shake your head. "I don't. I mean, I'm just trying to be realistic. The die is the only reason we're here right now. It's what's given us this chance to... well, be together."
>She steps a little closer. "Be together?" Her voice rises a bit, sounding hopeful. "Is that why you wanted us to room together, Anon?"
You take a closer step as well. "It is. I... realized something on the flight over here."
>"What is it?"
You pause. "I know what you said to me that night you found me on the floor in my home."
>Slowly, she nods. Her eyes hold a cautious optimism. "Okay... and... how do you feel about that, exactly?"
"I've been thinking a lot about it. In fact, I haven't been able to keep it from my mind. It's made me realize that... well, I think..."
>"...Yes?"
 
"That maybe I feel the same way, and would be willing to give, you know, 'us' a chance."
>Her eyes widen a bit, and though you can tell she wants to show her joy, she holds it in. "Okay, well, that's good, right? Um," she struggles to find the words. "So... is that a yes, then?"
"It's risky," you remind her. "But if you're willing... I want to give it a shot."
>Her stance is uncertain, as is yours. You've never been in a position quite like this; both of you wanting each other but each unsure of who is going to make the first move.
>She tilts her head up a bit. "If you mean it... show me?"
>She's challenging you to make the first move. To prove it.
>You close the distance. She lets out a relieved gasp as your hands find her hips, pulling her against you. For the second time today, you kiss her, only this time you don't intend on rewinding.
>It's everything that the first kiss was. Twilight pours everything into it; her relief, her thanks, her gratification at finally breaking through your walls.
>There's just something nearly indescribable about it---the way she's getting into it on a level beyond simply getting something she wants.
>Her fingers run up your back and her foot lifts. You tilt your head to give both of you better access.
>Her breathing increases and her nostrils flare as she refuses to break the kiss. She's been wanting this for so long...
>You can't deny that you haven't been wanting it as well.
>She gasps and moans lightly against your lips, pressing herself into you and pushing you back a little.
>Your legs back into the bed and she puts a little pressure on your chest, causing you to fall onto the soft, cushiony surface.
>She's on you in an instant, desperate to show you how much she's been wanting to do this. Wanting you.
>Her lips are like lightning as she grips your collar, pulling you up for a kiss. She's straddling you, softly digging her legs into your sides.
 
>Everything about this moment is amazing. Twilight has this incredible energy she's trying to put into every kiss.
>Everything she does seems to have a sense of urgency, like a child who has been waiting to open a present tearing into it as fast as possible, but is still careful enough to not damage the wrapper's contents.
>You reach up and softly caress her hair with one hand and work another underneath her shirt. She gasps at the sensation of your hand on the bare skin of her back but doesn't stop you.
>You explore more skin with each passing second. Her breasts press into your chest as she heaves with each breath.
>You think about Rarity and Rainbow in the next room, thinking about what might happen were they to walk in. You push those thoughts aside and focus on the girl on top of you and the passion she's sharing.
>As you lose yourself in the moment, you almost don't hear a familiar poof of smoke in the room.
>"Anon!" Trixie shouts, her wand in hand.
>God.
>Fucking.
>Damnit.
>Twilight is encased in a blue aura and hurled across the room, bouncing on the other bed before rolling off. You're on your feet in an instant.
>You realize that Twilight had undone your belt. You grab your pants to stop them from falling down.
>Trixie's eyes hold a number of emotions. Rage, betrayal, resentment, hurt. Her wand hand is shaking.
>"How could you?" she asks, looking between you and Twilight, who has gotten up to her feet. You look between the two of them. Twilight is shocked and wary of approaching the mage. She is disheveled, both from your escapades and Trixie's magic.
"Trixie, I---"
>How COULD YOU?!" she shouts, interrupting you. "You string me along all this time and now you give yourself to HER? She doesn't even have powers! I do! I am the Great and Powerful Trixie!" she says through gritted teeth and with tears in her eyes.
"Trixie, please, let me just---"
 
>"No! If I can't have you... No one will!" she screams, hurling an arcane bolt at Twilight.
>Before the killing blast strikes her, you stop time. Everything is still.
'Can't I just go one goddamn day without this shit happening?' you think to yourself.
>Everything of why you refused to start a relationship with Twilight comes back to you in this moment.
>Is it just not meant to be?
>Though it breaks your heart to do so, you rewind. You watch your body move and see everything play back before your eyes; Trixie's arrival, Twilight's passion, talking to her, entering the room, back in the lobby...
>Stop. You are back in the hotel lobby deciding who gets what room.
>"Not entirely," Twilight says. "I mean, if he wanted, Anon could share his room with one of us so that everyone gets a bed." She looks at you, hinting a little.
"I think it would be best if I had the room to myself," you say, picking up your suitcase.
>Before any of them could offer an objection, you grab the key from Rarity's hand.
"I mean, none of you object, right?"
>Again, before they, but mostly Twilight, can reply, you walk past them and head straight to the room.
>And you're more than a little bit pissed off.
>You set your suitcase on the bed and simply wait in the chair of the room.
>Five minutes pass.
>Poof! Trixie appears.
>She looks at you and smiles. "Anon, I'm so---"
>You stand up and slap the fuck out of her with a resounding backhand.
>She falls to the ground, holding her face. She looks up at you with betrayed eyes. "Anon?! Why did you---"
"That was for nearly killing Twilight you crazy bitch," you vent. "It was also for me, because none of this happened!"
>Rewind!
>Poof! Trixie appears.
>She looks at you and smiles. "Anon, I'm sorry about what I did. Where are we?" she moves over to the window. "Is this Manehatten?"
 
"It is," you deadpan from the armchair. "I came here with Rarity, Rainbow Dash and Twilight."
>Trixie looks at you once you mention Twilight. "And... is this room yours alone, then?"
"Indeed."
>She gets a small, mischievous smile on her face. "So... we're all alone then, in a nice hotel room?"
"I'm tired, Trixie. I'd like to be alone."
>Now her smile vanishes. "Anon, what's gotten into you? I said I'm sorry for what I said. I realize that I overreacted." She walks over to you, kneeling by the chair. "I want to talk, Anon, honestly. That's it. About us."
"Trixie, I'm not certain that's such a good idea," you reply, staring into her eyes. "I just..."
>You sigh and then stand.
"I'm caught between two worlds here, Trixie. I want two things and both of them want me but I can't have both because neither will allow the other."
>She seems to understand. "You're talking about Twilight," she says slightly distastefully. "But Anon, we make such a great team! We don't need to worry about each other's safety!"
"I know. But... I can't just drop one of you like you mean nothing to me. Both of you do."
>Again, you sigh. Maybe you should just tell her the truth.
"But, if I'm being honest, Trixie... I have to do what my heart tells me. And..."
>Her eyes shut and she sits on the edge of the bed. "I think I know what's coming, Anon."
"Please, understand. I don't want you out of my life, Trixie. Dungeon Master and Blue Mage! I still want us to be partners! Just... not..."
>She nods and puts her face in her hands. "I know. I know. I've always known."
>You go to her, kneeling and placing your hands on her shoulders. She looks up, tears running down her cheeks. It pains you to be doing this.
"Trixie, please... Please don't cry. I'm sorry it's this way. I want to let you down easy, because... well, I have a very vivid idea of what it would be like if you found out another way."
 
>You're glad that things are going differently this time. When Trixie teleported in the first time, her emotions must have made her lose control. Not this time.
>"What is it about her that I don't have? Aren't I good enough?"
"Please don't ask me that, Trixie. You're a wonderful person and I value your friendship. It's not that you're not good enough. I'm not nearly that shallow."
>She sniffles. "I know you're not. It's just... I'm... I'm the Great and Powerful Trixie, Anon... I just don't understand why I always lose what I want the most..."
>You pull her into a hug, burying your face in her blue hair. She cries softly against your shoulder.
"Trixie... I'm sorry. Please stop comparing yourself to others. I'm begging you: stop putting yourself down. How can I explain myself and my feelings if you keep doing that?"
>You hold her at arm’s length and stare into her sad, reddened eyes.
"I've made my choice, Trixie. Please understand that."
>"I didn't want it to be true." She averts her eyes and hugs her arms tightly against her chest. "I just... I didn't want it to be true. We seemed like such a good match... I had powers, you had powers... we could keep each other safe..."
>You rub a tear from her cheek.
"I know, Trixie... and I won't lie, I wanted it too. But my heart is telling me something else. It's pulling me in a different direction."
>She curls up a bit, rolling into your shoulder. Her hand grasps yours. "I'm sorry I tried to force you, Anon... I just wanted us to be more than just partners so badly..."
>You hold her for a while, softly stroking her hair.
"Are you going to be alright?" you eventually ask.
>She wipes her eyes and nods. "I think so. It just hurts."
"I know."
 
>You are both silent for some time. Then, a knock at the door.
>"It's Twilight," she says sadly. She lets go of your hands to stand. "I'll leave."
"You don't have to," you tell her. "You could join us tomorrow at the party. Twilight's brother and the Wonderbolts will be there... You could stay for Rarity's fashion show the day after!"
>"I appreciate it, Anon, I really do... But I need some time alone to sort out my feelings. Maybe, before I go... One last kiss?"
>Against your better judgment, you slide your arms around her waist and pull her in for a kiss. She cups the sides of your face with her hands and pours everything she has got into it.
>It's a good kiss.
>But not quite as good as the two first kisses you've had with Twilight today.
>You part after a moment, and her eyes are hopeful.
>You shake your head and her eyes cast downwards. As you step back, she is enveloped by smoke and then she is gone.
>Another knock at the door. You move to it and open it. Twilight, just like Trixie predicted.
>"Anon? Are you alright? You left the lobby in a hurry so I wanted to check on you after we were done unpacking. Can I come in?"
>You want her to. But after denying Trixie like that, your heart is heavy.
"I'm just tired," you lie to her. "I'd really like to just hit the sack and see you in the morning. Is that alright?"
>She seems to accept the answer. "Okay. Well, have a good night! See you in the morning?"
>You nod and she smiles. You close the door and put your back to it, slowly sliding down.
 
>Today has been a trial.
>But you made it through, and a weight on your soul has been lifted.
>Trixie may be hurt, but you hope she'll come around.
>Like she said, you need some time to yourself.
>The moments you shared with Twilight today were... well, for lack of a better term, magical.
>But now only you know they happened.
>You sigh in frustration. None of that matters now. You try to find the upside to this. You know how Twilight will react to your advances.
>She loves you and is waiting for you.
>You think about Celestia. The sex in that relationship might be amazing, but it's time to break that off.
>When you return home, you'll stop seeing Celestia and focus exclusively on Twilight.
>Full of resolve, you decide to simply enjoy your time with the girls here in Manehatten. Maybe you could take Twilight out to dinner?
>Tomorrow night. You'll ask her at the party.
>You climb into bed, taking your own advice about getting some early rest. After a day like this, you deserve it.
>You look forward to the party tomorrow.
>After all, what could go wrong at a party with three super heroes at it?
 
>Morning.
>You still have the ability to rewind time; it's served you well so far. You've got it for a few more hours yet.
>You hop out of bed, deactivating the alarm on the wrist console you built with your technopathy.
>Spending an appropriate amount of time in the shower, you lather up and wash off before exiting and toweling yourself dry.
>After an application of deodorant, you're ready to go. You open your suitcase and ready your party clothes.
>It's a fairly high-end affair, so you had packed your nicest clothes.
>And your Dungeon Master robes, of course. But you don't really think that you can find a way to bring them to the party.
>You also packed your mask... Green, with no distinguishable features. You never got a chance to wear it, instead opting for the Dungeon Master persona.
>You take it and stuff it into your back pocket.
>Can never be too safe, after all.
>You meet the girls in the lobby. They're all wearing nice outfits, though Rainbow Dash is still wearing her Wonderbolts shirt.
>"Honestly, Rainbow darling, do you have to wear such a gaudy thing to this event?" Rarity asks.
>"Hey, I'm getting them to sign this thing!" Rainbow declares. "So yeah, I am!"
>"Girls, please," Twilight says. "If we spend too much time on what we're going to be wearing, we're going to miss the party!"
You approach them. "Morning. Is that our cab?"
>"Finally you're down here!" Rainbow says, running to the door. "Come on! We've got no time to lose!"
>The other girls shrug and quickly move to the door with you in tow.
>The four of you climb into the cab and you find yourself sandwiched between Rarity and Twilight in the back.
>Not a bad spot to be in, if you say so yourself.
>The drive there is filled with excited conversation. Cars are parked for blocks leading up to the main hall.
 
>You exit the taxi at the red carpet entrance, and find yourself being photographed by various cameras. There's a lot of media here.
>A large man and a skinny man approach you to block your group's entrance. "ID and invitation," the skinny man says.
>The large man eyes you up and down. "You sure you're in the right place?" he asks in a deep voice.
>He looks not unalike a human gorilla in a tuxedo.
>Twilight shows the man her tickets for all four of you. The skinny man checks them and verifies them before letting you pass.
>You look up at the large guy as you walk by him. He crosses his burly arms as if to intimidate you.
>Heh. You've fought bigger.
>You're in the party. It's being held in a large banquet hall of some kind; the walls are lined with decorations, the tables stocked with food and everyone is some kind of social elite.
>You feel a bit underdressed, actually.
>Twilight makes her way through the crowd, looking for her brother. Rainbow splits off, as does Rarity. She's looking to schmooze it up with some big wigs.
>You follow Twilight, interested in meeting Shining Armor.
>He's wearing a military dress uniform and speaking to a few people. A sword is belted at his hip, most likely for ceremonial purposes.
>He's holding a glass with some clear liquid in it. Twilight sees him and nearly skips up behind him, tapping him on the shoulder.
>The elites he was speaking with seem annoyed, but as he turns around, a large smile grows on his face.
>"Twily!" he says, throwing her into a hug.
>Twily? The fuck? Weird.
>She hugs him tightly before pulling back. "I'm so happy to see you, Shining! How are you?"
>"I've been great! The wedding plans are coming along beautifully, and Cadence couldn't be more excited for the ceremony. You got your invitation, right?"
>"I do! I mean, I did! We came all the way out here just to see you and her! Where is she?"
 
>"She's speaking with some other dignitaries." Finally, he looks at you. "Who's this?"
>"This is Anon! He's my friend, and the reason I got my ticket to come here!"
>Shining looks confused. "How did he get you a ticket here?"
>She then immediately realizes how she fucked up.
>You forgive her. She's excited.
>Rewind!
>"She's speaking with some other dignitaries." Finally, he looks at you. "Who's this?"
"I'm Anon," you immediately interrupt the outburst Twilight was about to give off. "I'm Twilight's friend. It's an honor to meet you."
>He shakes your hand with a warm, firm grip. "Likewise. Any friend of my little sis is a friend of mine."
>Twilight speaks up. "So, how's military life?"
>"Not too bad. In fact..." he trails off as you shift your focus elsewhere. You scan the party.
>Rarity is speaking to some tall, wealthy-looking man with neatly combed blue hair and a slightly curly blue moustache.
>The man makes a joke, and she laughs in a practiced manner, placing a hand on his chest.
>She's definitely got her mind set on getting cushy with the rich folks around here.
>Rainbow Dash is hitting the food and chowing down. She's just waiting for the Wonderbolts.
>"Isn't that right, Anon?" Twilight asks you.
>You snap back to reality.
"Sorry, what?"
>Twilight shakes her head. "Shining's going to introduce you to Cadence!"
"The princess?"
>Twilight takes your hand as she leads you towards Shining, who takes the two of you across the room. It takes some time, since he needs to regularly stop to say hello to one of the party goers.
>Eventually, he's able to make his way to her. You don't get a good look at first, but once he approaches her and embraces her, he turns to introduce you.
 
>She's beautiful. Her eyes, her hair, her dress, it all adds up to a picture perfect princess.
>Damn, if she wasn't taken by your intended love's brother, you'd seriously consider abusing your powers.
>Well, you still are, but actually won't.
>She fixes Twilight with a large smile. "Twilight! I haven't seen you in so long!"
>So they know each other? Interesting. Twilight never made mention of it.
>"This is Anon, one of my best friends," she introduces you to the royal woman.
>You give a small bow.
"A pleasure, your majesty."
>"Oh, please, don't be so formal," she says with a small blush. "But thank you anyway. It's really not that important to act proper. You're a friend of Twilight's, not some state official or anything."
"I understand," you smile. You look at Twilight. "You never told me you actually knew your brother's fiancé."
>"When I was younger, we lived in her country for a while. She babysat me."
"Now that you mention it, I do remember you saying that your parents moved around a lot before settling back home," you recall.
>"Well, it's a pleasure to meet you," Cadence says. "But, if you'll excuse me, I need to return to what I was doing."
>Cadence gives Shining a small, sweet kiss on the cheek before excusing herself back to the social circle she was a part of before your group walked over.
>Shining Armor takes Twilight's arm, interested in introducing her to a few other people.
>You intend to follow them before a voice interrupts you.
 
>"Quite the party, isn't it?"
>You turn, looking for the source of the voice speaking to you. There's a man there. A very, very tall and skinny man.
>A brown vest over an odd beige dress shirt. High collar. Light brown dress pants. Red ascot. Fairly normal, but his facial features were the most striking.
>His face was narrow, seemingly unnaturally long. His hair was wild and erratic, a mix of black and white. His brows were large, like he was a damned mentat from DUNE. His goatee was pointed and stuck out from his chin like a spear.
>But his eyes. His strange, yellowed eyes.
>You can't believe you didn't notice this man earlier. He's perhaps the most distinctive individual in the entire party.
>Then again... nobody seems to be noticing him.
>Except you.
>"I said; quite the party, isn't it?" His smile is large and strange as he eyes you.
"Yeah... who are you?"
>"No one of initial consequence, I assure you," the man says, spinning his cane a bit. "Consequence for me comes later, when I have fully arrived. But you... you are someone of a considerable amount of consequence indeed, aren't you? Everything you do seems to have consequence; like every step forward is three steps backwards."
"I beg your pardon? Do you know me?"
>"Quite well," he says, moving past you. He picks up a shrimp from a table and sticks it between his teeth, sucking on the juices. "Mmmm. It's been so long since I've enjoyed good shellfish, you know. So few places have them. Now the Gulfaryites, they had wonderful shellfish. They WERE the shellfish, you see."
>His smile widens even more, which you didn't think possible. He laughs at a joke only he can understand.
 
>"Of course, there was also the ocean world of Bhargia; its deceptively murky depths concealing the most exquisite shellfish I've ever feasted upon, bar none. Oh, to relive those days..."
"The hell are you talking about?" you ask. "Some kind of book or something?"
>"Books are very important to you and the one you hold dearest, aren't they?" he asks.
Your eyes narrow. "Okay. You've got three seconds to explain how you know who I am and who Twilight is."
>He seems to ignore you. "Books are one of the most interesting byproducts of sentient creatures, not because of what they are, but what they can do. Every book is a portal, a gate to another world. But every book is different for every single person. No two people will see the same world when they read the book. It's a fascinating phenomenon, one I hope to explore in depth in the future."
>You're fed up with this. You turn, leaving the man standing there.
>You look up in front of you when you see someone blocking your path. It's him.
"How did you---"
>"Books have meant a lot to you, Anonymous."
"How do you---"
>"Comic books. Player's Handbooks. Monster Manuals. But I imagine the Dungeon Master's Guides are the most valuable, yes? The most inspiring? Considering your little costume play."
Now you halt, your blood running cold. "You can't possibly... You are..."
>He leans down. "I can. I do. I am. You're not."
"Who are you?" you ask again, desperately trying to discern the mystery of his strange man.
>He straightens and looks around the room. "What a marvelous gathering this is. Ordered. Controlled. None are allowed in unless judged worthy. The floors these people walk upon, the pillars that hold up the roof over their heads, all carefully planned and placed."
 
>He spins his cane around. "The people here. The social order is clearly defined. There's a grand hierarchy of money, of power and influence. It, too, is structured. Your species has been building it since you invented currency. This, all of this... is the result of so much careful work to establish a social order that caters exclusively to itself."
>Now, he looks back to you. "A social order. A safety bubble. A carefully-crafted illusion of perceived power and influence; the meetings of minds so proud of their collective achievements that the moment something goes ever-so-slightly wrong..."
>He points with his cane at a table. Its leg breaks, causing a cake to tumble down on a woman's dress. She shouts in anger, like a pouting child, embarrassed and furious at what has happened. The others are equally disturbed and various butlers and maids scramble to quickly repair the mess, to allow the rich people to ignore the fact that it happened.
>"You upset the balance even to the smallest degree... and the reaction is... animalistic."
"How did you do that?" you demand to know.
>"You are asking the wrong questions. It's not a thing I can do so much as something that must be done. I am merely the vessel through which it is aimed. It is limitless. Endless. It has always existed and will always be, persisting long after your species has been forgotten and your small mark on the universe wiped out. This party, this triumph to the human spirit's desire to be recognized for the most trivial, self-important things... begs for it. The very principals of a gathering such as this causes it to cry out to be visited by it."
"By what?"
>The man takes a swig from a glass and breathes contentedly. "Chaos, my boy. You shall give it form, and through this manifestation, chaos will bleed into this party. Enjoy it. I know I will."
>And then, he's gone. Simply vanished.
 
>You desperately look around the room for him, finding him nowhere.
>And nobody around you seems to have noticed. Everyone is going about their business.
>His eyes. You know you've seen them before.
>Is he appearing exclusively to you? He must be. But how?
>Perhaps he is purely a vision?
>That can't be right. He broke that table leg. He can influence the real world.
>Then what is he?
>He spoke of other worlds. Of chaos. Of danger coming to this party.
>You look for Twilight. She's near Shining Armor.
>Being careful not to run in the room to avoid drawing attention, you make your way to Twilight.
"Twilight, I think we need to leave," you tell her.
>She's confused. "What? But why?"
"I think something very, very bad is about to happen."
>Just then, the room grows quiet as everyone faces towards the entrance.
>Then, cheering. You, Twilight and Shining look on as off in the distance, two figures in the sky grow larger. They're leaving a trail of smoke behind them.
>Rainbow Dash's cheers rise above the crowd as she jumps up and down.
>The Wonderbolts!
>Two people, a man and a woman, wearing blue and yellow jumpsuits. They're flying with jetpacks with special harnesses allowing control of the thrusters.
>The crowd starts to funnel outside to get a better look. Twilight and Shining move as well, so you follow along, wary of what may be coming.
>They soar through the sky, spinning around each other, creating a spiral pattern to their smoke trails.
>As they near the building, they seperate, flying in two different directions. Now, over the front of the building, they fly straight at each other.
 
>The crowd's attention is fully captured as they charge at each other, and at the last moment, fly straight up, avoiding hitting each other.
>The crowd loves it. They go wild and cheer.
>The Wonderbolts fly down towards the party, circling the area and eventually slowing down over a large platform set aside for them.
>They land on it, stepping onto the solid surface. Their jetpacks deactivate and they take their goggles off, waving to the crowd.
>Rainbow Dash is going nearly wild. She sticks out like a sore thumb with her Wonderbolts T-shirt and rainbow-colored hair.
>A loudspeaker comes on. "Ladies and gentlemen, theeeeeeee Wonderbolts! Captain Spitfire and Lieutenant Soarin!"
>The two of them play it up to the audience, taking their jetpacks off and setting them off to the side.
>They start to descend the stairs, walking alongside a small railing.
>Rainbow pushes her way up to to the other side of the railing, practically begging them to sign her shirt.
>They smile and agree to, apparently seeing a photo opportunity. She produces a sharpie, evidently having waited for this moment.
>Spitfire signs the shirt first, just above Dash's cleavage, before handing it to Soarin, who signs it underneath her signature.
>He gives Dash a small wink after he finishes which nearly makes her faint.
>The merriment of the crowd hasn't caused you to forget what happened before their arrival.
>You grab Twilight's arm.
"Twilight, we need to leave."
>"Anon, why? Please, tell me what's wrong."
"I just have a feeling that---"
 
>A car is thrown through the window from the outside, smashing the glass and breaking through the steel supports.
>It flies through the air, showering the crowd with glass, landing directly upon Princess Cadence, who was far too shocked to move out of the way.
>It takes you a moment to snap back to reality as Shining and Twilight look on, horrified.
>You rewind.
>You stop at the moment just before the Wonderbolts land.
>Instead, you run to the coat room. Once inside, you find a jacket your size, throwing it on.
>You take your green mask out and don it.
>By the time you leave the room, the Wonderbolts are signing Dash's shirt for the photo-op.
>You look and see the princess lightly applauding the Wonderbolts' magnificent arrival. She's standing next to some other party guests.
>You run towards her. When you hear the crash from the window, you don't even turn to look at it.
>Instead, you simply tackle the princess to the ground. The car flies over your heads, spectacularly smashing into the wall.
>Kicking your legs up, you're back on your feet in a moment. Cadence, shocked by the events of what just happened, can't find the words to either thank you or question you.
>Shining and Twilight, Dash and the Wonderbolts, as well as the entire room, are in a similar position as they look at you.
 
 
>Then, you see it. From the hole where the car was thrown, large green tendrils appear, wrapping around whatever they can.
>Amidst this nest of coiling, writhing strands is a woman in a purple jumpsuit, and that's when you realize that those tendrils are her hair.
>She launches herself into the room, knocking several guests aside as her hair softens her landing like a jumping spider.
>She rises up for all to see, throwing her arms out and letting out a deep, hearty laugh.
>Whoever this is just threw that car that would have killed the princess had you not interfered.
>And now you're staring her and her freaky green prehensile hair down.
>She doesn't waste any time. She commands her hair to grab hold of several party guests, lifting them up by their legs.
>She herself is still suspended in the air by three tendrils.
>"Hear me now!" she shouts, her powerful, crazed voice overshadowing the screams of her hostages. "The Wonderbolts will give to me their jetpacks technology, or these people will DIE! Those are my demands!"
>The Wonderbolts don't know what to make of the situation.
>You need to give them an opening to reach their jetpacks, otherwise they can't do anything.
>You summon the die and throw it at her face, hitting her square on. It certainly worked in getting her attention. It lands on the ground and rolls.
>This bitch is toast.
 
>88! Doubles! Two powers for the price of one!
>You have gained the powers of 5 and 24; pryomancy and radiation emission!
>The die disappears but the Mane-iac doesn't notice. She's far too busy sending two tendrils of her prehensile hair towards you.
>Holding up a hand, you shoot a spout of burning fire like your arm was a flamethrower.
>The fire causes her hair to shrivel up and burn, twisting into thin black fibers.
>She screams. "MY HAIR! My beautiful hair! You fiend! You know not what you have done!"
>Just then, Shining Armor leaps onto a table, drawing his sword. It glints in the light.
>Shouting, he leaps from the table and brings it down in front of him, slicing through two of the vine-like tendrils that were holding up her hostages.
>They fall to the ground with a grunt, but are otherwise unharmed. Shining wastes no time as he runs towards the three 'legs' that she's holding herself up with.
>One slice and all three of them are cut in half.
>Damn, Twilight's brother is kind of a badass.
>The Mane-iac crumbles to the floor, dropping the rest of her hostages who are either pulled away by other civilians or get up on their own and start running.
>You approach the Mane-iac and stand next to Shining Armor, who is holding his sword at her neck. You hold up a burning hand and point it at her.
>"Surrender," he warns her, then looks at you. "Who're you supposed to be, anyway?"
"Does that matter right now?" you ask in a fake voice in case he would recognize your real tone.
>He doesn't seem to. "You're right. Thank you for saving my bride. I'm---"
>Both of you suddenly feel something tighten around your ankles and pull you from behind.
>The Mane-iac trips you and pulls you back before lifting both of you up.
>Any hair she has lost miraculously regrows in seconds!
>She twirls the two of you around for a moment. You feel like you're on the tilt-a-whirl at a carnival.
 
>Then, she lets go and both of you go flying in different directions.
>Shining Armor lands in a fountain, splashing into the water.
>You're not quite so lucky. You are thrown through a window.
>The glass shatters as you impact against it. Pain shoots through you as you end up on the concrete outside.
>You groan and roll over amongst the shards of broken glass. You struggle to get to your feet.
>As you look up, you see the Mane-iac emerging from the building, holding large shards of the glass in her various hair appendages.
>"I've had enough of you... now... die!" she says, preparing to hurl them.
>Just as she is about it, she is tackled from behind by Spitfire, once more wearing her jetpack.
>The Wonderbolts captain flies head-on into the crazy lady's back, knocking her from the hole.
>The Mane-iac cries from the sudden attack, falling to the ground. She lets go of the glass and uses her hair to catch herself before hitting the ground.
>One of her strands wraps around a lamp post, allowing her to swing onto the side of the neighboring building; an office complex of some kind.
>She moves like an octopus, her various 'limbs' working in tandem to quickly scale the building.
>Spitfire and Soarin are now both outside and in their jetpacks. They fly towards the Mane-iac, intent on attacking her once more.
>Thrusting her hair into another plane of glass, she reaches inside and grabs hold of a desk.
>She launches it at them. They part from each other, dodging it.
>You stand up. There's got to be something you can do to help them. You look at your hands, activating your pyromancy once more.
>You remember the time you fought Flash, and rolled up Fire Mimicry. How you could fly.
>Of course, that power actually let you be made out of flames. Then again, looking up at the Wonderbolts, you get an idea...
 
 
>You put your hands to you sides, with the palms facing the earth. The bottoms of your feet begin to burn as well, though your shoes are naturally unharmed.
>Iron Man style, you lift off, thrusting yourself upwards. It takes a moment to get the hang of it, but within seconds you're able to propel upwards with these four streams of flame.
>The Wonderbolts try a double-dropkick against the Mane-iac, flying towards her and then slamming into her with both feet.
>Though she brings her hair up in front of her like a shield, the force of their jetpack-fueled kick knocks her through the window and into the office building.
>They reel back a bit and then enter through the same opening. You follow them, landing right between them.
>They look at you, confused. "Who're you supposed to be?" Spitfire asks.
"Um, the Dungeon Master," you reply. "My robes are in the wash."
>"Holy cow, you're the Dungeon Master?" Soarin asks, holding out a hand. "Nice to meet you!"
>A little surprising. You shake his hand.
"Likewise, I suppose."
>Nearby, the Mane-iac, knocked into a cubicle farm, pushes aside everything around her. She grabes two filing cabinets, an office chair and a stapler, holding them out threateningly.
>"You fools think you can best me?" she says with another odd, cliché evil laugh following afterwards. "If that vat of dangerous experimental chemicals couldn't put me down, then you certainly can't! Now, hand over your jetpacks or be killed by... the Mane-iac!"
>The three of you are still.
>"What chemicals?" Spitfire asks. "What has that got to do with anything?"
>"And you already said your name once," Soarin points out.
"This isn't the first person I've met who likes speaking in the third person," you say. "You get used to it."
>"Silence! No more talking! Hand them over?"
You think you know a way to keep her talking. "Mane-iac, why do you want their jetpacks? Explain to me your plan in great detail."
 
>She recoils back a bit. "Very well. You see, with this technology, I'll be able to---"
>There, distracted. You raise your hands and unleash a torrent of fire upon her, burning all of the strands holding anything that she can throw.
>She screams, falling back as you advance upon her. You don't let up---you burn everything.
>Soon, you stop, and look upon her. You didn't seriously wound her---you only burned all of her hair off.
>Amidst the smoke and charred hair (which starts to stink the room up quite a bit) she rises.
>"You... you think you can stop me like that? Fool! My hair regenerates at a rate far beyond normal human beings! Behold!"
"Behold this, bitch," you say as you raise your other hand.
>You blast her with waves of concentrated radiation.
>She feels suddenly very nauseous and falls to the ground, aching from pain she cannot know. "What... what?! What are you doing?!"
"Experimenting with how much radiation will keep you alive with a treatable tumor but kill your hair."
>"No... NO!" she screams as you essentially give her cancer.
>That's kind of fucked up, man.
>Still, cancer seems to work against a villain who uses hair as a weapon.
>In moments, she's reduced to a quivering mess. Soarin and Spitfire walk up alongside you.
>"My hair... my hair... my hair... my hair..." she says, rubbing her now-bald head. "My hair..."
>"What did you do to her?" Spitfire asks.
"I killed her hair with radiation," you reply. "Just one of my many powers."
>"How many powers is that, exactly?" Spitfire asks.
"Well..." You turn to face them. "Maybe this isn't the best place to get acquainted. She needs to get to police custody... and start chemotherapy."
>"We've actually been looking forward to meeting you," Spitfire says.
>Well, that's unexpected.
"Really? Why?"
 
 
>Soarin clasps you on the shoulder. "Because you're the reason we're super heroes!"
"I thought you guys were sponsored by the government or the Air Force or something," you reply, a little confused.
>Spitfire explains, "We are, but only because you and your partner started showing up to fight crime. It was decided that if super heroes and super villains were going to start appearing, the government would have a response team."
"So, that's you guys then?"
>"Precisely," Soarin says with a nod. "And we want you to join us."
"Join the Wonderbolts?"
>Soarin shakes his head. "Well, we're technically the only Wonderbolts, that is, the brand name is us, but you'd be on our team. We haven't figured out what the team name is, yet."
"Well, I don't really know... Would I keep my secret identity?"
>Spitfire steps a little closer. "Well, that's where this gets a little bit awkward. We have orders to bring you in if you don't want to join us. Vigilantes are criminals."
Now, you step away a bit. "Woah, woah, what?"
>She holds up her hands. "But we're not stupid. We can see that you're no bad guy. The government wants to utilize any asset they can, but we can't have anonymity. You need to be registered; known."
"I'm not an asset," you say.
>"Bad word choice, I know," Spitfire admits. "Just hear us out. This woman isn't the first super villain that's cropped up and the way things are looking, might not be the last. The American people need a reliable team they can put their trust into. The Wonderbolts started out as a PR experiment and it was so well-received that we've been made into a full-fledged unit."
>Soarin picks up. "Look, we understand the whole 'secret identity' thing. But if you join us, the government will protect you, your family and anyone that could be threatened by any enemies you make."
 
"And if I say no, we're enemies?"
>"Those are our orders," Spitfire says grimly. "But we're not going to fight you. Not now, at least."
"You aren't?"
>"We saw you save the princess first hand. You're aces in our book. But the government doesn't look kindly on masked heroes; they think it sets a bad example. So long as you keep doing what you're doing, you'll be branded a criminal. And eventually... we might have to come after you."
>Soarin scratches the back of his head. "It's just that there's no accountability, you know? No person to thank or blame for anything. No way for a hero to defend himself against false alligations, and there's more than a few against the Dungeon Master for things you probably haven't done. Good or bad, a hero who runs with us needs to have a public identity."
>"Also, Wizards of the Coast is trying to sue you for using the name Dungeon Master," Spitfire says.
"Wait, seriously? I didn't know that."
>"Well, it's not like they have an address they can mail a cease and desist letter to. But that's our point; if you join us, the government can protect you from liability like that."
>"So, what do you say?" Soarin reaches out with his hand.
>You look at the two of them.
"I don't think I can," you tell them. Soarin's hand slowly drifts down. "I understand that this might make us enemies in the future, but... I don't think I can sign up for this. It seems like there's too many strings attached. Orders to follow. People I don't know would be deciding what I do."
>"I understand your caution," Spitfire replies. "But please understand; unless you accept our deal, if anything should happen that would reveal your identity, we cannot help you, nor the government. There's a lot of people out there who would want to take advantage of you; committees, politicians, enemies of the state. If you're not under our protection and it comes to light who you are, a lot of people are going to be knocking on your door. Including us."
 
>"And it won't be too friendly a visit, I'm sorry to say," Soarin tells you. "We're sorry."
>You think about their words, weighing the consequences of your choices.
"And if I join, who's to say what would become of me, exactly? Am I going to be sent to fight enemies I don't know? Spill blood in some war I have nothing to do with? I'm sorry. I just can't risk my power falling into the wrong hands. I need to be my own person... even if that person hides under a hood or behind a mask to do what he knows is right."
>Spitfire seems disappointed, but understands. "I can't lie to you about your chances, but I can wish you good luck. Just know that there're people out there trying very, very hard to figure out who you are right now. Our offer still stands if you change your mind."
"There's something else you should know," you tell them. "A man appeared to me at the party. He warned me of the attack. I think he... created the Mane-iac somehow."
>"What do you mean? Who is he?" Spitfire asks.
"I have no idea. But he has some kind of power that I don't know about. He only appeared to me, somehow. He spoke of bringing down order with chaos. Then, he vanished and the Mane-iac attacked the party."
>The three of you look at the Mane-iac, still in a stupor over her vanquished hair.
>"That's sounds serious," Soarin says. "You don't know anything about him?"
>You shake your head and Spitfire adds, "If you learn anything about this man, you should tell us. If he's as powerful as what you say implies, then you might not be able to face him alone."
"I will. You should probably get the Mane-iac to a hospital. I'll find a way to slip out of here on my own."
>Soarin approaches you. "Hey, I just wanna say, that no matter what happens with our orders and you, you've got my respect."
"Thank you," you say, shaking his hand. You turn and walk away, heading towards an elevator.
>You don't notice Soarin peeling a bit of clear rubber containing your fingerprints off of his glove.
 
>You enter the elevator, closing the doors behind you. You look up at the corner, seeing a camera.
>Never a good place to unmask.
>You summon the die and drop it on the floor as you press the first floor button.
>It rolls on 9.
>Super Speed.
>The elevator reaches ground level and opens, but nobody on that floor sees you inside.
>Because you're the motherfucking Flash now.
>Seconds later, you're outside Manehatten atop a large hill overlooking the city.
>You take your mask off and breathe, then sit down.
>Everything that just happened flies through your mind and wracks you with uncertainty.
>The Wonderbolts make an interesting offer, but could you honestly stand to work for something like the government?
>Not that you hate the government or anything, but taking orders from people behind desks who would never put themselves in your position or do the things they would ask you to do...
>It wouldn't just be about fighting crime. You know it wouldn't.
>They'd want to use your power to their advantage. Protect their interests. Advance their investments. Destroy their enemies; people you don't even know.
>No.
>You prefer being free to decide your own fate.
>There's Trixie, too... what if she runs into them and accepts their offer?
>She knows who you are.
>No, Trixie wouldn't do that... she hates being shackled.
>But what if she reveals her identity? Or yours, even accidentally?
>You look at your wrist console and try to call her.
>No answer.
>You try again, this time you leave a message.
"Trixie, this is Anon. I need to talk to you about something very important. Please, call me or try to find me."
>You hang up.
 
>"Feeling overwhelmed?" an amused and familar voice asks.
>You whip around at the speed of sound and face the strange old man with yellow eyes.
"You! That was you, wasn't it? The Mane-iac?"
>"I can't take all the credit," he smiles that impossibly wide smile. "After all, I took bits and pieces of your imagination to build her. Until today, she didn't exist until we birthed her."
>You vibrate your fist to the point where your punch has infinite mass and strike at him.
>You hit nothing but air.
>"A novel effort, but I'm not really here," he tells you. Now he's sitting in the branches of a nearby tree. "But I will be. Soon."
"Who... what... are you?"
>"I am amused is what I am. Who I am is disharmony, disarray, disorder... But you may call me Discord."
"Why are you following me? What do you want?"
>He hops off the tree branch, stepping down to the ground as though walking down invisible stairs.
>"At first I merely wanted to observe humanity through you. And I have done that. But now, outside forces seek to rob you of your fun, and mine."
"Why do you care? Tell me what you want!"
>"All I want is for the fun to not end. Thus, I offer you a way out. There's a way to make it so that you can be completely free from people trying to discover your identity."
>You pause for a moment.
"Elaborate."
>"By merely allowing me to take you out of the spotlight. To make the extraordinary into the mundane, thus taking the spotlight off of you."
"I still don't understand."
>"There are places in this universe, and indeed other universes, where your powers are not abnormal. In fact, they're very much normal. So much that none within those places would question their presence or even care about the identities of those who possessed them."
 
"What? You mean like... You'd make everyone have super powers or something? To take the spotlight off of me?"
>"No, no, no. That's far from what I want, and not what you desire. I have seen your thoughts, Anon. I know the world you escape to. Born by books, films and imagination. This second world, the world you have created, it can be real... and in it, you would never have to worry about such silly things as a secret identity."
Everything about this sounds suspect. But yet, part of his offer intigues you to ask, "How?"
>"All you need to do is let me in, Anon. You've been fighting me; but not of your own conscious choice. Your subconcious has been keeping me from unlocking the true depths of your imagination. I've been trying, chipping away at it, but I've come to see that you need to let me in."
You shake your head. "Absolutely not. I don't know or care what you reall are, I'm not letting you have your way with my thoughts."
>He sighs. "Oh, Anon. If only you knew what I knew was coming. You'd embrace it. Fighting it isn't going to help any. And it certainly isn't very fun."
"I'm happy to disappoint you. I'm not going to accept any offer of yours, especially one worded so vaguely."
>"It seems clear to me," he replies. "I would merely offer you a chance for the freedom you're going to sorely miss in but a few days."
"And just what does that mean?"
>"You'll see soon enough. And then... we'll speak again."
>He's gone.
>Your wrist console buzzes. Twilight's calling you. You answer it, holding your arm out in front of you.
"Twilight? Are you alright?"
>"Yes! Anon, what happened? You saved Cadence and then you and the Wonderbolts beat that crazy lady with the messed-up hair, but only they came down! Where are you?"
"Where are you? Are you safe?"
 
>"I'm in the hotel room with Rainbow and Rarity."
"Okay, hang on. I'll be there in a few seconds."
>"Wait, what---"
>You hang up and zip around the city. You couldn't remember where the hotel actually was so you need to search for it. Using a systematic grid format, you search the entire city until you find it."
>You're in front of their door. You stop and knock.
>Rarity opens it up. "Anon! Thank goodness you're alright!"
"Yeah, tell me about it," you say, pushing your way inside and closing the door behind you.
>"Were you outside when I called you?" Twilight asks.
"I was, but outside the city. Super speed." Before they can reply, you continue, "But I can't stay in this city for long."
>"What?" Twilight sounds concerned. "Why not?"
You turn to Rarity. "Sorry, I'm going to miss your fashion show tomorrow. But something is following me."
>"What is it?" Rainbow asks.
"It's very difficult to explain. Trouble is following me and I need to get home and prepare as best I can for whatever might happen."
>"Are you in danger?" Twilight asks, fearing for your safety.
"I think so. I'm not going to take any risks, especially not when it comes to you," you say to Twilight. "I mean, you girls," you ammend your wording, looking at the other two.
>Twilight thinks for a moment. "And what should we do?"
"Just be safe for me. Go see Rarity's show. Call me if something happens. Come back home when it's time to."
>"What's following you, Anon?" Twilight asks, moving close. The other girls do as well.
"I don't fully know yet. Just be careful, alright? Like I said, call me if something threatens your life."
>You move towards the door to leave, dropping your room key off on the table. Twilight intercepts you at the door, grabbing your arm.
 
>"Anon, please, I'm worried about you. Just tell me what's going on."
"To be honest, Twilight, I wish I knew myself. I just know that something is coming and the less you know, the better. For now, at least. Please understand."
>She's apprehensive, but understands. She lets go of your arm. "Anon?"
"Yes?"
>"Thank you for saving Cadence. She means a lot to Shining and I."
You smile. "It's what I do."
>You open the door and then you're gone, running faster than you've ever ran before. Cities and countrysides blur before you as you speed home.
>Anyone witnessing you thinks they've merely seen an unnusual gust of wind.
>Within minutes of this speed, you're home, having crossed hundreds upon hundreds of miles.
>You stop in front of your garage, taking a moment to catch your breath.
>Super speed can be pretty exhausting when you push yourself.
>You quickly move inside, closing the door behind you. Robbie, your transforming car, is in the garage and picks up that your wrist console is near.
>"Anonymous," it says through the device. "You're home early. Is everything alright?"
"Robbie, I need you to park outside and tell me if anyone tries coming to my house. Identify them if possible but don't make any other sudden moves."
>"Understood." You hear the garage door opening and the car backing out.
>You sit on your couch and summon the die, contemplating your situation.
>Things are getting too complicated for your own liking.
>You liked it more when you were just able to be a hero, saving innocent lives and getting blowjobs.
>Now, it seems like you can't even turn a corner without some higher consequence tearing its ugly head.
>You miss the old days when you first got your powers. Sure, there was Flash and Sunset, but you beat them.
>Could Discord really give that back to you?
>You shake your head clear. Nothing could be worth whatever it is he's asking you for.
>You drop the die on the table and start rolling.
>There's got to be a solution in this thing somewhere.
 
>It's been three days.
>You haven't left the house.
>During this time, you've been constantly searching for an answer.
>To what, you're not entirely certain.
>Initially, you looked up any alternatives you could think up for continuing your super hero escapades.
>You could reveal your identity to the public yourself. But that would still put Twilight and your family in danger.
>And the other girls, too. Why does Twilight's safety seem to be such a prime concern of yours?
>Heh. You already know the answer to that question. That's what only makes this harder.
>If you don't accept the offer from the Wonderbolts, Twilight and the girls will have no protection.
>And looking it up online, there's actually more than a few people out for you.
>There's the standard "fake super villain" forums that crop up now and then, but actual news stories reveal your larger enemies.
>Politicians campaigning on a platform of outlawing people like you.
>Lawyers looking to take up the case that Wizards is trying to bring against you.
>Conspiracy theorists putting a hit out on your life.
>There are entire forums dedicated to revealing your secret identity.
>Sure, there are supporters for your cause, especially after saving the princess, but there are also people claiming false damages from your super heroics.
>There's a lady who wants to sue you over her broken leg, just because down the street a car was stolen and you stopped a police chase. She wasn't even within there or involved, but she claims that she broke her leg because she was trying to get out of the way.
>The hell? That can be a thing? That's an actual case? Well, she's got a lawyer and is trying to find your secret identity.
>You sigh and turn your computer off.
>You summon the die.
>Maybe you should quit? Leave the die behind? Never use it again?
>But that seems wrong. You've helped people. Saved lives. Done incredible things...
 
>At the same time, it's brought you a lot of trouble. Maybe more than you can handle.
>Is it honestly worth it?
>Robbie suddenly speaks to you. "Anonymous, Miss Rainbow Dash is approaching your home."
>This isn't the first time one of the girls tried to get in to see you. You haven't let any of them in; you swore not to until you found a solution.
>She's pounding on the door. You turn on one of the security cameras and hear her talking.
>"Anon! Anon, open up! Please, it's Dash! C'mon, open up! You gotta let me in, it's really important!"
>She seems very determined and a little desperate. You unlock the door and go to meet her.
>After entering, she shuts the door behind her and runs up to you, nearly running straight into you.
"Woah, woah, calm down," you tell her. She's out of breath. Did she run here?
>"Anon! I'm sorry, I'm really, really sorry!" She grabs your collar. "You gotta believe me, I didn't mean to!"
"What? What are you talking about? Please Dash, calm down!"
>She seems to relax, controlling her breathing. She looks up at you with sad, guilty eyes. "I... I really didn't mean to, Anon. I'm sorry."
"Rainbow, please," you say, keeping her steady by holding onto her shoulders. She looks like she's about to crumble to the floor. "Explain to me what's wrong. Here, come and sit."
>You take her into the living room and sit next to her on the couch.
"Now just slowly tell me what happened."
>"Well... I came back from Manehatten, right? The next day, my friend, a really old friend from my childhood, she surprises me with a visit. So Gilda shows up---"
"Gilda? Is that her name?"
>"Yeah, she's Gilda. Anyway, she shows up and... well, I hang out with her. We're kind of... She's kind of... I don't know, small-time. A crook. Steals things, you know? Not like big robberies or anything. But she's kind of like a 'bad girl' if you know what I mean. I was... I was kind of the same way when I was younger."
>You nod, urging her to continue.
 
>"And she's, I mean, she's a bragger, you know? Talking about everything she's been doing, places she's been, things she's stolen... You know how I'm kind of the same way, right? Always trying to win?"
"Riiight," you say, starting to fear the worst.
>"Well, I... Oh gosh, I'm just... I'm so stupid, Anon! I let it slip that I know who you are."
"Who I am?" you ask, implying something much worse.
>"Yeah... The Dungeon Master. It just slipped out! I was trying to win, and it just... it just slipped out, you know? Anyway, she knows and then she left, and I don't know where she is!"
You shoot up. "Rainbow! I trusted you with my secret! Do you have any idea what this might cause?"
>"I didn't mean to! Honestly! You know I'd never betray you like that on purpose, it's just... Well, she's my old friend and we were just kind of shooting shit back and forth, you know? It just came up and I immediately regretted it!"
"Damnit, Dash..." You run your hand through your hair. This is only going to potentially make things worse. "Alright. I'm not going to stay angry. We can deal with this. Do you have her number? Anything? We need to find her, right now."
>Rainbow whips out her phone and tries calling Gilda. You lean in, listening closely. It rings twice and goes to the answering machine.
"She's not answering you on purpose," you say. "Otherwise it would have rung more."
>"Oh man, oh man, oh man, I really screwed up big time, didn't I?" she says.
"Don't put yourself down any more than you already have. We can find a way to fix this problem." You summon the die, having not used it for two days. "Give me her number. Robbie has an advanced pathfinding system that can trace her phone and we can drive straight to her location. Let's go."
 
>Both of you run outside. Robbie is there, waiting. He opens his doors and both of you hop in, quickly inputting her number into Robbie's interface.
>After accessing the satellite grid network, he hones in on her location. It shows up in the GPS screen.
"She's downtown. Robbie, buckle us in and drive to her now!"
>The machine doesn't waste a beat, buckling the two of you in and taking off.
>The die is still in your hand. You open the window and toss it out to roll it.
>Whoever this Gilda is, she's about to meet the Dungeon Master.
 
>The die lands on 2---Electrokinesis, the generation and manipulation of electrical current.
>If worse comes to worst, you could fry her or give her an intimidating jolt.
>You hope you won't have to.
>Robbie drives the two of you downtown, until you come to a bridge. You see her from a distance and watch as she comes nearer.
>Rainbow was right; she's definitely got a rough and tough vibe about her.
>White hair, leather coat, piercings. She's smoking and leaning up against a street light.
>The area is secluded. Rarely anyone travels through this part of town.
>Robbie stops in front of her and you both get out of the vehicle.
>She seems amused about something and flicks the cigarette aside. "Sup, dweeb," she says as a greeting.
>Right out of the gate, huh?
"Gilda, is it?" you ask.
>"The one and only." She looks at Dash and winks. "Sup Dashie."
>"Gilda, we need to talk," Dash says. "About what I said."
>"Yeah, about that," she says, yawning a little. She looks at her fingernails as if disinterested. "I'm thinking fifty million up front."
You blink a few times. "I beg your pardon?"
>"Pardon nothing," she says. "Clean out your ears. I said fifty million."
>"...Dollars?" Dash asks, though you already know that it's true.
>"No shit. Fifty for starters. Then we'll talk about making my memory go away."
"That's not going to happen. You think I'm going to just hand over a check for fifty million?"
>"I don't do checks," Gilda replies. "I need cash. I'll give you time to steal it."
You laugh. "As goddamn if. Where would you even keep fifty million dollars in actual bills? Do you even know how much damn space that would take up?"
>She shrugs, as if not caring. "Then you solve that too, otherwise your little secret goes public."
 
"Not going to happen." You charge a hand up with electricity. "Either you keep quiet, or bad things happen. That's how this is going to work. I'm not going to steal anything for you."
>Gilda looks at Dash. "This is the kind of company you keep, Dash? Some super hero you are, threatening violence to keep people quiet."
>"You're doing the exact same thing!" Dash points out. "Just not with violence!"
>Again, the rebel shrugs. "Like I care. Either you pay me to keep me quiet or my new best friends release the proof."
You stop charging your hand with electricity. "You already told others?"
>She nods, giving you a pearly smile. "And if anything happens to me, anything at all, they spill the beans. Nothing you can do to me will stop them except paying me."
You hold up your hand and show her the die. "See this? This die is what gives me power. Each face has a different power. I've got one on here that will make you do whatever I want you to."
>"Yeah, I figured about as much," she admits. "So my friends came up with a plan for that, too."
"Explain," you demand.
>"Why the hell would I do that?" she says with a laugh. "The more I tell you about what we know and have done, the more you can counter it. We've got a perfect plan and there's nothing you can do except pay us."
>You curl your hand into a fist, sparking it a little with small jolts of electric energy.
"This isn't going to end well for you, Gilda. Either you stop this right now or---"
>"Or what?" she says, getting in your face. "Anything happens to me, they release the info. I don't contact them in the secret way we set up, they release the info."
>You look her in the eye, but say nothing.
>She steps back and laughs as she lights up another cig. "I'm surprised you never took advantage of this dweeb, Dashie. I came up with this the second you told me about him."
>"Because I didn't mean to even tell you in the first place! I would never betray one of my friends!"
 
>"'Cept you betrayed me by leading him right to me. What about our friendship, Dashie?"
>"If you were really my friend, you wouldn't be trying to extort my other friend!"
>"So? He's got super powers and you don't. I don't. Why does he deserve them? He's a fucking loser. You not taking advantage of knowing who he really is and what he can do is a bonehead move."
>Rainbow stomps her foot. "It's a matter of loyalty, not money! I would never go back on my word!"
"Enough!" you shout, silencing them both. Gilda smiles and takes a drag on her cigarette.
>"So? When should I expect my money? Or are you going to go tell the cops that I'm blackmailing you because I know you're a super hero?" she mocks. "Or are you gonna fry me?"
"I'm damn well tempted to," you tell her. "I could fry you right now. Take your phone and learn where you've been. Find out who else you've told and silence them, too."
>"You won't find them," she says. "They'll know if anything happens to me. Even if you could track them down, they'll have already told the entire world who you are."
"Listen to me," you plead. "You don't know what is going on. There's so much more to this than you or me. If that information gets out, a lot of people I care about will be put in harm's way."
>"Explain to me the part where I give a shit," she says. "That should just be more reason for you to pay me."
>You grit your teeth as you stare her down. She doesn't budge an inch.
"Don't you understand that Dash would be in danger? Don't you even care?"
>Gilda smiles. "My friends explained that even if we reveal your identity, I'll still get cash out of it. We'll do talk shows. Make deals. I'll still get paid. I'll take money over Dashie, no offense. A girl's gotta eat and this is my ticket to the big leagues."
>Rainbow is fuming. "So that's all this is about? Getting out of your shitty little petty crime steak by blackmailing my friend?!"
 
>Gilda leans back. "Say whatever you like. No matter what, I'm getting my money out of this. You pay me and my friends enough to never have to worry about money again, and we'll leave you alone."
"...Fine."
>Rainbow looks at you, shocked. "What?! Anon! You can't!"
>Gilda seems pleased. "Alright. You've got my number, right? Give me a call when you get the money together. Don't wait too long, though. I'm impatient. If I don't hear from you in a week, it's all out."
>She flicks the cig aside, and puts on an unassuming face. "Well? Get lost, dweeb. Money don't make itself."
>You proceed back into your car, with Rainbow torn on what to do. She quickly decides to hop in the passenger seat.
>"Anon! You can't seriously be considering this!"
The car drives off. "I'm not," you reply. "I'm going to find a way around this. I have to figure out who she's working with. Robbie, let's drop Dash off before going home."
>"No! Absolutely not! I got you into this, and I'm going to help get you out of it!"
You sigh. "Dash, I think you've helped enough."
>She seems honestly hurt. "I'm sorry, Anon... I just want to help make it up to you. Please."
>Looking at her, she seems genuinely apologetic.
"Alright. Robbie, take us home."
>During the ride, you try to figure out a creative way out of this situation.
>Gilda's thought this through. She's got some way of contacting her partners, and they must be pretty clever themselves.
>Then again, Gilda mentioned that part of this was their thinking. All of this does seem a bit beyond her level. Maybe, once she found out, she took the information to them and they came up the plan.
>If so, then Gilda is merely the middle man between you and them; they must be the brains of their little scheme.
>You start thinking hard about what you can piece together.
 
'They know that I know Gilda knows. They know that I don't know who they are. That's their biggest advantage right now. Considering that they came up with a way to make sure that I don't harm Gilda, they must have a plan of their own in case I figure out who they are.'
>It seems likely that they've already got one, or maybe two, backup plans in case you figure out who they are.
>Which means that they've already outsmarted you, and the only way to beat them now is to be smarter than they are.
>But you'll need a plan.
>Robbie pulls up to your home, parking across the street. You and she quickly get out.
"Alright, Dash. Let's get inside and figure out how we're going to---"
>You stop dead in your tracks, as does Rainbow, who is shocked beyond belief.
>The Wonderbolts are on your front doorstep, wearing civilian clothing and sunglasses.
>Spitfire walks down your driveway. "It's a decent home for someone with no job and no college degree," she says, looking at your place. "Security cameras even. Makes one wonder how you can afford living here."
>Soarin tilts his aviators down. "Probably not very legally, that's for sure."
You close your slacked jaw. "How..."
>"We have ways," Spitfire says, approaching you. "We also have reservations at a very nice restaurant. I'd advise you to join us for dinner and we'll go over our offer again."
"And if I don't?" you ask.
>"We have teams around the block," Soarin says. "It would get ugly. And public. Neither of which you want right now, I think."
>Dash is confused. "Anon? What's this about, exactly?"
"Rainbow, I think you should get in the car and drive home," you tell her.
>Spitfire shakes her head. "No. She's part of this now. We already know she knows the truth; and your five other friends as well. They're being escorted to the restaurant."
 
"And just what the hell does that mean?" you ask. "You're forcing them?"
>"They've been invited," Spitfire counters. "They only know that it has something to do with you, and with the Wonderbolts. If the government is going to protect them under our agreement, they need to know the terms."
>"Anon, just what the heck is she talking about?" Rainbow asks again.
You grimly swallow the lump in your throat. "Perhaps we should take my car."
>"Gladly," Spitfire replies.
>You look at Dash, your gaze telling her to get into the car.
>While still confused, she does so. You climb into the driver's seat and start it up, actually driving to avoid them suspecting the car of being anything out of the ordinary. Just in case.
>Spitfire and Soarin climb in the back.
>"Nice car," Soarin compliments you. "But again, one wonders where you get the money to afford it."
>You don't reply. You merely get the location from Spitfire and begin driving there.
>You arrive in about ten minutes. The car ride is silent. Dash sits awkwardly, occasionally stealing glances at the Wonderbolts in the backseat.
>The four of you exit the vehicle, leaving it in the parking lot. You enter the restaurant and notice Twilight, Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy and Pinkie sitting at a table large enough to hold nine people.
>There aren't any other patrons else at the restaurant.
>They all turn to look at you and Twilight stands up. "Anon? Dash? What's this all about?"
You look at Dash and say, "Not one word about anything earlier."
>She nods. The two of you take your seat, as do the Wonderbolts.
>Spitfire decides to break the ice.
>"Alright. I think we all know what this is about on some level. But just to clear the air, I'll bring everyone up to speed. The government knows who Anon is. They know who Trixie is as well, but we haven't been able to locate her. Unless Anon agrees to our offer to join our government-sponsored super hero program, he'll get no protection when this information goes public."
 
>"Protection from what?" Applejack asks.
>"Everyone. Everything. Politicians, fanatics, lawyers. But it's more than that. You all will be protected as well, since Anon's enemies will come after you to get through him. They'll stop at nothing to hurt him by hurting you."
>"Oh, my..." Fluttershy gasps in a low tone.
>"You don't know that," Dash says. "Can't you just have Anon be on your team but keep his identity a secret?"
>"Absolutely not," Spitfire says. "A real hero can't hide behind a mask. The people of America need someone they can identify, someone they can put their faith into. Not just a mask, but a person. Without the mask, Anon can be protected by a new series of bills that will be passed allowing for super heroes to be recognized government agents with protection for themselves and their loved ones."
>Soarin picks up. "The Wonderbolts were the test to see how well the American people would react to super heroes with identities. It's been overwhelmingly positive."
"What they're saying," you speak up, "is that my powers are going to be used by the government to fight their enemies."
>Spitfire shakes her head. "To fight crime and injustice. There are classes of threats out there that are beginning to appear that are beyond the capacity of normal people."
"And what about when those threats get put down? Then I'll be sent off to fight terrorists, or liberate oil fields or something. And all the while, these government officials in charge of me, who give me orders I won't be allowed to refuse, will threaten to revoke their protection of my friends if I don't do what they want."
>"That's not true," Spitfire says. "The government would never threaten to harm your friends, because---"
"Because they don't want me to be an enemy," you finish her sentence.
 
>"...Essentially, yes. But you're romanticizing the idea of the government wanting to abuse your powers, Anon. Stop thinking like that. You have my word that you'd be at liberty to choose your own battles."
You shake your head. "That's a lie. If I don't do what they want, they'd just spin my refusal to fight their enemies into some kind of media storm against me. I know how the press works."
>Spitfire stands up. "Alright, let's just get down to the real matter at hand. If you don't, you'll be branded a criminal and an enemy of the government, Anon. Your friends are accomplaces."
>Soarin adds, "You're already a criminal. Vigilantism and stealing money. The government is willing to slide everything under the rug and cover any expenses you and your friends might need if you agree to lend your powers towards the protection of America."
>You look at the girls. Each of them looks worried and fearful.
>You never should have brought them into this.
"I'm sorry, girls. I'm sorry you're in this position."
>Pinkie Pie places a hand on your back. "It's alright, Anon, it's not your fault..."
>Fluttershy nods. "We chose to accept your help. We all did. And in turn, we helped keep your identity secret. But we never realized that any of this would happen..."
>You think about Gilda and her blackmailing scheme. It would fail if you accepted this offer.
>But you'd lose your freedom, and who knows what might exactly happen to the girls.
"How would the girls be protected?"
>"They'd be moved to secure locations across the nation."
>"Wait, what?" Rarity asks. "We'd all be moved away from each other?"
>The Wonderbolts captain nods. "Having all of you in one place is simply a giant target. Keeping you all seperate eliminates a massive problem waiting to happen."
You nearly shoot out of your chair. "Now wait a damn minute! We're all friends, you can't just move us apart!"
 
>"It's the only way to keep them all safe," Spitfire replies. "Don't you realize that if all of them were in the same town and their location was revealed, one decent-sized bomb would wipe them all out, along with the town and anyone else in it?"
>You sit back down.
>"Maybe you're still not aware of the severity of the situation, Anon. Your powers make you a very important person; perhaps one of the most important people in the world. Nobody else can do what you do. There are people out there who would capture your friends and torture them to get you to do what they want. That's not what we're doing. We want to help you so you can help us."
>Soarin adds, "Not only that, but there're also people who would just outright kill them just to hurt you, to reduce your effectiveness as a government asset. Press enough of your buttons and either put you out of commission from grief or have you go on a rampage."
>You think about Gilda once more. Her blackmail seems pretty small-time compared to what could actually happen.
>Once more you look at the girls, looking each one in the eyes.
"Would I ever see them again?"
>"Visits are negotiable," Soarin replies.
"So, this is it, then? Either I sign my life away to you or we all go to jail?"
>"Those are the cards you've been dealt," Spitfire says. "I'm sorry. I truly am. But this, all of this, is bigger than us. You have my word, Anon, that we'll do everything we can to make you and your friends comfortable."
>Soarin agrees. "We want to work with you, Anon. Not against you. Honestly."
>Joining the Wonderbolts. Gilda's plans are ruined, your friends are moved apart, and you're a weapon for the government.
>Declining their offer. You and your friends are branded criminals. Your lives will forever be ruined and forced to run away.
>You close your eyes and look down at the floor, letting out a long sigh at the futility of it all.
 
>"There's a third option, you know."
>You look up. Everyone at the table is frozen in place. Unmoving, unblinking.
>You turn around, seeing an all-too familiar man at a boothe. A bottle of wine floats there, pouring itself into a glass.
>The thick red liquid sloshes around as he raises it to his lips. "Cheers," Discord invites before drinking.
>He's stopped time around you. You walk over to the booth he sits in and sit across from him.
"Why did you attack the party? You made the Mane-iac, didn't you?"
>"For fun. Using some of your comic book fantasies, I created her to break up the mundanity of that party."
"So you can actually make things different? Change reality?"
>"I can."
"How. Explain everything to me, now."
>"Allow me to do just that," he says. "All around us is what you think is reality. But your definition of reality is bound by rules; limitations like gravity, sound and light. There are realms beyond imagination where these rules do not exist. Or they do, but in altered forms."
"Go on..."
>"Would you like to know the greatest secret to all of existence, Anon?"
"Thrill me."
>"Every person creates reality merely be believing in it. Your modern era and ways of thinking, your culture and science, all of it is based on your species' perception of reality. You're so convinced that things simply are the way they are because you observe them to be. For hundreds of years, your species has been searching for answers and teaching each other these truths. In doing so, you've created a frame of mind where the impossible is just that; impossible."
"I don't understand what you mean."
>"There are realities beyond this one, Anon. But because you have been raised since the day you were born into thinking that fantasy is merely a product of the imagination and cannot be reality, because your species and culture have collectively enforced their will upon you through facts and sciences, your species has lost the ability to make the impossible a reality."
 
"So all I need to do to change reality is simply not believe in it? I think we've tried that before."
>"Like I said, because your species has the spark of sentience but have stopped believing in the impossible by insisting that anything that cannot be proven is false, you can no longer alter reality. This has, however, not stopped your species from creating entire other realities. Each person has fantasies and imagination that culminates in entire dimensions of alternate existences. What you have lost is the power to visit them. To make them real. To merge them with what you think is reality."
>You listen intently, allowing him to continue.
>"Had you ever considered why the early history of your species is riddled with gods? Mythological beings? Monsters, sea serpents, magic and other seemingly impossible things? Things that your modern-day science considers impossible, thus your entire collective culture has labeled them as fantasy? This is because once upon a time, they were real, but as your species thoughts migrated away from the fantastic and focused on the scientific, they started to bleed out of reality. Merely by believing in them no longer, you humans actually erased them from your existence and relegated to the realms of myth and legend."
"There's dozens of major religions in the world with millions of practitioners. Their collective power of belief hasn't made their gods real."
 
>"True, true," Discord says, pouring himself another drink. "And yet, for every believer, there is a non-believer as well, and each believer denies the existence of any other diety other than their own, do they not? Cancelling each other out. And even in those millions of believers, how many of them honestly, truly think it to be true? Or are they merely afraid, seeking answers from books and churchs for their own sake, their own soul, and not because they truly think it all to be real? How many have doubt in their hearts? The answer is enough to keep reality from changing. Your modern culture has killed the gods."
"Then why can you change reality?"
>"Because I don't believe in it," Discord says. "Because I believe only in one thing: chaos. Chaos is, contrary to whatever you may have heard, is not a bad thing. It is a balancing thing. Without it, there could be no order. Chaos drives your species to seek order. Your species built civilization because without it, there would be chaos. Your species forges laws and sciences to control everything they can, to keep chaos at bay."
"You told me you want to destroy the planet."
>"I changed my mind," Discord admits. "You humans are far too interesting to simply wipe out. Do you know how many races in the galaxy end up being boring? You humans, however, your lives are practically defined by chaos. I daresay, I've been searching for a species like yours. Something as wonderful as humanity is to be protected."
"How am I supposed to believe a single word you say?"
>"Because, Anon, I'm the only one who can give you exactly what you want. Freedom. I spoke of how each person creates realities. There's another world. A world you created, Anon, using your imagination. One where you don't need to worry about your identity."
"Why me?"
 
>"Because you were chosen, Anon. The die. Show it to me."
>Tentatively, you hold up your hand and display it, summoning it before his yellow eyes.
>"Consider the die. Its very purpose is chaotic. It is random, and random goes hand-in-hand with chaos. You roll it, each face granting you something new, something reality-altering. Don't you see? It's a tool of chaos, Anon. It has shaken up the pillars of your world. Your entire species has begun to question reality in the face of the sudden appearance of super heroes and villains. It is shattering their perception of what is and is not real. Through it, you have become so much more than human. You've become a vessel for chaos. Do you honestly want to continue living the life you've been given, constrained by the rules of reality? Do you honestly want to allow others, normal humans, to impose their will and rules upon you in an attempt to suppress what your powers may do? They're afraid of you, Anon. Of what you represent. What you have brought to their eyes. They've been perfectly content to allow reality to conform to their ideals. Your appearance has forced them to consider that they're no longer the ones in charge. So they'll do anything in their power to get you under their control, to enforce order on the chaos you represent. Don't let them, Anon. Don't let them beat you. Suppress you. Kill your friendship and make you a tool for them to use. You can be free, Anon, in a world of your making. Your two worlds have existed seperate from each other, but now you can marge them into one."
 
"...What's it like? My world?"
>"Fantastic. Magic. Swords and sorcery. Great beasts and amazing landscapes. Technology and magic merged into one. It's a world of high fantasy, and in it, you are free. In this world, your powers may set you apart, but they do not cause you to stand out. They are far from the most fantastic thing there is. No one would be able to blackmail or force you into doing their dirty work."
"And you can make this happen? All of it?"
>"I can."
"And my friends? What of them?"
>"They'll be there with you, Anon. They'll be a part of your new world just as much as they are in this one. All it takes is your permission to let me make your dreams, your fantasy, your other world a reality. To not resist and accept the chaos of change. Your mind is routed in this reality so much that change, any change, is utterly anathema. If you allow me in, I'll show you how wonderful change can be. Just let me in, Anon."
>You look down to the ground.
>He's offering you a way out. A way out of persecution, of being shackled, of your friends being branded criminals or separated and never allowed to see each other again.
>You think about them, and how much Twilight means to you. You think about Gilda, about the Wonderbolts, about how many others like them would go to great lengths to either stop you or make you work for them.
>How many people would try to hurt or kill your friends to make this happen?
>Just to make your power a tool for their own ends?
>Discord is right. They're afraid of you.
>He can make it so that none of that would happen.
>All you have to do is let him in.
"Do it."
>He smiles.
>"Let's have some fun."
 
>His words ring through your mind as though they were an echo, repeating a few times and growing more and more distant.
>He reaches up and places his hand before your eyes. You stare into his palm, seeing his fingers spread apart.
>Everything else seems to melt away. The restaurant, your friends, the light...
>It all seems to wash away into a blackness. All you can see is him and his hand.
>"Don't fight me anymore, Anon."
>You find yourself unable to move.
>"Not this time. Not anymore."
>There's an itch in the back of your mind. The hair on your neck stands up. Your breathing is growing shorter.
>"Just let me in, Anon."
>His hand is upon your forehead. It is strangely cool to the touch, almost icey. His fingers bury themselves in your hair.
>You feel it, now. A familiar, odd sensation. Something trying to claw its way inside you.
>You felt it that night you were in your home and lost control of your body.
>Discord was trying to force his way inside, but you didn't let him.
>The pain from him trying to find an entry point into your very soul was unimaginable.
>Now, he's trying again. Holding back. Waiting for you to let him in.
>You want the world he promises to bring forth to be a reality.
>You want freedom.
>You gave him your word.
>You let him in.
>Without warning, his grip tightens, and his fingers dig into your skull, penetrating skin.
>They bore into your head, elongating as they reach your brain.
>You scream.
>This is wrong. It wasn't supposed to be like this. It's much, much worse than it was before.
>You fall to your knees, kneeling before him in this dark, negative space you now inhabit.
>Your screams increase as he reaches into your brain, picking at your thoughts.
>They reach deeper, sending your nerves into overdrive. Every single fiber of your being lights up with pain.
 
>Consciousness escapes you as all feeling, perception and thought fail to register.
>He has your mind now. It's his.
>Your thoughts, your feelings, your memories, your hopes and dreams, fears and nightmares, ambitions, faults, failures, insecurities, pride...
>All of it is his now.
>The pain does not cease. Impossibly, it gets even worse.
>Time means nothing to you now; this could have been going on for hours or just a few seconds and you wouldn't have known the difference.
>This is it, isn't it?
>This is death.
>There isn't anything more.
>Wait...
>Something is...
>There's a light behind you. It radiates some kind of warmth.
>Discord's fingers are being pulled out.
>You're being dragged back.
>He's fighting something. Fighting it to keep you.
>He doesn't succeed. Whatever it is, it pulls you away from him.
>His influence slips from you.
>You feel the pain slowly get less and less severe.
>Until you can comprehend the sight of Discord distorting, writhing with fury as you are taken from him.
>You see his eyes. They're red now.
>His form isn't human any more. You see him as something else. You can't quite make out what it is.
>Something animalistic. Primal. Chaotic.
>His red eyes are swallowed by the darkness and you are dragged into the light.
>It's warm, and it gets warmer.
>You feel some kind of divine-like sensation wash over you, healing you.
>Healing your body, your heart and your soul.
>It makes you sleepy.
>You pass out, feeling as though you are atop a warm bed and wrapped in a comfortable blanket of light.
>You don't know or care what has happened.
>Is this heaven? Have you died?
>It doesn't matter.
>It's so warm...
 
>"Anon... Anon! Anon, wake up! Can you hear me? Anon!"
>The voice is muffled, but becomes clear. There's a hand on your face, lightly slapping it, trying to stir you.
>Your eyes open up and are blinded by the light. It takes you a long time to adjust, but your hearing is clear.
>It's Twilight.
>"Anon! You're awake, thank goodness!"
>Now, you hear Applejack. "Get 'im on his feet! Come on now girls, gimme a hand!"
>You feel several hands upon you, grabbing you by the shoulders and lifting you up. Your feet find the ground.
"What... where... how..."
>"Be careful, Anon!" Rarity's voice reaches your ears. "You may need a moment before you can stand on your own.
>You feel hands on your face. You see something purple in your vision. Twilight.
"Twilight... Where are we?"
>Your vision focuses just enough to see her shaking her head. Her eyes are wide and confused.
>"I don't know, Anon. None of us do."
>You look around. All six of the girls are here with you. Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie, Rainbow and, of course, Twilight.
>You're in some kind of white space.
>No discernable features, no ground or terrain, no source of light.
>Just white as far as the eye can see.
>"What is this place?" Pinkie asks, looking around. "It's like there's nothing here! How'd we get here?"
>"Is this you, Anon?" Rainbow asks. "Is this the die?"
"What... What do you girls remember?"
>They all look at each other. "Last I recall, we were all in the restaurant," Twilight says. They all agree.
>Rarity looks around. "Then... white. Nothing but bright, white light. It was blinding, and rather frightening."
>Fluttershy looks at you. "We all came here standing. You were on the floor, unconscious."
"Something... Something brought us here for a reason," you say. "I was just... I was at the table. We were talking to Soarin and Spitfire. Then..." You pause, not certain of how to explain it to the girls. "Then Discord appeared and I spoke to him."
>"Who?" Twilight asks.
 
>"The end of your world, and countless thousands of worlds before it," a voice answers. All of you look around. It does not come from any one direction, but rather seems to reach your ears from all sides.
>"Who's there?" Rainbow demands, holding up her hands. "Show yourself!"
>"I cannot. I am formless, for the sacrifice I have made to escape Discord's power has turned me into something which your eyes cannot see."
Your brow furrows. "Who are you? What are you?"
>"I am the last remnant of a dead race. I am not the last survivor, for I would not refer to what I am now as being alive. I am a bright shadow. A memory. I came here to warn you. And to help you. But I fear I am too late."
>"Warn us about what?" Fluttershy asks. "Please, what's going on?"
>"One of you possesses an item. To you, an alien artifact. To me, one of the last acheivements of my kind."
"You... you're one of the aliens that made the orb? The probe---the object that turned into the die?"
>"I was. I am dead now. We were all killed. Wiped out by Discord."
Your eyes widen. "He... He killed you all? And he's here now, because..."
>"Because he hates us. He hated everything we were. A hate that reaches so deep into his soul that it consumes his every action. The danger your world is in is a direct consequence of it."
"What do you mean by that, exactly?"
>"Ours was a beautiful race. We built monuments across the stars. We tamed the chaos of space, building pillars of order and justice. We forged works of art, music and tomes that rivaled the heavens in beauty. At the height of our power, we had colonized and tamed half of our home galaxy. Many beings lived in peace beneath our benevolent empire. Then, our greatest scientists from thirty different races discovered a way to transcend beyond the mortal form; to become immortal, ageless and formless. Energy."
 
>"That's... amazing..." Twilight says, putting her hand to her lips. "A race so advanced, they finally discovered science to leave their bodies behind..."
>"We unlocked the powers of the mind and it revealed a new level of existence to us. We could alter reality as we saw fit. We discovered the truth. But, for all of our achievements, we made a mistake in doing this. We were not prepared. So advanced were we, so self-assured that this was the next logical step in our empire, we planned on having our entire population transcend into a collective. The idea was terrifying, awesome and, most importantly, possible."
>"Then what happened?" Fluttershy asks.
>"One of our own. A misguided soul. Troubled with burdens we could not understand. Not madness, not as we understood it. But loneliness. He felt alone, isolated. He grew up among our kind, resenting the higher pillars of order and structure that were offered to him. Billions thrived on the worlds under our rule, but he could not. He rejected it. He used the power of his genius, for he was gifted among even our most intelligent minds, to study chaos. He became infatuated with the idea of it. Chaos was unpredictable, uncontrollable, and a constant. He saw our empire and our attempts to control chaos as feeble and set about to prove us and our ways of thinking to be wrong. To this end, he assembled a group of like-minded individuals and seized the power of transcendence and used it for himself, and only himself, leaving his allies behind. Beyond this, he could not be reasoned with. He became something else entirely. He sees himself now as the vessel through which all chaos in the universe flows. He is Discord."
>The voice is silent for a moment. Everything it has said soaks into all of you. You look at each of your friends, seeing the uncertainty and fear in their eyes.
You look up, though there is no form to look at. "And now he wants our world?"
>"He wants you."
"Why me? Because I have the die?"
 
>"Precisely because of that reason. You have one of the last remnants of our empire. We made many preparations before we were going to leave the physical universe. One of them was to send probes to other galaxies. Our long-range studies showed us what worlds had life and which ones did not. We seeded many galaxies with these soul probes, sending them out to travel the void for millennia. They were our love letters to life. These probes were great works of technology, each formed from a willing sacrifice from one of our own. This was considered one of the highest honors; to become a vessel that would remain in physical universe to make contact with new races and help guide them. Their names were to be inscribed in the history tomes for all of eternity. They were to be the last marks we would leave behind us as we left reality behind. Each of them was designed to make contact with a species and give to them a unique gift. Each would be different, based on the mind and imagination of the individual. All that was required was sentience to unlock the gift, though it was also designed to activate in the presence of technology, at which point it would seek out a living soul to bond with."
You nod. "I remember. It gave me knowledge. Brief glimpses of your kind. Then it turned into the die."
>"Discord destroyed us. He made us to see every moment of him tearing down our pillars of order and harmony. Entire worlds burned or were pulled apart. Reality was his toy, and he took perverse pleasure in tormenting us until his work was complete and everything we had ever achieved was gone, except for the probes. He then killed all of us, warping flesh and soul into horrifying new forms, either discarding them or turning them into something so unlike what they were that nothing of the original remained. Much like himself. Then, he began his crusade to obliterate everything that we had left behind."
 
"The probes..."
>"Yes. For uncounted millions of years, he has descended upon planets that the probes have visited. Their civilizations unable to defend themselves. He plays with them, tormenting them in ways that only a mind as horrible and twisted as his own could find amusing or conceive of, and when he has had his fun, they are obliterated and he moves onto the next world."
>Applejack shakes. "This... This is impossible. It can't be. How can we stop somethin' like that? How can we even fight something like that?"
>"Because he is not invincible."
Now, your ears perk up. "Wait, what? He's not? We can kill him? How?"
>"In his mad scramble for power, he used the technology before it was ready. It did not completely transform him. A part of him still exists in the mortal realm, and it can very much be killed. Severing this link between what he was and what he has become would destroy him or banish him from reality, effectively saving the universe from his evil. Because of this link, this anchor to reality, he is forced to have a physical presence that travels from galaxy to galaxy, rather than having complete control of all of reality. If he had, all of existence would most certainly have been wiped out the moment he took control of it. His greatest mistake is his greatest, and only, vulnerability. But his influence reaches far. The closer he comes to your world, the more he can do to it."
>"So he's done something already?" Rarity asks. She looks at you. "Anon? You said you were... speaking to him?"
 
>"He has done more than that, I am afraid. I was too late. Discord chose you because you had one of the gifts we gave to your world, but more than that, he felt your thoughts and feelings from a great distance away and fell in love with them. Every race he visits, he finds something he likes about it. Something about the imagination of beings fascinates him; each presents something he has never seen before. So he takes control of that being from a great distance away, and through them manifests their thoughts and imagination into a second world that merges with the real one. This kills the unfortunate soul he chooses. When Discord is close enough to a world, he can take control of everyone upon it. But as he demonstrated with his desire to gain this power, he is impatient. He desires chaos to visit the world as soon as possible. So he chose you. He found ways to make you lower your defensive walls. And then, he took your mind."
"And... am I dead?"
>"No. I intervened. Discord was only able to complete half of his work."
>The girls look at you. "Anon?" Twilight asks. "Is this true? Did Discord do this to you?"
You grimly nod, realizing the true scope of what you have done. "I did. I let him in."
>"Why?" Fluttershy asks. "What could he have done to make you do this?"
"I... I felt trapped. The Wonderbolts, Gilda, everything closing in on me..."
>"Discord's doing, all of it. He could have done it to anyone, but he wanted it to be you, Anon. Because you were the most interesting to him of all who had gotten one of our probes. Because he wanted it to be you so badly, he took his time, carefully crafting everything that led up to you surrendering your free will to him. He influenced others on your world to create circumstances that would allow you to willingly let him in. Everything was planned, and unfortunately, there was no way you could have stopped his plan from succeeding without knowing what his true goal was. He has done this before, and is good at it."
 
>"Wait, so who are you, exactly?" Pinkie asks. "You said that your race was dead, right? And you are too? How did you save Anon? How are you here now, and how are you speaking to us?"
>"In life, before Discord, I was not an individual. I was six. We were once scientists on the project that led to the transcendence technology. When Discord ascended, we knew what was coming. Our only hope for survival, though I loath to use such a term, was a prototype of the technology that was to allow our race to transcend reality. What it has done is force us into one single entity, a living purgatory of our minds melded together. We drift across the universe, following in Discord's wake, unable to alter realty nearly as much as he can. His power is vastly greater than our own. But in this fight, unlike all other worlds he has conquered, we have an advantage this time. I have arrived before him, but not before he could get through to Anon. I stopped Discord's possession of Anon, severing the connection. As Discord grows closer, he may be able to re-establish a link, but because he is not all-powerful, we have bought you time. Time to do what we and countless other races in the universe could not: kill Discord."
>You have listened to every word this being has told you. Everything has made you feel horrible about what you have allowed him to do, but with those last few words, hope returns to you. You push your regret aside and clench your fists.
"If we have a chance, we have to take it. I'm not going to be responsible for the death of my world. How do we do it?"
>"As I said, Discord's work was only half complete. The merging of the two worlds isn't completed. Fragments of reality and fantasy have merged into one whole. To spare you and your friends, we have brought you here. If we had not, you and your friends would be lost to Discord's reality-altering power, for they feature heavily in your thoughts and imagination. But we cannot win from here, and neither can you."
 
>Twilight speaks, "Wait, what do you mean by that? We feature in his thoughts? We would have died from Discord taking Anon's imagination and making it real?"
>"Not died, but you would have been changed into something else to fit the world of Anon's fantasies. Your memories would have also changed to reflect it, as if you had always lived there and life had always been this way. It is what has happened to half of your world. When we return you to it, you will see these changes. People you know will be different, but in many ways the same. They will have adjusted to this new world, honestly believing that the fantastic is the normal and having no knowledge of what the world was like before. But those who were unaffected by Discord's power, the half of the world that escaped his grasp, will know about the change; they just won't know what to make of it."
"So we have to go back? Once there, how do we kill Discord? How can we fight something like him? You said that a part of him remains, but if he gets too close to Earth, we'll all be taken over anyway and his work will be complete, won't it?"
>"That is correct. His power is not perfect, and neither is the mind that controls it. As much as he likes to think himself invincible and a manifestation of pure chaos, he is still a victim to his own mind, which is very much mortal, and therefore imperfect. We have observed him destroy millions of worlds, and in doing so we have seen a pattern emerge from his chaos. And any pattern can be exploited to discover a weakness, a way around. We now know what can stop him."
>"Then tell us!" Applejack pleads. "We need to know so we can put a stop to all of this from happening!"
 
 
"So, we destroy these six agents, which reverses their element into something that brings order instead of chaos. Then what?"
>"Upon assembling all six elements of harmony, you will find yourself immune to Discord's power. You can take the fight to him, to his very core, and slay him once and for all. But be warned: he will try to stop this at all costs. Every single trick he has ever used throughout the millennia will be thrown against you, and he will grow more desperate the more you succeed. But if you can find the elements of disharmony when they form and turn them into the elements of harmony, you will defeat him. You must. For if you fail, then there is no hope, and Discord's destruction of your world will be complete, and I fear it will be untold millennia before we get another chance such as this to kill him. He will do to your world and your kind what he did to ours: wipe them out of existence and make it as if they had never existed at all. Do not listen to his lies. Do not take his promises. He seeks only your death, and the death of everyone and everything you have ever known or loved. You must rely on each other to be strong."
You look at the others. "I can do this. But I fear that my friends will be helpless against Discord and his agents. I'm the only one among us with power."
>"No. There is something else I can do. Fate has given us another option, further proof that this is the time for Discord's death. I can sacrifice myself one final time to bring about similar powers for your friends. Six souls were merged in my creation, and thus six items can I bestow upon your friends."
Your eyes widen. "This... this would kill you?"
>"We died long ago."
"But this would destroy what remains?"
>"It would."
"Then you would never get another chance to help another world if we fail!"
>"Then you simply must not fail."
"You... you would trust us? Trust that we can do this?"
 
>"We have watched countless worlds fall to the chaos that is Discord. We have seen civilizations and life so beautiful snuffed out, tortured and cast aside, left to rot in the endless expanse of space. This has been our punishment, our torment for failing to stop Discord. We have waited through all of this death, this turmoil, seeking a chance to strike back, to make what is wrong, right again. You are this chance. No other time have we managed to precede Discord's arrival and prepare the world for what is to come. We feared that when he took you, it was already too late. But it isn't. I will gladly give up what we are to give you a greater chance to succeed. We place upon you the hopes and dreams for retribution of the uncountable dead souls that Discord has left in his wake."
>All of you are left breathless as the weight of this responsibility falls upon you. You all look at each other, finding resolve in each other's faces. Twilight takes hold of your hand. Pinkie takes Fluttershy's and Rainbow's, who takes Applejack's. Rarity takes hold of Twilight and Applejack's free hands. You take Fluttershy's.
>"Can we do this?" Fluttershy asks.
>"It's not a question of 'can we.' We have to," Applejack says.
>"I believe in us, girls," Pinkie says. "We can do it!"
>Rainbow excitedly nods and agrees. "Yeah! If this... guy... thing... says we have a chance, then let's take it!"
>"We have to do everything to stop this from happening to Earth!" Rarity replies. "It's not just our lives on the line. Our families, our home, everything..."
>"Then we have to make sure that we do it and we do it right," Twilight says. "If this entity is going to give its life to give us the power to make it happen, we have to make sure that we are worthy of its trust."
"It's the last remnants of the empire that Discord first destroyed. It's only fitting that it saves us and gives us the chance to avenge it."
>You look up.
 
>"I never thought this chance would come. Now that it has, we are more than ready to leave this purgatory. For so long we have despaired as we followed Discord, hoping against hope to find a way to strike back against him. This is our chance, and yours. This is the last hope of the universe to spare it of his evil. We will place you back on your world, bestowing upon you six new gifts. Much like the probes, they will each be unique to the individual. Together, you will have a chance to defeat the elements of disharmony when they manifest. But only a chance. Remember that."
"We won't fail," you promise.
>"We know. It is for this reason that we put all of our faith into you. When we send you back and end our form to grant you your power, we will have given you everything and the last living shadows of our former empire will be gone. But through you and your defeat of Discord, we will live on. The time for words is over. We have only this to say: thank you. We go to the next plane of existence willingly and leave the universe in your hands. Good luck."
>The voice is gone. You find yourself falling as the white ground beneath your feet gives way. You hold onto the hands of your friends tightly.
>The words of the voice, the entity, ring in your mind.
>You know your purpose now.
>Though you faltered before and let Discord in, you will not allow it to happen a second time.
>You have the chance to do so much more than save people from a burning building or stop a robbery.
>This is about saving the universe.
>You're ready.
>You remember Discord's last words that he spoke to you.
>'Let's have some fun.'
>Alright, Discord.
>Let's have some fun indeed.
 
>You're falling.
>Oh, shit, you're actually falling!
>The white space bleeds away from you and the seven of you are still holding hands.
>Down below, rolling green lands. Hills, forests; unrecognizable terrain. A strange, new world.
>You don't have much time to consider this, since you're falling to your death and all.
>The girls realize it too. Some of them scream. Fluttershy tries to let go, but you hold onto her.
"Hold on, girls! Just keep holding on!" you try to calm them.
>Their eyes all grow wide as they look down. Fluttershy screams harder, as does Rarity.
>"I think we're about to go splat, girls!" Pinkie shouts.
>"Shut up!" Rainbow says. She looks at you. "Anon! Get us out of here!"
>The last thing you rolled was electrokinesis. It would only hurt the girls to activate it; and you don't know if it lets you fly.
>You can't exactly roll the die here, either.
>It's impossible to tell how close to the ground you are. The rushing wind and the screams causes a panic in you as you desperately search for a way out of this situation.
>You didn't expect the entity to literally drop you on this new world. You try your hardest to stay calm.
>Then, before Rainbow, a bolt of lightning strikes. It's not your doing. It persists, and takes a solid form, revealing itself to be a sword.
>The artifacts that the alien entity, the six souls merged into one, spoke of!
"Grab it!" you shout.
>Rainbow lets go of Pinkie with her right hand and reaches out for the sword, grasping its handle.
>Electricity shoots down the blade, coiling itself up her arm and quickly encasing her entire body. When it disperses, she is wearing plated armor.
>From her back unfolds a large pair of cyan-colored angelic wings!
>"Rainbow! You have wings!" Twilight shouts. All of the girls are amazed.
>"I do?" she says, looking back. "Holy shit, I do!"
>She gives an experimental flap and immediately slows in her descent.
 
>This causes a chain reaction as she pulls Applejack up with her. The cowgirls holds tightly onto Rainbow and Rarity's hands. Rarity, in turn, keeps a firm grasp on Twilight, and her on you, and you on Fluttershy, and finally her on Pinkie.
>Rainbow flaps her wings as hard as she can. It's not good enough to slow you all down---you're simply too heavy.
>She struggles as she holds Applejack with her left hand. "I... I think I'm slipping! No!" She grits her teeth and pulls as hard as she can, but it isn't enough to hold up six people.
>Applejack's hand slides out of Rainbow's grip and the six of you are falling and screaming again.
>Applejack's free hand is still reaching out to Rainbow, but is suddenly filled with a bright light. The second alien artifact!
>It elongates into a winding, rope-like shape. When the light is gone, a golden rope remains!
>Hundreds of golden threads are woven together, making the rope glint in the bright sun overhead.
>As if by some kind of mental command, the rope reaches up to Rainbow, who had quickly gone into a nose-dive to catch her friends.
>It reaches her and wraps around her waist. The other hand wraps around Applejack's.
>Rainbow sees this and knows she doesn't have time to question it. She pulls up and starts flapping her wings again.
>But like before, it simply isn't enough to lift all of you up.
You shout up at Rarity. "Rarity! You need to let go of Applejack!"
>"Are you MAD?" she screams back at you.
"It's the only way Rainbow can pull her to safety! You have to let go!"
>Tears swell up in Rarity's eyes, which run up her face due to the wind.
>You're not far from the ground now. You try not to look down again.
>Rarity lets go, and Applejack and Rainbow quickly grow distant as the blue wings on her back carry them both upwards.
>Rarity screams. You can't really blame her.
 
 
>Then, two beams of light shoot from the sky, wrapping themselves around her wrists.
>They take solid form into a pair of matching bracelets comprised of amethyst gems.
>She doesn't seem to have noticed. Her eyes are tightly shut as she screams.
>They begin to glow with a vibrant purple aura.
>Then, suddenly, all of you stop falling.
>You are all suspended in the air in an aura of the same color as her bracelets.
>She's saved all of you!
>Twilight looks up around at the purple forcefield surrounding each of you. "Rarity!" she shouts, stopping the girl's screams.
>"What? What happened?" She looks down at you all and gasps. "How---"
>Then, the aura vanishes and you all fall again. She screams start up.
You shout, "Rarity! It's you! Whatever you just did, do it again!"
>She does so, though perhaps not of her own understanding.
>You all stop again, surrounded by the same energy field.
>Rarity's eyes slowly open. "Is... is this me?"
"Yes! It is! Don't take it away!" You steal a look down at the ground. You estimate that there's about four stories left.
>Not a moment too soon.
>"Can you move us?" Pinkie asks from below Fluttershy.
>Slowly, the five of you are lowered to the ground. Applejack and Rainbow Dash soar down towards you.
>"Holy cow, are ya'll alright?!?" Applejack asks, setting her feet on solid earth as Rainbow lowers her.
>In order from bottom to top, all of you reach the ground.
>Pinkie falls to her knees and kisses the dirt and grass. "Oh, I thought I'd never stand on you again!" she tells the ground.
>Rarity deactivates the aura around everyone and looks at her bracelets. "Oh, my... what are these?"
"Your artifact," you explain. "The gift from the aliens who saved us!"
 
>Then, as if on cue, another manifestation.
>From the ground below her feet rises a beam of white light in front of Fluttershy. She nearly falls back by the surprising happening.
>It takes the form of a staff. More like a branch, with how natural and earthen it looks, with small vines, leaves and flowers on it.
>All of your eyes widen.
>Rainbow, hovering above with her wings, urges her to take hold of it.
>Tentatively, she reaches out and touches it.
>Almost immediately, her blue eyes widen and her mouth opens to say, "Oh, my..."
>Her garb changes slightly. Flowers and vines appear upon her clothing and in her hair. She closes her eyes and starts to breathe deeply.
>"This... this is incredible!" she says, holding the staff high. "I can feel... I can feel the earth! The wind, the skies..."
>Her eyes open and she looks at the rest of you. "It's amazing..." she gasps.
"What is it? What do you feel like?" you ask. "I remember that my die bonded itself to me, taught me things. Knowledge instantly gained. What has this staff shown you?"
>Fluttershy smiles. "It's nature... I can feel the trees. The grass. The animals in those woods," she says, looking to a forest nearby. "I can hear them... they're talking! The birds are singing! It's so wonderful!"
"A druid..."
>Rarity holds up her hands and focuses. A small cube of purple light appears in front of her.
>All of you look at it.
"What about you, Rarity? What can you do?"
>"I... It's so strange, but somehow I know what these do," she says. You nod and urge her to continue. "Anything I think of can be real, a..."
"A construct," you finish for her. "Your thoughts can make shapes, like the Lantern corps."
>"Yes, yes!" she says with a smile. She looks at the ground near you and points one of her hands at it.
 
>Her bracelets glow and there is formed a large, king-sized royal bed made of purple light. She squeels and hops onto it. "It's so soft!" she says, burying herself in the pillows and blankets. "It's so impossibly, wonderfully soft!"
>Twilight and Pinkie walk over and experimentally touch it. "She's right!" Pinkie says, jumping onto it. "It's so cool!"
>"Don't ruin my bed!" Rarity protests.
>"Who cares! You can make more!" Pinkie says with a smile.
>Applejack holds up her end of the lasso and mentally commands it to untie itself from her waist. Like a snake, the object moves and undoes itself from its knot.
You look up at Rainbow, seeing her armor, sword and wings. "A winged knight..."
>Rainbow wipes her hand across her head. "I'm just glad you're all safe. Especially you, AJ, seeing how I love you and all."
>All of you stop and look up at her. Her face immediately flushes with a bright red color.
>"Wait, I totally meant to say that! I've always wanted to say it but I've been too afraid of how it might make you feel and I'm cripplingly afraid of being rejected and I also am very attracted to women in general and I DON'T want to be saying all of this! Why am I saying all of this?!" she starts to panic.
>You look at the lasso tied around her waist.
"AJ! The lasso! Undo it!"
>Applejack does just that, commanding it to release itself. It falls from the winged girl and coils itself back into the cowgirl's hand.
>Rainbow slams her left hand onto her mouth and is still blushing madly.
>Applejack looks at the lasso, then tilts her hat up and looks at Dash. She's blushing a bit, too.
>"Um... Ah 'spose that this here lasso makes people tell the truth..."
You walk up to her. "And you can control it with your thoughts, can't you?" She nods. "A mind-controlled lasso of truth." You look up into her green eyes and mutter, "A champion of honesty..."
>All of you look back up at Rainbow, who seems like she could just die.
 
>She lands next to AJ and puts her hands up. "I was, uh, hehe, just kidding!"
>AJ cocks a brow. "Lasso of truth, darlin'. Don't think that it allows kidding."
>Rainbow is at an utter loss for words.
>Suddenly, Pinkie pie starts strumming on a lute and singing, "AJ and Dashie, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G! Dashie pines from afar, having no guts to go, wanting a kiss but afraid to let her know! Yeah!"
>You're all surprised, but Twilight is the first to ask, "Pinkie! Where did you get that?"
>"I dunno! I just suddenly was holding it and knew how to play it!" She strums a few more tunes out.
"It must be her artifact," you say. "How else could she have gotten it?"
>Pinkie pouts. "Laaaaame. If I was going to have an instrument, why couldn't it have been a trumpet? Or a tambourine!"
>The lute in her hands flashes and is replaced by a tambourine. Pinkie gasps with joy. "Holy hotdog on a bun, Batman!"
>She shakes it a few times with a smile. "It works!"
>"But what does it do?" Fluttershy asks, curiously looking at it.
>Pinkie smiles. "It affects emotion! I can play a song and make everyone happy! Or angry, or sad, or inspired, or lazy!"
"A bard..."
>"So, wait, what about me?" Twilight asks. "Wasn't I supposed to---"
 
>All of you jump as a final bolt strikes the ground in front of her. When the smoke clears, a book remains.
>Twilight's eyes widen. "A book... I wonder what's inside!"
>She quickly reaches down and takes hold of it, lifting it up and brushing dirt and dust off of its cover. It's binding is thick and colored a deep shade of violet. There's a symbol upon it, depicting a purple six-pointed star with other, smaller points of light around it.
>She opens it and is immediately consumed by the power within.
>All of you step back as her eyes turn a pure white and the arcane knowledge written in some strange, alien language transcribes itself into her brain.
>She lifts off the ground, hovering as the white light envelops her further.
>All of you avert your eyes from the brightness. When it fades, Twilight is there, wearing robes and holding a wizard's staff in one hand and the book in the other.
>"Twilight?" AJ asks. "Are you okay?"
>She smiles. "Better than okay, I'm great!" She holds up the book. "This is the most amazing book I've ever seen! It has magic spells, rituals, knowledge... My brain is burning just trying to process it all!"
"A mage..."
 
 
>"This is downright amazin'!" Applejack says, holding up her lasso. "I feel stronger, too!" She looks at a nearby tree.
>It's an apple tree.
>Without warning, she charges at it and delivers a flying kick. As in, a literal flying kick! She flies ten feet straight at it, hitting it so hard that every single apple falls!
>The tree is also broken in half.
>"You can fly too?" Dash asks.
>"No... just jump real good," AJ says with a smile and a tilt of her hat.
>"Applejack, you mustn't hurt the trees!" Fluttershy says, running over to it.
>"Aw, come on now, it's just a tree."
>"There's no such thing as 'just' a tree!" Fluttershy protests. She holds her staff over the ruined tree and focuses.
>To all of your amazed eyes, the tree starts mending itself back together! Shattered bark and branches return and in moments, the tree is back.
>Fluttershy sighs and hugs the tree. "There you go, that's a good tree, yes, I know it hurt, it's okay, she won't do it again..."
>Applejack takes off her hat to scratch her head. "Wow, Fluttershy. That's a whole new level of tree-huggin' right there."
>"Girls!" Twilight says, opening her book. "We need to get our bearings and figure out where we are! We have a quest, remember?"
"She's right," you agree. "Discord has changed the world. Look around; I don't recognize any of this."
>All around you are beautiful hills, plains, fields and forests. In the far-off distance, a large mountain range looms, dominating the horizon.
 
>"It's beautiful..." Rarity admires the view.
>"Anon... that thing we spoke to... It said that you made all of this?" Fluttershy asks.
"I didn't make it... I imagined it. Discord is the one who made it a reality. It's like something out of Tolkien..."
>Twilight nods. "It's definitely a fantastic landscape. But where do we start?"
>"Over there!" Pinkie says.
>All of you follow her outstretched arm.
>In the distance, a massive mountain stands alone. Upon its side is... a city, built right onto the western side of the mountain. Its massive towers rise above the many buildings at their bases.
>"That seems like a good place to start to me," Rainbow says. She looks at Applejack and their gazes meet, causing Rainbow to immediately avert her eyes in embarrassment.
"That seems like our best bet. Let's go."
>"Wait!" Pinkie says. "Anon, your die! You should roll it! I mean, Dash can fly but she can't carry all of us!"
>"I might be able to," Rarity says, looking at her bracelets.
"Never hurts to try," you say, summoning the die. You look around. "I need a, uh, flat surface to roll it on."
>Rarity holds up a hand and conjures a perfectly flat table in front of you. It's very nice---were it not made out of purple light, you'd suspect some kind of master craftsman had built it, with its wavey trimming and the shape of its legs.
>Rarity's got a pretty sophisticated imagination.
>You hold the die over the table and roll it.
 
>The die rolls on the surface Rarity has generated.
>It lands on 10---phasing.
>You last had this power when you fought Sunset Shimmer and Flash Sentry for the first time.
>"Anything useful?" Twilight inquires.
"Possibly. Nothing that will get us there any more quickly than walking."
>Then, something hits you. You remember your wrist console.
>Robbie!
>You check it, searching for signs that your transformer is still alive.
>You aren't receiving a signal. There's no satellite coverage. At all.
>Did Discord get rid of all satellites? Or can you simply not connect to one from this location?
>In either case, your tracking device isn't picking Robbie up anywhere. Your attempts to reach him similarly fail.
>"Should I try levitating us there?" Rarity suggests when she sees that your console doesn't work.
"Maybe we should keep a low profile," you offer. "We're still not exactly sure where we are, or what attention it might bring."
>"Yeah, like my wings are so subtle," Rainbow says, rolling her eyes.
>"I have something for that," Fluttershy speaks up. She holds aloft her staff and closes her eyes, muttering some sort of incantation.
>She whirls it around softly before sticking the head into the ground.
>The six of you see a faint shimmer surround you all before the strange effect fades.
>"It's a spell of nature walking," she explains. "It won't make us be seen from a distance, and we won't leave tracks behind us. We need to keep a low profile."
>"Perfect, then," Twilight says, pointing towards a forest. "We'll move through there."
>The seven of you continue onwards for some time. After entering the forest, you stay in a tight group.
>It's thick with trees and wild animals. Rabbits, squirrels and other familiar creatures skitter from your path---and a few unfamiliar ones, too.
>Rainbow Dash lingers behind a bit. Her new wings are folded up against her back, and she's keeping up with the group.
 
 
>But it's clear she's avoiding Applejack. Both seem unsure of what to make of her recent accidental outburst brought about by AJ's lasso of truth.
>As you move into a clearing, you are halted by the sound of a deep, strange growl.
>A creature moves to stand from a small river. It's massive, much larger than a man. Its body is thick with brown fur, and its arms are covered in feathers.
>Where the head of a bear would be, there is instead the head of an owl. Its arms end in paws tipped with talons.
>It sets large eyes upon you and lets loose a warning sound that is an odd combination between a roar and a hoot.
>You and the girls stand your ground, slowly inching around the clearing, never breaking eye contact. They seem to be ready to defend themselves.
>"What is that ghastly thing?" Rarity asks.
>"It's a bearowl!" Pinkie says.
"Owlbear," you correct her. "Dangerous."
>It's amazing. You never imagined seeing a real, actual animal from your monster manuals. Your mind is nearly overwhelmed with a kind of childlike wonder as you take in the sight of the beast.
>It doesn't seem to be as impressed. It claws in your direction menacingly.
>Fluttershy steps in front of you. "I think I can tame it," she says with a bit of determination. "Um... I hope..."
>"Careful, Fluttershy!" Twilight says, holding up her staff. It glows with a purple aura. "We'll be ready to jump in to help!"
>"Don't stand threateningly," she advises. "Everyone, get down on one knee and bow your heads." She holds up her staff as she makes eye contact with the owlbear.
>"Are you NUTS?" Rainbow asks. Her wings spread a little as she says, "You expect me to get on the ground in front of that thing?"
"Trust her," you say, getting down on one knee. Twilight follows, as do the others, with Rainbow being the last.
 
>Fluttershy approaches slowly. She stays in a low, non-dominant position, holding her staff in front of her and parallel to the ground.
>The owlbear roars again, startling you all. "It's okay," she says, though you aren't sure to whom she is speaking, you or the animal.
>It seems curious about her. She gets nearer and lowers its head, its bright yellow eyes closing a bit.
>"There's a good owlbear... yes, who's a good girl..."
>"Girl?" Applejack asks.
>The druid nods. "She's not a momma yet. Just a little wary of strangers, that's all." She places her hand on the owl-like head, scratching it softly.
>She looks back at the rest of you with a smile. "You can come closer now."
>Carefully, you all make your way over to the creature. Though it is dangerous, a powerful curiosity overtakes you and causes you to reach out and pet its head.
>You make contact with a fictional creation of your mind, inspired by countless books and other things.
>It's amazing. Though you've had your powers for months and now the girls have their own, this owlbear, this physical being and its soft feathers and fur, is what proves it to you.
>You're in a second world.
>"Anon?" Twilight snaps you out of your stupor.
"Hm? Sorry, what?"
>"I said: we should get going, yeah?"
You nod. "Right. Of course."
>To all of your surprise, Fluttershy hops up and straddles the owlbear's back, riding it like one would a horse.
>"Um, Shy? You sure that's a good idea?" Rainbow asks.
>"She doesn't mind, do you?" Fluttershy asks, scratching the animal at the base of its neck.
>It shakes its head quickly, like an owl would.
 
 
>Fluttershy seems to be adapting to her new powers quickly. Like she's always been meant for them.
>Now, your group is eight strong, with Fluttershy riding the massive and intimidating animal.
>"She knows a path," she tells the rest of you. "She says that people like us sometimes walk on it. It isn't far."
>"You can talk to the bearowl?" Pinkie asks. "What's it sound like? Hoots?"
>"It's more like I just understand its thoughts," Fluttershy says, leaning down to hug the beast. It coos slightly and playfully nips at her hand.
"Amazing," you say, still mezmerized and touching its side.
>Another half hour or so follows before you come upon the path. A road of dirt, stomped out by feet and wagon wheels.
>Here, Fluttershy parts with the owlbear, giving it a small kiss on its beak before sending it off into the woods.
>"Such a wonderful animal," Fluttershy says as she waves it off.
>Applejack steps onto the road. "Well, which way from here?"
>Rainbow takes center stage. "Let me fly up and see!"
>Before you can halt her, she spreads her wings and takes off, flying straight up. After a moment, she comes back down, hovering a few feet above the ground.
>"The path curves towards that big city about a mile in that direction," she says, pointing one way. "But there's something else. A wagon, or something, coming towards us, headed in the same way."
You squint. "Look dangerous?"
>She shrugs. "I dunno."
"Let's play it safe and move off to the side. I'll stay here and let them make the first move."
>Everyone nods and hides themselves in the surrounding area. Fluttershy aides this by casting a spell of overgrowth, making the foliage around everyone more dense and concealing.
>You wait in the middle of the road and see the wagon approaching.
>It's being pulled by a single, powerful-looking horse. The cart has barrels, perhaps about eight or nine, and a single man wearing a hood to shield his eyes from the sun.
>He sees you and stops.
 
>"So is this a robbery, then?" he asks in a familiar voice.
"You tell me," you say, approaching.
>The man stands, reaching behind his head and taking off his hood. He's a mountain of a man, but you already knew that: it's Big Macintosh, Applejack's brother!
"Big Mac?" you ask. There's a sudden rustling as Applejack emerges.
>"Macintosh!" she says, running up to the wagon. Everyone else emerges and follows her along with yourself.
>"Sis?" he hops off the wagon, pulling her into a big hug. "There you are! We've been lookin' all over creation for ya."
>"You have?" she asks, pulling away. "You mean you an'... Apple Bloom an' Granny Smith, right?"
>"'Course Ah do! Who else? You've been gone for about a month now. We all just figured that you were out on another adventure and have been waitin' for you to come home!"
>Applejack looks at you with a raised brow.
"Don't look at me, I have no idea," you honestly reply.
>Big Mac continues, unaware of the greater goings-on in the conversation. "Ah was just headed into town to drop off apples 'n cider. Collect the monthly gold."
>Slowly, AJ nods. "Riiight... Mind if we tag along?"
>"Nope! Climb on into the back!"
>At his invitation, your party sits in the back, save for Rainbow Dash, who remains flying with her wings.
>AJ sits next to her brother and tries to piece together information about the world without seeming too suspicious.
>"So... How's the farm doin'?" she asks.
>"It's been good. Trees are strong. Ain't had no trouble from any monsters or critters or thieves lately."
>"Yeah... Sounds good."
>"Ah'm sure the city will be happy to hear that you're back. Maybe a big feast! Should be mighty excitin'."
 
>You listen carefully to his words. He doesn't speak very differently from when you knew him---then again, you hardly ever knew Big Mac, which is probably why you didn't recognize each other right away.
>You remember the words of the alien entity---that people from your past life would fit into this new world as though it had always been this way.
>He spoke of monsters. You've already seen an owlbear. What else might there be? Goblins? Driders? Giants? Dragons?
>There's perhaps an endless world of opportunity to explore here, but you stop yourself from becoming caught up in it.
>There's a reason that it's here, and there's a reason you're here.
>Discord must be stopped. You cannot forget that. Every second, he grows closer to Earth.
>His eyes burn in your memory for a moment.
>When the elements of disharmony manifest, you need to find them and destroy them.
>So, what until then? The waiting game?
>You look at the girls. Twilight is buried in her new arcane tome. She's flipping through the pages of her large spellbook, learning rituals and incantations that were impossible before.
>Applejack is inspecting her golden lasso, and Rarity her bracelets. Fluttershy seems to simply be enjoying the view, but her staff is hugged closely to her chest.
>Pinkie has turned her item into a small pan flute and is softly playing a tune. You didn't realize it at first, but it's making you all relax.
>Rainbow is still holding her sword in hand and flying with her wings. It's a beautiful thing---she always wanted to fly.
>These items have unlocked truths within themselves, allowing more of their dreams to become a reality.
 
>You summon the die and look at it.
>A soul, an alien soul, was willingly sacrificed to create this. You wonder who he, she or it was, what kind of individual they were.
>Your die, and the other items your friends now carry, represent so much more than super-powered upgrades.
>They're some of the last artifacts of a race, an empire, in dire need of avenging.
>But what's more, you contemplate what the die means for yourself.
>You are a Dungeon Master. You have been for a very long time.
>It's consumed your life, even before you received the die.
>Through the die, you gained things you never knew: larger social status, money, power.
>And trouble. Lots and lots of trouble.
>But has it made you a better person, or worse?
>The world you are now in is forged by your own imagination, because you allowed Discord to trick you.
>Is what that strange alien god of chaos said true? Is your die a tool of chaos? Are you still his pawn?
>You banish the die.
>These thoughts are worrying. You need to focus on the positive.
>With that, you slowly drift off into a disturbed slumber.
 
>"Anon! We're here!"
>Twilight's voice. She's shaking your shoulder slightly.
>Around you, people are shouting and cheering. You can even hear applause.
>Overhead, large airships soar, resembling strange steampunk-like dirigibles.
>You poke your head out of the cart.
>Around you, civilians straight out of the Forgotten Realms are cheering the cart on. Specifically, you.
>Humans. Elves. Dwarves.
>Even goddamned halflings.
>You're driving through some kind of marketplace. Up ahead, the massive gates of a magnificent city loom.
>Spires rise from the city, which itself is built onto the side of a mountain. Its architecture is surprisingly complex---almost a fusion of past and future themes.
>Airships fill the skies. Some look commercial, others look privately owned. Some, however, have a distinct military theme to them.
>The streets are filled with banners and imagery. Bright orange tapestries depicting a sun and dark blue ones displaying a white crescent moon.
>This amazing city welcomes you. Its people pour out to welcome you.
>Recognizing your dual identities.
>You are hailed as the Dungeon Master, though you wear no disguise.
>Among the crowd, merchants, farmers, nobles, and guards, all wearing psuedo-medieval garb but with familiar, modern themes welcome you. The guards and nobles become more frequent as you are led down the streets of the city.
>The procession seems like it threatens to spill over into a full-on parade.
>You marvel at the strange world before you. In your mind, you harken back to the imagery of Eberron---a world dominated by unique combinations of magic and steampunk technology.
>Trains powered by bound elementals. Airships using strange crystals to generate lift. Enchanted arms and armor worn by guards. Magnificent flowing robes and garments.
>It's the most amazing thing you've ever seen in your life. And in the back of your mind, you are reminded that you created this.
 
>How could something so magestic be the product of chaos? Something so vibrant, beautiful and alive?
>Pinkie hops off the wagon and turns her instrument into a lyre and starts strumming it, feeding off the energy of the people, giving them energy in return with her musical magic.
>Rainbow soars overhead, buzzing the rooftops of buildings and wowing the crowd. Applejack and Rarity find themselves waving to the crowd. You, Twilight and Fluttershy are all equally cowed by this kind of attention.
>Twilight turn to you. "They know you. They know us!"
"Just play along," you advise. "It's all we can do."
>Your cart continues past the point where Big Mac would have stopped. He's taking you to the central palace; a grand structure with ivory towers, ornate stained glass windows and grand flags flying in the breeze.
>A crowd has formed in front of the castle, and their cheers only grow louder as you pile out. Rainbow lands alongside you and Big Mac urges you to proceed up the steps.
>Atop this massive entrance staircase appears two figures, flanked by guards on both sides.
>Your jaw drops, as do your friends.
>Celestia and Luna.
>Celestia, tall and radiant, wears a beautiful white robe. Luna, conversely, dresses in a dark, military-like garb, with a sword belted at her hip. Both wear crowns, one of gold with a sun emblem and the other a lustrous black metal with bearing the mark of a moon.
>A trumpet sounds, calming the crowd. A man steps forth and announces them as "Their majesties, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna!"
>After the cheers die down yet again at the beckoning of Celestia's hand, she speaks to them, her powerful yet soothing voice amplified by some unknown means to reach the ears of even the furthest civilian in the square.
>"My subjects, Anonymous, the Dungeon Master, and his loyal companions have returned! They are to be celebrated tonight with a grand, royal feast!"
 
>At this, the crowd erupts into joy. It takes several minutes for them to calm down before Celestia can speak again.
>"It is certainly no coincidence that our greatest heroes would return to us on the day that the envoys from the Crystal Empire, the Griffon Kingdoms and the Draconic Dominion join us to discuss the treaty of a unified, glorious nation."
>Then, alongside the two apparent princesses, four figures appear, each flanked by their own guards.
>Perhaps the most startling is that two of them are Princess Cadence and Shining Armor, wearing plate mail.
>They are introduced as "Princess Mi Amore Cadenza and her husband-to-be, Sir Shining Armor, Captain of the Canterlot Royal Guard and leader of the Crystal Paladins.
>You don't know what those are, but that sounds like an impressive resume.
>The third figure is a griffon. She spreads her wings out and wears steel plating upon her chest. She is flanked by two others of her kind. "Ambassador to the Griffon Kingdoms, Gilda!"
>Gilda?! She's a griffon?!
>Your eyes narrow. You remember her human counterpart and her attempts at bribery.
>What manner of being is this new griffon form that she takes?
 
>But finally, your eyes come to see perhaps the most startling figure, one that even you would think twice about messing with. Dominating everyone in height and surely body mass is a dragon-like man, with bulging muscles and purple and green scales that catch the light. He is dressed in the unmistakable garb of a warrior, with a large red cape, shards of armor including massive pauldrons and an adult dragon skull strapped to his upper left arm. Scars cover his body from who knows how many past battles.
>He is known as Spike, a dragonborn representative of the Draconic Dominion.
>He huffs, and a bit of green fire escapes his mouth, turning into black smoke that disappates in the wind.
>His steed is next to him; a massive drake of some kind, with black scales. It resembles a horse, though lizard in form. It has no wings, but the head, tail and claws of a dragon. Its red eyes scan the crowd, looking hungry and fearsome.
>These three groups of representatives tell you much about this world, and the cultures that are in play here, though you desire to know more.
 
>Your curiosity about them will have to wait. Celestia announces one last final thing, that she has news to be revealed at the feast tonight. The cooks of Canterlot will have to work hard, for the entire city is to be joined in revelry this evening.
>Applejack leans over. "So... there's a dragon-man up there..."
>Twilight adds, "And my brother! And Cadence! Did they say something about a Crystal Empire?"
>"And Gilda!" Rainbow says. "How is she a... a... whatever that is that she is?"
"I don't know," you reply to each of them. "I didn't directly imagine any of this, it's just... it's just all familiar. The pieces are from my imagination but I didn't put them together, you understand? Everything is just as new to you as it is to me."
>Celestia beckons you all up the stairs, though her beautiful eyes are focused upon you, and you alone.
>In the recesses of your mind, you think about your past relationship with Celestia, and wonder if there are any parallels to this new ruler of a nation.
>That'd be pretty damned hot.
>You shake your head. Focus.
>As you all near the two princesses, you take the initiative and kneel, with the others following.
>The radiant woman steps down to greet you. "Rise, Dungeon Master, our most stalwart defender. You are one of the guests of honor tonight! You must regale us with tales of your latest adventure."
"Uh, of course!" you say, getting into character. "'Twas a grand quest indeed!"
>She smiles. She looks at Twilight. "Rise, my most faithful student and powerful mage. You, too, are a welcome sight."
>One-by-one, Celestia greets all of you. You look up and catch the eyes of Luna, though you know not what her expression holds.
>The Luna in the old world distrusted you. How does this one think of you, you wonder?
>You look and see Shining Armor smiling in your direction. He nods his head in greeting, and you do the same.
 
>The dragonborn, Spike, is also looking at your party. Though he seems to be mostly looking at Rarity. His reptillian expression is hard to read, though his eyes seem very much human.
>Gilda seems unimpressed, but you can't really tell with her inhuman face. Large golden eyes are set upon you and you can't help but find a hint of suspicion in them.
>Celestia turns and invites you all into the palace. Though the exterior of the building was a marvel, the interior blows it away.
>Massive columns rise to a ceiling covered in paintings. The stained glass windows line the halls, depecting great figures of a mythology you know nothing about, but are intensely interested in learning.
>Tapestries and banners hang from the walls alongside great works of art. Lush carpet covers the floors and candles, torches, lanterns, glowing crystals and chandaliers light every corner of the vibrant castle.
>You could get lost in here, not only because of its immensity, but because of how distractingly beautiful everything is.
>The bathrooms must be pretty goddamned impressive, too.
>Celestia is thrilled to have you all here. "You'll all be shown to your rooms. Our finest tailores will attend to you for this evening's events; your adventuring clothing isn't very dignified, I'm afraid."
>You look down at your jeans. Yeah, you can agree with that.
>Various guards show up to take you to your personal chambers. They lead you away from the others, up a winding staircase to a master bedroom with a bed that could fit several people on it at the very least.
 
"This is my room?" you ask, looking at the guards in disbelief.
>"It's... where you've always stayed, Dungeon Master."
You blink a few times. "Right... I'll just get settled in, then."
>They nod and close the door behind you.
>You admire the room for another moment; the large mirror, the dresser, the wardrobe.
>Speaking of which...'
>You approach it and open it, finding an assortment of Dungeon Master robes.
"Well... why would it be anything else?" you say, chuckling a bit.
>You throw one on, discarding your old clothing.
>You missed this feeling. Assuming the role of the Dungeon Master, the die-rolling super hero, was always a thrill.
>To think that you nearly gave it up over concerns that, compared to your current situation, seem so petty.
>You look at the robe in the mirror. It's masterfully crafted.
>Deciding that you've a little bit of time to finally investigate, you use your phasing ability and fall through the floor.
>You land in a hallway below. There are no guards in sight, but you hear two of them coming around a corner. You hide in a wall and wait for them to pass.
>Exiting the wall, you run down the large corridor, your feet softened by the carpet, until you find a large locked gate leading to a library.
>You phase through the gate to enter.
>Once inside, you begin to look around. Like everything else, the library is big enough to contain more books than you could read in a lifetime.
>Twilight would love this place. To think, so many hundreds, maybe thousands of tomes written on foreign cultures, histories, mythologies that, until yesterday, didn't exist.
 
>Books on creatures, dwarves, ancient empires, dragons, demons, the undead... you scan through these sections, unsure of where to begin.
>Something catches your eye. There's a scroll on a podium, seperate from everything else.
>You approach it, finding it to be written in English.
>Or is it written in Common? You'll figure that out later.
>It seems to be some kind of ritual. Components are required, and there are instructions for the associated runeology required. But what is it?
>Then, you discover a small passage. It seems to be some kind of spell that has to do with time or alternate dimensions.
>Perhaps Twilight can make something of this. You slide it into a pocket within your robe.
>"Anonymous?"
>You whip around.
"Vice Pr---Princess Luna," you say, catching your breath and almost refering to her by her old, alternate world title. She stands there, hand upon sword in a casual stance, her dazzling hair and eyes looking perhaps just as stunning as her sister, as does her creamy, soft-looking skin.
>She confidently strides up to you. "I often find myself here at night to study, but it is usually vacant, save for my sister. What manner of business brings you here?"
"Just... Looking for a good book," you reply, trying to get a read on her expression. She keeps it professional, yet cocks an eyebrow upwards.
>"Might I recommend Enstwiler's Study of the Aboleths? It's a fascinating look at such an alien culture and lifeform."
"Sure... sounds good." You clasp your hands together. "So... How has the, uh, kingdom been since we left?"
>"Standing strong," she says, moving past you to approach another bookcase. "As you know, the alliance we're going to propose to the Crystal Empire, the Griffon Kingdoms and the Draconic Dominion is going to be proposed tonight, and official treaty terms discussed."
"Right, of course, I know that," you lie. "I... take it that Celestia is excited?"
 
>"Very much so," Luna says with a tone you can't quite recognize. She grabs a book and turns to you. "Tell me, Anonymous... what do you think of my sister?"
>You blink a few times, trying desperately to discern the mystery this alternate dimension is presenting you. It seems to conflict with the original world in that Luna isn't outwardly hostile to you.
>Maybe you haven't banged Celestia in this dimension after all. It would make sense... wouldn't it? After all, you've technically never interfered with this world... Only imagined it. Then again, that could mean a lot of other things, too...
"She... is very wise," you offer, trying to be vaguely positive and absently negative at the same time.
>"She is indeed. A thousand year rule is not easilly acheived."
>You think about that. Has this Celestia been around for a thousand years? Is she immortal? A demigod? What does that make Luna? Are they both merely talented in magic, enough to achieve such a longevity? Or is there something else at play?
>"Though, I wonder at this treaty," she continues, “and what it means not only for our kingdom, but for myself. She and I have ruled for so long, together. But yet, I make few decisions."
>You listen intently to her words.
>"It is a frustrating thing, you see, to live in the shadow of your sister when both of you have equal power by right. Sometimes, I find myself... More isolated, divided rather than apart."
"Why tell me this?" you ask.
>"Because I feel that I can trust you, Anonymous," she says, moving close to you. "My sister favors you and your champions so much... that I fear you will, like so much of our kingdom, pay heed and tribute to her and her alone, and never to me."
You consider your words carefully. "Have you spoken with her about this?"
 
>"She considers the matter to be nonexistent. She rules the day and brings forth the sun, and I the night and the moon. But she doesn't know what I know or see what I see. I peer into the dreams of those around our kingdom, Anonymous... Do you know what I see?"
"What?"
>"They dream of the day. Never of the night, or its beauty... they dream of happiness and warmth in the sun, never knowing the peaceful, relaxing chill of an evening's breeze or the wonderful contemplation that solitude in the light of the moon can bring."
"And... how does this make you feel?"
>She sighs, and her powerful, dominant stance falters. "I feel... alone, Anonymous. A sisterly throne divided. My sibling listens not to my plight, and my people pay me no love... There are none who see how lovely the night truly is, and... I feel as though I am a living shadow to my sister's light."
>You step closer to her.
"Luna, Princess... You needn't feel this way. Surely there is much good you do for your people. Merely because they are more active in the day or they no longer pay as much tribute to you doesn't mean that they don't appreciate you. You have friends, do you not?"
>To your surprise, a tear rolls down her cheek. "No, Anonymous, none that I would call friends. I outlive them all, and have long ago abandonned the heartbreak it brings forth. And I am alienated from my sister, who does not listen to my plight."
"But to live without such joy is to know only suffering."
>Her eyes close. "I know."
>You take her hand, making her look at you.
"Let me be your friend, Luna. Come, let us..." you stop yourself from saying 'hang out.' "Let us find an activity we can mutually enjoy and stop speaking of such dreary things. I will be your friend, and we'll find others who live as nocturnally as you. Surely there are others."
>She seems startled and uncertain.
"Please, accept my offer. What do you wish to do?"
>She smiles softly and replies, "How do you enjoy chess, Anonymous?"
 
 
"I like it very much, and please, call me Anon."
>"Very well, Anon... Please, follow me. I have a chess board in my personal chambers and would be delighted to play with you."
>She turns, her flowing blue hair and cape swinging gently with each step. You follow her.
>You also summon the die, giving it a roll.
>49. Intuitive Aptitude.
>This will make for an interesting game of chess.
 
>You follow Luna's lead through the massive castle, up another winding staircase.
>The tower you are ascending is lined with windows that give you an amazing view of the surrounding landscape.
>In the distance, you can see a city built upon clouds. What manner of people must live there, you wonder?
>You're so caught up in the view that you nearly bump into Luna, who has halted.
>"Your eyes take in sights as though you have never seen them before," she notices.
"Well... It's just that it's an awesome sight to behold whenever I get the chance," you quickly come up with an excuse.
>"Yes... I too enjoy the lands under the banner of our kingdom, though I usually see them swathed in moonlight. No less a beautiful sight, though."
>She turns and continues leading you.
>For a moment, her cape moves aside and you are presented a clear view of her firm-looking ass in her tight blue dress pants.
>A beautiful moon indeed.
>Her chambers are atop this tower, the second-largest in the city. Royal blue curtains, a large bed and a grand telescope on the balcony for observing the heavens are here.
>"You have never been here before, yes? How do you enjoy it?"
"You live like a princess," you reply, looking at her personal bookcase. Your eyes come to rest on her chess stand, placed next to a roaring fireplace.
>She chuckles. "Yes, I suppose so. Shall we play now, or do you wish to discourse on something else?"
>She moves to her wardrobe and removes her cape. You turn to look out at the balcony and the lands beyond it.
"It... has been some time since last I was here. Perhaps, if you would not mind, you could tell me more about the finer details of this treaty I've heard so much about."
 
>"Ah, yes." She moves to one of the lounging chairs and sits, using a simple spell to levitate a goblet of wine to her hand. "An alliance between four kingdoms. Trade agreements, military cohesion, disputes over borders settled. The Griffon Kingdoms and the Draconic Dominion in particular have had fierce conflict over their lands, as both are rather expansive."
"Dragons are mostly solitary creatures, are they not?"
>"Indeed they are, which requires lots of land for them to make their homes in. Their leader, Avernus, has done considerable work in uniting them under a common rule for the past five hundred years."
"So this treaty would end any potential conflict between the four kingdoms?"
>"Correct," she says, taking a small drink. "Though we have always maintained friendly terms with the Crystal Empire. The marriage between Princess Mi Amore Cadenza and Shining Armor, captain of our royal guard, will only strengthen the alliance."
"And this envoy of the Draconic Dominion, Spike. What role does he play?"
>"Celestia has already met with and made terms with Avernus," Luna replies, and you think you hear a hint of venom in her voice, possibly at her exclusion at such a meeting. "Spike is their greatest dragonborn warrior. He is here to oversee the treaty to ensure that the terms do not change."
"And what do you know of Gilda?"
>"Young, for her species, to be a delegate. I know not much of her other than that, as she has avoided any additional confrontation with either me or my sister."
>She sets the goblet down.
>"This alliance will make our kingdom stronger, though I do admit, I believe there can be some changes made to the mandate."
You turn to her. "Such as?"
 
>She smiles, delighted to have someone to listen to her ideas. "It is my belief that we are excluding potential allies in less-tame sections of the world. By choosing to ally with the griffons, we alienate the minotaur clans of the western mountains, with whom we have been in conflict with. I also believe that we are giving far too much land to the dragons to do with as they please, in exchange for little on their part. It seems to be more an appeasing act on Celestia's part to gain their favor, but I fear it makes us look weak."
You move to sit across from her. "The griffons have a kingdom, do they not? If the minotaurs have not moved beyond clan-based society, they might make for poor allies in a civilized empire."
>"True, but their honor is strong. By excluding them from these discussions, we are giving them reason to have wounded pride. They'll not take kindly to us choosing griffons over them merely because the griffons have a more structured military to bolster our own with."
"Can an agreement between the griffons and minotaurs be reached?"
>"It is an ancient feud, over an ancient argument both races have forgotten. I fear that there may be no way to make peace between the two. And, of course, there is the darker side to minotaur culture."
"Which is?"
>"Many of them have abandoned their ancient, more bloodthirsty ways, but a key group among them, including most of the elders who lead their society, still take part in ritualistic worship of the demon Baphomet. Their pacts with demonkind are a stain upon the species. I fear that if we do not intervene to save them from these practices, they will fall back upon them in the face of our unity with the Griffon Kingdoms, seeing it as the only way to rival our newfound military might."
"That is... disconcerting," you reply.
>"Indeed. Perhaps we should proceed with our game, then, and take our minds off such matters." She stands, moving towards the chess table. You follow her.
 
>Taking the opposite seat, you are the white player and she the black player. Since she chose where to start, she is offering you the first move.
>"I must warn you, Anonymous, I give no mercy," she says with a smile.
>She seems more energetic now, as though you've ignited something within her.
You smile back. "Neither do I. But I'll make this interesting for you."
>You look down at the table. You know the moves of the pieces, but now with intuitive aptitude, you are able to deconstruct the entire system of chess and compile mountains of information on every possible scenario you could find yourself in.
>She doesn't stand a chance.
>But like you said, you'll make it interesting for her.
>You open with a move that was more common in older incarnations of the game. You offer her a pawn.
>She accepts your gambit, as you knew she would. Her move will force you to move your king, but this places her queen in peril for your future attack.
>Your next move is rather unsound, but you're not exactly playing with the goal of defeating her as quickly as possible.
>Your knight attacks her queen, forcing her to move it rather than develop her own side.
>Her next move inadvertently solidifies your control of the critical board center.
>Your next move puts your knight to the edge of the board, a poor position.
>Her next move isn't much better. She's frowning in deep thought.
>You smile as you unpin the queen pawn and attack the bishop. Her knight is still troubling, though.
>You have led her into an advantageous passive piece sacrifice. Should she accept, her queen will be moved away from the action and you'll gain a lead in development.
>She makes a move, but then immediately seems to regret it. You are able to mount a good counter-offensive.
>Your knight attacks her queen
 
>You now have two threats against her; trapping her queen and attacking her knight while simultaneously exposing an attack by your queen on the unprotected black rook.
>Her next move deals with the threats, but undevelops her position even further. Now the only black piece not on its starting square is her queen, which is about to be put on the run, while you have control over a great deal of the board.
>She attacks your rook. Your counterattack threatens the black queen and another piece, forking the king and rook.
>She gains a pawn, and threatens to gain the rook with a check.
>Now, you make it truly interesting. Your next move sacrifices both of your rooks.
>She makes the move you know she would make, which leads to her defeat. Her next move sacrifices yet another white rook. But this move blocks the queen from participating in the defense of the king, and threatens mate in two turns.
>At this point, her attack has run out of steam. She has a queen and bishop on the back rank, but cannot effectively mount an immediate attack on you, while you can storm forward.
>"You have won already," she whispers, still having trouble believing her eyes.
>You sacrifice your own queen then, which confuses her. Curiously, she continues to play her part. She now is ahead of you in material, but cannot use it to mount a defense. She's lost only three pawns, and you have sacrificed so much more, but it doesn't matter.
>You use your two knights and a bishop to force mate.
>"A beautiful game," she says, looking into your eyes. "I never knew you were so good an opponent, Anonymous."
"Just luck," you say with a smile.
>"Far from it, I believe. The bold sacrifices of your pieces were a strange move, a bit outdated, I think. But yet, I found it more comforting to play against an opponent who plays the way I used to when I was a child."
 
>She stands, moving around the table. You lean back a bit as she, to your surprise, slides into your lap, draping an arm around your shoulder.
You look up at her. "L-Luna?"
>Her smile is warm and her eyes welcoming. They hold a secret you cannot fathom, though you will shortly. "I've been waiting for you to return, Anonymous... I've always known that you weren't quite like the others. That you would be willing to listen to me. But never did I know the tactical genius you possessed until I played this game with you. Now, I know the truth I have been seeking."
"Which is...?"
>Delicately, she traces a gloved hand up the side of your face, coming to rest on the back of your head.
>Rather than answer your question with words, she pulls you up to meet her rushing face and captures your lips in a kiss.
>Immediately, what feels like a thousand years of pressure and stress and built-up passion erupts from her as she shifts in your lap to straddle you.
>Her kisses are long, powerful and with nothing held back.
>Surprised, you find yourself not fighting her, relenting against her assault.
>The hand on the back of your scalp digs into your hair as she tilts her head to better attack your tongue with her own.
>Her other hand finds its way to the neck of your robe, pulling on it slightly.
>Your hands skim across her thighs and up her waist, taking hold of her firm hips. She mewls softly as she begins to grind against you.
>You find an all-too-familiar growing tightness in your undergarments, begging to be released.
>Luna seems all too happy to oblige, but first she pulls back, setting her sapphire eyes upon you.
>They are lustful, and they hint towards the large bed.
>You smile as you catch your breath. She reaches down and takes hold of your hands, leading you across the room to the bed.
>Then, with strength you did not believe she could possess, she takes hold of your waist and literally hurls you onto the bed.
"Wait, what---"
 
>Before you can react to her display of power, she reaches out with her hand and shadowy, dark tendrils of magical energy emerge from beneath the bed.
>They quickly wrap around your wrists and ankles and pull just tightly enough to splay you out in the center of the bed.
>Your eyes widen as their grip prevents you from moving your limps in the slightest.
>Next, she waves her fingers a little, commanding her shadows to move over you.
>Like eels, these tendrils crawl up your body. You start to sweat, as they resemble tentacles. You've seen enough hentai to know where this might be going, and her strength is intimidating you.
"Uh, Luna, I---"
>Suddenly, one behind your head snaps around your mouth and flattens, acting like a gag. Your nostrils flare as you are suddenly forced to breathe through them.
>She clenches her fist and the shadowy tendrils shoot out from under you robe, pulling it apart in different directions, effectively stripping you, save for your underwear, which she leaves untouched.
>Your very obvious hardon juts from underneath it, forming a tent.
>She smiles wider and her eyes become half-lidded as she licks her lips.
>Slowly, sensually, she crawls onto the bed towards her prize. You watch her every motion, mesmerized.
>She crawls between your legs, stopping just in front of your aching manhood. She leans up on her knees, tracing her hands up her body.
>She takes a moment to cup her breasts and squeeze them, which causes her to release a small moan.
>She brings a hand up to her lips, biting the tip of the glove and slowly pulling it off.
>Your dick could not be harder, despite the shadow-bondage situation.
>Once the glove is removed, she takes off the other one with her free hand.
>She reaches down and touches the underside of your boner through the fabric, causing you to stiffen.
>"Oh, is this for me?" she asks coyly, rubbing it teasingly, just enough to be felt. Small sparks shoot up and down your body. "Mmmm... yes, I think so..."
 
>She casts her gloves aside, not caring where they land on the floor. Reaching up to her neck, she begins to undo her modest jacket, which, to your delight, conceals a rather generous set of breasts.
>Her bra is of a black material. Once her jacket is completely undone, she similarly throws it behind her.
>Her bare hands reach up now to touch her breasts. "Do you want these, Anon?" she asks.
>You nod your head, as it is all you can do.
>"Do you want to touch them?"
>Again, you nod, small beads of sweat running down your forehead.
>She smiles in wicked delight. "Too bad. You're going to have to earn it."
>Now she stands in order to remove the remainder of her clothing until only her black underwear remains.
>Reaching behind herself, she unhooks her bra, letting it slide down her arms.
>You take in the sight of her glorious, creamy breasts, admiring them. They're not as large as Celestia's, but seem firm and plump in their own right.
>But this is the last thing you see, for she then commands a shadow to move over your eyes and all is darkness.
>You can hear her, though. Somehow, this makes everything much kinkier.
>"You're mine, Anonymous..." she purrs, reaching down to the strap on your underwear, tracing her fingers along it and agonizingly teasing you by sticking only the tips in. "All mine..."
>Now, both of her hands are on your rock-hard cock, stroking it through the thin fabric; the rubbing motion causing a delightfully pleasurable friction on the skin.
>Her breathing is growing heavier. She's getting very, very excited.
>Finally, after what seems like minutes of painful playing, her shadows tear your underwear apart, exposing your warm rod to the cool air.
>In the back of your mind, you think about how that's your only pair of underwear.
 
>The forefront of your mind, however, cannot get over how amazing her soft hands feel on your cock as she wraps them both around your length, giving you a few loving jerks. Her amazingly soft hair spills onto your thigh as she leans down. You can feel her breath on your skin.
>She picks up the pace and you moan deeply against the shadow covering your mouth.
>"Yes, Anon... moan for me... Tell me how badly you want this... Tell me how much you want me!"
>You practically scream against the mask when you feel her tongue on you, licking from the bottom to the tip, lingering there and swirling around before pulling away and stroking you some more.
>"Delicious..." she breathes. "But I want the main course."
>She shifts, climbing onto you. Your breathing stalls as you feel her line you up with a dripping wet warmth.
>Then she slams down on you suddenly, taking you for her own, and you both moan loudly, though hers is much more audible due to your gag.
>She doesn't hold a single thing back. With her hands on your chest, she leans over and starts bringing her hips up and down, sliding your cock in and out.
>She's incredibly wet and the warmth is something you've missed. She bounces up and down on you, nearly screaming with each thrust.
>You push your hips up to meet her motions. You realize that you're pulling against your bonds, trying to reach up to her, to feel her amazing breasts or her lovely hips, but to no avail.
>Your muscles strain as she fucks you into a state of near exhaustion from your efforts to pull against her unbreakable shadows.
>Then, suddenly, she banishes the gag around your mouth and you take a sharp breath of air down your throat.
>It doesn't last long, however, because she leans down further to capture your lips in a wet, fiery kiss that is dominated by her passion.
>And all the while she continues slamming away at your rod, taking what she wants, making it her own.
>And you're more than willing to provide it.
 
>Your moans become one as you both build towards a spectacular climax.
>You have no power to stop her from what's about to happen. She rears up and screams louder than she has since you started as bliss overtakes her.
>Her orgasm doesn't stop her from rocking her hips forwards and backwards, stimilating you enough to cause you to tense up.
>Like a volcano, you erupt inside of her, coating her inner walls with your seed.
>Though you cannot see, she digs her hands into her hair and keeps going, riding the waves of pleasure washing over the both of you, milking you for every last precious drop.
>After what seems like an eternity of wet, slick grinding, she slowly comes to a stop.
>Lifting up a bit, your softening member slides out of her with a soft pop and slaps against your skin, juices of various combinations dripping off of it and down her legs.
>You feel physically drained. You aren't certain if it was you pulling against the shadow bonds or her sexual power unleashed upon you, but you cannot move.
>The tendrils go away and you have sight once more.
>She pulls the soft sheets of her bed over your naked, sweating forms and curls against you, placing a hand on your chest.
>She pants. "Anon... That was amazing... I've never been so fulfilled in my life, and I've lived a very long time..."
>You manage a weak nod.
>”I know now that you’ll truly be worthy to rule by my side…”
>That sounded… strange. You try to sit up to ask what she means by this, but you find yourself fighting the sensation of falling asleep.
>"Shh..." she soothes you, leaning up to lay a kiss upon your cheek. "Let it go, Anon... Fall into the slumber I am granting you."
>The world swims before your eyes and your eyelids grow heavy.
>"For if you think that this was pleasure..."
>Your eyes close.
>"Then you know nothing of what awaits you in your dreams."
 
>You awaken in a sweat. You're in your own bed, in your chambers.
>Looking at your hands, you try to steady your breath as you piece together that this is the real world.
>The visions Luna gave you in your dreams... the sensations, the lust-driven lovemaking...
>It seemed to last for hours.
>Looking out the window, it apparently did, as the sun is starting to set.
>You're still naked. You hurry over to your wardrobe, throwing another robe on.
>You look in the mirror. You look normal enough; perhaps a bit disheveled.
"Christ, Anon..." you say to yourself.
>You didn't think it was going to end up this way. You wanted to tell Twilight how you really felt. You were going to break it off with Celestia.
>And now the whole world has changed and you don't know what's happening anymore---what are the rules?
>You think about how you rejected Trixie's advances back in that motel in Manehatten.
>Trixie! Where is she?
>You haven't thought about her since the world changed---but can you blame yourself? So much has happened.
>Is she part of this new world? Has she been changed too?
>You run your hands through your hair. Things are getting too damn complicated and your libido is only making things worse.
>Luna used you in your dreams for hours. The things you did to her body... it all felt so real.
>She mentioned ruling by her side...
>What could she have meant by that? Some sort of royal consort?
>As tempting as that may be... you feel the need to decline.
>You remember her strength and the shadows she controlled, just like back in the old world.
>How exactly does one go about letting a powerful princess down easy?
 
>Your hands find their way to the robe when you realize that the scroll you stole from the library is gone.
>It was in the last robe, the one Luna tore apart.
>Might it still be in her room?
>A knock at your door causes you to whirl around in surprise.
"Um, come in?" you say loud enough to reach through the thick doors.
>Twilight enters. Though you are relieved to see her, your brain is weighing heavy with your recent actions.
>Her wardrobe has changed. She wears purple mage-like robes and her magical staff is slung onto her back. Her book is carried in a satchel that rests on her side.
>"Are you alright? You look frightened."
"Yeah... I'm fine. Just... got out of bed is all. What's up?"
>"The banquet is starting in a few minutes," she answers. "I came to get you. I figure that since these 'elements of disharmony' haven't shown up yet, it's best for us to, I don't know, play along."
"You're right." You straighten yourself out a bit. "Plus, this dinner is playing host to some interesting characters. Who know what might happen?"
>"So you've been sleeping this whole time?" she asks.
"...Yes," you lie, which you immediately mentally chastise yourself for.
>"Shouldn't we be focusing a bit more on our mission?"
"I completely agree," you say. "It's just... hard not to get caught up in all of this, you know? I created this world in a way. A big part of me wants to see everything there is about it."
>"I suppose I can understand that," she replies. "Still, it could be dangerous. I'd..." she trails off, her expression changing to one more caring. "I'd hate for something to happen to you, Anon..."
>You smile and reach to take hold of her hand.
"I know, Twilight. There's something that I've been meaning to tell you for a while..."
>Her eyes light up a bit. "Yes?"
>A guard walks around the corner and stands at attention. "Anonymous. Twilight Sparkle. Princess Celestia desires you downstairs in the main banquet hall."
>The guard turns around and walks away.
 
"Perhaps... later," you reply, letting go of her hand.
>She seems a little bit disappointed. "Yeah... After all, we don't want to get any more distracted, right? Any... feelings... might get in the way of our job."
"Saving the world is a hell of a thing," you reply. You meet her beautiful gaze. "But it'll be worth it for you, Twilight."
>She is momentarily stunned.
>Then, she throws all caution to the wind and closes the distance between the two of you, locking her lips against yours.
>She moans as you tilt your head into it and lightning shoots between your bodies. She presses against you.
>This isn't the first first kiss you've had with her due to your previous use of the time reversal power, but it's the first kiss she's had with you.
>And like every other time, she's giving it her all, showing you how much she wants this to happen.
>But then, as quickly as it starts, it ends.
>She pulls back, leaving both of you hungering for more but unwilling to close the gap a second time.
>In each of your eyes there is a promise of more to come in the future.
>But there's work to be done. You both understand and accept it.
>With a confident smile, she says magical words barely above a whisper, though she is casting no spell, save for perhaps one upon your heart.
>"I love you, Anon..."
>She's blushing madly. It's adorable.
>Reaching up, you cup her cheek, feeling the warmth of her skin.
"I love you too, Twilight. I've wanted to tell you for so long..."
 
>You both want to kiss again. But now isn't the time. Quivering jaws and wanting eyes look away from each other as you both descend down the stairs.
>Your hands cannot stay parted for long, however. Your grip is tight and reaffirming, as is hers.
>Your heart sings with joy over finally telling her, and you're certain she's feeling the same.
>As you both come into view of others, your hands let go.
>In a large adjoining hallway, you meet AJ, Dash, Rarity and Pinkie. You look around.
"Where's Fluttershy?" you ask.
>AJ answers. "There's a big garden outside. Fluttershy's talking to the animals."
"Well, she's certainly getting some mileage out of her powers," you say. You notice that Rainbow's sword is sheathed, hence her wings are gone.
>You also notice that while both Dash and AJ have retained more normal clothing, Pinkie's wearing a new gypsy-like outfit and Rarity is dressed in a beautiful white dress and golden necklace.
>She notices you looking. "What?" she shrugs. "It felt appropriate, given the royal dinner."
>"Let's just all be on the lookout for any trouble," AJ says.
>Pinkie, idly strumming her instrument (in the form of a guitar, now) looks up. "Is someone going to crash the party?"
"You never can tell," you reply. "But if I were a Dungeon Master, and I'll be damned if I'm not, I'd make something important happen at a dinner like this."
>Twilight's brow shoots up. "Are you saying that your intuition as a DM might actually tell you what might happen next?"
"No... I really have no idea. But if I imagined this place, then it might conform a bit to how I ran my campaigns. Think about it: all the main characters are going to be gathered in one place for a big event celebrating the unification of four nations. If something doesn't go down, I'll turn in my dice and hooded robes and quit the game for good."
>"Let's be on our toes, then," AJ suggests, holding up her golden lasso. In the distance, trumpets blare. "Ah think that's our cue."
 
>You nod and lead the girls down the hall towards the massive banquet hall.
>Its ceiling stretches up higher than any room you've ever been in and its walls are decorated with massive stained-glass windows in the shapes of famous figures, among them Celestia and Luna.
>The table is positively gigantic, with enough food on it to feed an army. The smell of the food is already making your mouth water. Many chairs line the table, and at one end sit Celestia and Luna, side by side.
>Both note your party's approach and stand, with Celestia raising a goblet in tribute.
>Many of the chairs are filled, though six seats near the princesses are vacant. Fluttershy appears to have already taken her seat, but rises with the princesses.
>"Distinguished delegates, honored guests and beloved family," Celestia begins with her royal voice reaching all ears, "I raise a toast to the joining of our peoples in glorious harmony."
>Many people raise their glasses and drink with her. As the six of you approach your seats, Celestia continues.
>"It is my absolute pleasure and distinct honor to welcome within our halls such company. Today, we take another bold step towards a brighter future. History will remember this day and mark it well as the day that peace was brought to our four kingdoms, united under a common understanding and desire for cooperation and mutual protection from the dark powers of this world."
>You take your seats, and you notice that Celestia is smiling in your direction. "I would like to announce something very important and personal, a source of joy to myself and surely to our kingdom." Luna seems confused by this, as though whatever Celestia spoke of was kept from her. "But first, I wish to recognize our most important guests."
>She gestures towards Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, sitting alongside Twilight's brother Shining Armor. She is wearing a radiant pink dress for the occasion.
 
>"Princess Mi Amore Cadenza and her husband to be, Sir Shining Armor. Long have I known both of you, and my heart couldn't be warmer with the knowledge of your upcoming union. The Crystal Empire has always been a friend, but I look forward to the stronger alliance this treaty will bring. Never more will Canterlot or the Crystal City be threatened by the forces of darkness so long as our armies stand together."
>Applause fills the room and Cadence and Shining Armor both raise their goblets to drink with Celestia.
>"Next, I wish to thank the griffon delegates for accepting our invitation as well. Our table has not seen the presence of a griffon in many an age, and all the more beautiful it is because of it."
>Gilda seems disinterested, but raises a toast in acceptance of Celestia's words. Watching her drink with her beak is an interesting sight.
>"And our table hasn't had any with the blood of dragons in even a longer time, back since the very first war in our recorded history." At this, Spike stands, dwarfing all others at the table with his stature. His weapon, a spear longer than your body, lies strapped to his back. "The Draconic Dominion honors us by sending one of their greatest warriors to feast with us in celebration."
>Spike nods before downing his drink in one gulp and silently sitting back down.
>"And finally," Celestia says as she turns her attention to all of you, "the heroes of our lands. Our table is graced by the presence of Fluttershy the Kind, Rarity the Fair, Rainbow Dash the Bold, Applejack the True, Pinkie Pie the Joyous, Twilight Sparkle, my most faithful student, and of course, Anonymous the Dungeon Master."
>A healthy round of applause and toasts are sent your way.
 
 
>"And now, for my personal announcement," Celestia says. "Though it has no bearing on tonight's treaty, I am filled with a joy beyond any I have felt in many years. I have kept it secret for some time, but tonight, I feel that all of you and the kingdoms beyond deserve to know what has given me this wonderful elation."
>You all find yourselves leaning forward slightly to hear what she has to say.
>She smiles and opens her eyes. "I am with child!"
>Much of the room erupts into cheers, but you, your party and Luna in particular are stone-faced.
>In the back of your mind, a ticking time bomb goes off.
"Oh, shit."
>Celestia calms the room with a wave of her hand. "This child will be the bearer of our kingdom's future, for it is born of love, and I know no other love than a man sitting in this very room."
>You stand, ready to excuse yourself, but this only draws attention to you.
>Celestia takes this as a sign to introduce you to all as, "Anonymous, my love!
>The room is silent in awe of this news.
>You look at Celestia with a face of shock, but she is only happy to have revealed this.
>Next, you look at Twilight, whose face is the picture of absolute shock. Her eyes meet yours, and they seem hurt. "A-Anon? Is this true?"
You start trying to assemble a defense against this sudden revelation. "I..."
 
>"NO!" a scream echoes throughout the hall. All look towards the source of the banshee-like wail: Luna.
>She stands with such anger that her chair is blown back behind her. She looks at her elder sister with a face of fury unbridled.
>"How DARE you do this!" she shouts, knocking a goblet from the table. "And YOU!" she cries in your direction.
>Her blue eyes, so full of love and lust only hours earlier, now hold only betrayal and disgust.
>"I will not stand for this!" she declares, holding up a hand. Shadowy tendrils emerge from the floor at Celestia's feet, winding around her.
>Celestia's eyes widen. "Luna! Stop this at once!"
>Luna clenches her fist, binding her sister to the spot. Guards draw swords, as do Shining Armor and Spike. The rest of the girls are standing now, watching the scene unfold.
>"Never more will I stand in your shadow, Celestia! Never more will I simply let you smother my night with your dawn! I shan’t stand idly by while parades cherish your name and leave mine forgotten and unmentioned! No more will you rule the kingdom and ignore my contributions! AND YOU WILL NOT TAKE ANONYMOUS FROM ME!"
>Dark shadows rise from her feet, slowly engulfing her. You all watch as the shadows take a new form, larger, darker and more intimidating.
>When they bleed away from Luna's skin, they leave behind a different woman. Armor, black raven-like wings and a helmet that is very familiar to you.
>"Luna!" Princess Cadence shouts. "You know not what you do! Release her! This is meant to be a celebration of peace!"
>"Silence!" the fearsome woman who was once Luna demands, knocking the princess aside with a shadowy tendril. Shining immediately goes to her aide. "Luna was weak! She allowed her sister to take her rightful place as the absolute ruler of the land! No more! No more will the people shun the night, for the night shall last forever more! No more dreams, only nightmares... for I am Nightmare Moon!"
 
>Spike has heard enough. Leaping onto the table with his reptilian feet, he roars and lunges at Nightmare Moon.
>With but a wave of her hand, a surge of shadows emerges from the ground, blasting him with dark, necrotic energy. It reverses his momentum and sends him flying across the room, slamming onto the table and cracking it in half. Goblets and plates on the table all jolt from the fall, some falling over the side.
>Nightmare Moon sets her eyes upon you. They are a strange, lighter shade of blue with black, narrow pupils.
>"You..." she says. "You will pay dearly for this!"
"Luna! Don't make us fight you!" you shout, and all six of the girls ready for combat.
>Nightmare Moon smiles. Celestia is engulfed entirely by the shadows and pulled into the floor. The last things to vanish are her terrified eyes staring into yours, pleading for help.
"No!" you rush to the spot where she was standing, but she is gone. "What did you do to her?"
>"She is my prisoner," Luna replies. "Do not weep for her, for your fate will be much, much worse!"
>She holds her arms out wide and the room dims. Looking outside, you see the light of the sun vanish and be replaced by night.
>Suddenly, one of the stained-glass windows shatters from the outside as someone leaps into the room.
>Nobles and civilians alike scatter as a figure of gold lands atop the table with stained-glass raining down around him.
>His magnificent golden armor retracts to reveal...
"Flash!"
>Flash Sentry smiles that cocky smile of his, though now his eyes burn with a greater darkness, a madness brought about by his time in the shadow realm.
>"Anonymous," he replies, spitting a little. "I've been looking forward to this. And so has my friend."
"Then that means---"
 
>Another window shatters as the devilish form of Sunset Shimmer bursts through the glass, spreading her red wings wide. Her dark eyes scan around the room and her sharpened teeth are shown as her lips curl into a smile. Her clawed hands both burn with a green hellfire that she wastes no time in spreading to the ornate tapestries that line the walls.
>The room suddenly gets a lot hotter as the flames spread. People scream and head for the exits, including the griffons. Spike shakes his head and stands to face these new foes, as does Shining Armor, holding the unconscious Cadence over his shoulder and his sword in the other.
"No!" you cry, looking back to Nightmare Moon. "Luna, please! Listen to me! Events beyond my control have---"
>"No! I will no longer listen to your lies, Anonymous! You have brought this, all of this, upon yourself!"
"...Fair enough," you mutter. "Just release Celestia!"
>The vile, evil queen smiles. "I think not. She's now the centerpiece of my palace, built onto the surface of the dark side of the moon."
"The goddamned what now?" you say. "The moon? How the hell are we supposed to get there?"
>"You won't," she replies. "For you die on this day at the hands of your worst enemies... and your former friend."
"Who are you---"
 
>You are suddenly hit with a horribly painful bolt of arcane energy from behind. Twilight shouts your name, but she sounds far away.
>The girls form a defensive line around you. Twilight and AJ help you up to your feet. Dash draws her sword, her wings forming upon her back. Rarity's bracelets glow with a purple aura.
>You turn and see a sight that makes your heart sink.
>Trixie.
>Her eyes burn with a red aura of pure fury, as do her hands. A dark cloak hangs from her shoulders, and around her neck is a strange amulet containing a ruby, burning with some kind of power you do not know.
"No, Trixie, not you..." you gasp in pain.
>She smiles, holding her hands and glaring at you with a murderous glee. If anything of the old Trixie, the one who loved you, was left behind in this new dark magician standing before you, it doesn't show.
>Nightmare Moon laughs. "Now, Anon, you face the consequences of your actions. You will be made to suffer as you watch your friends die, your kingdom burn and a new age of darkness descend upon the land."
"Not if I have anything to say about it," you gasp, summoning the die.
>You quickly roll it on the ground, ready to fight for your life against these four deadly foes.
 
>38! Terrakinesis---the power to manipulate rock, dirt and any other geological form!
>You bring your foot up and slam it onto the ground, causing a spire of rock to shoot forth from the floor.
>This spire blocks a plasma blast from Flash Sentry's arm cannon.
>He leaps from the table, forming a sword with a glowing blue blade to grasp in his hand. He slices through your spire and squares away with you.
>Applejack, tired of watching events unfold, dives forward and tackles Flash to the ground.
>He grunts as he lands on his back before kicking her off of him with both legs.
>Rarity is there to fill the gap she leaves behind. With her bracelets, she creates a chain that wraps around Flash's leg and lifts him up, flinging him to the other side of the room.
>Sunset soars downwards, spraying green fire from her hands and leaving twin trails of flame on the floor. Your party splits in half to dodge her assault.
>Rainbow Dash takes off after her, slicing at the devil-wench with her sword. Sunset is far too quick, however, dodging each reckless swing and laughing all the while.
>Trixie's wand appears. The woman who was once your partner, the Blue Mage, charges a lightning bolt from her wand and sends it hurling in your direction.
>A magical shield of force prevents it from doing any damage. Twilight protected you with her spellbook and staff.
You look at her. "Save your brother! I'll handle Trixie."
>Twilight looks at you, then back at Shining. He is trying to find an exit to get his beloved bride to safety.
>She nods and takes off after him.
>Nightmare Moon watches her go. "Oh, I don't think so, fool!"
>She holds up her hand, summoning shadows beneath her feet that cause her to be stuck to the ground.
>Nightmare is blinded by a sudden bright, terrible light cast directly into her eyes by Fluttershy's staff.
 
>Having done that, the druid swings her staff back towards Twilight and casts the same spell of light, banishing the necrotic goo at her feet. Free to move once more, Twilight thanks her friend before running up to her brother.
>With but a flash, the Purple Mage teleports the three of them to somewhere safe, you hope.
>You command bricks from the floor to form a defensive, square wall that floats in front of you, blocking Trixie's barrage of magic. Lightning, fire, ice and acid are hurled at the wall through various spells, each one blasting chunks off of it.
>You reach out, literally pulling the ground out beneath her feet. She falls backwards as the bricks fly out from under her.
>Thinking quickly, you construct a small tomb around here, trapping her within.
>She teleports out and behind you. You barely have time to whirl around in time to block an arrow made of acid cast from her wand.
>Shit, why did you think that would work?
>The truth is, you're trying not to hurt her. You still care about her a great deal and seeing her in this state pains you.
>Suddenly, Pinkie leaps up behind Trixie and bashes her over the head with her guitar. The misguided mage is stunned, but manages to turn and lift her wand to blast Pinkie backwards with inivisible arcane force.
>Thinking quickly, you make the earth rise beneath the pink-haired bard, catching her softly before she would have hit something hard.
>Up above, Sunset is still playing keepaway with Rainbow, amused at the winged warrior's mounting frustration.
>"What's the matter, Dash? Not fast enough?" she taunts.
>This really sets the rainbow-haired girl off. She screams a warrior's cry and charges at Sunset, who simply vanishes in a bout of green fire the moment Dash would have hit her.
>This causes her to crash through one of the intact stained-glass windows.
 
>Spike has engaged Flash sentry in combat. The large dragonborn squares off with the comparatively small human in gold armor as their weapons ring out with each clash, magical steel against technological titanium.
>Nightmare Moon recovers from Fluttershy's spell. Raising her hand, she summons a wicked polearm resembling a crescent moon and swings it at the druid.
>Fluttershy leaps back, and to your amazement, transforms into a fearsome, snarling wolf... still with pink hair, though. Her teeth are certainly fearsome at the very least.
>Flutterwolf charges at Nightmare Moon, barking as she leaps up, meaning to snap her jaws onto the woman's throat.
>Nightmare conjures a wall of shadows that Flutterwolf bounces off of. "I have had just about enough of this foolishness," she says, holding her weapon up. "Face my army of shadow demons!"
>All around the room, dark holes begin to open up. From these holes emerge strange, whispy-like figures, barely tangible in normal light. They slide along the ground and the walls, knowing no boundaries.
>Rarity looks at one of the holes and blasts it with a ray of purple energy from her bracelets, their light sealing it shut.
>However, a shadow demon sneaks up behind her, wrapping its long fingers around her throat and strangling her.
>You try hurling a rock at the shape on the wall, but they are unaffected by such an attack.
>Applejack is on her feet, running across the room. Commanding her lasso, she whips it up and it finds hold on the shadow demon. She commands the rope to tighten until the shadow demon is crushed utterly by her artifact.
>Three shadow demons merge in the center of the room's floor, crawling out of their two-dimensional form. The monster looks around with black eyes, its jaws leaking a foul-smelling tar-like substance.
>Suddenly it recoils in pain as Pinkie Pie starts beating on a drum, playing a tune to the battle. It simultaneously disturbs the shadows in the room and spurs you all to fight harder.
 
>With newfound resolve, you turn your attention to Flash, still battling against Spike the Dragonborn.
>You reach up, taking hold of the ceiling. You crack it in half, allowing the full moon to shine within the room and shout at Spike to leap backwards.
>The dragonborn warrior does so, allowing you your oppening. You bring nearly half of the roof down upon Flash, crushing him beneath the thick, white stone.
>The room is momentarilly still as everyone's battles are disrupted by the dirt and dust kicked up by your attack.
>From the dusty shadows, Trixie sends a blast in your direction. The arcane bolt hits you, sending you crashing through the castle wall and into the courtyard outside.
>There, three of the shadow beasts await you. Fully formed and outside of the range of Pinkie's bardic songs, they attack you.
>Thinking quickly, you summon two massive spikes of earth and solid dirt to pierce the chests of two of them while also commanding the earth beneath you to surge upwards and launch you out of the path of the third's attack.
>You land in some bushes nearby. The two you killed bleed away, their shadows seperating and dispersing.
>The one you didn't kill is right on your tail, however. It jumps into the night sky, forming wings behind itself and dives down towards you.
>It never reaches its target, as Twilight Sparkle teleports in and unleashes a torrent of lightning upon it.
>Her fury is grand and her magic powerful. The shadow demon stands no chance.
>As it falls to the ground in a broken, bleeding and smoking pulp, she looks at you and offers you her hand.
>"Are you alright?" she asks.
"Shaken up, but I'll live for now," you reply, taking her hand.
>Before you can continue speaking, you hear the sounds of battle nearby. The two of you look and see Rainbow Dash leading a troupe of royal guards against several of the merged shadow beasts.
 
>"Help her," you urge Twilight. "I'll head back inside!"
>She nods and teleports to Rainbow's side.
>Breaking the earth off at your feet, you create a boulder and levitate it and yourself back towards the banquet hall.
>Inside, the battle rages. Applejack and Pinkie are fighting off shadow creatures while Rarity and Fluttershy, once more in human form, work on dispelling them with light-based attacks.
>Spike charges at Nightmare Moon from behind, intending to stab her. She vanishes with a laugh, tranforming into a whisp of sparkling blue smoke. Her laughter fades as she bleeds away through a window.
>Spike roars, sending a fountain of green flames from his jaws in the direction of the smoke, but the attack fails.
>He roars, "Do not run from me, you coward! I am Spike, and you will face death at the ends of my claws!"
"She's gone," you tell him. "We must deal with what she has left behind!"
>Speaking of which, the large pile of rubble you buried Flash under starts to move.
>It blasts outwardly from within, sending chunks of stone flying in many directions. You catch all of them and hold them still in the air, prepared to use them as ammunition.
>Flash Sentry sentry emerges, holding his sword in one hand and the other transformed into a plasma cannon. You waste no time and hurl all of the rocks at him.
>They bounce off a forcefield he has activated, and he slices through a good chunk of them.
>You try to pull the ground out from beneath his feet, but his armor forms thrusters upon his back and under his feet to allow him lift.
>He raises his cannon at you and fires.
>Spike steps in front of the blast and takes it to the chest, staring Flash down as though it were nothing.
>Flash seems to be intimidated. He fires twice more, each with greater power.
>The dragonborn warrior stands his ground, digging his clawed toes into the earth and baring his teeth, green smoke emerging from within.
 
>If Flash wasn't intimidated before, he was now.
>You think it's time for a change of power. You summon the die and roll it, getting ready to join Spike in battle against this enemy.
 
>The die lands upon the face of 40.
>Plant Manipulation.
"Fuck," you say. You look over at Fluttershy, banishing some more of the shadow monsters. "Fluttershy! I need some plants in here! A tree, if you can manage it!"
>She seems confused, but takes your order without any question.
>Reaching into her back pouch, she produces some ordinary seeds. Waving her staff over her hand, she throws them onto the stone floor.
>They take root almost immediately, growing with a green energy. She nods at you, then whips around and smacks a creeping shadow demon in the face with her staff before blasting it with light.
>You hold your hand out and feel the plants growing. You spur them on, causing them to grow vastly larger than their normal size. Large vines emerge from the floor, uprooting blocks and knocking over tables.
>Flash laughs. "Plants? That's all you've got? Pathetic, Anonymous. I would have thought that after all this time, you could have come up with something better."
>You focus on one of the seeds in particular---that of an apple seed that Fluttershy picked up earlier when she healed the tree Applejack kicked in half.
>It grows larger and larger under your command, bark and branches forming at an impossibly fast rate.
"Well, you know, I've been trying to get more apples in my diet, but I'm more than willing to share them with you!"
>The tree whips its branches around, flinging apples at the hovering Flash.
>They splatter against his shield.
>His laughter can hardly be contained. He's holding his sides. "Apples?" he says, almost not believing it. "That's your grand plan? Apples?"
"Not quite, just a distraction," you reply.
>Spike lunges up at Flash from behind, his spear piercing the shield. Flash moves aside just in time to only get a glancing wound on his side from the enchanted steel.
 
>Just as he's about to return the favor on Spike, you command a massive vine (which is actually all of the vines wrapped together) to smash downwards upon him. Though his shield holds, the weight and force of the vine cause him to crash into the ground with it atop him.
>Now's your opportunity. You command the apple tree to split open, allowing you to jump inside.
>You seal it behind you, leaving a small hole to see through.
>Using every ounce of your manipulative power, you begin to radically alter the tree around you.
>You reach up into the branches, forming arms from them.
>The roots fuse together, becoming legs.
>You strengthen the wood, creating thick layers of wooden plating.
>Your applemech is ready for battle.
>The giant vine is sliced in half by a blue beam of energy. Flash shoots up from it, scanning the room.
>The apple tree that is your armor charges at him, tackling him through the wall.
>You're outside once more, and Spike follows you. You hit the ground rolling and throw Flash aside, flinging him up into the night sky.
>You rear backwards and launch more apples at him, which amounts to nothing, but you find it hilarious.
>He, however, finds it annoying. He kicks his thrusters to maximum and rockets towards you.
>Only to be intercepted by Spike, hurling his massive shoulder into his gut and knocking him off course.
>Flash spins and crashes into a nearby wall.
>You turn to Spike.
"You've got one hell of a shoulder, Spike."
>"And you've... got a tree," he says.
>Flash bursts from the rubble. "I have had enough!" he shouts.
>Well, too bad. You're outside now, in the royal courtyard.
>And there's plants a plenty.
>Your applemech raises its arms to mimic your motions as you command the plants around you to come to life.
 
>Spike and Flash watch as they arrange themselves into various humanlike forms. Beings constructed of bushes and flowers charge at him.
>With but a wave of his sword, he sends a surge of energy outwars that cuts them all down.
>"They're plants!" he shouts. "I want a real fight, you pathetic weakling! Not some posies or---"
>He is cut off as the gargantuan flytrap you mutated behind him clamps down over him, chomping with wicked teeth.
"How's THAT for a pocket full of posies?" you taunt.
>The flytrap's mouth explodes from within and Flash rises amidst the scattered plant parts.
>"No! More! Games!" he cries, blasting at the both of you with his most powerful weapon.
>Spike rolls aside and your armor takes a few hits, the wood splintering and cracking from the plasma.
>Flash dives downwards with his sword, hacking and chopping at your wooden armor, having the time of his life.
>"How many cuts does it take to get to the center of an apple tree? We're about to find out!" he cries with glee, forcing you backwards. Your applemech trips over a stone fountain, allowing him to leap atop your chest and stab downwards into the wood.
>The blade stops just short of your real chest. He drags the blade upwards, cutting a hole through the trunk.
>You look up at him face-to-face, staring into the eyes of this high school jock turned murderous technoknight. He prepares another stab before Spike belches forth a green fireball that knocks him from the tree and onto the ground.
>"Enough with the lizard!" Flash flies up and aims. Spike's eyes narrow.
>"Dragon," he corrects.
 
>Flash smiles. "Both wrong! Dead!" He fires an unltimate blast, overheating his arm cannon.
>The blast would surely have killed Spike where he stood, were it not for a purple, shimmering aura appearing before him. The blast impacts on the wall and cracks it, but does not go through.
>Rarity hovers down into the courtyard from a broken window. She dispels the shield she created and asks, "Is everyone alright?"
>Spike smiles and nods. "Very much so, my lady."
>You force your way out of the tree and stand next to them.
>Flash looks down at you three before transforming his armor into its strongest incarnation. The golden suit completely covers his body now, and his arms both end in glowing blue blades.
>"This ends now!" he claims.
>You couldn't agree more. You summon the die.
"Rarity, if you would be so generous."
>She lifts a hand and conjures a flat surface to roll the die on.
 
>73---Energy Vampirism, draining the life and energy of an enemy into yourself through contact.
>You smile and an idea comes to your mind.
"Spike, Rarity. I've fought Flash before. His armor makes him nearly invulnerable but it cannot last forever. If you can weaken him enough to expose his skin, I can deal the killing blow."
>"Right!" they both echo.
>Flash crosses his armblades and laughs. "I've been waiting too long for this... and not a dragon or a stuck-up bitch is going to keep me from seeing Anon torn to shreds!"
>He charges, pointing his arms straight at you like a bladed missile.
>Rarity steps up and creates a large, multi-layered shield.
>Flash impacts against it, breaking through two layers before being forced backwards.
>Immediately, Spike launches himself forward with his powerful legs, bringing his spear down upon Flash's chest, cracking the armor there.
>Flash spins and kicks the dragonborn aside, turning one arm into a cannon to shoot at you and Rarity with.
>Again, Rarity plays defensively.
>You look around for a more defensible position to strike from.
>As you turn, you see a shadow demon headed right for you.
>You brace yourself as the clawed monster tackles into you.
>You place your hands upon its wispy chest, instinctively activating your powers.
>It shrieks a long, hollow cry as you drain it of any life that existed within its dark soul.
>As every ounce of it dissipated and is absorbed into your hands, you notice yourself growing slightly transparent---almost foggy.
>It occurs to you that you've gained the shadow demon's nature.
>Smiling to yourself, you flatten against the ground, now nothing more than a shadow.
>Rarity and Spike will handle the rest.
>Using her bracelets, Rarity conjures up a series of large sewing needles that she lobs towards Flash like spears.
 
>He deflects each one, but this distracts him long enough for Spike to leap up and grab him by the foot, pulling him down.
>Three times, Spike lifts Flash up and slams him into the ground, shattering the cobblestone beneath.
>Before Rarity can create shackles to hold Flash in place, he kicks his thrusters into overdrive and escapes the purple dragon's grip.
>He spins, refocuses his direction and charges back at him.
>Rarity creates a glowing net in front of Spike that Flash flies right into. She ties it up behind him, completely encasing him in it.
>Spike takes hold of one of the bright strands and drags it over to where his spear lies. He picks it up and aims it downwards.
>Again and again he stabs at Flash through the net, but each time the armor protects him.
>Crawling closer, you wait for your oppening. You can see small golden shards of the armor coming off, just like when you fought him in the mechsuit.
>The opportunity does not come, however. Flash puts all of his power into his shields, forcing the net off of his body.
>Doing this blows the shields out, but it has the added effect of knocking Spike back.
>Flash stands, a chunk of his breastplate and shoulder armor falling off. No flesh, however.
>Rarity is tired of seeing him get back up.
>She focuses hard, trying to imagine something that would put him down for good.
>He rises into the air, aiming at her.
>She opens her eyes and casts her hands upwards, creating a construct above him.
>That of a gigantic, rounded boulder.
>She slams it down upon him, then lifts it up, and brings it down again and again.
>After doing this perhaps a dozen times, she throws the construct aside and banishes it.
>Now, Spike takes up position again to strike at Flash.
 
>First, he rears backwards and unleashes a torrent of green flame upon the golden-armored figure.
>After properly roasting the armor, he lifts up his spear and strikes downwards with it again and again.
>Each strike causing the cracks in the suit to widen.
>Until finally, with one tremendous blow, Spike's spear penetrates Flash's chestplate and finds flesh beneath it.
>Flash cries out in pain.
>You materialize next to him, surprising Spike. You rise out of the ground, turning from shadowstuff into flesh once more.
>You place your hand upon his wound.
Pulling out your best Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, you say, "Your soul is mine."
>Your powers begin to work their magic, draining him of his life essence.
>You've felt like a bastard before, and some of the things you've done could be argued as evil, but this feels really evil.
>Still, it's Flash, so who gives a shit?
>He groans as his eyes roll back into their sockets and the color drains from his skin.
>His hair becomes grey and his skin begins to shrivel up, leaving nothing but a husk of a corpse behind.
>Flash's life is now yours, adding to your power. You roll over, having completely siphoned his life-energy.
You smile. "Fatality."
>You look over and see something remain on top of the bones; a necklace.
>Was that his artifact all along? You thought it was the leather jacket with golden studs.
>So that was his doing all along?
>Man, what a douche. You're glad you sucked out his soul.
 
>You grasp the necklace and rip it through the skeleton's neck.
>Spike offers you his large hand. You take hold of it and he pulls you up to your feet. Rarity hovers down to the two of you.
>"Is he dead for good?" she asks.
"You can't get much deader than that," you reply.
>You look at the necklace in your hand. A golden chain. This is what gave Flash his powers; his incredible armor and weaponry.
>Having two artifacts is damn tempting...
You look up at Spike and hold the chain out to him. "Here. Take this."
>Reaching out, he takes hold of the necklace. "What is this?" he asks.
"It's what gave him power. No sense in not using it; but you might need it more than me. You can hold your own in a fight, that's for damn sure, but this will give you an extra edge in the fights to come. Assuming you're up for it."
>The dragonborn smiles. "I have never refused a challenge in my life." He wraps the chain around his fist, immediately summoning a suit a golden armor to wear.
"Looks better on you," you admit. Looking to Rarity, you say, "Good work, both of you."
>Rarity beams. "Yes, I think we make quite the team, don't we Spike?" He agrees with a single nod.
>Nearby, a wall breaks apart as Applejack flies through it. She lands on her feet, lasso in hand, ready to use it against the one who threw her.
>Sunset Shimmer flies out of the hole, blasting the area with green hellfire. Applejack dodges the attack, as do you three.
>The devil-woman then sees the carcass of Flash Sentry and Spike wearing his armor and realizes she is outmatched.
 
>As she is about to retreat, Rainbow Dash intercepts her, getting the cut she wanted to give her earlier.
>Dash's magical sword slices cleanly through one of Sunset's wings, causing the devil to scream in pain and fall to the earth below.
>She lands in a courtyard fountain. Dash lands nearby and you all come to surround her.
>Painfully, she lifts herself out of the water and crawls in front of you, steam coming off of her skin from the heat she is radiating.
>Dash holds her sword at the girl's throat.
>"Any last words?"
>Sunset's black eyes open and she grins. "See you in hell!"
>She leaps up backwards, taking Dash by surprise. Sunset wraps her arms around her and both are immediately consumed in fire.
>Applejack's eyes go wide and she flings herself onto them both in an attempt to save Dash.
>But then, all three are whisked away and simply gone.
>Rarity stares at the spot they stood a moment ago in disbelief. "Where are they?"
"I don't know, but it can't be---"
>You turn into a shadow the moment you hear it coming---another arcane bolt from Trixie. It passes through your shadowy form.
>She stands there, in the ruins of the banquet hall, fuming with anger.
>Dash and Twilight had been battling the shadow creatures. Dash made it over to where you were first, attributed to her greater speed.
>Now Twilight is here as well, ready to join the fight.
 
>Trixie raises her wand before something distracts her.
>She looks up to the sky with a questioning face.
>"What? WHY?!" she shouts in defiance.
>Something strangles her neck---a reminder of what will happen should she fail to obey.
>Choking slightly, her pain causes you all to question exactly what is going on.
>It stops, and she looks up. Her eyes are focused solely on Twilight.
>With a quick flick of her wand, Twilight vanishes in a flash of blue smoke.
>You look up at Trixie, ready to demand where she took her, but then Trixie is gone too.
"Damn it! Stop teleporting my friends away!"
>"And why would I do that?" a familiar voice asks.
>You turn, and to your horror, two things become readilly apparent: Spike and Rarity are gone, and Discord is there.
>He's wearing odd clothing, like that of a court jester. He's still just as tall as he was before, with the same odd eyes and hair color.
"Discord, you son of a bitch, where are my friends?!"
>He chuckles softly as he twirls about, pulling out six brightly colored balls to juggle. "Why do they matter? This is about you, Anon."
"I know your game. I know the truth."
>"Oh? And who told you the truth, Anon?" he asks with a smile.
"Um... A group of six disembodied aliens who were a white cloud or something. That doesn't matter. They told me who you are and what you plan to do. More importantly, they know how to stop you and so do I."
 
>"Really?" Discord asks, amused. "Awful convenient, don't you think? That a group of aliens would show up to whisk you away to safety and then explain everything and then give your friends powers? It's also quite convenient that there'd be six of them and six of your friends, isn't it?"
"...Just what do you mean by that, Discord?"
>"Just that I didn't think you'd fall for so simple a lie," he says with a smile.
"Nice try, but I've learned to disregard everything you say. I'm going to kill you, Discord."
>"If you've learned that everything I say is a lie, then why did you believe all of my lies when I took the form of the six aliens who told you everything about me?"
>Doubt begins to form in your mind.
"If that were true, you wouldn't be explaining it to me right now. You'd wait until longer, drag it out. The truth is that I've killed one of your elements of disharmony and you're scared."
>"Oh come now! Six elements of disharmony? Six elements of harmony? Six friends; six aliens to give them powers? That your artifacts are made up of souls, causing them to sacrifice themselves so they---again, conveniently---cannot stick around to give you any more answers or guidance? Can't you see how much like a badly written story it all sounds like? A simple joke that I played? And besides... if Flash Sentry were an element of disharmony, why didn't anything happen when he died? Because it's not true, Anon."
Your eye twitches. "You're lying! I know you are. You have to be."
>"Am I? Do you? Do I?"
Your resolve weakens. "But... why would you? You have no reason to. That's why you're lying."
>"I don't have to explain the joke to you, Anon," Discord snickers at your confused face. "Your inability to grasp the bigger picture is more than enough for me."
>You slam your foot onto the ground.
"Tell me where my friends are!"
 
 
>"Oh, that's not important, Anon. They're all alive... for now. What matters more is where I am sending you."
>You leap at Discord, holding your hands up in an attempt to siphon his energy.
>He vanishes the moment you would have touched him.
>"Tsk, tsk, Anon," he says from behind you. "Surely you don't think that would have worked?"
"Worth a shot..." you mutter.
>He laughs. "That's why I like you, Anon. Always trying to be the hero. So let's put you someplace where you'll be safer... until I need you again."
"What does that---"
>The world wobbles around you; straight lines become curvy. Gravity seems to reverse itself around you and you fall backwards and upwards onto the floor.
>You pick yourself up and find yourself trapped in some kind of cell made of rough stone, whose door is made of rusted metal.
>Trying to open it, you discover it to be locked.
>As your eyes adjust to the darkness, you see a straw bed. Down the hallway outside your cell is a burning torch. You can hear it crackle softly in the distance and dim light finds its way into your prison.
>You look around. Nothing else features in this blank cell.
>Outside, you hear footsteps. Someone briskly walks by.
>You think about calling out, but decide against it.
>Wherever Discord has placed you, it cannot be good.
>Was he telling the truth? Or is he trying to make you doubt?
>Is all of this one big game to Discord? Or did he seperate you to slow your progress?
>Your friends believe in you, and you believe in what you were told by the aliens who saved you.
>You have to. It's the only hope you have.
>You summon the die and roll it, looking for a way out.
 
>57.
>Size Alteration!
>Funny how this die comes in handy in the strangest of ways at the best of times...
>You shrink to a size where you would be comfortable in your own, normal-sized shoes.
>This allows you to slip through the bars and into the hallway.
>A guard, possibly the same one, is approaching from the darkness.
>You hide along the wall, hoping he doesn't see you in the shadows.
>Sure enough, he walks right by. You get a good look at his silhouette.
>He's tall, slender, and his armor is dark and form fitting. A sword is belted at his hip and he carries a shield.
>His stance is very elegent, almost... feminine.
>Something about the way he moves, the way he looks... it seems very, very familiar.
>You follow him, heading towards the torchlight.
>He takes a turn out into a larger cavern, and as you follow him, you find yourself on a stone walkway alongside a very large crevice that stretches up very high and very far below into a thick, green fog.
>Looking up, you see no sunlight, but you can see torches along similar walkways up for a very, very long distance.
>That means only one thing: you're underground.
>Deep underground.
>Maybe even... No, that can't be it.
>You continue to follow the guard. Eventually he reaches what must be the limit of his patrol and turns to go back the way he came.
>You, however, continue on in that direction.
>Only to discover a large archway that leads to a bridge. It takes some time to traverse it, but you're not going to enlarge yourself until you're certain of safety.
>The bridge leads to another archway, across a different chasm, this one also seemingly a bottomless pit.
 
>Walking through it, you begin to see a great glow.
>Getting a little closer, your fears are unfortunately confirmed.
>You stand along one of the many small entrances that line the walls of the largest subterranean caverns in your imagination.
>The ceiling is high above you and lined with massive stalactites, but below the floor is covered with civilization.
>An entire underground city is here, its buildings wrought of stone or imported materials. They all take on wicked shapes and the architecture is as dark as its people.
>The dark elves, or drow, of Menzoberranzan.
>Spider-worshipping, backstabbing, enslaving, hedonistic, matriarchal, really fucking edgy elves.
>The other half of your fears are also confirmed: you are in the Underdark, some of the lowest levels of caverns in the world.
>Well, this day has been just awful.
>You hear a noise behind you. You turn, only to be greeted with the sight of a spider the size of a cat eying you up and literally drooling with anticipation.
>And it's about to get a whole lot worse.
>Thinking quickly, you grow to human size and stomp the fuck out of the spider before it can bite you.
>Your foot is now covered in a variety of juices and bits of exoskeleton. You are disgusted.
>But you're more frightened, because upon turning around, you discover a spider the size of a car staring at you.
>Maybe you just killed its little brother or maybe it's just hungry. Who knows.
>Either way, you're not about to do the same thing twice. You decide to do the opposite and shrink down before the massive arachnid can strike, to the size of a quarter, where it cannot even see you much less harm you.
>Just as you've thought you've won, you notice that the cat-sized spider you crushed is now crawling with smaller, penny-sized spiders devouring its carcass.
>A portion of which just noticed you and are breaking off to give chase.
 
>You turn and run, increasing your size to that of a playing card to outrun them.
"Goddamnit, so many spiders! Spiders on top of spiders and within spiders and---"
>Another fucking spider, this one about your equal in size, leaps out from the shadows and tackles you. You see it coming and grab hold of its fangs as both of you tumble over the edge.
>You are now falling, probably to your death, while grapping with a goddamned spider.
>It's nearly all of your nightmares rolled into one, though there are no bears around, thank god.
>Thinking quickly, you grow to your normal size, finding the spider in the palm of your hand. You throw it away.
>And then you land in something soft and bouncy.
>A giant web.
>Of-fucking-course it's a giant web.
>You struggle, finding it impossible to move.
>Across the length of the web, you see a large hole in the side of the cavern that is encased in thick silk. Your struggling causes four pairs of very large, hairy legs to emerge.
>Oh fuck oh fuck oh fuck.
>You are now starring in a remake of The Fly.
>But Jeff Goldblum isn't going to teleport you out of here, fucking amazing as that would be.
>The die, you fool, the die!
>You summon it and drop it through the webs, hoping to high heaven that it finds solid ground below.
>You hear it echo as it bounces off the walls, getting further and further away and more distant.
>Contrary to the massive fucking spider that's getting closer and closer, its eight eyes black as sin itself and all of them reflecting your terrified face.
>Its mandibles and pedipalps gear up for a good meal.
>You close your eyes.
>Then, it comes to you. You realize that your die has found solid ground!
>It's rolling...
>The spider is getting closer...
>The die stops!
 
>64! The power to give someone (or something) great pain or pleasure by merely touching them!
>You grab the shit out of that giant spider's hairy leg just as its fangs are about to close down upon your chest.
>You give it the most excruciating, horrible pain you can imagine. It shoots backwards, spasming out, and to your surprise actually performs autotomy and amputates the limb, leaving it there upon the web, twitching.
>It retreats back into its hole to hide.
>Well, that went better than expected.
>But now you must escape, and this power will not come in handy for that.
>You summon the die and roll again!
 
You roll the die and wait for it to fall again.
>It lands on 86---Bullet Time!
>How the hell is slow motion going to help you?
>You summon the die back up to your hand and roll it again.
>This time, after waiting an additional twenty or so seconds, it lands on 37---technopathy.
>You remember a time when this power seemed so useful, too.
>Roll again!
>This is getting very irritating.
>It lands on 50---telepathy.
>Whose mind are you going to read? The spider's? Fuck that.
>You roll it again!
>46!
>Fire mimicry!
>About goddamn time!
>You turn into a magnificent burning man, incinerating the web, and fly upwards.
>Problem is, in a city of dark elves, a burning man sticks out like... well, like a goddamned burning man.
>You had better get the hell up out of here.
>Flying towards the nearest exit you can find, you soar past the surprised drow guards and their lizard mounts.
>You leave the city far, far behind. It's no place for humans.
>You need to get out of the Underdark, find your friends, find the other five elements of disharmony and stop Discord.
>But every tunnel here looks the same...
>This could take a long while.
>You hope your friends are doing alright...
 
>HOLY SHIT A CHANGE IN PERSPECTIVE
 
>You are Twilight Sparkle.
>Relatively recently, you were given magical powers by an alien and transported into a fantasy world imagined by the man you love---Anonymous.
>And now you find yourself teleported to the heart of some barren desert by your romantic rival, Trixie.
>Who is apparently under some form of mind control that has turned her into a murderous magician out for your blood.
>She stands a few yards away, holding her wand. You are holding your book.
>Her eyes glow red. You want to speak with her, try to appeal to whatever humanity she may have left, but she gives you no chance.
>She's chosen the place for your magical duel and brought both of you to it.
>You hardly have any time to react before she attacks.
 
>Trixie holds up her wand, which crackles with electricity. A bolt of lightning leaps off of it, arcing towards you.
>You haven't had much time to study your book, but one of the earliest spells you learned from it was one of defense. Holding the book aloft in one hand, you hold your palm out and shout the command word---Bovunu.
>A purple magical barrier encircles you, causing the lightning to deflect into a sandbank nearby.
>Trixie lowers the wand and cocks an eyebrow. "Magic?"
"Trixie, stop! Please, I don't want to fight you!"
>She sneers. "But I want to fight YOU!"
>The sand at her feet pushes outwards as she holds her wand up.
>"And thanks to my new amulet, my power is increased tenfold!"
>The amulet glows red as she finishes spitting out an incantation.
>All around her, the sand shifts and changes as figures begin to emerge from it.
>Her sand golems formed, they solidify and charge at you with large, balled fists.
>You drop the shield. What counters sand?
>You speak another phrase---Hadekri---and you are teleported a short distance away, but out of sight.
>This gives you the chance to quickly flip through your book searching for a water spell.
>After a moment, you find it. And not a second too late, as a sand golem rises alongside you from the desert floor.
>You hear it solidify and shift behind you, forcing you to duck as it swings its large fists at you.
"Crytarrok!" you shout as you hold up your palm.
>A burst of freezing water shoots from your hand, blasting the sand golem into pieces.
>Four more rise nearby and you do the same to them, hosing them down and destroying them.
>Trixie rises over the hill nearby. "What fun these games are, aren't they Twilight?"
>You stand in a small puddle of mud from the water you were shooting and look at her.
"Trixie, I beg you, stop this! There's no need for this, for any of this, to happen! We can work together, we can---"
 
>"SAVE IT!" she shouts, silencing you. "I've had it with you, Twilight! I've had it with Anon not being happy, torn from indecision! It's because of you! I was his partner, his destined lover! You were just the nerdy little girl following him like a puppy!"
"Because I love him!" you shout back. "I can't change that!"
>She holds up her wand. "Neither can I. But I can get rid of the problem!"
>With a swish of her wand, she transmutes the mud at your feet to solid rock, trapping you on the spot.
You hold up your hand and shout, "Bigby!"
>A large, glowing hand appears behind Trixie and grabs hold of her, taking her by surprise. It drags her down the side of the dune, giving you some time to escape your predicament.
>You teleport out of the rock and onto the top of the dune. You look down at Trixie as she dispels the hand.
You shout, "Insarsa!" and create an anti-magic field around Trixie. No magic gets in or out.
>You run down the dune and tackle her to the ground, placing your hands around her neck.
>Not trying to strangle her, but you have to get that necklace off! Whatever it is, it's what's causing her to act so crazy.
>She responds by punching you in the face. You fall off and she's on you in an instant---pulling your hair and scratching at you.
>You bring your elbow up into her gut, which causes her to grasp her chest in pain. You roll away and get back up, tackling her again.
>The two of you roll around in the dirt, punching, kicking and cursing all the while.
>The heat from the sun and sand and your battle is quickly piling up, causing both of you to become rapidly exhausted, hot and sweaty.
>You end up rolling out of the anti-magic zone. Trixie realizes this and reaches for her wand---but it's gone.
>You stand up, panting, holding both the wand and the book. You cleverly grabbed it during your catfight.
 
>She looks up at you with her red eyes. "Twilight... help me, please..." she says in a pleading voice. Her eyes turn purple once more. "The wand... it's the only thing that's keeping me alive! Without it, I'm useless to him and he'll---"
>She starts choking. She grabs at her neck, at the amulet, but cannot take it off.
>Your eyes widen. Is Discord killing her because she doesn't have the means to fight back?
>There has to be something you can do.
>Desperately, you throw the wand back to her.
>She immediately stops choking, smiles and catches it as her eyes turn red. "Fool!" she shouts. She swishes the wand and... nothing happens.
>"Wh... what?"
"Fooled you," you say. During your scrap, you had indeed taken the real wand, but you had also used your magic to produce a fake one. A simple inanimate copycat spell.
>"Then... Then where is my real wand?!" she says.
>You point over to the anti-magic field, and there it lies within.
>Trixie holds out her hand, but no magic goes in and no magic comes out.
>You hold open your book and slowly walk between Trixie and her wand.
>"Why? If I couldn't reach my wand anyway, why make a copy?" she asks.
"To test you and see what you would do. You tried to trick me. Not going to work twice, Trixie. Now... let's see about that amulet."
>You open your book and find the page you want---breaking enchantment.
"Ikpara-Vryn!"
>You cast the spell, freeing Trixie from the Amulet's power. Her eyes change back to normal.
>"Twi... Twilight?" she says, sounding confused. "I... I don't..."
"Not done yet!" you say as you approach her. You find a passage for a more powerful spell in the later chapters. "Varrosa-Tae Haki!"
>You touch one of the chainlinks of the amulet, causing it to disintigrate. The necklace falls from Trixie's neck and lands in the sand below.
>You reach down and pick it up. Its ruby has lost its shine, as though leaving a host has severed its source of power.
>You slide it into your bag.
 
>Trixie looks up at you in disbelief. "Twilight, I... I was going to kill you... and Anon..."
"I know," you deadpan. "You were kind of crazy. But... it wasn't your fault."
>She throws you into a sudden hug. "You saved me!" she says as tears stream from her eyes. "I was watching the whole time, like I was in a room and made to see what that amulet did through my body! I was so worried that I was going to lose Anon!"
"Yeah... I was too..." you say, returning the hug.
>She pulls back, now seeming a little uncertain. "But... He chose you. You were never going to lose him, because... because in a way, you were always going to have him."
You reach up and brush a tear off of her cheek. "Please don't cry, Trixie. I can't help that I love Anon... or that he loves me."
>She shakes her head. "No. I know. It's just..." She sighs. "I didn't think it would end up this way. How can I face Anon again? I don't want him out of my life. I... I don't deseve it, now."
"Nonsense!" you say, taking hold of her shoulders. "Trixie, you were mind-controlled by an evil amulet! Anon and the others will forgive you. I do!"
>Her eyes hold a rising hope. "Y-you do?" she whimpers.
"Of course I do. What kind of person would I be to leave you like this?"
>She sniffles and wipes her eyes. "I, I don't know," she says with some relief.
"I do. I wouldn't be a friend."
>She pauses, then closes for another hug.
>You hold her close against you, feeling the heat of her body.
>Actually, that's just the heat of the desert. It's very, very hot out here.
"We need to get out of this place," you tell her. Together, you walk over to pick up her wand. You hold it out to her.
>She hesitates. "You trust me?"
"Absolutely. I need your help, Trixie. Blue Mage and Purple Mage, working together. We'll be unstoppable!"
>She seems to find some confidence in your words as she takes her wand. "Alright. Let's find Anon."
"And then we'll save the world!" You clasp her hand and mutually nod.
>You both teleport away.
 
>Outside, a storm rages over the jungle that borders the desert you just escaped from.
>After a particularly nasty encounter with some giant purple worms first.
>Then, a battle with a group of half-scorpion men who wanted to sacrifice you to their demon king afterwards.
>Then, you stumbled upon an ancient pyramid that contained the resurrected remains of a mummy lord who threatened to turn all life to death with a terrible curse.
>Then, you found the edge of the desert, the jungle and finally this cave.
>All of that in one day? How do these adventurers do it?
>You sigh as you look out of the mouth of the cavern and watch the rain fall over the thick plants and trees.
>Inside, Trixie has managed to conjure up some wood and has sparked them into a fire. "Twilight," she calls out to you, "come sit over here. It's warmer."
>You stand and walk over to the flames, sitting opposite Trixie. She's right; the fire goes a long way towards helping keep warm.
>"One hell of a day, huh?" Trixie asks with a weak smile.
You nod. "I just hope that everyone else is alright." You take out your spellbook. "I haven't had much of a chance to commit all of this book to memory, but there's got to be a spell that can find them for us."
>Trixie looks to the dark corners of the cavern and sighs, "If only our teleport spells weren't so exhausting to use and so limiting in their range. If I had known that the amulet's power-boosting abilities had allowed my mind-controlled self to teleport us halfway around the world, I wouldn't have insisted on walking so much through that dry desert."
"It wasn't so bad," you say. "I mean, the giant worms and the scorpion men were bad, sure, but I could have had worse company."
>She smiles. "You're sweet, Twilight. I don't know how you've forgiven me for everything."
"Well, when you banish a mummy king back to whatever hell he came from with someone, you bond a little," you joke.
 
>She giggles. "Yeah, I guess so." She's quiet for a little bit. "I hope Anon is okay, wherever he is..."
>You look across the fire at her. Anon's a touchy subject, it always has been for the two of you.
>You see a glint of sadness reflected in her purple eyes. At the end of the day, she's still the Great and Powerful Trixie, but she's alone.
>You can see it in her eyes. She's been pining for Anon for so long, only for him to fall in love with you...
>It makes sense to you that she reacted the way she did. Discord probably fed off of her emotions, gave her the amulet, used her to try to emotionally tear at Anon...
>You close your book, stand and move to sit next to Trixie, which surprises her. She looks at you questioningly.
>You put an arm around her shoulder and pull her close to you while taking hold of her hand.
>After all the two of you have been through recently, a simple hug seems the most comforting thing.
>She returns it, sliding a hand around your waist. She turns into your hug and puts her head on your shoulder.
>"Thank you, Twilight. For everything." She turns to lean up and plant a soft kiss on your cheek.
>You pull away a bit in surprise.
"Tr-Trixie?"
>She pulls back, becoming very guarded. "I... I'm sorry, I... I don't know what came over me."
You rub your cheek. "Well, it... certainly caught me off-guard, that's for sure..."
>Trixie blinks a few times in silence. "I-I'm sorry, it's just..."
You wait a moment after she trails off. "Just what?"
>"...Just that I... I understand, I mean, that is..." She's stammering. She brushes some of her light blue hair out of her eyes and a lightning bolt outside allows you see how hard she is blushing. "I, 'get' what Anon... sees in you."
You turn towards her. "What do you mean by that, exactly?"
 
>She nervously averts her eyes and twirls her hair around her finger, fidgeting slightly. "Well, um... Oh, god," she says, looking up to the cave ceiling. "Before, long ago, back in high school... when I made a fool of myself and you showed me up, I... I hated you, Twilight. I wanted to get even so badly..."
"I remember," you reply.
>"I obsessed over it... over you. I couldn't get you off of my mind. It was so strange, to have these... feelings... over another girl, one who I was trying to convince myself I actually hated, but I didn't. I just didn't, Twilight. I liked you."
Your brow slowly raises. "How... much are we talking, exactly?"
>She looks down in shame. "A lot. I had... fantasies. And I never acted on them. But oh, did I have them. By senior year, I had just repressed all of them and avoided you and your friends. I thought I had worked it all out of my system, but... just now, it came back a little. But only a little!" she says defensively.
>She must think you think her to be some kind of freak.
>You slowly move back next to her and take her hand in your own.
"Trixie, it's alright. We all go through odd phases. I don't judge you for it. In fact... I understand a little of what you meant. I was so jealous when you and Anon were off fighting crime. I wanted to be in your place, standing next to him as he saved people and put out fires. I felt so inadequate whenever we were in the room together because of your power."
>"You? Inadequate?" she says incredulously. "You're the better one of us, Twilight. You proved that today. It's always been like that; I just wish I had realized it sooner. I could've had more friends in high school. Instead I isolated myself and ended up with this terrible fear of rejection... Rejection from crowds, from friends, from... you."
>Your eyes meet, purple and purple locking gazes.
"I would never have rejected you, Trixie," you say.
>"Truly?"
"Truly."
 
>She leans a little closer. Her eyes drift down to your lips.
>Your heart starts beating a little faster. The fire is very warm.
>Your grip on her hand tightens a bit and your thumb slides over her smooth, warm skin.
>Her lips part. Her breathing is growing a little heavier.
>Your eyes meet again. There's something different bouncing back and forth between the two of you. Electric.
>You don't know what's about to happen. You don't think she does either.
>But you're both anticipating it, for reasons you don't quite understand.
>She leans in some more.
>You find yourself doing the same.
>Seconds drag by like hours as you grow closer to her. Every small motion tests a new boundary.
>How close are you going to go before one of you reaches her limit?
>You can feel her cool breath on your lips. You're inches apart now.
>She speaks. "Twilight?"
"...Yes, Trixie?"
>"I... I want it to happen..."
>You both know what "it" is.
>Is she asking your permission?
>Slowly, you nod.
>She closes the distance and seals the deal.
>The kiss is soft, tender and without much passion. She quivers slightly, which sends shivers up your spine.
>Both of your eyes close as you enjoy the feeling of her lips against your own.
>After about ten seconds, you drift apart and you hear a small sigh escape her lips.
>"That was nice..." she says, opening her eyes and smiling.
You return her smile. "It was. I... I didn't know what it would feel like, you know? But I liked it..."
>She seems nervous to ask, but does so anyway. "Would you... like to do it some more?"
"I would," you say, bringing your body a little closer to hers. You reach out and gently take hold of her arm. "But maybe... not so soft this time."
 
>Her eyes light up and she smiles. You can feel her trembling with anticipation.
>You find yourself feeling much the same as you lean in to capture her lips with more force this time.
>You tilt your head and close your eyes as your lips press together; a sweet, minty smell fills your nostrils. Her perfume? Her lipstick? You don't know.
>But you like it, and find yourself becoming entranced by it.
>You push a little more, finding that she gives and leans back.
>Shifting, you slowly push her downwards, never breaking contact with your lips.
>She moans softly against you as she finds herself on her back, with you on top.
>Your hair falls to form a frame around her head as she reaches up and buries her fingers in your purple locks.
>She's getting into it---soft moans, pleading sounds. Your chests push together and she gasps, allowing you to nibble softly on her lower lip, which elicits a delightful squeak from her.
>You never imagined this would be happening, but you're not stopping yourself. You think back on lonely nights when your more curious side would come forth and you would read lesbian erotica.
>One book in particular captured your imagination. You found yourself skipping to the love scene in the later chapters so many times just to reread it...
>You take the weight off of your arms and lay upon her, pressing your body against her own.
>Your breasts press against each other as you both heavily breathe.
>Your arms move down to encircle her waist, pulling it close against yours. You feel her hips shift as she softly grinds against your leg.
>You feel a bead of sweat roll down your forehead. Your heart is beating a million miles a minute.
>Surprisingly, she's the one who opens her mouth and licks your lips, begging for attention from your tongue.
>You eagerly comply, opening your mouth and allowing them to meet.
>You both moan as your tongues slide, push and twist against each other in a deliciously sensual manner.
 
>The passion builds as your hands begin to explore her body more, as do her own.
>Her leotard is skin-tight. You reach down and splay your fingers over the skin of her ass, which causes her to yelp in surprise.
>You smile against her lips as you grope the flesh there, kneading and feeling the flesh.
>Trixie is in good shape, but those peanut-butter crackers you know she loves to eat gave her a little more cushion for you to play with.
>You squeeze hard, slipping your thumbs beneath the fabric as she begs you for more.
>Her own hands are on your back, feeling you through your purple robe. She reaches up to your shoulders and takes hold of them as one of her legs wraps around your waist.
>She pulls herself close enough to your body that barely even any air could get through.
>She starts moving up and down as best she can while on her back, rubbing herself against your body.
>You decide to stop your passionate French kissing and instead you make your way down, planting kisses on her chin, jaw and stopping at her neck.
>No longer locked against your lips, she moans loudly as you nibble playfully on her neck and vigorously grope her behind.
>You drag your tongue up her neck, making her shiver at the sensation and leaving a trail of wet saliva behind.
>Diving back down to where her neck meets her torso, you kiss and bite some more, driving her crazy.
You smile against her skin. "Trixie... Tell me about these fantasies you had..."
>Her grip on your robe tightens as you bite a little harder. "Ohhh! I, mm, I had one... we were in the high school locker room... in the showers..."
You lick and suckle up to her ear. "Tell me more..."
>"It was just the two of us... and all that hot, steamy water running down our---Oh!" She yelps in response to you experimentally pinching her ass.
You giggle. "Like that?"
>She nods. "Mm, yesssss..." she trails off. "I had another... We were at the football field behind school... under the bleachers..."
"What were we doing?"
 
>"I had my... my shirt off... and you were, MMM!" she cuts herself off as you bite her neck hard enough to leave a mark, but not enough to draw blood. "You were playing with my breasts!"
"Sounds fun to me..." you say, slowly bringing your hands up her sides. "Any others...?"
>Your hands run up her chest until they find their prize, heaving and trapped by her leotard.
>When you first take hold of her cleavage, her eyes shoot open and her hands dig into your hair, begging you for more wonderful attention.
>"Yes! Please, more, Twilight! I---Mmm!" She moans as you start softly groping her.
"I can do more, but tell me more about what you dreamed with me..." you tease her.
>"I had one... my favorite... I would sneak out of my house at night and across town... I'd come to your home, and... and I'd sneak up to your room, and..."
You give her a few encouraging squeeze and tenderly kiss the spot you had bitten earlier. "Go on..."
>"And... Oh, god, Twilight, we just fucked for hours... I wanted it so badly! Mmmyah!"
>You pause your ministrations and push yourself up onto your elbows, looking down at her.
>She looks up at you, confused about why you stopped.
"You really wanted all of this, all that time?"
>Her eyes look fearful, as though she thinks you mean to end your fun.
"Don't worry, Trixie, I'm way too into this to stop now, but I'm just... honestly surprised that you never approached me or tried to be my friend after... that incident."
>"I... I was worried you would think I was..."
You shake your head and silence her with a finger pressed to her lips. "Enough of all that. Let's just enjoy what we have now."
>She smiles and nods, but that smile vanishes and is replaced by a look of awe as you lean back and slide your robe off of your shoulders, revealing your bare chest to her.
>"You... you... aren't wearing a..."
You shake your head and giggle. "Nope."
>She's transfixed by them. Slowly, she reaches up. "Can I?"
"Of course..."
 
>You take the initiative and take her trembling hand and place it on your right breast. A sharp gasp escapes your lips at the contact.
>She starts feeling and groping your breast. Her palm rests on your nipple and as she moves her hand over it, the contact sends small sparks of pleasure shooting up and down your spine.
>Trixie grows hungry and leans up to plant her mouth over your other nipple. You gasp again as she shifts her weight, now pushing you onto the floor.
>She's on top of you now, lavishing attention onto your breast with her mouth. Her tongue circles around your nipple and she gently bites it.
>Each small detail causes you to moan. You find your toes curling from the care she's giving.
>She seems so eager to please you, so willing to live all the fantasies she's had about you...
>To think that someone was fantasizing about you this entire time... and a woman, no less...
>You wanted to hear her fantasies because you couldn't believe how much it made you want her.
>Just knowing that she's been dreaming about doing this with you is enough to throw all caution to the wind and dive in.
>As she licks and suckles on your breast, you feel her opening more of your robe. You lay on it now like a blanket as she exposes you completely.
>Though you weren't wearing your bra, you did have a pair of underwear on. Purple panties.
>Trixie uses her legs to spread yours apart until they're as wide as they can go.
>Then she leaves your breast behind with a small kiss to look up at you.
>"I'm going to show you how much I've wanted this, Twilight..." she says with a smile. "With this."
>She hold up her hand and gives a small flourish, making her wand appear in her fingers. Her eyes are mischievous.
You look at her, confused. "What are you---"
>Then, you feel a sudden breeze as her wand makes your panties vanish. You gasp as you feel the end of it touch your most private of areas.
"Trixie!" you say, grabbing the robe.
 
>"Shhhh..." she soothes, leaning up to kiss your neck and return the attention you gave to her earlier. "I'm going to show you my favorite magic trick, Twilight..."
>You feel the tip of the blue wand move up and down, softly stimulating your wet, hot lower lips.
>Then, there's something more...
>You gasp very suddenly as you feel something, an energy of some kind, emerging from the wand.
>Waves of pleasure shoot through you as the wand slowly pushes its way in, humming with this strange, almost electrical energy.
>Whatever Trixie is doing, you love it and never want it to end. It's as though she's channeling pure bliss through the wand and into your loins and it's shooting up to your brain, overwhelming it with an indescribably intoxicating effect.
>She moves the wand in deeper as she licks your neck. Her other hand reaches around and cups your breast, playing with it and squeezing your hard nipple.
>Your moans grow louder as she moves the wand in and out now, fucking you with it like it's a dildo.
>But no toy would ever feel as good as this. The magic stimulates your inner walls unlike anything you've ever known, paralyzing you with pleasure. Unable and unwilling to move, you ride the sensations as far as they will take you.
>Sweat drips off your skin. The lightning outside roars and the fire nearby grows hotter.
>Your mind almost goes blank as you build towards the most amazing climax of your life.
>Then, it hits, and you scream as you orgasm harder than you ever have in your life.
>Your toes curl and your fingers tighten their grip on the robe beneath you as you throw your head back. Your moans take a long while to die off as Trixie keeps going, all the while slowing her pace.
>Eventually, she withdraws her wand and holds it up.
>Your juices have positively soaked the half that was inside of you. She smiles and brings it to her lips, licking it and moaning at the taste.
>It's the last sight you see before you find yourself passing out from bliss.
 
>You awaken an unknown amount of time later. You shoot up, breathing heavily. It's day outside and the fire is out.
>You nearly jump out of your skin as you feel a pair of hands placing your robe on your shoulders before you turn to see that it is Trixie with a concerned look on her face.
>"Twilight?" she asks.
"I'm fine," you quickly reply, calming yourself. "Just... Wow." You reach up and brush some hair out of your eyes.
>Trixie smiles and leans back. "I take it you liked my little magic trick."
"How did you even...?"
>"A little spell I learned one night when I was bored and fantasizing. I had my wand and I just... well, you know," she says a little sheepishly.
"It's amazing," you reply as you turn to her. "I've never felt so... powerless to stop you."
>"Careful, I might take advantage of you again if you play to my pride," she playfully retorts.
You smile. "You deserve all the credit. But aren't you... unsatisfied? I kinda passed out..."
>"Don't worry. I handled myself. You can return the favor someday, if you like..." she says, leaving the offer open.
"I would," you say with a smile. You reach out and take hold of her hand.
>She takes comfort in this, glad that you feel the same way. "So... What does this make... you know, us?"
You pause in thought for a moment. "I don't think it matters what we call ourselves, Trixie. The past is the past and the present is the present. Let's just simply... be."
>And then she brings up the more pressing concern on her mind. "And... what about Anon?"
You look her in the eyes, finding them sorrowful. "I love him," you reply. "And... do you?"
>She nods. "I feel for him as strongly as... Well, you. I just repressed my feelings about you because they confused me and I was afraid that it wouldn't be. I became so convinced that he had to have either me or you... But Twilight, nothing in the world would make me happier... than if he could have both of us. Because then... I would have both of you."
 
>For a moment, there is only silence in the small cave. Outside, the sounds of the jungle are all that can be heard.
"I never thought that life would take me to where it has," you begin. "Monsters, magic, and now..." You laugh as you say, "And now, bisexual three-way relationships."
>She's waiting for your response with quiet trepidation.
You smile and look into her purple eyes. "Okay, Trixie. I'm willing to give it a shot. I love Anon and... And well, maybe I can learn to love you in the same way." You lean in close and whisper, "If you use your wand like that again, that is..."
>A spark of mischievousness goes off in her eyes as she kisses you. "Every time, Twilight."
>You find yourself shivering in anticipation.
"Good. But, we need to get going." You pull your robe back on and close it up, looking around for your spellbook. You pick it and its bag up and sling it over your shoulder.
>Trixie stands, holding out her hand. You take it and she helps you to your feet.
>You're about to turn to the cave entrance when she doesn't let go, but instead pulls you close to her and kisses you again.
>This one is much more passionate, and it carries a feeling of gratitude. She's thanking you for letting her into your life, for accepting her and her feelings for you.
>You earnestly respond by kissing her back just as hard, gently cupping her chin.
>She breaks away and smiles. "Let's go find our mutual love," she says.
"I think he'll be happy to hear our news," you say, heading towards the cave mouth.
>"He'd be insane not to, if the Great and Powerful Trixie says so herself," she brings out her flashy, taunting voice.
>You laugh a bit as you step out into the sunlight and continue on your journey with new resolve and something new to fight for: a future with two lovers.
 
>You step through the jungle, carefully avoiding contact with anything that looks dangerous.
>In a world like this, you never know; even the simplest flowers might be poisonous.
>Trixie keeps pace behind you. Though you are focused on the task at hand, you can't get what happened last night out of your mind.
>The sweat, the moaning, the heat...
>You shake your head as you feel your legs tremble. You can't think about that right now.
>You have to focus on your friends and your quest.
>Trixie speaks up, interrupting your thoughts. "Perhaps we should try teleporting again?"
"We don't really know where we're going. We should save our energy, in case we are attacked again."
>Trixie nods. "What we could truly use is a guide..."
>A voice startles both of you and you turn to face it.
>"If a guide is what you need, then my words you should heed."
>A woman stands there, wearing a zebra pelt. She looks African; indeed, natively so.
>Necklaces, an elegently-fashioned spear and golden rings around her neck, alongside matching earings. Her hair is bright white with streaks of raven black.
You cock an eyebrow. "Who are you?"
>"A woman of the wilds, Zecora is my name. You need not raise your hands; my motives are tame."
>Two rhymes in a row? Is this how she always speaks?
You lower your hand, as she does not appear to be in a threatening stance. "My name is Twilight Sparkle."
>"And Trixie is my name," your friend and lover introduces herself.
>The woman nods. "Well met you are in this fair land, though it seems you come from one of sand," she says, pointing at your robes.
>You look down, seeing some sand still clinging to one side.
"We... came from the desert, yes, but we aren't from there originally. We teleported there with magic and need to get back around the world as quickly as possible."
>"Quite a distance to cover in so short a time; perhaps I can help you if you solve a problem of mine?"
>You look at Trixie, then back to Zecora.
"What is it?"
 
>She turns her head and nods in a direction. You look over and see a hut built into the trunk of a great tree, its roots dangling over the side.
>A small light burns in the window.
>Zecora walks towards it. "This is my home, a simple place no doubt. Let me show you what my trouble is about."
>She leads you up to the door, opening it and inviting you inside.
>Its interior is decorated with large masks, exotic rugs and shelves upon shelves of potions and ingredients.
>In a nearby bed, you hear a woman groaning.
>Zecora approaches the bed and pulls the cover back.
>You gasp.
"A.K. Yearling?"
>Indeed, one of your personal favorite archeologists is lying in the bed. You've read all of her books.
>But now, she looks sick and pale.
>Trixie walks up next to you. "I know this person," she says. "Anon and I saved her from a giant dog-demon in South America not too long ago."
"You did?" you ask.
>"We kept it a secret," she admits. "Not much point in doing so now."
>Zecora speaks up. "I came upon her lying alone and knew I could not leave her; a poisonous plant has given her this fever." She shows you a bubbling cauldron in the center of the room. "The antidote is something I can brew, but a key ingredient is lacking in my stew."
"Where is it?" you ask.
>"Deep in the jungle where even I fear to tread, for it is a valley filled with woe, death and dread."
>Trixie looks at you, then back to Zecora. "What does it look like?"
>"Within this place there grows a rare flower, said to hum and pulse with strange power. This plant I need for the potion to mix, else her soul shall go to the River Styx."
"And if we help you help her, you'll help us get to where we need to go?" you ask.
>Zecora nods. "Many powers and rituals can I perform; to send you where you need shall not be out of the norm."
 
>Trixie holds up her wand. "Right then. Let's get this over with quickly."
>Zecora nods and heads towards the exit. "I will lead you to the edge of the valley's ledge, but I dare go no further than that edge."
"We understand. Take us there and we'll handle the rest."
>The walk takes about twenty minutes from where she lives.
>Along the way, she notes key terrain features and markers that will lead you back to her home.
>Eventually you come to the edge of a large, deep valley. A set of stone stairs leads down into the darkness and fog below.
>"This is the only place where the flower may grow. But be warned and alert for what may prowl below."
"Can you tell us what might be guarding it?"
>"What lies below I have not seen but heard, roaring with fury every time it is stirred."
>"We'll be careful, then. Perhaps we won't awaken it?"
"Perhaps..." you grimly reply.
>Zecora parts from you and the two of you begin walking down the steps.
>As you get lower, your visions becomes blurry from the fog. You take another step, finding it to be mud.
"We're in a swamp," you softly tell her.
>"Let me see," she says, producing her wand. She silently casts a spell that summons a gust of wind that blows aside all of the fog.
>Indeed, the valley floor is entirely covered with murky, muddy water from which protrude trees, rocks and foul odors.
>You look back at Trixie and wink as you open your book, softly casting a spell of levitation upon yourself and she.
>Once cast, the two of you glide over the water's surface, not disturbing a thing. Insects and frogs make noises all around you, but you continue into the very heart of the swamp.
>There, upon a large rock, a single flower grows. It can only be the one you are after.
>It is beautiful, golden and glows with a strange orange light.
>You approach it while Trixie waits behind you, wand in hand and surveying the area.
 
>Reaching up, you delicately pluck the flower and hold it in your hands. Zecora was right; it does hum with a strange power.
>You look back at Trixie and smile, giving her a small thumbs up. She seems to almost sigh in relief.
>The water behind you explodes from below as a massive creature rears its head upwards, roaring to the heavens.
>Birds all around scatter and flee from the horrible sound.
>You are sprayed with the water from the sudden surge and whip around to behold a terrifying sight.
>The monster's body remains below the water, but its long, serpent-like neck and head are staring right back at you, fury burning in its yellow eyes.
>It isn't a snake, more like a plesiosaur.
>This beast, straight out of the legends of Loch Ness, rears its head backwards and opens its maw, lined with rows of razor-sharp teeth.
>It snaps forward with surprising speed, but you levitate upwards and bring you legs up to dodge it.
>Trixie, having prepared for such an event, shoots a ball of lightning from her wand. The ball flies through the air and strikes the monster's neck, stunning it and causing it to roar in pain.
>The water all around the monster crackles with electic energy.
>You turn and fly towards her as the creature, undaunted, takes up chase. Its large body moves beneath the waves effortlessly and it quickly catches up to you.
>Trixie is ready, however, with a spout of flame launched from the tip of her wand. It hits Nessie in the face, igniting the mottled brown flesh.
>It cries out in pain and dives beneath the surface, vanishing instantly.
>You know that it won't be for long. You reach Trixie and throw her into a hug, shouting the command word your teleportation spell.
>In an instant, you are back at the top of the valley. You pull back and look at her before both of you look below.
>The fog has returned. All you can hear is the pained, frustrated roars of the monster.
 
>Trixie takes hold of your cheek and delivers a swift, surprising kiss. "I'm glad you're not hurt," she says. "That thing was out for your blood."
>You blush a bit from the kiss.
"I'm fine," you insist, moving to stand. You brush some mud off of your robes. "I have the flower," you say as you hold it up for her to see. "Let's get back to Zecora."
>You walk back to her home, opening the door. You find her kneeling next to A.K. Yearling, softly rubbing a leaf onto her arm. The herb seems to be soothing her pain.
>She notices your entrance. "Have you the flower that I require? Hurry and bring it, her health is dire!"
>You take the flower out and hand it to her. She throws it into the bubbling mix over the fire and stirs.
>Nearby, Yearling groans in pain. Zecora speeds her actions up, never enough to spill any of the precious fluid, until she is satisfied with the potion.
>She takes a small ceramic cup and scoops some of it inside.
>She kneels next to Yearling, holding her head up and bringing the potion to her lips. Yearling is disoriented, but knows enough to swallow the bitter drink.
>Zecora sets the cup aside once it is emptied, and places her palm upon Yearling's forehead.
>The archeologist and author slowly opens her eyes. "What... what happened?"
>"You are safe for now at least. Thanks to these two, you are not deceased," Zecora says, introducing the two of you.
>"I... I know you!" she says, looking at Trixie. "You're that woman who helped save me from Ahuizotl!"
>"Trixie," she says, shaking Yearling's hand.
"Miss Yearling, are you alright?"
>"Do," she replies.
"Come again?"
>"Daring Do. My name is Daring Do. A.K. Yearling is... well, she's my double-identity."
 
"But, you've published works, been recognized in museums and charities! Why use a fake name?"
>"In my line of work, I make a lot of enemies. I nearly died last time I took on a partner... Until Trixie and her friend the Dungeon Master saved me." She looks at Zecora and the hut you are all in. "Where are we?"
>"In a jungle of some kind," Trixie answers.
>"The same one that now surrounds Manehatten?" Daring asks.
You cock an eyebrow. "What?"
>"Twenty-four hours ago, the whole world went to hell. I was in Manehatten to make a public appearance at the Museum of Art and History when BAM! A massive, exotic jungle surrounded the entire city. Monsters and wild animals started pouring in from it. I went exploring, and, well..."
>You remember what the aliens who saved you and your friends spoke of; that half of the world was still unchanged, and people who escaped the change would still have their normal memories intact. Daring Do must be one of these people!
>Zecora nods. "You met a most dangerous plant, nearly as poisonous as the yellow ant."
>She blinks, thrown off by the rhyming. "Riiight... But you saved me?"
"Zecora needed us to get an ingredient for your antidote. In exchange..." you trail off.
>The African woman nods and stands. "I'm afraid that I was not entirely honest with you. I swear that from now on, I will be forward and true. I lack the power to send you back to where you must go, but our friend here comes from a place that knows."
>"Manehatten?" Daring asks. "What about it?"
 
>Zecora walks up to her brew and takes a gourd from a hook off of the wall. "When I first brought you to this place, I consulted the spirits and in their grace, they showed me the answers that I sought as the fires of my hearth grew hot. A dark power means to sunder the world, and has two realities forced to become swirled. To return the worlds to their peaceful form, heroes must confront the chaotic storm. Twilight, Trixie and Daring Do are three, but two more lie in her city. They have the means to travel the globe, for back into the lands of darkness you must go."
You take a moment to let her words sink in. "And that's all you know?"
>"I can do more than set you in motion, I can give to each of you a potion. A simple drink will grant you its power, and each will last for exactly an hour."
>"Sounds good to me," Trixie says. "You wouldn't happen to have any... peanut-butter flavored potions, would you?"
>Zecora chuckles and walks to her cabinet, opening it up and taking out three potions. "To you Trixie I grant a potion of fox's cunning, which for an hour will make your intellect stunning. To Daring Do I bestow a potion of cat's grace, ensuring that none will be able to match your pace. And for Twilight, I grant the liquid wisdom of an owl, so that your mind will resist enemies most foul."
>You each take the vial as she hands them to you. You tuck yours safely within your robes.
"Thank you, Zecora. Will you be coming with us?"
>"It is not my place, my child. I belong here as a sage in the wild. To the city's edge will I take you all, but then I must return to nature's call."
>Daring Do pockets her potion. "Okay. So we head back to Manehatten and then what, exactly?"
"She said we're looking for two more. They shouldn't be hard to find. If we're lucky, they're two of our friends. Let's go."
 
>Zecora guides you to the edge of the jungle. Beyond lays Manehatten, just as it was when you recently visited it. Only now it is besieged by denizens of the jungle.
>Tigers run loose down its streets. The military is scrambling to fight against manticores, giant apes and drakes. Tribal warriors stab their spears into cars and cast shamanistic spells, summoning primal spirits.
>It's chaos. Discord must be loving this.
>"Damn, this place went to hell even worse than when I left it," Daring Do says, taking out her whip.
"Let's head to Times Square. It's got to be the center of attention right now."
>Trixie takes out her wand. "Allow me," she says, twirling it. The three of you vanish in a cloud of blue smoke, instantly transported to the center of the massive area.
>Soldiers and policemen are running around the area, trying to get civilians to safety. At one end, a massive firefight has emerged as a monster lumbers into the area, picking up a squad car and hurling at the police.
>It stands over thirty feet tall, with a massive, grey and bulky body. It resembles a rancor from Star Wars, only grey in color and with six yellow eyes.
>You look at Trixie and Daring and know what you must do. You open the battle with a fireball, lobbed across the street and striking the beast in the center of its chest.
>That got its attention. It roars and charges in your direction.
>Trixie teleports behind it, casting a spell to coat the ground in a thick sheet of ice. The clumsy monster slips and falls, allowing Daring to ran up to it.
>Along the way she picks up a shotgun from a fallen policeman as she jumps onto the ice, sliding up to the monster's head. She leaps onto the beast, wrapping her whip around its upper maw. She yanks on it, forcing the creature to open its mouth wide.
 
>This gives you the perfect opportunity to shoot a bolt of lightning right down its throat. The creature twitches and roars, rolling over. Daring Do jumps off and onto the melting ice as the monster crushes two parked cars under its back as it rolls on top of them.
>You hear something from behind you. Turning around, your eyes widen as two human figures descend from the sky. The Wonderbolts!
>Only... they're not using their jetpacks. They're using wings!
>Spitfire and Soarin dive from above, wielding M16s. Like angelic soldiers, they soar up to the fallen monster and strafe it, shooting bullets into its hide and drawing blood.
>Trixie sees the new allies join the fight. She conjures up four massive chains to grab the beast's wrists and ankles to hold it in place. It takes all of her concentration to fight the bestial raw power of the muscular monster.
>Daring Do runs up to it once more, climbing onto its chest. She takes the shotgun and pumps it, unloading several shots into its throat, tearing it apart.
>Spitfire and Soarin compliment her by landing on either side of the monster's head and unloading the remainder of their clips into its six eyes.
>You look over at a car. Taking out your spellbook, you cast a spell of levitation upon it, bringing it up into the air. Then, a much more complicated spell; transmutation. Using the components of the car as an offering, you transform the vehicle into a weapon---a sword that only a giant could wield.
"Get down!" you shout to Daring, who quickly does as she is told.
>You focus all of your might into the sword, hurling it into the beast's chest.
>It stabs cleanly through its ribs, burying itself into the street below.
>The monster, now pinned in place, ceases to struggle and dies.
>Trixie teleports over to you as Daring walks up. "Damn fine work," the archeologist compliments you.
"Speak for yourself. I never imagined you'd be such a badass."
>"It comes with the job," Daring says with a wink.
 
>Captain Spitfire and Lieutenant Soarin approach with their weapons down and their wings folded behind their backs. "Twilight Sparkle," Spitfire says.
>"And Trixie Lulamoon; prime suspect for the identity of the Blue Mage," Soarin notes.
Your eyes narrow. "Are we still enemies?"
>Spitfire shakes her head. "We were never enemies, Twilight. Circumstances were beyond our control. But this? All of this? It's way beyond any of us. We need to set everything aside and figure out what's going on."
"I know what's happening. An ancient alien entity has unleashed Anon's imagination and is using it to transform the entire world into a fantasy-charged realm and is using the chaos it is bringing to destabalize the world in order to completely conquer it once he arrives."
>Soarin and Spitfire both stare at you for a moment. Daring Do scratches the back of her head as the information sinks in.
>Spitfire shrugs. "Fuck it. That's as believeable as anything else that's happening right now. I mean, we've got wings for godsake. Imagine our surprise at that."
"We don't have much time to explain all of the finer details. What can you tell us about the current situation on your end?"
>Spitfire reports, "Global communications are knocked out. We've managed to find difficult ways of communicating with other pockets of humanity that didn't vanish when all of this went down. For some reason we're still trying to figure out, half of the world is covered in some kind of... shadow."
"Nightmare Moon's eternal night," you mutter.
>Soarin picks up, "We've got jets in the air and are trying to mobilize every military force we can, but it's a mad scramble to just defend ourselves. Dragons, zombies; we've got reports of an installation being overrun with giant bees. Bees, my god..." he trails off.
 
"We need to get across the globe, into the dark half. There's a kingdom there called Canterlot. We were there when all of this went down. It's our only chance of getting through this alive and stopping Discord."
>"Discord?" Daring asks.
"That's what he calls himself. He's growing closer to Earth every second. If we don't get back and link up with the others, all of humanity is doomed."
>Spitfire looks uncertain. "So we have to abandon the city? There are people here who need our help."
You approach her and look her dead in the eye. "Every human in the world needs our help, Captain. Not just the ones in this city."
>Soarin places a hand on her shoulder. "We should help them, Captain. With all the crazy shit that's going on here, we've got no reason to doubt their word."
>Spitfire sighs. "Alright. We've got a VTOL on a rooftop nearby. It'll take us around the globe. You better be right about this, Sparkle."
"I am."
>The five of you turn and follow her.
>As they take you to the building your transport is parked atop of, you look out over the horizon at the city, seeing some of its skyscrapers burn with dragon fire.
>Like Spitfire, it pains you that you cannot stay to help.
>But if you don't get there in time to stop Discord, things will get much, much worse.
 
>HOLY SHIT ANOTHER CHANGE IN PERSPECTIVE
 
>You are Rainbow Dash, and you are falling.
>Specifically, you're falling through storm clouds. All around you, lightning strikes and thunder rumbles.
>You are holding onto Sunset Shimmer, still transformed in her devil-like form.
>She is smiling that wicked, awful smile of hers and staring into your eyes.
>Her pale green irises, surrounded on all sides by total blackness, bore into your soul.
>She laughs as she causes her skin to ignite, burning in your hands, causing you to let go.
>Then, you see Applejack falling alongside her. Sunset vanishes in a whirlwind of fire that is lost within the storm.
"APPLEJACK!" you shout to her, getting her attention. You stretch your wings out behind you and give them a good flap, propelling you towards her.
>She reaches out and takes your hand and you catch her. You are both now falling through the black clouds, holding tightly onto each other.
>You try flapping your wings, but to your horror, you discover that something is holding onto you.
>Specifically, many pairs of disembodied hands are grabbing the both of you, pulling at you. They grab your wings, legs and hair, tugging and groping.
>You both shout as you try to fight them off. Sword in hand, you slash madly about, but to no avail; these hands belong to spirits that cannot be sliced by your blade.
>You pour all of your strength into your wings, pushing against the torrent of the dead.
>You scream in pain as you push free of their grasp, taking AJ with you. Both of you break free from the strange wellspring and burst outwards, into the open sky below the storm clouds.
 
>Now free, you look and see what you escaped from; a river flowing down from the sky into a massive lake.
>Within this black, fog-like water, spirits of thousands, possibly millions dead wail in torment and agony as they collect in the lake below.
>This river emerged from the stormclouds above, pouring endlessly. The lake splits off into a massive river, carrying them all... somewhere.
>Now, you have a chance to catch your breath and look around, and the sight is isn't good.
>For miles in every direction there is nothing but desolate wasteland of black dirt, ash and sand. Great volcanic rivers flow and massive fireballs fall in random patterns from the thick, red clouds above.
>There is no sunlight, only the light from the burning landscape. You see spires of rock, iron and obisidian, great fortresses rising from the blasted lands around them.
>Your grip on Applejack tightens as you realize where you are.
>You're in hell.
>And there's no exit in sight.
 
    >Applejack clings to your waist, looking around the hellish lands below with her green eyes.
    >"Rainbow? Where... Where are we?"
    "Hell... I think..." you grimly reply.
    >"Well, if ever there was a hell, it'd look this this," she says.
    >Slowly, the two of you drift to the ground. You set AJ down gently and her boots crunch into the red dirt below.
    >The two of you look around, seeing nothing but wasteland in all directions, save for the lake nearby.
    >You both watch the stream of souls pour into it. Their pained moans reach your ears, sounding like a million people crying out for help.
    >"Are those people... dead?"
    "They have to be... They're like, spirits, or something... Spirits being sent to hell."
    >Applejack shivers, though not from any cold. "And Sunset brought us here?"
    "She probably knows her way around this place better than we do," you point out. "We need to get out of here as soon as possible. But... I have no idea how."
    >You look at AJ and see the nervousness in her normally confident eyes. You can't blame here; you never wanted to be in a place like this.
    >But if there was one person in the universe you would want to be here with, if only to make sure she isn't harmed... it would be her.
    >AJ looks off in the distance and sees a mighty tower. "That might be a good place to start," she says. "If nothin' else, it'll give us a good reference marker while we search around."
    >You nod and fly up to scout as AJ starts walking. All you can see are fireballs raining from the red clouds and nothing else as far as the eye can see, save for that one tower.
    >You are caught off guard, then, when a platoon-sized element of thirty devils teleports in to surround AJ below.
 
>They are soldiers, wearing black armor and wielding swords and shields. They lack wings, but have tails, horns and reptile-like feet.
>Their eyes burn with a lust for violence.
>Immediately, AJ puts her fists up, holding her lasso in one of them. You fly down and land behind her, ending up back-to-back.
>You stare down these legion devils, daring them to make the first move.
>One of them teleports, vanishing in a spout of fire and appearing next to you. It brings its sword down from above.
>You raise yours and block it, shattering his blade. Taking advantage of his surprised state, you hack him cleanly in half, your magical sword slicing through him like a hot knife through butter.
>The remaining devils close in. AJ throws her lasso out and grabs hold of one, pulling him in and swinging him around, letting him loose to crash into three others. She then uses her powerful legs to kick at one, sending him flying backwards.
>You begin hacking and slicing your way through their ranks, dodging and blocking their attacks with your shield. Your sword rings and hums as it strikes cleanly each time. Though they can teleport at will, your speed more than matches their strength.
>You kill ten more of them in mere moments, chopping off limbs and heads. You never imagined that you'd be getting so into this---but this is a riot!
>You leap upwards, spreading your wings and bringing your sword down upon one of their heads to cleave him in half.
>Meanwhile, AJ has grabbed one by the horns, bringing it down to her rising knee.
>This smashes its head and she discards the broken horns as the corpse crumbles to the ground.
 
>Another one charges her. She thrusts her fist upwards into its jaw, smashing his teeth and cracking the jawbone in half. He falls to his knees and she takes hold of his neck, snapping it in one hand.
>The other hand reaches out to catch the sword arm of a legion devil, grasping him by the wrist.
>With a simple twist, she breaks his arm, causing him to cry out in pain and drop the sword.
>Tightening her grip, she brings up a leg and kicks him in the chest, tearing off his arm as his body flies back.
>She then uses that same arm to beat another devil to death as he crawls away in fear. She advances on him and just smashes him over and over again.
>You blink a few times. You think you're in love.
>Scratch that, you KNOW you're in love.
>The remaining legion devils all teleport away in fear to regroup elsewhere.
>You approach her as you wipe devil blood off of your sword.
"Goddamn AJ, you're a real badass when you want to be."
>She takes off her hat and wipes sweat from her brow. "Ah don't intend on staying here any longer than we need to. No point in foolin' around or fightin' soft."
"Hey, I'm right there with you, heh." You scratch the back of your head. "I hope there aren't too many more around..."
>"Millions," a shrill voice says. You both whip around to see a strange, small figure. It is about the size of a young man, but hunched over. It has bat-like wings emerging from its back.
>But the most startling feature is that its entire body is covered in sharp black spines.
>Its large mouth twists into a smile. "Is this your first trip to Baator, mortals?"
>Applejack raises her fists. "You got ten seconds to explain who and what you are before Ah beat you to a pulp," she threatens.
>It holds up its spikey hands. "I am a spinagon, mortals. My name is Skurr. You are in Baator, the Nine Hells. This, all around you," he says, turning in place with his arms outstretched, "is Avernus, the first hell."
 
You point your sword at him. "Tell us how we get out of here."
>He chuckles in a strange, gurgling manner. "I watched as you fell from the storm above Lake Despond. You can leave from the same way, but it merely leads to the Astral Sea, and you would be lost to its infinite reaches. You desire to return to the physical world, yes? I can help you."
>AJ's eyes grow narrow. "Why should we trust you?"
>"The Nine Hells are a place of law, my dear, and strict rules regarding heirarchy. If you help me advance my station of power, I help you. I merely require an assassination and I will lead you to the land of Dis, the second hell. There, you will find many gates and portals whose keepers can lead you back to the mortal realm."
"Who do you want us to kill?" you ask.
>"I work for a barbazu. If you kill him and give me his weapon, I will rule his gang. He lives in a cave not far from here. I will lead you to him."
>"So we kill the barb... the bar... the barber and you'll take us to this place?"
>"I cannot promise you will find your way home in Dis, but Bel, Archdevil of the First, would not hear your case, merely sentence you to death. Dispator, Archdevil of the Second, just might, if you find a way to curry his favor."
"Then let's go."
>The spined devil smiles and cackles to himself as he stretches his wings and glides over the red wasteland. You and AJ keep pace with him; you flying and she running.
>You hope this little bastard isn't leading you into a trap.
>He takes you over a slope and stops at the top, peering down at a cave mouth below. "This is it," he says. "Gorandora lives there. He is the barbazu of whom I spoke."
>"Anyone else live there with'em?" AJ asks.
>"He keeps two pet hell hounds and a number of legionnaires at his disposal---you have met those already, so they should not pose a threat."
 
"Let's rock," you say, holding up your sword. You look at AJ and nod.
>Both of you charge down the side of the hill towards the entrance. You see a dog posted as a guard. It notes your approach and ignites its body with hellfire, growling menacingly.
>With a single flap of your wings, you dash forward and slice it in half. It dies with a loud yelp and its halves turn to ash.
>AJ runs inside, finding two legion devils. She takes them by surprise and grabs their heads by the horns, slamming them into each other.
>She drags them further into the cave as you fly past her, hacking down another legionnaire.
>AJ spins in place, throwing both of them in succession at three more guards that appear from around a corner. You fly up to them and stab into the mass about ten times, ensuring that they are all dead.
>You and AJ walk nonchanlantly down the halls of the red cavern until you come to a large room, at the center of which is a throne made out of skulls.
>Upon this throne sits a tall, blood-red skinned devil with several tentacles emerging from his chin, forming a fleshy beard. Each tentacle ends in a bird-like beak.
>He bares his teeth and stands, holding a glaive in one hand and a chain leading to a hellhound in the other. Around him, several legion devils mobilize.
>"You are very bold to storm into my home, mortals," he says, pointing the head of the glaive up at you. "Swear fealty to me now, and I will spare your lives."
>"Nah," AJ says, pulling out her lasso. She throws it down at the bearded devil, wrapping it around his glaive. With great strength she wrenches it out of his grasp, commanding the lasso to bring it to her hands. "Dash," she invites.
>You leap your position down into the throng of devils and begin the battle with a spinning attack, killing three of them in a circle around you. Two come at you with swords, but a rising attack severs both of their arms, causing them to cry out in pain and fall backwards.
 
>You smile before suddenly you hear the barbazu shout a command to the hellhound, who opens his mouth and unleashes a spout of flame in your direction.
>You hold up your shield, blocking it. AJ leaps down atop the hellhound, crushing it with her powerful legs. She whips around and kicks the bearded devil in the chest which sends him flying backwards into his throne. He smashes through it, creating a cloud of bone-white powder.
>You finish off the remaining legion devils as AJ approaches the barbazu and holds it up by the beard, taking hold of all seven tentacles. "You could use a shave," she quips as she places her hand on his head and yanks. All seven tentacles rip off with a sickly, tearing sound.
>The barbazu cries out in horrible pain as it falls backwards, grasping its chin. Blood pours out of the seven holes.
>AJ throws the squirming tentacles aside and approaches his head and stomps on it once. He stops moving.
>She turns and looks at your stunned face. "What?" she asks.
"You're scaring me more than these devils," you reply.
>"Like Ah said; Ah don't wanna be here any longer than we need to be. Let's get goin'."
>You nod as she leads the way out of the cavern with the devil's glaive in hand. Outside, you see Skurr, eagerly awaiting your return.
>He hops up and down upon seeing the glaive. "Yes! Yes! You have killed him, yes! Now I rule this gang!" he reaches for the weapon but AJ holds it tightly.
>"Our deal," she says. "Take us to Dis, then you get the axe."
>The spined devil recoils. "Shrewd, human... I had planned on leading you there regardless. Honestly. But if you insist. Follow me."
>He stretches his wings out and takes off. As before, the two of you follow him.
>"You were headed for the Pillar of Skulls. It has an entrance to Dis, but it is guarded by a fierce draconic horror. You must instead travel through the main entrance to Dis, the Gates of Malsperanze. A rare sight for living mortal eyes to behold."
 
"Just shut up and get us there," you order.
>The journey takes about another hour, during which time you avoid numerous legion devil patrols and navigate over rivers of blood and souls. "The River Styx," the spined devil explains, "carries souls to every level of the Nine Hells. You could sail down it, had you a boat, hehehehe..."
>Eventually, he takes you to a massive canyon. Built into one of its sides is a gate, larger than any other you've seen. It is a grand archway of metal and surrounded by massive towers of iron. Great fires burn all around it, and streams of blood, lava and souls pour into it. The gate is open.
>Above the massive metal entrance are runes burning with eternal fire. They read, "Abandon all hope, ye who enter here."
>You both collectively gulp and fight away the nervous fear crawling up your spines.
>The spined devil smiles. "That way is the open road that leads to the Iron City of Dis, the Second Level of Hell. Be warned, travellers... if you think it hot upon the surface world of Avernus, you know nothing of the heat that lies below."
>AJ nods and hands him the glaive. "Get outta here and don't let me ever see you again."
>He takes it and nods, taking off and flying back in the direction you came from.
>You look into AJ's eyes and she into yours. "You all right?" she asks.
You nod. "I'm worried about what we'll find down there. AJ, I..." you trail off. "There's something I want to tell you before we go down there."
>She turns to you. "Is this about... what you said earlier?"
You quickly nod, slightly ashamed. "I... I'm sorry it came out like that, AJ. But..."
>She shakes her head. "Listen, sugarcube... There's bigger things goin' on right now than you an' me." She reaches out and takes hold of your hand, causing your stomach to tighten. “Ah don't rightly know what to make out of what you said. But Ah promise you, once we get out of here... We'll deal with it, alright?"
>She seems so certain. So confident. So strong...
 
>You try to draw strength from her heart.
"Okay. Let's get out of here. Together."
>She smiles and pulls you in for a hug.
>You eagerly hug her back. You're about to say something, but your eyes shoot open and you quickly stop yourself from saying it.
>She pulls away and looks back at the Gates of Malsperanze.
>You want to look with her, but you can't look away from her.
>I love you, Applejack. I love you.
>How hard is that to tell her on your own?
>You bite your lip and stifle a tear before following her down the slope.
>Not now. But later.
>You hope
 
>Together with Applejack, you approach the Gates of Malsperanze. The enormous archway looms overhead, fires and runes burning all around its obsidian surface.
>Like a massive pair of steel jaws, the bottom of the raised gate sits at the top of the archway, ready to be dropped. You wonder how long it has been since it has closed, sealing the lower levels of hell off.
>The opening is massive. Down its throat flows the River Styx. Even from a great distance away, you can hear the screams of the damned.
>Smaller rivers of blood flow into it. Christ, you want to get out of here as soon as possible.
>You almost reach out and take Applejack's hand. Almost.
>She's leading the way. You reach the far right side of the entrance and enter. Looking back, you see more fireballs fall from the sky and crash down around the barren plains.
>At least you won't have to worry about fire raining from the sky while you're underground.
>You hope.
>The journey down is long, and it grows hotter. Sweat freely runs down your body as the sweltering heat gets worse and worse.
>Applejack is showing it to. The two of you stop near a large burning brazier to catch your breath.
>The way down looks as though it will never end. Nearby, the River Styx flows by, the incline making the smoky black water run faster.
>Applejack takes off her heat and rubs sweat from her brow. "Ah'm thinkin' this wasn't such a hot idea," she says. "No pun intended."
"Yeah, I hear ya," you reply. "If only there was something so we could ignore this heat..."
>"I can help you with that," a haggard voice reaches their ears. You both turn and you hold up your sword.
>From around the brazier walks a woman, old and weary, wearing a tattered black robe. She is blind; her eyes long ago gouged out.
>"My god... Your eyes..." Applejack says.
>"Long ago removed as punishment from my master," she says with a crooked smile.
"Well who's that?" you demand to know. "I think he deserves some payback!"
 
>She cackles. "Oh, never you mind that, young lady. He's a devil of no real import. He bought me from my family when I was but a child; this is the only life I've ever known. But I'm a clever one, I am. Sometimes I help others to avoid the same fate as myself."
>Applejack puts her lasso away. "Go on," she says.
>"I often visit Dis. There, one needs protection from the heat, or the iron will cook you alive. Devils have no problem with this, as you can imagine. But humans? You two are far from the first to come here. In fact, there are many humans in the Nine Hells---but not all of them are as friendly as I."
"Can you help us then?"
>"Yes, I can! I have two rings that, once worn, make fire and heat seem cool and comfortable. To a limit, you understand. It will protect you from the heat of hell, but not the fires, so don't go leaping into a firepit or get caught by a devil with a taste for cooked human flesh, hahahaha..." her cackling trails off.
>You look at Applejack, who shared your grim expression.
>"How much?" Applejack asks.
>"Why, free of charge, of course," the woman says. "I would hate to send two fellow women on their way through hell without protection."
>Applejack's eyes narrow. "Now wait just a minute. How the hay do you know we're human? You're blind!"
>The woman laughs. "I might be blind, but I've other ways to see. I've learned much in my time here and I've a bit of magic about me. That's how I make the rings. Always had a gift for sorcery, I did..."
"The last guy we ran into wanted us to kill someone for his help. I'm sorry, but I'm having a hard time trusting anyone in this place, especially if they say there's no strings attached."
>"You're wise to be on guard," she replies. "In this place, devils will do much, much more than try to hurt you physically. You see, currency here in the Nine Hells? It isn't gold. It's souls. Souls are traded with, bargained with. They are what fill up banks and vaults."
"Souls?" You shudder at the thought.
 
>"Yes. And they want yours, my friends, and there are many more ways to take it than simply beating it out of you. Devils have been taking souls since the dawn of time, and some of them are very good at it. They prey on the weak, the fearful, the sinful. In this place, you must be sharp-witted and ever-alert. With these rings, you will not be in pain from the heat below. Take them, I bid you. Survive, find what you came here to find, and escape with your lives, like I never could."
>She seems almost sorrowful, yet at the same time accepting of her fate.
>"Can't we help you?"
>She shakes her head. "It's far too late for me. This is my home. Stay in the Nine Hells for as little time as possible. At first, you hate it. Then, you grow used to it. Give it enough time, and you depend upon it... and then then Nine Hells has your soul for all eternity."
>You look at AJ, seeing the resolve in her eyes. You reach out and take the rings from the woman's extended hand.
>"Good luck," she bids you as she slinks back into the shadows before you can ask her any more questions.
You look at the rings in your hand. "Do we trust her?"
>AJ sighs. "Ah reckon we don't have much choice in the matter if we wanna continue."
>She takes one of the rings and slips it over her finger. Immediately, she notices a change.
>"Hey... This thing works! Ah don't feel burnin' hot anymore!"
>You quickly do the same. The effect is instntaneous; the sweltering heat is gone.
"Wow! That's amazing!"
>AJ looks further down the passageway, seeing the burning light at the end. "Let's get goin'!"
>The two of you pick up the pace, no longer hindered by the burning heat. As you grow closer to the light, the second level of hell becomes more clear.
>A great city stretches out before you. It is wrought entirely of iron and stone. A thick smog blankets the stone ceiling, though large stalactites sometimes pierce through.
 
>At the heart of this city, a massive spire rises up to a height even greater than the smog layer.
>The streets are lined with strange figures. Some look humanoid; others not so much. Some are merely blobs of flesh that roll along the ground, leaving sickly trails of slime behind them. Large devils and strange parades of monsters held by chains fill the streets. Delicious looking scandilly clad women with wings and small horns wink and lick their lips at you, stirring something deep within you. You try to ignore them and hurry on your way.
>Applejack steps close and takes hold of your arm. "No splittin' up here," she advises. You readilly agree.
>As you wander into the city, stepping on burning iron cobblestones, you pass by vents in the buildings that leak thick, black smoke that wafts upwards to join the smog.
>Small vents line the streets. Behind the noise of the crowds around you, you can swear you hear tormented screams coming from them, echoing from some great distance below.
>This place is somehow worse than the first level. There, at least, things were clear-cut and barren. Here, it is a sick, cruel parody of a human city. Eyes watch you from every corner. You can only imagine what they're thinking.
>You remember what the old lady said about souls, and how they are used to barter here. You are reminded of this when you enter a marketplace.
>This strange bazaar hosts a variety of exotic races, both devil and non-devil alike. The shops are numerous and varried, from selling swords and armor to spleens and eyeballs.
>You nearly choke a bit as you pass a collection of human corpses hanging on meat hooks, advertised by a small undead fairy as "fresh meat."
>Applejack's grip on you tightens. "Ah hate it here," she whispers. "We need to find someone who can help us."
>You look around, seeing the many market stalls and venders peddling their wares. Among them, two humans stand out.
 
"Hey, look over there," you whisper to AJ. She looks in the direction you indicate.
>They're human alright, and tall with fair skin and well-dressed, given the surroundings. They both have red hair and one of them has a thick moustache.
>AJ approaches them. "Pardon," she gets their attention.
>The one without the moustache speaks first. "Well, look at what we've got here, brother of mine! I say I say I say, these two don't seem to be from around here!"
>"I concur with that, dear brother!" the moustached speaks in a similar, excited tone. "They seem lost!"
>"Uncertain!"
>"Misguided!"
>"All turned around!"
"Enough!" you nearly shout. "We need help. Who are you?"
>"He's Flim!" the moustached one points at his brother.
>"He's Flam!" Flim introduces his brother.
>And then together, they both say, "We're the Famous Flim Flam Brothers, extra-dimensional salesmen extraordinaires!"
>AJ cocks an eyebrow. "And... what do you sell, exactly?"
>Flim smiles. "Why, anything you need, of course! We've got ointments, oils, potions, mixtures, admixtures, reagents, concoctions, cures, balms, chalks, salves, lotions, lubricants, waxes, soaps, soups, stews, blends, rods, rings, weaves, spells, scrolls, swords, boots and even stuffed alligators! No alchemical shop is complete without a stuffed alligator!"
>Flam picks up where his brother leaves off. "Why, the Flim Flam brothers have anything and everything, yes ma'am! Anything to solve a problem and look or smell good while doing it. Why, once a man approached us with teeth so bad they were ready to jump out of his mouth and declare war upon him!"
>Flim bursts in. "But that was before he used the famous Flim Flam Here Tooth-Day, Gone Tomorrow toothpaste!"
>Flam holds up a tube. "Interested, ladies?"
>Applejack slams her foot on the ground. "No! Not in the slightest!"
 
>Flim adjusts his collar and keeps smiling. "Well, well, well! Not in it for the teeth are we? That's fine, we've plenty more where that came from!" He pulls out a candle. "Why, with this amazing everwax candle, you'll never need to light another light again! It burns eternally, and with such a pleasent scent!"
>Flam holds up a rabbit's foot. "And this rabbit's foot is pure luck! Do you know how often you'll find a rabbit in the Nine Hells?"
>"Not often!" Flim smiles.
>"Exactly! Never! Not in a million moons! This rabbit's foot will protect you from all devils, demons and otherwise unpleasent monstrocities!"
"Shut up!" you shout. "We need a way out of the Nine Hells, not some stupid trinket or candle or... or anything!"
>Flim snickers. "My, my, my! A little fireball, this one! My dear lass, surely you must know that getting into hell is much harder than getting out!"
>"We didn't choose to come here," AJ sneers.
>Flam laughs. "And who does, my dear? Wait! We do! Yes, that's right, we chose to come here to offer fine products to travellers and planeswalkers like you, all for easy, simple and convenient prices! Yes, that's right, only at Flim and Flam's will you find such low prices! Why, we're practically giving away these deals!"
>AJ advances and picks the thin salesmen up by the collar. "Now listen here, you fancy-talkin' cheapskate! Either you tell us if you've got a way outta this place an' back to the normal world, or we hurt you six ways to Sunday! Got it?"
>Flim hops behind her. "Now please! There's no need for this violent action! We expect it from the devils, but not humans! Don't lower yourself to their level, ma'am!"
You point your sword at him. "Answers, skinny. Now."
>Flam holds his hands up. "Alright, ma'am! You drive a hard bargain. Put me down and we'll negotiate."
>AJ lowers him and he dusts himself off. Flim hops up next to him once more.
 
>Flam reaches into their basket and pulls out a small arrowhead. "This little loadstone is magic, my dears. Merely hold it in your hand and think of the plane you wish to travel to. It will point in the direction of the nearest portal to that plane!"
>He demonstrates. He closes his eyes and focuses, and the small arrowhead begins to hover and point.
>"There, you see? And only for the low-low-low cost of five thousand gold pieces!"
>"Or thirty souls!" Flim pipes in.
Your jaw nearly drops. "As if! We don't have that kind of cash!"
>Flam's hand closes around the loadstone and he pockets it. "Well then no deal, my dear." He stops looking at you and continues calling out to the crowd.
>AJ holds up her golden lasso. "Beg pardon," she says. "But how much would this do? It's maaaagic," she elongates the word.
>Flim and Flam are taken aback by the beauty of the golden lasso. "Magic, you say?" Flim asks, taking out a small jewelers eyeglass and looking closely at it. "Such a fine craft..."
>"An' stronger than steel forged in, uh... the heart of the oldest mountain in the world!" she says with a big smile.
"Uh, AJ," you whisper. "What're you doing?"
>She looks back at you and winks.
>"That's right, magic! Here, hold it!" she encourages Flam. He readilly takes hold of it, running his greedy hands all over the fine strands.
>"So... Does that stone really work?" AJ inquires.
>"Yes, of course it does!" Flam replies, unaware that he is being forced to tell the truth.
>AJ smiles and nods. "And how much is that there stone really worth?" she asks him.
>"Three-thousand and four-hundred!" he truthfully responds.
>Flim nudges him in the gut and Flam looks confused.
>"And would this cover the cost of it?" AJ asks.
>"Not in the slightest! It's far more valuable than that worthless trinket!"
>Again, Flim elbows him in the gut, far harder. Now Flam seems very confused indeed.
>"Well, it seems like an even trade to me, don't you think?"
 
>You look at AJ with a bewildered expression, but she silences you with another wink.
>"Not at all! I'd be more than happy to take that trade because of how much of a scam I am, but it's no way even! I'd be screwing you over right and proper!"
>Flim looks mortified and tries to salvage the situation. "What my brother MEANS is that he---"
>"I'll take it!" AJ declares, giving him the lasso. He hastilly reaches into his pocket and tosses her the stone, which she catches.
>AJ thanks the two of them and walks away, leaving the three of you very, very confused. You quickly catch up to her.
"Applejack! Are you nuts? That thing is your source of power!"
>"Aw, relax, sugarcube. This ain't my first time at the rodeo. You never walk away from the table unless you got a winnin' hand," she says.
>The two of you turn and look at Flim and Flam as they put the lasso in their box of magical trinkets. They turn to get the attention of some large devil.
>Applejack holds out her hand and the box flies towards her. It breaks open midway, spilling its contents all over the ground. The lasso flies back to her as devils and humans alike fall upon the horde of magical items, stealing as much as they can.
>"Come on!" she says, pulling you into a nearby alley before Flim or Flam notices what's happened to their stock. Applejack laughs as she pulls you into a shadowy corner with her to hide.
"AJ! That was so awesome!" you say, pulling her into a hug.
>"Darn right it was!" She holds up the loadstone. "Now, all I gotta do is think about home..."
>The small piece of metal hovers in her hand and begins pointing. Applejack disentangles herself from you and begins to follow it.
>She looks back at you and smiles. "Ah think we'll get outta here a lot sooner than we thought."
>Around twisting alleyways, dark corridors and steaming vents, eventually you come to a stop.
>The two of you are in front of a tavern. There's a sign outside that reads, "The Devil's Boot."
 
"Charming," you say. You look at the loadstone pointing at the front door. "Are we sure it isn't pointing behind the building?"
>Applejack moves her hand from side-to-side. "Nope. It's in there."
>She approaches the door and kicks it open. Subtle.
>The various shady patrons of the bar turn to look at the two of you.
>Applejack's eyes rest on the bartender. "Where is it?"
>He looks human, but has red skin and horns. His chin has small, bone-like protrusions.
>"Where's what?" he asks with a cocky voice. "Your drink? I haven't pourded it yet, beautiful. Why don't you come over here and we'll fix that."
>You and AJ stride up to the bar.
"The portal. We know there's one in this building; so where is it? Let's make this nice and easy."
>The bartender smiles, winking to someone in the corner. "I think you should rethink how you speak to people in this establishment. This is Dis, ladies. Not the county fair. Perhaps some time on the floor outside will make you sing a different tune."
>The bartender's bouncer walks up. He is a massive individual, eight feet tall and covered in spiked leather armor. His pink, flayed skin is caked in blood that isn't his own. He wears a mask through which two blood-red eyes stare at you.
>He holds a rod with chains on one end. Spiked chains.
>The pain devil breathes heavilly as it looks upon the two of you, then moves to place a hand on Applejack's shoulder.
>Not on your watch. You swing your sword, slicing his hand clean off. It howls in pain before swinging the scourge at AJ.
>She ducks beneath it, getting an arm under his leg. She stands, throwing the devil over her back.
>He crashes onto the bar, breaking through it. AJ turns and stomps her boot into its chest while you lift up your sword and impale it into his skull.
>AJ reaches forward and picks the tiefling bartender up by his neck.
>"Now then... I ain't gonna ask again.. Where's the portal in this here joint?"
 
>"Ladies, ladies... you misunderstood me. What I meant to say was that there's a portal in the basement... but I don't have the key."
>Applejack sets him down, but doesn't let go. "Explain."
>"The owner of the inn has the key. But he's out at the moment, you understand, off on business. He'll be returning shortly, I think. Please, to avoid further damage to our bar, take a room upstairs to rest. Anything you need will be provided. Surely you must be hungry or tired?"
>Now that you think about it, you haven't really rested or relaxed since arriving. You're awful hungry, too.
>"We're just fine waiting here," AJ insists. But you see it in her posture. She's tired too. She needs time to relax her muscles.
"AJ. I think we should take the room."
>"And food and drink! The best in all of the City of Dis!" the tiefling insists.
>AJ looks back at you, seeing your tired expression. Her own matches yours.
>Looking back at him, she threatens, "Alright. But any funny business and I tear this place out from under you. Don't think I can't, either. I tore the tentacles off a barber's face earlier."
"Barbazu," you correct her, though you have no idea how you remembered what that bearded devil was called.
>"Whatever! If anything happens to us... Ah'm a-huntin' you down, devil boy." She takes out her lasso and wraps it around his arm. "Are you gonna do anything to us?"
>Compelled by the truth lasso, he proclaims, "No harm will come to you in our inn at our hands."
>AJ smiles and lets him go.
>Obviously scared, he nods. "Very good! Very good! Only the best for the two of you! Here, take our best room!" he says, reaching for a room key. "We'll tell you when the owner has returned!"
>AJ snatches it from his hand and proceeds upstairs.
>You look down at the dead pain devil.
"Sorry about the mess," you say as you follow her. Not that you really are, of course.
>The room, despite being their best, is rather dismal. One bed, a closet and a barred window overlooking the city.
 
>"We'll take turns sleeping," AJ suggests. "Ah'll take first shift."
You nod. "Alright..."
>A part of you regrets that you and AJ won't be sharing the same bed. Sleeping next to her, cuddling closer, accidentally draping your arm over her toned stomach...
>You shake your head and brush some rainbow-colored strands of hair out of your eyes.
>'Keep it together, Dash...' you think to yourself. You set the sword against the wall, banishing your wings.
>You curl up on the bed. It's not too uncomfortable. AJ stands near the window, her arms crossed as she stares out of it.
"Hey... AJ?"
>"Yeah?"
"I hope our friends aren't hurt or anything."
>"Me too, Dash. And Ah hope Apple Bloom, Big Mac and Granny Smith aren't hurt neither."
"Yeah..."
>Silence fills the room once more as you pull the blanket over yourself.
>A few minutes later, there's a knock at the door. A plate of food is brought in, and it smells delicious. Applejack throws her lasso around the tiefling bar wench bringing it to them.
>"Is this poisoned?"
>"No," the tiefling honestly answers.
>"What is it? It better not be human."
>"Roast phoenix and mulberry tart, with tankards of cider," she replies, annoyed at having to be completely honest.
>AJ lets her go and sets it down. The two of you hapilly chow down on the succulent meal.
>You've never had phoenix before, but it's damned tasty. You hope it isn't endangered.
>You and AJ toast each other with your tankards of cider before washing down the meal.
>The warm meal leaves you feeling fulfilled and strong. You climb back into bed as the desire for sleep overtakes you.
>You steal one last glance at AJ before closing your eyes.
 
>You awaken with a pleasant feeling. A hand cupping your face. You smile at its warmth and open your eyes, staring into the most beautiful green eyes you've longed to gaze into.
>Applejack smiles back at you. She's on top of you in the bed, straddling you. Slowly, she moves her hand up and down.
>Her touch causes you to shiver.
>You find your hands drawn up to her waist. You can't help but explore her tight curves... her strong muscles...
>You can feel her breath on your face. It's hot and warm. You look at her lips, so luscious and full...
>"Kiss me, Dashie..." she breathes, saying the words you've heard only in your dreams.
>Oh, you want to. So badly... You lean up, puckering your lips.
>It's so perfect...
>Wait.
>It IS too perfect...
>You break out of the haze and throw her off of you and roll out of the bed. You look around the room. AJ is gone.
>The beautiful creature that was AJ rises, still wearing her face. "Dashie... Please..."
>You reach for your sword and pick it up. Your wings form behind you as you hold it out in front of you.
>"I could be your Applejack... Let me be your Applejack, Dashie..."
>The succubus lunges at you. A single slice with your sword sends its head flying from its body.
>The beautiful she-devil falls to the ground, blood pouring out of the neck stump.
>AJ isn't here. AJ isn't here!
>You run downstairs. The bartender looks surprised to see you.
>"Oh... O-oh, I, uh! Your friend has---"
>"DASH!" you hear AJ shout from the basement.
>You stab him in the chest and run to the only other door in the room, kicking it open.
>Rushing downstairs, you find the sight of Applejack, wrapped in chains, being dragged into a portal. The purple hellmouth swallows her as she is dragged into it.
"NO!" you scream.
>You rush at the portal, but it closes, taking away your love. The runes on the floor burn up, destroyed.
>Though your heart screams, you waste no time and run back upstairs. The female tiefling is kneeling over the wounded bartender.
 
>You stab her in the spine and drop her. The bartender looks up at you and smiles wickedly.
"WHERE!" you shout. "Where have they taken her! Tell me now!"
>"Heh..." he chokes up some blood. "The kytons have her now, child. The chain devils. She's been taken to the city of Jangling Hiter... to be the plaything of Quimath."
"Where!" you shout again, pointing the sword at his throat.
>"The third hell, child. Minauros. Good luck finding her in that swamp... Want some advice? Follow the ringing of chains and whips. Hahaha... hahahahahahah!"
>He dies laughing at you.
>In fury, you lop off his dead head. Two bar patrons back away as you run up to the entrance, slicing it in half.
>You break through, taking off into the sky of Dis.
>Two gargoyles on the roof transform from their stoney forms and take up chase of you.
>One grows close. You dive downwards, into the streets, knocking aside five people as you brush past them.
>The gargoyles continue to chase you through the alleys. You need to figure out how to get to the next level of hell from Dis.
>Stopping in place, you twist backwards and charge at the nearest gargoyle. Thrusting up with your magical blade, you cut it in half, causing the two halves to break into smaller stones and fall into the market below.
>The second gargoyle grabs hold of your ankle. You slice its hand off, then its arm, then its head with three quick chops.
>The corpse falls, shattering into smaller stones as it hits the ground.
>You swoop down and look around at the surprised and suspicious crowd. You see a devil who looks like royalty, all decorated up with gold.
>You fly over to him and hold your sword up to his neck. His bodyguards point their weapons at you, but he bids them to cease.
"The third hell! I need to get there, right now! Tell me how!"
 
He chuckles at the absurdity of your request. "Most seek the higher level of hell. So eager to die in that fetid swamp, child? There's a path that leads there. Merely follow this road," he says, pointing with his golden scepter, "and you will find it."
>You lower your sword and hover backwards before taking off, flying over the heads of the city's many denizens below.
>Eventually, up ahead, you see a massive gate in the cavern wall. It is open and reminds you of the one you came through to get to the second level.
>There are no guards. Probably because they don't assume anyone would be stupid enough to willingly go through.
>Well, this is an exception. You soar through it, flying into the tunnel below.
>It goes down deep. The road is lined with rotting corpses and gibbets that contain skeletons.
>A horrible smell begins to assault your nose, and it only gets worse. The first two layers stunk of brimstone, sulpher and fire, but this is the smell of death, pure and simple.
>You are flying deeper and deeper through the twisting cavern, over hordes of rats and other scavengers that feast upon dead bodies.
>You feel like puking, but your resolve is strong. You will stay strong, like Applejack. You'll find her, rescue her, and bring her home safe.
>The tunnel begins to grow wider. You start passing large bodies of stinking black water and sludge. Eventually, the tunnel widens enough to become a massive cavern.
>Before you realize it, you are in Minauros, the Third Hell, a horrible swamp as far as the eye can see.
>The cavern is much darker than the one Dis resides in. The only light comes from the strange yellow-green swamp gas. A horrible, noxious smell plagues your nostrils.
>The swamp around you bubbles and churns. It is dark and dismal, depressing to even look at. Corpses, dead trees and half-destroyed towers rise out of its depths.
>Somewhere in this swamp, Applejack is being held captive.
>And you won't stop until you find her, even if you have to search every inch of it.
>For her.
 
>The awful stink of the swamp rises to greet your nostrils. Your eyes are tearing up and you have a horrible sick feeling in your stomach.
>From the sky above, a light rain falls from the yellow-black clouds that blanket and obscure the top of the cavern. It pelts you softly, and you discover that the rainwater is black.
>For miles all around you, all you can see is the swamp and its thick fog. It bubbles and oozes beneath your feet.
>The constant beating of your wings keeps some of the stronger funk away, but it is of little comfort.
>You look down into the murky water. You see it shift and wake, as though some kind of serpent-like horror was lurking below.
>In the distance, you see corpses rise from it, moaning and shambling... wailing in pain from ages past.
>Applejack could be anywhere in this swamp... Possibly being tortured, or even worse...
>Though you are trying to stay strong, you can't help but feel a distinct panic ring in the back of your brain.
>The little voice in your ear telling you that you've failed already, that she's gone and forever lost to hell. Another victim of the devils here.
>Just another soul claimed...
>You shake your head and start flying in one direction, uncertain of where to go. You simply start looking.
>But you can't stop the voice in your head telling you to give up. That you've failed her. Your love is dead and it's your fault.
>It's all your fault, Rainbow Dash. You had to sleep first. You had to wake up to that beautiful lie of the succubus in Applejack's form, paralyzed by its beauty just long enough for them to capture her.
>If you had just been there seconds earlier...
>It's all your fault, Rainbow Dash. The worst thing that happened to Applejack wasn't getting trapped in hell. It was getting trapped in hell with you.
>You were supposed to look out for her.
>Watch her back.
>Be a loyal friend.
>Instead, you were selfish. You practically signed her death warrant.
 
"NO!" you shout. You stop where you are, all but pounding on your skull. "I didn't! I didn't! I loved her! I never wanted any of this to happen!"
>The voice grows quieter, but still stings.
>You let it happen, Dash.
>Your ignorance led to her demise!
"I don't know that she's dead... she's still alive! I know she is. She's strong! That's what I love about her..."
>You're only fooling yourself, Dash.
>You know she's really dead. Hung up somewhere and being drained of blood. Her organs are decorating the walls.
"No... That's not true... Stop it! Stop thinking!" you shout.
>Then, it hits you. This isn't you talking... this is someone else! SomeTHING else, doing this to you!
"Stop it! I know your game! You won't beat me this way!" you call out into the reaches of the swamp.
>The voice is even softer yet...
>Give up, Rainbow. It's over. You let her down.
"No! I'll never give up on my friend! I'll never let her die in this place! Nothing will stop me! Not you, nobody! You can't make me quit!" You point your sword out. "Now show yourself, you coward! I won't listen to you anymore!"
>The water beneath you erupts in all directions, spraying up and out as the beast emerges.
>You can't make out its main body; all you can see are tentacles. Thick, black tentacles, lined not with suckers, but with eyes, and they're all staring at you as they flail about.
>Your eyes widen. You've seen enough hentai to know where this is going.
>But not on your watch! The countless tentacles reach up and some snare your leg.
>You hack into them, slicing cleanly through like a meat cleaver.
>Still more come, grapping your shield arm, wings and legs. You hack and hack and hack, chopping and cutting with mad abandon, but the tentacles just keep coming with seemingly no end.
>You feel them constricting you, grabbing you by the waist and pulling you down. Its main body vanishes beneath the surface.
 
>What's worse, more of them start slapping you, slamming into you, trying to bruise and weaken you. Still others wrap and slither up your body, weaving themselves around your limbs.
>One of the slimy, cool appendages finds your skin and starts rubbing against it. They start probing into your clothing as you are pulled closer and closer to the swamp water.
>The only arm that hasn't been held down is your sword arm. You continue trying to free yourself, but there's simply so many tentacles.
>You feel your legs sink into the water as the monster pulls you in. The smell of the swamp is overwhelming by this point. The sludge makes its way into your boots, then your pants.
>Panic settles in quickly as it reaches up to your breasts. You continue attacking in a desperate attempt to free yourself, but with so much of the monster below the water, you can't effectively free yourself.
>Struggling only wears you out.
>You gasp and take a deep breath of the pungent air before being pulled completely under.
>Tentacles encircle your sword arm. They try to pry the weapon from your grasp but you refuse to let go.
>More encircle you, binding you. Drawing you deeper into the water.
>This is it, isn't it?
>You never imagined this is how you would go... You wonder how the creature digests its food...
>Applejack...
>You've give anything to see her just one last time... her warm green eyes, her flowing blonde hair, her strong arms and legs, her beautiful face...
>No...
>NO!
>You feel something building within you. Your grip on your magical sword tightens as a sudden, strange resolve floods through you.
>This is NOT how you will die!
>This is NOT how you will let Applejack die! Alone, scared, buried in some swamp!
 
>You feel warm. Like, burning warm. The tentacles around you grow less powerful in their grip, as though the creature is uncertain of something.
>You feel the energy, driven by your emotions, building up within you, threatening to make you burst.
>A strange electricity emerges from your skin. You start glowing with an aura of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet.
>Your body constricts suddenly before you unleash it all, spreading outwards.
>The sonic rainboom expands in all directions, pushing away water, rain and the most importantly the tentacles. It lights up the massive cavern and destroys trees, broken buildings and scatters creatures.
>All around you, the life in this place screams and runs from the light.
>You soar upwards, burning with this new energy.
>This power has transformed you. Your wings glow with a blue energy, and your sword radiates the colors of the rainbow.
>Your armor has been strengthened, now the lightweight platemail nearly completely covers you.
>You feel faster. Stronger.
>And the sludge was burned off, so that's a bonus too.
>The bright effect on the cavern dies down as the blast reaches the furthest reaches of the cavern.
>You see something in the distance briefly illuminated by the rainbow.
>A massive chain with links larger than your body hanging from the ceiling. You remember Applejack being dragged away by chains.
>A bit of a longshot, but you've got nowhere else to go.
>Spreading your wings, you zoom towards your new objective, finding yourself able to fly much faster now. A multicolored streak is left behind you, trailing your movements.
>You discover that the chain is hanging from the roof of the massive cavern that encompasses the third hell. Following it, you find that it links up to several other gigantic chains.
>Each of these connects to a massive chunk of land, holding it up and keeping it from sinking into the swamp below.
 
>A massive city is built on this rock, of cathedrals and strange angular buildings. And chains; chains everywhere.
>The reach from building to building, across the streets and in strange clusters. They end in hooks, claws and sometimes are spiked and vary in size.
>Some of the buildings are quite large. As you grow nearer to the walls of the city, your ears begin to pick up a constant sound.
>Screams of the tortured. Thousands upon thousands of tortured souls, endlessly tormented by the masters of this city.
>If Applejack isn't in this place, then it's still a good place to start looking for someone who knows where she is.
>You fly into the city and land in a large center square, holding aloft your glowing sword. All around you, figures stop moving to observe you.
>You stand tall and strong atop cobblestones stained with fresh blood and black rain.
"I'm looking for a girl," you declare. "If I don't find her, I'm going to tear this city apart!"
>You think you hear laughter amongst the howls of pain coming from the buildings.
>The figures begin to close in on you. You see these devils now.
>The kytons. Chain devils. With all the skin flayed from their human-like forms, all that remains is tattered flesh wrapped in chains.
>They hang low from their arms, ending in hooks, spiked balls and weights, forming weapons.
>The nearest one screams as it throws its arms up, spinning these chains threateningly. It charges at you.
>You bring your sword up and find that it cannot break the chains, merely deflect them. That's problematic---up until now, you've solved your problems by slicing through them.
>As you block the attack, you dash in and stab the devil, finding that its flesh holds no such invulnerability to your magic steel. You pull the sword out and try hacking his head off.
>Unfortunately, there's a chain wrapped around his neck. You can only cut through halfway, but that is enough to put it down.
 
>Two more of the devils advance on you, attacking you from two directions. Now you have to play defensively.
>They can attack from much greater a distance than your sword can reach. They advance upon you as you back up, knowing that you'll eventually run into a wall or more kytons.
>They attack at the same time, leaving you an opening. Spreading your wings, you thrust yourself forward, slicing one of them in an exposed section in the leg and cleaving it off.
>A kyton behind you throws a chain that ends in a spear head at you. It pierces your armor and stabs into your side, wracking you with pain.
>Another wraps a chain around your foot, causing you to trip. You don't let go of your sword.
>A particularly large kyton, a gorechain, steps in front of you. Its large fist is wrapped entirely in chains, and it means to bring it down upon your head.
>You angle your sword up and thrust it into the beast's gut, dragging it up until you run into a chain. Your sword seems to burn their flesh.
>The large devil falls back, allowing you to stand. The one connected to the chain around your foot pulls, causing you to go to a knee.
>Before others can throw their chains upon you and trap you, you kick out and fly straight upwards, dragging the two devils with you into the sky.
>You rise amongst the chains that reach up from the city, connected to the roof of the cave somewhere far overhead.
>Once high enough, you spin your foot, unravelling the chain and causing one of them to fall far to the city floor below.
>The other is still sticking out of your side. Using your sword, you pry it out and scream from the pain. Blood runs down your armor as the kyton falls.
>You feel weak and wobbly. The rain pelts you unceasingly; some of the black water mixes with the wound.
>Angling yourself downwards, you find yourself falling towards a large cathedral with three great towers.
 
>You crash into one of the stained-glass windows, finding yourself in a large church-like room.
>The ground you land on is cold and bloodstained. Glass covers the stones as you struggle to stand up.
>The sight you see is one that nearly tears you apart inside.
>There, hanging from chains connected to her arms and feet, is Applejack. She's been robbed of her lasso, and is now hanging over a large stone altar.
>A chain devil stands over her. He looks up, spying you with his white, blazing eyes.
>"My, what have we here?" he speaks in a voice that sounds devoid of a throat. "A bird has fallen into my cage."
>With a wave of his hand, chains emerge from the ground and wrap around your arms, legs and chest, pulling you tightly.
>You shout in pain once more as they lift you and bring you close to Applejack. You manage to open your eyes as you look upon her.
>She seems weak. Beaten and injured. Her eyes open and look up into yours.
>Somehow, impossibly, despite everything that has happened, she smiles and makes a joke.
>"Heh... you look like you've been... like you've been through hell, Dashie..."
>The chain devil speaks. "Your blonde friend has been surprisingly resilient to the usual methods of torture we employ here... and we're very creative."
>He looks up at you. "But perhaps, now that there are two, the situation calls for... emotional stimulation."
>With another wave of his hand, the two of you are lifted up again. The chains make you to face each other with your limbs held out.
>You can now see the extent of the burns, cuts and brands upon her skin. Your heart sinks and tears come to your eyes.
>With all the strength you have, you pull at the chains, but they don't give.
>In the distance, you hear doors open and chains dragging along the ground. More kytons are entering the room.
>An audience to watch their master at work.
 
>The chain devil licks his lipless teeth behind the curtain of chains masking its face.
>"Now, we've never met, have we?" he asks you. "I am Quimath, and this is my home, Panos Qytel. Here, you will know torture. Endless torture. And when you have broken, when you weep tears of purest despair, when you think it could not possibly get any worse... We will heal you. Feed you and raise your spirit back. And then it shall begin anew. For all of existence, you will see this happen... But, I think, I smell something..."
>He puts his putrid, disgusting face close to yours and inhales deeply.
>"Yesssssss... It's been so long since one so infatuated with another soul has come into this place. Oh, this is exquisite..." He then turns and inhales Applejack's scent. "But... what is this? It... isn't returned. Oh... how delightful," he sneers as he faces you once more. "Your love doesn't love you back?"
>You look into Applejack's eyes. She has no answers, only pain and sorrow.
"AJ... I---"
>"Then this will be all the better. You will be made to watch what we do to her... Over and over and over... You'll beg to take her place, to give her some reprieve from this horrible fate, even in the slightest of ways... And it will not be given."
>Your eyes widen.
"No! Don't you touch her, you son of a bitch! Don't you dare!"
>"Yessss... You'll beg, and plead, and cry out for her sake. No mercy will come. But that's the thing about you mortals... you hold out for hope till the bitter end... until you break completely, that is. I wonder how long you'll last... the both of you. Her from the pain, endlessly repeated, and you from merely watching, powerless to stop it. And then your souls will truly belong to me, ripened from such sweet, sweet pain."
>You close your eyes, tears running down your cheeks from his words alone. You focus, trying to find the key that unlocked the sonic rainboom.
>You try as hard as you can, but to no avail.
 
>You open your eyes and look into Applejack's.
"I... I'm sorry, AJ... I tried... I tried to save you."
>"Ah know, sugarcube," she says with a smile. "It's alright. Ah know you did everything you could."
"I... I love you..."
>Her smile goes away, then there's a sudden spark in her eyes. Her smiles comes back, wider and stronger than before. "Ah know."
>Quimath turns to consider AJ very suddenly, inhaling. He detects something different than before. "Hmmm?"
>Before he can contemplate what it means, there's a sudden stillness. The candles in the room blow out. Shadows grow larger.
>The kyton looks around, confused. He senses a sudden presence that wasn't there before.
>"What in the name of---" he is halted suddenly by the appearance of a very large figure that emerges from the shadows.
>It doesn't walk so much as it glides across the floor. Though it is obscured by shadow, you can see the tall figure exudes a kind of dark regality. Its pose, flowing cloak and overwhelming presence speaks of the entity's power.
>Quimath instantly falls to his knees. "M-m-my lord! I---"
>A red light emerges from the figure's eyes, instantly destroying him.
>Another gaze obliterates the chains that bind you. All around the room, the kytons scramble for escape.
>Free from your bonds, you run over to AJ, throwing her into a tight hug.
>AJ, however, doesn't return it. When you look at her face, you see that she is transfixed on the being that just saved you.
>You both look up at it.
>It speaks, and its voice is deep, menacing and somehow alluring.
>"I know all that comes to pass in my nine realms. Sometimes, information takes a while to bleed down to my ears, but it always does."
>You both grow still as you realize who this is.
 
>"I desire an audience with you two. Not here, where prying ears can hear. You shall proceed to the ninth layer, Nessus. There, you will find my home, the stronghold Malsheem. I await you there. I have made my decree to the lords of the hells lower than this. They will give you safe passage. Any who mean to harm you will suffer a fate worse than death: demotion. I warn you: do not make me wait long, mortals."
You manage to choke out a weak, "Who... who are you?"
>The entity slowly begins to disappate. It speaks its name, long and powerful. "Asmodeus, Lord of all Baator. King of all Devils. I will not extend this offer twice. The way will be lit for you. Leave this pitiful city and proceed to Nessus."
>With that, he is gone.
>Slowly, Applejack comes to her senses and stands, using you for support. "My lasso..." she says, pointing at the altar. "They put it in there... Ah can't call it."
>Helping support her on a nearby column, you approach the alter and bring your sword down upon it, shattering it.
>The golden lasso glows. You pick it up and walk back to her with it.
>She takes hold of it, finding her strength return. Her wounds begin to heal and she can stand on her own.
You smile. "I'm just... I'm glad you're alright, AJ. I---"
>You feel the lasso, mentally commanded by AJ, wrap around your wrists and pull them tight.
"Uh..."
>AJ smiles. "Tell me again how you feel about me."
"I love you," you immediately blurt out, your face growing a deep shade of crimson.
>She pulls you closer. "You know, Ah'm startin' to like hearin' that. Just how long have you felt this way?"
"Since middle school," you honestly answer, compelled by the magic of the lasso.
>She's inches from you. "Do you wanna kiss me, Dash?"
"More than anything in the world."
 
>You never imagined your first kiss with AJ would be in some satanic church in the third level of hell with the screams of the damned echoing in the distance.
>But somehow, it's perfect all the same.
>You close your eyes and tilt your head, moaning as the cowgirl presses her lips against yours, pulling on the lasso. Her other hand reaches for your waist and pulls your lower body flush against her own.
>You practically melt against her. All the trouble, pain and fear you've gone through up until this point washes away as you kiss the girl of your dreams.
>She ends it, pulling back and biting her lip a little.
>"Yeah... Alright, Ah think Ah get it now. This whole 'kissin' girls' thing. Kinda... fun, actually."
You manage a small nod. "Yeah... totally awesome..."
>Together, hand-in-hand, the two of you stride out of the city.
>No devil or chain dares come near you.
>In the distance, you can see a deep, red light. You remember the words of the archdevil, "The way will be lit for you."
>Smiling, you take Applejack into your arms and spread your wings. She holds tightly onto your neck as you take off, soaring towards the opening to the fourth hell.
>You don't know what waits for you down there, or what this "Asmodeus" wants.
>All that matters is that you have her back.
>Stealing a glance into her green eyes, you know that it was worth it.
 
>OH LORDY LORDY ANOTHER CHANGE IN PERSPECTIVE
 
>You are Rarity, and you are very cold.
>Your nice dress that you had worn for the celebratory banquet offers almost no protection against the snow you are standing knee-deep in, nor the freezing winds.
>Immediately your arms cross in front of your chest as you hold yourself, shivering. You try to focus on creating a shelter for yourself with your magical thought-powered bracelets.
>A roar breaks your concentration and you turn, seeing a dark figure in the wind. It is rapidly approaching.
>A horrible, large, ape-like manbeast is making its way through the snow towards you. Black horns emerge from its white hair and its large, burly arms end in black clawed hands.
>Its howl rises above the noisy wind as it brings up a hand to swipe at you.
>Thinking quickly, your bracelets glow a bright purple as you summon a car to run over it. The purple, translucent and stylish vehicle slams into the yeti, knocking it over.
>As it drives off, leaving twin tire tracks in the snow; it dissipates as you banish it.
>The yeti growls and starts to pick itself up. You think of something heavy.
>You create a large wrecking ball on top of the yeti and drop it, crushing it.
>With your heart racing, you almost forgot about the cold. Now that the monster is no longer a threat, it comes back to you that you are freezing and your slightly torn dress offers no protection.
>Your bracelets glow as you think about shelter.
>At your mental command, a box is formed around you, blocking out the wind. Your body glows in a purple aura as you lift out of the snow.
>You feel a hand on your shoulder, which frightens you as you think it is another yeti. You whip around to discover Spike, the dragonborn warrior, standing there.
>"Are you alright, Lady Rarity?" he asks in his rumbling voice.
"Fine---Just cold, is all. Where are we?"
>He looks around, his green eyes narrowing as he looks through your purple shield.
 
>"I don't recognize this terrain, but we must be somewhere far north. Few dragons make their territories in lands such as this---often only white or silver dragons. I have never travelled anywhere this cold."
>You look at Spike, standing tall in the golden armor he received for helping kill Flash Sentry.
"Perhaps we should explore... I'm afraid I don't know what to do. I've never been in a situation like this."
>He nods. "Nor I. But we must keep our wits about us. Perhaps you could levitate us higher, away from this storm."
>You agree with him and focus. Your bracelets glow again and both of you are surrounded by the same aura as your cube shifts into a sphere. Within this protective bubble, the two of you float upwards, higher and higher, until you are within the clouds.
>Then, you are above the clouds and all is quiet. Spike looks to the horizon, seeing half of it covered in night.
>"Princess Luna went mad... became Nightmare Moon. Her eternal night reaches half of the world..."
"We must be somewhere near the border of it," you note. "All of this over Anon... I know he's special and has powers, certainly, but to go so insane..."
>"Many in history have succumbed to temptation due to... lust," Spike says softly.
You nod, still looking off in the distance. "True enough... we must get back to Canterlot. What brought us here, I wonder?"
>"It had to have been a great power indeed to fling us so far. Can you take us there, Lady Rarity?"
>You turn to him, blushing slightly.
"Please, Spike, you needn't call me 'Lady Rarity.' Simply 'Rarity' will do."
>He bows his head. "Certainly, Rarity. I apologize for offending you."
"Oh, but you didn't! Quite the opposite, it's very flattering... I'm just not accustomed to being addressed as such, and I'm not of noble heritage, you understand."
>His reptilian features shift into a smile. "You could have fooled me. Your beauty exceeds most nobility I have seen."
>You laugh a little at that. He's so polite, chivalrous even.
 
"Again, you flatter me Spike..." You find yourself staring into his striking green eyes. "But, we should focus on getting home, yes?"
>"Of course. Can you fly us there?" he repeats his earlier question.
"I'll see how long I can go. Keeping these... constructs, as Anon phrased them, is taxing. I'll go as far as I can."
>"I understand," he replies.
>You begin heading towards the border between light and dark in the sky. There is a range of mountains in the distance.
>Spike remains quiet as you travel. He probably thinks that conversation will draw focus away from your task at hand. Which is most likely correct.
>Still, you wouldn't mind it. His voice has a strange quality. It's deep, resounding almost, but it has a lighthearted element to it, a friendly yet confident tone.
>You'd like to hear it some more.
>You snap out of thinking about his voice when he actually speaks to you.
>"We're nearing the mountains. You haven't rested yet, have you?" he asks.
>Come to think of it, no, you haven't had a chance to rest all day. The battle in the evening was physically and mentally taxing, and now this effort to carry both of you is starting to wear on your nerves.
>It's a strange effect when you keep your powers going too long without reprieve. It drains you, slowing your thoughts and weakening your body.
"I... I feel like I can go longer," you tell him.
>"Put us down upon the nearest mountain, Rarity," he suggests. "Surely we can find a kind of shelter where you may rest. I can start a fire there."
>A fire sounds nice...
>You begin to drift downwards, towards the upper section of the mountain. Its snowy peak looms overhead as you set the two of you down upon its side.
 
>You try to keep up the shield, but it begins to wear thin against the strong winds.
>Spike closes the gap between the two of you, kneeling to pick you up with only one of his large arms.
>His armor and scales are warm to the touch. You can't help but curl into them a little.
>"This armor has given me sight into your life force," he speaks, referring to the advanced HUD system in archaic terms. "I can see that you are weak and need rest. I will find you shelter."
>You nod and thank him softly as he begins moving. You feel his powerful muscles tighten and ripple beneath his scales. As a dragonborn warrior, he's a powerful specimen of his species; exemplary, really.
>You don't know how long you walk for, but eventually he comes upon a cave. Striding inside, he sets his enchanted spear against the stone wall.
>He sets you down, promising to return shortly. Outside, he finds a dead tree growing from the side of the mountain. Looking out the mouth of the cave, you watch him wrap his arms around it and uproot it.
>He drags it inside and goes about breaking the dead wood into smaller sections, arranging them to create a fireplace.
>Taking a deep breath, he blows onto the logs, streams of green fire escaping his lips. Eventually it catches and he begins encouraging the flames to grow.
>His dragon's breath may be green, but once it hits the wood, the flames burn red hot.
>You scoot closer as the ice and snow around the area melts. Soon the fire is roaring and you are no longer cold.
>He sets the remaining logs near you. "Keep the fire alive with these," he advises. "I'm going out."
"Where?" you ask, sounding a little concerned.
>"Food," he replies. "I don't believe either of us got a chance to eat much at the banquet. I'll find something and bring it back to cook."
>You nod. You are actually quite hungry.
"Be safe," you wish him well.
 
>He nods and smiles. Turning to exit the cave once more, his techno-armor creates a pair of thrusters and he lifts off with them, flying away with his jetpack.
>You are alone, and given a chance to collect your thoughts.
>Merely a day ago, life seemed so normal. Well, as normal as life had been ever since Anon found the die.
>Now, you're in some kind of fantasy world, full of dragons, magic, monsters and epic villains.
>You pull your knees into your chest. Your dress is slightly wet from the ground. But the fire is nice, at least.
>You hope your friends aren't seriously hurt. Perhaps this was the plan; to split you all up and take you down. Prevent you from stopping Discord.
>Everything has changed so suddenly. How can you expect to keep up?
>You look at your wrists and at the bracelets that have given you power to fight on Anon's level.
>In a way, it's something you've always wanted, especially once real super powers started appearing in the normal world.
>But this? All of this? So far from home, from Sweetie Belle and your family, caught up in some struggle to save the world...
>You wish things were back to normal. Others may enjoy it here, and admittedly it was certainly fun for a bit to play along, but you need to face the real consequences of what is going on.
>You hope that you'll be able to go back to a normal life once this is all over, and that the world can be restored.
>Of course, it isn't all bad here... The fashion is elegant; the prospect of adventure is exciting...
>And Canterlot! What a wonder that city was! Its buildings, the architecture, the magic!
>Alright, not everything was so bad. But you'd need to get used to it, of course.
>Priority #1 is stopping Discord. Then, whatever the world may be afterwards, you'll pick yourself up, adapt and deal with it.
>Your eyes grow a little heavy. You curl up near the fire, letting it warm your body.
 
>Just when you're about to doze off, you feel something. The wind from outside has provided a constant small chill, but this...
>Something is wrong.
>Your eyes shoot open as a strange frost creeps outwards from the back of the cavern, towards the fire.
>You stand, your bracelets glowing.
>"Sss-s-s-s-o... b-b-b-eauti-ti-tif-f-ful..." a weak voice says from the darkness. "S-s-so p-pristine, so p-p-perfect..."
>You feel a terrible freezing sensation suddenly, and you look down to see your feet encased in ice.
>To your horror, it is growing up your leg.
>A figure steps out of the darkness. He looks human. Or was, at one point.
>Now he is long dead, his flesh wrinkled and decrepit with rot, but held together by frost.
>His flesh is a pale blue and his dark robes are nearly frozen solid. He holds a black staff in his hands, his fingers frozen to the pole.
>He is shivering unceasingly, and his teeth chatter even as he speaks.
>You hold up your bracelets and try to focus, but find it hard as the ice reaches your knees.
>"You'll b-b-be like thi-this forever... F-f-forever young, forever b-beautiful and perf-f-fect for my eyes t-t-to behold..."
"I'm no trophy!" you say through gritted teeth. You focus as hard as you can.
>You imagine fire. Burning, scalding, horrible fire.
>The flames you create cannot spread beyond what you imagine, but they burn all they touch the same.
>The thing screams as you bathe him in purple fire, scalding his flesh, melting the ice that has become his being.
>You feel the ice around your feet begin to break as you pour out all of your remaining energy.
>All that remains now are his bones; the rest either burned or melted away.
>Your feet are free, but they feel numb. And you are more mentally taxed than before.
>Crawling over to the fire that Spike made for you, you wearily put your legs close enough to get heated, but not close enough to be burnt.
>With that done, you find yourself unable to stop from entering a deep slumber.
 
>You're walking through a dark area. You can't quite see anything around you, but you can make out vague shapes in the distance.
>A cool breeze hits you, causing you to stiffen. The ground is smooth, almost unnaturally so.
>Everything about this is clicking wrong with you.
"Hello?" you call out. There is no echo. "Hello?"
>"Rarity!" you hear in the distance; the voice is young and feminine. "Rarity, where are you?"
>Sweetie Belle?
"Sweetie Belle!" you shout at the top of your lungs while running. "I'm here! I'm here!"
>Her voice is closer now, but you still can't tell what direction it’s coming from. "Rarity! I'm scared, Rarity! Where are you?"
"Sweetie! It's alright, don't be afraid! I'm coming to you!"
>You're approaching an object. As you near it, it becomes more distinct. A little girl with light purple hair, kneeling and crying. Her dress is white.
"Sweetie Belle! It's Rarity!" you say, running towards her.
>She doesn't stop crying. Her sobs echo in your ears, becoming louder and louder the closer you get.
>You stop in your tracks. Something is forming over Sweetie Belle's head.
>A shard of some kind. A crystal, by the looks of it. Purple, glowing and humming with a strange sound.
>It is perfectly symmetrical. Within its amethyst confines, strange shapes swirl and dance.
>They look like skulls.
 
"Sweetie Belle... Come over to me, quickly!" you say.
>She looks up at you, tears staining her face. "Where are you, Rarity? Why did you leave me?"
>You sprint towards her, trying to use your bracelets to speed up. They don't work.
>The shard looms over Sweetie Belle, casting her in its purple light.
>It isn't a warm, comforting light. It's necrotic in nature, vile and dark.
>She stops crying for a moment to say, "...Rarity?"
>The shard shoots a bolt of some kind of energy at her. The ray pierces her, lifts her up, suspending her in a dark aura.
>You scream and shout her name as it begins siphoning her life essence into itself.
>Leaving nothing but a drained, skeletal corpse behind.
>It drops her when it is done with its evil work, her body crumbling into dust before your tearing eyes.
>Sweetie Belle's soul joins the others within the death shard's confines, forever trapped.
>Your screams become deep sobs as the shard floats away, towards an open and waiting palm.
>The black hand closes around it, crushing it utterly. The souls drain into his skin.
>Two large, red pupils, set within green eyes, burn with the same purple darkness.
>A grin grows beneath those eyes as they look upon you.
>"You're next," the venomous voice that emerges from those lips tells you.
 
"NO!" you scream as you awaken.
>Immediately, Spike is beside you, holding your shoulders. "Rarity!" he tries to calm you.
>Tears run down your face. The image of your sister dying before your eyes is fresh in your mind and won't go away.
"She was crying!" you say between sobs as Spike holds you close. "She was there, crying, calling out for me and I couldn't save her!"
>"Shhh," he soothes. Nearby, the fire roars, cooking some wild animal that Spike brought back. "It was a dream, Rarity..."
"But it was so real! I heard her, I saw her! I saw her die, her soul taken and eaten by that... that vile thing!"
>You find some measure of comfort in the dragonborn's scaly arms. Gingerly, he lifts you up, setting you within his cross-legged lap.
>You turn into his chest, unable to stop. The imagery, the sounds... it all felt so real...
>Spike doesn't speak, and waits for you to finish. Eventually your tears dry and all that is left is the warmth of his body and the fire.
>Using one arm, he reaches over and plucks the meat from the fire he was roasting it over so it doesn't get burned. Carefully, using the head of his spear as a makeshift plate, he uses his claws to tear the meat apart into bite-size portions.
>He holds some of it in his palm to you. It looks good to eat.
>Looking up into his eyes, you see him nod. You reach into his palm and take one, putting it into your mouth and chewing.
>The meat is good; cooked well and juicy. Very chewy, too. It takes you a while to completely chew it, but once you swallow it, you take another.
>This goes on for a while. In a way, the delicious food is a wonderful distraction from the nightmare you just had. You focus on it.
>And all the while, Spike holds you, supporting you and keeping you warm. He went out and caught this meat personally. You think about asking him just what kind of animal this came from, but you'd rather just enjoy the bounty.
 
>"What is the corpse?" he asks you once you have eaten enough. He looks over to the charred skeleton.
You finish chewing, swallow and look up at him. "There was a monster living here. A beast made of ice and bone... He attacked me, tried to freeze me. I burnt him."
>He nods. "You did well to defend yourself. I regret not being here to help."
"It's alright," you say with a smile. "Thank you for the food."
>He returns your gratitude with a simple nod. For a while, there is a thick silence, and the only sounds in the cave are of the fire and the wind outside.
>"If you don't mind... who was your dream about?"
"My sister. I saw her alone, in the dark, crying out for me. And then she died... Some kind of, crystal or something... took her soul."
>His eyes narrow at the thought. "Surely a dream. Do you know where she is now?"
You shake your head. "I don't... I just don't know, Spike..."
>With his free hand, he reaches over and takes hold of your delicate hands. They seem so small in his palms.
>"Then you must stay strong for her, Rarity. You need to hope that she yet lives, and that you'll find her. You need something to drive you, to keep you fighting past the point of exhaustion. Something to die fighting for."
>You listen to his strong, confident warrior ethos, finding resolve in them.
"And... you, Spike? Do you have something, someone, to fight for? Is that what drives you?"
>His eyes break contact with your own. They wander to the darker corners of the cave. "I've no family, friends or loved ones to fight for. Only my nation. The Draconic Dominion has been good to me... but uncaring."
"Didn't you have a mother? A father?"
>He shakes his head. "I was the only surviving egg from my nest. I was raised in a dragonborn commune in service to a powerful dragon lord. We were made to fight for his amusement. The only way to survive was to learn to not get attached to my adoptive brothers and sisters, for I knew I would have to fight them and kill them one day."
 
>Your hold your hand over your mouth in shock.
"Spike, that's horrible! The dragon---what happened to him?"
>His green eyes meet yours, and there's a frightening fire burning within them. A rage unquenched. "I killed him. I freed our people, and in doing so, earned the attention of the greater dragons. In their eyes, a dragonborn who can slay a dragon is either an enemy to be immediately stamped out, or a tool to be used. Survival meant becoming the latter."
"You're not a tool, you're a living being," you reply, placing a hand on his chest. You see the scars that run across them and idly run your fingers over them.
>"Scars from battles past," he explains. "Some of them from the dragon himself." He shifts a little to show you the skull that he uses as a shoulder guard. "This is his. I wear it to remind me of where I came from and what I had to do to survive."
"How... How are you so... well-mannered, if this violence has ruled your life?"
>He grows silent for a moment before answering. "I thought that killing my cruel dragon master would bring me a measure of peace. It didn't. I felt empty and hollow. I still had no true family. Even the other dragonborn in my commune grew to fear me more than accept me."
>He sighs, and it is a long, low breath. "After I became an agent of the Draconic Dominion, I was given the chance to study the literary hordes of a kinder gold dragon, Nerrofonderua. A scholar by nature; he taught me much. There, I found philosophy, poetry and art. My eyes could start seeing the beauty of the world, the value in life beyond being the strongest and toughest."
>He manages a smile. "I have always fought for myself, knowing that one day I would find my higher purpose. I... may have found it, and it has stirred my soul to burn with a fire I never knew that I had. I feel... almost as a child again, with bounding curiosity and... Hope, even."
>You smile, showing him your white teeth.
"What is it?" you ask.
 
>Reaching up, he uses a clawed finger to softly brush a strand of your hair out of your pretty face.
>"I fear that... were I to be completely honest... you would not enjoy what I have to say."
"But why is that?"
>"I have... never quite met someone like you, Rarity. In fact... I never dreamed I would be so blessed as to meet anyone like you."
>You feel a slight lump in your throat.
"What do you... mean by that, exactly?"
>His mouth opens, but he seems unable to find the words. "Forgive me, I... I have thought about what I might say to you, quite a bit, but I fear that... it is a little premature. I... Well, dragons and by extension, dragonborn, have long, extensive courting procedures, and---"
"Courting?" you cut him off, pulling away slightly and raising an eyebrow. "Spike, I... I'm honestly flattered, but... I don't... I've never, well... You're a... and I'm a..."
>Is this dragonborn... into you?
>How would that even... work?
>"I mean no offense," he says quickly, holding up a hand. "I never meant to insult you by insinuating that one such as you would be... interested in one such as I."
"Well, wait a moment, I never said that," you reply. "It's just that... You're so different than I..."
>"Please, if I may... I want to tell you how I feel."
>Against your better judgment, you allow him to, partially out of genuine curiosity and partially out of flattered fascination.
>He takes a deep breath, preparing himself.
>"Not in all of my studies... in all the art I beheld... paintings, statues, poems, sonnets... was there ever a beauty such as yours described. Those masterpieces, those great artists who worked so hard to bring their works to life, shaping stone and clay, stroking brushes on canvas, none of them captured even a fraction of the divinity my eyes first beheld upon the palace steps in Canterlot."
 
>Your eyes widen at his words. Your heart is pumping a little faster.
>He continues. "I accepted my assignment to oversee the treaty with the same cold detachment that I always had, but had I known that it would allow me to see you, to merely behold the elegance and grace you carry yourself with, I would have accepted it within a heartbeat. My blood has never run hotter, not with dragon's fire, not with the burning brands of the gladiator's pits, than it has whenever I look upon your face."
>Once more, he softly takes your hand within his own. "I know not what this truly is, Rarity... is it love or strange lust... But I have never felt for another creature what I feel for you now. And even if you do not feel the same, I will be all the stronger for having told you how I feel, rather than hiding it any longer. My life has been enriched from your presence alone, for now I have seen a star, shining amongst the darkness of life, burning brighter than any other in the astral sea."
>He is silent, waiting for your response.
>Needless to say, you are rendered speechless by his words.
"Spike... I, I honestly don't know what to say... Nobody has ever said such things about me... that was beautiful..."
>Your hand slowly moves up to his strong, reptilian jaw, running along it.
"You... truly mean all of that?"
>"I wouldn't dream of lying to you, Rarity..." he says.
"I never knew that such a... a powerful romance could form in so short a time..."
>"Neither did I. Until I saw you."
>You watch the way his jaw opens and closes as he speaks, the subtle movements of his muscles. His eyes, burning with a passion you've never experienced.
>Your heart is beating hard and fast, feeling as though it will burst from your chest.
>You feel as though in uncharted territory---scared, thrilled and cautious all at the same time.
>You lean up a bit. You feel the arm holding you lift you higher.
 
>His face is near. His breath falls upon you, warming your skin. Your blood is pumping, your mind is racing, and your hand reaches for the back of his head, feeling the smooth scales...
>Your kiss is, all told, a little awkward. His mouth, so much larger and more angular than yours, allows you to do little more than press your lips against the front of his maw.
>While his lips can move, they're not as fluid as yours. It's a bit like kissing a velociraptor, you imagine.
>But that doesn't matter. What matters is what it represents, to you and to him. Both of you close your eyes as he hold you close to his chest.
>You feel his heartbeat. It's nearly as fast as your own.
>After a moment of shared physical contact, you pull back and stare into his eyes.
"Now... what?" you ask.
>Slowly, he takes the hand holding yours and shifts it to your side. He's able to hold nearly the entirety of your hip in his palm.
>He sets you gently upon the ground, moving to a knee alongside you. Laying you out, his eyes run up and down your body, causing you to shiver, but not from the cold.
>"That would depend on your... consent..." he softly whispers.
Though you are certain as to his meaning, you ask, "To what?"
>His breath is slow, as though he is trying to contain himself. "Your body is a temple... I would ask your consent to worship it."
>Oh, god. Are you really considering this? Are you really about to do this?
>Slowly, you nod. Your excitement is matched only by your nervousness.
>No matter what, this was going to prove to be an... interesting... night.
 
>You are Spike. Dragonborn.
>Warrior philosopher, agent of the Draconic Dominion, slayer of Scerrethenzil the Red.
>You have faced down hordes of cyclops, banished abominations, slain wraiths, charged yuan-ti strongholds and wrestled with dire bears.
>Not for glory, or gold, or the dragon nation you stand for.
>Simply because you could.
>But now, all of that seems to pale to the fear running through you, the nervous sensation tingling in your spine as you hold the most beautiful woman you have ever laid your eyes upon.
>She is like the goddesses of ancient lore, the ones poems were written about. Her figure is flawless, her eyes deep pools of sapphire that stare into your soul, melting the cold defensive walls you have erected there.
>And now she is here beside you, lying upon the ground, breathing uncertain breaths. Her chest heaves with each inhalation, hypnotizing you.
>You could crush her with your weight alone. She is so small compared to you. So fragile and delicate, like a white and purple flower. You feel almost ashamed of what your heart desires to do to her.
>But she is not fighting you. You have told her your true feelings with every ounce of your knowledge of language put to work in order to find the right words, the proper phrasing, to eloquently describe how madly in love you have fallen with this woman.
>And she wasn't disgusted or repulsed, as you feared she might be. She kissed you.
>The fire in your chest burned hotter when she did, though your lips could not very easily match the motions of hers.
>You don't care if you've only just met. When you first saw her, you knew you would pursue her. You had planned to meet with her after the banquet, to get to know her, but circumstances didn't allow this to happen.
>In the heat of battle, you saw her defend herself and her allies and fight back. She is strong, in her own way.
 
>Her eyes look up into yours. Questioning, afraid, and yet there is a curiosity among them, an excitement that you know you both share.
>You have never done this. Not with a dragonborn, a human, or any other species. You know what to do, and yet you find yourself distracted by her. So enthralled are you with her that almost all of your willpower is being used to stop yourself from taking her violently as your body so wants you to.
>You are not a brute. You are a warrior, disciplined. You will not hurt her.
>Her lips move as if to form a question, but the words are lost as you lean down to her neck, your hot breath rolling against her smooth, creamy skin.
>Your tongue, long and serpent-like, emerges and slowly tastes her skin. She is delicious.
>She gasps as you drag it along the length of her neck, almost teasingly, stopping just short of her jawline.
>Her body tenses as the heat from your saliva causes her blood to pump a little faster.
>"O-oh, more," she begs with a gasp, barely above a whisper.
>You aren't one to deny a request from a lady.
>This time, when you lick her neck, you move slowly from side to side, your prehensile tongue trailing like a snake over her sensitive skin.
>Her eyes shut and she moans softly, stirring the fire within you. She reaches up, placing a hand upon your chest.
>As you bring it up her jaw and onto her cheek, she does something that surprises you.
>Turning her head, she takes the end of your tongue into her mouth, lewdly sucking on it.
>Your tongue fills her mouth. You explore it as her own, smaller tongue playfully licks its underside.
>She starts breathing through her nostrils. You withdraw your tongue and her eyes shoot open when you thrust it back inside.
>She moans loudly around your tongue as you do this, her eyes half-lidded.
>You begin a steady pace of pumping your tongue in and out of her mouth, effortlessly sliding past her perfect lips. Her breathing increases as the overtly sexual act begins to excite her.
 
>Her hand reaches up behind your neck, pulling down on it, encouraging you to continue.
>Your saliva mixes with hers as your tongues dance against each other. You thrust a little faster into the moist cavern of her mouth, exploring it.
>And all the while she moans and pulls on you, licking and sucking on the muscle her lips are wrapped around.
>You draw your tongue out of her mouth, giving her tongue one final flick before you close your mouth. A small trail of saliva connects your mouths still before it snaps.
>She is panting. The very act itself caused her to become winded.
>"Oh, oh my," she says between pants. "That was, I've never done anything quite like that..." She opens her eyes to look up at you and smiles. "My god, darling, that was one of the most amazing things I've ever experienced!"
"I feel the same," you say, affectionately licking her neck once more. She coos softly. "You taste delicious..."
>"No funny ideas," she says jokingly before gasping again. "I've seen---ah! I've seen those teeth of yours!"
>You chuckle. Then, you stop everything. Your nostrils then pick up something.
>A new scent, a strong one. Coming from her.
>You inhale deeply.
>Leaning up a bit, you look down upon her. She looks a little flustered. She's blushing madly.
>There's a... dampness... on her dress, between her legs.
>Using a single finger, you bring your claw beneath the dress and begin to lift it up.
>Her breathing grows rather rapid. You feel her grip around your neck tighten. You look to her, waiting for protest. When none comes, you continue.
>Lifting it up, you observe her toned, smooth legs. You can't help but feel a knot tightening in your stomach as you look upon them.
 
>Then, you see it. Her most private of areas, covered with a pair of white panties that are equally soaked.
>You sniff once more. The scent has grown stronger.
>Without warning her, you dive your head down and lick from the bottom to the top. She nearly shoots up as she lets out a sudden yelp of pleasure at the sensation your tongue gives her.
>And the taste... by the nine hells, you've never sampled a sweeter nectar from any fruit.
>You hear her desperate words from above. "Take them off!" she begs.
>Placing her dress on her waist, you use one hand to bring her legs together. As delicately as you are able, you ease two fingers under the stretchy fabric and slowly begin to slip them off of her bottom.
>You can't help but take your time, watching her skin and most sacred of areas exposed to your hungry eyes.
>You slip it up her legs and over her feet, setting it down nearby.
>With the same hand, you now spread her legs open... revealing her soaked, glistening labia.
>Her feminine juices coat the area, and a small, neatly trimmed bush of purple hair rests above the opening.
>Now, nothing separates the intoxicating smell from reaching your nostrils, sending your brain into a lustful haze you never want to escape from.
>You lean down once more, this time moving your tongue over the outside, lapping up her nectar. She squirms and moans from this, reaching down to place her hands on your head.
>You do this three more times. From the bottom to the top, you run your tongue over her slit. Then, after the fourth time, you position it at her entrance.
>You pause, waiting for permission.
>"Do it, please," she says with a whimper.
>With no further hesitation, you drive your thick, pulsing tongue into her, tasting the very source of her essence.
>She screams in pleasure, throwing her head back and thrusting her chest upwards. Her toes curl as your tongue explores depths no human tongue ever could.
 
>You feel as though you are drinking from the wellspring of a fertility goddess as you begin to repeat your actions with her mouth, only this time with her other lips. You bring your tongue out and thrust it back inside.
>Each time you do this, she screams some more, her cries of ecstasy begging you for more, shouting your name and other rather unlady-like things.
>But you don't mind. It empowers you to know that you are causing such noise to come from her.
>You pick up the pace and begin moving your tongue in different directions, side-to-side and twisting it slightly.
>This causes her to moan even louder and grip your skull as tightly as she can. You smile a bit as her fingers dig into your scales. Even her strongest grip cannot harm you, so you continue pumping into her.
>Your tongue pulses with heat, picking up every drop of liquid coming from her. You don't think you can stop; she simply tastes so sweet and divine.
>Then, it happens. Your actions bring about an orgasm from her. Her eyes rolls back into her skull and she lets out a long, piercing scream wrought by pure burning bliss coursing through her body.
>You feel her inner walls contract around your muscle, and a new taste reaches your tongue, one vastly more potent and overwhelming.
>It drives you to lap more hungrily, thrusting in and out faster than ever.
>Her hips match the motions of your tongue. She isn't coherent in her speech any more---she's simply moaning over and over, content to let you keep going.
>You aren't sure how long it is before you finally stop. You don't know how many minutes it took to get to this point, but upon her third climax, you withdraw your tongue. The muscle feels worn out and tired.
>It lazily hangs from your jaw, dripping with her fluids.
>Sitting up a bit, you look at her. Her hair is a right mess and she is covered in sweat from the heat of the fire and your body.
 
>She is panting harder than an athlete. Her blue eyes find yours, and the smile that follows is one of pure, uncontained satisfaction.
>"Ohhh, Spike... Never in a million years has anything like what you just did happened to me..." she says breathlessly. "Your tongue is amazing!"
>You smile at her, moving your head up to her chest. Though your tongue is tired, you place it in the valley between her luscious breasts, making her gasp again. You move it up to her neck and spend some time giving it affection before drawing it back into your mouth and kissing her.
>She responds eagerly to the kiss, pressing her small lips against your maw. She kisses up and down your jawline, thanking you for what you did to her.
"I can assure you, Rarity... my tongue is far from my most impressive organ."
>Her eyes widen as she realizes what you mean. "You should sit back," she suggests.
>Doing so, you sit against the cave wall. She sits up, still catching her breath. Her eyes drift down to the armor between your legs.
>"How do you... you know... take it out?"
>You smile. You haven't had much time to get used to this strange armor that Anonymous, the one called the Dungeon Master, gave to you.
>But it has made you stronger, able to see things in entirely new ways, and has allowed you to fly.
>And now, with a simple thought, you command it to retract entirely, leaving you entirely nude to her eyes.
>And oh, how you wish you could preserve the look on her face for all of eternity.
>Your dragonhood stands at full attention, brought about by the intensely erotic happenings mere moments ago.
>From the look in her eyes, she's in awe of it. You feel it throb in the cool night air.
>Unable to look away from it, she manages a weak, "My god..."
"I told you," you say, perhaps a little bit more smugly than intended.
>She warily reaches up to touch it, but falters.
 
"Go ahead," you tell her to smooth away her anxiety.
>Her hand is cool to the touch. You can't help but stiffen as it touches your head.
>She is fascinated by it. Her other hand comes up and starts idly stroking one side of the shaft. Your entire body may be armored with scales, but your cock is unquestionably the most sensitive part of your body.
>"I never imagined it would be so..." she trails off. She can't wrap her hand around the head. As she tries, you groan and a small amount of precum is squeezed out of the tip.
>She blinks as she watches the white liquid roll down the shaft. Without a second thought, she leans forward and licks it.
>You nearly cough up dragon fire at the sensation of her tongue upon your frenulum.
>You watch as she reels back a bit, swallowing the substance. The sight is almost dizzying to behold: a beautiful young woman, holding your spear, licking it and relishing the taste...
>Her hands move up and down the shaft, rubbing it and squeezing it. She's searching for ways to please you, to somehow return the favor for what you gave to her.
>She's doing a damn fine job, if you do say so yourself.
>Both of her hands can wrap around the shaft with her fingers slightly interlocking. She does this and starts pumping you, hard.
>She begins to realize she can go harder, as you're much hardier than a normal human lover.
>'She'll find out the extent of my stamina soon enough,' you smile as you think to yourself.
>"Is this good, Spike?" she asks.
"Mmmrrrhhh... Heavenly..." you reply.
>She picks up the pace, her hands forming a tight grip on the shaft. In a strangely refined fashion, she leans her head closer to the tip and starts tenderly kissing it.
>She kisses it a few times before stopping in one spot, softly suckling on the skin. You moan as her small, yet focused actions shoot sparks up to the pleasure center of your brain.
 
>She finds the hole at the tip and probes it with her tongue, tasting you. The sensation you get from this is nearly unreal. Your hands tighten, nearly digging into the stone floor.
>It's taking all of your restraint to refrain from pushing her back, tearing her dress off and fucking her raw on the ground, taking what's yours.
>But she's not ready for that yet.
>So focused are you on keeping yourself from attacking her, you fail to immediately notice that she has let go and stopped kissing you.
>She reaches up to her bountiful cleavage, contained by the dress, and starts slipping the top portion off.
>Your jaw drops slightly as the bare flesh of her chest is revealed. She sees this and smiles.
>Using her hands, she pulls her breasts apart, and in a maneuver you've never read about, hugs them around your cock.
>Your breathing grows low and heavy as she starts using her entire upper body to please you. Her tits press against your thick, rock-hard shaft like milky pillows.
>Using her upper arms to press her breasts against you, her hands reach down and begin massaging the thick patch of fibrous nerves and skin that contains your testicles. She finds them and gropes them, pressing her thumbs into the strong flesh.
>Finally, even her mouth finds ways to please you. Far less conservative than before with her kisses, now she is outright slobbering over every inch of sensitive skin she can with her tongue. She licks almost ferociously, coating and wetting the areas she can reach with her saliva.
>She rocks forward, pressing every inch of skin against you that she can manage. Your groans turn into loud roars as she thrusts upwards, sharing the heat of her body with your cock.
>More precum oozes from the tip, which she greedily laps up with her tongue.
>Eventually, after minutes on end, she starts to slow as fatigue settles in.
>"My... you're..." she pauses to take a breath. "Enduring..."
 
"Your actions are driving me to the brink of animalism," you reply. "I, I need release."
>"I can't keep that up, as much as I was enjoying it," she says, idly stroking your shaft with her hands. "But... Spike, I don't think that it will quite, um... fit."
"I had worried as much," you say with a frown. "Perhaps we should stop."
>Her blue eyes meet yours and you see a hungry determination in them.
>"Absolutely not!" she insists. "Where there's a will," she says as she holds up her hands and the glowing bracelets, "there's a WAY!"
>You look as she creates some kind of tube over your cock, glowing and translucent like all of her constructs. It constricts, squeezing a purple liquid out and onto your meat. You gasp at the contact as it begins to spread to the rest of your shaft. It is cool to the touch and glowing a bright purple color. The tube is deconstructed and vanishes once this is done.
>"I... don't think that the traditional way will quite work... but there's an alternative," she says with a sultry, slightly mischievous tone.
>She stands up before you and drops her dress to the ground. In the purple light of the lubricant she has conjured, her amazing body takes on an almost luminescent quality. As if sensing your appreciation of her beauty, she strikes a small pose for you, placing her hands upon her gorgeous hips and winking.
>Stepping past your legs, she places her dripping sex in front of your mouth. You have an urge to lick it once more, but don't, wanting to see where she is going with this.
>Now she leans down a bit, placing her hands on your shoulders. "I'm going to go easy, okay?" she says, biting her lip.
"Do as you must," you tell her. "I will not force anything."
>She nods before lowering herself onto your raging dragonhood. True to her word, she's not trying to force the head into her pussy.
>Rather, as she phrased it, the "alternative."
 
>She grimaces in pain as the head begins to part her tight entrance. You growl as you feel more and more of it start to slip inside, aided by the lubricant.
>Her mouth hangs open and her eyes are tightly shut as she begins breathing in a controlled manner. Her eyes begin to tear up.
"Rarity, if you are hurt, we needn't---"
>A single look from her silences you. "I'll... NOT... give up that easily!" she shouts.
>Grunting, she eases herself down some more, sliding more and more of your cock into her ass.
>She is panting, hard. You almost need to match her rate of breathing. The feeling from having your dragonhood partially buried into her is driving you insane with the desire to force the rest of it inside her.
>But you stay calm and in control. You bring up one of your large hands and place it upon her backside, soothing her with an encouraging massage.
>"I can do this," she says, then repeats it a few times.
>Preparing herself, she slides more in. You see her eyes widen and her mouth go agape as more slides in than she had intended.
>You're nearly completely there.
You grunt, "Can you go any further? You're so close."
>After a moment of steady breathing, she nods. "I can. I can. I can."
>Gripping your shoulders as hard as she can, she grits her teeth, shuts her eyes and drops the rest of the way onto your cock, taking it all the way to the base. She lets out a pained sigh. "Oh god... Oh my god!" she breathes.
"Are you hurt?" you ask, concerned for your lover. You didn't think she would make it this far, to take your shaft entirely within her...
>Her taut buttocks rest upon your testicles as she leans forward. "I... nnnnhhh! I just need to---ah!---adjust! Give me a moment..."
"Of course."
 
>For what feels like a minute, she rests there, finding her breath. Then, she begins to push herself upwards.
>You can't help but growl in pleasure from the sensation of her insides rubbing against every inch of your shaft as she makes it up to the head.
>This time, when she presses downwards, there is less resistance. She still has to fight her way back down, sweating like she's running up a mountainside.
>But with encouragement, she reaches the base of your stiff pole again, pausing to gather her strength.
>Fearlessly, she pulls herself back up and pushes down again, taking about as much time as the last.
>You are patient for her. You can't help but admire her resilience as she continually forces herself up and down.
"Let me," you say, placing your hands on her waist.
>You take the effort away from her as you slowly move her up and down, essentially lifting her off and onto your dick with each motion.
>When you hear a whimper escape her lips, you pause.
>"Don't stop," she whispers. Then, her eyes open. "Harder."
>Experimenting with a slightly faster speed, you begin to bounce her up and down. Each time she comes down, your girth is swallowed into her, disappearing from sight.
>"Harder," she urges you, pulling on your shoulders. "It hurts so good, Spike... Harder!"
>Confident that she can take your length without too much difficulty, you tighten your grip on her waist and start bucking your hips ever so slightly to increase the force of each thrust.
>She moans with each bounce, her voice growing in strength to match your increasing intensity.
>You begin to feel the fire in your loins burning hotter. Fighting back the urges, you continue to go slow. You need to build her up, not break her.
>And it would be so easy to break her.
>You watch her breasts bounce in time with the rhythm of your thrusts. Her nipples, so eager for attention, are not denied it. You lean forward and lather her breasts with your tongue, causing her to yelp in pleasant surprise.
 
>Minutes pass as your gentle motions eventually get stronger and faster. You've upgraded to about a thrust per second, which is immensely impressive considering what she had to do to get here.
>Her mind is running blank from pleasure. The purple lubricant had long since faded away, the pure pleasure overwhelming her concentration, but you no longer needed it.
>"Fuck me," she pleads. "Take me, Spike! Please!"
>You snarl as you pick up the pace, slamming into her ass, creating an audible slap each time she reaches the hilt of your meat.
>Your pace evolves from slow and steady to outright fucking as you plow into her with controlled, measured yet powerful and rapid thrusts.
>Now, both of you are beginning to become lost to the pleasure. You close your eyes and hold her close as you stand, still fucking her, and turn.
>You've reversed your positions---now she is the one with her back to the wall, held in place with your hands.
>But now, your legs are free to push forwards, making your thrusts have nearly twice as much impact.
>She is screaming, not from pain but from the mind-breaking pleasure running through her body. Her legs spread wide and wrap around your hips, pulling herself against you with each slam. Her arms slide down to your chest, holding tightly onto your muscles.
>Her jaw hangs open. All she can do is moan, push back and breathe as she falls entirely into orgasmic euphoria. Her juices leak out in large quantities, dripping down onto your thrusting cock, helping lubricate it.
>The heat, the intensity, the sheer satisfaction... it's too much.
>You both are lost in your mutual lust-driven haze. All you can do is keep going.
>You feel the fire within you burning hotter than ever. It is growing, spreading to every inch of your insides. Your muscles tighten, your jaw clenches.
>You throw your head back and roar louder than you ever have before, shouting her name and unleashing a torrent of burning green flames that scorches the ceiling.
 
>You pull out, your seed erupting onto Rarity's body, blasting from your cock in large, thick bursts.
>Globs of it land upon her breasts, stomach, face and large sections of her hair.
>Her mouth, wide open from moaning, catches a fair amount of it. Reflexively, she swallows any of it she can, gulping down large quantities of your pearly white release.
>After the fire leaves your throat and the last of your load is shot out, you stand there, holding her against the stone wall, panting from exhaustion.
>You look down upon her now, seeing the mess you made. You sheepishly pick her up and hold her close to you, not caring about the sticky substance she is coated in.
>Gently, you walk with her back to the fire, which has grown weak from the lack of attention. A simple breath upon it ignites it once more with dragon's fire.
>You carefully set her down upon the ground.
>You find her dress and pick it up. You need to clean her. She is conscious but unresponsive as you mentally command a section of your technologically advanced armor to appear over your arm.
>It reconfigures itself into a water cannon. You use a very low setting on its pressure and begin to wash her body with the water, using the dress as a kind of rag.
>You'll apologize to her later over the misuse of the pretty fabric.
>Taking great care, you lovingly wash away the remnants of your loins from her skin and hair. She shivers and opens her eyes as the water begins running down her body.
"Shhh," you whisper. "Rest."
>She nods; she is tired and her mind is far away.
>By the time you are done, she is fast asleep.
>Your task complete, you set the dress near the fire to dry. You move across the cave to the corpse of the yeti you killed, gutted and cooked earlier.
>You still can't believe she ate the portions of the yeti you cooked without even asking what it was. Reaching for your spear, you begin to skin the animal more in-depth.
 
>As the minutes pass, you finish your work and stand, holding the yeti pelt. Its white fur is warm to the touch.
>You kneel down next to your sleeping lover. Even asleep she seems angelic in her beauty. You scoop her into your arms and wrap the yeti pelt around her.
>She smiles, curling up into the suddenly very soft blanket.
>You sit with your back against the cave, tired and spent.
>But satisfied, in many more ways than one. Looking down at the sleeping woman in your lap, you smile as you brush a strand of hair out of her face and tuck it behind her ear.
>She is yours, now. Your lover. Your equal. You will fight for her, defend and protect her. For her, you would stand before a rampaging kraken, an ancient wyrm and the greatest of horrors from the far realm.
>Armies would not keep her from you. Not even the gods would deny you the love you have for this woman.
"I love you," you whisper, pledging your soul to hers.
>Your eyes slowly shut, but you keep them open as long as you can, simply taking in the sight of her sleeping form.
>Sleep follows.
 
 >You are Rarity, and you are warm.
>You roll over, your eyes lazily opening, taking in the sight of the fireplace.
>You're wrapped up in some kind of delightfully soft white fur blanket. Other than that, you're nude.
>And sore.
>As you awaken, it becomes apparent how very, very sore you are. You squint as you shift; feeling the muscles of your legs and, more specifically the ones around a certain orifice, painfully contract.
>Your mind goes back to last night.
>Oh, wow. OH... Wow.
>You fucked a dragon last night, Rarity.
>And you'll be damned if you didn't love every moment of it.
>You hear something move in the cave. You whip around, seeing your draconic lover stand. His armor is back on.
>He regards you with some caution, measuring your reaction to him.
>"Are you... well?" he asks.
You nod. "I feel a bit, well, dirty, if I'm being honest."
>"Understandable," he replies. "I can... give you some privacy. Let you clean up. Your dress is over there, dry."
>He moves to the mouth of the cavern, standing near the edge of the cliff face and surveying the surrounding lands.
>Opening the blanket, which you discover is actually a pelt of some animal, you look at yourself.
>A little red around the legs, but otherwise alright. Your bracelets are still on.
>Imagining a mirror, you look at yourself. By god, you're in need of a proper shower.
>You quickly imagine a set of personal grooming tools and conjure them up. A comb, a brush, a curling iron, ect.
 
>Old habits die hard and you try to make yourself as presentable as possible. You stand to walk towards the dress and promptly fall to a knee due to how sore you are.
>My word. You didn't think about the morning after when you were getting railed by dragon cock, did you? Well, other things were on your mind at the time.
>After doing your best to move to the dress, you slide it back over your body. You look out at Spike.
>You find yourself doing this for some time.
>He stands stoic, patient. He was so chivalrous last night. A being like him could have easily taken advantage of you; in your weakened state you might have been unable to defend yourself.
>Those things he said... such words of beauty, adoration and love had never been spoken to you by anyone in your life.
>You've dated a few boys and even entertained thoughts of a few girls, but never has anyone made you feel so special, so important or beautiful.
>To hear such things from a dragon of all things. Outwardly, he seems like a brute, but you've glimpsed into his soul and listened to glimpses of his tortured past.
>And yet... up until yesterday, he didn't exist. Or did he truly? In some other world that you now live in?
>You sit down as you contemplate these things. Is this real? All of it? Certainly everything you felt last night was very, very real, and yet the very circumstances leading up to it should have been impossible.
>But in this new world, what does impossible really even mean? Where are the limits, the boundaries? What lines are there that cannot be crossed?
>Clearly, the line where you sleep with a dragon is one you've crossed. But is it taboo in this world to do so?
>You've spent your life preparing for the rigors of adulthood. You had planned to enter the high-stakes world of professional fashion design, after all.
>In a business like that, there are defined rules and social structure.
>But here? What are the rules? Even physics seem subject to alteration. There are no constants.
 
>It seems that all you can do is press forward and roll with the punches, like you did last night.
>There was no concern for the future, no worries about the rest of the world. There was you, and there was Spike.
>In a way, it was the simplest thing in the world. There is comfort in that.
>Maybe... things don't need to be complicated. Perhaps you shouldn't be so concerned about the complexities of things and just take them as they come.
>Spike is waiting for you. You should go join him.
>And then... well, who knows until it comes, right? But you won't be facing it alone.
>You've got him by your side.
>Exiting the cave, you approach him. He turns as he hears you.
>"How are you feeling?" he asks, still with a bit of caution.
>He's still gauging your reaction. Perhaps he is worried that you are no longer interested in pursuing a relationship? You suppose you can understand his trepidation; this is a rather odd circumstance, after all.
"I'm alright, Spike." You reach out and take hold of his large hand. "Thank you."
>You gesture for him to lean down, and upon him doing do, you give him a small kiss upon his muzzle.
>He smiles at your sweet display of affection.
"Though, I may have trouble walking easily for a while..." you sheepishly admit.
>"I apologize for that," he begins, but you cut him off.
"Oh, don't apologize, Spike. I was the one who wanted it so badly... And perhaps, when this is all finished..." you trail off.
>There's a mischievous hint to your voice, and the glint in his eyes speaks his understanding. A moment of silence as you mutually share your desire for more nights like the one you had last night in the future.
>"There is something in the distance," he suddenly changes the subject. "I first observed it when I came out here to give you your privacy. There."
>Squinting, you look through the clouds. It isn't storming as hard as it was yesterday, allowing a faint glimmer of the sun reflecting off of something in the sky to reach your eyes.
 
"What is it?" you ask.
>"I believe it is something I have only read about. The floating city of the Crystal Empire."
You look up at him. "You mean where Twilight's brother's fiancé rules?"
>"The Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, correct," he informs you. "Surely they have wizards of some nature or airships there that may be able to transport us faster to Canterlot. We should investigate it."
"I agree."
>Raising your hands, you generate a gravitational aura around the both of you, levitating you up into the sky. Creating a circular forcefield to protect the both of you with, you begin flying towards the beacon of light.
>As you make your way through the clouds, you finally begin to see it: the Crystal Empire in all of its glory.
>A floating city; its buildings are constructed of elegant crystal materials and fine marble. In the sun the city glints, its light reflected off the polished surfaces of the domes and walls of its architecture.
>The city is dominated by large spires topped with floating purple crystals that radiate energy. The largest of these is the palace at its center, a grand structure with tall towers and a series of orbiting magical crystals surrounding its tallest peak.
"It's beautiful!" you exclaim as you grow nearer to it.
>"Home to some of the most powerful and ancient magics that exist, so the legends say," Spike tells you.
>As you near one of its ledges, you can see people scrambling about. Guards begin moving to intercept you.
>Thinking quickly, you conjure a megaphone to speak through.
"We mean no harm! We come from Canterlot!"
>The guards seem to speak to each other about something before one of them stands forward, waving you down.
 
>You and Spike lower down, touching upon the ground. You dispel the aura around the two of you, watching as one of the purple-armored guards approaches.
>He removes his helmet, revealing a strong face framed by blue hair.
"Shining Armor?!" you exclaim, immediately recognizing your best friend's brother.
>"Lady Rarity," he greets you with a smile. "It is well that you survived the attack on Canterlot."
>"And you as well," Spike says, moving next to you. "How, per chance, have you managed to return to the Crystal Empire?"
>Shining answers, "I organized a retreat from Canterlot in order to get my bride to safety. We also evacuated a number of civilians via airship and brought them here for safety." Looking at you, he adds, "Including your younger sister, Lady Rarity."
>Your eyes shoot open.
"Sweetie Belle is here? Is she alright?" you desperately ask, remember your horrid dream from the night before.
>"She is. We're currently mobilizing an attack force to retake Canterlot from Nightmare Moon and her shadow spawn. We leave tomorrow morning."
>"Consider us a part of your strike force," Spike declares, holding up his spear.
>"Very good," Shining says with a smile. "I look forward to the battle alongside such worthy allies. But you both look tired---especially you, Rarity. Come; let us get you a bath and good food."
>You let out a breath of relief.
"That sounds positively divine, darling. And please, do take me to Sweetie Belle---I must see her at once!"
>The paladin nods and leads the two of you deeper into the crystal city.
>You are taken aback by the beauty of this place. Everything, from its buildings to its fashion to the armor and weaponry of the guards is defined by the regal patterns and designs which evoke a magical, refined society. You could most certainly get used to a place like this.
>The palace is second only to the Canterlot castle in beauty. Within, Shining takes you to meet your sister.
 
>She sees you from a distance and runs to you with tears in her eyes, throwing her tiny arms around your waist. Shining and Spike look on as you two hug, reunited.
"Sweetie, it's so wonderful to see you! Are you safe? How did you get here?"
>Your younger sibling wipes the tears from her eyes as she explains, "Me and mom and dad were in Canterlot when you returned! We were going to try to see you at the banquet, but then... all the darkness and the shadows came..."
>You pull her close; hearing her talk of shadows brought back imagery of that horrible nightmare.
"It's alright now, Sweetie, everything is fine. I'll keep you safe. I promise you. Did... did mom and dad...?"
>Her tears return as she shakes her head.
>Shining walks up with his hand upon his sword. "That's why we're headed back with a full military force to save everyone we can. I'm certain your parents are there," he says to the young girl. Looking at you, however, his expression reveals that he cannot be certain one way or the other if what he says is true.
"It'll be alright, Sweetie," you assure her, making sure that she remains hopeful. "They'll find them and bring them here safely."
>Shining nods and Sweetie Belle seems to accept this. Together, the four of you make your way towards the guest chambers.
>Once settled in, you get a chance to take a shower. You aren't sure how a floating city has access to a source of water, but then again, being that it's a floating city, perhaps questions like that don't matter.
>You join Shining, Spike, and Princess Cadence for dinner, where you discuss the upcoming plans to liberate Canterlot. Shining is confident that the attack will work and that a way to find Nightmare Moon's place of hiding will be found.
>Cadence is supportive of her husband-to-be's plan, but wary about possibly exposing their kingdom to attack.
 
"Perhaps I should stay behind to help protect the city?" Rarity suggests. "I know Spike and I said we would be willing to join the liberation force, but Cadence is right to think that the city may be vulnerable with so many of its guards allocated to the attack."
>"And yet, you and Spike are two of our most powerful weapons," Shining points out. "Having one of you on the attack force will be great for both morale and strategic advantage, but having the both of you will almost guarantee our success."
>"I agree with Rarity," Spike says. "Perhaps it would be best for her to remain here and watch over her sister and the city. I will be happy to lend myself to the mission."
>Shining sits still for a moment, considering the possibilities. "Alright. Spike, you'll be with us. Tomorrow morning it is, then?"
>The dragonborn nods and goes about finishing his meal.
>After the rather generous meal is concluded, you head back to your room, but not before saying goodnight to the princess and her fiancé. You walk back to your temporary personal chambers alongside Spike.
"Are you afraid for the attack tomorrow?" you ask him, making conversation.
>He shakes his head. "Never have I looked towards battle with fear. If you do, it will ruin you with doubt and worry. The only thing I look toward battle with is knowing that I will be victorious."
You smile. "A confident attitude to have, knowing that you could die."
>He stops. "And how does this make you feel, Rarity?"
Looking up at him, you place a gentle hand upon his arm. "I'd rather you didn't have to fight at all. But that's not the case. If we're to save the world, we're going to have to fight whatever stands in our way."
>"I'd rather not part from you," he replies, cutting to the point of the matter. "But if I find your friends in Canterlot, I will contact you to let you know of their fate."
Your hand slides down to his own, taking hold of it. "Be careful, Spike."
 
>Kneeling before you, he places the back of your hand to his mouth, imitating a kiss. "For the chance to return to you, nothing but."
>You blush a bit at his chivalry.
"I had a thought earlier," you admit to him, "about not worrying about the future because of all the change that is happening in my life. Living in the moment."
>He regards you with some curiousity. "You seem to imply a desire to make the most out of every possible moment, then."
"I do. And the Crystal Empire, while its people are very warm, resides above a rather snowy region. I'm worried my bed might be cold, and wonder who might assist me in warming it..." you say, playfully lacing your words with hints.
>His smile broadens, showing you his intimidating teeth. "Lead the way, my lady."
>Never breaking your hold with his hand, you lead him into your chambers. He seals the doors shut behind you and scoops you up into his arms in one fluid motion.
>You giggle at this, feeling as though a child compared to him.
>He approaches the rather large ornate bed, pleased that it will be able to accommodate the two of you.
>Setting you upon it, he crawls atop you, dwarfing your frame with his own and holding himself up around you. You find the act both intimidating and arousing, knowing how powerful he truly is.
>He turns his head and regards the fireplace along one wall. With a carefully practiced breath, a green fireball blasts from his throat into the pit, igniting the wood.
 
 
>"A little candlelight to see your beautiful face by," he says in a low, romantic voice. You gasp as his wonderful tongue emerges and slowly drags across your neck, leaving a warm trail behind it.
>Oh, the things he can do with that tongue...
>You look up at him as he withdraws his tongue. Lovingly, you reach up to cup his jaw, rubbing it softly.
"I know that we haven't had much time together, Spike. I just want you to know that, if things should go wrong, and one of us doesn't see the other again---"
>"Don't," he says in a hushed, serious tone. "There's no need to think about such things. What if I don't return? What if I do? We know the truth in either case. The truth is that no matter what happens, we will go on. Nothing would change my love for you."
>Your heart skips a beat as you hear his words. Something about them, the way he feels about you, it simply resonates within your being.
"I love you," you say breathlessly as he resumes lavishing attention upon your neck.
>A soft grumble from him is your response as his hands reach to your shoulders, lightly pulling at the straps of your dress.
>The night was still young.
 
    >You roll over, squinting at the faint sunlight cast upon your bed from the nearby window.
    >Hearing movement, you turn to look at Spike, who stands from the edge of the bed and commands his armor to reform around his body.
    >He casts a look back at you before turning to lean over and lovingly nuzzle your neck with his mouth.
    >The sensation of his rough scales on your sensitive skin sends you into a small fit of giggling.
    >When he pulls away, you look up at him, holding the sheets close to your naked body.
    >"I'll be leaving with Shining Armor soon," he says, taking hold of his spear. "Hopefully it won't be a lengthy campaign to take back the city."
    "I hope not," you say. "It would be dreadful if..." you stop yourself, smiling and sighing a bit. "Just come back to me soon, Spike."
    >"You've my word," he says, taking your hand in his own. As gently as he can, he kisses it. "Will you come to see us off?"
    "I shall. Give me some time to freshen up."
    >He nods and leaves the room without another sound.
    >You hurriedly go about readying yourself, taking enough time to make yourself presentable. The wardrobe here offers you some nice dresses to choose from. You decide on a white one with blue jewels set in patterns. Seems fitting.
    >You journey to the main entrance hall of the palace to join Shining Armor, Princess Cadance, Spike and a large group of guards.
    >Shining kneels before his princess, kissing the back of her hand and vowing to stay safe for her. As he stands, she pulls him into a kiss and whispers something into his ear.
    >The sweet display almost makes you blush as you find yourself looking at Spike, who smiles and nods at you.
    >The men depart, with the two of you following. You walk through the streets of the Crystal Empire, passing waving civilians, until you reach the dock.
 
>At the edge of the floating island, the sky dock is where the airships come for repairs and reinforcements. Several of their warships are fully staffed and ready to go. The soldiers, the paladin and the dragonborn all stride onto the largest.
>Not long thereafter, the ships depart, waving farewell to the people left behind.
>You and Cadance both stand there, watching the ships until they are swallowed by the northern clouds and vanish from sight.
>She sighs. "It always pains me to see my Shining Armor go off into danger."
"I can understand how you feel," you say with a smile.
>Cadance looks at you and smiles. "Yes, I can tell. You and Spike?"
You stammer in surprise. "W-what? I don't know what you---"
>"No need to be embarrassed, Rarity," she says with a light chuckle. "Love is, in a way, my specialty. I can sense it in others and affect it to a degree."
"Magic?"
>"Yes." She turns back towards the palace and urges you to follow. "The heart is a powerful and sometimes fickle thing, but it is always honest, sometimes painfully so."
You look at her. "How do you mean?"
>"Love can make us do strange things. And sometimes, our hearts and our minds are not always one with each other. You may want someone, but you may not love them. Do you understand my meaning?"
You nod. "Yes, I think I do. Have you ever used your power in others and later regretted it?"
>She laughs. "You mean, did I ever use it to manipulate anyone? No, never. I cannot force someone to love; it must come from themselves. I can only strengthen it and, perhaps, make them see the truth they're denying. It has happened that someone is in love, but doesn't want to admit it even to themselves."
You look up at the palace as you approach it. "How many of the guards are left?" you ask.
>"A handful, about three dozen. I'm not too concerned of attack, but we should have enough to mount a decent defense against any threat that should appear."
 
"So am I," you reply as the two of you ascend the stairs.
>At the top, Cadance stops you and places a hand on your arm. "Rarity, do honor me by joining me for some afternoon delight."
You blink. "Oh, of course... what would that entail, precisely?" you ask, absentmindedly staring at her lips before snapping back up to her warm, emerald eyes.
>She smiles. "Why, tea and conversation, of course. Perhaps a game? Something to pass the time. I'd like us to get to know each other better."
You sigh in relief. "Oh, why then yes, of course I would. This afternoon, then?"
>"I'll be waiting," she says before parting from you. For some reason you don't quite understand, you are compelled to watch her go, yours eyes drifting ever so slightly downwards...
>You shake your head. What's the matter with you? She's a wife-to-be. Get your mind out of the gutter, Rarity; she's only inviting you for tea.
>You head back to your quarters and stand in the open window, gazing out into the city.
>A soft knock reaches your ears and you see Sweetie Belle standing in your doorway.
>You smile and go to her and throw her into a hug.
"The soldiers left this morning, Sweetie," you tell her. "They'll find mother and father and bring them back."
>She nods. "I hope so. I just hope that Scootaloo and Apple Bloom are okay."
"Were either of them at Canterlot?"
>"I don't think so... But they're back at home, and the guards say that there's night all the time there, and strange things are coming out of the shadows..."
"Don't worry," you hold her close and try to lighten her fears. "Once I find the others, we'll stop whatever is happening. You have my word."
>She hugs you tightly. "I love you, big sis."
>It warms your heart to hear her say that.
>You spend some more time with her before parting. You remember Spike saying that powerful wizards lived here; maybe they can help you find your friends?
 
>You look for Cadance and find her in a large lounge room near a roaring fire.
"Cadance? I wonder if you could help me."
>She looks up at you with a friendly grin. "Of course, Rarity. Before or after our tea?"
"If you don't mind, I'd like to know if there is someone we could consult with about finding where my friends are. If we're to stop all of this chaos, we need to be as proactive as possible."
>She nods. "I agree. Follow me."
>She leads you through the halls of the grand palace, bringing you up a large flight of stairs. "In this tower is a pool of water. Within its reflection, you may see sights throughout all of the realms."
"That sounds very useful," you comment. "Why have we not used it before?"
>"It is taxing to use," she tells you. "It draws upon your mind and cannot be used without cost."
"What cost?" you ask, somewhat apprehensively.
>She doesn't reply as she reaches two large doors. With a wave of her hand, they open.
>Within the dim room is a large, circular pool.
>Cadance kneels beside it, and you do the same.
>Its water glows with a soft, blue color. You look into her eyes as she tells you, "It requires a drop of your blood. It will link with your mind, then, showing you the people and places you hold dearest and desire to see the most."
>Staring into her eyes, you look down into the water and take a steadying breath. Only a drop? You've plenty to spare.
>Holding up your hand, your bracelets glow as you imagine a needle. Bracing yourself, you command it to poke into your finger.
>You jump a little as you do so. Banishing the needle, you squeeze the end of your finger.
>Blood pools at the hole you poked in your skin, eventually becoming large enough to drop off and into the water.
>It enters with a small splash, creating a tiny ripple from its entry point.
>Cadance waves her hand and the pool begins to swirl.
 
>The small whirlpool changes colors, shifting until you see... Twilight?
>Your mind feels a bit foggy as you observe the image clearing up. You see Twilight and Trixie, with three others in some kind of plane.
>You recognize two of the them to be the Wonderbolts!
>"We're nearing the dark border!" Captain Spitfire says.
>Twilight nods. "We don't know the exact location of Canterlot. But I think I can cast a spell that will point us in the right direction."
>Soarin leans over. "So, we hit Canterlot, and then what? What if it's completely lost?"
>Trixie speaks up. "If we find Nightmare Moon, we end the eternal night by stopping her. That's a good place to start, I'd say."
"Can I speak to them?" you whisper.
>"No. We can only see, and not speak," the princess answers.
>Before you can see anything else, the image changes and the pool swirls around.
>Now, you see Applejack and Rainbow Dash, standing in some kind of strange room.
>It is dark, and lit only by grand braziers, candles and torches. The room is menacing and dark, and grand in a way.
>Upon a terrible throne sits, for all you know, the devil himself.
>His red eyes narrow. "I will help you," he says to them in a terribly deep and intimidating voice. "The threat you face is chaos. It is everything the grand order of the Nine Hells stands against."
>Applejack, sounding as brave as she can, speaks, "But Discord is evil. Aren't you evil, too?"
>He smiles and laughs a deep, throaty laugh. "There are many kinds of evil, child. This is a place of law. There are rules to our evil. The lesser devils obeyed my command to let you come here to my palace because I am in charge. But should Discord win? Everything I am and everything we devils have worked to achieve will be for nothing. The abyss and its demons, and they chaos they represent, will have won the Blood War."
>"The what war?" Applejack asks.
>"Never you mind. All that matters is that Discord does not win. I will give you something to help you..."
 
>His terrifying voice fades as the pool swirls.
>"No!" Cadance says. "What is he going to give to them?"
"I don't know," you reply with a weak voice. Your head is starting to hurt from your link to the pool, as though your mental reserves are being drained. "I can't stop it from changing."
>Now, the image changes to one of dark forest. There is a small camp, where a fire has been constructed.
>Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy sit around it.
>"Have you spoken to the trees?" Pinkie asks. "What did they say?"
>"They're scared of the dark," Fluttershy replies. "It's not natural for them. They need sunlight to survive. If we don't bring the sun back, every tree, maybe even every plant may die."
>"That's awful!" Pinkie gasps. "What will Applejack do for a living?!"
>"Um... I think we should maybe worry more about how Discord would kill everything and everyone..." Fluttershy points out.
>"Well, yeah, that too!" Pinkie nods. "But did they tell you where we are?"
>"Somewhere far from Canterlot, near some mountains to the south or southwest. I can try to transport us back there, but I'll need some time to gather my strength. Talking to the trees took it out of me."
>Pinkie smiles and plays a soft tune on her lute. "Okie-dokie! And then we can---"
>She pauses, hearing a noise from the bushes behind her. "Did you hear something?" Fluttershy asks.
>Just as something crashes through the bushes, the image changes again, much to your displeasure.
>Now it changes to a figure of flame, soaring through some kind of underground cavern.
>You know that it is Anon!
>You watch as he suddenly turns and sees something up ahead that makes him pick up speed. Light!
>He flies towards it, finding himself inside an active volcano! Lava churns and bubbles all around him.
>Thank goodness he's made out of fire, otherwise he'd be terribly burned.
>With nowhere else to go but up, he rockets towards the opening and flies out into Nightmare Moon's eternal night.
 
>Landing on the mountainside, he discards his fiery form and falls to his knees, tired and fatigued and panting heavily.
>He summons his die. He's about to roll it when the image distorts again.
>You bring your hand to your head as the pool returns to normal. A large rush of sensation washes over your brain, making you feel light-headed and week.
>You fall back, only to be caught by Cadance.
>"Rarity?" she asks. "Are you alright?"
"I... I think so. My head..."
>"It's the pool. Let me help you."
>You open your eyes just in time to see her descend upon you, passionately planting her lips on your own.
>You feel like struggling, but don't. She's warm and soft. Her hair falls on your face and neck. Her hand reaches up and caresses your cheek.
>She moans into the kiss, flooding you with a hot sensation you can't quite explain.
>You shouldn't like this. You shouldn't be wanting this... shouldn't you?
>Slowly, your eyes flutter closed and don't open. You welcome the warm embrace of sleep.
 
    >No!
    >Your eyes shoot open and you push Cadance off of you.
    >Your head is throbbing, but you make it to your feet and look at her.
    >"Rarity, calm down," she urges you in a sultry voice. "Come back to me."
    "Absolutely not!" you reply. "This is... this is wrong! What are you doing?"
    >You put your hand back on your head as your headache lessens slightly.
    >Cadance rises. "Rarity. Let me show you something..." she reaches for your hands, which you tear away from her.
    "Cadance! This is not appropriate and, ah!" A painful sting surges through your mind. "And this kind of behavior isn't becoming of someone of your stature!"
    >Her emerald eyes narrow. "Stature?"
    >With a swing of her hand, some green magical force propells you backwards, up against a window which cracks in response.
    >"Stature. You know nothing of stature, you pathetic little ant. You could've made this easy, but no, you had to resist. I'll show you stature."
    >Your bracelets glow and you create a square projectile that pushes her back into the pool of water.
    >Your headache lessens considerably and you head for the door, bursting through it.
    >You run down the stairs, looking for a guard. You find two of them and beg them for help, telling them that the princess has gone mad.
    >They look at each other and turn their spears upon you. You barely have time to react, summoning a defensive barrier to block them with.
    >Their eyes shift to a complete green as their skin peels away before your horrified eyes. Flesh melts to reveal a shining black carapace and a maw filled with sharpened fangs.
    >Their armor and clothing changes until nothing remains but large, black, bipedal insectoids.
    >Before you can react, you push outwards with the forcefield, slamming them up against the wall. They fall to the ground, knocked out.
    >You hear a sickeningly sweet voice from the stairway behind you. "Raaaariteeeeeeee," it calls.
    >It isn't Cadance's voice.
 
>You run into the main hall. Unsure of where else to go, you run out into the entranceway, and behold a terrible sight.
>Crystals, the ones from your dreams, are descending upon the city. A malevolent shade of purple, the shards levitate down from a strange, black cloud that rapidly grows over the city, blocking out the sun.
>Your eyes widen as you behold one of the crystals lower in front of a helpless civilian, entrapping him in some kind of enfeebling ray. It weakens him, causing him to falter and sleep.
>It then drains him completely. His skin grows pale and his body skeletal as his very soul is torn from him, sucked into the depths of the death shard.
>Your nightmare about Sweetie Belle plays in your mind hauntlingly. You need to find her, now.
>As you turn to go back into the castle, you are stopped by the visage of Cadance. Only, it isn't truly her.
>She smiles as a green flame burns at the tips of her fingers and at her feet, slowly growing upwards. Left behind is pale, grey flesh, thin and elongated.
>You watch as it changes her wonderful pink dress into a drab, loose black dress with a strange green tint to it.
>The flames merge and grow to encompass her chest and finally her head, revealing a large bust and long, stringy hair with a strange turquiose coloration. Her crown, before a shining gold, is now a lustrous black.
>"Rarity," she says with a new voice. "I'd advise you not to resist any more. It'll make things so much simpler."
>Several Crystal Empire guards walk up behind her, their features melting away. Two of the creatures scale nearby pillars as though they were spiders or flies, staring at you with their strange, wide green eyes.
"Who are you? What are you?" you ask, holding up your hands.
>Behind you, the screams of the people being attacked by the shards are a reminder of what you must do.
>"I am---" You cut her off with a blast of energy shot from your hands. Catching her by surprise, you knock her back.
 
>Her children scream and fly towards you with dragonfly-like wings.
>You charge into the castle, creating a forcefield around you that the doppelgangers harmlessly bounce off of.
>You hear her scream behind you, "After her! Do not let her escape!"
>All of your focus is on finding Sweetie Belle. Your feet lift off the ground as you soar through the corridors in search of her.
>You hear a scream that chills your blood. You know who it belongs to.
>Blasting her doors down, you run into the room to find one of the abhorant black insects atop her, trying to encase her in some kind of vile webbing dripping from its mouth.
>You imagine an axe, and lop him clear in half with it, his insides splattering the wall with a sickly green colored blood.
>Sweetie Belle is crying, but alive. With conjured scizors you cut her free, and she reaches up to hug you. You hold her tightly, bringing her into your protective aura.
>Just as two more leap into the room, you fly out of the open window.
>From above, you survey the Crystal Empire. The crystals and the insects are swarming it. The bugs seek out and capture people and entrap them in cocoons, allowing the crystals to drain their souls in a dreadful symbiosis of death.
>Dark tendrils of the cloud above reach down to grasp you, but your light repels it when you see it coming.
>The cloud parts slightly, allowing you to see someone within, a powerful and masculine form. His eyes burn into yours with frightening red irises. You swear you've seen them before, in your dream!
>The changelings use their wings to fly up to you, swiping at you with claws and trying to blast you with crude, damaging spells.
>You dodge, duck or take the blasts, focusing all of your energy on protecting yourself and Sweetie. You won't let what happened in your dream come to pass!
 
>At the same time, it's apparent that there's too many foes to fight here. Just as you turn to leave, you are confronted by the woman that had taken Cadance's form, hovering with her shining, transparent wings.
>"Leaving so soon, Rarity?" she asks as a large group of her brood menacingly rises behind her. "But you were to be the guest of honor at the celebration this evening!"
You nearly spit at her, "Out of my way, whoever you are! Or I'll take your head clean from your shoulders!"
>To enhance your threat, you imagine a sword, poised directly at her neck, ready to chop.
>She isn't impressed. "Go ahead," she encourages you. "Do so only if you never wish to see the real Cadance ever again."
Your voice is shakey. "What have you done to her?"
>"Nothing... yet. She's mine, that's all you need to know. And so is her precious Crystal Heart."
"What are you talking about?"
>"Behold," she says, outstretching her arms, inviting you to survey all of the Crystal Empire, "the fall of the Crystal Empire! For once the Crystal Heart is removed, it will come crashing out of the sky... That is, if my new friend desires it to be so."
>She smiles at the dark cloud, which parts.
>You see a man there. Tall, dark and intimidating, he wears an extremely fine red cloak over a set of black armor. His crown frames his face, tipped with obsidian-colored spikes, the center of which glows red as if superheated.
>A sword is belted at his hip, and his eyes burn with a black magic whose hidden power you can only guess at.
>"Allow me to be the first to introduce King Sombra, the rightful ruler of the Crystal Empire," the queen says with a dramatic flair. "And I, his new queen, Chrysalis of the changelings!"
 
>Sweetie Belle clings more tightly onto you as you challenge her.
"Wait until I return and see how long your new kingdom will last! My friends and I will see to that!"
>"I've seen them already, with you at my side, remember? Your friends are scattered and lost. You'll never find them in time. Run, Rarity, and warn them of what has befallen the Crystal Empire. For soon, all of the world will be under our dark rule."
>She laughs, and Sombra crosses his arms as he chuckles deeply.
>You grit your teeth. Despite her warning about Cadance, you aren't going to leave here without sending a message of your own.
>You pull back the sword and hack at the queen, severing her head completely.
>It falls to the floating city below, smashing against a building, bits of black skull and green brain matter decorating its roof.
>The body remains, hovering with its wings. Perhaps her body is simply still in a reactive state?
>The truth is much more horrifying.
>Her open neck, with putrefying green flesh exposed, begins to grow upwards.
>Black shards emerge and crack open as yellow pus and clear liquids bleed from the wound. You watch in horror as strange, green tendrils grow, twist and form together, creating a new brainstem around which the matter of a new brain grows.
>Two fleshy stalks emerge from it, forming green eyes at the ends which stare at you, unblinking.
>The carapace grows and cracks more, forming the shape of a new skull which sets around the newly grown eyes. Green flesh and blood oozes up onto it, coating it and solidifying into a framework of muscle tissue.
>Then, grey skin starts to form, growing up from the neck. Teeth emerge from gums, a pair of nostrils splits open from the skin, ears break off and take shape and long, oddly wet-looking hair emerges from the scalp.
>Lips form, then eyelids.
>Then, she smiles that same, awful smile.
 
Continued:
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