Esquestria: The House of the Sun - A pony cultist experience

[Shadels]

Welp. Forgot to actually interact with this quest on SV, and I have an account here already too so might as well actually make votes finally.

 

[Gyldir]

also this section of the forum is kind of near-deserted, really.

Click to shrink...

It being near-deserted means we are a Sufficient Invasion Force!

 

[The Radiance's Follower]

Also, everyone, we must Like all that has been ported, so that all understand this quest's greatness! It's only 10 pages of posts!

Click to shrink...

I shall start working on liking every threadmark pronto.

 

[OurLadyOfWires]

You breathe in…

And you breathe out…

You breathe in…



"Sweetheart is everything alr-?"



You quickly raise a hoof, stopping Stormchaser mid-sentence.

Thankfully, your dear husband complies. And your ears pick up the vague sounds of him doing… something else, behind you. You are not sure what, but it doesn't really matter right now.

The only thing that matters is that you keep looking into your own eyes, as you face the mirror. Until finally…

You breathe out once again.

You are Velvet Covers, and right now you are doing several things at the same time.

It might not look like that to your husband, of course. After all, as far as he can tell you are just sitting on the cushioned chair, staring intently at the large mirror you have in the castle guest room you two have been occupying.

In fact, to anypony in the Wake, it might as well look like you are just wasting your time. After all, you have a thousand things to do today, and staring at your reflection is definitely not one of them.

However, none of that could be further from the truth. Because inside your mind, you are doing several things. All of them important. Nay, all of them crucial to the hours to come.

Because although almost everypony in the Royal Castle just woke up from a peaceful night of sleep, your night was… a little more eventful than usual.

But you don't want to think about it right now. You can't think about it right now. In fact, that's the whole point. That is one of the things you are working on right now.

You are working on forgetting what needs to be forgotten.

You are working on calming down what needs to be calmed.

You are working on accepting that what is done is done.

And slowly… achingly slowly… you are working on stoking an entirely different flame inside of you.



"Today is the day…"



You start whispering to yourself. You start whispering those words to yourself over and over. As you shift the gears inside your head towards what really matters right now.

"Today is the day…"

"Today is the day…"

"Today. Is. The. Day…"

You say those words, again and again. A mumble that turns into a whisper that turns into a mantra that turns into a prayer. You keep saying those words, and like a self-fulfilling prophecy you can almost feel your energy returning to you.



"Sweetheart? Did you… did you just say something?"



You hear Stormchaser say that, from somewhere behind you. But almost at the same time your other senses return to you.

You can sense your husband behind you. And like an expanding web, you slowly begin to sense everypony else.

You feel your daughters clashing against each other, as Soft Sweeps struggles to make three excited fillies wear their dresses.

You smell the scent of a hundred ponies, be they servants or guards or the countless hoofs involved in the coming event, coming and going in all directions. A crescendo of activity that feels like the beginning of an orchestra's presentation.

All of those things, and so much more, come to you in growing waves. Until every other thought you had in your head is pushed away, giving place to the once in a lifetime event that is about to take place.

"Today is the day…!" you say once again. No, you practically hiss those words.

The fur on your coat stands up.



"Sweet… sweetheart? I-is everything alright?!"



You hear your dear Stormchaser's words coming from behind you.

You can tell from his voice that he is looking at you.

You can tell that he is afraid.

Good.

Because he is not speaking to Velvet Covers anymore.

Instead, he stands before the Mare of Honor of Princess Mi Amore Cadenza!

And you answer him with the battlecry that had been building up inside of you this entire time.

"TODAY IS THE DAY A PRINCESS GETS MARRIED!" ​

Stormchaser falls to the ground, stunned.

No, it's not just him. Everypony falls to the ground. Every last pony in the Royal Castle feels that something just happened, even though almost none of them heard your voice.

Still, the effect is instant. As if the maestro had just stepped onto the podium, or as if a whip had just lashed the collective backs of everypony involved, the entire Royal Castle is suddenly abuzz with frenzied activity. You can feel it.

They all felt it. They all know that something just stirred. And that if even a single thing goes wrong from now until the end of the day, they will rue the day that they ever failed the Princess' Mare of Honor.

"RARITY!" you yell towards the door, marching past your still-disoriented husband. And even though the unicorn's guest room was several doors away from your own, you can hear the sound of Rarity galloping towards you moments later. Your door being swung open a few seconds after that.

"Yes, my Lady?!" Rarity says, as she all but bursts through your door. Her expression as fiery and determined as your own.

"Attend me at once! We must begin checking on the preparations immediately, and I will not have anypony else prepare my mane!" you say, to which the mare immediately complies.

And moments later, the two of you are preparing for the greatest day of your lives.

Completely ignoring your poor Stormchaser, who only shakes off his confusion after the two of you are gone.

And when he realizes he is still alone in your guest room, still halfway through putting on his suit, he can only shake his head as he gets ready to… find out wherever you are.

"Mares…" he whispers to himself, as his mind finally stops spinning after… whatever the Tartarus his wife just did to him. To him, and probably to the rest of Canterlot, knowing how she is.

Still, he also couldn't help but share in the excitement, as it begins to dawn on him exactly what was about to happen.



- - -



Hours pass. Morning turns into afternoon, and the sun begins its slow descent towards the west after reaching its zenith.

Throughout that entire time, you make sure everything runs smoothly. But eventually, and inevitably, there is nothing left to do but allow all the pieces to fall into place. At some point, Rarity takes her leave to go to Cadance's apartment, to help the Princess garb herself in her magnum opus. And there is nothing left for you to do but hound the venue itself, searching for flaws or problems that simply do not exist.

That is, until the gates are open, the crowds of visitors are let in, and your husband finds you.

After that, there is nothing you can do but wait. There is nothing anypony can do but wait.



And finally, the hour arrives.



You are currently in the largest park of Canterlot. A great stretch of green and colorful trees, with marble walkways and silvery fountains, located in the central district of the capital. Cadance had considered holding the ceremony in the Royal Castle, but very quickly decided that she would rather have something more public, and in a place where more ponies could be present.

Of course, that doesn't mean the park is any less presentable that the Royal Castle itself. You, and everypony involved, made sure of that. And you can see the fruit of those efforts all around you. The fountains are polished to a mirror sheen, the bridges that arch over the meltwater rivers have all been renovated, and thanks to the wonders of weather control all the plants are literally in a full spring bloom.

It's strange to think that just one week ago this park was undergoing a localized winter. But after you witnessed a full row of flowers bloom right before your eyes, just a few minutes ago, you can confidently say that the pegasi knew exactly what they were doing.

Still, although the ceremony itself will "officially" take place within the park, that doesn't mean the celebration will be contained within its grassy limits.

After all, another decision Cadance made early on was that she wanted no barriers around the park. No cordons, no walls, nothing. Of course, you eventually convinced her that some degree of safety would be required, otherwise the invitation list she worked so hard on would become obsolete. But still, even after she agreed to a… "perimeter" of Royal Guards, she still made it very clear that she wanted the ceremony to be as visible and public as possible.

The logical part of you thought it was because she wanted to uplift the spirits of ponykind as much as possible, and making a show like that would certainly help. But whenever you looked into her eyes, you couldn't shake the feeling that… well, that she just wanted as many ponies to be able to hear her when she finally yelled how much she loves Shining Armor.

You have already learned that Cadance is just like that, sometimes.

Regardless, the time has come, everything is in place, the large crowd of guests is seated on rows upon rows of polished benches, and the ceremony is about to begin.

You can't help but feel a chill run through your spine, as you count down the second. Because what if something goes wrong? What if, somehow, everything you all worked so hard on turns out not to be enough?

What if today just isn't special enough?

After all, so many things didn't go as planned… Twilight Sparkle never appeared, despite having received an invitation. Princess Celestia, also, was meant to be the one officiating the ceremony, but she never even answered, and Fair Trial is standing in her place at the altar. More than that, you could make a very, very long list of all the little compromises and alterations that needed to be made, as the event took shape. All the small "can't"s and "won't"s that built up as the days went by.

What if a group of disgruntled nobles, be they guests or not, try to make a scene? What if something worse happens?

You feel a chill run through your spine, as all those thoughts rush into your head at once.

But before you can address any of them-

!!!


!!!


!!!

​

-the great clock tower of the distant Royal Castle strikes three in the afternoon, with the orchestra picking up right after.

And as Cadance steps hoof on the marble walkway that leads to the altar, all your concerns immediately vanish.



- - -



You always thought a marriage was just a ceremony.

You always thought that, when it really came down to it, a marriage was just a sequence of events. Pony walks towards the altar, ponies say a few words, ponies kiss, and that's it.

That's how your marriage felt like, at least. And that is also how every marriage you ever read about felt like. Well, they felt like that, and they also felt like a reason to have a party.

But today, you finally realize how wrong you were. Or maybe how right you were, when it comes to every other marriage.

Because… because what happened today, it didn't feel like "a" marriage.

What you just saw, what you just witnessed, felt like "the" marriage.

You feel like every other marriage, in the history of ponykind, was a rehearsal for this. As if every groom and bride that ever existed in pony history were just practicing, or perhaps serving as test subjects, for what happened today.

You also feel like every marriage that will happen in the future will try to imitate what happened today.

And yet, for some maddening, unexplainable reason, that doesn't feel like a bad thing.

Because it is impossible to look at what happened today and feel anything but pride and inspiration. As if ponykind had just been introduced to the sun, so now they know how light is meant to look like. As if you had just witnessed something perfect, so now you know what path you should take towards it.



And that was all thanks to Cadance herself.



It was all thanks to Cadance. It was all her, and nothing else. Not the venue, or the park, or the flowers… it wasn't the smiling crowd, or the beautiful music of the orchestra, or anything else you could point to. Because although all the preparations that were made helped the ceremony be excellent, it wasn't any of those things that turned it into the perfect event.

Oh, no. What made today perfect was Cadance herself.

She almost seemed to glow, as she made her way through the marble path. In fact, you could swear that she was glowing, every now and then. And everything about her dress, from the long and translucent pink-and-gold skirt that covered her tail, to the crystal laurels she had upon her head, seemed to amplify that effect.

You could almost feel something radiating from her. Not an oppressive presence that would weigh you down into bowing, but instead a soothing presence that filled your heart with joy and love. As if Cadance herself was a cup that was overflowing, and everypony around her was being bathed with what she was feeling inside of her.

To the point that you only realized you were crying when you let out a wet chuckle, when the ringbearers made their way towards the altar.

Of course, the trio of ringbearers were chosen exclusively because Cadance insisted on there being one for each pony race. And since choosing fillies from one or another noble family could have caused political problems, Cadance made the hard decision of choosing those three fillies based on her own arbitrary criteria.

The fact that the three ringbearers ended up being your two earth-pony and pegasus daughters, and the unicorn younger sister of your best friend, is entirely coincidental.

Still, vows were exchanged, despite the how the groom stayed silent for several seconds until he realized he was supposed to speak. And then rings were placed onto horns.

And finally-



"By the powers vested in me, and before all of Equestria, I now declare you husband and wife."



-the soft overflowing joy coming from Cadance turned into a deluge when Fair Trial finally declared them wedded.

And you were honestly surprised at how much restraint the Princess showed, when she only gave Shining Armor what must have been the deepest kiss you have ever seen in your life.



- - -



"Are you sure mom's gonna be fine?" Silky asks. Although thankfully, her tone is more curious than worried.

Because sure, she just saw you bawling your eyes out a few minutes ago. But nopony would be able to miss that you were also laughing. And heavens, you definitely aren't the only pony that is still holding a tissue right now.

"She will, I promise. Now get a move on, Silky, otherwise the dessert table might get cleaned up!" Soft Sweeps says.

And her words seems to have the desired effect, because moments later your daughter's eyes go wide open, and she is galloping walking as fast as she can towards the lavishly stocked food tables. Dragging Selene by the hoof without even thinking about it.

Of course, the ceremony ended just a few minutes ago, and the celebratory part of the afternoon just started, so you know Soft's suggestion was just a way to make the fillies go away.

Still, you appreciate her giving you a little more room to breathe.

Because, well… you are still a bit emotional.

"Still, are you really alright, Mrs. Velvet?" Soft asks, turning to you right after.

And you answer her with a weak, teary-eyed nod.

"I'm fine, Softy. But thank you though," you say, wiping a few more tears from your face.

Because by Equestria, everything around you is making you emotional, no matter where you look. The sight of your two younger daughters in their pure-white ringbearer dresses, laced with ribbons of gold and green. The gorgeous figure of Softy, who you just realized you had never seen in a dress that wasn't a maid uniform. The smiling crowd all around you, cheerful and bright and actually pleasant despite almost every one of them being nobles.

Heavens, even the music is making you tear up a bit. The fact that every now and then a salvo of fireworks, from the celebrations in the surrounding city, drown out the sound for a few seconds isn't even diminishing from that.

"It's just that… it's just that I'm so happy, Soft. It feels like everything worked," you say, to which the young mare answers with an agreeing nod. "More than that. It feels like everything turned out better than expected and… I'm sorry, I'm just rambling."

"Oh, no, it's alright Mrs. Velvet! I… I definitely agree. Looking at the Princess during the ceremony definitely made me feel…"

She trails off, but you are too busy blinking your tears away to look at her expression.

Still, you understand what she means.

"Well, I don't think the crowd around Cadance will disperse anytime soon," you say, looking towards the altar where… well, where Cadance, Shining, and Fair Trial are still completely surrounded by a small legion of guests. All of them eager to speak to the newlyweds, for obvious reasons. "And the celebrations will certainly go well into the night… Say, did you see where Stormy went, Soft?"

You say that as you look around, searching for your missing husband. He left your side as soon as the ceremony was over. But the sudden cheers (and your own "bawling your eyes out" predicament) did not allow you to hear where he said he was going.

"I'm don't know, Mrs. Velvet. But I'm sure we will find him eventually."

You float the tissue away, tucking it in the one small pocket you have on your dress. After that, you take another deep breath, and you look around as you decide where you should go next.

Because the crowd of guests is slowly but surely spreading out into something that resembles a party, but things are not so organized yet. So, everywhere you look you can see a mixed group of ponies, all of them looking around for somepony they know or are hoping to find. You spot Rarity a few groups away, already surrounded by a growing crowd of hanger-ons. And as if it wasn't hard enough to move already, you spot a small army of waiters filing towards the guests and weaving through the confusion, floating or carrying drinks as they usher in the first wave of alcohol that will certainly drown the coming party.

Seeing all of that, a small part of you considers just waiting where you are until Stormchaser returns.

That is, until you sense somepony purposefully making his way straight towards you.

Your teary-eyed expression immediately becomes concerned, and Soft Sweeps notices the change in your behavior immediately.

"Is… did something happen, Mrs. Velvet?" she asks.

But instead of answering her question, you get up from your seat and turn towards the approaching figure. Pivoting just in time to see a perfectly normal stallion, dressed as a waiter, making his way towards you.

Although, you immediately recognize that stallion. And you immediately understand why he is coming towards you so intently.

"Excuse me, ma'am? The Mare of Honor is needed in the kitchen, to sort out a small issue with one of our cooks," he says.

You let out a small sigh, nodding at the stallion and gesturing him to wait for a moment.

"Softy, would you please go check on the fillies? This shouldn't take long," you say.

She answers you with a nod, going away in the direction the fillies went without a second thought.

Leaving you alone with the waiter.

Or rather…

Leaving you alone with one of your Lunar Bureau agent, who just told you the code for "trouble that requires your attention".

"Well then," you say, gesturing him to lead the way, "which of our cooks is having issues?"

Of course, the stallion doesn't answer. Instead, he guides you through the crowd towards the edge of the park. And you silently follow him as he goes.

The ceremony itself took place near the center of the park. With the altar, surrounded by the rich benches for the guests, being built just for the occasion. Near and around the benches are the tables, where the guests will be able to dine more properly as the celebrations advance into the night. Everything around you wouldn't be out of place in a ballroom, or in a noble party that was being hosted in a garden. And given how this is a Princess' wedding, you don't think anypony will mind that they aren't anywhere near a mansion or a proper building.

However, the fact remains that events like this need a place for the staff to work. So, you follow your agent towards one of the several tents that were raised around the venue, where the items and horsepower needed to cater for hundreds of nobles and a Princess could be properly stored and managed.

"It's not anything big, ma'am. Just an… unexpected situation involving a guest."

"Well, what kind of guest?"

​

[CHOOSE ONE OPTION]


[] A troublesome guest

Spoiler: A troublesome guest

You follow your agent towards one of the tents that was set aside for "security personnel". One of the stakeouts from which your agents are able to monitor the event, and help the more overt Royal Guard keep everything safe.

And as soon as you enter, you are greeted by a small group of your agents. No, not a group. You are greeted by a squadron of your agents.

More importantly, you immediately realize they have been in an… altercation of sorts. The suit that some of them are wearing, to remain undercover, is scuffled here and there. One of them has a bloody lip.

And the reason why they are roughed up is currently tied and cuffed in the middle of the tent.

"Report," you say, and the leader of the squadron immediately begins to explain what happened.



"Would you like a cup of water, Fair Trial?"

"I… water? No, no, I... I just need a moment to think."

"That is alright. Take as much time as you need. I completely understand that this is a shock."

"…"

"…"

"… did… Commissioner Velvet, are you sure that… are you sure they were planning to do… that?"

"Yes… I am really sorry to say that, Fair Trial, but that really was their plan. Don't worry, we caught all their accomplices, and I will have two of my ponies following you for the rest of the night. That is, unless you prefer we relocate you immediately."

"No, no, no need for that. I just… By Celestia, I never thought somepony would try to… to assassinate me. And… Dear sun, Velvet, what do I do?"

"Well… if you really want to stay for the rest of the celebration, I definitely would tell you to go grab a drink. I'll join you, even."

"I… actually, I think I will take you up on your offer, Commissioner. As soon as my legs stop shaking, that is."



-A small, badly coordinated attempt against Justice Fair Trial's life was stopped by the Bureau.

-Nothing major came from it. All ponies involved were swiftly captured, and you made sure Cadance (and everypony else, really) was none the wiser. No reason to spoil the mood of such a wonderful day.

-Still, Fair Trial is certainly thankful for you. And the two of you spent a lot of time together, during the party, in a much welcome non-professional setting.

-EFFECT: Gain an "in" with Fair Trial.

[] A disturbed guest

Spoiler: A disturbed guest

You follow your agent towards one of the tents that was set aside for "security personnel". One of the stakeouts from which your agents are able to monitor the event, and help the more overt Royal Guard keep everything safe.

However, to your surprise, once you enter the tent you find…



"Midday Dew? I thought… You were in the guest list, but they told me you never arrived. What happened?"

"I… I saw… I…"

"Midday? Heavens, you look terrible and… Everypony, give me the tent. I want to talk to him alone."

"…"

"Midday Dew? What happened to you? I mean… what is going on?"

"I had a dream, this night and… no, not a dream. N-not a nightmare. Not a vision. Not even a p-promise… I…"

"Nightmare? Visions? Dew, you are not making sense. Please, just tell me what hap-"

"I SAW IT, Commissioner. You d-don't understand it. I SAW it. And I don't think I'll ever s-stop seeing it…"

"Saw? Midday Dew, you are scaring me. What are you talking about? Why are you so-"

"I saw the wolves! I… I s-saw them, Commissioner, and they… and HE saw ME!"

"…"

"A-and… and he told me…. things… h-horrible things… I can still hear him, even…"

"… what did he tell you, Midday Dew?"

"He… i-it wasn't with words. But it w-wasn't with images e-either… it was more like ideas? S-still… He told me… he made me see… It was like every… e-every wall we ever built… every light we ever lit. Everything we e-ever did… EVERYTHING. Since we first invented the l-lock and key, or lit t-the first bonfire… It was never enough. It was never enough, and it will never BE enough."

"…"

"I-it won't be enough, Commissioner… t-they will come for us all… drag us down a-and… And my whole life, I thought I was h-helping… T-thought I was helping shine a light a-and… towards the f-future and… but it shone too bright, and now I f-finally saw…"

"… what did you see, Midday Dew?"

"I'm n-not afraid of the dark anymore. B-because I saw what's hiding inside of it."

"…"

"… t-they will all come for us a-and..."

"I know of a way to make us safe again."



-Hounded, hunted and haunted. Midday Dew is terrified of what the future holds. As he was the very first scientist to be woken up, screaming, by what would later be known as "the innovator's curse".

-Still, right now he is vulnerable. And more importantly, he is pliable, and certainly willing to make a few compromises if it will help fight the horror away.

-As you look at him, you can't help but think that he is a toy, or perhaps a small trophy, left at your doorsteps by an obedient dog.

-EFFECT: Gain an "in" with Midday Dew.

[] A self-invited guest

Spoiler: A self-invited guest

You thought you would follow your agents to one of the Bureau-designated tents. But instead, much to your surprise, he actually takes you towards one of the kitchens.

The two of you walk into the impossibly-busy kitchen, wading through cooks, chefs, and a constant flux of ponies carrying out trays full of food and bringing back empty plates.

Still, despite the veritable crowd of focused workers, it doesn't take you long to find the source of this "problem" that required your attention.

"Normally, we wouldn't have called you for something like this, ma'am. But… well, she insists that she knows you."

You nod at the agent, and take a deep breath as you prepare to deal with…



"I'm keep telling you, this will be over as soon as I walk out of here with that bottle. That's how this story ends. I know it because I checked! And- oh, hello Velvet."

"Baldomare… fancy seeing you here?"

"Yes, yes, lovely to see you too dear. But more importantly, could you please tell these stubborn cooks -Yes, I am referring to YOU, you stubborn colt!- how crucial it is that one of those vintage bottles end in my hoofs?"

"I… well, I… actually… No, this is just too much. Baldomare, what the hay are you doing here?!"

"Isn't it obvious? I'm trying to get a hold of some good wine. I mean, I'm not on bad terms with the alukite, but ever since she nested in the cellar, I can't have a sip of anything without tasting her blasted influence."

"I… okay, first of all, you just told me several things I will want to address later. Second… well, why here? Why not raid any other cellar in Equestria? I know you could do it. You never had a difficulty finding things you want to find."

"Oh, isn't that obvious? Convenience, Velvet. Coming here is just a lot less work, with the anchor and all."

"I beg your pardon, with the what now?"

"The… the anchor? Glory above, Velvet, are you telling me you don't know about it? I thought you were working in this city BECAUSE of the anchor."

"Hold on. Baldomare, I need you to explain to me… very carefully, what you mean by that."

"Pff, you know that's not how it works. I'm not going to tell you something you don't kn-"

"Tell me what you are talking about and I'll make them give you all the bottles you want."

"DEAL!"



-Good Baldomare has told you a secret. Good Baldomare has told you something you did not know. Good Baldomare told you something you already knew, but never really connected the dots about.

-Good Baldomare told you there is an "anchor", somewhere in Canterlot. A place, or a thing, or a pony, that exists in all Histories at once. One that she could use like a door, or like a ladder, to quickly reach the pony capital.

-Good Baldomare told you that this "anchor" is, without a doubt, an Outsider. One whose blood could be harvested for the inescapable end that is reaching Glory.

-EFFECT: Advance your objective of locating an Outsider

[] A Royal guest

Spoiler: A Royal guest

You follow your agent towards one of the tents that was set aside for "security personnel". One of the stakeouts from which your agents are able to monitor the event, and help the more overt Royal Guard keep everything safe.

Inside the tent, you find a small group of ponies, managing several magical instruments. As soon as you enter, one of them comes to you with a serious expression. And he immediately gives you a report with a dangerous mixture of urgency and professionalism.

"Commissioner, we just confirmed it. The sun has stopped moving."

Of course, that could only mean one thing.

"I see… Well, there really is nothing we can do about it. I will go warn Cadance. Thank you, and as you were."

A few minutes later, you were already by Cadance. Whispering into her ear the very educated guess, that bordered on a certainty, of what might happen very soon.

And sure enough, a few minutes later, the sun started moving once again.

However, it began moving in the wrong direction. Making its way back to the top of the sky in a matter of seconds.

But of course, the reason for that was plain for all to see. After all, the sun had no choice but to follow, as its Princess chose to make an appearance.

"Cadance, I can see that you… No, it doesn't matter. This is my gift to you."

​

-Princess Celestia, regent of the sun, made a brief appearance right after the ceremony.

-There were no speeches. There was no fanfare. She did not even smile.

-The only thing she did was congratulate the Princess of Love. And to give her a small gift.

-EFFECT: Princess Cadance receives a gift from Celestia, a small jewel box to be opened later. And perhaps something more besides.

[] A host of guests

Spoiler: A host of guests

You follow your agent towards one of the larger tents. One that was set aside as an ad-hoc barracks for the Royal Guard. The place from which they are coordinating their security cordon and, if things make a turn for the worse, the mobile armory where they are keeping their more lethal instruments.

Still, despite your initial concerns, you don't arrive to an ongoing crisis, and you are not greeted by the stern faces of officers gathering in a war-room.

Instead, you are quickly introduced to the Royal Guard officer who seems to be in charge, who was apparently in the middle of a discussion with the Bureau liaison that was assigned to him.



"Ah, Commissioner Covers. Thank you so much for making the time. And my apologies for bringing you away from the celebration."

"No problem at all, captain. More importantly, what seems to be the problem."

"It's… not actually a problem, Commissioner. But still, it's not something I am sure how to handle. Or rather, I don't even have the clearance to do anything about it. I asked for you because I wanted to bring this to your attention, or perhaps your judgment."

"Go on."

"You see, there haven't been any problems with the cordon. The park is as safe as it can be, despite the Princess' decision of not using any kinds of… well, physical obstacles. However, I have been getting reports from our guards all around the place that…"

"That…? I can't imagine why a lack of problems would be cause for alarm. Did something happen?"

"Quite on the contrary, Commissioner. What I've been hearing is that we might not even need a cordon at all."

"For the first time in our lives, we know that we are ready for this!"

​

-The crowd is singing. Ponykind is cheering. And the torrent that overflowed from Cadance's heart reached farther and wider than anypony could have imagined.

-The cordon around the park was lifted, and the "official" celebration mingled with the city-wide festivities in a way that only ponies are capable of achieving.

-Not a single problem or accident came from that decision, and everything went better than expected for everypony involved. And just like kindle to the flames, that infectious joy spread like wildfire towards all of Equestria.

-EFFECT: Cadance's objective of "uplifting the spirits of ponykind" will be completely fulfilled.

This will be the first time we have a vote in this new site. I'll have to get used to the tallying program, and things will move a bit slower until we get this engine running.

Still, nothing out of the ordinary to see here.

Approval voting. Vote for as many options as you like, and the SINGLE most voted option will win.

Six hours moratorium, just for the sake of people finding their way here. And no prediction of when the vote will end.

Yes, the "effects" have vague descriptions. That is intentional. All the options are good, or at least not bad, so if in doubt just pick what you feel is best.

Good day to us all.

 

[spiderhellian]

A lovely scene! The start was very fun — I sort of thought Velvet was working through her evening's trauma l, and then the sudden burst into colour was just delightful. It's so nice to have this back.

And surely we go with the Baldomare option. Play to win.

 

[Jame]

I'm for [] A host of guests personally, getting all of the ponys uplifted will help with a lot of issues I feel

 

[angelsadvocate666]

…Dammit Bird, even when you're giving us only good stuff, you still make the choices agonizing. But I guess that's just the Esquestria experience, huh?

 

[Venerable Ro]

An update! May it be the first of many. My goodness gracious me, these are some fun ones. Well we can discount the first two, since this body of questors hates developing useful social connections it'd be waste of an opportunity. Baldomare is always fun, nice to do her a favor and get a favor in return, might even learn a trick or two in the vein of her ways of getting around so quickly. Celestia giving Cadance the gift of an even longer wedding day is certainly lovely, but speaking from a purely pragmatic sense we're trying to ease her away from Celestia's orbit. Hence, the final option and my personal favorite, a direct evolution and capstone to Cadance's own domain, and Harmony's designs by extension.

[X] A host of guests

This should do wonders to counteract our earlier, indiscretion, and will generally make Equestria a happier place to be, especially in the immediate future. This in turn ought to, hopefully, make the next big event coming down the pipeline go smoother. Indeed, with a bit of luck they ought to have synergistic effects even, good news after good news, assuming Dear Luna manages more auspicious rolls this time. Or perhaps if Celestia does?

 

[Greymere]

Woohoo, first update in the new forum!

"TODAY IS THE DAY A PRINCESS GETS MARRIED!"

Click to shrink...

Ah yes, the many benefits of the Lores.

Supernatural perception. The ability to command ancient spirits.

Being the Best Maid of Honor possible.

-A small, badly coordinated attempt against Justice Fair Trial's life was stopped by the Bureau.

-Nothing major came from it. All ponies involved were swiftly captured, and you made sure Cadance (and everypony else, really) was none the wiser. No reason to spoil the mood of such a wonderful day.

-Still, Fair Trial is certainly thankful for you. And the two of you spent a lot of time together, during the party, in a much welcome non-professional setting.

-EFFECT: Gain an "in" with Fair Trial.

Click to shrink...

-Hounded, hunted and haunted. Midday Dew is terrified of what the future holds. As he was the very first scientist to be woken up, screaming, by what would later be known as "the innovator's curse".

-Still, right now he is vulnerable. And more importantly, he is pliable, and certainly willing to make a few compromises if it will help fight the horror away.

-As you look at him, you can't help but think that he is a toy, or perhaps a small trophy, left at your doorsteps by an obedient dog.

-EFFECT: Gain an "in" with Midday Dew.

Click to shrink...

-Good Baldomare has told you a secret. Good Baldomare has told you something you did not know. Good Baldomare told you something you already knew, but never really connected the dots about.

-Good Baldomare told you there is an "anchor", somewhere in Canterlot. A place, or a thing, or a pony, that exists in all Histories at once. One that she could use like a door, or like a ladder, to quickly reach the pony capital.

-Good Baldomare told you that this "anchor" is, without a doubt, an Outsider. One whose blood could be harvested for the inescapable end that is reaching Glory.

-EFFECT: Advance your objective of locating an Outsider

Click to shrink...

-Princess Celestia, regent of the sun, made a brief appearance right after the ceremony.

-There were no speeches. There was no fanfare. She did not even smile.

-The only thing she did was congratulate the Princess of Love. And to give her a small gift.

-EFFECT: Princess Cadance receives a gift from Celestia. And perhaps something more besides.

Click to shrink...

-The crowd is singing. Ponykind is cheering. And the torrent that overflowed from Cadance's heart reached farther and wider than anypony could have imagined.

-The cordon around the park was lifted, and the "official" celebration mingled with the city-wide festivities in a way that only ponies are capable of achieving.

-Not a single problem or accident came from that decision, and everything went better than expected for everypony involved. And just like kindle to the flames, that infectious joy spread like wildfire towards all of Equestria.

-EFFECT: Cadance's objective of "uplifting the spirits of ponykind" will be completely fulfilled.

Click to shrink...

So initial thoughts on our choices.

(1) Get an in with Fair Trial. Could be useful if we don't manage to completely cover up after ourselves or we really want to pin someone (e.g. a cultist) without technically meeting the criteria for evidence.
(2) Get an in with Midday Dew. Considering he's apparently already had the Mansus dream without any training at all and seems attuned enough to Lantern that he's getting yellow text (Edit: Actually on second glance this might be Velvet talking, but still, Lore is clearly being involved here), this seems like at least a step toward getting the Lores into the Bureau officially, if we can push Dew to "discover" them himself.
(3) We find out about Discord in-character. Obviously useful, but I'm not sure how actionable this would be in the near future, especially since we'd still have to scry him to actually find him.
(4) I literally have no idea what the "something more" could be, since the gift appears to be giving Cadance more time on her wedding day (Edit 2: Nevermind, there's also an actual physical gift involved ). Feeling this one the least bcuz it's just so vague even in comparison to the other choices in terms of outcome.
(5) General +Happiness to all of Equestria. Not sure what this would do for us personally, but it would probably increase Equestria's stability.

I really, really want to pick #2 bcuz holy shit Lore laundering in a way that doesn't immediately link it to the attack on Luna and get it lock up forever is looking like (and has been for a while) a really difficult task. Plus if we take Midday Dew under our metaphorical wing, we have a reason to be in contact w/ the Lores and push him into letting the Bureau have a crack at it down the line.

 

[Jimmy]

Its gotta be "A self-invited guest". We have no leads on an outsider besides Celestia (who would rip us into atoms), Luna (who is our daughter), and maybe Cadence (who we just committed a truly regrettable action for).

This gives us a lead on another which we really freaking need at this point, as the longer we take to get to The Glory, the more chance everything has of going wrong.

 

[OurLadyOfWires]

Celestia giving Cadance the gift of an even longer wedding day is certainly lovely

Click to shrink...

since the gift appears to be giving Cadance more time on her wedding day

Click to shrink...

Wait, no. My apologies, your conclusion made sense but that is my fault.

Added a bit more wording to that option. Celestia actually presented Cadance with a small, physical gift.

 

[BritBiscuit]

I can't really tell wether I want the Royal Guest one because even if she didn't look to enjoy it some normalicy is what Celestia needs (other than Luna of course) to recover and rest.
Or the Host of Guests to let Candace feel like she has actually achieved something (and it also is just a nice thing to have people happy again, and safer for people cuz less chance of riots or violence caused by disatisfaction).

The Anchor Baldomare talks about is obviously the spot where Discord's statue was, it will just be Velvet getting the in character reminder that it exists and the knowledge that it was Discord and not just a strange spot.

Edit: I think I will wait a page or 2 of discussion to make my choice.

 

[Cochimetl]

You know what? I feel this was worth it all. Nothing good ever comes from the Wolf, but sometimes something good is preserved because of it, even if only as a secondary effect.

Between Midday Dew and Fair Trial, I'd prefer Fair Trial, because it would fit our role as Commissioner better. We have just recently seen the value in playing your role well until the perfect time to strike.

Between Celestia and general happiness, I'd go with happiness. At first I thought "It's Cadence's wedding day, she should get a gift", but then I think she'd prefer everyone having an excellent time as a gift to anything physical.

I'm torn on Baldomare. On the one hand, a clear road to the endgame. On the other, the meta information alone is invaluable already. On the third hand, being able to use it in character...

 

[jelloloaf]

New update! O frabjous day!

Not really sure which choice to go for, but I'm preliminarily leaning towards 'a disturbed guest's because lore laundering is currently one of our most critical fail states - reducing the risk on that front seems particularly pressing compared the rest.

 

[Greymere]

Also, Velvet is clearly Lantern-pony catnip, seeing as I doubt Midday Dew is anything but Lantern-aspected (Lantern/Forge or Forge/Lantern mayhaps?), making him the third Lantern-aspected pony we've met and will be involved with (for better or worse).

Edit: Or fourth, if you count Celestia, but we're not really directly involved in her life (for now).

 

[BritBiscuit]

Also considering Discord was moved only recently in the update we found out about him, do you guys think that when Celestia went out to search for Luna she moved Discord to a Vault (like with the mirror) considering she would be away from the capital for what would possibly be the first time in a 1000 years and something clearly has the power and will to attack alicorns so Discord might be in a Vault or even in Eclipse rn.

 

[jelloloaf]

Also considering Discord was moved only recently in the update we found out about him, do you guys think that when Celestia went out to search for Luna she moved Discord to a Vault (like with the mirror) considering she would be away from the capital for what would possibly be the first time in a 1000 years and something clearly has the power and will to attack alicorns so Discord might be in a Vault or even in Eclipse rn.

Click to shrink...

It could go either way in my mind. Either losing Luna made her paranoid about security or it made her apathetic to anything that won't help bring her back; I don't think it's safe to make assumptions.

 

[Greymere]

It could go either way in my mind. Either losing Luna made her paranoid about security or it made her apathetic to issues like that, I don't think it's safe to make assumptions.

Click to shrink...

Alternatively, the discord (heh) from Luna's freakout and subsequent disappearance combined with Celestia going off to search for her sister and leaving Equestria mostly unattended was enough to crack the prison. Especially since iirc it... really didn't take very much in canon to break the seal once it had weakened sufficiently, so a bigger shock might still have been able to break it earlier than canon.

Who knows what Discord's been up to in the meantime if that is the case, tho.

 

[angelsadvocate666]

Also, Velvet is clearly Lantern-pony catnip, seeing as I doubt Midday Dew is anything but Lantern-aspected (Lantern/Forge or Forge/Lantern mayhaps?), making him the third Lantern-aspected pony we've met and will be involved with (for better or worse).

Edit: Or fourth, if you count Celestia, but we're not really directly involved in her life (for now).

Click to shrink...

Ironic, since usually it's the Moth that is drawn to the Lantern, rather than vice versa.

 

[BritBiscuit]

Actually could I ask how exactly you vote on this site considering unlike SV there's no vote box beneath the reply box, do you just Copy Paste your vote with an x in it?



EDIT : also great to see Baldomare boozing it up via straight up theft

 

[jelloloaf]

Alternatively, the discord (heh) from Luna's freakout and subsequent disappearance combined with Celestia going off to search for her sister and leaving Equestria mostly unattended was enough to crack the prison. Especially since iirc it... really didn't take very much in canon to break the seal once it had weakened sufficiently, so a bigger shock might still have been able to break it early than canon.

Click to shrink...

That sounds plausible, but what doesn't sound so plausible is that Discord would voluntarily lay low for so long. If he did get taken away, he's almost certainly contained somewhere else instead.

Ironic, since usually it's the Moth that is drawn to the Lantern, rather than vice versa.

Click to shrink...

Ascended Velvet casually breaking the cycle of lore subversion. Trifles such as the fundamental laws of reality cannot contain our power.

 

[Greymere]

Actually could I ask how exactly you vote on this site considering unlike SV there's no vote box beneath the reply box, do you just Copy Paste your vote with an x in it?

[X] A Royal guest

Click to shrink...

There's a 6 hr moratorium on voting. But... I guess? Bird's presenting it in the same format so I assume we do the same thing as on SV.

 

[jelloloaf]

There's a 6 hr moratorium on voting. But... I guess? Bird's presenting it in the same format so I assume we do the same thing as on SV.

Click to shrink...

Seconded, along with the fact that QQ and SV both use Xenforo 2.

 

[Greymere]

Ascended Velvet casually breaking the cycle of lore subversion. Trifles such as the fundamental laws of reality cannot contain our power.

Click to shrink...

Clearly we need to make sure that our aspects as an Hour are Secret Histories (subverted by everything) and Knock (subverts everything)

 

[Pittauro]

I think I'm going to re-read a few of the last updates before reading the new ones.

Either from the return of the master, or the start of the actual wedding I think. probably the last 3 to 6 updates max, though If I do a quick skim maybe I could do the whole of turn 18...

@OurLadyOfWires another short summary like you did before up to turn 14 might be a good idea, especially if you've done a re-read recently

 

[BritBiscuit]

(subverted by everything) and (subverts everything)

Click to shrink...

How to make a paradoxical existance that gives you even worse mental breakdowns in 10 easy steps!

 

[jelloloaf]

How to make a paradoxical existance that gives you even worse mental breakdowns in 10 easy steps!

Click to shrink...

Revelation 22:13 New Velvet Version (NVV) - I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Skin and the Wound, the Lock and the Key."

 

[BritBiscuit]

Re-reading the options, is the self-invited guest also Baldomare talking about topics that should really be private in front of the Castle chefs and Lunar Bureau guy that fetched us cuz talking about stuff like alekites, Anchors, Outsiders about thinking that Velvet has another reason to be there rather than the Bureau. It just reads that they start spouting these topics right in front of everyone which seems like a bad idea, and it doesnt seem to be that they moved somewhere private to discuss it either.

Edit: felt like I should just ask birb if I was reading it wrong so I could vote clearer.
@OurLadyOfWires is Baldomare talking about stuff in front of people that she shouldnt and would it have any negative effects?

 

[LieutenantSpirit]

Thank you for the update, Bird. It makes me really happy to know this is continuing.

As for the options, as far as I'm concerned, everything but one is a trap. Sure, they might have their own benefits, but we can't let ourselves get distracted from the climb. Between everything, only one actually gives us a step forward and a potential answer to our problems.

We need to know who that outsider is.

Making Ponykind happy is tempting, but that doesn't actually provide any tangible benefits. Everything outside the Mansus is a distraction. We need to reach The Glory.

[] A self-invited guest

(I am not insane and can be trusted to make good decisions.)

This also might help us get closer to Baldomare, which is always nice.

 

[BritBiscuit]

We need to know who that outsider is.

Making Ponykind happy is tempting, but that doesn't actually provide any tangible benefits. Everything outside the Mansus is a distraction. We need to reach The Glory.

[] A self-invited guest

(I am not insane and can be trusted to make good decisions.)

This also might help us get closer to Baldomare, which is always nice.

Click to shrink...

Spoken like a true cultist