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

[spiderhellian]

Things I do not think are possible:

• Helping our Twilight Sparkle. We have ruined our life, she would like nothing to do with us. The Princess of Love did what she could, and, well, we know where Twilight remains. I can see her joining Softy's grief group, I'll leave to you all to decide if that's better.
• Helping this Twilight Sparkle in a way that's not bringing her back to Equestria. Maybe another person we could save with friendship and supports. Not her. Not the person who has been seeking magic in a desperate quest, and who we just showed some. If we leave, she will never stop searching, and rightly so. We can't convince her otherwise, we can't give her a nudge and say that's enough, because it never would be for her,
• Bring this Twilight Sparkle back in a way other than the way we came. That is, supplanting the version of herself on the other side of the foggy mirror. A magic construct body? Let's get real. We barely know what's going on here, we barely know if we will be able to bring her back, bringing her back in a way that's maximally convenient and at all more difficult seems beyond anyone's capabilities, let alone ours.

Things I think we should do:

• Bring this Twilight Sparkle back with us. It's a horror. It's a mercy. God I hope it's not an AP sink in the future. But I think it's the right thing to do.

[X] "Miss Sparkle? It's about the project we discussed. I have a... proposal, on how to advance it. Could you see me after
[X] You have found limits, you have found walls. Now it is time to look for doors and tunnels. (Follow up on exploring this place)
[X] Your faith has been rewarded. And the medallion has made its way back to you, on a very unexpected pair of hands. (Further your search for Axe's… contact)

 

[Anjaxis]

[X] Your faith has been rewarded. And the medallion has made its way back to you, on a very unexpected pair of hands. (Further your search for Axe's… contact)
[X] You have found limits, you have found walls. Now it is time to look for doors and tunnels. (Follow up on exploring this place)
[X] "Miss Sparkle? It's about the project we discussed. I have a... proposal, on how to advance it. Could you see me after class?" (Follow up on Twilight Sparkle)

 

[Greymere]

I don't know why people seem to have gotten it into their heads that bringing alt-Twilight back with us would even be possible, nevermind the question of whether or not we should, which imo is a very solid and resounding NO. Live with the consequences of our actions. Killing off real-Twilight by overwriting her with alt-Twilight, just to assuage our guilt, justifying it to ourselves as 'saving' Twilight, would be incredibly gross imo.

But regardless, we needed Knock 5 just to survive the trip, even with DoA opening the gate for us. I doubt that the requirements to cross back would be any less stringent.

Edit: Voting!

[X] "Miss Sparkle? It's about the project we discussed. I have a... proposal, on how to advance it. Could you see me after class?" (Follow up on Twilight Sparkle)
[X] You have found limits, you have found walls. Now it is time to look for doors and tunnels. (Follow up on exploring this place)
[X] Your faith has been rewarded. And the medallion has made its way back to you, on a very unexpected pair of hands. (Further your search for Axe's… contact)

I remember how badly it went last time we tempted a Twilight with unknown magic and then fucked off for a while without explaining anything. Let's not repeat our mistakes here (and hopefully not making any new ones, like trying to overwrite our Twilight).

 

[Cochimetl]

A though: I see no reason why Starswirl's Mirror wouldn't exist in this world.
We can't bring Twilight back through the Foggy Mirror, and we can't go through Starswirl's Mirror ourselves without essentially abducting human!Velvet, but each going through back through the portal they actually can use would solve our problem nicely.
A problem would be that we don't know where the Mirror is located on the Equestrian side.

 

[Qwoptermain]

[X] Apparently, they are not alicorns here. But they are still the highest authority. (Approach the Principals)
[X] You have found limits, you have found walls. Now it is time to look for doors and tunnels. (Follow up on exploring this place)
[X] This place has a library. Go take a look.
[X] "Miss Sparkle? It's about the project we discussed. I have a... proposal, on how to advance it. Could you see me after
[X] Your faith has been rewarded. And the medallion has made its way back to you, on a very unexpected pair of hands. (Further your search for Axe's… contact)
[X] They are young and impressionable. Thankfully, you are a responsible adult. (Hang out with Rarity and Fluttershy, your real-life confidantes)

 

[Nevermort]

I don't know why people seem to have gotten it into their heads that bringing alt-Twilight back with us would even be possible, nevermind the question of whether or not we should, which imo is a very solid and resounding NO. Live with the consequences of our actions. Killing off real-Twilight by overwriting her with alt-Twilight, just to assuage our guilt, justifying it to ourselves as 'saving' Twilight, would be incredibly gross imo.

But regardless, we needed Knock 5 just to survive the trip, even with DoA opening the gate for us. I doubt that the requirements to cross back would be any less stringent.

Click to shrink...

I would think that Velvet will balk on killing real Twilight. But giving another body to Mirror Twilight or switching their minds so real Twilight stays in Mirror where she still has family are all possibilities.

 

[Maer]

[X] "Miss Sparkle? It's about the project we discussed. I have a... proposal, on how to advance it. Could you see me after class?" (Follow up on Twilight Sparkle)
[X] You have found limits, you have found walls. Now it is time to look for doors and tunnels. (Follow up on exploring this place)
[X] Your faith has been rewarded. And the medallion has made its way back to you, on a very unexpected pair of hands. (Further your search for Axe's… contact)

 

[Steady Gaze]

I want to stay the course. We have 3 more actions here and I want to commit to this VN style. No distractions! Dreamer Twilight route!

Click to shrink...

You know what? That was enough to convince me, haha. Well, actually, the QM did mention there are some routes that just peter out…

Some of the available choices will give you little to no reward, while some of the available choices are entire "routes" that, if followed to the end, will give you interesting choices in the end.

Click to shrink...

…so since we've picked some that clearly have multiple steps, "exploring"/deviating from these could have us hit one of the dead-end routes. Like, the "cellphone" option I kind of suspect isn't a multi-stage route… for example, we have no ambitions to become Internet-famous, though the "synergies" argument is perhaps still valid.

[X] "Miss Sparkle? It's about the project we discussed. I have a... proposal, on how to advance it. Could you see me after class?" (Follow up on Twilight Sparkle)
[X] You have found limits, you have found walls. Now it is time to look for doors and tunnels. (Follow up on exploring this place)
[X] Your faith has been rewarded. And the medallion has made its way back to you, on a very unexpected pair of hands. (Further your search for Axe's… contact)
EDIT: Actually, why not.
[X] They are young and impressionable. Thankfully, you are a responsible adult. (Hang out with Rarity and Fluttershy, your real-life confidantes)

It would still be a shame to not have the time to talk to Rarity/Fluttershy, as I feel that seems to have the highest likelihood of letting us meet Sunset Shimmer, but we only have so much time. I can only hope we actually have the occasion to come back, or one of our other routes completes.

I don't know why people seem to have gotten it into their heads that bringing alt-Twilight back with us would even be possible

Click to shrink...

It depends on how you interpret this…

There is nothing for this world, for the young and hopeful woman known as Twilight Sparkle.

But that's the thing. That is why you… quite literally ran away from her. That is why you left the room as soon as this thought occurred to you.

Because this is, you know, a very dangerous thought. However, it is also not one you could immediately dispel.

Because what if… what if somehow…

What if you brought this Twilight to your world?

Wouldn't she be so much happier there? Wouldn't her life finally make sense?

Wouldn't you be saving her?

Click to shrink...

…is it Velvet's mind going on a guilt-fueled flight of fancy, or foreshadowing? If you ask me, part of any literary work is the shared dance of communication between the author and the reader. The author writes things that they believe will elicit the desired reactions from the reader. In a quest especially, there is the wink-and-nudge of being able to pick up what the QM is putting down. Consider: the QM knows we (collectively, not necessarily everyone) are Twilight-crazy and deeply wish to bring her back into the narrative somehow. Knowing this, they then write something outright suggesting we could bring her back with us. If the QM doesn't intend to communicate that it's possible, I would say that's basically a matador waving a big red flag in front of a bull to get it to bonk into a wall, which would also be fair play by the QM. But anyways, I am still inclined to believe this is deliberate foreshadowing.

 

[Talon Tiger Dino]

We can't bring Twilight back through the Foggy Mirror, and we can't go through Starswirl's Mirror ourselves without essentially abducting human!Velvet, but each going through back through the portal they actually can use would solve our problem nicely.

Click to shrink...

Imagine how hard we could flex on Axe if we showed up via abducting our host body though. She would be so confused, it'd be hysterical.

[X] "Miss Sparkle? It's about the project we discussed. I have a... proposal, on how to advance it. Could you see me after class?" (Follow up on Twilight Sparkle)
[X] You have found limits, you have found walls. Now it is time to look for doors and tunnels. (Follow up on exploring this place)
[X] Your faith has been rewarded. And the medallion has made its way back to you, on a very unexpected pair of hands. (Further your search for Axe's… contact)

Also screw it, Twilight, build us a Frangiclave detector please. We have a bonus objective to fulfill.

 

[des-pair-2]

[X] They are young and impressionable. Thankfully, you are a responsible adult. (Hang out with Rarity and Fluttershy, your real-life confidantes)
[X] "Miss Sparkle? It's about the project we discussed. I have a... proposal, on how to advance it. Could you see me after class?" (Follow up on Twilight Sparkle)
[X] You have found limits, you have found walls. Now it is time to look for doors and tunnels. (Follow up on exploring this place)
[X] Your faith has been rewarded. And the medallion has made its way back to you, on a very unexpected pair of hands. (Further your search for Axe's… contact)

I don't like the path we are on, but it is one we have chosen, and I want us to be committed to it. Also, I'm throwing a vote in for the confidantes because I still want to talk to them.

 

[spiderhellian]

I don't know why people seem to have gotten it into their heads that bringing alt-Twilight back with us would even be possible, nevermind the question of whether or not we should, which imo is a very solid and resounding NO. Live with the consequences of our actions. Killing off real-Twilight by overwriting her with alt-Twilight, just to assuage our guilt, justifying it to ourselves as 'saving' Twilight, would be incredibly gross imo.

Click to shrink...

It's from the text! It's the wild idea that Velvet has, at the end of the scene with Twilight! I don't think it would have been presented like that if it was impossible, if it wasn't the end of the road we're walking with her.

Oh yeah, we're not saving our twilight. I hope no one is pretending that. We're killing her, and saving another.

 

[Greymere]

It's from the text! It's the wild idea that Velvet has, at the end of the scene with Twilight! I don't think it would have been presented like that if it was impossible, if it wasn't the end of the road we're walking with her.

Oh yeah, we're not saving our twilight. I hope no one is pretending that. We're killing her, and saving another.

Click to shrink...

Idk. I read it as more of an intrusive thought. Which makes sense for Velvet to have, because the thread and therefore Velvet's inner monologue is loaded with regret over Twilight's current state.

 

[spiderhellian]

Idk. I read it as more of an intrusive thought. Which makes sense for Velvet to have, because the thread and therefore Velvet's inner monologue is loaded with regret over Twilight's current state.

Click to shrink...

I guess it's possible. But eh, you don't end the scene with that idea if you don't expect to follow up on it later.

And… it just fits too well. What we might want, what we might be offered.

 

[Limabot]

It's from the text! It's the wild idea that Velvet has, at the end of the scene with Twilight! I don't think it would have been presented like that if it was impossible, if it wasn't the end of the road we're walking with her.

Oh yeah, we're not saving our twilight. I hope no one is pretending that. We're killing her, and saving another.

Click to shrink...

That's not actually better, you realize. This just proves my point about it being more a move of convenience and/or punishing the OG-Twilight for being mad at us than actually fixing anything.

Cadence hasn't even seen Velvet's healed leg yet, and her learning its possible to erase otherwise chronic injuries may lead to something important.

 

[Greymere]

I guess it's possible. But eh, you don't end the scene with that idea if you don't expect to follow up on it later.

And… it just fits too well. What we might want, what we might be offered.

Click to shrink...

It can be followed up on in other ways. Such as Velvet coming to the realization that it's a really fucked up thing to consider that doesn't actually alleviate her regrets, and that if she actually wants to help Twilight, she's going to have to do it herself, not overwriting her with a replacement goldfish.

 

[Talon Tiger Dino]

A replacement goldfish who isn't rocking an SH Influence to properly integrate with its fellow fish to boot. Cadance and Shining at least will have some serious questions.

 

[Crystal Violet]

[X] Your faith has been rewarded. And the medallion has made its way back to you, on a very unexpected pair of hands. (Further your search for Axe's… contact)
[X] You have found limits, you have found walls. Now it is time to look for doors and tunnels. (Follow up on exploring this place)
[X] "Miss Sparkle? It's about the project we discussed. I have a... proposal, on how to advance it. Could you see me after class?" (Follow up on Twilight Sparkle)

My opinion is that we have far too few actions to feel comfortable with, and while there are merits in debating whether to cut losses early or not, we are running out of time, after all.

 

[Shaper47]

God I hope it's not an AP sink in the future.

Click to shrink...

I'm not seeing any way it's not.

 

[Random Anon]

[X] "Miss Sparkle? It's about the project we discussed. I have a... proposal, on how to advance it. Could you see me after class?" (Follow up on Twilight Sparkle)
[X] You have found limits, you have found walls. Now it is time to look for doors and tunnels. (Follow up on exploring this place)
[X] Your faith has been rewarded. And the medallion has made its way back to you, on a very unexpected pair of hands. (Further your search for Axe's… contact)

 

[Crystal Violet]

I'm not seeing any way it's not.

Click to shrink...

I don't believe that we can, in good conscience, give up on this line of inquiry. Not to mention, the sunk cost fallacy that applies in this case has some serious weighing of pros and cons. Honestly, from the way things are going, I'm afraid we'll just need to throw the dice and see how they land. Of course, I also see no way there won't be some very detailed discussion coming up on this topic, unless for some reason the votes say otherwise…

 

[Roaming_Guardian]

[X] Your faith has been rewarded. And the medallion has made its way back to you, on a very unexpected pair of hands. (Further your search for Axe's… contact)
[X] What is this "cellphone" all the kids are talking about? Why do you have one? And what is this "Internet" thing?
[X] "Miss Sparkle? It's about the project we discussed. I have a... proposal, on how to advance it. Could you see me after class?" (Follow up on Twilight Sparkle)

 

[DelightedOne]

[X] "Miss Sparkle? It's about the project we discussed. I have a... proposal, on how to advance it. Could you see me after class?" (Follow up on Twilight Sparkle)

[X] Your faith has been rewarded. And the medallion has made its way back to you, on a very unexpected pair of hands. (Further your search for Axe's… contact)

Killing off real-Twilight by overwriting her with alt-Twilight, just to assuage our guilt, justifying it to ourselves as 'saving' Twilight, would be incredibly gross imo.



But regardless, we needed Knock 5 just to survive the trip, even with DoA opening the gate for us. I doubt that the requirements to cross back would be any less stringent.

Click to shrink...

I also don't believe we will be taking her home with us, my current theory is Mansus/Wake ressonance like the RA's where us befriending this Twilight will make our Twilight be... willing to talk to us. If we can "take" her in any way I think it will be more fusing two Twilights to get a new one than anything else.

Funny how the whole reason the mirror is foggy(in my opinion) is because of the time, because the portal only opens for 3 days every 30 moons.

 

[Arrkhon]

[X] Apparently, they are not alicorns here. But they are still the highest authority. (Approach the Principals)
[X] You have found limits, you have found walls. Now it is time to look for doors and tunnels. (Follow up on exploring this place)
[X] Your faith has been rewarded. And the medallion has made its way back to you, on a very unexpected pair of hands. (Further your search for Axe's… contact)
I feel that principals will lead to some illuminating knowledge, and that Twilight plotline really won't have a pleasant ending

 

[Pittauro]

[x] They are young and impressionable. Thankfully, you are a responsible adult. (Hang out with Rarity and Fluttershy, your real-life confidantes)
[x] "Miss Sparkle? It's about the project we discussed. I have a... proposal, on how to advance it. Could you see me after class?" (Follow up on Twilight Sparkle)
[x] Apparently, they are not alicorns here. But they are still the highest authority. (Approach the Principals)
[x] You have found limits, you have found walls. Now it is time to look for doors and tunnels. (Follow up on exploring this place)
[x] What is this "cellphone" all the kids are talking about? Why do you have one? And what is this "Internet" thing?
[x] Your faith has been rewarded. And the medallion has made its way back to you, on a very unexpected pair of hands. (Further your search for Axe's… contact)

About Twilight... we might be able to make her "Happy" without bringing her to Equestria, you know?

If she could PROVE that magic/the lores exist, she wouldn't be the "crazy" girl that believes in superstition. and Velvet MIGHT be able to give her enough to PROVE she's right.

(Let us hope there's no Suppression Bureau in this world though).

I didn't notice there's a Principals option, and I'm actually MORE interested in it that Twilight this very turn.

So, I'm voting for those 6 picks, but If I had to pick ONLY 3, I'd probably go Axe-Principals-exploration

 

[BritBiscuit]

Well to add to the people contemplating Velvet's idle thought of bringing EQG!Twilight out of the Mirror world, whilst people have already pointed out that it is just a thought spawned by regret and a saviour complex and that she might not even be able to or survive it, there is another important consideration to be had if unlikely as it is that the end of the Twilight route causes a vote to that effect. There is a nationwide manhunt for Changelings, Celestia is near Dawnbreaker, Twilight was already replaced once before the Catastrophy and is currently crippled,isolated and traumatised, to bring in naive EQS!Twi whom hasn't the cultural background, the experience with magic and pony body shape and whom would immediatly cause people who know the original Twi to think she's an imposter due to her demeanor and intact horn. She wouldn't be able to live in Ponyville safely so she'd be all on her own in a strange new world that is getting more dangerous every day, she would also either be at risk of discovery in Ponyville or under Paranoia's torment like the rest of Equestria so I struggle to say it is moral to bring her over.

The idle thought Velvet had to do this is a really nice bit of characterisation and is good writing, whilst most readers see the line and understand from context and trends through the quest that this thought is bad whilst skimming through, to read further and take in the text it really puts into the spotlight some traits of Velvet that are always there but are sometimes obscured by her being an unreliable narrator and the scenarios she's in. These traits are specifically her more negative ones, her selfishness (she, even if unconsiously, wants Twilight back in some way, she sought an alternative out above even an alternate of her own husband just because of her regrets and the opportunity of a Twi without the weight of past interactions), her saviour complex (she needs to help her partly due to her regrets but partly due to...), her arrogance (she knows best, she will help you even if you don't know or want it, (through the update Twilight is shown to be uncomfortable in Velvet's prescence and doesn't want to interact until her curiosity is piqued, however Velvet intrudes into her private space with her secrets and corners her alone multiple times, in class and in the lab and due to her authority over her as a teacher she is mostly powerless to stop any of this, with this and the way she is interacting with people due the the grail influence, a reader may see these behaviours as preditory, and whilst our understanding of Velvets character and our control over her actions with the votes do mitigate this, it is still quite uncomftable.)) and lastly her growing casualness with utililising the Lores on innocent people ( whilst it isn't done malicously, malice is after all the intent to harm and we aren't aiming to do that, basically Grailbombing a young, socially isolated teen in a private space to get what she wants out of her, info or a friendship, is an example of Velvet's morals being influenced by her situation and the Lores, in my own opinion Grail influences of our current one's level used on mundane teenagers is a bit morally dubious due to both the nature of Grail causing desires to flare and also how such social power seems one step removed from being able to break and brainwash a person like Copper likely did with her Cult or even as a referance to where we are right now to act as the Dazzlings, but that is just my opinion on Grail and others may differ).

TLDR: Good job OurLadyOfWires on good characterisation and trends throughout the Quest.

BTW I know there is likely to be no consequences just for choosing to do Axe's Sacrement, all consequences are from events in it not from chosing to do it, but is time passing the same in Equestria as it is here? Would we just show up 3 days later and have a heartwarming scene of our family fussing over us or will we show up earlier due to the dreamlike nature of this world skipping time?

Final thoughts nice update.