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

OurLadyOfWires · Aug 24, 2024

[X] Plan Seeking Illumination
-[x] 7+1 actions
-[x] The Lies We Tell
--[x] Stormchaser: Silence
--[x] Rarity: A cautious explanation
-[x] Confidant/Servant Actions
--[x] Rarity: Focus on her work
~~--[x] Jade: Investigate Selene~~
--[x] Selene: Moth Lesson
--[x] Servants: Canterlot book search
-[X] Uncle Steppes: We are going to be making the rounds in Canterlot given the occasion. Perhaps he can help out somehow?
-[x] Attention of the Laws: Secret Histories towards book search
-[X] Buy
--[X] (ARTIFACT) SH 3
--[X] FORGE 3
-[x] A fleeting opportunity: Openly go to the Royal Castle
-[x] A fleeting opportunity: Accompany Twilight to Canterlot
-[x] A fleeting opportunity: Gather followers
-[X] Talk to Windy Flakes
--[X] Let him know that you arranged a prank for him; you haven't interacted too tightly so far, but given some of his earlier actions you thought it would amuse him.
--[X] Explain that you weren't originally expecting to be able to aid his... project... at the same time, but you are glad things worked out well. Ask if it is something he is willing to talk about; you aren't really clear on the details yourself, but perhaps you can help?
-[x] Study
--[x] SH 3 Artifact
--[x] Edge 3 Book
-[X] Book Shopping in Canterlot
--[X] Invite Twilight to join you
-[x] Family idle interaction
--[x] With Selene.

- - -

Hey.
You.
Yeah, you. The new one.
Did you know? Have you heard?
The Loremaster has written a new manifest.

She… she has?

Yes.

And… and we should read it?

Of course. They say it is one that speaks of hate and ambition. Of combat and strife. You should read it, and see if it speaks to you more deeply than the others.

I… I will, but… can I ask you something?

Maybe… why the hesitation to begin with?

Well, because… it's a question nopony has given me an answer to yet.
Or rather, it's a question nopony has given me a good answer to, yet.

In that case, then it depends. What would you like to ask?

Who is… the Loremaster?

Why, everypony knows. The Loremaster is Lady Velvet Covers.

Yes, but who is Lady Velvet Covers?

Why, everypony knows… Lady Velvet Covers is the Loremaster.

…

Now, now, don't make that face. A clue, then.
From the very first line of the grey scroll, that you will find in the Club's library: You will begin to understand the answers only when you stop asking the questions.

Yes, I read that damn scroll. I read all the scrolls! But that doesn't mean that they make any sense or-!

It means you should be quiet, and just hear what everypony around you is saying.

You… you mean eavesdropping?

You can't say something is a secret if you are allowing it out of your mouth to begin with, can you?

…

Pff. Don't worry, you'll grow out of it. Just don't waste an advice freely given.

If you say so…

…

.

…

Hey.
Did you know?
The Loremaster has left us a new scroll, at the Bright Library.

…

Hey.
Have you heard?
Lady Velvet Covers has left us another hint.

…

Hey.
Are you in on it?
I heard
that she
has left us
a new riddle.
For us to search.
For us to solve.
For us to try and get closer to the truth.

…

But after all, who is the Cult's Loremaster?

...

The noblemare is surely a mask. A pawn that our Loremaster impersonates, just for the sake of wearing a face. What else could possibly make sense?
After all, the noblemare is almost never seen out of her mansion.
After all, the noblemare is almost never seen within the Club.
Lady Velvet Covers is not the Loremaster. I'm sure of it.

…

No, you are obviously wrong. Just ask around, talk to those who have been in the Club since the beginning.
The noblemare had been coming to the gatherings ever since then, when there were less knowledge and less followers. For years, perhaps. Way before the Master came to the Wake.
We have seen less and less of her because we lack the eyes to see. But her presence can be felt all around us.
Lady Velvet Covers is the Loremaster. I'm sure of it.

…

You lie.
You are both fools.
You are both lost.
Lady Velvet Covers is not the Loremaster. And neither of them, not the noblemare and not the Loremaster, are even real to begin with.
Have you ever asked about her cutie mark? Has anypony seen her cutie mark?
Can anypony even confirm, here and now, if this supposed noblemare, if this supposed Loremaster, is a pegasus? Or an earth pony, or a unicorn?
Can anypony even confirm that, instead, she is not something else entirely? Something with too may legs, hidden underneath a lofty dress?

I heard her cutie mark is a spider.

No, it's a view of the Woods.

No! It is the Mansus itself.

I heard she has no cutie mark at all.

…

I heard there is no Loremaster to begin with.

…

But still, have you heard? Did you know?
They have found another riddle, buried in the black dirt of the Woods. Another secret, that may only be found by the worthy and deciphered by the knowledgeable.
They say that the riddle carries instructions, of how one might rise higher.
They say the riddle makes no sense, and that is what makes it so enticing.
They say the Master smiled amusedly, when asked about it, and refused to elaborate any further.

…

Some claim to have already solved it, and that they have entered the Loremaster's favor. That they had an audience with her, or him, or it, under the glare of the Mansus Moon by the bark of black trees. In the appointed time and at the appointed place, as instructed by the riddles.

And what few whispers could be coaxed out of them, by alcohol or bits or Grail, claim that they have been offered hints, in exchange of service. Tasks, in exchange of the Way into the House, and higher and higher still, should they prove worthy.

Personally, I think they are all lying.
I do not believe the Loremaster is real.

And yet, under the black dirt of the Woods, I have found a hint. An engrave piece of Mansus-stone with an enigma, the first breadcrumb of a path.

And unless I am sorely mistaken, I have deciphered it. And tonight I shall meet with her.

Personally, I think they are all lying.
I do not believe the Loremaster is real.

And yet, I very much hope to meet her tonight, and enter into her service. So that I may rise higher and higher still.

You have gained a small following in the Cult, a select group comprised by ponies who are among the better versed in their respective Lores. You will meet with them in the Woods, and they will follow you in exchange of certain lessons.

You have currently no reason to believe they any more loyal to you than they are to the Cult.

You have gained one "cultist minions" action. These actions can be used similarly to Servant Actions, but are immune to "suspicion", and apply Lore bonuses based on the Cult's current Lore levels.

- - -

- - -

- - -

You are Lady Velvet Covers.

And you think that you are better rested now.

It is hard to believe that all of that happened in so little time. You crossed the Branding Door, saw the interior of the Mansus, aided in summoning the Master, then went off to Canterlot with Twilight Sparkle to have a very unfortunate encounter with nopony less than the Princess of the Moon herself.

All of that, mind you, must have happened in a span of four or five days.

That was a horribly hectic beginning of a month, as far as they go.

Still, you allowed time to pass, and so it did.

For starters, the eclipse is finally gone. At midday of the seventh day the moon was set, in a rather dramatic way, and the entirety of the Pony Kingdom had one last day of celebrations before things came back to normal. Everypony knew that to be good news, the return of the day/night cycle indicating that things were finally back to normal, but the newspapers of the following days confirmed what everypony already suspected: Princess Celestia had recuperated herself, and made one last public appearance before she started giving some of her more public Royal Duties to her younger sister.

Privately, you took that those news with a grain of salt. There were precious little details of what exactly that meant, but you can't help but think about how little Princess Celestia has been seen ever since the eclipse was ended.

Or rather, you wonder if Princess Celestia and Princess Luna were ever again seen together and at the same time, after that last public appearance when the eclipse was done.

Still, there is precious little you can do about that right now.

On more private matters, you eventually got a letter from your father. It arrived by pegasus courier, and it was waiting for you when you and your husband returned home from taking your daughters to town.

You are still not sure how you feel about it, but in very few words he made it abundantly clear that you are not to leave Ponyville any longer, and that he will be cutting your payment. You can tell that "locking you" in Ponyville is what he truly cares for, as you are sure he simply doesn't want you to cause him any more trouble. But cutting your payment, you gather, he did just to spite you.

However, as much as that might be… demeaning to you, you are still relieved that he has decided he simply does not want to think about you any longer.

Why, he even wrote that on the letter: "I hope you will not give me any more reasons to even think about you".

Although you have no doubt that he will really turn on you if you are not careful. Right now, this feels like he is running damage control, and has decided to simply lock you away while he deals with more important problems. But if you disturb him after he is done with said damage control… well, then he will be able to turn his full attention to you.

Something for you to keep in mind, you suppose.

Still, after all of that (or rather, after that capital lettered "All Of That") you've had a blessedly uneventful few weeks. Which is a given, because your sanity might have started slipping if everything kept happening in a frenetic pace like that.

You are nearing the end of the month now. Your husband has left for a work trip a few days ago, your daughters have once again settled down on their school routine after the impromptu holiday, and you had plenty of time to work on a side project of yours with the Cult.

Why, a few ponies have even started solving your riddles already! To the point that you now have a tiny following within the Cult. And although you haven't been able to address them at length as of yet, you are sure that the ones who reached you have the greatest mastery of the lessons you and your Master have been giving in the Cult.

You are also sure that they are all level-headed ponies, and that the little game you set up to meet them will have no negative ramifications whatsoever.

With that in mind, you walk down the street towards the Wildhoof Club, appreciating the sensation of the afternoon sun on your coat as you do.

Ironically, you still don't feel you are that well informed when it comes to Ponyville itself. Sure, you talk to Rarity frequently, but you can tell that the two of you use those opportunities more to unwind from your respective work-lives than anything else. So yes, you do hear about this and that on how Ponyville is going, but you still don't feel like you have in-depth knowledge of how your idyllic little town is doing.

And that thought came to you specifically because you are now face to face with the approaching building of the Club. For starters, it must have been weeks since you last came here, since you asked Jade to deliver the manuscript on the last book you studied. But it also strikes you how much the Club has changed.

Although that is the thing about it, that's the catch. You can tell that the Club changed, that the building looks slightly different, but you can't put your hoof on what is different about it. Maybe they just changed the colors of some of the letters, maybe they expanded the building. You can't tell for sure.

That realization also reminds you of the fact that… well, the last time you were here, you entered through the Woods. Together with your Master.

Which reminds you of how utterly terrified everypony looked during the ritual… and how Jade seemed scared on the first time she saw you, right after that, and…

Heavens, you just hope you are not met with too many weirded-out gazes as soon as you enter the place.

"In fact," you say to yourself as you approach the front doors, "I think I prefer not to find out."

With that thought, you slightly alter your stride as you walk into the Wildhoof Club.

And nopony really turns to look at you as you make your way through the entrance hall, and towards the door that leads to the backrooms.

- - -

At least this part of the Club is still as you remember it.

The small administrative part of the Club is still very tame and unassuming. The sort of place that any Club member could enter to speak to the staff if they wanted to, with no locked doors or barred passages to speak of. Although you do notice that there less empty rooms here than before, which means that more space has been occupied with offices and staff. Which in turn tells you that the Club has at least been growing as a business.

Good news, you suppose. For the Club and for the Cult both.

You pass by the sub-offices without much thought, walking towards the door at the end of the corridor.

And soon enough, you start hearing the sound of a gramophone, the soft tune of its music being muffled by a closed door.

Curious, you think. Now that you know a little bit more about Winter, you wonder if Windy keeps that thing playing because the music is nostalgic to him and reminds him of something from his past… or if he simply enjoys the sensation of when the music ends.

Well, that just goes to show how little you know about the stallion. You do believe you have a healthy relationship with him, even if it is mostly work (or rather, cult) related. But still, you don't really know much about him as a pony, do you?

Time to amend that, you suppose.

Oh, and to apologize for what you did to his living room. For the longest time you truly hoped that your minion did not really "rearrange" his furniture, and that the message it gave you was just some garbled Moth-interpretation of how much it had messed the place around.

But the more you thought about it, the more you really came to believe that your minion really did… find a hammer and nails, and methodically put every last piece of furniture he had on the ceiling of his living room.

Heavens, you hope that talking to him about that won't turn into a disaster.

Much to your surprise, the door to his office opens before you reach it. And out comes walking Windy Flakes himself, together with an earth pony mare who has an extremely happy smile on her face.

"Oh? Well, good afternoon Windy. Were you about to leave somewhere? I was hoping we could chat for a while," you say.

The mare jumps up in surprise as soon as she hears you, and you think you feel a tinge of Moth about her as she first looks at you with a frightened expression, then moves slightly behind Windy as if trying to hide from you.

The unicorn stallion, for his part, simply looks at you as soon as he notices you, although you can tell that his eyes did go slightly wide for a moment.

"I…! Windy, sh-…!" the mare gasps for a few moments, her eyes alternating between you and the stallion, "wait, so she's-…? Why is…?!"

"Now, dear, let's not be uncourteous," Windy Flakes say, putting a placating hoof on the nervous mare's shoulder.

And for some reason you can feel… a slight layer of frost about his words, almost as if some cold dust, or perhaps a chilly breeze, was gently settling around him.

The mare, whoever she is, seems to calm down slightly with his gesture. Or at least she stops talking in fits and starts.

"And Lady Velvet," he says, turning to you, although you can feel that even the strange chilliness seems to be avoiding getting closer to you, "what a great honor to have you here! How can I be of service?"

You tilt your head at that, doing your best not to show on your face how unnerved you are by the fact that…

That you are making Windy Flakes uncomfortable.

You are not happy with that mare's reaction, of course, but things might be getting out of control if Windy is acting this defensive.

"I just wanted to chat? We haven't had the chance in quite a while, and I was hoping we could talk about a few things," you say, putting on your most pleasant and inoffensive smile.

Heavens, you even sprinkle a bit of Grail on your expression to see if it helps. You don't want to be known around the cult as a monster or somepony scary.

The Cult already has Comet Feet to fill in that sort of role!

"I'd be charmed to," he says, perhaps too quickly, turning to face the mare that is all but hiding behind him. "I'll see you later Goldy? And tell the staff not to disturb us, if you don't mind?"

The mare gives him a nervous nod, and practically dashes down the corridor as soon as she gets past you.

By the stars, that poor mare… If she is anything for you to go by, then you do not like the image you currently have in this place.

"Right this way, my Lady," the stallion says, as if trying call your attention so you would not look at the fleeing mare.

With a sigh, you follow him into his office.

- - -

["I'm a mare, not a monster!" breakpoints, 30/50/80]

[Roll: 58 + 13 (Diplomacy) + 5 (Beautiful) + 10 (GRAIL bonus) = 86]

You had a long chat with Windy Flakes.

More than that, even, you feel like you salvaged something that you almost lost, regarding your relationship with him.

"Windy, I've known you for years now. By the heavens, I bought ice cream for my daughter from you almost every month. And until today, you've never once called me 'Lady' without that smug grin of yours!"
"Yes, Lady Velvet, you might be right… but the thing is that…"

But eventually, and much to your relief, he started coming to terms with what you were saying. And you think the gramophone's music got slightly louder, and that his office grew slightly less cold as you two talked.

His smug grin is not back. Not quite yet at least. But at least he no longer sounds like an intentionally-pleasant clerk as he speaks to you.

"Velvet, you have to understand that ponies talk. And that they haven't been doing much but talking ever since the Master came to us in the flesh."

"Well, I thought that might be the case, but I still didn't expect them to react like that. At least if that mare that was with you is anything to go by."

"What? Why the hay would you ever think they wouldn't… Oh…" Windy's brows furrow for a moment as he looks at you.

And you raise an eyebrow at that. His expression almost makes it look like he is worried about you.

"Velvet, I won't make any assumptions on what you think about our Master… but I think we both agree that she is rather erratic, right?" he says very carefully, as if gently testing the waters on a particularly delicate subject.

And you completely understand his caution. After all, your Master is a rather… unpredictable subject.

Still, you give him a slow nod.

"Well, Velvet. I don't presume to understand our dear Master's ins and outs, but let me just say that for all that we might meet her every so often when the six of us meet, the regular cult member sees even less of her. And even though she now has a physical body, very little has changed in regard to that."

"Oh?" you say before you can stop yourself.

"Yes. 'Oh'," he retorts with a frown. "There is no doubt that Master knows a lot, and that she can teach a lot. But for reasons that I simply cannot grasp she simply doesn't. Sometimes I think this is all just a game for her, and sometimes I think this is her way of saying that certain things are just that simple and easy. But still, well… Nopony has ever seen the Master, in the Woods, and most ponies in the cult only ever heard whispers from her. Important whispers, enlightening and teaching whispers, but whispers nonetheless."

"I honestly thought she would be more active… or at least more present now. Not that she isn't," you quickly say, almost as if fearing that somepony might be eavesdropping on you, "but still…"

"Exactly. She isn't even staying in the Club, even though we had a room ready for her arrival. We don't even know what she has been up to, although everypony says that she has appearing more frequently in dreams and what not. But most importantly…"

He says that, and he taps a hoof against his table in an almost dramatic fashion.

"Despite all of that everypony saw, or at least everypony eventually heard of, how you came walking out of the Woods… with her."

Ah… yes, now that Windy puts it like that, it does make a lot of sense.

And really, the only pony from the cult you have spoken to in the meantime is Jade. And as much as you consider Jade to be one of your closest friends, you really can't expect to hear much about these sorts of things, cult-gossips or otherwise, from her.

"Then you brought in two… zombie things out from a horror novel. Then you summoned the Master. Then the Master proceeded to out a group of shapeshifting monsters in our midst."

Right, the changelings. You have been so worried about the ones in the capital that you almost didn't think about the ones here in Ponyville at all.

"I… see…" you say, causing Windy to shoot you another worried look.

And you think he sees something in you that actually gives him pause.

To the point where he stops talking for a while, as if he is reconsidering something.

"Although," he eventually says with a sigh, "I have to admit that… well, maybe we shouldn't get too ahead of ourselves. I don't know what the Master is, but the rest of us are all still ponies. And for all that we can't help but see things differently as we learn the things she teaches us… I don't know where I'm going with this, but I'm just glad to know that you're still just a mare."

Surprisingly, you feel a bit of warmth coming from him as he says that, and you can't help but give him a small smile.

"Yes, I wholeheartedly agree. We are still just ponies, and we really should look to help each other in all of this… Speaking of which, Windy," you say, your tone somewhat low as you try breaching a subject you are not sure how to talk about, "could we maybe… put that little prank war of ours to rest now? I don't think either of us will have time to continue that, now that the Master is around."

Windy looks taken aback for a moment, until his mouth opens in a soft "Ah" as he seems to remember something.

"Oh, that? By Celestia, of course! I'm just relieved to know that the… thing you did wasn't a threat. Goldy has been more freaked out than normal ever since that day," he says.

But then he looks at you questioningly.

"That wasn't a threat, right?" he asks, his tone a lot more meaningful than it was a few moments ago.

"Of course not, Windy," you say, "if anything, I'm just glad I could also help with that project of yours. Or at least it felt like I helped. To be quite honest, I'm not really sure on the details, but would you like to talk about it?"

Windy's eyes go wide open at that, and for a moment you almost think he has somehow frozen.

You are not sure if Windy Flakes is scared of you. But less than an hour ago you have learned how Windy looks like when he is tense, and he is most certainly tense and nervous right now.

But you watch as he slowly recomposes himself, almost as if he was reviewing what you just told him, word by word, trying to make sure that he really understood what you just said.

His reaction… worries you, but less than a minute passes before he opens his mouth again, his expression a lot calmer.

"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to," you say. "Going into your home was a bit too much from my part, and I apologize. And finding your project was certainly a consequence from that."

"Yes, don't worry," he says, perhaps too quickly, "but more importantly… you didn't… mind it?"

His reaction is rather strange. And normally, you would even find it rather worrying.

However, for some reason, you think you can feel a certain… anxiousness from him?

But not in a sense that he is disturbed that you saw his project to begin with, but more that he is… nervous? About what you thought of it?

Almost as if he was an artist…? And a piece that he is working on had been seen and…?

Oh. It suddenly dawns on you.

You have no idea of what his project is, exactly. But you do remember what your Risen felt.

It felt that the thing was beautiful, and that it was incomplete.

"Of course I didn't mind it. Although again, I'm not really sure on the details," you say, "but I could tell that it was something very beautiful. Even if it is still a work in progress," you finish with a pleasant tone, using the words you learned throughout your life that every artist would like to hear.

And Windy Flakes smiles at that, a relieved smile of a creator whose work had not been found wanting.

Curious, you think. Windy might not told you much with words, but he did tell you a lot through his reaction. You never would have thought that he was an artistic sort, and yet here you are.

"And I'd be happy to help you. If you don't mind it, of course," you say.

To which his posture once again completely relaxes, and he gives you an honest nod.

"Of course! I'll think about it Velvet."

With that, you ask him how the Club has been, and your conversation slowly shifts towards the ever-heavy weight of paperwork.

Your monthly funds have been cut. Currently, your only income are the dividends given to your by Rarity. You do not expect your father to go back on his decision anytime soon, if at all.

Your father has also commanded you not to set hoof outside of Ponyville, and you have no illusions that some of the servants in your house might secretly be informants.

It seems you have quite a reputation within the Cult. A frightening reputation, that is, one that your Master's incongruous absence (for all that she has a body now) only seems to exacerbate. But at least Windy Flakes has come back to his senses regarding you, although you are not sure how helpful the insufferable unicorn will be when it comes to clearing your name with the rest of the cult.

And speaking of the stallion, you think you have taken a few steps forward in your relationship with Windy Flakes. He seems to be awfully defensive about that "project" of his, but much to your surprise the normally unsettlingly-cold pony appears to be quite passionate about whatever he is working with. You might be able to discover more about it, if you talk to him more or follow through with the offer you made him.

OurLadyOfWires · Aug 24, 2024

You and your husband have a deal, of sorts. An understanding that you have reached many years ago. Something meant to make both of your lives easier, or at least less hard.

Although your take on this understanding is that it serves no purpose but to make both of you equally miserable.

It is early in the morning. In fact, it is so early that it was dark but a few minutes ago, and you watched as the sun was slowly floated until it was over the horizon. And the reason you are up and awake this early is because your husband is leaving for work.

Yes, it's one of those days. Today marks the day of your first hopefully-one-week-long wait, although you know it will likely be two to three weeks until you see him again. Today marks the first day of that blasted period of empty beds and lonely afternoons.

You hate these days with a burning passion.

And to make things worse, there is the blasted agreement you have with your husband. Said agreement being that, while he is getting ready to leave, you can't whine, beg, or otherwise grumble in any way saying that he should stay with you a little longer, or pretend he lost the morning train, or simply quit his job and not think about it any further.

The nerve he has! To not allow you to make it any harder for him to leave his huge mansion and beautiful wife behind. Just so he can go to heaven-knows-where and do his thankless-yet-very-important job.

It's just not fair!

However, trailing after him through the house in a nightgown while only half-awake is perfectly legal according to your deal. It also has the added bonus of seeing him shoot you those long glances of him, which you pretend not to notice, and hear him sigh in a regretful manner right after.

Yes, husband dear, gaze upon that which you willingly abandon!

But as always, common sense eventually prevails, and just like it has been for the last several years you are once again looking at the receding shape of your husband, as he flies away towards Ponyville to catch the earliest train.

So now, once again, you are alone. In a house that's way too big for just one pony, and looking forward to do things you really wish you didn't have to.

Of course, you are not really alone. You know that. You have your daughters, and your friends, and your servants, and you are perfectly aware that Stormchaser has it much worse than you do. But still…

You are perfectly aware that his heart is probably aching as much as yours is right now, as he flies away from his home. But still…

Well, that's the thing about wanting to spend the rest of your life with somepony… It doesn't feel like you are living, when they are not there.

…

You should find something to do.

Heading back into the house, you start blinking your sleepiness away as you wonder what you should do next. It still is dastardly early, so it will still be a short while until your daughters wake up. The servants, also, shouldn't start arriving anytime soon, and although the estate has a few rooms for some of them to sleep over you are not sure how often any of them are used. If at all.

"Huh…?"

Or at least, that is what you thought. Until you hear something coming from the dining hall. Nothing suspicious, mind you, just the sound of activity. Hoofs clicking against the ground, the muffled sound of a cabinet being opened every now and then.

You raise an eyebrow at that. Silky has already passed her cookie-stealing phase, and Selene is orders of magnitude quieter than that, so you are sure its neither of them. You roll over the options on your head for a few moments, looking at yourself and wondering how bad it would be if somepony other than your husband saw you in this clothing.

But eventually, sheer curiosity, and the belief that you should be able to go around unnoticed unless you wish otherwise, leads you to investigate what that sound might be.

You adjust your trot, the sound of your horseshoes going down to a whisper as you head towards the dining hall, then to the kitchen as you realize the noises are coming from there.

And peeking in through a half-opened door, you are somewhat surprised as you see a familiar figure.

Soft Sweeps has her back turned towards you as she goes about her business. It strikes you as slightly odd to see her not in her maid uniform, but that is more because you are so used to seeing her wearing that. And of course, what strikes you as even more strange is how early it is, and the fact that she is already working despite that.

But still, you think you see a slight smile on her face, despite the awkward angle you have of her. You are also sure she is humming a tune of sorts. So, at least you know she is not here at this time because of something you should worry about.

You take one last look at yourself. Your nightgown is not the scandalous sort, of course, and its not like most ponies even wear clothes to begin with. But still, you remember a conversation you had with Rarity once about knee-high socks, and the two of you indeed agreed that "a little can add a lot", sometimes.

However, you quickly reach the conclusion that you shouldn't worry about that. Not with Soft, at least. The mare is as good as family after all.

You walk into the large kitchen and walk up to her, but you stop just as you are about to tap a hoof on her shoulder, remembering the rather surprised reaction ponies usually have when you do this.

A few seconds pass like that, as Soft Sweeps continues humming while she works on something, none the wiser that you are but a few inches from touching her.

You slowly bring back your foreleg, and retrace your steps until you are back at the kitchen's entrance.

It's not like you did it on purpose, the last few times you walked up to a pony and accidentally frightened them. But you can't gloss over the fact that you frightened them nonetheless, so you really should start being mindful about that.

"Soft Sweeps?" you say, knocking on the door as you enter, "I thought I heard somepony. Good morning. And it's quite early for you to be here, is everything alright?"

"Good morning Mrs. Velvet! And yes, everything is fine. I just woke up early today, so I decided to get a few things out of the way," she says, turning towards you with a smile on her face. "The cook is not here yet, and he's very particular about us not starting doing breakfast until he is here, but I wanted to at least get the fillies' lunchboxes ready and-"

At that point, she finally looks at you, and her reaction is… quite unexpected.

She tries her best to hide it, you can tell that she dearly tries her best not to let it show. But several seconds pass between the moment she starts staring at you and the moment she realizes she is staring at you.

You make a point of looking over her shoulder, towards what she was working on, and you pretend not to notice how wide-eyed and blushing-red the young mare is as she all but gawks at you. For her own sake, more than anything else.

Like Rarity said… a little can indeed add a lot. Heavens, Soft really is young.

"Their lunchboxes you say?" you ask, your tone of voice perfectly neutral and normal.

But all poor Soft Sweeps can give you for an answer is a mechanical nod, her expression making it very clear that she doesn't even know where she should look. You are talking to her, so good manners and years as a maid dictates that she should look at you. But at the same time, she knows that if her eyes fall on you again she won't know how to turn them anywhere else.

You walk towards the kitchen counter she was working on, turning your back towards her and making it very clear that your whole attention is being directed at what she was doing. You then hear her take a few deep, near-hyperventilating breaths, and then you hear a gasp which you assume means that she finally realized her wings are rather… poised.

At this point, you realize the mare will probably need more than a few seconds with your back turned for her to regain her composure.

"Well, I was just seeing Stormchaser off, so I don't think I'll be going back to bed," you say, not turning to look at her for the sake of her own self-esteem, "so why don't you let me finish this? I just realized I never really prepared Silky's lunchbox ever since she started going to school."

"YesMrsVelvetthankyousomuch!" the mare says, tripping over her own words as she all but flees from the kitchen.

She slams the door behind her before you even have the chance to turn around. Not that you would, anyways. And although the closed door is enough of an obstacle for you to not understand what she mumbles to herself, it is not enough to muffle out the ragged breathing you hear right after that.

Tut, tut… Well, to be fair she has been working since such a young age that you realize she must never really have had the chance to be a mare.

You wonder if you should talk to her about that. If nothing else, it'll be a good experience for when you have to talk about those sorts of things with Silky when she grows up.

But those are thoughts for another day. For now, you have lunchboxes to prepare!

- - -

…

You… are not sure what happened.

Maybe you got a bit too excited, and the excitement carried on to what you were doing?

Well, you definitely were inspired. So inspired that you decided that the fruit jam you had available to use was not enough for the sandwiches you wanted to prepare, and consequently the production of another superior fruit jam was required.

But only now you realize that line of thought… was probably not the kind of conclusion a pony would normally reach.

Still, the results of your work are undeniable.

You wished to create a sandwich. A sandwich up to the standards of worthiness to be put inside your daughters' lunchboxes. You realize now that your work is incomplete, that you lack the resources and the knowledge to produce such a thing. And that is without even entering the merit that perhaps such a sandwich might not exist, and is instead more of a thought experiment or a fool's errant like the Philosopher's Stone.

However, even if the final threshold that is the Perfect Sandwich might not be attainable in this world, this jam… is a first step towards that.

It stands within an open jar, its complexion strawberry red with hues of pink and purple. It lacks the gooey appearance of lesser jams, and you know from previous tests that its taste is sweet, and energizing. Perfect for growing fillies with a sweet tooth, perfect for shy fillies who could use a push when it comes to making friends.

But perhaps… too perfect.

You are not awed by your creation. You know that this is but a sample of what is possible, a narrow view of what is to come. You know your creation is not entirely perfect, and that more could be done with better tools and ingredients.

However, you are no fool either. You realize that, for all of its mouth-watering taste and enticing smell, this jam might be too powerful for the unprepared, too strong for the uninitiated.

To put it simply, you are under no illusion that you will not be sued for property damage if Silky takes a bite of this during her lunch break. There is way too much Heart in this. And sugar, also, which is never something good to give a hyperactive filly.

So, as much as it pains you… you close the lid of the jar.

Perhaps one day you will cook something worthy of your daughters, something that they will both enjoy and that will be good for them.

But that day is not today.

You have learned the art of crafting, and the small joys of creating lesser things. You may now craft reagents to boost your rituals!

You have created Hyperactive Strawberry Jam! But have come to realize its powers are too great for its intended purpose.

You have sealed away the Hyperactive Strawberry Jam, and have relabeled it as a HEART Level 1 reagent! It has been produced, exceptionally, free of cost, and has been added to your inventory.

OurLadyOfWires · Aug 24, 2024

The knock comes to your door, and the greater part of your mind barely registers it as you continue hoof-reading your way through a yields report.

Knock came form above doorknob line, so it is not one of your daughters.

Husband is out of town.

Ponpon knows better than to simply knock and wait.

You turn a bit more of your attention towards the door as you notice how unusual this situation is. A few more moments passing until you finish the report you were reading and put it down on your desk.

Then, you look towards the door and raise an eyebrow, only to hear somepony knocking on it once again.

The knocks are too calm and spaced out for it to be an emergency.

Soft Sweeps wouldn't have knocked a second time if it was her wanting to talk to you.

You had asked your uncle to write ahead if he were to visit you, and he did mention he would be busy with the latest happenings in Canterlot.

As your mind begins to summon ideas that are less and less logical, you finally give up on trying to guess. Your concentration is already ruined as things stand, so you might as well just get this over with.

"Come on in", you say towards the door, watching as somepony opens it a moment later.

"Excuse me, my Lady."

Ponpon walks in, much your surprise, but you immediately realize something is wrong. You see no sign of her usually pleasant expression. And everything, from her posture down to her tone as she called you by her title, shows you that she is acting in a fully professional manner.

And what is more, she steps into your office, and moments later she is already moving to open the doors wider.

"We have a visitor, Lady velvet. A pony from Canterlot, and in the Crown's service."

Your posture stiffens at that, as another pony walks into your office.

But of course, this is one of the few cases, one of the rare exceptions, that a visitor would be brought to you without previous notice. There is a very clear order of precedence within nobility, and it is natural for a higher ranking noble to expect that he will be well received and treated when visiting a pony of lower noble rank.

Said visits usually happen with prior notice, so a whole show of pomp may be prepared for the coming dignitary.

However, when said higher-ranked pony decides to visit without prior notice, it is also natural for he or she not to be barred upon entrance, and to be brought to the Lord or Lady of the house immediately.

And of course, there is no higher ranked pony than one who is in service to the Crown.

You can tell at a glance that the pony who is entering your office is not a noble. You know it, and he knows it, to the point where he takes off his hat as he comes to your presence and offers you a small bow. A show of respect, and that he understands that his job gives him his station, but that you are still socially above him.

However, despite this token show of respect, it still does not escape you that he exercised his right to come straight to you as soon as he arrived at your estate.

"I bid you good afternoon, Lady Velvet Covers," he says, putting his cap back on his head. "I am inspector Dull Glass, sent from the Central Constabulary by decree of the Crown."

You nod at the stallion, taking in more and more details about him. He is an earth pony, with burnt-yellow coat and black mane. He seems to be middle-aged, his expression serious but perhaps slightly tired. As if the cap upon his head, with the sun-symbol emblazoned in metal on its front, somehow weighted on him. But all in all, his eyes still look sharp.

And those sharp eyes are clearly focused on you.

"Good afternoon, inspector. Please, do take a seat," you say, pointing at the seats in front of your desk.

He nods in thanks, and the two of you begin to talk.

[A battle of wits]

[Your roll: 27 + 12 (Intrigue) = 39]

[His roll: 25 + ?? (????) = ??]

[Unknown result]

Unfortunately, you end up not knowing what to make of the stallion.

You got his measure, and her got yours, but you think that the only thing the two of you learned was that both of you hid something from each other.

You asked to see his mandate, and confirmed his authority. And you got managed to coax a few words from him that Princess Luna has decreed "extensive searches" for her attackers now that she is safely back in Canterlot.

But in return, he asked you about a few names. A list of ponies that went missing recently, and whose cases he intended to go deeper into. And you realized too late that the names he asked you about was of the ponies who were part of your cult, and who had secretly been changelings in disguise. You didn't know any of them, of course, and you answered truthfully.

However, you know he noticed something in your eyes, and that you are still a pony of interest in his books until further notice.

Of course, the two of you exchanged pleasantries, and he made it very clear that he came to you first as soon as he arrived in town because you are the "standing noble authority" in Ponyville. But that he would be making his rounds with the local mayor right after.

Still, you know you have not seen the last of him. In fact, you have an inkling that the two know that neither of you have seen the last of each other. Not by a long shot.

But there is nothing you can do about him. At least not right now.

The search for Princess Luna is over. And as expected, the Crown seems to be diverging its resources towards investigating the circumstances of the Princess' disappearance, by means of a Royal Decree signed by Princess Luna herself.

You have met a Foe: Inspector Dull Glass.

- - -

- - -

- - -

Dull Glass' visit has added yet another stain of worry in your mind. No matter how you look at it, his coming can only bode ill for you.

For several reasons.

On one hoof, you know the cult's dealings have not exactly been entirely legal. You avoid thinking about it as much as you can. But the fact remains that, all those months ago, the building of the Wildhoof Club was "acquired" under murky circumstances. Several other things come to mind, from gravedigging to the possibly dubious ties your cult has been making with the local Guard. But again, you'd really rather not think about that right now.

Because on the other, heavier hoof, there is also the fact that… Inspector Dull Glass is here because the Crown's attention has now been turned towards locating Princess Luna's aggressors. And no matter how much you try to sugarcoat it, your Cult is the one who has attacked Princess Luna. That, and the fact that there is something extremely wrong with the "Princess Luna" who is currently ordering these investigations.

So, no matter how you look at it, this whole investigation already seems to have started in a very specific and directed manner. That Dull Glass mentioned a small list of "recently missing" ponies, who you know were all changelings in disguise, only makes things worse.

But again, there is nothing you can do about him right now. You are loath to admit that you are on the backhoof regarding him, but you also believe that he has the initiative when it comes to deciding what the first move will be.

And it also happens that you are in the middle of something very important, so you shouldn't be thinking about something that stressful right now.

Namely, you are on your way to visit Rarity.

Rarity has been dedicating herself to her new career, with a healthy dose of overwork that you very much respect. The mare has closed her boutique in Ponyville in order to dedicate herself exclusively to this, and the servant you have acting as middlepony for her frequently reports to you that another line of clothes and accessories has been shipped out to the Needles back in Canterlot.

However, as much as you might have several things in common with your friend, good looks and dedication being but a few of those, you also have a few things that she currently lacks. One of those things being the experience to know that (shockingly!) overworking yourself too much can indeed have negative consequences.

Consequences worse than a bad mane day, mind you.

So, you have taken upon yourself to periodically go to her home in order to force her away from the drawing boards and sewing machines. The call of good company and a pleasant conversation being enough for the unicorn to drop her projects for a few hours.

And truth be told, these regular chats have been doing wonders for both of you.

Your thoughts are interrupted, however, when you reach the door to her now-retired boutique. There is nothing wrong with it, of course, the place still being as gorgeous as ever despite the plaque on its front now being permanently set to "closed".

But you find it only slightly weird that her front door is unlocked.

Well, she knows you can unlock doors just fine, and the only time her locked door was ever a problem was on your first visit. And that was because you didn't want to make your way in uninvited, even if it took you several minutes of shouting (very elegant shouting, thank you very much) to catch her attention.

Regardless, you know you can go into her house just fine, Rarity herself said as much. But it still bears mentioning that she usually keeps her door locked regardless.

You only find that slightly disquieting, but you make your way in regardless.

"Oh, that is so much like him! Speaking of which, darling, I have been wondering for a while how he might look like in some clothes. Something like a formal attire, or even a tuxedo."

And you immediately hear Rarity's voice, as she talks to somepony else.

Ah, so Rarity has other visits over? Wonderful!

You pass by her studio, seeing the telltale signs of recently stopped work, and make your way up towards her room on the second floor.

"Although I'm not sure about the scales. Say, did he ever wear anything? And I mean real clothes, not raincoats or things like that."
"Not that I remember, honestly. I think the most he ever had on him was a bowtie."

Twilight's voice comes right after, and you let a smile settle on your face, your previous worries fading away as you hear your two friends having a pleasant mare chat.

Your hoofsteps, also, go slightly giddy at that. You can't wait to join them! Your pace quickens as you go up the stairs, and moments later you have a hoof on the doorknob to Rarity's room.

"Good morning ladies!" you say as you swing the door open, stepping into your friend's room.

And you see-

You see…

You… see…

Your body immediately freezes at what you see.

[Lantern?]

[Roll: 61 + 12 (Intrigue) + 30 (LANTERN Level 3) = 103]

[Success]

[Immediate reaction, breakpoints 40/80]

[Roll: 46 + 9 (Martial) + 15 (WINTER bonus) = 70]

[Cover not immediately blown. -10 "Shocked" malus applied.]

Your first reaction is to scream, to jump back, to spring into action as if you had just seen your daughter innocently walking towards something you know to be dangerous.

But you suppress those reactions. For the first time the fear that freezes your body when you panic actually helps you, and you stand there motionless for a few seconds as you look at the scene before you.

Rarity lets out an amused laughter, thinking perhaps that you have frozen after opening the door as some sort of joke. Twilight, on the other hoof, just tilts her head as she looks at you, but decides to follow Rarity's lead.

The young purple mare joins your friend in her short bout of laugher.

And the wrong, clay-like shadows wave around her with every movement she makes.

That thing sitting in front of Rarity is not Twilight Sparkle.

You force yourself to laugh. Or rather, you force yourself to smile, to do anything that would look normal if you were just visiting Rarity and she had another visit over.

But how can you act normally? How could you ever act normally under these circumstances?!

The thoughts come to you faster than you can process them, one after the other.

Twilight Sparkle is not here. Something is wearing her face, and can do so naturally enough to the point that Rarity, a close friend of hers, is none the wiser.

Twilight might not even be in Ponyville anymore. You have no idea how they operate, you have no idea how the swapping happens, but at the very least you expect them to only do something like that when they are absolutely sure the original is not around to interfere in their plans. Maybe they might be willing to do one-offs, local impersonations without taking out the originals for the sake of achieving one goal or another, but can't see how this would be the case.

But most important of all… Twilight Sparkle is… Twilight Sparkle has been-!

"Darling, are you alright?" Rarity asks, her expression slowly changing from amused to perhaps confused.

You feel physically ill as you put smile on your face, mustering every ounce of willpower you have not to start shuddering while your mind thinks about…

This is not right.

Twilight is too young. Too young, and sweet, and bright, and innocent.

How did this ever happen… how did you let this happen to her?!

"I'm… fine, Rarity," you lie, not even bothering to check if you are sounding normal or not, "just a bit under the weather, is all…"

To which Rarity gives you a kind and understanding look, scooching to the side of her sofa and offering you a seat next to her.

You forget how to walk. Or at least, you forget how to walk normally. But you do your best, you do the best impression of a walking pony you can manage, as you sit next to Rarity.

As you sit opposite to the monster dressed as one of your closest friends.

"So, Twilight, as I was saying…"

[A nerve-wracking battle of wits]

[Your roll: 87 + 12 (Intrigue) – 10 (shocked) = 89]

[Their roll: 27 + ?? (???) + ?? (Natural Empath) = ??]

[Noticeable victory]

"So, darling, Twilight here was just telling me about her last visit to Canterlot."

"She… she was?"

"Yes! And I didn't have the chance to talk to you, Velvet, but thank you! I figured the riddle out, and the next day me and Spike went off to Canterlot, and this time Princess Luna let us see Princess Celestia! It was a test from them all along, just like you told me!"

You know it was not intentional, but Rarity ends up doing most of the work for you. And thank the heavens for that. You wouldn't have the spirit to answer Twi-… to answer that thing in a convincing manner even if you wanted to.

But it didn't take long for you to get a clear picture of what happened.

She went to Canterlot, plain and simple. The creature seems to know a few "details" about certain things, like how you talked to Twilight beforehand, but mostly it just seemed to be grasping at straws. Throwing obvious baits in the hopes that you would mention something, or let some information slip, that it might get a bit more context of.

Still… none of that matters. The moment you heard that Twilight… that Twilight and Spike went to Canterlot less than a week after you last saw them…

After you last saw them…

Last. Saw. Them.

You feel sick. Physically, bodily sick. You feel a pain in your chest that you don't know the name for, but that very much feels like a twisted version of the hug Spike gave you when you left Twilight's library-home.

The creature, thank the heavens for small mercies, doesn't seem to notice. And neither does Rarity. But you excuse yourself as soon as you can, despite Rarity's protest, and make your way… make your way out of there before you do something you might have no control over.

And you make sure there is nopony within earshot when you start crying in panic.

Twilight Sparkle and Spike are currently MISSING. The last information you have on them, despite its unreliable source, indicates that they went to Canterlot, and met with the Two Sisters in private.

You have discovered a Foe: An Infiltrated Changeling (Twilight Sparkle)

OurLadyOfWires · Aug 24, 2024

You wake up with a start, heaving for air as you try to understand what just happened. The world around you appearing to be at the same time too dark, and too bright.

"Sweetheart, whats the matter?"

Somepony has their forelegs around you before you can do anything about it, and it takes you several long, panicked seconds for you to realize that it is your husband.

"Shh, it's okay dear, it's me. You're with me, we're together," he says as he gently keeps you in his embrace, "there's nothing wrong. Don't worry…"

You are not sure how long it takes you to settle down, but you do realize that it takes you some time.

Because you finally understand what just happened to you. What has been happening to you for a while now.

That wasn't a dream.

You should have known better, that you simply don't dream anymore.

There is something very wrong with you.

"Stormy, I… I'm sorry, I just had a…" you try to say, trying to blink away the things you just saw. Trying to blink away the light.

"It's okay sweetheart, it was just a dream," he says, gently passing a hoof against your back.

But you know better. You know that wasn't just a dream.

And even if it was a dream, even if it was a nightmare, it still wouldn't have been like that.

Because light is not supposed to turn around corners. It is not supposed to bleed through cracks and… and invade places, and ponies, and minds, and skin.

Light is not supposed to have thoughts. It is not supposed to want anything, and it definitely is not supposed to want you.

"It… it wasn't just a dream, Stormy," you try to say, your own forelegs slowly working their way around him as you unconsciously begin to return his embrace. "I… I saw it, Stormy… I couldn't help but to see, and… and it scared me."

You bury your face on his chest, years and years of doing this allowing you to get closer to him without your horn poking against his face.

"Don't worry love, it was just a nightmare," he keeps saying, his calm voice soothing and slowly calming you down. "Try to get back to sleep, dear. Don't worry about it."

You feel yourself gently settle down with that, you heartrate slowing down and your eyes growing heavier as the light grows brighter.

"Just go back to sleep, love. Don't be afraid of it," he continues saying. "Just come back to us, Velvet. Walk into the Ligh-"

"Ma'am, is everything alright?"

Your eyes shoot wide open, fear coursing through your whole body and adrenaline shooting you awake as you realize that… that…!

Ponpon is at your door, looking at you with a worried expression. The usual morning-mail neatly tucked in her uniform's pockets.

And you are on your bed. Alone. Your husband still out of town on his work trip.

"Apologies for waking you up, ma'am, but I thought you were saying something. Anyhow, the sun has already risen, and here are your letters for today," she says with her usual mannerism, walking towards your study and laying down the usual bundle of newspapers and other assorted things.

Meanwhile, you… do your utmost best to hide how much you are shivering, and how drenched you are in your own sweat.

Those things, those visions you have been having for a while now, were not dreams.

You remember now, how you walked through the empty streets of Canterlot almost a month ago. How you walked and walked until you arrived somewhere very far away and met what is perhaps another one of your selves.

And you think you understand now… that when you returned, something might have followed you. A light, that shone down too brightly on you as you walked through the less protected ways.

You are now afflicted by FASCINATION.

- - -

- - -

- - -

"The Lies We Tell"

This not an exhaustive list. More of a helpful reminder.

Stormchaser has explicitly told you not to involve him or Silky Stream in anything occult related.

You HAVE told Stormchaser about the following:
-That Selene is Princess Luna, and that due to a great tragedy that befell her she cannot currently bear the weight of her memories
-That you have been part of a… "group" for several years now, and hid that from him
-That said group is led by a learned and powerful master, whom you can't exactly fully trust
-That you have been studying about certain "unusual" magics, to which your recent breakdowns or changes in behavior can be traced back to
-That the Worms, or some great threat to Equestria, exists

You have NOT told Stormchaser about the following:
-The more unsettling details about your Master's nature, or at least what little you have interacted with them (your husband does not know that your Master is... well, he thinks they are a regular pony)
-The murders you believe your cult has committed
-The cult's actions about Princess Luna's ritual and eventual disappearance
-Details about the cult itself, and details about the Lores.

You HAVE told Rarity about the following:
-That Selene is Princess Luna, and that you remain certain of that even though "Princess Luna" has returned to Canterlot
-That you are part of a Cult
-About the Lores, the Mansus and the Worms. Her depth and understanding of said pieces of information being her current level on the occult

You have NOT told Rarity about the following:
-The more unsettling details about your Master's nature, or at least what little you have interacted with them (your husband does not know that your Master is... well, he thinks they are a regular pony);
-The murders you believe your cult has committed
-The cult's actions about Princess Luna's ritual and eventual disappearance

- - -

Last turn's shopping list

(These are the items that you had the option to purchase last turn. They must be bought with the resources you had available then, but if bought will be immediately available for use or study at this turn.)

Last turn's available bits: 193

-[] GRAIL lvl 3, "A novel telling the forbidden romance between a foreign spy and a soldier. The writing is not as spicy as the theme would suggest, but the details is goes into to describe the conflict they feel is intriguing." 30 bits
-[] EDGE lvl 1, "The title is self-explanatory: 'Four self-defense spells every unicorn should know'. You doubt they are anything more than different variations of concentrated telekinesis." 7 bits
-[] MOTH lvl 1, "A booklet, that shortly details the life-cycle of several kinds of insects." 7 bits

(Books not bought will be lost, other items will be available through the following turns, but have a chance of being sold to somepony else every turn)

- - -

The changeling invasion has been in Canterlot for "1" full month now.

This turn's available bits: 228 (minus items you decided to buy)

Monthly revenue: ~~120 bits/month~~ currently cut
Rarity's dividends: 35 bits

[] How much will you dedicate yourself to your family's affairs this month? (You must pick one)

-[X] A sense of urgency: There has never been any need for this, not for this much at least. No more double-checking, no more zeal. There are far more important things to be done. (5 personal actions. Does not cause suspicion. DEFAULT PICK)

-[] A measured commitment: Give everything a once-over, sign everything in stacks. The farmlands won't just crumble and burn if you miss a few numbers this month. (6 personal actions. Might be noticed by those closest to you. Will not be noticed by the family head if you do not do this often.)

-[] A furious dedication: You will not be able to do what really matters if you dedicate so much of your time to such mortal affairs. Do as little as it is acceptable, then move on. (7 personal actions. Will worry those closest to you. Will be noticed by the family head, although you cannot say to what extent.)

-[] A desperate obsession: Everything is falling down, everything depends on this. You will not even sit on your office this month. (8 personal actions. It is guaranteed that you will be called out for this.)

Regardless of your choice, you also dispose of ONE servant action and ONE cultist minions action.

[] How fearful you are, of the Light that comes? (You must pick one)

-You are currently afflicted by ONE level of Fascination. You MUST pick one of the following actions, and its results will affect you until the END of this turn. At the end of this turn, you will roll to dispel one level of Fascination.
-Failing the end-of-turn "dispel fascination" by too great a margin has a chance of, instead, increasing your Fascination by one level.
-Fascination may be dispelled earlier by a successful "Incision of the Heart" ritual, in which case this action will be canceled, and any actions spent here will be refunded.

-[] YOU WILL NOT FEAR THE LIGHT. (Costs 0 actions. -15 to "dispel fascination". -15 for all other rolls this turn.)

-[] You cannot outrun the light, but you can resist it. (Costs 1 action. -0 to "dispel fascination". -15 for all other rolls this turn.)

-[] You will police yourself. Have the servants dim the lights of the house. Do not leave your home when it is too bright outside. (Costs 2 actions. +15 to "dispel fascination". Other ponies are less likely to notice something about you is off.)

-[] Close the shutters. Douse the candles. Pray that the darkness around you douses the light that comes from your eyes. (Costs 3 actions. +30 to "dispel fascination". Other ponies are much less likely to notice something is off about you.)

-[] For heaven's sake Velvet, fear it. (Costs 4 actions. +45 to "dispel fascination". Other ponies are much less likely to notice something is off about you.)

[] Do something about your foes

Inspector Dull Glass
-You currently have no relevant information about him.
-You currently have nopony keeping an eye on him.

-[] Have somepony tail him, see what he has been doing. (This action requires dedicated time, and is best done by a servant or a minion than by a single action from yourself)

-[] Do something about him. Talk to him, trick him, hurt him. (Write in what)

An infiltrated changeling (Twilight Sparkle)
-You currently have no relevant information about her.
-You currently have nopony keeping an eye on her.

-[] Have somepony tail her, see what she has been doing. (This action requires dedicated time, and is best done by a servant or a minion than by a single action from yourself)

-[] Do something about her. Talk to her, trick her, hurt her. (Write in what)

Confidants and Summons

-The ponies and creatures listed below can be given a "focus" for this turn. Not mentioning them will incur in their "default picks" being selected. Be wary, also, to the "expiration date" of summons.
-The ponies and creatures listed below may be safely taken for a single one-turn (five days) Expedition without hampering their "focus". Taking them for a two-turn (6+ days) or greater Expedition will cause them to not execute their selected "focus".

Rarity (currently an Initiate, GRAIL Level 1, FORGE Level 0):

Current Health: 3

-[X] Focus on her work. She has a contract with high-end merchants and a noble family, after all. (DEFAULT PICK) (She will still work on her designs if this is not picked, but there will be a chance for this month to be a "failure" by her reckoning)
-[] Accompany you, and lend her hoof. (Pick HALF of your own personal actions, rounded DOWN, and Rarity will accompany you while you perform them, giving narrative advantages or mechanical buffs as needed)
-[] Act as your emissary. (Pick an EXTRA action from your own pool, Rarity will perform it to the best of her abilities, ALONE, and report to you later)
~~-[] The Bright Library has enough knowledge for her to learn on her own. Tell her to focus on her studies, so she may turn into a Disciple.~~ BRIGHT LIBRARY INSUFFICIENTLY LEVELED
-[] Call her, you have a lot of things to tell her… and then a few introductions to make. (Induct her into the cult)
-[] Lead an Expedition. (Select her as the leader of an Expedition in which you will not take part, plan the other details of the expedition accordingly. You will still have to fund the Expedition yourself)
-[] Other (WRITE IN, in case you have a viable idea that I have not thought about. Certain ideas might even enter this list if they make sense)

Jade Whistle (currently a Disciple, LANTERN Level 3, HEART Level 1):

Current Health: 3

(You are personally worried that Jade might react badly if she fails on an action she attempts)

-[X] As per orders. She will go with the motions, as she usually does, and focus on her assignment given by the Master. (DEFAULT PICK)
-[] "You do you." Let her do whatever she wants for once. It might do her some good, both mentally and personally.
-[] Accompany you, and lend her hoof. (Pick HALF of your own personal actions, rounded DOWN, and Jade Whistle will accompany you while you perform them, giving narrative advantages or mechanical buffs as needed)
-[] Act as your emissary. (Pick an EXTRA action from your own pool, Jade Whistle will perform it to the best of her abilities, ALONE, and report to you later)
-[] The Bright Library has enough knowledge for her to learn on her own. Tell her to focus on her studies, so she may turn into an Seeker. (This will level her up, at the expense of her own focus action instead of an action of your own) BRIGHT LIBRARY INSUFFICIENTLY LEVELED
-[] Lead an Expedition. (Select her as the leader of an Expedition in which you will not take part, plan the other details of the expedition accordingly. You will still have to fund the Expedition yourself)
-[] ~~Jade mentioned she has a... feeling, about Selene. She'd like to investigate it, if that's alright.~~ (Require Selene's Knock level 2)
-[] Other (WRITE IN, in case you have a viable idea that I have not thought about. Certain ideas might even enter this list if they make sense)

Selene (MOTH 2; WINTER 2; EDGE 1; KNOCK 1):

As an alicorn, Selene has TWO actions.

-[X] Go play. (Selene will live a normal and happy life. This option costs one of her actions, it will always be picked, and there is nothing you can do to stop it.)
-[] Perhaps it is time to confirm it, that curious inkling she always had. (Teach Selene the final lesson of MOTH)
-[] There is something that she must learn now… for everypony's sake. (Teach Selene the final lesson of WINTER)
-[] Life is an adventure, so go live it! (Subtly teach Selene a lesson of EDGE)
-[] There is always something more to be learned from our dreams. (Subtly teach Selene a lesson of KNOCK)

[] Before this month starts, you will perform a ritual to draw the attention of [SPECIFY LORE] (This is a free action to summon "The Attention of the Laws")

[] Before this month starts, you will write uncle Steppes! [SPECIFY ACTION]
(Pick an action and ask if he can help. He may not be able to help, depending on the context, but there is no way of knowing beforehand. Do not pick this option if you don't want to ask his help this month.)

~~[] A fleeting opportunity (rumor mills spin, opportunities come and go. These actions will never be available again)~~
(There is nothing particularly interesting this month that you might miss if you don't act on immediately)

~~[] On what must be done~~
(There are too many paths towards fulfilling your Master's orders. They will not be listed here. Exploring higher reaches of the Mansus will be of great use, and you must teach the cult the secrets of Lantern)

[] On the treasures that bits may buy (actions where you search for things to purchase)

-[] There are books that could be of use. You should start looking for them.
--[] In Ponyville, and its… great assortments of libraries? (no extra cost) (HEART, FORGE)
--[] In the great libraries of Canterlot… the ones that are open to public access, that is (20 bits in transportation) (applies "Royal Favor") (LANTERN, GRAIL, SECRET HISTORIES)
--[] In the many small bookshops that dot the side streets of Manehattan (35 bits in transportation) (MOTH, EDGE, KNOCK)
(Due to SECRET HISTORIES 3, now you have a better idea of what you are more likely to find in each city)

-[] The cult now has an appropriate place to meet, but you could still use a discrete location that is all your own. Scout for a suitable place, or other buildings that might be for sale.

-[] Although you are personally judicious about such habits, you are still a noble. Searching for "peculiar items" to "add to your collection" is certainly not out of place… right?

-[] You haven't forgotten about it, you just put it on hold until a more convenient time. (Purchases done here will arrive/be completed at the end of this turn.) (Does NOT cost an action)

~~--[] NO ARTIFACTS AVAILABLE~~

[] On furthering your influence

-[] In Ponyville

--[] You now have a better grasp of the merchants in Ponyville, having had several letters of introduction sent around in your name. But what would you like to do next?
---[] Meet a few of them, and ingrain them to your cause. (WRITE IN if you will try to win them as personally loyal to you, or if you will point them in the direction of the cult)
---[] They are bit handlers, and that means they are a source of income. "Borrow" a few bits from your family and do a few quick investments. Everything will be back to its place by the end of the month, and you will be a little richer for that. (Attempt to gain a few more bits on the side, using your family's fortune as a lever)
---[] They know somepony who knows somepony who knows somepony. Use that to your advantage. (Ask them to search for an artifact. Specift LORE and LEVEL, up to Level 3. It will be added to your available list, but will be more expensive than normal)
---[] Something else. WRITE IN.

--[] They're not the Royal Guard, but they're still guards, and as much as they might not have that much work on their hoofs, they're still the go-to ponies in case something worrying happens. Try to ingrain yourself with them.
---[] Starry Dancer, as you were told, already made great progress in this front. Ask for her help, or offer to help her in this regard.
---[] Windy Flakes, it seems, is patroning them with the Windhoof Club. Talking to them there, and with him present, will probably be a lot easier.
---[] Do it yourself.

--[] A pony needs not to be a faithful of your cult in order to be useful, said pony needs only know what to report to whom, and when to keep one's mouth shut. Ponyville has an underworld, small as it might be, and their eyes and ears could be useful. Attempt to contact them.

--[] There is a house near the outskirts of town. One which very nearly got burned to the ground. You know its sole owner will not step hoof in it for a long while, but you surely can put it to use, right? Highly suspicious (Your first turn there will be spent "cleaning up" the most alarming things of the house. Further cleaning will surely be needed, but after this first once-over its suspicion level will lower)

-[] In Manehattan

--[] There are two members of the Inner Circle there, and it seems their influence is beginning to spread. Go there, and make sure some of that influence can be traced back to you. (Manehattan might soon have a cult cell founded within it, if the Master decides not to consolidate in Ponyville. Make sure you are known and respected over there, in case that really comes to pass. COSTS 35 BITS in transportation)

-[] In Canterlot

--[] Reach out to your family, at least the ones you go along well with.
---[] Reach out to your mother, as much as it might be… complicated. (costs 20 bits in transportation)
---[] Attempt to locate your older brother, Velvet Wings, as much as it might be difficult. (attempt to locate him, at first, via correspondence)
---[] Go there yourself and try to talk to your younger brother, Velvet Pride, although getting caught will probably be bad. (costs 20 bits in transportation, involves invading your family's own mansion)

--[] Reach out to other minor nobles of Canterlot.

--[] Reach out to other higher nobles of Canterlot, although that might be more complicated.

[] On aiding the cult

-[] You are the Loremaster! You are supposed to help your Master teach the faithful in the cult all manners of eldritch knowledge. Get to writing a Manifest on a Lore! [SPECIFY LORE] (Will produce a "book" to be added to the Bright Library, said book will be of the same level as your current level on the chosen Lore)

-[] Help Comet Feet
--[] He is gone from Ponyville, and is currently working to further the cult's interests in Manehattan. Reach out to him. (Costs 35 bits in transportation. WRITE IN what you would like to do involving him.)

-[] Help Starry Dancer
--[] Now that you know her a bit better, you can always just spend time with her.
--[] One step further from getting into the good graces of Ponyville's Guard, she is now supposed to somehow get them even closer. She would surely benefit from your presence.

-[] Help Copper Secateur
--[] She is gone from Ponyville, and is currently working to further the cult's interests in Manehattan. Reach out to her. (Costs 35 bits in transportation. WRITE IN what you would like to do involving her.)

-[] Help Windy Flakes
--[] You realize you don't know very much about him at all. Time to remedy that.
--[] His business is all set up, and now he has to run it. And do you know who is good at running businesses? That's right, you are.

-[] Actually, you just want to chat with somepony. (Write in who, if it's an Inner Circle member or if you want to get to know more about the Cult in general. Write in if there is a specific subject to talk about. Talking to ponies outside of Ponyville costs transportation.)

[] On planning an Expedition.

-[] "Beneath the Royal Castle"
--[] Scout out the place so you can have a better grasp of what lies ahead of you. (costs 20 bits in transportation)
--[] You know enough, and there is not much time. Gather your followers and head out. (Write in how many actions you will invest on this. An expedition will start at the end of this turn.)

[] On furthering your knowledge.

-[] The matters of [SPECIFY LORE] intrigues you, petition your cult's Master for a lesson (currently willing to teach all Lores up until level 5, gives a single scrap of Lore WITHOUT triggering a test)

-[] A boon? A gift? A trade? Petition your Master for something. (WRITE IN WHAT. She walks the Wake, so talking to her is now less complicated. She may, however, ask for something in return for a boon. She may also react in an entirely unexpected way).

-[] There is something about this… thing, and you must learn what it is (pick two artifacts to learn from their Lore, and check it for hidden abilities).
--[] ~~No artifacts available.~~ (Unless if recently bought)

-[] It doesn't have to be just during a leisure weekend evening, you can fit a few minutes of reading even when walking between rooms if you really get into it! (Pick up to three books to attempt to learn a scrap of Lore. Consumes books).
--[] BOOK, HEART Level 1. "A small book that covers a particular kind of elegant dancing".
--[] BOOK, HEART Level 2. "A novel about a mare who fell in love with a drummer, the romantic parts all written in rhyming poetry".
--[] BOOK, HEART Level 3. "A study about yak culture. The part about their history and folklore is of little use. The chapters about their songs, however…".
--[] BOOK, FORGE Level 1. "A small handbook on camping, explaining the basics of how to build a tent and start a small fire".
--[] BOOK FORGE Level 3. "A real guide to beginner's level blacksmithing. The bookstore owner almost seemed excited in having this reach your hoofs via your servants."
--[] BOOK, KNOCK Level 2. "A fairly recent, and short, book about dream interpretation. You know it is recent because it was dedicated to Princess Luna's return".

--[] Some other book (select a book you have bought this turn)

-[] This thing is ancient, and its secrets were nearly lost. You will have to first understand it before you can begin to learn from it. (Decoding a book requires dedicated research, your progress being based on a study roll. Reaching at least 50% of the total progress will "reveal" the total amount needed.")
--[] BOOK LANTERN Level 6. "An ancient, and enormous, hardcover tome written in an unknown language. You are not even sure what its title is, if it even has one, but the symbol laid on its front was enough for you to understand what it is about. On its cover you can clearly see the icon of a Sun, Divided." (Current Progress: 0/???)

[] On scaling the Mansus (Pick TWO options for every action spent)

-[] The Woods
--[] Explore the Woods, and its many whispers.

--[] There are other places connected to the Woods, but that are not in the Mansus proper. Look for them.

-[] The Blank Door
--[] Explore the Blank Plains, the first afterlife of ponykind.
--[] Visit the Lodge of the Sage Pony. You may not be able to talk to Baldomare, but you surely can listen very well.
--[] There are other parts connected to the Blank Plains. Look for them.

-[] The Shattered Stairways
--[] Some markings point to a… a place of sharpness? A castle of knives? (0/2 progress made)
--[] There are other markings to be followed within this maddening labyrinth of stairs. Follow them.
~~--[] This… this is the way upwards.~~ (You may only search for the next Door after completely exploring TWO places within the Shattered Stairways)

[] On more personal matters

-[] Of course you love your family very much, but you could always spend a bit more time with them.
--[] Just another pleasant day that you will spend with them. Perfect for cooling your head off.
--[] Alright, this might be a BIT on the cult-y side, but… why not start giving your family subtle hints of Lore here and there? You might catch their attention, or perhaps even their interest. (Stormchaser will surely see this as a major breach of trust)
--[] WRITE IN (other ways to spend time with your family, or anything else)

-[] Bits are the engine of Equestria! You have been working your hooves off for years now, so it won't be seen as scandalous if you write a letter to your father requesting an increase in your share of the family's grants… right?

-[] You do know "your place" in the family, but bits are still important. A letter asking for a one-time gift will surely be better received than one asking for a permanent "raise", right?

-[] You really shouldn't, but needs must. Every single ledger from the farms east of Ponyville pass through you, it would be a simple matter to have some "administrative mistakes" make some bits disappear from the coffers and appear in your pockets.
--[] Have a servant do it, having an actual scapegoat is ideal if things go wrong.
--[] Do it yourself, it's better this way.
--[] Wait, right, the Wildhoof Club. Get in touch with Windy Flakes, and see how serious he was when he mentioned the whole "laundering bits" thing.

-[] Go into town and try to meet somepony interesting.

-[] Sit down and work on a letter. Reach out to nobles who do not live in Canterlot. They, much like yourself, might not be deeply entangled on the webs of politics that surround the capital, but that just means they can also act with more freedom, right?

-[] Much to your own satisfaction, you now have a personal life outside of your maids, immediate family and business related meetings. You could choose to spend some time with… (SPECIFY if it will be "a social call" or "a step forward to converting said pony". SPECIFY if "you are willing to spend bits on this", for that little extra leverage)
~~--[] Teach Rarity yourself, and have her turn into an Disciple~~ Insufficient personal levels
--[] Induct Rarity into the cult
~~--[] Teach Jade Whistle yourself, and have her turn into a Seeker~~ Insufficient personal levels
~~--[] Twilight Sparkle, who leads the bearers of the Elements of Harmony~~
--[] Cheerilee, your daughter's schoolteacher
--[] Mayor Mare, the de-facto ruler of Ponyville
--[] Filthy Rich, a well-to-do and wealthy bussinespony
--[] Fluttershy, the recluse mare who lives on the outskirts of Ponyville
--[] WRITE IN (arrange to take your daughter to meet some of your younger acquaintances, or plan something else entirely)

[] On invoking the Lores (see RITUALS for more information, as well as CD and cost. SPECIFY if you will offer SACRIFICE)

The White Room, and the cult's cupboards:
-3 live changelings stored in the White Room
-1 changeling body stored in the White Room

Your own reagents, and other possible sacrifices:
-All of your Artifacts
-HEART, level 1 reagent

-[] It's actually a lot simpler than it sounds, now that you know what you are doing (produce a reagent, write in which Lore/combination of Lores. Cannot produce a reagent with a Lore level superior to your own.) (Producing a single reagent is a FREE ACTION, producing 3 costs 1 action, 5 costs 2 actions, so on.)
--[] Level 1 reagent (5 bits)
--[] Level 2 reagent (20 bits)
--[] Level 3 reagent (45 bits)

-[] It's grim work, but needs must.
--[] Acquire a dead body from the local cemetery.
--[] Acquire a live pony for the White Room.

-[] "The proper things, in the proper manner, in the proper order. God help us all." (Perform a Ritual)
--[] "The Attention of the Laws" (specify Aspect)
--[] "The Rite of Childhood's End"
--[] "The Forge's Redemption"
--[] "The Incision of the Heart"
--[] "The Path Through Nightmares" (specify target)
--[] "The End is Beautiful" (specify target)
--[] "The calling of Influence" (specify Aspect)
--[] "The Reflection of the Tapestry" (specify subject)
--[] Invoke a Risen (SPECIFY dead body used as source. ONE Risen is a FREE ACTION)
--[] Invoke Baldomare

--[ ] To be performed at your cult's gathering place, where it is discreet. But the cult will know of your actions.
--[ ] To be performed at your own home, where the cult will not know of your actions, but you probably will be discovered or leave traces of it. (Disallows the use of the cult's Cadre and possessions)
--[ ] ~~To be performed on another location~~ (you do not yet know or own any such location)

[ ] Others WRITE IN (anything, but I will have to consider it, and it might make the voting period a bit longer)

I have tried simplifying the voting phase, at least so it is more presentable and easy to navigate. Please let me know if it is any better/worse! I have also removed the "suspicion" tracker, since they were suggestions at best, and voter interpretation must apply. But regular servants still have their own opinions!

Remember that write-ins for anything may be suggested. I'll do my best to answer if they are reasonable in a timely manner.

There will be at least 48 hours of voting.

Velvet Covers is devoted to taking care of Selene. Actions that may ultimately lead to said duty being threatened will be extremely difficult to pull off. QM will comment if anything like that is being voted on.

Kindly observe a SIX HOUR MORATORIUM before voting.

OurLadyOfWires · Aug 24, 2024

[X] Plan Language of Light
-[X] (Work) A measured commitment. +6 Actions
-[X] (Fascination) You will police yourself. -2 Actions
-[X] (Purchases) Buy Grail 3, Edge 1
-[X] (Winter 3 Boon) Use a changeling corpse to summon a Flourishing Risen
-[X] (Forge 3 Boon) Craft a Lantern 3 Reagent for the Baldomare Summoning
-[X] (Attention of the Laws) Lantern towards deciphering the Lantern 6 text
-[X] (Uncle Steppes) Ask if he has any advice about getting along with Velvet Hill
-[X] (Selene) Learn Knock 2
--[X] Unless we get Edge 3; then learn Edge 2.
-[X] (Flourishing Risen) Shadow the Twilight imposter
-[X] (Cult Minions) Petition the cult for a book/ritual budget.
-[X] (Servants) Search for possible expedition locations near Ponyville.
-[X] (Rarity) Learn what she can about the Detective
-[X] (Jade) Perform Reflection of the Tapestry
--[X] If Baldomare is unavailable: Find (the non-changeling) Twilight
--[X] Else: Details on "Beneath the Royal Castle" expedition site
-[X] (Baldomare, if available) Reflection of the Tapestry: Find (the non-changeling) Twilight
-[X] Ask the Master for a Boon: rid us of this Fascination
-[X] Try Summoning Baldomare
-[X] (Priority 1; repeat until completed) Work on Deciphering the Lantern 6
-[X] (Priority 2) Read Books: Lantern 6, Heart 2, Heart 3
-[X] (Priority 3; repeat until completed): Retry summoning Baldomare if necessary
-[X] (Priority 4): Explore the Mansus:
--[X] A Place of Sharpness x2
-[X] (Priority 5): Explore the Mansus:
--[X] Explore the Blank Plains, the first afterlife of ponykind.
--[X] There are other markings to be followed within this maddening labyrinth of stairs. Follow them.

- - -

The light. It comes to you in your dreams.

Or at least you think it does. It has to, right? That is the only way any of this can possibly make sense.

Because the things you have seen, the things you are seeing, they can't be happening while you are awake… right?

Right?

You see it in the candles, the way they seem to grow brighter and brighter the more you look at them. So, you had the servants dim the candles. Pretend you have a lasting headache, give one less chores to the pegasi who light up the high chandelier of the main hall.

You see it in the sun, the way it seems to be moving closer to you instead of going higher in the sky, as the hours pass. So, you avoided it entirely. You did not look out through the windows, and you made your absolute best to ignore the fact that you could see the sun's light coming from two different windows, each of them at the opposite ends of a hallway.

And above all else, you dread that you will see, that sickly sweet light, reflected in your daughters' eyes, if you look too closely.

But you are still sane. You are still aware and in control. And as such, you realize that you cannot permit yourself to be like this for too long. Even this much has already been too much, and you know you must do something about it right now rather than soon.

There might be a deeper relationship between day and night than the one you know, or there might be a secret understanding between the sun and the moon that you are not aware of. You don't know. However, you thankfully can't see any signs of the light, as you leave your home after the sun sets and make your way towards the Wildhoof Club.

Although you still trot as quickly as possible. Not in a desperate running gallop, but not at a leisure pace either.

Because you know that for all that the light might not see you right now, you are still capable of seeing it.

You don't recognize the stallion working as a bouncer. But that fact, coupled with how he seems smaller than a regular farmhand but somehow more confident, makes you think that he must be one of the ponies who recently came from Manehattan.

"Not really worried about that right now," you say to yourself, keeping your eyes centered on the door as much as you possibly can. Forcing yourself into a tunnel vision of sorts, so you won't even notice the glare of the streetlamps you are being forced to walk by.

And the bouncer recognizes you. Or at least he doesn't see any harm in letting a well-dressed mare walk into a night club. Either works for you, and moments later you step into the Club proper.

You are greeted by the dimly lit sight of the Red Bar. More than that, your senses are almost assaulted as you enter the place.

It occurs to you that you have never been here at night, while this place was fully functional. You have already been here before, during the day, but that means that so far you have only seen the Club on its "tame" configuration. You have only seen the large hall that comprises the Red Bar set up as a restaurant-like place, a lounge-like refectory connected to several other leisure areas available for Club members.

But right now, in a display of contrast that is almost glaring, this place is the very definition of a night club.

A wave of sound hits you, the steady beats of a body-shuddering music coming from the open doors of the Heartbeat House, the loud music only barely being able to suppress the sound of activity coming from the dance floor. The place also smells different, and you can't feel any of the floral scents more common here during daylight hours. Instead, you can feel perfumes, the spicy hints of foods that are better described as snacks, and the unavoidable smell of accidentally spilt alcohol that is present whenever music and drinks are added to a place where there are no foals in sight.

You are sure that you would have been able to navigate this place adequately, under more normal circumstances. Granted, you might not have been able to mingle perfectly, with how rowdy everything and everypony seems to be, but you also know you would not be just an awkward mare sitting on a corner idly sipping from a cheap drink.

However, these are not normal circumstances, and you have not come here at this hour to establish a good rapport with ponies who are almost half your age.

So, you make a beeline for the door that leads to the back. Not the one that would take you to the administrative part of the club, but the one that will lead you to an out-of-the-way corridor, and eventually to the room that is still "under construction", inside which you will find the cleverly hidden trapdoor that leads to the underground.

It's a bit of a long way, and due to the size of the Club's building you can actually describe the path as "winding". But it is discreet enough, so you won't criticize it.

Of course, the first door you have to cross, the one that is in the Red Bar proper, is locked. And you can see a mare standing next to it, holding a glass and trying her best to look as uninteresting as possible, while she secretly watches for anypony who might grow too curious about that door.

Naturally, she notices you a few seconds before you reach her. You are not exactly hard to miss, with how focused you seem on reaching your objective.

"Hey, excuse me? Are you looking for anyth-?" she starts walking towards you as soon as you are within her hearing range. But you don't even break your stride,-

CLICK

-tapping the door with a hoof and opening it right after. You think the mare jumps up in surprise, as the three padlocks jump out of their sockets and the two bolts slide into their open positions without even a flicker of your horn.

But you don't really care, closing the door behind you almost at the same time as the padlocks hit the floor.

You navigate the corridor, enter the correct room, push aside the large and unassuming furniture and finally descend to the place properly dedicated to the Cult.

Hard to believe that everything aboveground is just a front to hide this, you think, with how large the Club has been growing.

Still, you push aside those musings, and focus on what you came here for. Specifically, you focus on finding out where your Master is.

…

Only to find frustration.

"Where in the heavens…?" you ask out loud, after you finish checking everywhere except for the White Room.

Where in the heavens is she?!

You checked every last place, every last room, but you couldn't find hide nor hair of her. You looked for her in the place where you meet, the curious veil-cloaked passage that you know somehow leads somewhere close to the Woods. You looked for her in the ritual rooms, both the smaller ones and the larger one into which the Third Circle had been transcribed after the Master was summoned. You even found the room that Windy mentioned that had been prepared for her. But still, you find no trace of the mare herself.

And that suddenly reminds you of the tone you heard in Windy's voice, when you last spoke with him. Yes, your Master might be very powerful, and she certainly has a lot to teach. But where the hay is her? You trust her, even if you are not sure of how deeply, but still… what kind of leader simply ups and disappears without talking to her closest subordinates?!

And yes, you are aware that right now you might be a little stressed. And you understand that you have a personal problem rather than a more Cult-related problem. But what if a real, Cult-important emergency happened? You don't know where she is, Windy and Jade both certainly don't either, so what are you supposed to do if something big happens?

"Velvet? Is everything alright?" a familiar voice snaps you out of your thoughts, and you turn around to see Starry Dancer approaching you, the teal streak on her orange mane swaying in a rhythm you can almost hear.

You are not sure what exactly Starry sees in your expression as you look at her, but she still purses her lips slightly.

"I'm fine," you say, far too late for her to ever believe you, "was just looking for the Master. There's something I'd like to talk to her about, but apparently she doesn't mind it if nopony can find her."

You slam a hoof on the ground as you say those last words, and that gives Starry pause, even if only for a moment.

You know that you are slightly unhinged, you realize that you are not exactly well. You can tell that to anypony else you might seem stressed, or that you are overreacting over something that is not that big of a deal.

But you know better. You know you don't have time to waste. Because as soon as the sun rises again tomorrow, the light will be back. And you know that each day it will be slightly brighter.

And you are not an idiot. You can see that you are standing on a railway, and just because the train is far away it doesn't mean that you shouldn't start moving away from the coming danger right now.

A few moments pass as you two stare at each other, but soon enough you see Starry Dancer's expression turns from a doubtful frown to a determined smile, although you have no idea why.

"Velvet, I know how you feel," she says, with a tone that brooks no disagreement.

"You do?" you ask her, failing to hide most of your doubtful tone. You hope at least that you didn't sound sarcastic.

"Yes! I also miss daddy very much sometimes. But I'll tell you a secret! Something he taught me, but that we should only do when it's very important. But I'm sure he wouldn't mind if I told you this, just make sure you only tell this to other ponies you also trust!"

You tilt you head at… several things the mare just said, confusion gleaming from your eyes with a light that you have to blink several times in order to suppress.

But before you can say anything else, Starry Dancer begins to tell you a secret she heard from your Master.

- - -

Starry assured you this isn't a ritual. She said that it is more like playing a game, of sorts. She mentioned it is similar to when foals come together to try and prove or debunk an urban legend or something.

Well, it certainly feels like a ritual in your opinion.

You did everything Starry told you to. You went back home, you covered your right hoof in a bundle of cloth tied to the middle of your foreleg, then you went straight to bed.

Sleep eluded you, of course, and you must have rolled on your bed for more than an hour, your heart racing as you wondered for the tenth time if you had closed the curtains properly, before the darkness finally came. And when unconsciousness reached you, you immediately embraced the offered choice of going to the Mansus. You knew you would be less safe from the light in there, with how closer you would be to GLORY, but you had to try Starry's suggestion nonetheless.

And here you are right now.

"Deep in the Woods," you say to yourself, repeating the instructions the pink pegasus gave you, "in a place far enough that you can't see the Crossroads, but not so deep that you can't see the light of from the top of the Mansus."

This… certainly feels like a ritual, no matter what Starry said.

Still, you follow through with it. Your right hoof in not covered by cloth in here, since that was something you did back in the Wake. But now that you think about it, you think what you are about to do will somehow reflect back in your waking body. Most likely, she told you to cover your foreleg just so you don't wake up to a mess.

Well, you are about to find out. You take a deep breath, and you bring up your right foreleg to your mouth, as close to the hoof as you can.

Then you bite down.

There is something especially hard about doing this, about biting yourself until you draw blood, that you can't really describe. It is a feeling that perhaps stems from a primal part of your brain, some deep part of your survival instinct that reels over the possibility that you are trying to harm yourself.

But this difficulty you are feeling is not only psychological, it is also very physical. Painfully physical, you must add.

You have already been cut. You have already accidentally tripped and had a small cut that drew blood. And because of that, you can say with absolute certainty that said experience was much less painful than what you are going through right now. It might be the adrenaline that you are feeling, or it might just be the sheer wrongness of the situation, but you can tell that your body is making this experience more painful than it really is just to try and dissuade you from doing it. Again, perhaps some final layer of defense, wired into your physiology from birth. Something that you really shouldn't force yourself to go against.

But right now, you don't have a choice. You need to draw your own blood, and there are no sharp objects to speak of here.

That is, none save your teeth.

So, you bite down. Until you get used to the pain and realize you can bite down harder. Until tears begin to form in the corner of your eyes against your will, and you realize you can bite down harder.

Rationally, you know ponies have a strong bite. You know that, physically speaking, you are perfectly capable of doing this. But still… it's so damn hard.

You keep biting, harder and harder, until you feel a coppery taste in your mouth.

And you let go almost as if you have just been shocked, breathing hard as you look at your foreleg to see a small bleeding wound there.

You blink the tears away, knowing you don't have much time. Because despite all the pain and effort you have just been through, you can see that this isn't much of a wound at all, and that it will soon scab and close. So, you edge your foreleg towards the tree in front of you.

And you gently… smear your blood over its roots.

The change in the atmosphere is instantaneous.

She is here.

Of course she is here. She has always been here. She never even left to begin with. And despite the great effort you did in the ritual, you did not "summon" her any more than you opened a hole through which she could pull at the strings of a puppet.

But now, it's different… now, she is here.

And chill runs down your spine, as you realize that…

That. Is not exactly. Something. Good.

And that is because...

The eyes that are looking at you, they are not the teaching eyes that have gazed upon you, several times in the past. They are not the doting eyes that recognize effort, or the sharp eyes that guide and order.

They are not the eyes your Master has gone through great pains to always use, when looking at you and your fellow cultists.

No.

These eyes that are looking at you right now, they are the festive eyes.

They are the unblinking eyes. The gleeful eyes.

You open your mouth to speak, realizing too late that there is a tinge of fear in your voice.

And she answers.

"Master...?"
"Little, little Velvet… have you come to reenact the Play?"

These are the eyes that are merry with hunger.

Eyes that are hunting.

Hunting for you.

You are running. You began to run before you could truly understand if the noise you heard was the sound of falling leaves, or if it was a stampede of claws from a creature with too many legs.

You are running, and you will run, and you ran, tripping over the reaching roots of trees and ducking under the sharp edge of scissors.

And the eyes run after you. With its claws and its wings and its glee and its whims and its pulsing lust to burrow under your skin.

- - -

This was a mistake.

As the roots press in around you like constricting snakes, as the black dirt slowly cover more and more of your body, that is the only thought that comes to your mind.

This was a mistake.

The Master caught you, because of course she would inevitably catch you.

You pleaded her to stop. You begged her to let you go. You tried every last thing you knew in order to wake up. None of that worked.

Your pleads were answered with roars of hunger, your cries were nothing but another track for he to follow. The beating of wings surrounded you as you tried to escape, coming from all directions at the same time, until at last she caught you.

And when she had you in her wood-like grip and under the drooling gaze of her many jaws, she placed a seed inside your mouth.

It felt like a seed, a rough oval-like shape with a pointy end. Perhaps it even tasted like a seed, as it pressed against your tongue for a split second.

But you wouldn't know. Because on the next moment, the seed sprouted.

And suddenly, your mouth was full of splinters.

It was agony. It was the fright of surprise followed by very real pain. It was the sudden burst of a thousand tiny needles growing inside your mouth, nailing your lips shut from the inside and penetrating the space between your teeth as they drilled into the flesh of your jaws and the bones of your skull. You tried to scream, in pain and in horror, but that only gave more space for the splinters to grow, and they spread into your throat and sealed it shut before you could utter a word of despair. You tried to cry, as your lungs ached and burned from your panicked efforts and lack of air, but the thing that was growing inside of you had sucked you dry of water before the tears could form in your eyes.

But the worst part came right after that. Despite the pain you were feeling, as your body was impaled from within by a thousand knifes. Despite the very real terror you were feeling that you were about to die. It all paled compared to what happened to you next. Compared to what you realized, moments later.

Because you realized that the sensation you felt on your tongue was not a seed. It was a lump.

And that meant you didn't have something growing inside of you, you did not have a horrifyingly alien plant growing in your entrails and feeding on your blood. It was much, much worse than that.

Because you realized that you were turning into it.

The horror you felt intensified tenfold once you understood that.

And you could feel it as it happened. Every step of the way.

You felt it, as your tongue turned into something hardened and barbed, painfully scraping and gashing against the insides of your throat and blocking off your breathing.

You felt it, as the change reached your heart, and a cold chill spread through your body as it stopped beating. Not because it had failed, but instead because you were being morphed into something that no longer required a heartbeat.

You felt it, as something stole your skin and gestated on your thigh, and the roots of the Woods burst joyously from the black dirt beneath your hoofs and from under your own skin to entomb you, dragging you to the underside and the inside of its shadows as you were stolen from yourself.

You felt it, as the stabbing change went deeper into your brain, all the way into your thoughts. Until it found that hunting light, nestled on the depths of your mind, and drunk deeply from it, just like it drank from your tears and your blood and the marrow of your bones.

It drank from you, it drank you, until there was no longer anything to drink, and your body was just a dry and black bark of wood, irreversibly transfigured into a trunk and indistinguishable from every other tree in the Woods. The twisted form of your thrashing legs turned into gnarled branches, the ragged shape of your mane turned into dry leaves.

You wonder if this is the origin of all the trees in the Woods. You wonder if this dark place is no more than a graveyard of transformed bodies, left behind by the spirits of the dead who were making their final trek towards the Blank Plains.

...

"Wake up, little Velvet."

...

It takes you a few moments to realize that you are lying on the ground, your face covered by a thin layer of black soil.

You get up in a starting fit, choking as you accidentally breathe in some of the dirt, and trembling on your hoofs to the point where you almost can't stand straight. Your thoughts race for a few moments, as you look around and try not to… remember what just happens.

But everywhere you look, you see nothing but the black bark of trees, and the expansive shadows of the Woods. You don't feel any danger, you don't feel any presences, and you slowly realize that there is no reason for you to be so tense.

Although that last part really does happen very slowly. With each deep, nervous breath lasting only a bit less than the last, your agitation draining from you only one drop at a time.

And only when your breathing is as calm as you will manage to get it anytime soon, do you realize there is a presence behind you.

You don't turn to look. You know there will be nothing there if you turn to look.

"She often mentions you, when she talks. But I am surprised she decided to teach you that, even if she probably forgot how it… feels."

You hear that voice. Your Master's voice. And you think she is talking through an amused smile.

But you stay silent. You have nothing to say, and you are not sure you would have been able to say anything even if you did.

"Or maybe she did? Perhaps she thought you would enjoy it like her? After all, horror and thrill are close sisters, and… well, it does not matter."

You turn around, and as expected you see nothing. Still, you start walking, away from the Woods and from these memories you hope you will soon forget. And the voice follows you, with its matronizing tone and bemused expressions.

You know your Master is not truly here. Not consciously, at least. But much like she could not help but answer your "call" when your blood hit the roots of that tree, she also cannot help but share her thoughts with you, in her mentor-like tone, as you make your way towards the Crossroads.

"Some things cannot be helped. Some things cannot be avoided. And one of them is that thing you just did. The first time the Woods tasted blood, it was on the eve of the merriest of Hunts. And much like the echo of a daydream, it cannot help but remember it every time blood is offered unto it."

She speaks, and you listen. But still, you hope you will forget this. All of this.

The terrors of the hunt, the horrors of changing and becoming, the sensation of splinters filling your insides and blocking your mouth and your throat and your lungs.

You remember why you were searching for your Master in the first place, but that seems like a distant concern now. A petty concern, which was drunk away from inside of you like so much else was.

Although you think there is something else in its place, now. A lesson that you Master left in your mind like a parting gift, so the empty space left by the light would not serve as a nest for anything else.

You wonder if this lesson of hers was worth it.

You wonder if you should not have trusted her, and left her alone if she did not wish to be found.

You are now free of Fascination.

As a dubious sign of favor, you think your Master also took this as a learning experience for you. Regardless of what you think, she has left a tidbit of knowledge inside your head. An echo of experience you will remember, when you wake up to a bleeding foreleg, even as you forget everything else. You have gained one scrap of MOTH Lore.

OurLadyOfWires · Aug 24, 2024

[X] Plan Language of Light
-[X] (Work) A measured commitment. +6 Actions
~~-[X] (Fascination) You will police yourself. -2 Actions~~
-[X] (Purchases) Buy Grail 3, Edge 1
-[X] (Winter 3 Boon) Use a changeling corpse to summon a Flourishing Risen
-[X] (Forge 3 Boon) Craft a Lantern 3 Reagent for the Baldomare Summoning
-[X] (Attention of the Laws) Lantern towards deciphering the Lantern 6 text
-[X] (Uncle Steppes) Ask if he has any advice about getting along with Velvet Hill
-[X] (Selene) Learn Knock 2
--[X] Unless we get Edge 3; then learn Edge 2.
-[X] (Flourishing Risen) Shadow the Twilight imposter
-[X] (Cult Minions) Petition the cult for a book/ritual budget.
-[X] (Servants) Search for possible expedition locations near Ponyville.
-[X] (Rarity) Learn what she can about the Detective
-[X] (Jade) Perform Reflection of the Tapestry
--[X] If Baldomare is unavailable: Find (the non-changeling) Twilight
--[X] Else: Details on "Beneath the Royal Castle" expedition site
-[X] (Baldomare, if available) Reflection of the Tapestry: Find (the non-changeling) Twilight
~~-[X] Ask the Master for a Boon: rid us of this Fascination~~
-[X] Try Summoning Baldomare
-[X] (Priority 1; repeat until completed) Work on Deciphering the Lantern 6
-[X] (Priority 2) Read Books: Lantern 6, Heart 2, Heart 3
-[X] (Priority 3; repeat until completed): Retry summoning Baldomare if necessary
-[X] (Priority 4): Explore the Mansus:
--[X] A Place of Sharpness x2
-[X] (Priority 5): Explore the Mansus:
--[X] Explore the Blank Plains, the first afterlife of ponykind.
--[X] There are other markings to be followed within this maddening labyrinth of stairs. Follow them.

- - -

You have bought two books. 37 bits have been deduced from your personal coffers.

You have asked for one of the bodies that was at the Cult's disposal, and used it to summon a Flourishing Risen. It will shadow the Twilight Imposter, and report its results later.

- - -

You wake up feeling… normal.

And that sensation by itself is more refreshing than you ever thought it would be.

You don't feel unhinged. You don't feel nervous. You don't feel as if you will simply lose yourself in your thoughts, staring blankly at nothing, if you don't keep yourself constantly in check.

And most importantly, you know that you can get out of bed and open the curtains wide open without feeling afraid.

That is what strikes you the most, the fact that fear and paranoia were affecting you as much as that light was. After all, you knew that there was something very wrong with you, but the ever-present terror that you might slip into it if you weren't constantly vigilant was just as draining to your mind.

Although you are… not exactly sure of what happened. You still remember it clearly, the memories you had about a curious afternoon in Canterlot, when you talked to somepony who might have been you and was followed back by something. You remember all of that. But you are not exactly sure of what happened last night for you to feel so refreshed.

A tingling sensation on the back of your mind tells you that it might have something to do with the Woods. You almost feel that familiar numbness in the mind, the after-effect you always have when you get lost and forget about something, but there is something more about it that you can't quite exactly place a hoof on.

As if you could hear the buzzing inside your skull, but it also had a thumping rhythm to it.

A mystery for later, you suppose. Besides, you have already accepted, as strange as it might sound, that part of the things you will learn from your Master also involves forgetting. So, you know it is better if you simply don't dwell too much on it, and trust that whatever you did was for the best when you decided to do it.

Also, you're not about to look a gifted dog in the mouth. So, as long as you aren't doing anything dangerous you suppose everything will be alright.

With that, you get up from bed. A flick of your horn opening the curtains an-

"Ouch! What in the Tartarus?" you exclaim, feeling a slight jolt of pain as soon as your hoofs hit the ground. Your eyes immediately go to your hoofs, and moments later you realize your right foreleg is covered in a bloody piece of cloth.

A half-remembered chill runs down your spine, followed by the unbidden thought that the Woods are not exactly a safe place to begin with. You carefully pull back the piece of cloth, seeing the strange markings of… something, near the end of your foreleg.

Definitely not a cutting mark, you think, although you can't really identify what it is. It looks like something bit you, perhaps?

But whatever it was that bit you, it definitely was not a pony.

Which makes you think that… whatever you did last night, it was a bit more on the dangerous side than you are comfortable thinking about.

You suppress a shudder. You should go clean this dry blood. And you hope that this mark, whatever it is, won't scar, or at least that your fur will cover it up if it does.

- - -

- - -

- - -

You are inside one of the annex buildings of your estate, a small mixture of a toolshed and a workshop that you rarely remember even exists. This place is mostly used by the servants, both to storage and to employ whatever tools they need to perform the myriad odd jobs required for the maintenance of such a large mansion.

There is a little bit of everything here: gardening tools, carpentry utensils, a rather respectable storage of cleaning aid and other tame chemicals, as well as several other things beside. But right now, you are not interested in any of that.

Instead, you are standing in front of a long workbench, looking at the large amount of ingredients that you have bought over the last few days. But contrary to what you first expected, none of them are immediately suspicious or strange, and none of them are expensive either.

When you first started planning on what to do, you thought you would have to buy a few of the more magically charged reagents, or perhaps even something that you would have to import from Canterlot or another larger city.

But to your own surprise, when you finished penning your idea down, you realized that everything you would have to procure was, in fact, fairly cheap.

The worrying part is that you had to buy a lot of it.

And you mean a lot.

That is why you spread your shopping over the last few days. Because the alternative would be to ask one of your larger employees to accompany you to Ponyville with a small cart, and the two crate's worth of odd ingredients you bought would certainly raise a few eyebrows. Maybe not in Ponyville, seeing how this is still a rural town, but that would still be a bit of gossip fuel among your own servants as soon as word inevitably spread.

And you will avoid cultivating an eccentric image as much as possible, especially given everything that happened not long ago.

Regardless, despite the time it took you, you are now ready to begin.

You open wide the windows of the workshop, letting the morning sun shine on the workbench, and you float out the first batch of ingredients that you will be using, putting them on the wooden bowl where the resulting slush will be stored for later use.

Then you shut your eyes hard, and put on the protective goggles you found nearby as an extra measure.

Taking a deep breath, you pull out the magnifying glass, and begin the first step.

You have produced a LANTERN Level 3 reagent. 45 bits have been deduced from your personal coffers.

- - -

You made it so that it would be shaped like a candle. And much to your surprise, it became transparent once you were done.

Crude work, you know, but you are not exactly good with your hoofs. And using your horn was not an option. The resulting substance somehow gives off more light than it absorbs, lighting up like a bonfire and illuminating everything around it if you place but a single lit match next to it. However, you soon realized that it also slowly dissipates into white smoke as it shines.

So, you covered it in several layers of cloth, and made your way to the Cult as soon as you were ready.

Yes, you are in a hurry. You spoke to Jade beforehand, during the days it took you to gather the ingredients, and you hope she and her cadre will be ready when you arrive. But you are seriously considering getting on with it even if they aren't. You really, really want to get this done as soon as possible.

And that is because, during these last few weeks… you realized that you need more help.

Everything happened too quickly. Your Master's arrival, the things you discovered about the Mansus, the appearance of the changelings, your travel to Canterlot with Twilight, everything. To the point where you really did not have any time to think about it.

But as the days went by, and you slowly came to terms with everything that happened, you realized it.

The more you thought about it, the more it dawned on you just how quickly everything seems to be escalating. And quite possibly, what happened to Twilight was the straw that broke the earth pony's back.

It dawned on you that you might not be enough. That your "side", if you can call it that, might not have what it takes as things currently stand.

Of course, you know you have plenty of ponies you can count on already. There is the Master, and there is the Cult, and there is Jade Whistle, and there is Rarity. But that still doesn't change the fact that… that you are no longer working towards a distant and elusive goal, you are no longer doing groundwork for a long-term project, or just looking for a solution on how to combat the Worms.

No, things have changed.

You have enemies now, and everypony you just mentioned is now in danger. Everypony you just mentioned, and several others you have not (your own family included), is now at risk of… of having the same thing that happened to Twilight Sparkle happen to them.

So, you need more hoofs on the case. You need more information, and you need more power, and you need all of that yesterday if you are going to help Twilight as soon as possible.

And thank the heavens, you know where you can find all of that. Thank the heavens, there is at least something you can do that might make things better.

You know a pony who you could tell at a glance had all of those things you need. You know a pony, or a creature, or whatever else she might be, that you somehow could feel was on an entirely different level. Even though you were in a state where it should have been impossible to feel anything.

You know Baldomare. And although you have not seen her since that one time, and despite the fact that you have no idea how she would even feel about what you are planning to do, you know that you can't put off trying to call her any longer.

With those thoughts, you march into the Wildhoof Club, your saddle bag tightly secured against your side and your expression serious as you make your way towards the back doors.

- - -

The summoning room is quite large.

Of course, it is only as large as it needs to be, and although the room is shaped like a square, its floor is entirely dominated by the Three Aspect Ritual Circle. The only parts of the floor that are free of carving are the ones closest to the four corners, by sheer virtue of the Ritual Circle being a circle.

You also realize that this being an underground room must also have added several complications to its construction. The markings on the floor cannot be obstructed by support beams, so you wonder how hard it was to reinforce the ceiling of such a wide room, in order to prevent cave-ins or some other disaster.

Still, the construction of this room was necessary, and even insisted on by Windy Flakes, given how impractical it would be to conduct further summonings on the Woods-close place where you meet with the Master.

But what is more, even though there is not much free room in here, since only the ponies involved in the ritual itself may step into the circle, there are still a lot of onlookers present. Even Windy is here, you realize as you spot him on one of the corners of the room, surrounded by other Cult members.

Well, you don't really mind a crowd. And more importantly, neither you nor Jade can see any changelings, and everypony seems to be vouching for each other. So let them watch if they want, you think to yourself. It might even be a learning experience for them.

You have more important things to take care of.

[Summoning Ritual]

You asked Jade Whistle to procure several mirrors for the ritual, while you were working on the fine details of the outermost circle. And when she returned with her cadre, each of them carrying a hoof-mirror with them, you told them to go find more.

Yes, you will be needing a lot of light, and for that you will be using a lot of mirrors. In fact, ideally you would have wanted true sunlight, with a long trail of mirrors reflecting the midday sun all the way down to this underground room. But that would have been impractical, so you need even more mirrors to make up for it.

However, you don't just need more light, you also need more reflections.

And that is because you will be pulling off a little trick with them.

[Secret Histories Roll: 17 + 13 (Magic) + 40 (SECRET HISTORIES Level 4) + 16 (Cadre) = 86]

[Success]

The room is almost completely dark, and this being an underground room means that there is no natural light to speak of. You have allowed a few candles to be lit, for the convenience of the Cadre and the small crowd of onlookers, but on the strict condition that they are not allowed within the Ritual Circle itself.

As such, there are currently only four sources of light within the summoning room. One on each of the four corners. Four lit candles being held by one of the several ponies who are looking at you with curious eyes.

There are several other candles around you, of course. A full row of candles on the inner edge of the outermost Circle, surrounding you, and another row on the outer edge of the outermost Circle, surrounding the mirror-bearing forms of Jade and her Cadre. But they are all unlit.

For now, at least.

You tap a hoof on the ground, and in a fluid movement Jade and her Cadre turn their mirrors towards you. You turn your gaze towards the ground for a few moments, as you focus, honing your senses as you look for… as you look for it.

And a few seconds later, you find it.

You turn towards one of the mirror-bearers in particular, a stallion whose name you don't really know. But you don't focus on him, not exactly. Instead, your eyes immediately narrow on the mirror he is holding.

You focus on your own reflection. At that vague silhouette that, just like you, is surrounded by unlit candles and equally indiscernible ponies, in a poorly illuminated room.

And you realize there is something very wrong about that reflection.

You nod at him, at the mirror-bearing stallion, and he obeys without question.

He gives the mirror a full swing, turning its reflective surface towards himself until you can no longer see it, then turning it back to you.

A soft gasp comes from the watching crowd, and you allow yourself a smile when the mirror is once again facing.

Because this time, the summoning room that is being reflected back at you is bright and well-lit. The Velvet Covers that is looking at you, with the same smile you have on your face, being surrounded by rows upon rows of burning candles.

The mirror-bearing stallion flinches for a few moments, as he realizes the mirror he is holds is now somehow giving off light. But a glare from you keeps him in place.

And then you turn towards the rest of the cadre, looking for the next mirror whose reflection feels just slightly off.

By the time you are done with the third mirror, the onlookers have already doused the four candles, their pitiful light no longer being necessary to see anything. When you finish with the last mirror, there is no longer a single shadow left within the Ritual Circle.

Even though there is not a single lit candle inside the summoning room.

[Knock Roll: 29 + 13 (Magic) + 30 (KNOCK Level 3) + 18 (Cadre) = 90]

[Success]

Next comes the universal part. That being the invitation itself. The innermost circle has been altered to attract the attention of the Histories, and the outer circle has been modified by you personally so as to reflect the nature of the one you wish to summon. But the middle circle remains the same.

The middle way, the bridge, the path. They are always providence of Knock.

So, you can do nothing but speak the words. You speak the words, and you pray that you do not mispronounce anything. You speak them, and you pray that the Cadre keeps up with your rising tempo. You speak them, and you try to ignore the fact that your tongue feels slightly different in your mouth as you utter the words, feeling less like the tongue of a pony and more like that of a snake.

But in the end, things go as well as they possibly can, and you feel the slight pressure in the air that indicates that the skin of the world is thin now, and may be wounded if this continues any further.

[Lantern Roll: 49 + 13 (Magic) + 30 (LANTERN Level 3) + 16 (Cadre) + 30 (Sacrifice) = 138]

[Success]

[You have consumed a LANTERN Level 3 reagent]

And then…

"Close your eyes," you say with a commanding tone.

Nopony dares disobey.

You then turn your attention to the center of the circle, where you had placed your cloth-covered sacrifice beforehand.

The summoning circle is now perfectly illuminated, even though none of the candles that surround you are lit. But that is because every last one of the mirrors is now contributing their light to the room, as if they were each open doors that lead to a brighter version of this place.

So, you have no idea how intense this will be.

All that you know is that you need light. More than that, you need the correct form of light. And the substance you produced will act both as a filter, to transform the light of the mirrors into something usable, as well as a magnifier of its intensity.

Still, you have no idea just how intense this will be. When you were done shaping the candle you made a small test, by placing a lit match close to the substance, and that was enough to make it shine like a bonfire.

But here? In this room that is brightly lit with the light of nearby Histories? In this place where the skin of the world is thin? You have no idea what will happen once you remover the covers you placed around it.

You take a deep breath and close your eyes. Reaching for the cloth with your hoofs and hoping that, however it is that you can see through your closed eyelids, it will be enough to protect you from whatever happens next.

You pull the cloth from around the transparent candle.

And then there is light.

[All three rolls successful]

[Ritual successful]

- - -

You… don't know how you feel about this.

The one thing that you hoped would happen, that being Baldomare accepting your invitation, did not happen.

The Lantern-candle did not shine so much as it exploded, as soon as you exposed it to the well-lit room. And for a singular, blinding moment there was so much light that everything went white. More than that, there was so much light that everything went to a color beyond white. You didn't just see the light, you also heard it. You even felt its taste.

And when you came back to your senses the whole room was covered in that white smoke, the sacrifice you made having consumed itself and disappeared in an instant.

However, you saw no signs of Baldomare.

You helped Jade get up, and you helped the other Cult members get back on their hoofs. After that, you helped collect the shards of the two mirrors that fell on the floor, their holders probably losing their grips due to sheer surprise, while the confused and dazed onlookers filed out of the summoning room.

Still, for all that the ritual seemed to have failed… somehow, you still know that something happened.

You realized it as soon as you helped Jade get back on her hoofs, after the Lantern-candle knocked everypony to the ground.

You saw it in her eyes, that subtle… something shining off from them in a way you don't really understand.

And you think Jade noticed it as well, with how she held your hoof for a few moments longer than necessary after you pulled her up.

The ritual failed, and yet…

Something happened.

You leave the Club shortly after, and you can see it all around as you walk back home. Even though you are not sure how to describe it.

It's not that the sun seems to be a bit brighter, as you make your way through the streets. But the light somehow feels different.

It's not that the windows of the houses seem clearer, as you walk by them. But you feel as if they are somehow refracting light in an odd way.

You don't know the words for it. You don't even know if there are words to describe it. But it is as if everything around you, as if Ponyville itself, was now somehow surrounded by a…

By a presence.

And that presence interacts with the light… that presence changes the way that light acts, in a way that is so subtle that you are almost not sure if it is really happening.

What is more, whatever this change might be doing, it seems to be consistent. Natural, almost. Not as if something was forcing the world around you to act differently, but instead as if this presence had changed the rules somehow.

It almost feels like the effect you have felt about your Master, sometimes. And you wonder for a few moments if your Master's presence also does something like this, and maybe you did not notice it because she encroached upon Ponyville over the spam of several years. Regardless, you are sure of two things.

One, that something happened.

And two… that as much as it might leave a rather sour taste in your mouth, it seems that Baldomare was not interested in accepting your invitation.

"Maybe I should visit her?" you think out loud, as you cross the gardens of your estate, "maybe there is some sort of etiquette about this that I don't know of?"

You say that, although you still have no idea how to communicate with her if you were to give her a visit. At best, you would have to hope that somehow she brings up the subject, while you stare at her mutely.

Well, at least you are back home now, so you will be able to think what to do next more calmly. Maybe you should call Jade over tomorrow, and-

"Oh, the world is flat; but it is flat I say!"

Your thoughts come to a grinding halt as you open the doors to your estate, as you immediately hear a voice that is terribly familiar.

"Flat as a board! No matter what you try to say about experiments and globes. We use maps for a reason, after all!"

That voice is rather high-pitched, and sounds slightly old even though you can sense a lot of vigor behind it. It almost reminds you of a voice you might have made, if you were reading a bedtime story to your daughters and had to read the lines of a character that was a witch.

"Now, as I was saying," the voice continues, "Onyx Hilt was no fool. Well, he was a fool actually, but he wasn't enough of a fool to think he was not in danger. So he flew against the tornado, knowing that he would never reach his enemies before the winds swept him away!"

Your pace quickens, and you immediately realize that the voice is coming from the dining hall, and it seems to be telling a story to somepony.

To several ponies, in fact.

"Auntie Baldy, tell us what happens next!"
"Yes, then what?"
"Tell us, tell us!"

You only have half a second to realize you just heard Silky Stream, as well as various other servants, say something, before you have a hoof on the door.

"Calm down, calm down. Story's not over yet, and we won't reach the end of it if you keep interrupting me!"

You enter the dining hall.

"In fact…"

And you are shocked by what you see.

Because…

Well. For starters, because there is food on the table, a feast-like and half-eaten breakfast of sorts, which was clearly put together with the idea of "a little of everything" in mind.

But you don't really mind that. Or rather, that is not exactly what shocked you.

Then there is the… the veritable crowd of ponies inside the dining hall. You can't say for sure, not at a glance at least. But if you had to guess, you would say every last servant of the estate is here, all of them sitting on chairs or on the floor as they raptly listen to a story.

Right. That is indeed weird. But not the most shocking thing.

And then there is the fact that Baldomare is sitting by the table, with Silky Stream, Soft Sweeps and Selene sitting next to her, their expressions wide with excitement or shy attention as they hang on to every word the mare says, like the trio of fillies they are.

THAT is what shocks you.

"Why, hello there Velvet dear! It's been so long!"

And as Baldomare direct those words at you, everypony immediately realizes you are there.

The mare is exactly as you remember her. Apparently as old as you, her mane tied behind her back in a bun, and wearing glasses. You definitely don't remember her being a pegasus, but that is not exactly something you put too much thought into.

Her cutie mark, as well, immediately becomes apparent to you, even though it is hidden underneath the table. It is a lantern, you know. Or rather, The Lantern. The very first to tame light into a dome of glass, the concept of which every other lantern that came after sought to imitate, for the remainder of both history and the Histories.

And several other things happen at the same time, while you are staring dumbfounded at Baldomare, as soon as everypony sees you.

First and more obviously, Silky immediately makes a zipping beeline towards you, hitting hard against your chest with the strength of a tiny cannonball and surrounding your neck with a hug as she welcomes you back home.

Ponpon begins to look extremely flustered, tapping her hoof against the ground in a commanding way. That causes the other servants to snap out of their own caught-red-hoofed shock, and the dining halls turns into a localized maelstrom as the servants immediately make a run for the nearest doors.

Soft Sweeps puts down the ice cream she was eating, her face turning red, and does her very best to act like somepony her age.

But Baldomare, on the other hoof, merely gets up and starts walking towards you.

"I am so sorry we missed each other. There was an earlier train on its way here, so I figured I'd take it! Besides, that train station where you were waiting for me was all sorts of gloomy. Not the sort of place I enjoy being, you see."

You merely nod at her, still feeling a bit dazed as she walks up to you and gives you a hearty hug, somehow making it work despite the fact Silky is still practically glued to you.

"Now, why don't you settle in? We'll have plenty of time to catch up. But not before I'm done with what's on the table. It has been too long since I had a good meal!"

And then she lets go of you, as if the two of you were old friend who had just finished greeting each other, making her way back to the table and sitting next to Selene, who shily looks up at her while she waits for the mare to continue the story.

"As I was saying dear…" the mare picks up from where she left.

And you… you take a few more seconds before you can move once again.

You have summoned Baldomare!

Baldomare, the Name of Lantern and master of Secret Histories, has claimed a room at the topmost floor of your estate, "To better look at the rising sun" as she said. The two of you had a very long conversation after that, and once you two were alone she explained in an almost professional manner about the relationship between a summoned creature and its summoner. But more importantly, she explained that it is also better to keep a civil relationship with your summons, if they are sapient and intelligent like herself, seeing how they may actually refuse an invitation if you anger them. Although you needn't worry too much about that when it comes to more savage and wild creatures.

You now have a greater insight of Baldomare! Her information sheet has been updated to reflect that.

Due to the fact that Baldomare's summon has added new information you could not predict, a VOTING will be opened for her action, in case you would like to change what she is supposed to do this turn.

Possible actions for Baldomare:

-[] Accompany you, and lend her hoof. (Pick HALF of your own personal actions, rounded DOWN, and Baldomare will accompany you while you perform them, giving narrative advantages or mechanical buffs as needed)
-[] Act as your emissary. (Pick an EXTRA action from your own pool. Baldomare will perform it to the best of her abilities, ALONE, and report to you later)
-[] Lead an Expedition. (Select her as the leader of an Expedition in which you will not take part, plan the other details of the expedition accordingly. You will still have to fund the Expedition yourself)
-[] Ask for a Lesson. (Grants you one scrap of Lore of either Lantern or Secret Histories. Write in which.]
-[] Channel an Influence. (During this turn, instead of the usual two months, she will gift you the highest order of Influence for either Lantern or Secret Histories. Write in which.]
-[] "Go have fun". (Give an amount of bits to Baldomare, and she will return with something interesting. She won't bother to do it unless you give her at least 100 bits. You may suggest her what you want, but she will most likely not listen to you.)
-[] Prolong her stay. (Write in an unread book you would like to give her, level 5 or higher, and she will reset her summoning period counting from the end of this turn) (FREE ACTION)
-[] Other (WRITE IN, in case you have a viable idea that I have not thought about. Certain ideas might even enter this list if they make sense)

This may or may not end up being a small alteration to the turn plan, but this is being offered only due to the fact that the information you had on Baldomare was incomplete beforehand. You may not suggest any other alterations to the current turn plan.

Kindly observe a four hours moratorium. Voting will be closed forty-four hours after the moratorium ends.

"Pleasant to talk to, and with a face that is surprisingly young for the voice she speaks with. There is a light in her eyes, although the ignorant will simply think that to be a piercing and observant gaze, and she doesn't seem to have a shadow. It is also curious how nopony can ever remember if she is a pegasus, unicorn or an earth pony. You think she can choose."

Baldomare

Summoning requirements: LANTERN 100, KNOCK 80, SECRET HISTORIES 60.

Summoning cost: 100 bits.

Summoning details:
-Baldomare is willing to extend (reset) her summoning period if you gift her an UNREAD book of Level 5 or higher. "Of course it has to be unread, dear. What use do I have to a book that has already been read?"
-Baldomare is capable of CHANNELING the highest intensity of Influence in her Lores, and gifting it to you for a full month.
-Baldomare is considered to be a Minion, and does not mind being sacrificed for Rituals.

Health: 2/2
General bonus: +30
"Search actions" bonus: +50
Aspects: LANTERN 6, SECRET HISTORIES 6
[NAME]: There is, or was, a hierarchy within the Mansus. She has reached high within its ranks.
[RITUALIST]: Unlike most Names, she is willing to perform any Ritual, even if they do not involve one of her preferred Lores.
[ONE WHO IS VERY GREAT]: Baldomare is willing to offer you Sacrament in the Lores of Lantern and Secret Histories, should you fulfill her requirements.
[WEIGHT OF PRESENCE]: Baldomare grants a full level up to the Wildhoof Club for her preferred Lores.

[NONCOMBATANT]: Baldomare refuses to engage in any sort of fighting, and has adjusted her health to reflect that. "I barely ever wear a body! So why would I want to feel pain on the rare occasions I do?"
[UNIQUE]: Baldomare is a unique creature. She may refuse summons at will, and will not return to the Wake for three full months should she be unsummoned for any reason (including if she is killed).

OurLadyOfWires · Aug 24, 2024

Apparently, Baldomare has claimed one of the rooms of your estate for herself. "This feels like the sort of place that can fill up with guests very quickly, so I'd better get one of the better rooms before anypony else!"

She also doesn't seem to have any problems asking your servants for whatever she needs. By no means she is a bossy guest, but she is not shy about it either. If you had to describe the current situation in few words, then you would say that she has already made herself at home.

Well, you do hope she stays for a while, so you'll take that as a good sign.

Her "official story" is that she is a friend of yours from college, who will be spending some time at your estate as a guest while she works on a book she is writing. And it seems that nopony doubts her in the slightest.

Although the fact that she produced from her saddle bag a picture of your wedding, in which she was standing next to you and your family, helped her case a lot.

"Trick? What trick? There is no trick, Velvet. You can clearly see in the picture that I was there, no?"

You later checked the other photos you have, the ones from your own personal collection, and sure enough she was there... somehow.

You decided not to dwell too much on it.

There are still a lot of more important questions to be asked, before the day is done.

-General information, on summons and Mansus-creatures.

"Basically, the Knock-part of the Ritual Circle also has a few binding features to it. That's one of the reasons why we don't fiddle with that part of the Circle, apart from the fact that you will always need Knock to do any summons to begin with. But anyways, it basically establishes a relationship of service between summoner and summon. A summoned creature may resist and thrash against the bindings during the ritual, but if you 'win' then it will be bound to obey you until its time runs out. Oh, but just so you know, beings like myself are different. I'm a bit too much to be called with a simple summoning, so what I do is send a part of me here to the Wake. A reflection of myself, so to speak. So, you can order me around here in the Wake, but you don't exactly have a binding over my real-self."

-On your Master and whatnot.

"Of course I know it. Who doesn't know it and... Wait... Ohhhh, that makes sense. Well, it would be very rude of me to end this charade that it's doing, so I'll keep my silence."

-On the Mansus and whatnot.

"There is nothing I can really tell you that will be of any help. You either go there by yourself and eventually find out, or you don't, in which case telling anything beforehoof would not matter."

-But why an "unread" book?

"What would I ever do with a book that is already read?"

-What about Selene?

"You have half an Outsider posing as a filly in your house, and you're asking me the questions? For goodness sake Velvet, next thing I know you're gonna pretend to not even know what an Outsider is!"

-Erm... what is an Outsider?

"..."

-Show her Selene's Blankets.

Baldomare's expression changes as soon as you show her the blankets, and she takes them on her hoofs with a very serious expression for a few moments.
Until she sighs, and gives them back to you.
"Not my place... not my time. Well, I got a better deal than most. Put that away Velvet, it'd be a crime if we spilled our drinks on it."

-Also, what did you mean by catching an earlier train... how did you do that?

"Don't worry about it, Velvet."

-What about Brands? What's their deal? How do they work?

"A Brand is just that: a marking. It used to be more useful, when there were more Branded and you had to know if you were dealing with somepony whose interests might align, or conflict with your own. And of course it's also an instrument, but only in the same way that the knowledge inside your brain is an instrument or a tool at your disposal."

-I have a rather old book here that...

"Oh wow, that is old. It takes me back, even! Always hated reading this kind of glyph though, but..." her horn lights up as she flips a few pages, "well I don't see anything immediately wrong in here. Enjoy your reading!"

-On the Worms...

"Ah, yes. The Worms. Worrying about them is a tale as old as time, Velvet, trust me. I'll have to look around the Wake for a little bit, but I can tell at a glance that things are... different, than they were back then. I won't say that they were simpler, quite on the contrary, but at least it was a system that I was used to. But now? Well, the fact that the Wake still exists shows us that something must have put a ward in place, or taken some action about it. But I admit I know as little about it as you do, right now. Still... if what you told me about Selene is true, then... well, a Worm nearly making its way in is the very definition of an apocalyptic close call. It is good, then, that there is finally somepony doing something about it. They don't really care about the passage of time, you see, so if we are in a situation that it's only a matter of 'when' they will make it in here, then we have already lost. Well, not lost lost, but we really should work something out to make sure that 'when' turns into a 'never'!"

-And what of... what of the Lores...?

"Now, Lore affinity is something that we can spend the whole night talking about, and still only scrape the surface of the subject. I won't say you are marked for greatness, but I won't say that what you do is normal or unnatural either. The Lores don't care, Velvet, they just are. And if you can grasp them more easily than other ponies then you should worry about what you will do with that, instead of the hows or the whys. And in the end of the day, you are still mortal. It doesn't matter how many secrets you know if you just keep them in your head. Cheating death takes a lot of effort, you know?!"

-Why don't you pursue Glory?

She looks deep into your eyes for several seconds, until she lets out a sigh. A sigh that you don't know if it is because of tiredness, disappointment, or simple impatience.
"Why don't you pursue Glory? Only a hooffull of ponies even know the Mansus exists. For some reason you are not murdering each other. And still you...! Well, I suppose I'll see how things work out."

-A Sacrament for Jade?

"Of course, but that will be something between me and her. Though I do look forward to meeting another Lantern adept!"

-Asking anything else about the world as it is. Harmony, changelings and whatnot.

"I have no idea! It has literally been ages since I stepped hoof on the wake, so you tell me!"

-Asking anything else about the world as it was, or how it compares to nowadays Equestria.

"It doesn't really matter, Velvet. Things were different back then. Too different. To the point where there really is not much to be compared to begin with. It's better that you try to understand your own world than to dwell on how things were like so long ago."

-Personal questions, about her life and motives and experiences as a mortal occultist, have been either deflected or ignored. And you stopped asking once you realized you might end up being indelicate with her.

11) IF we were to reach lvl 5 in something, would Our manuscripts count for the lvl 5 book she want to extend her stay?

The meta of this question is offensive, and I'll pretend you never asked it

Of course it doesn't.

OurLadyOfWires · Aug 24, 2024

[X] Plan Language of Light
-[X] (Work) A measured commitment. +6 Actions
~~-[X] (Fascination) You will police yourself. -2 Actions~~
-[X] (Purchases) Buy Grail 3, Edge 1
-[X] (Winter 3 Boon) Use a changeling corpse to summon a Flourishing Risen
-[X] (Forge 3 Boon) Craft a Lantern 3 Reagent for the Baldomare Summoning
-[X] (Attention of the Laws) Lantern towards deciphering the Lantern 6 text
-[X] (Uncle Steppes) Ask if he has any advice about getting along with Velvet Hill
-[X] (Selene) Learn Knock 2
--[X] Unless we get Edge 3; then learn Edge 2.
-[X] (Flourishing Risen) Shadow the Twilight imposter
-[X] (Cult Minions) Petition the cult for a book/ritual budget.
-[X] (Servants) Search for possible expedition locations near Ponyville.
-[X] (Rarity) Learn what she can about the Detective
-[X] (Jade) Perform Reflection of the Tapestry
--[X] If Baldomare is unavailable: Find (the non-changeling) Twilight
--[X] Else: Details on "Beneath the Royal Castle" expedition site
-[X] (Baldomare, if available) Reflection of the Tapestry: Find (the non-changeling) Twilight
-[X] Ask the Master for a Boon: rid us of this Fascination
-[X] Try Summoning Baldomare
-[X] (Priority 1; repeat until completed) Work on Deciphering the Lantern 6
-[X] (Priority 2) Read Books: Lantern 6, Heart 2, Heart 3
~~-[X] (Priority 3; repeat until completed): Retry summoning Baldomare if necessary~~
-[X] (Priority 4): Explore the Mansus:
--[X] A Place of Sharpness x2
-[X] (Priority 5): Explore the Mansus:
--[X] Explore the Blank Plains, the first afterlife of ponykind.
--[X] There are other markings to be followed within this maddening labyrinth of stairs. Follow them.

- - -

Jade Whistle and Baldomare have set out to perform rituals at your behest. 70 bits have been deduced from your personal coffers.

- - -

"Ponpon, could you please let everypony know I'll be busy for a while? You can put all the incoming reports in my 'incoming' box at the office, but I'll be taking some time off to work on something else."

"No problem, ma'am. Will you be working on this project of yours at your balcony or in the study room?"

"The study. It's that book I got from uncle Steppes. Baldomare said a few interesting things about it, so I want to try my hoof at studying it."

"Understood. I'll keep the tea kettle filled then."

"Thank you Ponpon."

Right then.

You feel confident about this. You just summoned Baldomare, you just summoned a creature from the Mansus, and that by itself feels like a milestone of sorts. It also feels like a blessing of sorts, that the first pony you brought over is one as personable and understandable as Baldomare. And no, your summoning your Master doesn't count, and neither do your Risen.

Although… you do have to remind yourself that… she is not exactly a "pony", as much as you might think of her as one.

She is probably hiding it, or perhaps she is not bothering to let it show to begin with. But the effect her arrival had on… on everything, and the few "tricks" and "cantrips" she already pulled so far… Well, you ought to remember that maybe she is as be as great and alien as your Master, even if her alien-ness is of another nature.

Still, she is here now. She is here, she is a very pleasant mare, and despite the fact that she talks about everything as if she was just visiting you for a holiday, she still made it very clear that she will help you. Besides, you honestly hope that she will take a more personal stake of things, eventually. Due to the Worms, if nothing else.

But anyways, back to the matter at hoof. You came to the conclusion that you needed more help, and from the long conversation you had with her yesterday you can tell that you just got a vastly competent extra pair of hoofs on your side now.

So now, you really should start working on yourself as well. You realize that you still know too little about a lot of things, and that both you and the Cult need to learn more about Lantern as soon as possible if you are to do anything against the current changeling threat.

You already asked Baldomare to look into Twilight Sparkle's case, and you know she will do a better job at it than you or Jade could ever hope to. So for now the only thing you can do is wait for an answer from her about that.

Or rather, the only thing you can do is busy yourself, while you wait.

That said, a bit of research into the mysteries of Lantern is in order.

- - -

Everything is in place, or as ready as they can be.

This reminds you a little bit of when you were studying at the university, and a period of exams was on the horizon. You have gathered all the books you could about the subject, you have a pile of notebooks and scrolls, as well as pens and several vials of ink. And everypony outside this room knows not to disturb you, even Ponpon saying that she will only check on you every so often just to see if you need anything.

Still, despite the similarities, you have never quite done something like this before.

You are used to studying something you know a lot (or very little) about. But never before have you tried to read a book that is written in a language you don't know.

The large hardcover grimoire sits on the middle of your study desk, the faded letters written on its cover taunting you with their unknowable meaning.

However, the symbol that is carved right beneath them, the curious marking of a divided sun, tells you that this will not be a wasted effort. Heavens, Baldomare herself said that this book "didn't have anything wrong" in it.

"Don't think about it as research, Velvet," you say to yourself, sitting down on your chair and pulling yourself towards the table, "think of it as a puzzle. Studying the book will come later, for now you have to learn how to read it."

You light up your horn, and open the book on its first page.

[Decoding a book, current progress 0/???]

[Roll: 98 + 15 (Learning, Lantern doubled) + 5 (Well Read) + 30 (LANTERN bonus, doubled) + 15 (Artifact) – 40 (Two Eras Old) = 123]

[Over half progress achieved. 123 progress added, total progress discovered as 150]

You immediately understand that this will not be easy or quick.

But you also realize that it might not be as complicated as you thought it might be.

You flickered over the pages of the book with your horn for a few moments, trying to get a hold of the book before you dared touch it with your hoofs, but you didn't get much out of it. The book is written as a single constant text, not divided in chapters, and there are some geometrical illustrations every now and then. Although said illustrations don't immediately look like something you recognize, be it regarding mathematics or Lore knowledge.

However, the moment you put your hoof on the book, you realize something that feels like your ticket out of an otherwise impossible task.

You realize that you can… how can you even explain it?

You are not even sure how to describe it, but you feel that you can grasp the intention of what is written. You still have no idea of what the words mean, and you already feel like some concepts are honestly beyond you unless you spend a long time trying to understand it. But still, you feel like you can sense what the author wanted to convey as he wrote each page.

With that, you set to work. You have already heard about codebreaking and archeology, and you know that there are ponies who are far better than you at this, and still spend most of their lives trying to decrypt a mural's worth of ancient text. But that is because they don't know the original language, and because they have no idea of what said texts are even talking about.

You, however, have the distinct advantage of… of at least partially understanding the end-product of the text. So instead of starting from scratch, you think you can better describe what you are doing as reverse-engineering.

It takes you several days. But page by page, you slowly transcribe the meaning of each part of the book, and make a rough "parallel book" of your own. You burn through a whole textbook and a lot of ink, but once you are done you have "sister" book of sorts, with each corresponding page having the "meaning" of its untranslated twin written on it.

Somepony might point out that now you have two equally perplexing books to study.

But at least one of them is on a language you can read.

- - -

[Decoding a book, current progress 123/150]

[Roll: 3 + 14 (Learning) + 5 (Well Read) + 15 (LANTERN bonus) + 9 (Artifact) – 40 (Two Eras Old) = 6]

[6 progress added]

And then you hit a roadblock.

"What… in… the… TARTARUS is this supposed to mean?" you groan to yourself for the umpteenth time.

And not for the first time in your life, you regret you have a horn on your head. Because you heard that, in times like these, banging your forehead against a table is an extremely satisfying experience, and you can't exactly do that thanks to the pointy piece of nerves-filled bone you have sticking out of your damned head.

"It just doesn't make sense!" you say out loud, going over your parallel book once again.

To be honest, you were hoping you would have another flash of inspiration. You have a full notebook's worth of scribbles, each numbered page containing whatever you could gleam from the equivalent page of the tome. Some of those pages area actually helpful, and in two of them you were even able to grasp a full cohesive paragraph with your hoof-reading. You have two entire paragraph's worth of the history of some long-lost sun-worshipping tradition.

But the other pages? Well, you might have twenty to thirty pages with things you can partially understand, or that make sense. But all the other pages are just… just scribbles, random combination of words that make no sense together.

Seriously, you have a full page has nothing but words like "Sun", "Love", "Downwards", "Unburned" and "Pain", written in random combinations.

You let out a loud, exasperated sigh, and lean back on your chair, looking towards the ceiling.

Maybe you have been doing this for too long. It's been a few days now, and whatever time you are not with your daughters after they return from school has been spent here in your study. Perhaps a bit of time off is in order, to help you gather your thoughts if nothing else.

You think about that when you hear a knock coming from your door.

"I take it from that sigh that your reading is doing well, Velvet?"

The knocking, it seems, was only a formality. Before you can even straighten yourself back on your chair you see Baldomare entering your study.

It feels only slightly strange, to have somepony barge in like this. Even your daughters don't do that, and Ponpon knows how to be exceptionally professional about her job, especially when it comes to reading your mood.

Still, it's rather refreshing to be treated so casually by somepony inside your house.

And also, Baldomare is exactly the pony you would like to talk to right now.

"Baldomare! Thank the heavens you are here," you say, trying to shake the study-induced confusion out of your head as you get off your chair and walk towards her. "This damned book… I thought I would be able to read it but it makes no sense. Could you please-"

"Nuh, uh, uh. I already told you Velvet," she interrupts you, putting a hoof over your mouth as she shakes her head like a patient teacher, "it's not reading if somepony else does it for you! Besides, crying over books is an important part of the life of every adept. Why, I would even say that is beats crying over the things you lose along the way!"

She takes her hoof off your lips, and you stay still for a few moments, your perplexed brain trying to understand exactly what she meant with that.

"Now, more importantly," she says, "I did that thing you asked me. I went to the cute tree-library, and took a good look at the disguise the bug-thing-unicorn was wearing. And don't worry, I made sure not to be suspicious about it. Anyways, I did a bit of scrying for her and… well, are you sure this friend of yours exists?"

"I-… excuse me, what?" you ask, your previous confusion violently shifting towards another, much more important subject. "Pardon Baldomare, but what did you say?"

"Well, I went over the ritual circle before I tried my hoof on it. It's good stuff, by the way, even if it's a brute-force application of the simpler attributes. But I tried it, to look for the real purple unicorn, and it failed. So are you sure that this friend of yours exists? I mean, that she exists on this History? You have a Brand for Secret Histories, so I was thinking that maybe you met her on another History, and that she doesn't exist on this one."

"You mean that…" you say, slowly piecing together what she just told you. "Wait, you couldn't find her? More importantly, did the ritual fizzle?"

She looks at you for a few moments, her expression concentrating as if trying to remember something.

"I suppose you could call it that… Yes, that's a good word. The ritual fizzled, because the thing I was looking for doesn't exist…" she thinks for a few more moments, before nodding to herself. "Yes, it would have had a different result if it was a barrier, or a ward I couldn't pierce. So yes, it simply didn't work. Why do you ask that?"

You can feel your heartrate increasing, as you realize the meaning of what Baldomare just told you.

Because your Master also tried looking for Luna, even after the fake Princess Luna "returned" to Canterlot. And the ritual also fizzled for her, but she said that it could only mean that…

"Then I think…" you say, both to her and to yourself, "that I might know where Twilight Sparkle is."

- - -

[Decoding a book, current progress 129/150]

[Roll: 51 + 14 (Learning) + 5 (Well Read) + 15 (LANTERN bonus) + 11 (Artifact) – 40 (Two Eras Old) = 56]

[Book decoded]

In the end, Baldomare did help you.

It took… it took begging, and you're glad that none of the servants saw how you grabbed on to her hindleg as she tried to leave your study. But still, no matter what anypony says, it still felt like a victory! Because no matter how she sighed, and rolled her eyes, and thought about it for a long while, in the end she still gave you a tip.

In the end you could still see it in her eyes. It was only there for a second, and you would have missed it… if you had not done that same thing to your daughter several times before. But in the end you could see it, that she really didn't want to help you because she thought that going through that book on your own would be for your own good. For your own growth.

But in the end, she eventually caved in. Just like how you caved in several times in the past, when Silky did the exact same thing with you that you did to Baldomare.

And privately, it makes you somewhat glad to learn that Baldomare has that… well, that she has a glimpse of kindness inside of her.

More importantly, you finally managed to crack that damn book!

You have deciphered a Level 6 LANTERN book.

The task itself was already a learning process, and although you have not yet studied the book itself the bits and pieces you went through was already enlightening. It spoke of light and mirrors, and of the complex relationship that both of them have with fire and smoke. You have gained two scraps of LANTERN Lore, from what you have glimpsed already.

You feel like you may learn more about the book if you study the finished work itself, and take the time to actually connect and interpret the disparate bits of knowledge you have pieced together. Although you feel there is a chance you will let something else in you, if you dive too deeply into it.

[Mechanically, you have completed a translation process. You have gained TWO scraps of Lore because the "source" of the knowledge was two scraps above your own. You have not yet produced a scripture for the Cult based on this book, as you have not studied the book yet.]

[Furthermore, you may now study the book itself. This ENCRYPTED book has now turned into a DECIPHERED book. A decyphered book requires no roll to read, will grant you -in this particular case- ONE extra scrap of Lore, will produce this book's level 6 MANIFEST for the Cult, and has a SMALL chance of giving you FASCINATION.]

You have spent three actions deciphering this book. As per turn plan, the final action of this turn will be to read three books. Due to the unexpected danger that this might cause you a Malus, VOTE for what your FINAL ACTION will be.

[] As you were. (Read the Lantern book for a single extra Lantern scrap, as well as the two other Heart books you had planned. Risks FASCINATION.)

[] Change your reading plans. (WRITE IN another book, that is not the deciphered Lantern book, to read with the two Heart books)

[] Something else entirely (WRITE IN a completely new action, and change this part of the turn plan)

[] Focus on your work (CANCEL the reading action, and decrease the turn to a 5-action turn)

OurLadyOfWires · Aug 24, 2024

[X] Plan Language of Light
-[X] (Work) A measured commitment. +6 Actions
-[X] (Fascination) You will police yourself. -2 Actions
-[X] (Purchases) Buy ~~Grail~~ 3, ~~Edge~~ 1
-[X] (Winter 3 Boon) Use a changeling corpse to summon a Flourishing Risen
-[X] (Forge 3 Boon) Craft a ~~Lantern~~ 3 Reagent for the Baldomare Summoning
-[X] (Attention of the Laws) ~~Lantern~~ ~~towards deciphering the Lantern 6 text~~
-[X] (Uncle Steppes) Ask if he has any advice about getting along with Velvet Hill
-[X] (Selene) Learn Knock 2
--[X] Unless we get Edge 3; then learn Edge 2.
-[X] (Flourishing Risen) Shadow the Twilight imposter
-[X] (Cult Minions) Petition the cult for a book/ritual budget.
-[X] (Servants) Search for possible expedition locations near Ponyville.
-[X] (Rarity) Learn what she can about the Detective
-[X] (Jade) Perform Reflection of the Tapestry
~~--[X] If Baldomare is unavailable: Find (the non-changeling) Twilight~~
--[X] Else: Details on "Beneath the Royal Castle" expedition site
-[X] (Baldomare, if available) Reflection of the Tapestry: Find (the non-changeling) Twilight
-[X] Ask the Master for a Boon: rid us of this Fascination
-[X] Try Summoning Baldomare
-[X] (Priority 1; repeat until completed) Work on Deciphering the ~~Lantern~~ 6
-[X] (Priority 2) Read Books: ~~Lantern~~ 6, ~~Heart~~ 2, ~~Heart~~ 3 (Jumped due to dangers involved)
~~-[X] (Priority 3; repeat until completed): Retry summoning Baldomare if necessary~~
-[X] (Priority 4): Explore the Mansus:
--[X] A Place of Sharpness x2
~~-[X] (Priority 5): Explore the Mansus:~~ (To be skipped, due to insufficient actions)
--[X] Explore the Blank Plains, the first afterlife of ponykind.
--[X] There are other markings to be followed within this maddening labyrinth of stairs. Follow them.

- - -

"Will you be staying long, Vellum? I can have one of the room's ready for you if that's the case."

"Not at all Ponpon, but thank you. I'm just here to deliver this at Lord Steppes' behest."

"In that case I'll leave you to it. Excuse me, ma'am."

With those words, Ponpon gives you a slight bow and makes her way out of your office, closing the door as she leaves.

Leaving you alone with Vellum, the polite unicorn stallion that you met on Canterlot who works for your uncle.

You eye the young unicorn curiously for a few moments. Vellum arrived at your estate perhaps a little more than an hour ago, but you had him wait so you could finish tidying up the work you wanted to do in the morning. Of course, you had asked Ponpon if he wanted to see you over an emergency or something, but she simply said he was here to deliver you a gift from your uncle to your daughters, so there wouldn't be any problems if he waited until you were available.

So here you are right now, inside your office, curiously staring at Vellum's rather bulky saddle-bag.

"Well Vellum, it is always a delight to see you. But what is this all about?" you ask.

To which the unicorn nods, taking your words as his leave to begin unveiling his charge.

"As you heard, my Lady, a package from Lord Steppes," he says with a polite smile, his horn lighting up and floating a pink gift-wrapped box from his saddle-bag. "For his grandnieces, but he told me to deliver it directly to you."

You take the box with your own telekinesis, laying it on your table with a curious smile.

"Well, I understand my uncle is too busy to deliver it himself, but I'm sure the fillies will be delighted nonetheless," you say, although you add a raised eyebrow to your expression as you sense something more about the unicorn's posture.

Specifically, the fact that he has not moved an inch from where he is standing, and that he has not volunteered to say anything more than what you asked him about.

By no means is Vellum being impolite, but you can see there is something off about all of this.

"Still," you continue, "it feels just a bit strange that he would send you to do a courier's job."

And the unicorn nods at that.

"I am proud to say Lord Steppes trusts me with important tasks, my Lady," he says, nodding towards the box. "And delivering something to you is always important in his books. No servants, no mailponies, no maids. Straight to your hoofs."

You let out a soft "huh…" at that, your eyes going down to the gift-wrapped box once again.

And you realize that, although there is indeed a bright-colored ribbon over the cute pink cover, this box is one of those that has an ornamental top. Specifically, the kind that can be opened without needing to be unwrapped or having the ribbon cut.

You light up your horn and open the gift.

Sure enough, you see a pair of filly-sized saddle-purses. High quality, and certainly the kind of thing your uncle would like to see your daughters wearing, but still not flashy to the point of being unusable in a small town like Ponyville. Although they are still polished to a shine, clearly brand new, and their colors are very close to that of your daughters' coats.

But more importantly, over the two saddles there is a sealed letter.

You float it towards you and open it, and you see Vellum make a point of looking in another direction as you do that.

Dear Velvet.

Always great to hear from you kiddo, and I'm especially glad that you wrote me about that.

Really, I know you and Hills haven't been seeing eye to eye for a long time now. So I'm really glad you reached out about this. So, I'll give you my take on this, and then I'll suggest you something that I already know you might not like.

But before that, I think I also have to give you a bit more perspective in what is going on.

We are nobles, Velvet. And that means that we have certain privileges and obligations entrusted to us, that does not apply to common ponies. Not because we are special, of course, but specifically because however-many centuries ago one of our ancestors received a Letter from Princess Celestia, declaring him to be officially favored by her due to whatever reason was pertinent back then. That is what happened to us, the reason we have our power and status, and that is also what happened to every last noble family to ever exist in the Pony Kingdom. Everything we can do, and everything we have, is due to the fact we have an official concession, charge or authority given by Celestia herself.

And at the end of the day, that is the only thing that matters. No matter what a noble family makes of itself, no matter what their successors do or what direction a noble family goes. Prestige, bits and land can all come and go, but the one thing nopony can take from a noble family is their Letter and their Title.

Because that is something the Princess gave to us, and as such she is the only one who can take it away.

So, there is only one currency that truly matters to a noble family: Royal Favor.

Now, the Velvet family is not actually beloved, and although you have been disconnected from a lot of things, I'll have you know that we are not exactly a family of goody-four-horseshoes either.

But that's the thing about it, Covers, it's not just us. No noble family has a perfect record. Not a single family has passed all this time while keeping their noses perfectly clean. Scandals happen, both the small dime-a-dozen type and the larger ones with heavier ramifications.

However, most of the times these scandals involve something regarding business, or a conflict between two noble families, or something that happened behind closed doors but was too messed up to be covered up. On the grand majority of times, what happens is that somepony of a noble family messes up, and that "Royal Favor" coin I told you about is spent to make up for it.
And it gets even more complicated because… well, because of Princess Celestia. A noble family's standing literally depends on her opinion of it, and the fact that she is an immortal with possibly-perfect (or so they say) memory only makes things more delicate.

She is fair, she is just, and thank Equestria she is in charge. But still, there is a reason we differentiate between "low" and "high" nobility, and it is no coincidence that the latter are the ones whose members are invited to the Royal Castle for brunch on a regular basis.

That being said. You're a smart cookie, Covers, so I'll keep it short: This whole thing is being tough to handle specifically because the "offended party" is nopony less than Princess Luna herself.

Well, I think I said enough about that.

Now, my take on things, and a bit of inside information for you. Me and Hills are on the wringer right now. Credibility and respect plays a big part in a lot of the business that happens between noble families, and it is not unheard of that contracts can be voided if one of the parties proves to be disreputable. After all, the highest and last level a pony can go to dispute a claim is the Royal Throne itself, so having a business partner that is on bad standing with the Princess is having a partner you can either rip off easily, or that you might not want even be seen talking to for starters.
It also happens that gossip of what you did also spread like wildfire, although the fact that nopony in the High Nobility heard anything from Princess Luna herself is a bit of a blessing. Maybe she didn't much care for what happened, but the fact remains that nopony has a "reliable" (as in, noble) source to fall back to, so the stories are already growing embellished enough that a few ponies are not sure what to believe.

Still, the fact remained that something happened, and that our family was involved in a negative way. And that reflects badly on all of us, one way or another.

We are doing our best to deflect, dismiss or otherwise convince our business partners that it wasn't anything important. But that there is blood in the water at all, our blood, never helps. Some ponies are thinking that it's a good idea to mess with us now, and others are backing away from us without even giving us a chance to... Well, I won't bore you with details.

Anyways, about what you asked me to begin with. I hope you trust me when I say that I really am looking out for you. But you wouldn't have asked me for advice if you didn't already know your father is furious, to put things lightly.

That said, here is my advice. The thing that I said I'll suggest you and that I know you won't like.

Give him what he wants, Covers.

I've been your father's right hoof my whole life, and I know what makes him tick. He is irate, and he is going over his available "tools" to see exactly what he can do if he really wants to. But he is also the kind of pony that doesn't deal with things unless he absolutely has to. So, I think you will have a lot to gain if you show him you understand what you did, and that you accept his decision.

Give him what he wants. Write him a letter, be subservient and apologize, tell him you are sorry for what you did and that you promise you will do what he told you to do. He will probably forget about you if you stay in your corner and don't make any noise, but if you do something to please him on top of that you might end up gaining a lot more. Or losing a lot less, I've known him my whole life, but even I can't tell yet.

Plus, I'm still here. Your letter asking me for advice passed through the main house, so I'm sure he knows about it (or that he eventually will) and perhaps we might twist that into something good.

Especially if we make it look like it was your idea.

The decision is yours, niece, although I hope you make the right one. I'm sending this letter through Vellum so it doesn't go through you father. And I'll also send you a shorter, noncommitting letter through regular mail, just so it looks like I don't have anything to say and am too busy. But still, if you decide to send that letter to Hills, I'll be ready for it.

I'm sure he will tell me about it, and that will give me more of an opening to address the subject. He will think you sent it out of your own volition, and that will be my window to press in on him further to try and clear your bar a bit more.

Yes, I know you will hate writing something like that, if you decide to do it, but I also believe you've got a lot more spirit into you than you had a few years ago.

You're a strong mare, and it's just words on a paper. Write your father, be an obedient daughter, ride it out for a few months and I think we will be able to turn this into water under the bridge.

And for ~~scratched~~ Celestia's sake Covers, keep your own nose clean while this is going on.

Love, Uncle Steppes.

You put down the letter, your eyes slightly unfocused as you take in all of it.

You… did not think to do this. For extremely obvious reasons, of course, but still you…

You will have to think about it.

"Thank you Vellum…" you say, your tone still slightly distracted as you pass your hoof over the letter one final time. "Let my uncle know that… that the fillies loved his gift. And that I'll think about it."

Vellum nods.

"Lord Steppes just asked me to also say that," he says, taking out a piece of paper from his saddle and reading his next words from it, "that it's really better if it looks like you thought about it. And one last thing, my Lady, may I have the letter?"

"Of course," you say, floating the letter towards the unicorn without thinking much about it.

Vellum gives you this thanks, and grabs the letter with his own magic.

Moments later, to your sudden surprise, the letter bursts into flame in midair, and Vellum carefully floats the ashes into one of the pouches of his saddle.

"I apologize for startling you, Lady Velvet. And again, Lord Steppes says he will also be sending you a letter in a few days. But you should expect it by regular mail," he says, giving you a short bow and excusing himself.

You absent-mindedly wave a hoof to dismiss him.

But your thoughts are… elsewhere.

Your uncle has given you his advice on the situation, and has offered to help you should you decide to heed him.

You have gained a Fleeting Opportunity for next month, to write your father a submissive letter in which you will, among other things, make a commitment not to leave Ponyville as he ordered you.

- - -

You sit next to Baldomare on the balcony connected to your room, the two of you looking at the beautiful view of hills and farmlands, crossed by a river that heads down to Ponyville.

You give an approving nod at the tea set that is laid down on the table, seeing that as usual Ponpon had prepared everything beforehand. Baldomare herself also looks to be comfortably set in, a glass of wine floating next to her gleaming the same color of her horn.

"So, how have these last few weeks been?" you ask, pouring some tea into a cup for yourself with your own magic.

"They have been pleasant enough," she says. "I've been able to look around a bit, and things are a lot weirder than I thought in the Wake. And that's just with the land and ponies in general, I'm not even getting into this whole 'alicorn' thing you have going on now."

You nod at that, although you make a point of not asking her anything else. Baldomare has made it very clear that she will not tell you certain things, and you honestly don't take offense in that because… well, because it's her. And if anypony knows that sometimes not knowing certain things is for the best, it is Baldomare.

Besides, if she was willing to tell you everything you wanted to know, she would not have a moment of peace with how much you pester her. So this is for the best, you surmise.

"Really, an earth pony with wings and a horn? That's a butchering of all things natural. At least there is only one of them. Or was, until very recently… Anyways," she says, dismissing her thoughts and turning towards you, "this friend of yours that is coming over. Tell me more about her?"

"Oh, Rarity? Well, I've already told you most of the important things. She knows that the cult exists, but she's not a part of it, so I'll appreciate if you don't get into details either," you say, and she nods in agreement. "But apart from that, she's a very likeable mare. Although maybe her interest in current fashion might go a bit over your head."

You see her open her mouth to say something, but she blinks for a few moments and turns her eyes towards the estate.

"Cute eyes," she says to herself in a low tone, looking at somewhere near the ground almost as if she could see through it, "nostalgic, really."

You raise an eyebrow at that, but moments later a knock comes to the glass door of the balcony.

"Excuse me, ma'am?" Ponpon shows her head through the half-open door, "Jade Whistle is here. Normally I'd bring her up right away, but with Mrs. Baldomare here as well…"

"Oh, it's quite alright Ponpon. Please let Jade in, we're waiting for her and Rarity."

"Right away ma'am," she says, disappearing back into the mansion right after.

And less than a minute later, the glass door opens once again, revealing the familiar sight of your friend.

You see her eyes go over you for a split second, and for a moment you almost expect her to greet you in her usual manner.

But eventually, she looks at Baldomare, her expression cold and neutral as usual.

Baldomare for her part simply looks back at her, a patient smile on her face.

The two of them stay like that for a while, and you are not quite sure if you should interrupt them or not.

That is, until Jade Whistle closes the glass door to the balcony, and then the curtains inside your room, completely disappearing from your sight. You hear the sound of hoofs running shortly after.

"Jade, wait!" you immediately start galloping after her, vaguely aware of the sound of Baldomare's laugher coming from behind you.

- - -

"I'm really sorry," Jade says, clutching a teacup between her hooves as she meekly curls up in the cushioned seat.

Her voice doesn't make her sound like she is sorry at all, but you know better. And you can tell Baldomare can see it as well.

"Oh don't worry dear. I've had worse in the past, trust me!"
"Yes Jade. She said it herself, it's alright."

And you and Baldomare are trying to console the poor mare as she embarrassedly repeats the same responses to what you two say.

"It really isn't. I panicked, and that was rude of me."

But for all that you feared Jade had left a bad first impression with Baldomare, you somehow think she looks more amused than anything else.

And eventually, after perhaps one and a half cups of tea, and much to your surprise a small gulp of what Baldomare is drinking, you two manage to get Jade back to speaking normally.

"There had been talk that the ritual didn't really fail, despite nothing…" she stops, sending a cautious glance towards Baldomare, "I mean, despite nopony appearing. And only my ritual helpers saw you so far, or at least that's what they have been saying, on that one afternoon you went to the Club to do that ritual. So I wasn't really sure…"

"Yes, yes, that's on me, I apologize," Baldomare says, taking a sip of her wine and lounging back on her seat, "but still, I will help as I said I would. Although I hope nopony minds if I only go there myself when it's absolutely necessary."

You nod at that, and you think Jade also caught the subtext of what exactly she means.

Baldomare has not exactly explained what she thinks of your Master. But by Lore affinity, if nothing else, you can understand why she seems to be avoiding her.

"By the by, Velvet here tells me you designed that little scrying circle? That was good work, and I can tell you did it from scratch because it had none of the older, more stupid vices that ponies insisted on adhering to back in my day. So that makes it even more impressive!" she says, floating her glass towards Jade's teacup and clinking them in a small toast.

And you think you see Jade… try to hide herself a bit more, using her teacup as a cover between her and Baldomare.

"I, well… thanks…?"

Is that embarrassment in her that you just saw…? Subtle and Jade-like as it may have been?

"You're welcome," the mare says with a wink, then turning towards you as if telling you to take it from there.

"And Jade, I was also telling Baldomare you were going to scry that weird entrance I found, beneath the Royal Castle. Did you have any luck with that? It's not something I want to hide from Rarity, but it's not something we can't talk about without her here either," you say encouragingly.

The mare takes a few more moments to answer, looking at her tea for some long seconds. Until she takes a deep breath and shakes her head slightly.

And just like that, she goes back to her usual self.

"Yes, about that. The ritual worked, and I managed to see a few things…" she begins to say, nonchalantly as usual.

Although you think you can sense a hint of satisfaction in her voice, as she goes about it.

- - -

Reports on Confidants and Minions:

-Jade Whistle has successfully used a ritual to scout the underside of the Royal Castle. Although she did say that the place is massive, so she only saw as far and deep as she could starting from the entrance and going downwards.
However, she thinks she has found something that might be a good "first milestone" for the expedition into that place, an exit that leads out of the mountain, that seems to be locked from the inside. Reaching there will surely enable you to explore the rest of the place more easily, without having to sneak into the Royal Castle every time.

-Rarity appeared shortly after, your friend being able to warm up to Baldomare as quickly as you hoped she would. Although Baldomare kept up quite the ruse about herself, and only revealed to Rarity that she is a creature from the Mansus at the very end of your little reunion. Rarity was shocked, but interested, and will keep Baldomare's secret as you asked of her.
Rarity also reported about her findings on inspector Dull Glass. She asked around, and apparently the stallion has been going around town talking to ponies every now and then. He has obviously already talked to the Mayor and the local Guard, but for some reason she could not dig up he doesn't seem to have recruited the local Guard into his investigation yet. Rarity thought it better that she didn't try to approach him yet.

-Your Risen has come to you, stalking through the rooftops of your estate at the dead of night. His memories tell you that he is unsure if Spike has been swapped or not, lacking the Lantern to confirm that. But otherwise, his observation of Twilight reveals that she has been "settling in" on her life. She has talked to all of her close friends at least once, but not once has your Risen seen her "slip" out of her form, or swap for another.

-Your cultist minions have also contacted you. They say they will be able to fund some of their own actions, done at your behest, although the sources of their bits remains dubious. You think they will take them out of their own pockets.
Your cultist minion actions now pay for part of the costs of their own actions, and you may cover the difference if you wish to. Cultist minion actions now receive a total budget of 20-40 bits, non-accumulable per month if unspent. If the rolled budget is lower than the transport fees, they will still at least cover the transport fees.

-Your servants have ~~rolled too low~~ been unable to locate anywhere interesting that might be suitable to your "sudden touristing urges", as you said it.

This is a small reminder that your spies' reports are only as good and accurate as they are proficient at their jobs. Rarity is good at digging up gossip and approaching her targets innocently, your Risen is better at nocturnal or discreet observation, and you should keep in mind your reports may be incomplete or lacking in something.

And this is another small reminder that your servants, minions and confidants roll their own tests.

Expedition information will be updated shortly.

OurLadyOfWires · Aug 24, 2024

[X] Plan Language of Light
-[X] (Work) A measured commitment. +6 Actions
-[X] (Fascination) You will police yourself. -2 Actions
-[X] (Purchases) Buy ~~Grail~~ 3, ~~Edge~~ 1
-[X] (Winter 3 Boon) Use a changeling corpse to summon a Flourishing Risen
-[X] (Forge 3 Boon) Craft a ~~Lantern~~ 3 Reagent for the Baldomare Summoning
-[X] (Attention of the Laws) ~~Lantern~~ towards deciphering the Lantern 6 text
-[X] (Uncle Steppes) Ask if he has any advice about getting along with Velvet Hill
-[X] (Selene) Learn Knock 2
--[X] Unless we get Edge 3; then learn Edge 2.
-[X] (Flourishing Risen) Shadow the Twilight imposter
-[X] (Cult Minions) Petition the cult for a book/ritual budget.
-[X] (Servants) Search for possible expedition locations near Ponyville.
-[X] (Rarity) Learn what she can about the Detective
-[X] (Jade) Perform Reflection of the Tapestry
--[X] If Baldomare is unavailable: Find (the non-changeling) Twilight
--[X] Else: Details on "Beneath the Royal Castle" expedition site
-[X] (Baldomare, if available) Reflection of the Tapestry: Find (the non-changeling) Twilight
-[X] Ask the Master for a Boon: rid us of this Fascination
-[X] Try Summoning Baldomare
-[X] (Priority 1; repeat until completed) Work on Deciphering the ~~Lantern~~ 6
-[X] (Priority 2) Read Books: ~~Lantern~~ 6, ~~Heart~~ 2, ~~Heart~~ 3 (Jumped due to dangers involved)
~~-[X] (Priority 3; repeat until completed): Retry summoning Baldomare if necessary~~
-[X] (Priority 4): Explore the Mansus:
--[X] A Place of Sharpness x2
-[X] (Priority 5): Explore the Mansus:
~~--[X] Explore the Blank Plains, the first afterlife of ponykind.~~ (Insufficient actions)
~~--[X] There are other markings to be followed within this maddening labyrinth of stairs. Follow them.~~

- - -

It is night.

Your husband is not home, your daughters are asleep, and as far as you know not a single servant has stayed the night. The estate is as empty as it will ever be.

Which is something you are not particularly fond of, most of the time. This was still your decision, after all if was you who slowly toned down on the number of servants you would have "on hoof", since you never really called on any of them. But still, the mansion feels too large for a single mare and one (now two) fillies, when Stormchaser is not home.

However, as of late, even silent nights such as these have their use.

You take one last look down the corridor, eyeing the distant shapes of the doors to your daughters' rooms. More out of habit than anything else, since you tucked them in yourself and they were asleep before you turned your back to them.

Everything is at its proper place. You have placed the curious book, that changes content every time you turn its page, by your bedstand, and you will cover yourself with your fur-rug before you go to sleep.

And you have put this off for long enough. In a few days it will almost be two months since you last did something like this.

You lie down on your own bed, and you allow sleep to take you away.

- - -

Your cutie mark, and everything else, returns to you like breath returns to a pony who had nearly drowned.

You don't think you will ever get used to that. You don't think it is even possible to.

The Branding Door stands behind you, its glyph-marked surface closed shut. The Shattered Stairways lies before you, its dream-like vista stretching in all directions possibly forever.

And you sit on the ground, breathing deeply as your mind once again comes to terms with the fact that you are Velvet Covers, and that you are alive, while your other senses slowly re-accustom to having moving body as a vessel.

The Blank Plains, as ever, are only terrifying on hindsight. You think it is a blessing that you cannot feel any fear while you are in there. But as always, you once again try to ignore the fact of how easy it would have been to stay there forever.

As you calm yourself down, you begin to turn more and more of your attention towards your surroundings, and the memory of why you have decided to come here returns to you.

Right, there are several reasons to why you are here. You have to learn more, if you are to subtly guide Selene as she grows back into her former self. You have to find certain things, if you are to help the Cult, even if it is just for the sake of them being able to help you back, since you know you will not be able to save Twilight alone.

"And also…" you whisper to yourself as your eyes roam through the Shattered Stairways, the idea coming to you unbidden.

And also, you have to… to discover more. To remember more, for your own sake.

For your own sake, and perhaps for the sake of Ponykind itself.

Maybe this is just a whisper, that you are hearing in the air. A mournful echo from long ago, that is causing you to think and feel things that you would not have otherwise. But still, the fact remains that you are here, and that you can't help but think that...

This place… the Mansus… what happened to it was not right, it can't be right.

This whole place. This whole world. It is something that belongs to Ponykind. Or at least, something that should belong to your people. This is where your Gods used to dwell… your Gods, the thing that modern ponies don't even bother to think that ever existed. This is the place that accompanied your world like a shadow accompanies its owner. This is the place where certain laws of reality itself, where the Lores, where written and pressed into existence.

And seeing this place like this… seeing this endless maze of stairways shattered and broken, from something that seems to have happened so long ago, makes you feel…

You can't bring yourself to say that it feels wrong. But that, you know, is because you have been born and raised in an Equestria that never knew any of this. Because the only sun you ever knew was one moved by magic, and the only rulership you ever thought to be possible was one that was headed by an alicorn… by an outsider, a creature not from your world.

You can't truly tell yourself that the Equestria you were born and raised in is wrong, because that is the only Equestria you ever knew, until very recently.

However, seeing the state that the Mansus is, and now that you know how closely knit to Ponykind it truly was… you can't bring yourself to say that what you see is right either.

Maybe this is why your Master insists on saying that your world is wrong. It might be that she feels like this, this curious mixture of nostalgia and bitterness, all the time.

"Well, enough of that," you say to yourself, "heaven knows how time really works in here. But this will end once I wake up, and I will wake up when the night ends."

Time's a wasting, you think as you shake your head. And now that your body feels like a body once again, and not like a wet and heavy coat that is hanging around you, you can continue with the task you have in mind.

You set off to she Shattered Stairways, walking through the single bridge-like path that starts at the Branding Door, and heading off to the first walkway that splits into two directions, then four, then eight, then countless.

You ignore the cracks, since they are too numerous to lead you upwards, and begin to look for the markings that you know.

- - -

[A Place of Sharpness 1/2, cd 90]

[Roll: 92 + 14 (Learning) + 40 (SECRET HISTORIES Level 4) + 20 (SECRET HISTORIES bonus) = 166]

[Success]

You wonder if this would have been easier, if the Shattered Stairways were not, well, shattered.

Perhaps not. Perhaps it is exactly because so many paths eventually lead to broken dead ends, with falls that seem to go on forever, that you are able to navigate it so precisely.

You will not dare say that you went about it swiftly or easily, this place is too oppressively alien for you to risk such a thought, and the Mansus feels too large for you to dare entertain hubris.

Still, you are somewhat relieved when you finally see something that breaks the scenery.

The markings brought you here. Every now and then you would chance upon the vandalized set of symbols, cut into the Mansus-stone of floors and stairs, and you carefully followed them as they became less and less frequent.

You still have no idea what any of them meant, and you will not dwell upon it. Maybe some of them were messages, left to recipients and fellow adepts long gone. Maybe some of them were warning signs, or perhaps directions towards places whose paths have been cut off by whatever tragedy damaged the Mansus.

You do not know, but you have seen quite a few of those signs leading to places that were clearly too broken to navigate. So, you stuck with the one symbol that was both immediately familiar and apparently most relevant.

It is an Edge symbol, the universal shape of a knife, clearly identifiable even when it is nothing more than an acute triangle with one of its sides longer than necessary.

More importantly, the knife symbol is always repeated in sequence. Sometimes in trios or larger groups, but never one by itself. And what is more, you have seen the knives arrayed like a house or a castle too many times for it to be a coincidence.

And now, you have arrived in the place where you believe the symbols were meant to take you.

You are standing at the top of a staircase, a sidewalk-like path stretching in front of you for a short distance. The knife-symbols are carved, deeply and in great detail, at the center of the path ahead of you, an indication as sure as any that you are on the right path.

But what is more, at the end of the sidewalk path you see…

"By the heavens," you whisper to yourself.

It doesn't make any sense. Not logically, at least.

The walkway leads to the edge of a cliff, a snow-covered cliff that would not have felt out of place if you were climbing a mountain.

The change in the scenery, or rather the difference between the two atmospheres, is almost jarring. Looking behind you, you see the Shattered Stairways as they have always been, with countless partially connected stairs stretching on as far as your eye can see.

But ahead of you, you see… a mountain. The ancient looking Mansus-stone bridge connecting the stairs that you are standing on to a literal snow-covered mountain.

Or at least to a cliff. It is hard to tell, really. You take a few steps back and go down the stairs, and the cliff disappears from view as soon as you are low enough that you can't see its snowy surface. It almost feels like a magic trick of sorts, a cheap illusion or a simple optical illusion that only allows you to see your destination if you are on the top of the stairs or on the correct place.

"Except that the thing this optical illusion is hiding is a damned mountaintop cliff!" you say to yourself, slightly exasperated. This is the sort of thing you should have been able to see from far away, perhaps even from the Branding Door itself!

You take a few deep breaths, slowly reminding yourself that you are not supposed to try to understand this place. Not with Wake logic, at least.

No, you tell yourself. This makes sense. This is logical. You followed the right path, and your destination revealed itself to you.

Understand everything or understand nothing at all. Whichever you pick, you just can't allow yourself to deny what lies before your very eyes.

You take a final calming breath, and you make your way back up to the top of the stairs.

The cliff presents itself to you, its tip touching the very end of the Mansus-stone path.

You make your way down the path, approaching the cliff and feeling as the temperature sharply drops around you.

Beyond the cliff, you can see, the snow-covered ground stretches to a flat plain, the sky-less vista of the Shattered Stairways giving way to the sunset-dark heavens that covers this small pocket within this level of the Mansus.

And what is more, you see something beyond the plains. At a distance so far enough that it might be on the horizon of this miniature world-within-a-world, you see a great snowstorm. A huge dome of grey clouds and violent winds, that surrounds what must be the only thing that truly exists within this pocket reality.

That, you know, is the place you are looking for. Beyond that storm, or perhaps behind it, you will find the Place of Sharpness.

And you…

You are scared.

But still, you step one hoof on the snow, and then another, and then another. The cold and the chill feel too real for you to even think this place is a dream. The Mansus is real, you know. As real as the frost that is beginning to settle on your limbs and as frightening as the winds that are slowly picking up speed and blowing at your mane. They are real, and they become stronger with every step you take, the nearly collapsed stone path growing farther and farther away from you as you forge your way into the snowy plains.

But still, this is the path you must take. You know it. The markings brought you here, and this strong a change in the scenery within this level of the Mansus can only be possible if… if something is here to enforce it, otherwise this place would be just an extension of the Stairways that stretch on forever.

And you must find out what is here if you are to understand this place enough to reach higher and higher still.

So, you make your way towards the distant storm.

- - -

This was a mistake.

You are cold.

And you are tired.

And you are scared.

You thought it would have taken you a long time to reach the snowstorm. You thought you would have been able to go about this cautiously, testing the cold and measuring how much of the cutting winds you could take before it became too much.

You were wrong.

Because the snowstorm came for you.

As soon as you were far away from the cliff, as soon as you were too far to be able to make it back in time, the snowstorm came for you. You saw it, as you tried to run away. You saw it coming closer, the grey clouds rushing from the faraway horizon and towards you faster than your hoofs could gallop.

It reached you, with its howling and violence, before the Shattered Stairways even came back into your view.

And now you are here, alone and cold and lost, fallen face-first into the snow as the glacial winds cut deep into your bones.

This was a mistake.

You might die if you don't start moving. If you don't try to do something.

You get on your hoofs, resisting the urge to curl up and hug yourself so as to conserve as much heat as you are capable of. You get on your hoofs, and you tell yourself again and again that whatever you do, you cannot stop.

[A Place of Sharpness 2/2]

[Roll: 74 + 9 (Martial) + 30 (HEART Artifact) = 113]

Breathe in, four steps, breathe out, don't stop.

Breathe in, four steps, breathe out, don't stop.

This is a mistake.

Breathe in, four steps, breathe out, don't stop.

Breathe in, four steps, breathe out, don't stop.

The cold has already claimed your limbs, and you can't feel anything on your legs except for pain.

Breathe in, four steps, breathe out, don't stop.

Breathe in, four steps, breathe out, don't stop.

Your lungs ache, and the icy air you are breathing seems to seep a little deeper into you with every breath you take. You can feel your heart beating nonstop, in time with your hoofsteps, fighting a frantic battle to not let the cold come any closer to it.

Breathe in, four steps, breathe out, don't stop.

Breathe in, four steps, breathe out, don't stop.

Your only saving grace, or rather the only sensation you can register that is not cold and fear, is the vague feeling of something caressing your body. It reminds you a little of how fur is supposed to feel like. But your mind is too busy keeping your body moving to properly understand if this is the sensation of the fur-rug you covered yourself in before going to sleep, or if you are hallucinating.

Breathe in, four steps, breathe out, don't stop.

Breathe in, four steps, breathe out, don't stop.

But despite all of that, you also feel something far worse than any of that.

Worse than the cold you are feeling. Worse than the pain, and the fatigue that is working its way into your body. Worse than the terror that you feel, that you might be lost here, or that you might not never wake from this, or that you might die if this goes on for any longer.

You can feel it, slowly growing stronger, as you get closer and closer to wherever this cursed storm is taking you.

There is something in this snowstorm.

There is something in here with you.

You can feel it.

Or at least… you think you can feel it.

Like a horrible and violating presence that is growing ever closer.

Like a dirty feeling that seems to hang in the air itself.

Like a… like a savage malice, that weights you down with every step you take.

But you are not sure if it's really there. You can't be sure. You are too cold to be sure, your mind is too desperate to properly think about this, your body is too exhausted to care about anything but taking the next step.

Still, you can't help but have this… this horrible feeling, that not even the numbness of your body can sweep aside. There is absolutely nothing you can do about this nagging sensation that…

That this thing… is also trying to get into your mind.

But you still know it. You arWe sure of it, now.

There is something in this snowstorm. Something Hthat lies at its very center.

Something that tooEk over this part of the Mansus, that dominated tNhis fractured corner of the Shattered StairwTays. That covered it in deep and bitter snow, anHd fed on its sharpness.

Something made of hate, anEd malice, and agony.

And whatever it is, it wilFl not let you go. It will not let you leave. OnOly two possible fates await you now, those beinRg that you will either be brought to its presenGce, or you will be devoured by the cold.

AlthougEh… for some reason you cannot rightly explain, yIou also realize two things.

One, that this thinSg at the center of the snowstorm does not care whCich outcome comes to pass.

And two… that being dOevoured by the cold, that lying down and allow tLhe snowstorm to strip you of life… you somehow kDnow that to be the less horrible of the two fates.

The problem is that you are terrified of d-ying.

So, you willingly pick the worst of the two options, and force your way through the snowstorm.

[Success]

OurLadyOfWires · Aug 24, 2024

You collapse on the ground, spasming and shivering in cold and pain and dread.

Your vision is growing dimmer, but you will not be blinded to it, no matter how much you cleave your eyes.

Your awareness grows faint, but you will not pass out.

Your pulse slows down to a pitiful whisper, but you will not die.

You do not wake. As much as you plead and beg and cry, you do not wake. For waking up, or dying, would be a mercy right now.

And there is no mercy to be found here.

Only agony.

WHEN THE FORGE IS COLD

AND THE GLORY IS DARK

AND THE WOOD IS DUST

You can see it. Even though it happened ages ago, you still understand exactly what event transpired here. Everything fits together in an obvious manner. Like pieces of evidence that clearly points to a specific crime, the scene before you does not allow for any interpretation other than the one you have.

You can see what happened in perfect clarity, even though it happened so long ago.

Because the thing you are witnessing, the act that was perpetrated so long ago… it is still happening. It has not ended yet.

It never will.

AND THE GRAIL IS DRAINED

AND THE HEART IS STILLED

AND THE WELL IS DRY

There is a scar in the sky. A deep wound that connects this level of the Mansus with the one above it. It is a giant hole in the heavens of this snowy pocket-world, a gash in reality that does not lead back to the Shattered Stairways, but instead to a place that is higher than this one.

And one of the Gods of ancient Ponykind, one made out of hate and nothing else, was cast down through that hole.

It was cast down, and to this day it continues to fall.

AND THE RIVER IS BLANK

AND THE EDGE IS DULLED

AND THE KEYS ARE LOST

It has no shape, it has no true form, but still you know it to be a bottomless well of malice and destruction. It has no appearance, but still it is akin to an impossibly large pair of wolves, who share the same body from the hip down.

And its existence, you know, is constant agony. It is the very incarnation of it.

The thing you see, the God you see, is like a great and festering wound. A maddeningly painful cut on the world itself. One whose agony may only be sated, dubiously, by being scratched. But in doing that, the pain is only replaced for another lesser variety of itself, and the wound invariably grows larger and more agonizing.

Its twin half-bodies, also, seem to want nothing more than to separate from each other, as bloody and gruesome a result as that might have. They wish for that more than anything else, so that they may turn their hatred towards each other and perhaps end their cursed existence.

But they can never do that. The ripping wound in the middle of the body of this Wound-God will never stop growing. This Wolf-Divided will never become two, and its twin efforts shall only ever result in more pain and misery.

However, what really matters right now is that this thing… this titanic mass of hateful wrongness was cast down to this place, to this level of the Mansus.

And to this day, it continues to fall.

ONLY THEN

ONLY THEN

ONLY THEN

You regret ever coming here.

You do not want to see.

You do not want to know.

But you no longer have a choice.

There was no storm. There was never a storm, and the snow that now covers your body is as imaginary as the winds that lash against your sprawled back. This thing, this atmosphere that surrounds you, is made of nothing but pain. Pain, and agony, and contempt, and spite. It is the hateful father of Windigos, and the dread storm in which the equine monstrosities are born and killed like raindrops form and disperse during a raging thunderstorm. You would be able to see them, if your eyes were not covered in tears and blood and panic. You would have been able to see them, if you still had eyes at all.

But even though you cannot see them, you can still feel their presence.

It's in the very air, you realize. You have been breathing in this pain the moment you set hoof on the snow. You have been sharing in a fraction of this fate, of the cursed existence of the God before you, ever since you left the Shattered Stairways and entered this closed-off world. This is a place in which agony is freely given, for there is nothing else here but that.

Perhaps this place had another name, long ago. Perhaps it had a more fitting name, one that could better describe a staircase made of great and gigantic glass-like knives. Perhaps it was a shortcut to the higher levels, when the Mansus was right and unbroken, that was used by adepts and creatures willing to pay the price of blood and pain.

But nowadays, it is something else. And not a single one of those steps, not a single one of those knives, can be seen.

Still, how do you know the knives are there, you ask?

Well, you can feel them piercing through your body.

The Wolf-Divided was cast down, thrown into this place on the closing of a titanic conflict between three eternal foes. Thrown into a sea of knives so that he might be skewered alive and taken out of a larger equation, even if only for a moment. But for the God-creature, such a fate made no difference. After all, it had sought out said fight precisely so it could try to end itself.

So, when it saw that it was being cast down to the river of knives, it gleefully faced downwards and fell onto it mouth-first.

It did not work, of course.

But to this day, the Wolf-Divided is still trying. It is still falling, impaling itself deeper and deeper onto the knives that go on down forever. It is still ramming itself towards them with the full force of its fall, cutting deeper and deeper into its scarred flesh, bleeding more and more of its charred blood down to the places below it. Its endlessly large body hoping to find death through impalement on endlessly tall stakes.

And perhaps, that is the only respite you will ever have.

Because, thanks to this timeless and endless effort, the Wolf cares for nothing else now.

ONLY THEN WILL AGONY EVER MEET EXTINCTION

BUT ONLY UNTIL IT CAN DEVOUR ITSELF

You can feel it. Even if it is only a fraction of the pain, even if it is only a moment's worth of the pain, you can still feel the knives cutting into you.

This thing you had been feeling, it was never cold. It was never cold, or tiredness, or fear. It was agony, freely given and forcefully accepted.

You will not be allowed to wake, you will not be allowed to rest. You will not be allowed to leave and you will most certainly not be allowed to die.

Not until it is done changing you.

You have no choice. There is no choice. The only way you may ever leave this place is by dragging yourself out of here. To retrace your steps back through the snowstorm, paying back three times the effort for every step you gave to come here.

But if you were to try it right now, if you were to try and escape on this exact moment, you know you will fail. And that is because you are still an alien to this environment, you are still a being who has not yet truly felt what needs to be felt, you have not yet allowed the comprehension of it to enter your body and your mind and your soul.

No. Only the marked may leave, and you lost the right to die the moment you forged on through the not-storm.

…

The process is not quick, and neither is it painless.

[The Gift of Agony: Body]

[Roll: 58 + 9 (Martial) + 10 (HEART bonus) = 77]

[The Gift of Agony: Mind]

[Roll: 85 + 9 (Martial) + 15 (WINTER bonus) = 109]

The Wolf-Divided does not care about you. It does not think any more of you than it does of a speck of dust, or of the raging storm that surrounds it. And that might be because, maybe, it is not even capable of thought to begin with.

But still, he hates you all the same. Like he hates every last speck of dust in existence. Like he hates every flake of snow and every ray of light. Like he hates everything that exists, as well as himself, he also hates you.

His attention has not been shifted towards you. He has not even acknowledged your existence, let alone your presence. Although you know, as all mortals come to know when facing a creature such as this, that the attention of Gods is nothing but a swift obliteration.

Still, his mere presence is enough to gift you something.

And only when you are thoroughly enlightened to it do you begin to drag your miserable self back from where you came from.

…

But still.

You know it.

As much as you might not want to even think about it, you still know it.

You can feel it, as you force your way back to the Shattered Stairways.

You can feel… that there is something following you.

It might be a shard or a will or a drop of blood from the thing you saw. But whatever it is, it has your scent now, and it will follow you perhaps for the rest of your life. You know that it will follow you to the Wake, and that you are about to do something absolutely heinous against Equestria by bringing it back with you.

There is absolutely nothing good about any of this.

But despite all this, you are still terrified of dying. So, you pick the only option you really have.

Even if it means bringing something back with you.

- - -

Your entire body hurts.

Worse than if you had splinters growing inside of you, stabbing against the inner parts of your mouth and throat and lungs.

Worse than if you had just suffered a terrible accident, and had irrevocably scarred and disfigured a part of your body.

Worse than if you had thrown yourself at a sea of knives, in the hopes that the agony you feel would finally end.

Your entire body hurts.

But that is the only sign you have that you have woken up.

You wake up slowly. Everything about you is happening slowly. It even takes you a few moments to realize that your mouth is half-open, your neck taut as your body strains to let out a muted scream. It hurts so much that you don't even realize that your vision is blacked out, and it takes you even longer to realize why it is weird that you have to open your eyes just to see.

But you open them, eventually, and that is when you realize you are not laying on your bed. You are laying down, back turned downwards, but you are not where you were when you fell asleep.

In fact, you are not even inside your house.

It hurts that you can't even feel afraid about it. You can't even think properly, so you don't. You merely roll on your back until your belly is turned to the ground, and give out your best effort to stand up.

Your muscles ache, and something inside of you twists the wrong way, causing you to let out a wet, drooling gasp.

Still, you get on your hoofs, and slowly try to get your bearings back.

It is night. The moonlight is shining down all around you, but you can't make out much of the scenery around you. You vaguely recall you should be able to see better in the dark, but you are not sure how or why.

You are surrounded by tall plants, and long seconds pass you by until you realize you are in the middle of a farm crop. That causes other memories to return to you, these new ideas thankfully taking up more and more space in your head and pushing away all the pollution that hangs inside your mind like a cancer. You realize, then, that you are within one of the several farmlands around your estate.

Heavens… you have no idea how you got here, but at least you are still home.

But the vague thoughts of relief that were forming inside your head evaporate as soon as you look at the ground. And that is because you see…

You see tracks. There are tracks on the soil, beneath your hoofs and all around you, and you can clearly see that they come from the direction that your home is.

And a chill runs down your spine as you realize something. These are not pony tracks, these are not marks and traces made by hoofs, or anything that ever wore a horseshoe.

No. They are canine footprints, and they are larger than your hoofs could ever hope to be.

You freeze, as you slowly start piecing together what this means. Whatever made this tracks, then, came from your house. It came from your house and left you here on the ground. Your eyes follow the traces left all around you, and a few moments later you realize the tracks continue for a few more steps, going into the hiding cover provided by the tall crops that are but a few paces away from you.

Your eyes go wide open with terror, because once you finish following the tracks with your eyes you realize you are not alone.

There is a wolf here, hiding in the farmlands. It is right there, hiding by the crops where the moonlight can't touch it. It is right there, and it is looking back at you with shining eyes and palpable malice.

There is a wolf here, and you are alone with it.

[The Gift of Agony: Body; Failure]

[The Gift of Agony: Mind; Success]

It looks at you, and it passes its judgement.

You have been found wanting, you immediately understand. You have not properly internalized one of the gifts its master deigned to give you with its presence.

So, the wolf will correct that.

You close your eyes, your body shuddering in fear as you understand what is about to happen to you.

It is better this way, you know. All the other options are much, much worse. If you run, it will chase after you, and you risk having bloodlust added to its desire to fulfill its duty. If you resist… well, you understand that it is better if you don't.

You keep your eyes tightly shut, as it stalks out of its hiding place and comes towards you. You keep your eyes shut, and you thank the heavens that at least, and for some reason, you cannot see through your closed eyelids.

You would not want to see it, even if you could. Even if it was not impossible to see it, if you were to open your eyes, you would still not want to see it.

It is already bad enough that you can hear it, as it stalks towards you.

It is already bad enough that you can hear its long claws soundlessly tapping against the soil.

It is already bad enough that you can smell its fur, that nauseating stench that is neither tar nor blood nor ozone. And that you can feel the even worse smell of its putrid breath as it opens its all-too-large mouth around your torso.

You would not want to see it, even if you could.

You would not want to see it, as it… slowly digs its teeth into both of your sides.

It takes all your willpower not to scream, and only because you know it will be far worse if you do. It takes all of your willpower not to thrash as the electric pain and agony courses through your body. For they are very real, the teeth that are digging into you. They are as real as the blood that is coming out of your body, and the flesh that is being split, and the bones of your torso that are being strained to their limits.

It keeps you firmly held in its terrifyingly large mouth, until you understand its lesson.

And when the wolf is done with you, it leaves.

But you know it will never truly be far away. It will never truly be far away from anypony from now on.

After all, it followed you back into the Wake.

It exists here, now. And even though it will never be seen by eyes, it will still stalk, and harm, and share its gifts with whatever it finds, and they will be as real as the wounds you now have upon your body.

- - -

Giving birth was less painful than this. The last time you felt this much pain you ended up with a limp leg and an enormous scar.

You just laid down on the ground, after it was gone. And then you cried, and then you screamed, and then you howled in pain completely uncaring if you might be heard by your daughters back in your estate.

And when you had enough of your sanity back, the very minimum required, you remembered what you knew, and you surrendered yourself to the calmer parts of your brain.

So now, you can look at things more calmly.

You will keep a constant pressure of telekinesis on your wounds, so at least you will stop bleeding as badly as you were. You are exhausted, famished and possibly dehydrated, and the night is cold enough that you might fall ill if you don't return home soon.

But all of those things are problems you can solve by returning home and locking yourself in your room. You know a minimum of first aid, and although you will certainly want to see a medical professional sooner rather than later, so far you think none of your wounds are truly deep or immediately life-threatening. Although it remains to be seen if the several stab-cuts on both sides of your thorax will leave scars or not.

Still, you have a far more pressing concern right now.

The wolf, it left you a gift before stalking away. And as it goes with all the Wolf's gifts, there is absolutely nothing good about this.

You have received "A Bundle of Fur", an EDGE 4 WINTER 4 reagent. This reagent may be "separated" into smaller and equally balanced fractions of itself (transformed into one 3/3 and one 1/1 reagents, into two 2/2, so on) without loss or cost. This reagent is [DANGEROUS] and you must decide immediately where you will keep it.

[] Bury it in the farmlands. The crops around it will die in less than a month, and you will have to dig it up and bury it somewhere else. But at least only you will know where it is. (Small risk of being found by farmworkers, will be near your estate. "Relocation" is narrative, automatic and costless.)

[] Keep it with yourself. You have several safes in your office, and one of them is empty. Lock it there, until you have need of it. (No risk of being found by anypony. The reagent's malice will be inside your home.)

[] Give it to the Cult. They will have more adequate places to store it. (Will be within reach of the Cult, and may be used by it.)

[] Destroy it. The absolute sum of evil in the world will not decrease, but at least it will be pulverized. Smoke to fly away in the air. Ashes to flow downstream on the river. And most importantly, remains that will spread far away from your home. (You will lose the reagent.)

[] Something else. (Write in.)

Baldomare is not available to comment, and will simply nod at your decision by the time you tell her about it. You must decide this by yourself.

You have received one WOUND.

You have rolled high enough to avoid the temporary physical Malus "Fading scars".

You have rolled high enough to completely avoid DREAD.

You have seen it. You have seen it, and you wonder if some day you will ever stop seeing it. You have gained one WINTER and one EDGE scraps of Lores.

You have seen the birth Windigos, those hateful creatures of spite and agony, and you believe you know how to reproduce what you saw. You may now summon Windigos to the Wake.

You have gained the trait "A Stain upon the Soul". You may now perform Regrettable Actions, which will never fail.

Kindly observe a two hours of moratorium.

OurLadyOfWires · Aug 24, 2024

You are doing your utmost best to think as little as possible. You are using up every last scrap of concentration you can muster in order to douse your thoughts as soon as they occur to you.

And that is because, right now, you are deeply aware that you will only think about bad things. Allowing your mind to wander aimlessly will only have it visit dark places.

It is night. It's night, and now that you have walked out of the cover provided by the crop fields the freezing winds are having their way with you.

You are in pain. There are several bleeding gashes on both your sides, and the only thing stopping you from losing even more blood is the crude, makeshift bandages you made with corn leaves, that you are constantly pressing against your body with your telekinesis magic.

You are limping, even though you are completely ignoring your pain. It is an ugly sensation, the one you have right now. Ignoring the protests of your body feels as if you were ignoring your own daughter as she cried for help, but still you do it nonetheless. But the fact remains that, if you are limping even while you have complete control over your emotions, then it means that your body can't help but to limp. It means that there is some part of you that is so damaged that you have lost some of your movements.

And that is just on the physical side of things. Mentally speaking, you are…

You are…

You don't even want to remember.

So, again, you are doing your best not to think. You focus on nothing but going with the motions. You keep your eyes aimed straight ahead, you keep walking forward, you keep your makeshift bandages pressed against your wounds, and you keep following the canine tracks back towards your home while you do your best to erase them with magic.

Or at least that is what you are trying to do.

That is what you are trying to do, but something still feels off nonetheless.

Rather, you can feel something that is off.

It's… it's not something about your body. Not exactly. It's not something inside your head. Or at least it's not an emotion or a stray thought.

This strange sensation you have. This… this thing that you somehow recognize, even if you don't know how…

It's a… it's a damned smell, one that you can't block out or ignore, no matter how hard you try.

There is a smell in the air, an acrid scent that somehow burns your nose every time you breathe in. A sensation that is not painful in a way you can ignore, but that still stings at you nonetheless.

Because it's not really a smell in the normal sense of the word. Not exactly.

Instead it's a… a thing. A feeling. A sensation. A kind of understanding that you never had before. It smells like blood, but it also smells like a strain of sorts, and of long days spent on your bed, alone, with an open wound on your hindleg that would throb with pain in time with your heartbeat.

It's the wolf, you know. You can somehow still smell him. Even though he is the sort of creature that does not have a scent about it. Even though he is the sort of creature that does not even have a body. For some reason you can't explain, you understand that this thing you are feeling is its stench.

You try to ignore it, the acidic sensation on your nose, as much as possible. You do your best to ignore it as you slowly make your way closer and closer to the estate. You try not to think too much about how the scent makes you think about a rotting carcass of some dead animal, one that is somewhere nearby but that you can't exactly find out where. As if it was hidden in a nearby hill or under the floor or right behind you.

You try not to ask yourself if this smell will ever go away, with how it seems to come from all around you or the air itself. Even more so because, as much as you don't understand this, you still know that it means something.

You keep walking until you reach the estate's gate, the flowery path that leads to the locked front door stretching on before your eyes. You reach that spot, and you freeze before you step a hoof on the garden itself.

And that is because you suddenly begin to feel, with a certainty that shocks you for a moment, a new pair of scents.

It is as if somepony just opened a door to a kitchen or sprayed the air with perfume. There was no gradual increase in subtlety or intensity. A few seconds ago you could only smell the wolf-rot, and now, suddenly, you can feel two new scents that all but drown the previous one.

You can also immediately tell that there is a clear and sharp contrast, between these two smells and the wolf's smell. These two new ones feel… they feel familiar. As if the wolf's scent is a subtle constant that is all around you, a pollution that is saturated on the air itself, while these two new smells are…

You cannot describe it in any other way. These two new scents have a source. They are real. And even though you are distant from wherever they are coming from, and there are winds, and doors, and walls between you and them, you can still tell exactly how far away they are from you. Heavens, you can even tell what direction they are coming from.

You can tell that… that they are your daughter's… they are the trails that lead to Silky Stream and Selene, and-

"Agh-!" and for all that your mind is still firmly within the grip of Winter, you can't help but let out a sickened gasp as it finally dawns upon you what this means.

A wave of abject revulsion runs through you, tightening your stomach and paralyzing your thoughts for long moments. This strange sense that is coming to you, these unexplainable scents of your daughters that you are feeling, they are somehow… they are telling you how to stalk your daughters. You suddenly realize that somehow there is something inside of you, that you can't avoid or stop, that knows the proper path to take, if you wanted to hunt and chase and… and kill them while they sleep.

The vertigo inside your head only grows as the seconds drag by. And you can feel the barely restrained sickness, and the instinctive contempt you have for the thoughts that occurred to you just now, screaming at you to back away from the estate. After all, there is something inside your brain that knows how to hurt your daughters. So, you cannot step a hoof inside your home, even if it means that you might bleed or freeze to death in the cold of the night.

It takes the pragmatism and logic of Winter a long, long time to convince you that, despite this new sense of yours, you are not actually going to follow through with it. It shakes a deep part of you, one that even your Winter-calmness cannot reach, to realize that, even if only for a moment, you thought that you might have been able to harm your daughters.

- - -

You think the moon is about to set when you finally gather the will to step back into the garden.

The scent-trails present themselves to you, once again almost instantly. And you can feel the ethereal track indicating the direction that would lead you to your daughters.

You ignore it, of course. They are asleep, they are safe, so that is all that matters. If anything, you try to mentalize that you can feel their smell because you are giving them a long hug, your nose burrowed in their manes as you hold them on your forelegs.

It is reassuring, even, to realize how close they are to you. And that their scent-trail is almost completely drowning out the ethereal, constant smell of the wolf you were feeling a few moments ago.

You tap a hoof on the front door to unlock it and close it behind you as you make your way into the entrance hall, your mind focusing on what you ought to do next. Raid the kitchen for nourishment, head to your room, lock the door, clean the wounds and do whatever you can in first aid. You quickly make a list of sorts, shoving away whatever other plans you had for the day so as to hide your wounds for as long as you can.

"STOP".

Until a voice comes to you. A cutting, merciless, commanding voice has uttered a single word, and still that is more than enough to cut through both the silence and darkness of the night, and freeze you on the spot.

This thing you just heard was… actually, you are not even sure if you really heard it? You understood what it meant, of course, but it might have been light shaped into sound, or maybe even an idea that was forced into your head. You swear you heard something, but you are also sure that for a moment the darkness of the entrance hall was replaced with light, even though there is not a single lit candle in sight.

But most importantly, you realize from the tone of that voice, or perhaps from the glaring intensity of its tone, that…

That you are in danger.

Your eyes go wide in panic, and your heart starts to beat faster inside of you despite the best efforts of your Winter-born calmness. You realize that you are in danger, and that there is something looking down at you from the top of the stairs.

It is something old, you somehow understand, almost as if that knowledge is being forced into your head by the sheer weight of its presence. Something old, and large, and bright, and alien, and uncompromising, that is glaring down at you the same way a sage might look down at a piece of written parchment, or an engineer might look at a disassembled machine. That thing, whatever it is, does not hate you. But only because it is beyond hate. It does not consider you its foe either, but only because you immediately understand there is nothing you can do that could possibly harm it.

But still, you also know that the light… that the thing that is glaring down upon you, is holding you down with its presence. The sharp edges of its intellect pressing against you like scalpels, forbidding you from moving. The harshness of its light ready to strip you away of color and shape at a moment's notice.

You think about fleeing, but you instantly realize you cannot. That thing, you realize, is made of light, and it will reach into the depths of your mind and wrench your soul out of your body before you manage to take a single step.

You think about fighting, but you immediately realize that is impossible. That thing… you can't even look at it. You slowly try to raise your wide-open, panic-filled eyes, but your eyes don't even reach the middle of the stairways before the glare becomes too intense. You look away, towards the ground, afraid that you might blind yourself if you try to look anywhere near it.

You consider… heavens, you consider even trying to talk to it, but you know that will not get you anywhere. That thing, that awe-striking point of light, is beyond reasoning. It knows, and by its very nature it understands, and it is currently looking into you more deeply than any of your words would be able to convey.

You can only wait, as its knife-like gaze glares down at you. Judging, analyzing, weighting you by means and criteria that are utterly beyond your comprehension.

Until that glaring light, that you somehow don't see with your eyes, slowly recedes back to somewhere else. Until that blazing point of brilliance folds back into itself, like a blooming flower in reverse, and your eyes can finally look at the top of the stairs without you thinking you will become blind or wise or insane.

Your body slowly thaws from the unexplainable fear that was gripping you until a few moments ago, as you come to terms with the fact that there is no longer an intellect larger than your estate glaring down at you.

And you see Baldomare walking down the stairs, forcefully blinking her eyes with an expression that makes her look like she is slightly dizzy.

It takes you several moments to understand what just happened. And Baldomare is already in front of you, her horn lighting up as she floats your crude bandages back towards your wound, before you can bring yourself to say anything.

"Goodness graci-…" she says, stopping herself moments later and coughing out a few flashes of light. "I mean, goodness gracious I do not miss having a physical body. Sorry about that dear, couldn't let you go anywhere near the fillies before I took a good look at you. Couldn't take that risk. Now let's get you to your room so we can do something about those wounds," she says, ushering the two of you upstairs.

"What did you…?" you try to say, realizing that your wounds are becoming more and more painful and your grasp on your Winter-calmness, and your own consciousness, is beginning to slip from you. "What... what was that thing? What did you do…?"

"Don't worry about it. I'm just glad nothing too bad happened. Well, at least nothing bad happened to you, that is. We'll have to wait and see about the thing that followed you, but that's a worry for another day."

You try to answer her, to ask her what she meant by all of that, but for some reason climbing the stairs is already taking up all of your concentration.

You are vaguely aware that, for some reason, you can still see Baldomare even when everything goes black. But even stray thoughts like those fade away into nothingness as you fall down towards the floor, Baldomare's panicked hoofs rushing to try to catch you.

"She has a point," is the last thing that crosses your mind. You will worry about all of this when you wake up.

But not right now.

You have reached a realization in the Lore of EDGE.

You are now immune to ambushes, and can sense the presence of nearby ponies, and perhaps other creatures, regardless of physical obstacles between you and them.

You can feel their "scent", it's the only way you can really describe it. And furthermore, when there is nopony nearby you the "default" scent of the world seems to be polluted by something rotten. You believe that to be the wolf-thing that followed you back from the Mansus.

You do not know how reliable your detection is, however. Or at least, you realize that you can't sense Baldomare no matter how hard you try. She idly mentioned that "light has no smell" when you asked her about it.

OurLadyOfWires · Aug 24, 2024

You are Velvet Covers, and you are dreaming.

Yes, dreaming. You are currently asleep, unconscious from exhaustion, and thus you are aware that the very idea of you being awake is utterly ridiculous.

And yet, here you are. Conscious and aware… for the most part, that is.

Because although you can think, or at least you think that you are thinking right now, you also know that there is something missing. You can't remember how you got here, for starters. In fact, you don't really seem to remember much of anything.

Heavens, you are not even sure where "here" is. It's all a dream, for sure, but still you can't describe your surroundings no matter how hard you try. And not because you are in a "white room" or "floating in darkness". No. There simply isn't anything here to begin with. Your mind doesn't even remember what "somewhere" means, to realize that you should be somewhere.

However, you also know that this is not something you should be worried about. Or rather, you realize that under normal circumstances you should be worried, but that the dream you are having right now is a rare exception to that rule.

Huh… well, since that is the case, perhaps it makes more sense to say you are not even dreaming to begin with?

Yes, that sounds better in your head. You decide to go with that.

You are Velvet Covers, and you are not dreaming. Instead, you are currently inside your head.

Baldomare is being kind enough to do this for you.

"Wait, how do I know that?" you mumble to yourself, despite not being sure of where your mouth is.

"Oh, good. You're coming about," you hear Baldomare's voice coming from… somewhere.

Actually, did you even hear it? You have the impression that her voice came from inside your head, somehow.

"Just keep thinking, dear. This thing works like filling a cup, so to speak. Or rather, transferring the contents of one cup to another. Still, things will come back to you eventually," you hear Baldomare's ethereal voice saying.

"Transferring…?" you say out loud, and it takes you a full second to remember what that word means, your thoughts flashing up in alarm as soon as you do, "wait a minute, what exactly are you transferring?!"

"Goodness gracious… Your mind, of course, what else would I be doing? You were going to bleed to death if I didn't do this!" she says, her tone a mixture of disappointment and frustration. "And I mean, really? My first summoner in Glory knows how long, and she tries to crawl out of her bed as soon as I get her to her room, just so she can ask me more questions? You're too curious for your own good, Velvet."

"Hang on… I did what?" you ask, feeling a strange sensation that is somehow utterly familiar.

It is disbelief, you realize. And curiously, you feel like you are feeling disbelief for the first time in your life, even though this "new" sensation is lodging itself inside your brain as if it is an old friend of yours.

"You heard me, you crazy mare! I go through the trouble of dragging you to your room, the bleeding mess you are, and as soon as I put you on your bed and turn around to go get some water you try to crawl after me! Babbling questions all the way, even. Had to bring you here, dear. Although you should try to fix that curiosity of yours, it's probably starting to reach your subconscious or something."

You are about to answer her, saying that you don't believe her or that she is making that up, when suddenly you realize…

"What… the…?"

You try to mumble something, anything, but for some reason even that much effort feels draining, now.

"Ah, here we are," Baldomare says.

And you suddenly realize you have a body. Or at least that you have eyes and a mouth.

You blink, opening your eyes even though they were never closed to begin with.

You have no idea what you are looking at, at first. For a few seconds, your mind is in a state of confusion as you remember the meaning of colors, and sound, and light, and each of them seem to parade and flash in front of you as you recall that they should exist.

But that only lasts for a few seconds. And as if you were your own anchor in this strange experience, you slowly start to remember that all your senses are supposed to be centralized somewhere.

You feel your mouth, and how dry your tongue is as it scrapes against your teeth. The taste of blood in your breath.

Then you feel your hoofs.

Then your body-

-lying on your bed-

-surrounded by your room.

You feel slightly sick at how quickly everything is simply materializing around you, everything in your view seeming to look more real and solid as you remember more and more of the little details that are supposed to be there.

"Ah, good to have a visible image again," a voice… Baldomare's voice, snaps you from your confusion.

But this time her voice is coming from somewhere, and it sounds like a pony's voice ought to sound. Not like some echo-y noise coming from the depths of your head. You turn to face her, and you see her sitting on a chair next to your bed.

"Really, Baldomare, I…" you try to say, but with every word you speak you seem to remember something else, the sensation of everything around you gaining more focus being equally distractive and invasive. "I appreciate you… actually, I know I should appreciate whatever you are doing, but…"

"Nuh-uh dear, don't thank me yet," she says, shaking her head, "you are not even nearly close to done."

Your expression turns into a doubtful one at her words, and you open your mouth to ask what exactly she means by th-

"Ack!" but you are interrupted by a stabbing pain. By several stabbing pains, in several parts of your body, a dry and choked cough escaping your lips without any prompt. You try to take a deep breath to fight the sensation, but even breathing is painful now.

You look down at your body, panic surging inside of you as you realize there is a swathe of bandages around your chest and sides. Bleeding bandages, with spots of red spreading in time with your breath, and the pulsing aches you feel are underneath them.

"W-wha-t th-... AHH!" you try to say something, anything, but as you try to move your hoofs so you can take a better look at yourself you realize too late that your shoulders aren't exactly in good shape to be used by now.

You helplessly turn your face to look at Baldomare, fear and the hint of tears forming in your eyes as you wordlessly plead her to tell you what the hell is going on.

But the mare isn't even looking at you. Her attention seems to be focused on an open book she is holding between her hoofs. The book, you see, vaguely reminds you of a diary you used to keep when you were much, much younger.

"Huh," she remarks idly, still reading from the book, "this explains a lot."

And before you can say anything, before you can even articulate that you are scared, or in pain, or that you want her help.

Everything comes back to you-

- - -

-and the lands around the estate come into being, as you remember all the places where your daughters can go play away from your sight. Dangerous places where you will never be able to protect them.

-and Ponyville appears, at the end of the long dirt road. A small and idyllic town, that is now slowly being infiltrated by shapeshifting killers.

-and the cult comes into being. And Jade Whistle's house comes into being. And the letter Twilight Sparkle received, disavowing her of her dear mentor's love, comes into being. And the thoughts you had, of how to track and hunt and kill your daughters through their scent, come into being. And your husband, walking around the house at night, comes into being.

You eventually understand what Baldomare meant. Or rather, you eventually remember what she told you.

"Velvet, can you hear me…? Watchpony's light, this mare… Listen, I'll take your mind out of you so your body can rest more easily."
"Will… it… willithurt?"
"Oh good, so you are still a bit awake. Well dear, about hurting… Let's just say it won't hurt physically. But I'll take your spirit out, and then your memories will follow at their own pace, so you might have a bit of Remembrancer's Discomfort as your memories pass through your cognition on their way back into your mind and-"
"W… what…?"
"Oh you'll see. Just stand still and let me work!"

You think you saw something brilliant and cutting, after that. Or perhaps something cutting and brilliant.

-AND A TIDE OF UNCLEAN FLAMES COMES INTO BEING, FALLING ETERNALLY. AN EVER-WIDENING SET OF JAWS WHOSE TEETH ARE TURNED AGAINST ITS OWN FLESH COMES INTO BEING. A MINDLESS DESIRE BORN FROM A DESIRELESS MIND COMES INTO BEING. THE CRYSTALIZATION OF AN ACT, AND THE CONFIRMATION OF AN OATH-

You think you have just re-lived your entire life, in a dream you just forgot.

- - -

You wake up.

Actually, no you don't. This is still inside your head. Baldomare is still holding your mind, or perhaps your very soul, over your body. A transparent crystal-ball like gem that she is keeping between her hoofs, on the Wake, as she calmly looks down at your body.

At your empty body, mind you. All your memories, everything you ever thought or did, has come back to you. Which means that your consciousness, and everything that is Velvet Covers, has departed your body and is now being held on Baldomare's gentle grip.

But still, right now the only thing you can see is… well, your room. You wouldn't have known any better if you didn't remember what just happened, because everywhere you look you see your room as if you were awake. You are lying on your bed, your body clean and your chest covered in bandages, and everything feels as real as you remember they should.

"It's still night, just so you know," Baldomare says, and you turn to see her still sitting on a chair next to your bed. "Whole process took just a few minutes, so now your body will be able to rest as calmly as it is physically possible. Free of stress, and adrenaline, and nightmares, and all the other indispositions that ponies are subjected while they have bodies."

She says that, but she is still not looking at you. Instead, you can see that she is about to finish reading an album photo you have of your family. Next to her, by the floor, you see a neatly piled collection of what look like diaries, albums and other assorted scrolls. It is curious how you recognize all of them, even though you somehow know that you never necessarily wrote even half of those.

You feel like you should be disturbed by that, but… you are not really sure. After all, you are inside your mind. Or rather, Baldomare just took your mind on her hoofs. And as much as she is a friendly mare who you honestly like, you also can't help but remember the thing you saw on the entrance hall, looking down at you, when you returned to the estate earlier tonight.

And maybe this might even be her being polite. She probably couldn't help but see everything she took out from you, and is just letting you know in her own way.

"Now," she says, closing the photo album and placing it on the floor next to the others, "none of this would have been needed if you had just fallen unconscious like a level-headed pony. But since you were so intent on asking me questions that you wouldn't even let me dress your wounds, and Glory knows how little practice I have with that to begin with… well, here we are now."

She says all of that with a disapproving tone, maybe even slightly annoyed. But still, you can tell from the way she put her words that…

"And I think you still want to ask me some questions," she finishes saying with a sigh.

Your eyes go slightly wide at that, and you are honestly surprised.

You wish you could smile right now. You wish you could joke about this or say in a humorous way that you were finally winning her over. After all, over the last month, whenever Baldomare was at the estate, you almost made it a personal mission to ask her, about the Mansus and the Lores and everything else, as much as possible. You tried your best to go about it politely, but you still very much hoped to basically make her cave in through sheer insistence.

So, you wish you could say… something, about that. After all, she is all but offering you what you had wanted this whole time. She is all but offering you answers, from a non-cryptic source like your Master, about things that might actually help you make a difference.

And yet…

The things you just saw…

"I think…" you say, both to her and yourself, "I think I understand now, even if just in part, why you refused to answer my questions at first."

You say that with a frown. And to your surprise, gone is the usual expression Baldomare has whenever you try to talk to her about this. You see no traces of the usual bored, or annoyed, or exasperated face she always makes whenever she hears the slightest mention of the Mansus coming from you.

Instead, she is looking at you with a pained expression of her own.

"I still won't tell you much, dear. In fact, I'm almost not going to tell you anything," she says, although she is talking slowly, almost in a sympathetic manner, "but only because you don't even know the questions yet."

She then stops for a few moments, and almost as an afterthought she reaches for one of the books she has next to her, tapping a hoof on the diary you are sure you actually wrote, when you were very young, on the months that followed... your accident.

"There are some things, Velvet, certain understandings and secrets that… that one must prove to be worthy of learning, before they are allowed to learn it. Yet paradoxically, the only way to prove yourself worthy is by figuring out what the secret is. Just like your scar, dear," she says, giving the diary another tap. "To this day, the only pony to whom you willingly told your story… was the one who managed to go so deep into your heart that he already knew everything else about you. So, you told him the story behind your secret not as a reward, but merely because he already had all the dots, and you wanted to be there when he connected them."

You purse your lips as she says that, remembering the one time you sat your husband down to tell him the one thing about yourself you never had the courage to tell anypony before.

And you can't help but nod at Baldomare's words.

"So, again, I'm not really going to tell you anything. I'm just going to supply you with a few words and terms. Old words, mind you, and perhaps tell you some things that your Master might not have told you not because he was being cryptic… but simply because they don't matter anymore in this day and age. Just to guide you through connecting the dots you already have."

She lets out a sigh, and reaches for the small cabinet by your bed, grabbing a glass of wine that wasn't there before.

"But only if you ask the right questions, of course," she finishes.

You know what the questions are, but you really don't want to ask them.

It's funny, almost, how this is turning out. The first day you met Baldomare in the Wake you had so many questions, and she refused to answer almost all of them. But now, you realize you don't want to learn what she is about to tell you, but that you have to.

Or rather, you have already learned, you already have the answers to everything she is willing to talk about, tonight.

And just like with you and Stormchaser, when you told him the story behind your limp, she is just going to help you make sense out of what you already know. To reaffirm a certainty you already have, but have not yet put into words.

Still, you know it will not be pleasant.

"What…" you say, feeling the words choke slightly on your throat for a few moments, "what was that thing that I saw, in the Mansus? And what… what exactly was that thing, that followed me back? What did I do?"

Baldomare takes one last sip of her wine, and puts the glass down.

"Your Master never mentioned this word," she begins to say, slowly. "Because, again, it's not a word that matters anymore in this world. Not in this Age, at least. Not anymore. But still, that thing you saw... They were called Hours, Velvet, and they were our gods…"

- - -

She didn't tell you any names, she didn't cite you who or what they were. The only name she told you, was of the one you saw earlier. The Wolf-Divided.

She didn't tell you any names, but she did tell you of Names. Of Names, and Longs, and the powers they commanded and served. She told you there was a hierarchy, long ago. One that was as literal as the shapeless shape of the Mansus. That dictated that the higher one was, the greater one became. A hierarchy based on their actions, and their proximity to Glory.

Still, it was a cursory explanation at best. One that might be surmised to "Hours existed, and they were in constant conflict with each other. And their conflicts interacted with the Wake, and vise-versa, like two sides of a coin."

She did not tell you what happened, or why. You know that to be a question, one closely tied to the broken state of the Mansus, but that is a question to which you do not yet know the answer. So, it is a question you are not yet ready to ask.

Still, she told you several things you already knew. But that maybe you had just not realized yet, or maybe you were refusing to realize for some reason.

"But what about… that thing, Baldomare, that… that wolf. What was that? Why did it follow me? Why do I know I will never stop feeling its smell?!"

"You weren't 'followed back', Velvet, and you know that. That wolf wasn't any more a wolf than it was a cold chill at night, or the malice that creeps into the heart of ponies whenever they plan evil things. The thing you are missing, or refusing to see, is that nothing followed you back to the Wake because the Mansus and the Wake are not separate things. They are different things, but they are not each 'here' and 'there' any more than your own shadow is 'there' whenever your body is 'here'. Certain actions carry weight, Velvet. And just like you learned to touch a door and open it, you also did something in the Mansus that marked you, and coming back to the Wake carrying that mark... coming back to the Wake and letting the world see your mark... you did nothing but remind the world, Velvet, about certain things it used to do, long ago."

"So you… you are saying that… that whatever that thing is… whatever it does next… that I caused it?"

Baldomare looked at you, seeing the horror in your face as you asked that question. And when you looked back at her, you swear that you almost saw an old Lantern-adage running through her mind as she pondered how to answer her, one that spoke about mercy and shadows.

But still, that was an old saying. And the conflict you saw in her eyes made you think that, perhaps, it might not be a saying that is as strong as it once was.

"No, Velvet, you can't say that you caused it, or that you are going to cause whatever it does next. Not exactly. But still, you had an audience with an Hour, Velvet, and it is impossible to leave such an experience unmarked. And the Wake, innocent and untouched as it is nowadays, saw that mark when you woke, and remembered things that would be better forgotten. If you insist on calling it a wolf, Velvet, then you are that wolf's mother, and the world will remember that it exists as long as you keep reminding the world of what you saw."

You didn't ask her anything else, after that. For several hours, the ticking clock telling you that morning was fast approaching, you stayed alone with your thoughts.

Although, with how Baldomare was cradling your whole mind in her hoofs back in the Wake, it would be silly of you to think she didn't know what you were thinking the whole time.

"So what do I do, then…?" you finally asked, just as the sun was about to rise on the horizon, "if going to the Mansus means that more things like that will happen, then are you telling me I shouldn't go back there anymore? That the only way to win is not to play?"

And at that, Baldomare actually chuckled.

"You're starting to get it, Velvet, about how you're only supposed to ask me questions you already know the answer for… And about the thing you just asked, we both know that's not it. Because first of all, the Mansus has already been rediscovered. You have a head start right now, but if you don't do it somepony will. And second… actually there was an old saying long ago, about this very subject."

She said those words, as she got up and moved to leave the room. And you could tell from how the walls were growing brighter and brighter that this meant she was going to wake you up soon.

"The saying was something like... There is a village next to a snowy mountain, and you wish to destroy it. One way to do so is to gather a great army and trample it. Destroy it, through both might and the effort you will spend gathering soldiers and weapons. But the other way to go about it… is to scale the mountain next to the village, and throw down a single pebble towards it, to start an avalanche. And while a village might fight back against an army, there is nothing it can do to stop the avalanche. And since pebbles only travel downwards, the only ones who may harm you if you choose to climb the mountain are the ones who have managed to climb even higher than you."

You purse your lips at that. Because, just like Baldomare said, you already knew the answer to your question.

"And there is no higher mountain to climb than the Mansus," you say watching her nod in agreement just as she leaves the room of your mind.

And with a sinking feeling of being surrounded by your real, physical body-

-you finally wake up.

The House of the Sun is broken and empty. But it is still the highest mountain in the world, and Glory still lies at its top. If you don't do it, somepony will. And if they do it before you do, you will be powerless to go against their wishes. It has to be you.

Velvet Covers will no longer deny entering the Mansus, gifted by her Knock Realization, every time she goes to sleep. You have gained an additional (free) single Mansus Action per turn. Said action counts as a single (not Knock-double) action, and must be used to explore an unexplored area of the Mansus. Failing to do so (or running out of unexplored areas) will cause Velvet to be afflicted by a mental malus.

Velvet Covers has learned the old terms, of Hours and Names and Longs and Doors. This knowledge might not have any practical use in the Age you live in, but it is still a tool, and perhaps a key to understanding how things worked in the past. Her knowledge, however, is still as fractured and incomplete as Baldomare deigns that it must be right now.

OurLadyOfWires · Aug 24, 2024

You are Selene, and you…

-you are conflicted-
-you are worried-
-you are scared-
-you don't know what to do-
-you just wish everything would go back to the way it was-

… you have a lot on your mind right now.

But what really matters is that you are making your way down the stairs, towards the dining hall. And you are trying your best to be quiet as you go about it.

The floors are carpeted, and you know where not to step on the staircases, so they don't squeak, even though you aren't heavy enough for the sound to be that loud. Still, you are walking as slowly as possible to make sure nopony wakes up or notices you.

It is late in the night, and the moonlight shining in through the windows is so faint that you almost can't see where you are going.

However, the oppressive darkness around you still manages to be helpful, even if just a little bit. Because thanks to it, you can more easily notice the faint glow of the fireplace, coming from the dining hall.

You sneak towards the half-opened door, standing on the shadows and away from the warm light of the fire. It takes your eyes a few seconds to adjust, but soon enough you find the ponies you are looking for.

Right there, on the couch closest to the fireplace, you see the silhouette of Mr. Stormchaser, his back turned to you.

And despite the soft snapping that comes from the fire every now and then, you slowly begin to make out the words he is saying. You slowly begin to make out the… the soft consolations he is whispering, every now and then.

You can also hear Silky Stream, who is cradled between his forelegs, quietly sobbing against his chest.

"B-but… but what if… what if mommy turns sad again? W-what if s-she… stops, l-like she did back t-then…?"
"Shh, shh, don't worry about it dear… she won't. Mommy will be just fine, I promise."
"She is… mommy is n-not going to… to d-die, right?"
"Of course not, Silky. Mommy will be just fine. She just needs to rest."

You feel something clench your heart, as you hear Silky's trembling voice.

But as much as you might hate yourself for it, you can't bring yourself to walk out of the shadows and towards them, by the fireplace. You can't bring yourself to come any closer than you are right now.

Because you know that there is nothing you can do that will make them feel any better.

You might be able to make them feel less worse, but you can't do anything about the reason why everypony, including yourself, is feeling like this.

- - -

Four days ago, something hurt Mrs. Velvet. Something hurt her, and you are the only one who knows it.

She told everypony something else, and auntie Baldie also said she was there and saw it happen. She told everypony that it was an accident, that they were going upstairs after talking late into the night, and that she tripped and fell, landing on top of a glass of water she had with her.

You know she is lying. You don't know how or why, but you know she is lying. You haven't told anypony, not even Silky, but you still know she is lying.

It wasn't an accident. Something hurt her, and you know it.

But still, that doesn't change the fact that… that she got hurt. Really, really badly.

It was bad enough that when you and Silky woke up, auntie Baldie, and then the maids, didn't let either of you see her until it was afternoon. Bad enough that Mrs. Velvet asked somepony to write Mr. Stormchaser, and he was back home from work before the night fell.

Bad enough that when you and Silky were finally allowed to see her… well, you've already seen Silky cry. It's rare for her to cry, of course, but it has already happened.

However, when you two were allowed into Mrs. Velvet's room, and you saw her bandaged, a-and pale, and… and tired…

You got scared, of course. It scared you to see Mrs. Velvet hurting like that.

But the things that passed through your mind, and the fear you felt, paled in comparison to what you saw on Silky's expression. She was shocked, by seeing her mother like that. Silky Stream was shocked in a way you never even thought was possible.

Everything has been worse, ever since that day.

It is as if a heavy blanket of sorts, something dark and cold, has fallen over your home. Over your whole family, and everypony who works in your home.

It took you a few days to figure out why. But eventually, you heard enough murmurs from the maids and from Mr. Stormchaser, as they took care of Mrs. Velvet, to understand the reason behind all this.

From what you gathered, it seems that Mrs. Velvet had a very frail health for most of her life.

That didn't make any sense to you at first. After all, ever since you've met Mrs. Velvet she has always been so spritely and full of energy that you almost discarded your idea at first. But it didn't take long for you to also remember that you are adopted. You have only known your family for less than a year, so of course there are lots of things about them that you don't know.

And this… seems to be one of them.

Silky hasn't talked much, these last few days. She hasn't done much of anything other than stay near Mrs. Velvet whenever her mother is awake, and cry whenever she isn't. And to be honest this is turning out to be, so to speak, a side of your sister that you didn't know. Because of course she is shaken by what is happening, after all nopony can see somepony they love hurting like that and feel alright. But still, the intensity of what she is going through makes you think that Silky must have some sort of trauma about this. Some deep-seated fear she picked up while growing up. A profound dread that Mrs. Velvet might just… that she might just die, if something really bad happens to her by chance.

That's what you think, at least. And the more you think about it, the more it makes sense. Especially if the period of Mrs. Velvet's frail health coincided with when Silky was still growing up, before your family took you in.

Mr. Stormchaser also has also been affected by all of this. Because of course he has. He has known and loved Mrs. Velvet for longer than you and Silky have been alive. But he is much better at hiding it, so you are not sure just how badly this is hitting him.

And as for yourself…

You want to say that you are angry, but it's more than just that. For some reason you can't explain, it really feels like you have somehow failed to protect your family. You have no idea what you could have done, or why you are feeling like this, but you still feel like you should have done something. Or rather, like you should have been able to do something, and it's unfair that you weren't.

But above all else, you feel that since you didn't do anything, this is all your fault.

"Selene, is that you?" Mr. Stormchaser's voice snaps you out of your thoughts, and as you look around you realize that you are in the middle of the dining hall.

At some point, you must have unconsciously started walking towards him and Silky.

"Oh, I, uhm…" you say, awkwardly looking towards the faint silhouette of Mr. Stormchaser's head, not really sure of what you should do.

"It's alright dear," he says, almost in a whisper, "don't worry about it."

You can also feel, from his tone of voice, that he is inviting you to come closer.

And you do want to get closer, you really do. You want to get a better look at Mr. Stormchaser to see how he is doing, and you want to make sure Silky is alright, a-and… and you… you really just want to be with them and-

"Selene, are you crying?" you hear Mr. Stormchaser say, together with the sound of him moving just a little bit, trying to get a better look at you without disturbing his hold on Silky too much.

"No! I-I mean," you immediately lower your voice, "sorry, I'm… is just… is Silky asleep?"

You try your best to change the subject, rubbing your burning eyes with a hoof and hoping Mr. Stormchaser won't notice with how dark it is.

"Yeah, she finally fell asleep…" he says, looking away from you and towards her for a few moments. "I should take her to her room."

"Wait-! I-I mean… no, don't. I, uhm… well, I think she would have preferred to stay like this, with you… Or at least that she would prefer to wake up like this, Mr. Stormchaser," you say, trying your best not to trip on your own words too much.

But perhaps you didn't hide it well enough, the heaviness in your voice, or the tear-wetness in your words, because you can feel him looking back at you once you are done. You are not in view of the fireplace's light, but you can still feel him looking at you with a worried expression.

"I guess you're right…" he eventually says, "and are you sure you are doing alright Selene?"

But the way he says it…

You know how well he is hiding it, with his grownup maturity. But somehow you can still feel it.

The concern in his voice.

How scared he is, that everything around him, everypony he loves is…

"Mhm" you say, not daring to put it into words. Instead, you just nod towards him, hoping he can at least see the movement of your mane and understand what you meant by that.

And before he can say anything else you turn around and leave, honestly hoping that he just thinks you are going back to your room.

- - -

You are sitting on the floor of the main hall, just outside the door that leads to the dining hall.

You are sitting on the floor, and you are alone, hugging yourself with your forelegs.

You have given up on keeping your eyes dry, but you are still trying your best not to make any sound while you cry. You really, really don't want Mr. Stormchaser to hear that you are still here, and that you didn't go to back to your room.

You hope that… you honestly hope that you didn't hurt Mr. Stormchaser too much, when you decided to leave instead of going to stay with him and Silky. Because in truth, you actually wanted to go to him. You really, really wanted to. You want to be there, and you want to hug them and just stay like that, hoping that things will be a bit better when the sun rises tomorrow.

You want to be with them because they are all scared, just like you, and because you love them. But you can't.

You know you can't.

Because something hurt Mrs. Velvet Covers.

Something hurt her, and that thing… whatever it is, it is still somewhere nearby.

And you are the only one who knows it.

"Selene? Is that you dear?"

Your ears perk up in surprise, and you look up towards the stairways, for a second not believing what you just heard.

"Mrs… Mrs. Velvet?"

You look up and you see her, awkwardly standing on top of the stairways, clearly not favoring one of her legs. She looks a lot better than she did a few days ago, but still she… well, she shouldn't be up at all. Especially this late at night, she should be sleeping!

"Mrs. Velvet, you shouldn't be… did something happen?" you say towards her, whispering as loudly as you can, as she slowly makes her way down the stairs. "Do you want me to call one of the maids or, uhm… can I get you something?"

You see her smile at something while you say that, but you are more worried over the fact that her smile breaks for a moment every time she goes down a step of the stairs.

"Nothing at all, love," she says, reaching the ground level and slowly making her way towards you, clearly putting as little weight as she can on her right hindleg. "I just woke up and couldn't find your daddy, and I saw that your sister's room was also empty so…"

She says that, and she nods towards the partly open door behind you.

But as she takes another step towards you, you get a-

-HORRIBLE FEELING-

-and you freeze on the spot.

Actually no, you don't freeze. Your mind freezes. Your thoughts grind to a halt as you try to understand what is going on, and why you are suddenly feeling a smell of… of rot and… and of something more.

But even though your mind froze, you realize a few seconds later that your body didn't.

Without realizing it, you got up from where you were sitting, and you are now standing between Mrs. Velvet and the half-open door that leads to the dining hall.

Your eyes are wide open in surprise, and you look up to see that Mrs. Velvet's head is tilted, also clearly puzzled at what you are doing.

But still, you somehow know that you… that you can't… You don't know what it is that you can't, but you somehow know that you simply can't let... something.

"Selene, is everything alright?" she asks, the moonlight shining down on her face showing you that she is clearly worried.

"I, uh… yes, Mrs. Velvet. I'm fine, everything is fine."

You say that, but for some reason your heart is beginning to pound inside your chest.

The smell also is… it's getting stronger. As if there is something rotten nearby, but somehow much worse.

And for some reason, watching Mrs. Velvet take another step towards you is… s-she is...

She is scaring you.

"Oh dear, don't worry, it's alright," she says, taking another step towards you. "Mommy is here, everything is fine… and say, why don't the two of us go stay with daddy and Silk-?"

"No!"

You take a half-step back, your legs trembling under you for some reason you can't explain. And despite your best efforts at being quiet, you actually shout at Mrs. Velvet.

But you don't know why. You don't know why you just did that. It's just that the closer she gets to you, the more you…

There is something her that is terrifying you. Every hoofstep she takes towards you feels like she is stalking towards you. It also feels like the walls are closing in around you, and this stench in the air is getting worse, and… and…!

"Selene," she says, her face suddenly serious, lips pursed as she speaks, "I know things have been tense, but this is no reason to raise your voice at your mother." She finishes saying that, and her expression very clearly turns into one of disappointment.

She then shakes her head, as if giving up on something, and starts circling around you, making her way to the dining hall.

And you watch as she gets closer to you, your heart pounding more frantically inside your chest as you feel terrified for reasons you can't understand.

You watch, terrified, as the smell in the air starts to remind you more and more of blood, as Mrs. Velvet walks towards the warm light of the fireplace. Tears beginning to run down your face, completely out of your control.

You watch, as she is almost upon you. She doesn't care for you at all anymore, she will just walk around you and make her way towards the warm light of the dining room. Towards Mr. Stormchaser and your dear sister.

You watch. As she gets so close to you that you can now clearly see the bandages on her sides and around her chest.

Underneath the bandages, and jumping out of them from the gaps between the dressings, you see thick strands of fur. Of a strange color that hurts to look at.

"I won't let you!" you shout, stopping Mrs. Velvet on her tracks, her eyes shooting wide open in surprise.

This time, she is the one who freezes. But for some reason, that only makes you feel more scared.

Because she didn't freeze because of you, and she wasn't surprised by because you shouted. Instead, her wide-open eyes are squarely aimed at the door behind you.

The two of you realizing at the same time that somehow, your outburst caused the door to slam shut. Completely hiding away the warm light of your loved ones.

They are not here anymore. And without that light, you can feel the temperature dropping around you.

Mrs. Velvet's expression, also, is clearly unamused at this.

"Selene, dear…" she says, her eyes finally leaving the closed door and aiming down at you, "what do you think you are doing…?"

You stare back into her eyes, and although most of your vision is obscured by tears, and your legs are shaking, you stand your ground.

And you say the only thing that is truly going on inside your mind.

"I… I-I won't… I won't let you hurt them!" you shout back at her, doing your best even though your voice comes out shaking and meek.

Mrs. Velvet simply smiles at that.

"But Selene dear…" she says, stepping into the shadow between two windows as she closes what little distance remains between the two of you.

However, instead of a hoof, it is a large and clawed paw that touches the ground.

And although you can't see it, now that Mrs. Velvet is no longer being illuminated by the moonlight, you still… you still know, that her grin has turned too wide, and that her snout has grown longer, and that her mouth now has too many teeth as she smiles down at you.

"But Selene dear… somepony has to get hurt tonight."

She is smiling at you, but this is not the loving, motherly smile she always has.

But you stand your ground.

Even as that thing opens its all-too-wide mouth and pounces towards you.

- - -

You have learned, throughout the months, how not to scream when you wake up. So that nopony realizes you just had a nightmare.

But not screaming is one thing. Not crying, and not trembling, are two entirely different things.

You haven't moved an inch, ever since you woke up. You are still in the exact same position you have been the whole night. Your forelegs are still around Mr. Stormchaser's chest, and Silky's head is still laying on your side, the three of you spread around the large couch. The two of them are still sleeping, and the fireplace is doused, with nothing but ashes inside of it.

You dearly hope neither of them wake up before you manage to stop crying and shaking.

...

You have no idea whose dream that was. You have no idea if it is even possible that they were both "sharing" a dream.

But you do know two things.

One, that Mrs. Velvet… no, that the thing that looked like Mrs. Velvet, wasn't natural to the dream. It came from somewhere else. From the outside of the dreamer's mind. You also have an inkling sensation that, whatever that... that monster was, it was also the thing that hurt Mrs. Velvet.

And two, that no matter whose dream it was, you stopped it from becoming a nightmare.

And you will continue doing this every night, no matter how much it scares you.

Because you can't solve the problem your family is currently facing. But by doing this, you can protect them from something that would make them cry even more.

Selene has stood between her loved ones and that which would harm them. She did not allow its passage.

Selene's EDGE is now Level 2.

And a reminder about proportionalities. When you have two health points, and you lose one, you didn't just take a wound. You became "one bad thing away" from dying, and that is terrifying to those around you.

The Wolf Fur reagent, and all its horrors, have not yet been disposed of. You simply did not yet have the time. Its fate will be decided next update, as you head out to meet the Cult.

OurLadyOfWires · Aug 24, 2024

You are Velvet Covers, and you are…

You are in danger.

You were asleep but a moment ago, but not anymore. You wake up, without making noise and without even moving, but in the spam of a single heartbeat your mind has been flooded with alertness. Your brain, or some deeper and subconscious part of it, calmly briefing your still-waking consciousness as you slowly become aware of your surroundings, and of what exactly just happened.

And what just happened, you realize, is that there is something making its way towards your room. Or rather, there is something stalking towards your room. You can smell its intention, its desire to get as close as possible without getting noticed, as clearly as you can sense how close it is to the door of your room.

A spike of adrenaline reaches your mind, and your heart begins to hammer inside your chest as you hear the faintest click of the doorknob being opened. The entirety of your attention is on your assailant, to the point where you are only vaguely aware that you are on your bed, and that your husband's forelegs are still around you. But only because those things are unimportant details right now. Much more importantly, your mind frantically begins to weight your options.

The well-oiled door produce only the faintest of noises as it is slowly pushed open, and you can't even hear the thing's steps against the carpeted floor as it walks into the room on an achingly slow pace. This thing, whatever it is, is clearly going to great lengths not to be heard. And heavens, you have to admit you wouldn't even have noticed it if it wasn't for the Edge-sense you acquired less than a week ago.

Your mind goes into a gallop as you realize you are running out of time. At least if you want there to be some distance between you and your assailant, if you are going to surprise it by going to the offensive.

You could just roll out of bed and strike it with a blast of magic. Pure physical blow, just to catch it off-guard and hopefully off balance.

It leaves the door half-open, closing it as much as possible to block out any light of the corridor, but without actually risking the clicking noise that would come from fully closing it.

Better yet. Fling your blankets towards it, with magic of course, and use it as an impromptu net to ram it against a wall. That should buy you at least a few seconds.

It's attention has left the door now, you can smell it stalking towards you. It's already halfway towards your bed. You can almost hear its muffled steps.

You don't have any cutting objects nearby. Blast the glass door that leads to the balcony, select the seven largest shards by weight. Fling four towards the creature. Storm might have woken up by then so be careful with him.

It reaches a mere four hoofsteps away from you. Close enough for a deadly pounce.

You are out of time.

You are out of time!

You stiffen the legs of your muscles, faking one last deep breath as you prepare to roll out of Stormchaser's embrace an-

!!!

Oh… wait…

"You do realize you nearly gave mommy a heart attack, right?" you say in a whisper, although you have to force yourself to keep the tension out of your voice.

To which Selene answers by freezing on the spot.

And as you gently roll out of your husband's forelegs, finally turning to face the door, you see just that. Selene is just a few hoofsteps away from your bed, standing utterly still in the complete darkness of your room. And the filly, a smile creeps into your face as you notice it, is literally holding her breath hoping that, maybe, you were talking in your sleep.

However, her expression turns from tension to horrified surprise as your horn begins to glow.

And moments later you are silently walking out of your room with a levitating filly in tow.

- - -

You finish assembling a small sandwich. Two sandwiches, actually, and moments later you float both plates towards the table, placing one of them in front of Selene.

She has been quiet this whole time. Quite and fidgety, mind you, clearly uncomfortable at something. So, you did your best to keep your movements slow and your expression sleepy as you went about your business of sandwich-crafting. Hoping, if nothing else, that this would at least make her think you didn't notice all of that about her.

"So?" you ask, placing the second plat next to hers, and slowly climbing the chair by Selene's side. "Is anything on your mind?"

And Selene answers by… munching down on her sandwich. To which you raise an eyebrow.

You can see it, clearly, that she doesn't want to talk. Not exactly, at least. You are not sure if starting to eat was a subconscious prompt or not, but it is still a good way as any to keep your mouth busy so she doesn't have to answer your question.

Under normal circumstances, or if you were perhaps talking to somepony you really wanted to get answers from, this would be the part you would start to ask some probing questions. Maybe something to talk them into a corner, or to bring up something that they wouldn't be able to not respond to.

But… well, you're not about to do this to your own daughter.

It worries you, of course, to see her worked up like this. Heavens, everypony has been worked up these last few days, and it would be stupid of you not to admit that you were the cause. The fact that you can smell that two maids are sleeping on the Servant's Room, your husband having instantly abolished your policy of not requiring any servants to stay overnight, is the least of your reminders about that.

But still, again, you are not about to pressure Selene about this. Even if her behavior just now is worrying you.

So, the two of you stay like this. Silently munching on your late night snacks as the minutes slowly pass by.

It is only when you light up your horn, floating the two plates towards the sink for somepony to clean up later, that you finally hear your daughter mumble something under her breath.

"Beg your pardon, dear?" you say, turning to face her, "did you just say something?"

You can see her expression grow a little more complicated at that, as she sees you looking at her. And it takes her several seconds to un-purse her lips and, looking down towards the floor, finally make an effort to repeat what she just said.

"I… wanted to see… if you were sleeping well," she says.

And you realize that, on top of feeling nervous about something, she is clearly also feeling embarrassed about what she just said.

It takes you a few moments to figure out why, but eventually it clicks inside your head.

Which makes you feel a bit foolish, in hindsight. After all, you know what Selene is. Selene, on the other hoof, doesn't know what she is, and she most surely' doesn't know that you know what she is.

But she is beginning to realize, as the months go by. You can see it. And by now, she must be in a stage where she is going through things that are at the same time confusing and maddeningly familiar. Feeling things that she has never felt before but whose names are, somehow, right at the tip of her tongue.

It must have been hard, then, for her to even confide you this little. After all, from her point of view, she must be feeling like the "creepy" filly who for some reason wanted to check if her mother was sleeping well, for reasons that, although unbelievable, are very real to her.

"Oh, so you came to check if mommy was having a nightmare? Thank you dear," you say, already knowing how she will react to those words.

And just like you expected, Selene all but curls up to that, her expression cringing at what you just said. Which confirms your suspicion. She must think that you think she is being silly, that this is just some foal's play or make believe from her part, or that you think she is just worrying over something cute, but ultimately immature.

"But I think we both know you should be taking care of Silky and your daddy, not me," you say, bringing up a glass of water and taking a sip from it.

To which Selene's expression immediately changes, her eyes going wide in doubt, and perhaps surprise, as she looks back up towards you.

"Now love, just between you and me, let me just say that you don't have to worry about this happening to them," you say, making a point of not looking at Selene, while you pass a hoof over the bandages around your chest. "Because just like you are doing your part, I'm also doing mine."

You take another sip from your glass, and only then you turn to look back at Selene once again.

And this time, the embarrassed, worried and self-conscious filly is nowhere to be seen. Instead, you see Selene looking up to you, her expression serious and attentive. There is still the slightest glint of disbelief in her eyes, of course.

But above all else, you can see in her expression a… something. Determination, perhaps? Some sort of hope? A deep understanding of what you are saying?

Regardless of what it is, you can see in Selene that she understands. That she is aware that, right now, you are talking about the exact thing that she thinks you are. That she knows that this is a secret between the two of you, but that all the things that she thinks she is going through are… all those stray thoughts, and confusing feelings, and strange sensations, they all are…!

"So, I'll trust you to keep taking care of them in your own way, and that tonight will be the last night."

"What…? Last night…?" she speaks up.

And for a moment, you can see a moment of doubt flash through her mind.

Because maybe, and just maybe, she still doesn't believe it herself. Maybe she still thinks that she is just a filly living some sort of fantasy. And if that is the case, then she should ask you what you meant by last night.

But she knows. You can see that she knows. Deep down, she knows there is something happening. That she isn't being crazy or silly or infantile.

So, instead, she asks you…

"Why?" she says, her expression still determined, but growing a bit tense as if wondering if she should trust you by even asking them to begin with, "why will this be the last night?"

She stops for a few moments, taking a deep breath as she continues looking at you.

"And why… why can't I help… you?"

You give her a warm smile at that, wondering how exactly you should answer.

She isn't ready for the whole truth, of course. But just like how Baldomare taught you that certain questions can be answered, when asked correctly, you also know you ought to be sincere with you daughter right now. Or at least, as sincere as you can be without hurting her.

"This will be the last night because… something is causing the nightmares," you say, and the way her eyes go wide at that tells you that you have confirmed something she has been suspecting for a while now. "Something is causing them, and I promise you that I will take care of it before tomorrow night."

You keep looking at Selene as she slowly calms down from her shock. Her expression alone telling you several things at the same time.

That she knew it, that something was going on.

That she also somehow knew that you were onto her.

And that she is still… tense, because having you confirm all of this to her means that she… that there is more to come and…

She takes a deep breath. And a few moments later, she nods at you, telling you to go on.

Although you still give her a few more seconds before you continue.

"And you can help me, dear. You have been helping me this whole time, by taking care of your sister," you say, and just as Selene opens her mouth to respond you raise a hoof, telling you that you are not done yet. "But you can't help me the way you are talking about, because mommy doesn't dream anymore. Not like other ponies do."

Selene's mouth stays open for a few more moments. Her expression is a lot less shocked this time, as she slowly closes it. Perhaps because she had suspected this for a longer time.

Still, she stays like that for a few more moments, submerged in her own thoughts, before she finally nods at you again.

"Mrs. Velvet, you say that… you say that you don't dream like other ponies do. But you still dream, right?" she eventually asks, and you nod at her in response.

"Yes dear, I do," you answer, getting up from your chair and closing what little distance is between you two, lightly patting her mane as soon as you reach her. "And I promise I'll teach you how to reach my dreams when you are older. If you want to, of course."

You are about to continue talking. You are about to say that this is enough for tonight, and that she and Silky promised you that they would go to school tomorrow so she should get some sleep.

But to your surprise, and before you can do anything, Selene slowly inches closer to you, your hoof still on her mane.

And she puts her forelegs around you. Gently, so she disturbs your bandages as little as possible. But still, before you realize it she is giving you a…

Not just a hug. You somehow know, although you are not sure, that this is much more than a simple hug.

"Mrs. Velvet, I…" she says that, but then she stops, as if unsure of how to put what she is thinking into words. "Uhm… you already told me I don't have to thank you, for… for taking me in. But I still am, and… and not just for that. Thank you for being there and… and for being here," she finally says.

And you immediately understand what she means, taking your hoof out of her mane and putting it on her back.

"I… I'm glad that you believ-… that you trust me. And I trust you too, Mrs. Velvet. I'm glad that you're the one who foun-… I'm glad you're here with me."

It takes Selene a long while to finally inch away from her hug. And you think your bandages are slightly, and only slightly, damp, after that. But you don't mind.

The two of you go back upstairs together, and you give her a soft goodnight kiss before she sneaks back into Silky's room.

And strangely, when you fall asleep once again in your husband's embrace, you somehow don't dream about the Mansus.

- - -

What happened to the cause of agony?

[] You lied. The nightmares will not end. (The Reagent will be within a safe in your office. It will be safe from theft, and nopony else will know about it or have access to it.)

[] You have kept it away from your home, but within your reach. (The Reagent will be buried somewhere in the farmlands. There is a small chance it might be found, but otherwise nopony else will know it exists. Retrieving it will not cost an action.)

[] You will give it to the cult, come tomorrow's meeting. (It will be stored in the cult's safe room. The cult will learn about it, and will be able to use it.)

[] You will destroy it, and its pulverized malice will joyfully spread to the world. (You will lose the reagent)

[] Something else (WRITE IN)

Write-ins can include hiding it "far away" (hiding it and retrieving it will cost turn actions due to distance) or gifting it to somepony in particular for safekeeping (such as Rarity, Jade, or other non-confidants like Windy Flakes or Comet Feet. Gifting it to somepony does not cost actions, and will be done in time to keep your promise to Selene.

- - -

- - -

- - -

"This is as far as I'm going, dear," Baldomare says, as you reach the stairs that will take you to the underground part of the Wildhoof Club. "I'm sure he wouldn't appreciate my presence. And by the powers that be, I don't want to get into an argument with him or break anything."

She says that with a soft giggle, the sound somewhat weird thanks to her usually old-sounding tone of voice. But still, you can't help but nod at her.

"I think I understand. And again, thank you. Stormy's eyes almost popped out from his head when I said I wanted to go out, even when I said it was with you. But I'm glad he was willing to compromise with us just coming in the carriage."

"Don't worry dear, you're welcome. It would have been disastrous if he insisted on coming with, and I'd hate to see you two fall apart. Still, I also agreed that the carriage was the very least you should have done, even if it adds the cart-puller to this whole thing."

"Oh, I totally agree. But that's the nature of negotiating, isn't it? Of course I didn't want to walk here, but once I told him I didn't want the carriage, he made it his mission to convince me of the contrary, without thinking much about the other details around it."

"Huh… Moths, I suppose. Well, I'll be at the bar if you need anything. One of the waiters had a glint of light on his eyes, so by now I think everypony at the restaurant knows better than to think they should charge me for anything I ask."

This time you laugh a little bit, although the deepest parts of your wounds still snag slightly at that. But you tell Baldomare you will be back soon, and you two go your separate ways.

After all, you have a cult meeting to attend.

- - -

You finish crossing the several layers of cloth that serves as doors to the Woods-close place.

You sometimes wonder how real this place even is. You sometimes wonder what would happen if somepony without any knowledge of the Lores tried entering here. Maybe they would just reach an empty and dull-looking room. Maybe they would really reach this place that is, somehow, less far from the Woods than the Wake is.

But regardless, as you force your way through the obstructive barriers, you slowly feel the air around you change. Not becoming any hotter or colder, but still reaching you like an evening breeze as if you were walking around a wide plain.

And before you know it, you cross the final layer, and your hoof steps down on dirt, the pale darkness of a moon-lit night stretching around you before being suffocated by tall and old trees.

It is afternoon in the Wake. But you have known for a long while now that this sort of thing doesn't much matter in the Woods.

You are in a clearing, as always, and you know that if you look behind you there will be no corridor leading back, just more darkness and more trees. You don't even bother to check, instead looking around towards the three other ponies that are already here.

Windy Flakes, Starry Dancer and Jade Whistle are at the center of the clearing, forming a small triangle of sorts as the three of them talk among thems-… oh, who are you kidding? They form a small triangle as Windy and Starry talk to each other, and Jade impassively watches them.

You make a point of not being silent, and their ears perk up as soon as you start walking towards them.

"It's been a while," you say, "how have you all been?"

They all turn to look at you as you approach them, however…

"Oh, hi Velvet! How did it g-?… wait, why are you looking so slow?"
"Ah, good to see you again Velvet. Care to tell us why you look so dead?"
"Hello Velvet Cov-… what happened?!"

Despite your best attempts at looking normal, and the fact that your dress completely covers your bandages, their expressions immediately change as soon as they look at you. Starry looks slightly worried, and Windy has a curious expression, one of his eyebrows raised.

And Jade…

Well, you will take some time to talk to them before the meeting starts.

- - -

The meeting took a while to begin. And for a very unusual reason.

You were done explaining what happened to you… or rather, you were done explaining them that you got hurt in the Mansus, without giving any details about it whatsoever. You might tell Jade a bit more about it later, or perhaps not, but you still deflected their questions as politely as you could.

It is better this way, you know. And if you are going to talk about this at all, then you'll definitely only want to tell it once, and to the whole Inner Circle if possible.

Still, as you were about to turn the conversation somewhere else, a pair of mares came out from the shadows between the trees.

They were not real, you could tell at a glance. Or, they were as real as your Master used to be, before she was summoned.

Which meant that they were not really there, those two mares.

Still, much to your surprise, those two ponies were Copper Secateur and your Master.

But despite the fact that Copper voiced her concern about it, saying that his train was scheduled to arrive in Ponyville more than an hour ago, Comet Feet was still very late. It was several more minutes until he arrived, and the meeting began properly.

…

The Master was clearly thoughtful, and at times you thought she was not really there with you, while at others you thought she was suppressing something, hiding it from you all. Whatever it was, everypony picked up on it. Consequently, everypony's report was detailed, but not exactly longer than necessary.

You thought she was displeased at Comet's lateness, but soon enough it became obvious that that was not the case.

"Just so you all know, I am still in Manehattan," Copper Secateur began, after little more than a wave from the Master's hoof. "Me and Comet did some great progress, and will be able to establish a branch of the cult here…"

She then looked rather worriedly at the Master. The lack of reaction from her, or from even the Woods around you, being… strangely uncharacteristic.

"If she wishes for it, that is."

Comet simply agreed with her, not saying anything else.

Next was Windy and Starry, the stallion also taking over their part of their report and being very quick with his wording.

"Local Guard is ours. A few of them even accepted payment to look the other way one night, after we a bit of an issue some weeks ago, so we also got an in when it comes to bribing. But we… have a bit of a problem, Master, regarding another figure. An investigator from the capital arrived this month, but not nearly enough information has trickled down for us to know anything else so far."

Starry agreed with him, mumbling something about not being of any use regarding the thing with the local Guard, but a helpful stare from Windy quickly made her quiet down.

Jade, as well, did not have anything to report.

But throughout all of that, the Master had yet to say a word, or even move.

She didn't even look towards you, when your five other companions looked up to hear your report.

[A lot has happened. How will you present your report?]

[You must pick one of each category]

-First and foremost, regarding your own orders.
(Baldomare's presence is undeniable, you will report her summoning)

-[] (ORDERS) You have summoned Baldomare, for the benefit of the cult, but could not do anything else.
-[] (ORDERS) You have summoned Baldomare, and you have found creatures of the Mansus that may be summoned. You will teach the cult how to summon dread Windigos.
-[] (ORDERS) You have summoned Baldomare, and bring the gift of Windigos. You also come with a warning… (This will teach the Inner Circle about the Ascent of Knives, and what lies there. You cannot predict what they will do with this knowledge.)

-Regarding your trip to Canterlot.
(Your "meeting" with Luna turned into gossip at some places, so you can't not talk about it. You will also say that Princess Luna is definitely not a changeling, because that is the truth.)
(You will also mention that nopony has seen the two Princesses together as of yet. Not at the same time.)

-[] (LUNA) You went to Canterlot, and you tried to sneak into the Princesses' presence. It ended badly, and you saw Princess Luna, but nothing else.
-[] (LUNA) You went to Canterlot, and you tried to sneak into the Princesses' presence. It ended badly, and you learned that there are changelings about the Royal Castle.
-[] (LUNA) You went to Canterlot, and you tried to sneak into the Princesses' presence. It ended badly, and you learned that there are changelings working directly with Princess Luna. They obeyed her orders, so you are unsure if they are manipulating her, or if she somehow gained control over them.

-Regarding your meeting with Princess Cadance.

-[] (CADANCE) You will not mention that ever happened.
-[] (CADANCE) You have met Princess Cadance by chance, and neither her guards nor herself seem to be changelings.
-[] (CADANCE) You have met Princess Cadance in a stroke of luck. You do not believe her to be a changeling, and she seems vulnerable. This might be an opportunity.
-[] (CADANCE) You have met Princess Cadance in a stroke of luck. You do not believe her to be a changeling, and she seems vulnerable. There is also this secret about her and a certain member of the Royal Guard that…

-Regarding you-know-what.

-[] (GARDEN) You have not found anything worth noting in the Royal Castle.
-[] (GARDEN) There was something in the Royal Castle that… existed. In all Histories. At the same time. You… have no idea what to make of it, but you know the Cult should know. (You will reveal them that you discovered something unusual).

-Regarding other details of Canterlot.

-[] (DETAILS) You have NOT found anything else worth noting.
-[] (DETAILS) You have found a location that might be of interest to the Cult. (You will reveal the expedition site you have learned to the Cult).

-Regarding Twilight Sparkle [you must also pick one of the sub-categories, regarding her brother].
(You will mention you had a Risen following her, unless you choose not to say anything at all about her)

-[] (TWILIGHT) You will not mention anything about her.
-[] (TWILIGHT) Twilight Sparkle, premier apprentice of Princess Celestia, has been swapped by changelings. You have also failed to scry for her. Finding her will surely be beneficial to the cult.
-[] (TWILIGHT) Twilight Sparkle, premier apprentice of Princess Celestia, has been swapped by changelings. You have also failed to scry for her. Finding her will surely be beneficial to the cult. And although she has been disavowed by the Princess, maybe that could be an even further opportunity?
--[] Mention that she IS the sister of one of the captains of the Royal Guard.
--[] DO NOT mention who her brother is.

-Regarding inspector Dull Glass.

-[] (DULL GLASS) You did not know about this new interloper.
-[] (DULL GLASS) You also knew about him, but so far only interacted with him once when he went to your home to officially introduce himself.
-[] (DULL GLASS) You also knew about him and had him followed. He has been asking questions around, but so far you don't believe he has been doing anything worrying.

-[] Anything else? (WRITE IN)

All votes, including what you will do with the Reagent, must be in a single Voting Plan, because they will all reflect how you are dealing with the Cult (since gifting it, and teaching Windigos, is a very relevant combination, for example).

Kindly observe a four hours moratorium. I'll try to be here for the most of it, and to answer as much as I can before the moratorium finishes. Voting will be opened for at least three days, but can't set a schedule for its closing.

OurLadyOfWires · Aug 24, 2024

[X] Plan Almost Everything
-[X] You will give it to the cult, come tomorrow's meeting. (It will be stored in the cult's safe room. The cult will learn about it, and will be able to use it.)
-[X] (ORDERS) You have summoned Baldomare, and bring the gift of Windigos. You also come with a warning… (This will teach the Inner Circle about the Ascent of Knives, and what lies there. You cannot predict what they will do with this knowledge.)
-[X] (LUNA) You went to Canterlot, and you tried to sneak into the Princesses' presence. It ended badly, and you learned that there are changelings working directly with Princess Luna. They obeyed her orders, so you are unsure if they are manipulating her, or if she somehow gained control over them.
-[X] (CADANCE) You have met Princess Cadance by chance, and neither her guards nor herself seem to be changelings.
-[X] (GARDEN) There was something in the Royal Castle that… existed. In all Histories. At the same time. You… have no idea what to make of it, but you know the Cult should know. (You will reveal them that you discovered something unusual).
-[X] (DETAILS) You have found a location that might be of interest to the Cult. (You will reveal the expedition site you have learned to the Cult).
-[X] (TWILIGHT) Twilight Sparkle, premier apprentice of Princess Celestia, has been swapped by changelings. You have also failed to scry for her. Finding her will surely be beneficial to the cult.
--[X] Mention that she IS the sister of one of the captains of the Royal Guard.
-[X] (DULL GLASS) You also knew about him and had him followed. He has been asking questions around, but so far you don't believe he has been doing anything worrying.
-[X] (EXTRA) You are now capable of producing reagents for use in rituals as sacrifices. However, the materials for higher-level reagents are, while not expensive on their own, very pricey when purchased in the amounts you need. Furthermore, due to the incident at Canterlot with Luna, you are out of favor with your family and are not currently in the financial position to produce multiple reagents a month.
-[X] (EXTRA) You have managed to successfully decipher an extremely old book associated with the sixth intensity of Lantern, emblazoned with the image of the Sun, Divided. You have not yet had time to read it, however.

- - -

You always feel exhausted, after these cult meetings. And this time, it was no different.

You wonder if you are the only one who is like this, but everything about it is just so... overwhelming to you. That dream-like and dark place, that reminds you too much of the Woods. The Master's presence, who seems to at the same time delight and judge everything you all say. The fact that you have to report all your doings to begin with, and you are able to realize just how short a time two months are.

That is why every time there you have to go to one such meeting, you always free up your whole day after that. So you can properly rest and ease yourself. You don't think anypony else notices it, but you always leave those reunions tense and on edge.

Although this last meeting was… different.

It has been a full day, almost. The Master's orders are already given, and you are sure everypony is already hard at work, or at least planning, how they will do their end of things.

But not you. You are still trying to pick yourself back up. Or rather, you are still trying to calm down.

Because you are still mad.

You are still fucking mad.

You are still furious, at that fucking show off that is Velvet Covers.

…

The Master was impassive, as Velvet began to say her piece. And for a moment, you felt vindicated.

After all, the Master had not said anything to anypony else either, so far. You weren't sure if that meant the Master was unimpressed, or simply not paying attention. But still, nopony else on the inner circle had received any sign of approval so far, not even a nod from the head. So, you have to admit it felt good to see Velvet receive the same treatment as the rest of you.

Even as the damned blabbermouth went on and on and on about how she was a noble, and how that made her better than everypony else. And how she managed to get into Canterlot and see two Princesses, and that she confirmed there were shapeshifters in the castle…

It was harrowing at first, to realize how much she had done more than you, in so little time. But still, you felt vindicated that the Master had yet to say anything.

That is… until the Master did say something.

It felt as if a fire had been lit, somewhere nearby, or as if the sun had started to rise all of a sudden, as impossible as that might have been. You are still not sure how to describe it. But still, you are sure that there was nothing there before, while Velvet spoke, and on the next moment there was this... this presence nearby, and-

"You say the alicorn of the night was there?"
"I… well… yes, Master. I saw her myself. She has returned, somehow, and the changelings are serving her."
"…"
"… may I continue…?"
"That… was one who is closer, perhaps…? It matters not… The alicorn you saw was false. A changeling, although one who could better fool you. Still, that does present an opportunity… continue."

And...

And it's so unfair! Why didn't the Master do anything… or even say anything to anypony else, except for her? Why didn't the Master say anything to you?! You are also trying your best, and… and…!

And if it wasn't for that fucking noblemare you'd be able to…!

But still, she was not even close to done. Far from it. And with every little thing she said, the Master's attention seemed to grow a bit more. Word after word.

She said something about a cave, underneath the Royal Castle, and the Master nodded.

She said something about a… was it a statue? You couldn't even understand it properly. But the Master could, of course, and once again the Master exchanged a few more words with her.

And then she talked about this scroll she got, and you could clearly see she was trying to put herself in a good light even though she didn't even read the damn thing.

And she kept going. She just went on, and on, and on, and fucking on and-…!

But the worst part came at the very end. Because of course she would keep the best for last.

"… Baldomare will aid us in our Lantern needs. And there is one last thing I would like to talk about."

She said that, and then she moved to the middle of the clearing. Then she took a… a small cloth-covered package, from one of her dress pockets, and put it on the ground for everypony to see.

You didn't know what was inside that package. You couldn't have known. But you immediately felt revulsion towards it. As if she had just placed the body of a dead critter there, or as if she had just told you a tale that would give you nightmares unless you forgot about it.

"There are things, higher up in the Mansus. And I have to warn all of you th-"
"Velvet," the Master almost immediately interrupted her, with a chuckle that had so far absent been on this meeting. "Did anypony warn you about what was waiting for you there…?"
"No Master. But… But that place is dangerous Master, they have to know what is up there and-!"
"The only thing that is higher in the Mansus, Velvet, is power. You have risen higher, so you have seen one of its faces. They have not."

And only after that did the mare finally shut up.

Although, for all that the Master had said that in an admonishing tone, you could still see a smile on the Master's face.

But what is more… those last words of the Master, they finally made you understand what happened. They finally made you understand what has been happening, this whole time. To the point that you almost think that those last words were directed at you, instead of Velvet.

It's the Mansus, isn't it? That is how she has been doing it, this whole time. That is how she has been gaining all the favor she has. That is why she is clearly the Master's favorite while the rest of you get scraps and leftovers.

You thought you were all in this together. You thought that exploring the Mansus was just her job, like everypony else in the Inner Circle has their individual tasks. You thought you could trust her.

But now that you think about it in hindsight…?

You feel stupid.

You feel like an idiot.

You feel that it should have been obvious. After all, Master asked Velvet to perform the summoning. Master has given Velvet all of the praises, and all the most critical assignments.

You feel like…

You… you…!

You hate her.

Lucky you, then, that you are very good at hiding it.

- - -

- - -

- - -

You are Velvet Covers, and you have just finished giving your report to your Master.

And you are now expectantly looking at her. The entirety of the Inner Circle is, actually.

Because so far, the Master has been uncharacteristically quiet, and you dearly hope that just means she is deep in thought.

Still, the seconds slowly pass by, turning into long and silent minutes as the six of you wait. The cloth covered bundle of furs still lying in the middle of the clearing, making you all deeply uncomfortable despite its apparent stillness.

Until the Master finally begins to speak.

"I have been rather absent, ever since I was brought to the Wake," she says, her voice still low and distant, almost as if only part of her attention is here. "And for good reason. Too much to see, too much to check… But more importantly, I have been looking for something, and I have found it."

She then begins to walk, slowly making her way towards the middle of the clearing. But still, you feel like there is something wrong.

You are accompanying the Master with your eyes as she walks, but for some reason you still feel like she is behind you… like she is all around you. Like she is something much larger than the thing you are seeing, and the body you are looking at is a mere puppet that is being absent-mindedly paraded in front of you.

You almost think you can see glimpses of them… of the strings that are attached to her limbs. You think you see the pale glimpses of the Mansus-moonlight reflecting off from them, every now and then.

"However, the recent events you have brought to my attention do change things a little bit. Your findings especially, Velvet."

She then picks up the cloth package in her hoof, and slowly undoes its wrapping with her mouth. Moments later, the cloth falls down to the floor, the bundle of furs revealed.

You see revulsion, in the face of some, and puzzlement in the face of others. Although Windy Flake's expression is the most surprising, as it somehow manages to turn into interest.

The Master, on the other hoof, merely gazes into the furs for a few more moments, as if thinking about something.

"You said you couldn't scry the unicorn, the one who has many connections. Which can only mean one of two things… that she is either dead, or that she is close to the sequestered alicorn. And in that, there is an opportunity… for I do not believe the stolen alicorn will be killed so easily, but this unicorn might, if too much time passes."

She then looks at Windy Flakes, and nods at him to come closer. The unicorn does so, and the Master gently presses the bundle of furs towards his waiting hooves.

It honestly disturbs you, that you see a glimmer in his eyes as he holds the fur and walks back to his place around the clearing.

"The opportunity lies in the fact that I have found the changeling hive, and it was in my plans to assault it and steal the alicorn from them. However…" she says, her body looking around towards all of you, "I had planned to consolidate further. Our base, as it stands, is still vulnerable, and we are already under scrutiny and suspicion from having so recently cleaned the infiltrators that were in our midst. The town, also, is still infested with their shapeshifters and spies. I would have wished to allow us more time to grow, before striking out…"

The Master's gaze passes over you in particular, and you swear that it lingered there for just a while longer.

"But this other unicorn… This second, if lesser, prize… changes things…"

And for perhaps the first time ever, the Master asks something she has never asked before.

"What... do you all think we should do?"

[] The prize is worth it. Strike while the iron is hot.

-The cult will have ONE month to prepare, and will attack the changeling hive at the end of turn 13.
-At the end of turn 13, before the attack, the Master will order Ponyville to be "cleansed" of changelings, to minimize the damage a possible counterattack might do.
-Your and Windy's orders for this month will be to prepare for the attack. You will be given options (Action Point costing "Fleeting Opportunities") to help the cult better prepare itself for the coming attack. Your aid will be mostly geared towards esoteric preparations.
-The Master will make herself absent, and order that "The Cult in Ponyville defers to Windy Flakes, for matters of the Wake, and to Velvet Covers, for matters of the Mansus" while she is absent. You will have to dedicate some of your time to help Windy run the cult.

[] The risk is too great. We are not prepared. Not yet.

-The cult will have AT LEAST two months to prepare. The Master will decide on the next meeting if the cult will strike immediately (at the end of the NEXT meeting) or wait even more time.
-Your orders will be to continue as you were. Raise Lantern for the cult, looks for summons, and raise Edge if at all possible.
-Come the attack, the Master will not order the cleanse, as the cult will have had more time to prepare and maneuver around the changelings infiltrated in Ponyville.
-The Master will not make herself absent.
-But more time will pass before the attack. How long can a regular pony survive as a changeling's prisoner?

"Regardless, we must not engage ourselves in a single path. I have ordered Comet Feet to return to Ponyville to prepare for our assault, and to see to the matters of hate and violence. Copper Secateur, establish a cult branch in Manehattan, I give you complete control over our interests there. Jade Whistle, move to Manehattan to aid her in the matters of the Mansus and establish proper Cult grounds there. Starry, see to the troubles of this investigator, for the laws of the Wake, even if pony-made, are still dangerous."

A gust of wind rises around the clearing without warning. And suddenly, the Master's physical body feels very small in front of you, while the Woods around you feel oh so very large…

"See to it," is all she says.

The six of you bow and take your leave shortly after.

- - -

Despite that, you will still tell about the Ascent of Knives, in private, to...
[] Comet Feet
[]Windy Flakes
[] Starry Dancer
[] Copper Secateur (you will write her a letter)
[] Jade Whistle

(Vote only for the ones you wish to talk to. Don't vote for any if you wish to tell no one.)

- - -

It feels slightly strange, to be back into the Cult's underground room and for there to be only five of you.

But it makes sense. Copper Secateur is still in Manehattan, and she must have arrived with the Master because she needed the Master to show her the way to the meeting.

Still, it is somewhat off-putting to not have her familiar presence as the five of you get together to discuss what you will do.

Or rather, as the three of you get together. Jade doesn't really participate in the conversation, and Comet Feet… well, to your surprise he has not left yet, but he is still standing a bit far away from you all, only hearing as you, Windy and Starry exchange a few quick words.

"Right, I have somepony I trust who can deliver you letters, even if it's at a moment's notice," Windy finishes saying, "and Starry is here in the club all the time, so I won't have any trouble reaching her."

You and Starry nod back at him, although you can tell you are all still a bit unnerved by the meeting you had just now.

"We'll keep in touch then," you say, excusing yourself and saying your goodbyes a few moments later.

You head towards the door that will take you to the underground corridor, and then to the stairs back up to the Wildhoof Club.

But before you can reach the exit, Comet Feet steps in front of you, blocking your way.

The movement is sudden, yet calculated. Calm but deliberate. To the point that you can't help but feel a slight hint of aggressivity from it. As if, although he merely walked two steps and stood in front of your way, he had actually somehow intercepted you. As if already the two of you were in some sort of conflict.

And that makes you feel slightly intimidated. Especially with how you have to look up to face him, even though you are already on the tall side of things as far as ponies go. And the fact that you look up to see his serious expression, somehow even more serious than usual, doesn't help your nerves at all.

You can feel the others looking towards you, you can feel Windy's and Starry's and Jade's gaze on your back, although you have no idea what their expressions look like. But you have a vague idea of what they must be thinking as well.

After all, although you know you are not in danger…

Comet Feet is still extremely dangerous. His very presence exudes it, almost like an aura or a mantle that he wears.

"I need your help," is all he says.

The fact that he is blocking your door makes you wonder how much he is asking for it, and how much of a choice you have, exactly.

[] "Now?" "Now." "Now-now?" "Now." "I, uh… have a chariot waiting for me and-" "I'll fly us there. And I'll bring you back." "I'm really not in shape for that, I… I got hurt, Comet. And cold winds and clouds will really only make things worse and-" "Velvet Covers… I… please…"

-You will go with him… whatever this is about. (This does not count as an Action Point expense for the coming turn.)
-You will receive a debuff to the "Do you heal your wounds?" roll at the end of this turn. This debuff is smaller than the +30 buff your Heart Artifact gives you.
-Comet Feet's expression cracked, near the end. And that made you remember that, indeed, he can't help but make others around him think he is dangerous.

[] "I'm sorry Comet, but I really can't."

-You will not go with him.

- - -

On the following day you received a letter, a small envelope mixed into the pile of correspondence that Ponpon gives you almost every day.

This one, however, stood out because you didn't know the address where it came from.

Although you recognized the calligraphy the moment you started to read it.

Hello, Velvet Covers.
I'm sorry to interru-
I wante d to talk to you yes

What do I do?

~~I know I should have found a place to stay by now. I know Tavvy is being nicer than she should but~~ I know I'm being stupid. It's just a few months. It's really the only thing I can do to contribute. And even if it's more than a few months, I won't be disturbing anypony over there like I do here.

But I don't want to go?

I could write you. I could write Tavvy. It's just a few hours of train to visit. ~~I'm being stupid.~~

But I wanna stay here with everypony?

What do I do Velvet? ~~I'm~~

PS: Sorry for the scratches. But this was the third paper I took from my friend, and I didn't want to ask any more from her.

The words were shakier and less readable the further down you went through the letter. And also even the… even the parchment itself felt strange… Maybe a bit strained?

For some reason, you couldn't shake off from your head the mental image that Jade stayed up the whole night, lying over the page as she thought, while she wrote that short letter.

You were out of your office, yelling Stormchaser that you would be leaving with the chariot, moments later.

Jade didn't look well. She's not in a bad shape, and you have seen her a lot worse, but she is not well either. Her neutral expression is certainly downcast, and she looks up to you hopefully, almost pleadingly, as you sit down next to her.

What should she do?

[] Go to Manehattan. It will be worth it in the long run, I promise. (You are worried about how this might affect her. You will LOSE Jade Whistle's actions for the following two months.)

[] You will send Baldomare in her place. This might be seen as you "countermanding" the Master, though. But Baldomare will certainly outperform what would be expected of Jade anyways. (You will LOSE Baldomare's actions for the following two turns. With the exception of the free "give Level 5 book" option, in case you find one.)

[] Suggest something else (WRITE IN)

A lot of votes, but they are all essential to set up the Turn Vote update for Turn 13.

Kindly observe a six hour moratorium. Vote in plans.

And I apologize for having less time to interact with the thread. But I'm still reading everything, and will reply if tagged. And I hope you have all been well!

OurLadyOfWires · Aug 24, 2024

[X] Plan: Tie-eye-eye-I'm, is on my siiiide. Yes it is, yes it is!
-[X] The prize is worth it. Strike while the iron is hot.
-[X] Tell the Ascent of Knives to,
--[X] No one.
-[X] "Now?" "Now." "Now-now?" "Now." "I, uh… have a chariot waiting for me and-" "I'll fly us there. And I'll bring you back." "I'm really not in shape for that, I… I got hurt, Comet. And cold winds and clouds will really only make things worse and-" "Velvet Covers… I… please…"
-[X]You will send Baldomare in her place. This might be seen as you "countermanding" the Master, though. But Baldomare will certainly outperform what would be expected of Jade anyways. (You will LOSE Baldomare's actions for the following two turns. With the exception of the free "give Level 5 book" option, in case you find one.)

- - -

You look at the stallion. That is, you look up at the taller stallion, as he stands between you and the only exit of this underground part of the cult.

And you can't help but to feel a little afraid.

You can tell that this is something subconscious of you. You can tell that this is more of an instinctual answer. But still, you can't help but feel it.

Just like you can smell the tasteless aroma of ice, coming from Windy Flakes somewhere behind you. Or like you can feel the burnt-candle scent of Jade, and the curious flowery perfume of Starry's presence, you can also feel that Comet Feet exudes danger.

The very first answer that comes to your mind, the obvious and level-headed answer that nearly jumps out of your mouth, is to deny him. Of course you should deny him. Of course anypony who has the slightest bit of common sense should do everything to stay away from him.

However…

"Velvet… I… please…"

However, the way he says that last word…

Everything else about him tells you otherwise. His posture, his glare, even the way he walked to stand between you and the exit. Everything else about him tells you that this is a threat, or at the very least a demand.

But that one word from him…

"Alright Comet, I'll… what can I help you with?"

That one word from him is a contradiction. A weak and lonely contradiction, when compared to everything else about him, but still a contradiction nonetheless.

One that reminds you that, perhaps, the things he does and the things he knows affects him in ways that he can't exactly control.

Just like they do to you.

"Hmm," the stallion doesn't answer you so much as he lets out a gruff neigh, turning around and going up the stairs before you can even answer.

- - -

Everypony knows that a pegasus' flight is how they express their magic. Their species can move clouds, cause wind gales, and even summon up hurricanes by simply flapping their wings. And anypony who thinks that they are any less magical than unicorns, just because their wings do not glow, is a fool.

But of course, like unicorns and earth ponies, every pegasus has a different amount of innate talent when it comes to their species' magic. And just like how a unicorn might be good with magic if they are born with a good horn, or have an easier time learning spells, pegasus also have several characteristics that when added up determines if they are good or bad fliers.

And it turns out that Comet Feet is an extremely strong flier.

You are a grown mare, and you are married to a pegasus. You know that carrying another pony on your back is not exactly hard, even if it is inconvenient for the flier, but you also know that any form of extra weight is not exactly a welcome addition.

However, you certainly did not expect for it to go how it went.

"Are you sure I'm not pressing against your wings?"
"You're fine."
"Alright… I hope this robe Windy gave me doesn't fall off… It does cover up my dress, so at least nopony will recognize me if they look up, but still…"
"Are you ready or not?"
"Just one more… okay, I'm rea-AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA"

You could feel every last closed wound inside of you strain painfully, after the stallion's wings gave but a single flap. And you weren't even done screaming, grabbing onto his neck for dear life, before you realized that you two were already way above the clouds.

It was the diametric opposite experience that you have from when your husband takes you for a stroll on the clouds. Comet Feet's flying was fast, almost brutal, and you almost felt like he was still accelerating even when he angled downwards to land.

But still, true to his word, it didn't take much time at all to reach the place he wanted to take you.

[You have received the malus "Not really helping it". You will receive a -15 penalty to this turn's Wound Healing dice rolls.]

- - -

You didn't look where he was going. For all that you could see the clouds zipping by you through your closed eyes, you weren't really paying attention. The entirety of your concentration was focused on keeping your forelegs locked around the stallion's neck, as you felt the rock-like muscles of his wings work under your chest.

In fact, the only indication you had that he was going down was when he gave out one last, gut-wrenching flap of his wings that all but compressed you against his back. For a nerve-wracking moment, you even thought one of your cuts had reopened or something.

But still, after that final arrest of momentum, everything around you finally quiets down.

"Down," you hear him say, and you slide out from his back almost as if you were made of liquid, and not of pony.

It takes you a few, several, seconds to finally get over the numbness that's all over your body. The sensation on your members slowly coming back to you almost one at a time. Your chest feels sore, and your wounds hurt, but as your hoofs touch the ground and you take a few moments to breathe, you can see that you aren't actually harmed. You are extremely uncomfortable, of course, but you are not any more harmed than you were before.

"Where," you say, taking a few moments to see if talking actually hurts you, "where are we again?"

You say that, and you slowly start taking off the suspiciously cult-y robe Windy gave you, that you used to cover your dress. After you are finally done, you take a proper look around yourself and realize that you… are…

Where in the heavens are you?

"Wait. I see Ponyville way over there, but…"

The two of you are on top of a small hill, of sorts. A grassy hill in what appears to be a clearing in the forest, with a few flowers here and there around where you are standing. It takes you a few seconds to reorient yourself, but soon enough you can see, from Ponyville's direction and the sun's position in the sky, that you are…

"We are close to the Everfree Forest?" you ask, turning to the stallion. "This is close to the place you were staying. But I don't remember seeing a hill like this when I came this way."

As you turn to the pegasus, you see that he is already making his way down the grassy hill. For a moment you think he is simply ignoring you, but before you can say anything else he waves a hoof for you to follow him. Right after that, he goes down the hill a few more steps, a small bush partially hiding him from you.

"Not a hill," is all he says, and you see him tapping down with a hoof towards the ground.

And you almost can't believe your ears. Because although you can't see his hoofs due to the bush that's between you two, you are absolutely sure you just heard his hoofs tapping against glass.

Your eyes go wide at the sheer strangeness of all this, and as you walk a few steps towards the stallion you nearly trip. The grassy soil of the hill, you realize moments later, apparently angles in a sudden and unexpected way that you didn't notice before.

That's when you realize the two of you are not on top of a small hill.

This is a house. You are on the roof of a small cottage, covered in plants.

And you have already been here before.

You look around you, and towards the ground level around the house, while everything slowly comes back to you. Yes, this is the place. You see the small bridge that goes over the river, the wooden rooftop of dozens of birdhouses, and even a vegetable garden behind the house that you had not noticed the last time you were here.

And it finally dawns you, at least in part, why exactly Comet Feet asked for your help. Well, you still don't know the reason but at least you know who this might involve.

As you finish your inspection of your surroundings you finally look back up at Comet Feet, and you realize he has a grimace of sorts on his face, once again tapping his hoofs against the sky-facing window of the cottage.

But much more strangely, or perhaps interestingly, you can see how his entire posture grows more tense, his wings opening up minutely on his side and his hindlegs tensing with each passing second. Heavens, you can almost smell how his impatience is slowly turning into the intent to smash the window.

However, one moment later all of that is gone, and Comet Feet once again turns into just a grimacing pegasus. That change of behavior coincides with you picking up a scent, weak to the point that you almost missed it, moving inside the house. A few seconds later, you see a yellow and pink blur moving behind the glass, and the window opens up.

"Oh, Comet Feet?", and you hear a voice, although it is not one you recognize. "You're back a lot earlier than I expected. When you said that, I thought you meant you'd be back some other day."

You tilt your head at that, coming a bit closer to see who is talking to him, exactly.

You are not exactly surprised to see that it's that mare to whom you delivered Comet's letter, months ago… her name was something-Shy? Well, you are not surprised it's her, since you doubt she would ever have any visits over.

But it does surprise you at how normally she is speaking. You realize, then, that you didn't recognize her voice because the last time you saw her she simply never spoke this normally.

"Hmm. Said I'd return," Comet Feet answers, although his grunt was the strongest part of his response. "Brought somepony with me, as I said I would. Can we come in?"

Fluttershy then finally realizes you are there, and you can see several different things running behind her eyes on the split second she looks at you.

You see a bit of surprise, that there is somepony else on her roof. Then you see a hint of hesitation, since there is now a third pony within a hundred meters of her secluded home. But finally, you see that she recognizes you.

You can still tell that she takes a few seconds to consider it, but something seems to convince her.

"Alright…" is all she says, although you notice her tone is slightly lower now that she knows you are here. Slightly less comfortable, which contrasts with just how strange it was that she sounded like a normal pony when she thought only Comet was here.

You do your best to school your expression, confused as you are by so many things, and simply follow Comet Feet in through the window.

The interior of the cottage is quiet, as you expected it to be. And everywhere you look you see the signs that the mare who lives here really avoids other ponies as much as possible. Down to little details like how the baskets she has hanging from one of the walls seems to have been hoof-made.

However, it is also more spacious than you thought it would be, to the point where you wonder if she doesn't feel a bit alone, sometimes and… Actually, the place also smells, and it's quite a strong smell at that. And when you factor that with how many birdhouses and everything else you saw outside, you give yourself a small nod as you conclude that the mare must quite literally prefer the company of animals over that of other ponies.

And the more you look, the more you see signs that a lot of those animals might even live here, with her. The question of why this place is so empty right now being quickly answered by the stallion walking in front of you.

"Well, um, here she is," Fluttershy says, and you snap out of your impromptu inspection of her house to look back towards her.

The cottage is two-storied, and the three of you are now on the ground level. You can see that Fluttershy just talked to the two of you, but most of her attention is aimed at a small crib-like bed that is in the middle of the room.

"Good," Comet says to her, moments later turning towards you and giving you a meaningful nod. "Velvet, do you mind?"

You honestly have no idea what is going on. Comet Feet didn't exactly say what he wanted your help with, and despite Fluttershy's slight hesitation at your presence, you can still tell that Comet Feet told her something about you. Or at least that Comet Feet told her something, and that she is has some sort of expectation or impression about you.

But whatever it is, naturally, the mare who literally has the word "shy" on her name doesn't seem at all interested in telling you what exactly she thinks you are doing here.

So, you do the best thing you can think of.

"Alright, give me a second," you say, making it clear that everything is happening exactly as you expected it would.

You say that, and you make your way to Fluttershy's side, immediately confirming that the thing in front of her is indeed a crib. A modified crib, made to fit wild animals about half a pony's size, but still a crib nonetheless.

And when you look into it, you see-

"Is this a…? What is it called again?"

You see a platypus.

"They're called platypus," Fluttershy says, her tone a bit clearer and less demure as her attention remains focused on the animal within the crib. "She got here a few days ago, almost too hurt to move, but I think that in less than a week she will be all better. I even took off her bandages just yesterday."

The mare says that, and you see a small smile on her face as she looks down on the sleeping critter.

And you…

Wait, hold on. How in the heavens did the situation come to this?

Why did Comet Feet bring you all the way here? Why is this mare, who you thought was mute for quite a while, acting so normally? And why in the heavens are the two of you looking down at a sleeping platypus?!

You back towards Comet Feet, hoping that Fluttershy won't notice, and you give him your best exasperated headshake in the hopes that he tells you what is… in the hopes that he tells you something!

But in response to your confused stare, Comet Feet simply rolls his eyes in frustration. A few moments later, he slightly raises one of his wings, and you see the conspicuous glint of one of the hidden blades he keeps under his feathers.

And then he glares at the sleeping platypus.

But why would he do th-…

Ohhhhhhh…

[Rolling Lantern]

"Well, I'm not exactly sure what Comet told you, but I know this and that… do you mind if I touch her?"

"Oh, not at all. I always appreciate a specialized opinion," she says with a nod, inching a few steps away to give you more room. "Her bruise was near her neck, so just be careful around there."

"Right," you say.

Although internally, your mind is spinning as you try to figure out what exactly she meant by "specialized opinion".

Did Comet Feet tell her you're a damned veterinarian or something?!

Still, you do your best to appear to be giving the critter an educated tapping-down. Of course, you don't know the first thing about animal medicine, and you dearly hope Fluttershy doesn't notice it, but you do check something far more important than that.

More specifically, you confirm that the platypus is, indeed, a platypus. And not something else.

"I don't see anything wrong with our friend here," you say, after your sorry excuse of a veterinarian inspection. But still, the two ponies next to you nod at that. And for entirely different reasons, you are sure.

"That is a relief," the mare says.

"Good-" Comet Feet also speaks up.

But before you can say anything else-

"-we are leaving," he continues without skipping a beat.

Fluttershy nods at that, as if it was only natural.

And before you even have the chance to ask the mare anything else, or even to voice a complaint, the stallion is already swooping you onto his back with his wings, marching upstairs towards the roof-window exit before the "Wait!" on your throat ever reaches your mouth.

You think you hear a low, but still honest, "have a nice day, Comet!" coming from somewhere downstairs.

But less than five minutes after you arrived at Fluttershy's house, Comet Feet is already taking the two of you to the skies with a violent clasp of his wings.

You have no idea what just happened.

Fluttershy is now…! Wait… no, she's still an acquaintance. But at least the platypus wasn't a changeling and… What in the heavens was all that about?!

Comet Feet is thankful to you, although he has not done anything to voice it to you.

- - -

- - -

- - -

"The Lies We Tell"

This not an exhaustive list. More of a helpful reminder.

Stormchaser has explicitly told you not to involve him or Silky Stream in anything occult related.

You HAVE told Stormchaser about the following:
-That Selene is Princess Luna, and that due to a great tragedy that befell her she cannot currently bear the weight of her memories
-That you have been part of a… "group" for several years now, and hid that from him
-That said group is led by a learned and powerful master, whom you can't exactly fully trust
-That you have been studying about certain "unusual" magics, to which your recent breakdowns or changes in behavior can be traced back to
-That the Worms, or some great threat to Equestria, exists

You have NOT told Stormchaser about the following:
-The more unsettling details about your Master's nature, or at least what little you have interacted with them (your husband does not know that your Master is... well, he thinks they are a regular pony)
-The murders you believe your cult has committed
-The cult's actions about Princess Luna's ritual and eventual disappearance
-Details about the cult itself, and details about the Lores.

You HAVE told Rarity about the following:
-That Selene is Princess Luna, and that you remain certain of that even though "Princess Luna" has returned to Canterlot
-That you are part of a Cult
-About the Lores, the Mansus and the Worms. Her depth and understanding of said pieces of information being her current level on the occult

You have NOT told Rarity about the following:
-The more unsettling details about your Master's nature, or at least what little you have interacted with them (your husband does not know that your Master is... well, he thinks they are a regular pony);
-The murders you believe your cult has committed
-The cult's actions about Princess Luna's ritual and eventual disappearance

- - -

Last turn's shopping list

(These are the items that you had the option to purchase last turn. They must be bought with the resources you had available then, but if bought will be immediately available for use or study at this turn.)

Last turn's available bits: 76

-[-] There is nothing available to buy, currently.

(Books not bought will be lost, other items will be available through the following turns, but have a chance of being sold to somepony else every turn)

- - -

The changeling invasion has been in Canterlot for "2" full month now.

This turn's available bits: 113 (minus items you decided to buy)

Monthly revenue: ~~120 bits/month~~ currently cut
Rarity's dividends for this turn: 37 bits

[] How much will you dedicate yourself to your family's affairs this month? (You must pick one)

-[X] A sense of urgency: There has never been any need for this, not for this much at least. No more double-checking, no more zeal. There are far more important things to be done. (5 personal actions. Does not cause suspicion. DEFAULT PICK)

-[] A measured commitment: Give everything a once-over, sign everything in stacks. The farmlands won't just crumble and burn if you miss a few numbers this month. (6 personal actions. Might be noticed by those closest to you. Will not be noticed by the family head if you do not do this often.)

-[] A furious dedication: You will not be able to do what really matters if you dedicate so much of your time to such mortal affairs. Do as little as it is acceptable, then move on. (7 personal actions. Will worry those closest to you. Will be noticed by the family head, although you cannot say to what extent.)

-[] A desperate obsession: Everything is falling down, everything depends on this. You will not even enter your office this month. (8 personal actions. It is guaranteed that you will be called out for this.)

Regardless of your choice, you also dispose of ONE servant action and ONE cultist minions action (cultist minions do not mind performing suspicious actions, and will cover their expenses up to 40 bits).

[] You are wounded! (You currently have 1 wound. You must pick one of each option.)

-For every single dice you roll, a success will only heal a single wound.
-All rolls are against a DC 70.
-You are currently afflicted by a "Not really helping it" malus, your rolls will suffer a -15 malus this turn.
-You currently have an Artifact in your possession. It shall grant you a +30 bonus for your roll.
-Your current Heart application bonus is +10 (since this is a long-term process, you cannot apply Attention of the Laws to it).

Rest, and time, are the only true remedies for a sick body. (You must pick one)
-[] You don't have time for this. (Costs 0 actions. You will only roll ONE healing dice.)
-[] Take a few breaks, every now and then. (Costs 1 action. Rolls TWO dice. 0/-15)
-[] You only have one body. Better take the time to care for it… (Costs 2 actions. Rolls THREE dice. 0/-15/-30)
-[] Your wounds are deep and numerous. You can't play around while you are like this. (Costs 3 actions. Rolls FOUR dice. 0/-15/-30/-45)
-[] You are almost broken. So, you will act accordingly. You need only your mind to plan vengeance. (Costs 4 actions. Rolls FIVE dice. 0/-15/-30/-45/-60)

The body will do its part. But science, and magic, may also provide. As long as you provide the proper "encouragement", of course. (The dices that auto-succeed will always be the ones that have the greatest penalty, and NOT the dices who roll the lowest results.) (You must pick one)
-[] You either don't care, or you don't have enough bits to care. Either way, your body will have to mend itself on its own terms. (Costs nothing.)
-[] The medicine taste is worse than its appearance. But it is exactly what you need, if they are to be believed… (Costs 30 bits. One dice will auto-succeed)
-[] There is no holy grail for healing magic, no miraculous wound-closing spell. But vigor-enhancing spells, and other small boosts, are a thing. The crystals where they are stored for sale are expensive, though… (Costs 60 bits. Two dice will auto-succeed)
-[] It costs extra to have a nurse follow you back from the hospital. But everything is a service, and everything is for sale, if you have the bits for it. (Costs 90 bits. Three dice will auto-succeed)
-[] These are not illegal, they are just extremely hard to find. The fact that they are so hard to find that no regulation agency cared to declare them illegal, on the other hoof, is just a small detail. (Costs 120 bits. Four dice will auto-succeed)
-[] Most of the bits are to pay for his silence. His skills, however, are not to be disregarded. The doctor is so quiet that you sometimes forget he is even there, but he is never more than ten hoofsteps away from you. (Costs 150 bits. Five dice will auto-succeed)

[] Do something about your foes

Inspector Dull Glass
-The inspector has been around and asking a few questions. But despite his Crown-given authority, he has yet to exert his power in any noticeable way. Or at least, he has not yet reached to the local guard to employ them.
-Rarity has been keeping an eye on him throughout the last month.

-[] (DULL GLASS) Have somepony tail him, see what he has been doing. (This action requires dedicated time, and is best done by a servant or a minion than by a single action from yourself)

-[] (DULL GLASS) Do something about him. Talk to him, trick him, hurt him. (Write in what)

An infiltrated changeling (Twilight Sparkle)
-She has not been doing anything suspicious. But seeing how she is an infiltrator, just going about a regular day is information-gathering, right?
-A Flourishing Risen has been stalking her throughout the last month.

-[] (NOT!TWILIGHT) Have somepony tail her, see what she has been doing. (This action requires dedicated time, and is best done by a servant or a minion than by a single action from yourself)

-[] (NOT!TWILIGHT) Do something about her. Talk to her, trick her, hurt her. (Write in what)

[] Confidants and Summons
(Baldomare is UNAVAILABLE for orders)

-The ponies and creatures listed below can be given a "focus" for this turn. Not mentioning them will incur in their "default picks" being selected. Be wary, also, to the "expiration date" of summons.
-The ponies and creatures listed below may be safely taken for a single one-turn (five days) Expedition without hampering their "focus". Taking them for a two-turn (6+ days) or greater Expedition will cause them to not execute their selected "focus".

Rarity (currently an Initiate, GRAIL Level 1, FORGE Level 0):

Current Health: 3

-[X] Focus on her work. She has a contract with high-end merchants and a noble family, after all. (DEFAULT PICK) (She will still work on her designs if this is not picked, but there will be a chance for this month to be a "failure" by her reckoning)
-[] Accompany you, and lend her hoof. (Pick HALF of your own personal actions, rounded DOWN, and Rarity will accompany you while you perform them, giving narrative advantages or mechanical buffs as needed)
-[] Act as your emissary. (Pick an EXTRA action from your own pool, Rarity will perform it to the best of her abilities, ALONE, and report to you later)
~~-[] The Bright Library has enough knowledge for her to learn on her own. Tell her to focus on her studies, so she may turn into a Disciple.~~ BRIGHT LIBRARY INSUFFICIENTLY LEVELED
-[] Call her, you have a lot of things to tell her… and then a few introductions to make. (Induct her into the cult)
-[] Lead an Expedition. (Select her as the leader of an Expedition in which you will not take part, plan the other details of the expedition accordingly. You will still have to fund the Expedition yourself)
-[] Other (WRITE IN, in case you have a viable idea that I have not thought about. Certain ideas might even enter this list if they make sense)

Jade Whistle (currently a Disciple, LANTERN Level 3, HEART Level 1):

Current Health: 3

(You are personally worried that Jade might react badly if she fails on an action she attempts)

-[X] As per orders. She will go with the motions, as she usually does, and focus on her assignment given by the Master. (DEFAULT PICK)
-[] "You do you." Let her do whatever she wants for once. It might do her some good, both mentally and personally.
-[] Accompany you, and lend her hoof. (Pick HALF of your own personal actions, rounded DOWN, and Jade Whistle will accompany you while you perform them, giving narrative advantages or mechanical buffs as needed)
-[] Act as your emissary. (Pick an EXTRA action from your own pool, Jade Whistle will perform it to the best of her abilities, ALONE, and report to you later)
-[] The Bright Library has enough knowledge for her to learn on her own. Tell her to focus on her studies, so she may turn into an Seeker. (This will level her up, at the expense of her own focus action instead of an action of your own) BRIGHT LIBRARY INSUFFICIENTLY LEVELED
-[] Lead an Expedition. (Select her as the leader of an Expedition in which you will not take part, plan the other details of the expedition accordingly. You will still have to fund the Expedition yourself)
-[] ~~Jade mentioned she has a... feeling, about Selene. She'd like to investigate it, if that's alright.~~ (Require Selene's Knock level 2)
-[] Other (WRITE IN, in case you have a viable idea that I have not thought about. Certain ideas might even enter this list if they make sense)

(Flourishing Risen will expire at the end of the current turn)

Flourishing Risen (MOTH Level 2, WINTER Level 2):

Current Health: 1

-[X] Stick to the shadows. (DEFAULT PICK) (The Flourishing Risen will stalk you, but otherwise will not act. By doing so it will be close by to jump to your defense if you suddenly find yourself in danger.)
-[] Stalk. (WRITE IN WHOM) (The Flourishing Risen will stalk a target of your choice, but otherwise will not act. It will jump to your target's defense should they suddenly find themselves in danger.)
-[] Accompany you, and lend a hoof. (Pick HALF of your own personal actions, rounded DOWN. The Flourishing Risen will help you in those actions to the best of its abilities)
-[] Act as your emissary. (Pick an EXTRA action from your own pool. The Flourishing Risen will perform it, ALONE, and report to you later)
~~-[] Lead an Expedition.~~ UNINTELLIGENT summons cannot be trusted with leading an expedition.
-[] Other (WRITE IN)

Selene (MOTH 2; WINTER 2; EDGE 2; KNOCK 1):

As an alicorn, Selene has TWO actions.

-[X] Go play. (Selene will live a normal and happy life. This option costs one of her actions, it will always be picked, and there is nothing you can do to stop it.)
-[] Perhaps it is time to confirm it, that curious inkling she always had. (Teach Selene the final lesson of MOTH)
-[] There is something that she must learn now… for everypony's sake. (Teach Selene the final lesson of WINTER)
-[] She cannot shy away anymore. Not from this. (Teach Selene the final lesson of EDGE)
-[] There is always something more to be learned from our dreams. (Subtly teach Selene a lesson of KNOCK)

[] Before this month starts, you will perform a ritual to draw the attention of [SPECIFY LORE] (This is a free action to summon "The Attention of the Laws")

[] Before this month starts, you will write uncle Steppes! [SPECIFY ACTION]
(Pick an action and ask if he can help. He may not be able to help, depending on the context, but there is no way of knowing beforehand. Do not pick this option if you don't want to ask his help this month.)

[] No more running, no more hesitation. If you don't do this, somepony else will, and that thought sometimes terrifies you.

This is your monthly free Mansus exploration. You must pick a single action. You will suffer a malus if there are no new locations to explore (but reaching a Door will give you a "grace" period of a few turns)
-[] The Woods
--[] (FREE ACTION)There has to be somewhere in or around the Woods you have not yet seem. Looking for them will help you understand this place better.

-[] The Blank Plains
--[] (FREE ACTION) You see other things, other places, in the more distant hills. Almost as if a light came from them. Head that way and see what you might find.

-[] The Shattered Stairways
--[] (FREE ACTION) A labyrinth of stairs. A monument of a gone age. A sprawling ruin. See where the many paths might lead you.
--[] Seek audience with the Wolf-Divided (you will be given a useful gift. Gifts will always be increasingly more precious and useful. There is no risk of receiving any maluses or wounds) [This is a Regrettable Action]

[] A fleeting opportunity (rumor mills spin, opportunities come and go. These actions will never be available again)

-[] Your uncle is right, you should write your father a letter… although it will not be easy. (You will write your father an apology, and you will promise you will not leave Ponyville, as well as general promises to be "faithful" to the family)

-[] What was that exactly, with Comet Feet…? He cut your "visit" short, but you feel like you might learn something more if you give Fluttershy a visit.

-[] In one month's time, your Master shall summon the cult to strike against the changelings. There are certain things you can do, to help in preparations. (If you do not help the cult in any way, the cult will summon TWO Windigos, and will produce a LANTERN Level 2 list to give Comet Feet, when the Master order him to hunt down the changelings in Ponyville)
--[] Guide the rituals. Summon the horrors. Their evils shall serve a greater good. (The cult will summon TWO additional Windigos) (May be picked repeatedly)
--[] Write the list. Mark the targets. Shine light upon the shadows. (You will upgrade the list of changelings in Ponyville, based on a roll AND your Lantern level)
--[] Some call them blessings. Others call them tools. Whatever they may be, they are essential. (Help cast Influences and AotL for the ponies who the Master picks to strike against the hive)
--[] Not a permanent solution. But there are a thousand small things that can make a difference on a critical moment. Teach them to the best and brightest. (Write in THREE Lores. The Cult will receive a one level-up bonus for this turn, for UNNAMED cultists picked to go to the strike against the hive)

[] On what must be done
-[] Help Windy Flakes run the cult.

[] On the treasures that bits may buy (actions where you search for things to purchase)

-[] There are books that could be of use. You should start looking for them.
--[] In Ponyville, and its… great assortments of libraries? (no extra cost) (HEART, FORGE)
--[] In the great libraries of Canterlot… the ones that are open to public access, that is (20 bits in transportation) (applies "Royal Favor") (LANTERN, GRAIL, SECRET HISTORIES)
--[] In the many small bookshops that dot the side streets of Manehattan (35 bits in transportation) (MOTH, EDGE, KNOCK)
(Due to SECRET HISTORIES 3, now you have a better idea of what you are more likely to find in each city)

-[] The cult now has an appropriate place to meet, but you could still use a discrete location that is all your own. Scout for a suitable place, or other buildings that might be for sale.

-[] Although you are personally judicious about such habits, you are still a noble. Searching for "peculiar items" to "add to your collection" is certainly not out of place… right?

-[] You haven't forgotten about it, you just put it on hold until a more convenient time. (Purchases done here will arrive/be completed at the end of this turn.) (Does NOT cost an action)

~~--[] NO ARTIFACTS AVAILABLE~~

[] On furthering your influence

-[] In Ponyville

--[] You now have a better grasp of the merchants in Ponyville, having had several letters of introduction sent around in your name. But what would you like to do next?
---[] Meet a few of them, and ingrain them to your cause. (WRITE IN if you will try to win them as personally loyal to you, or if you will point them in the direction of the cult)
---[] They are bit handlers, and that means they are a source of income. "Borrow" a few bits from your family and do a few quick investments. Everything will be back to its place by the end of the month, and you will be a little richer for that. (Attempt to gain a few more bits on the side, using your family's fortune as a lever)
---[] They know somepony who knows somepony who knows somepony. Use that to your advantage. (Ask them to search for an artifact. Specift LORE and LEVEL, up to Level 3. It will be added to your available list, but will be more expensive than normal)
---[] Something else. WRITE IN.

--[] Ponyville's local guard is, according to Windy Flakes, slowly slipping into the Cult's pockets. Get a hoof in on that process. It wouldn't hurt anypony there to know they should also listen to you as well.

--[] A pony needs not to be a faithful of your cult in order to be useful, said pony needs only know what to report to whom, and when to keep one's mouth shut. Ponyville has an underworld, small as it might be, and their eyes and ears could be useful. Attempt to contact them.

--[] There is a house near the outskirts of town. One which very nearly got burned to the ground. You know its sole owner will not step hoof in it for a long while, but you surely can put it to use, right? Highly suspicious (Your first turn there will be spent "cleaning up" the most alarming things of the house. Further cleaning will surely be needed, but after this first once-over its suspicion level will lower)

-[] In Manehattan (all options cost 35 bits in transportation)

--[] Copper Secateur has been ordered to expand the cult into Manehattan. This will not be easy, and you could certainly help her. The fact that you will gain more influence in that branch of the cult as you help her is merely coincidental.

--[] Manehattan has a guard. Local guard, a constabulatory, police center, whatever they call it. Get to know them, that is always the first step.

--[] Manehattan most certainly has an underworld. Crime is much easier to commit in a place like that, you see. Go there and see what you make of it.

-[] In Canterlot

--[] Reach out to your family, at least the ones you go along well with.
---[] Reach out to your mother, as much as it might be… complicated. (costs 20 bits in transportation)
---[] Attempt to locate your older brother, Velvet Wings, as much as it might be difficult. (attempt to locate him, at first, via correspondence)
---[] Go there yourself and try to talk to your younger brother, Velvet Pride, although getting caught will probably be bad. (costs 20 bits in transportation, involves invading your family's own mansion)

--[] Reach out to other minor nobles of Canterlot.

--[] Reach out to other higher nobles of Canterlot, although that might be more complicated.

[] On aiding the cult

-[] You are the Loremaster! You are supposed to help your Master teach the faithful in the cult all manners of eldritch knowledge. Get to writing a Manifest on a Lore! [SPECIFY LORE] (Will produce a "book" to be added to the Bright Library, said book will be of the same level as your current level on the chosen Lore)

-[] Help Comet Feet
--[] Try to spend some time with it, plain and simply. No other way to get to know him.
--[] Now more than ever, he is probably preparing for what is to come. Lend him a hoof.

-[] Help Starry Dancer
--[] Now that you know her a bit better, you can always just spend time with her.
--[] Her current assignment is to "take care" of the investigator in Ponyville. And that is a very broad and open term. And that worries you, considering who we are talking about. Go help Starry.

-[] Help Copper Secateur
--[] She is gone from Ponyville, and is currently working to further the cult's interests in Manehattan. Reach out to her. (Costs 35 bits in transportation. WRITE IN what you would like to do involving her.)

-[] Help Windy Flakes
--[] You realize you don't know very much about him at all. Time to remedy that.
--[] His business is all set up, and now he has to run it. And do you know who is good at running businesses? That's right, you are.

-[] Actually, you just want to chat with somepony. (Write in who, if it's an Inner Circle member or if you want to get to know more about the Cult in general. Write in if there is a specific subject to talk about. Talking to ponies outside of Ponyville costs transportation.)

[] On planning an Expedition.

-[] "Beneath the Royal Castle"
~~--[] Scout out the place so you can have a better grasp of what lies ahead of you. (costs 20 bits in transportation)~~ Scouted via ritual
--[] You know enough, and there is not much time. Gather your followers and head out. (Write in how many actions you will invest on this. An expedition will start at the end of this turn.)

[] On furthering your knowledge.

-[] The matters of [SPECIFY LORE] intrigues you, petition your cult's Master for a lesson (currently willing to teach all Lores up until level 5, gives a single scrap of Lore WITHOUT triggering a test) Your Master is unavailable this turn

-[] A boon? A gift? A trade? Petition your Master for something. (WRITE IN WHAT. She walks the Wake, so talking to her is now less complicated. She may, however, ask for something in return for a boon. She may also react in an entirely unexpected way). Your Master is unavailable this turn

-[] There is something about this… thing, and you must learn what it is (pick two artifacts to learn from their Lore, and check it for hidden abilities).
--[] ~~No artifacts available.~~ (Unless if recently bought)

-[] It doesn't have to be just during a leisure weekend evening, you can fit a few minutes of reading even when walking between rooms if you really get into it! (Pick up to three books to attempt to learn a scrap of Lore. Consumes books).
--[] BOOK, HEART Level 1. "A small book that covers a particular kind of elegant dancing".
--[] BOOK, HEART Level 2. "A novel about a mare who fell in love with a drummer, the romantic parts all written in rhyming poetry".
--[] BOOK, HEART Level 3. "A study about yak culture. The part about their history and folklore is of little use. The chapters about their songs, however…".
--[] BOOK, FORGE Level 1. "A small handbook on camping, explaining the basics of how to build a tent and start a small fire".
--[] BOOK FORGE Level 3. "A real guide to beginner's level blacksmithing. The bookstore owner almost seemed excited in having this reach your hoofs via your servants."
--[] BOOK, KNOCK Level 2. "A fairly recent, and short, book about dream interpretation. You know it is recent because it was dedicated to Princess Luna's return".
--[] BOOK GRAIL Level 3."A novel telling the forbidden romance between a foreign spy and a soldier. The writing is not as spicy as the theme would suggest, but the details is goes into to describe the conflict they feel is intriguing."
--[] BOOK EDGE Level 1. "The title is self-explanatory: 'Four self-defense spells every unicorn should know'. You doubt they are anything more than different variations of concentrated telekinesis."
--[] BOOK LANTERN Level 6. "An ancient, and enormous, hardcover tome written in an unknown language. You are not even sure what its title is, if it even has one, but the symbol laid on its front was enough for you to understand what it is about. On its cover you can clearly see the icon of a Sun, Divided." (DECIPHERED, will grant +one Lantern Lore if studied, small risk of FASCINATION.)

--[] Some other book (select a book you have bought this turn)

-[] This thing is ancient, and its secrets were nearly lost. You will have to first understand it before you can begin to learn from it. (Decoding a book requires dedicated research, your progress being based on a study roll. Reaching at least 50% of the total progress will "reveal" the total amount needed.") No untranslated tomes available

[] On scaling the Mansus (Pick TWO options for every action spent)

-[] The Woods
--[] Wander around the Woods, and hear its many whispers.
--[] There are other places connected to the Woods, but that are not in the Mansus proper. Look for them.

-[] The Blank Door
--[] Explore the Blank Plains, the first afterlife of ponykind.
--[] Visit the Lodge of the Sage Pony. You may not be able to talk to Baldomare, but you surely can listen very well.
--[] There are other parts connected to the Blank Plains. Look for them.

-[] The Shattered Stairways
--[] There are other markings to be followed within this maddening labyrinth of stairs. Follow them.
--[] Seek audience with the Wolf-Divided (you will be given a useful gift. Gifts will always be increasingly more precious and useful. There is no risk of receiving any maluses or wounds) [This is a Regrettable Action]
~~--[] This… this is the way upwards.~~ (You still need to completely explore ONE more within the Shattered Stairways)

[] On more personal matters

-[] Of course you love your family very much, but you could always spend a bit more time with them.
--[] Just another pleasant day that you will spend with them. Perfect for cooling your head off.
--[] Alright, this might be a BIT on the cult-y side, but… why not start giving your family subtle hints of Lore here and there? You might catch their attention, or perhaps even their interest. (Stormchaser will surely see this as a major breach of trust)
--[] WRITE IN (other ways to spend time with your family, or anything else)

-[] Bits are the engine of Equestria! You have been working your hooves off for years now, so it won't be seen as scandalous if you write a letter to your father requesting an increase in your share of the family's grants… right?

-[] You do know "your place" in the family, but bits are still important. A letter asking for a one-time gift will surely be better received than one asking for a permanent "raise", right?

-[] You really shouldn't, but needs must. Every single ledger from the farms east of Ponyville pass through you, it would be a simple matter to have some "administrative mistakes" make some bits disappear from the coffers and appear in your pockets.
--[] Have a servant do it, having an actual scapegoat is ideal if things go wrong.
--[] Do it yourself, it's better this way.
--[] Wait, right, the Wildhoof Club. Get in touch with Windy Flakes, and see how serious he was when he mentioned the whole "laundering bits" thing.

-[] Go into town and try to meet somepony interesting.

-[] Sit down and work on a letter. Reach out to nobles who do not live in Canterlot. They, much like yourself, might not be deeply entangled on the webs of politics that surround the capital, but that just means they can also act with more freedom, right?

-[] Much to your own satisfaction, you now have a personal life outside of your maids, immediate family and business related meetings. You could choose to spend some time with… (SPECIFY if it will be "a social call" or "a step forward to converting said pony". SPECIFY if "you are willing to spend bits on this", for that little extra leverage)
~~--[] Teach Rarity yourself, and have her turn into an Disciple~~ Insufficient personal levels
--[] Induct Rarity into the cult
~~--[] Teach Jade Whistle yourself, and have her turn into a Seeker~~ Insufficient personal levels
~~--[] Twilight Sparkle, who leads the bearers of the Elements of Harmony~~
--[] Cheerilee, your daughter's schoolteacher
--[] Mayor Mare, the de-facto ruler of Ponyville
--[] Filthy Rich, a well-to-do and wealthy bussinespony
--[] Fluttershy, the recluse mare who lives on the outskirts of Ponyville
--[] WRITE IN (arrange to take your daughter to meet some of your younger acquaintances, or plan something else entirely)

[] On invoking the Lores (see RITUALS for more information, as well as CD and cost. SPECIFY if you will offer SACRIFICE)

The White Room, and the cult's cupboards:
-3 live changelings stored in the White Room
-A Bundle of Fur (currently 4/4)

Your own reagents, and other possible sacrifices:
-All of your Artifacts
-HEART, level 1 reagent

-[] It's actually a lot simpler than it sounds, now that you know what you are doing (produce a reagent, write in which Lore/combination of Lores. Cannot produce a reagent with a Lore level superior to your own.) (Producing a single reagent is a FREE ACTION, producing 3 costs 1 action, 5 costs 2 actions, so on.)
--[] Level 1 reagent (5 bits)
--[] Level 2 reagent (20 bits)
--[] Level 3 reagent (45 bits)

-[] It's grim work, but needs must.
--[] Acquire a dead body from the local cemetery.
--[] Acquire a live pony for the White Room.

-[] "The proper things, in the proper manner, in the proper order. God help us all." (Perform a Ritual)
--[] "The Attention of the Laws" (specify Aspect)
--[] "The Rite of Childhood's End"
--[] "The Forge's Redemption"
--[] "The Incision of the Heart"
--[] "The Path Through Nightmares" (specify target)
--[] "The End is Beautiful" (specify target)
--[] "The calling of Influence" (specify Aspect)
--[] "The Reflection of the Tapestry" (specify subject)
--[] Invoke a Risen (SPECIFY dead body used as source. ONE Risen is a FREE ACTION)

--[] Invoke Baldomare

--[ ] To be performed at your cult's gathering place, where it is discreet. But the cult will know of your actions.
--[ ] To be performed at your own home, where the cult will not know of your actions, but you probably will be discovered or leave traces of it. (Disallows the use of the cult's Cadre and possessions)
--[ ] ~~To be performed on another location~~ (you do not yet know or own any such location)

[ ] Others WRITE IN (anything, but I will have to consider it, and it might make the voting period a bit longer)

Remember that write-ins for anything may be suggested. I'll do my best to answer if they are reasonable in a timely manner.

There will be at least 48 hours of voting.

Velvet Covers is devoted to taking care of Selene. Actions that may ultimately lead to said duty being threatened will be extremely difficult to pull off. QM will comment if anything like that is being voted on.

Kindly observe a SIX HOUR MORATORIUM before voting.

OurLadyOfWires · Aug 24, 2024

[X] Plan Staying at Home and Writing Letters
-[X] A sense of urgency: There has never been any need for this, not for this much at least. No more double-checking, no more zeal. There are far more important things to be done. (5 personal actions. Does not cause suspicion. DEFAULT PICK)
-[X] You don't have time for this. (Costs 0 actions. You will only roll ONE healing dice.)
-[X] The medicine taste is worse than its appearance. But it is exactly what you need, if they are to be believed… (Costs 30 bits. One dice will auto-succeed)
-[X] (Servants) Look for books in Ponyville.
-[X] (Cult Minions) Assist with summoning Windigos.
-[X] (Flourishing Risen) Tail not!Twilight
-[X] (Rarity) Call her, you have a lot of things to tell her… and then a few introductions to make. (Induct her into the cult)
-[X] (Jade) Search for changeling infiltrators in Ponyville
-[X] (Selene) Knock.
-[X] (Attention of the Laws) Grail: Talk with Rarity.
-[X] (Knock) Find a new location in the Woods.
-[X] Read books: Grail 3, Heart 2, Heart 3.
-[X] Fleeting opportunity: Assist with casting Influences and AotL.
-[X] Fleeting opportunity: Write Letter to Father
-[X] Fleeting opportunity: Visit Fluttershy
-[X] Help Windy Flakes run the cult.

- - -

You gulp down the medicine, grimacing at the bitter taste as the viscous fluid makes it way down your throat.

You hate it. You hate having to take this thing four times a day. You hate how it smells, you hate how it looks like oil, and you hate the fact that you know it tastes worse than oil, even though you obviously have no idea what oil tastes like.

But still, for all that this might be uncomfortable to the extreme, and for all that no amount of tea manages to completely wash down the horrible taste, you still know this to be necessary. After all, you are feeling better as the days go by. You also have not come down with a fever ever since you started taking the remedy, and most importantly you didn't have any further or nastier complication like one of the wounds becoming infected or the likes.

So, you have to admit that this distasteful and uncomfortable decision of taking the remedy… is actually the best thing you could be doing right now.

At least when it comes to taking care of your wounds.

And as you close the lid of the oily medicine with a flick of magic, reaching for your cup of tea with a slight sense of urgency, you can't help but see the irony in all of this. This whole tirade about a bitter medicine being the best decision on the long run.

After all, you are about to swallow several other, equally bitter medicines.

You just hope that these other remedies are also for the best. Because you know that you won't enjoy them in the slightest.

"Darling are you alright?" Rarity says, for what must be the third time ever since she arrived. And you try your best to put a smile on your face as you wave her concerns away.

But you can tell from her expression that, just like the other times, your smile isn't really doing much to reassure her.

"Just the medicine, Rarity. I wish I could say the tea helps, but…" you say, letting out a tired sigh. "But more importantly, now that we're all settle down, I think we should get to it."

Rarity nods at that, her expression turning from worry to concentration as she pays you her full attention.

You look back at her blue eyes as she looks at you expectantly, and you can't help but feel a last shred of hesitation at what you are about to do. After all, this will not be pleasant. It will not be pleasant for anypony. And for all that you will try your damnest to pick the best possible words, and to go about it as calmly as possible, there just isn't a way to sugarcoat or soften everything you are about to tell her.

But you can't avoid doing this anymore. You no longer have time. The current situation is forcing your hoof, and you need Rarity's help. In everything. You need another set of hoofs you can trust. And besides, seeing how the situation currently is… seeing how it involves Twilight now…

Well, you don't have a right to withhold this from her. Not anymore. You don't have the right to keep her out of this.

Although you'll still do your best to be gentle in your wording.

"Rarity, before I begin, I need you to promise me two things," you say, and the mare is already nodding before you even say what those things are. Still, you go on anyways. "The first thing is that you will hear everything I have to say, all of it, before you ask anything."

"Of course, Velvet, I promise," she says, still nodding, her expression growing more serious as she hears your tone of voice.

"The second thing…" you trail off, hoping the little plan you have in mind, regarding this conversation, pays off.

You look at Baldomare, sitting to your left, and she gives you a small nod of encouragement. Then you look towards Jade, and you can somehow tell that, even though her expression is as neutral as ever, she is also feeling tense about this.

"The second thing I need you to promise me is that… I invited Twilight over, and she should be here in one or two hours. She won't be long, and I'll talk to her on the main hall. But while she is here, I want you to take a peek at us from upstairs, while we talk, as subtly as possible. Baldomare will show you… something, while you do that, and I need you to promise me that you will try your best to keep your calm."

You see Rarity purse her lips at that. She still gives you a nod, that she will do what you asked, but you can see clearly in her eyes that she is confused about what you just said.

And you cherish it, that spark of innocence and ignorance you see in her expression. You try your best to commit it to memory, because you know that once that ignorance is gone… this whole experience will leave you all with a bitter taste on your mouths.

"It will make sense when it happens. I promise… Now, let me tell you how I got hurt… a short version of it, at least. And then I'll work my way through the preceding months, until the day that… until the day that Princess Luna disappeared from the Royal Castle."

The oily and bitter taste of the medicine hangs on to your tongue as you speak.

But that is soon overpowered by an even worse sensation, as you watch Rarity's expression turn into one of disbelief, then surprise, then horror. But still, you explain to her almost everything that has happened this last year.

You leave very few details behind.

And all those omissions, without exception, are for her own good.

- - -

Everything went well.

Or rather, everything went as well as it possibly could.

"That… that thing… it wasn't Twilight…" Rarity whispers to herself, the cup of tea she is floating in front of her shaking as if she was holding it with a trembling hoof.

She says that, and even though she is not looking at anywhere in particular, you still nod you head. Your lips pursed as you watch her shocked expression.

"But darling we… we have to tell somepony and-" she says, but the words get stuck in her mouth, and you can practically see the thoughts running through her head as she recalls everything you told her.

That Twilight was taken, apparently, after she went alone to the Royal Castle.

That you have already tried looking for her with magic. With Baldomare having performed the ritual nonetheless.

That less than a week ago your Master confirmed that Princess Luna is one of them, and that Princess Celestia has quietly disappeared.

You gently take her teacup away with a flick of your own horn, seeing how Rarity might simply forget she is floating it at any moment judging by how shocked she is.

"I, I mean… we have to do something!" she says, finally looking towards you, her expression exasperated and frightened. "They got Twilight and… and there's more of them in Ponyville? In Canterlot? These… these monsters are also everywhere el-?!"

"Shh, shh, calm down Rarity," you say, raising a hoof as you get off from your seat, and sitting on the ground in front of her. You take one of her hoofs as you try to calm her down.

Rarity's hoof is shaking.

And you are not quite sure if it's because she is angry or scared. You feel like she could tip towards either of them at a moment's notice.

"Calm down?" she asks with an anguished voice, but at least she's gone back to whispering at you, "Velvet these things you told me, I… we have to do something!"

"I know, and… Rarity," you put your hoofs on her shoulders, looking straight into her eyes, "Rarity, I know, and I agree with you. And I need you to believe me that everything I've been doing, this whole time, I did towards this 'something'. To make things better. And I'm telling you all of this because I trust you, and because I need help."

The mare keeps staring into your eyes as you say that, and she continues to do so when the two of you fall silent.

Her expression is a mixture of many emotions. Of too many emotions. You can see that she is on the verge of panic. You can see that she might just snap at any moment and begin shouting angrily. You even think you see a flicker of hurt in her eyes, perhaps because you have been keeping all of this from her, or maybe because she is simply scared for what happened to Twilight.

But you can also see that she is slowly piecing together everything you told her so far. And you dearly hope that the fact she has not said anything yet means that she agrees with you, or at least that she doesn't know what you could have done differently.

Until finally, in a painfully slow movement, she gives you a single, hesitant nod.

"Darling I…" she tries to say something, but the words die in her mouth. "We have to help… those things got to Twilight and…"

She tries to say something, anything, but her thoughts keep grinding to a halt. She looks at you as if asking for help, then at Jade, and then at Baldomare. Until finally she faces you once again and puts her own hoofs on your shoulders.

"Velvet, what do we do?" she asks, her expression settling into one that is completely lost.

You purse your lips at that, and you take a deep breath as you prepare to swallow another bitter remedy.

You really wish you didn't have to do this. Not like this. Not under these circumstances.

But you have to. You need Rarity's help. Rarity wants to help, both you and Twilight.

So, you don't really feel you have a choice anymore.

"One thing at a time, Rarity. First of all, I need you to help me from within the cult. They're our best shot at too many things, and we need more ponies in there that we can trust, if we are going to steer it into the right direction. After we are done here, I need you to go with Jade and…"

You then begin to talk. You then begin to explain her several things. About how you only barely were able to convince the Master to do something that would save Twilight. About how you have no idea how things might turn out if Princess Celestia isn't there, since you know that Luna certainly isn't. About how Baldomare will be leaving in a train tomorrow, so you won't have her reliable presence close at hoof during these next few months. And most importantly, about how you need her help in all of this.

Because you know going against your Master is not something you can do. To tell the truth, you don't even want to go against the Master. She might be confusing and misleading, and at times hard to understand, but she is still trying to do something about the Worms, and you sorely need the knowledge she already has.

But still, you also really need to gain more influence over the cult and its resources. You really need to know that, at the end of the day, the ponies who make up the cult are ponies with a good head over their shoulders, and with kind hearts beating inside their chests.

You really need the cult to have ponies like Rarity in it.

Otherwise it will be too easy, even if it happens only several years down the line, for the knowledge of the Lores to be abused.

…

You walk Rarity down to the entrance hall after you are done talking, hours later. But just as she is about to leave, she freezes for a few moments.

And the expression she has on her face, as she turns back and looks at you, makes it very clear that…

"I trust you, Velvet. And I promise I'll do my best. We're in this together," she says.

And despite the bitter taste inside your mouth, you can't help but smile back at her.

Rarity has been induced into the cult. She will now have access to the information available to a regular cultist, as well as access to its infrastructure, and (being your confidant) will exert influence in your favor.

"The Lies We Tell" to Rarity has been updated. The only thing she doesn't know about is the murders you believe the cult has committed. Everything else (including the first ritual against Princess Luna) is information you either told her, or that she could learn from Outer Circle members.

You can tell that Rarity's confidence is not yet entirely set in stone. She is heavily leaning on the trust she feels towards you, and on the fact that the cult is actively moving against the changelings and towards saving Twilight (this is important).

And in other news, Stormchaser has ordered the medicine you are taking from his own pocket. 30 bits have NOT been deduced from your personal coffers.

OurLadyOfWires · Aug 24, 2024

[X] Plan Staying at Home and Writing Letters
-[X] A sense of urgency: There has never been any need for this, not for this much at least. No more double-checking, no more zeal. There are far more important things to be done. (5 personal actions. Does not cause suspicion. DEFAULT PICK)
-[X] You don't have time for this. (Costs 0 actions. You will only roll ONE healing dice.)
-[X] The medicine taste is worse than its appearance. But it is exactly what you need, if they are to be believed… (Costs 30 bits. One dice will auto-succeed)
-[X] (Servants) Look for books in Ponyville.
-[X] (Cult Minions) Assist with summoning Windigos.
-[X] (Flourishing Risen) Tail not!Twilight
~~-[X] (Rarity) Call her, you have a lot of things to tell her… and then a few introductions to make. (Induct her into the cult)~~
-[X] (Jade) Search for changeling infiltrators in Ponyville
-[X] (Selene) Knock.
-[X] (Attention of the Laws) Grail: Talk with Rarity.
-[X] (Knock) Find a new location in the Woods.
-[X] Read books: Grail 3, Heart 2, Heart 3.
-[X] Fleeting opportunity: Assist with casting Influences and AotL.
-[X] Fleeting opportunity: Write Letter to Father
-[X] Fleeting opportunity: Visit Fluttershy
-[X] Help Windy Flakes run the cult.

- - -

"I love you! Have fun in school today!" you say, waving a hoof at the retreating forms of your daughters as they fly away towards Ponyville. Silky Stream flying next to Soft Sweeps, who is carrying Selene on her back.

It does not escape you that Silky looks back towards you several times as she flies. And even though she is now only a distant and faraway dot, you can still tell that her expression is nervous, every time she looks at you.

You can still see, clear as day, that she is still worried about you.

So, you keep waving at them, even though you can barely see them, and they can barely see you. You keep doing your best to give her the impression that you are fine. That everything is fine. And that she can go to school without having to worry about you.

Until finally, you let out a tired gasp when they disappear behind a cloud. Your shoulder hurts.

Actually, everything hurts.

"Are you alright sweetheart?" Stormchaser asks, eyeing you worriedly.

But you suck up the pain you are feeling, and you turn to give him your answer in the form of a smile that looks only slightly tired. The perfect expression of a mare who is pushing herself just a little bit, and just enough to pretend that she is fine in front of her daughter, but who can confide in her husband that she is not doing that well.

Although it hurts you a little bit, the fact that… that even this response you are giving Stormchaser is also a lie.

You are lying. of course you are lying. You don't feel well, you are not doing alright, and you definitely are pushing yourself way harder than you should be. But still, you are lying to everypony around you because you have to, otherwise they would be worried sick, and everypony would be miserable.

You are lying to Silky. You are putting up a front that you are already feeling well, and that your wounds were just a fright. But you have to do this, because this entire last week your daughter wasn't even able to go to school with how distressed she was at you being hurt.

But on top of that, you are also telling a different lie to Stormchaser. Because he thinks he knows just how bad your wounds are, but he really doesn't. You are letting him know just enough for him to support you, and for him to understand that the two of you have to work together to calm down Silky. But you certainly are not going to tell him how bad your wounds really are. He doesn't know that you can recover a lot more quickly than a regular pony, so he really thinks you didn't get hurt nearly as deeply as you actually were.

And all of this lying, all of these... these masks, layers of masks, that you are keeping on top of each other, this whole situation makes you feel wrong in a deep and personal level. It weights you down in a way that you weren't really prepared for. But still, you know you have to.

Because even if you told them the whole truth, the only difference in your situation would have been that things would be worse. Even if you told them everything, your wounds would still have the same severity, and would still heal at the same speed. The only difference would be that everypony around you would be suffering with you.

At least, by telling these lies, you are the only one who is being hurt.

So, again, you give Stormchaser a tired smile. You tell him without words that you just feel tired, but that you are glad that the two of you managed to make Silky go back to school.

And in return, he gives you a worried smile of his own. Telling you without words that he is worried about you pushing yourself too much.

But ultimately, his smile also tells you that he believes you.

So, the two of you slowly walk back into your home. And you do your best not to let any of your pains show.

You do your best not to let it show how ragged your breathing is,-
-or how much your legs ache,-
-or how much effort it takes not to wince every time you take a step,-
-and you will yourself to keep walking instead of just collapsing on the ground, like your body is constantly begging you to do.

Because Stormchaser believes you. And if he knew just how bad things were, he would just be more hurt.

- - -

You gulp down the medicine, feeling the sticky fluid worm its way down your throat, a thin coat of the substance gluing itself to your tongue in a way that no amount of water will be able to wash down. Not until a few hours pass and you will have to take another dose of the thing, at least.

But this time, you don't grimace. You don't shudder at the bitterness of the thing. You don't internally curse your frail health. You don't do any of the little things you always do whenever you take the medicine, almost like a personal ritual of yours.

You don't do any of that, because right now…

Right now you are very calm.

Very, very calm.

Your daughters have just left for school, you have promised Stormchaser you won't go to your office to work today, and you just sat down in your study room with a scroll of parchment in front of you.

And now, you are going to write a letter.

That is all you are going to do. You are going to write your father a letter, like your uncle suggested, and you will have one less thing to worry about.

…

You feel your thoughts slowly grind into a halt, like a locomotive that is being frozen in a snowstorm, as you gently ease into the mind space required for what you are about to do.

…

…

…

And you slide into the cool and still lake you have inside your mind.

"How… to… begin…" you tell yourself as you pick up the writing pen.

With your mouth, not with your magic. The shimmering sound of the floating spell would have been too loud for this.

Well, you know how letters are supposed to begin. Just like how every letter is supposed to end with a period, or a full stop, or even a signature, there is a particular word that almost every letter is supposed to begin with.

And that word is "dear". "Dear father," is how you know you are supposed to start this whole thing.

But, you think as you stare blankly at the empty parchment, you don't want to write your words.

Because that stallion is not "dear" to you.
And you don't even want to call him "father".

…

But you have to.

You have to.

Otherwise, you will never write this letter.

…

Your thoughts grow slower and slower, as you try to make this as painless as possible.

[The depths of Winter, breakpoints 1/20/40/60/80/100]

[Roll: 48 + 9 (Martial) + 15 (Winter bonus) = 72]

But ultimately…

Finally…

In the end…

You decide that these are indeed just words on paper.

…

However, you will only do this once.

"Dear… father…" the pen softly whispers as it scratches against the paper.

You write that, and then you take a deep breath.

"What… next…" you ask yourself, staring at the now not-so-empty scroll.

As your mind submerges deeper and deeper into the calm lake of frost that you have inside of you.

Well, there are so many things you could write next.

Oh so many things…
Should you continue by saying "I'm sorry"? That is the first thought that occurs to you.
But what exactly would you be sorry about?
You are sorry that you didn't turn out to be the daughter he wanted?

Slower.

You are sorry that, no matter how hard you try, you just end up failing?

Calmer.

You are sorry that you weren't even good enough to give him a unicorn grandson, or granddaughter, like he told you to?

Gentler.

Those are all things he would like to read.
But those are definitely not things you want to write.
But why?
Why wouldn't you want to write that?

Maybe it's because…

So deep that not even this will hurt.

Maybe because those things are true?
Because deep down, you do believe in all that? And you do feel sorry for all that?

Wait. Stop.

Yes, that must be it...
And why wouldn't you be? After all, what daughter wouldn't want her father's love?
What filly wouldn't feel sad, if things eventually turned out wrong in her life?

This is too deep. You are wrong.

Why would it be wrong for you to regret the way things turned out?
After all, the life you have right now had a painful beginning, didn't it?

Too deep. TOO DEEP! THIS IS WRONG! STOP!

In fact, why would it be wrong for you to want to end this life you currently have?
After all, aren't all endings beaut-

"Mooooom! Daaaaad! We're hooooome!"

The frozen surface of the lake cracks like a thin sheet of ice, bursting into a million different fragments as a familiar voice cuts through the silence of your soul.

You jump out of your seat almost reflexively, panic surging through your body as if you had just woken up. Your wounds flare up in protest at the sudden movement, several deep stabbing pains running through your chest as you struggle to stay on your hoofs.

But you welcome that. You welcome the pain you are feeling, because that means you are feeling something. You hold on to that pain like a drowning pony might hold on to a floating piece of wood.

Because that is exactly how you feel. You feel like you just drowned.

You feel like you just drowned in the dark depths of the frozen lake you have inside your mind.

And that terrifies you.

You realize several things at the same time. Worse than that, you realize several things around you, that have been there the whole time, but that your mind is only caring to acknowledge now.

You take a deep breath, and that tells you how the air around you is cold. So cold, in fact, that your lungs hurt as you breathe in.

You then try to move a little bit more, to gain distance from the letter you were writing, only to hear the soft creak of ice breaking. And that is when you see that there is, or was, a thin layer of frost covering your coat.

You try to look around, but you feel there is something wrong with your sight. A pinprick jab hits your face when you try to rub your eyes, and you realize that they are glued shut. Your own frozen tears must have locked your eyelids shut at some point, and you didn't even notice that as you sat on your chair for...

... as you sat on your chair for...

"Hold... hold on..." you whisper in a shaky voice, as even more pieces begin to fall into place inside your head.

You just... you just heard Silky's voice, coming from the entrance hall. So that must mean that she just arrived home from school...

But you just sat down to start writing the letter. You sat down just a few moments ago. You just had your morning dose of your remedy, and you started writing the letter right after Silky left with Soft Sweeps and Selene to…

"How long…" you say as you look around at the cold walls of your study room, "how long have I been…?"

The words try to escape your lips, but you close your mouth and force them back.

"No," you tell yourself. "That doesn't matter. None of that matters."

You shake your head, telling yourself that you can't get shaken over something like this. You're back. You're fine. Everything is fine.

And that is all that matters.

Your daughters just returned from school, so that means you're done for today. You can continue this some other day, no matter how much good it might do for the letter to reach your father earlier rather than later.

Yes. That is right. You are DONE. And you will not allow yourself to think otherwise until tomorrow comes.

A glow of magic comes from your horn as you swing the windows of the room open, letting the warm air rush in and the cold air bleed out. And you make sure there isn't a crisp of ice in your body, or on the walls, before you leave the study room.

Although you do lock the door behind you as you leave, so none of the maids accidentally enter it before the place properly warms up. Just in case.

But still... you still know that, despite all this, the letter will still be waiting for you when you return to continue writing. It will be waiting with the patience of a winter's evening, and with the certainty of a sunset.

After all, you will return to continue writing it. You have to return to continue writing it.

Otherwise, that letter will always only have two words written upon it. Two words that you very much disagree with.

You have to finish that letter, otherwise those two words will continue to torment you forever.

"Dear father…"

…

But for now…

For now, you will go be with your family for a bit.

100+: Everything will be fine. You will be fine, and the letter will do fine.

80: It will be fine. (Letter is sent at the beginning of the turn.)

60: You are… fine. (Minimum threshold for letter to be sent. Letter will reach your father late in the turn.)

40: Stormchaser carefully took the writing pen from your hoofs. You think he had a tense expression on his face, but you are not sure. You weren't really paying attention. (Letter not sent.)

20: You don't feel so well. Maybe you never felt well to begin with. Maybe all this time, you were just… (Letter not sent. Roll for Dread.)

Below 20: "Why are you even doing this?" That is the question you have on your mind right now. You began asking that towards the letter. Then you asked that towards your life. Then you asked that towards everything else. (Letter not sent. Dread resistance roll auto-fails.)

Nat 1: You wrote a letter. It took you days, but you wrote it. The letter contained only a single word, but you wrote it. However, you did not read what you wrote. You only sent it. (Dread. Further consequences occur.)

OurLadyOfWires · Aug 24, 2024

You are Flower Serenade, and you are…

You are nervous.

You are nervous, and even though you are trying your best not to let it show, you realize you are failing at that. And quite badly.

After all, every now and then you realize that one of your legs is shaking, or that your jaw is close too tightly, or that you have shifted your sitting posture way too many times for no good reason.

But you can't help it… you simply can't help any of that.

Because you are nervous. Your heart is still racing from what just happened. Your coat is still drenched in sweat from all the panicked running. And to be honest, you can tell that a good chunk of your thoughts are still half-expecting that... that he will just come in through the door or fly in through the window any second now.

And as soon as that happens, as soon as he finds out where you are, he is going to take you back.

And then you will be back there with him. Alone.

And then he will… and then he's going to…!

"Serenade, breathe. I promise you everything will be alright."

Miss Copper's words cut through your thoughts almost as if she had physically shaken you. You very nearly jump up in surprise, just from the suddenness of her words, but you calm yourself down soon after.

You then look up at the light-pink maned earth mare, and you respond to her encouraging smile with an embarrassed one of your own.

"I, well… right. You're right. Thanks, Miss Copper. I really don't know where I'd be without you right now."

The mare shakes her head at that, her curly mane waving slightly with her movement.

"Like I said, don't give me that 'Miss' nonsense. Just relax. And like I said, I know we haven't met that long ago, but that doesn't mean we can't treat each other as friends," she says, with an honestly warm smile. "But again, try to calm down. Also, I would ask you if you want more water, but you haven't even touched your glass yet. Maybe you should try a bit of that?"

You nod at her, reaching out with a hoof to drink a bit of water as she suggested.

And just like she said, you slowly…

Slowly…

Try to calm down.

Even though the second-floor room you are in feels unfamiliar.

Even though the sounds that comes through the window, of ponies walking and working normally even though it's night, still feels wrong to you.

Even though this entire city, this Manehattan that is so far away from the place you were born, still makes you feel so scared and out of your depths.

You still try to calm down.

Because you trust Miss Copper. And not just because she's an earth pony like you are, but also because she is being kind to you. Because she might as well be the very first pony who has been kind to you ever since you came to this city.

You pick up the glass of water between your hoofs, and drink from it. And that's when you realize just how thirsty you are.

"Now, Serenade, my friend will be here in a few minutes. And like I said, he is a pegasus, and he might look a bit scary, but I promise he is my friend and that he will also help you. Is that alright?" Miss Copper asks, and you try to suppress the shiver you feel when she reminds you that another pegasus is about to come and join you two.

"Al… alright. I trust you Mis-… uh, I trust you, Copper," you answer, trying to sound as brave as possible.

And once again she smiles to you. And although you are not sure why, you somehow feel slightly calmer just because of that.

- - -

"Like I said, Serenade, he is my friend. And I promise you he is here to help us."

Miss Copper was not joking. She was not joking at all.
She was not joking when she said her friend is a… a pegasus.

"Serenade. Serenade, calm down. Look into my eyes. That's right, deep breaths, you're doing fine."

And she was not joking when she said he was scary.
But much more than being just the largest pegasus you have ever seen in your life. He is also terrifying.

"Shh, shh, no need to cry. I promise you he won't do anything… Here, I'll sit right next to you and… would it make you feel better if he just listened to us talk from behind the door? That way you won't have to look at him and…"

You start nodding to Miss Copper's suggestion before she even finishes saying it, your tears soaking the fur of her chest as you try your best not to whimper.
It takes you a few more minutes, and many more glasses of water, before you can talk again.
And you only manage to do that after Miss Copper's frie-... after the pegasus walks out of the room, and closes the door.

- - -

"I, I'm sorry Miss Copper, it's just that…"

"No, no, don't apologize Serenade. Everything is fine. And I did say my friend is the scary sort of pony," she says, giving you a well-intending wink. "But like I said, I need you to tell me what happened again. With more details this time, if you can remember any. So me and my friend will know how we can help you."

You nod to her, still feeling your hoofs shake under you, but you try your best nonetheless.

"O-okay…"

Then you take a deep breath.

"M-my… my name is Flower Serenade. And I've always been good at opening things…"

And then you tell her everything.

Miss Copper already knows what you are about to tell you. Or at least, she knows parts of it. But now that you think about it, you weren't exactly... well, you probably didn't make much sense when you told her your story for the first time.

The truth is, you and Miss Copper just met. The two of you met a few hours ago. Or rather, she met you when you ran headfirst into her on the streets. You were desperate, you were in panic, and as soon as Miss Copper held you by the shoulders and asked, honestly asked, if you needed help, you simply burst into tears and started telling her everything.

Because you needed help. You still need help. And you can't thank Miss Copper enough for what she has done to you so far, seeing how she basically stopped what she was doing to help a complete stranger like you. Even going as far as hiding you in her place, and giving you something to eat, and… and just being there and…

Well, you try your best to explain to her how things turned out like this, and just how thankful you are that she found you.

"From the beginning, Serenade. You tried to tell me a bit, but I couldn't really understand it. You mentioned you're not from around here?" she asks helpfully, gently prodding you with the warmth of her words.

"I-I'm from a village called Farglade and… well, I'm not really sure if it's even a village. We were just a few families of earth ponies, Miss Copper, near the Galloping Gorge. Half a day's travel from the train tracks that ran to the west."

You tell her that, and she gives you a patient nod, telling you to continue.

So you do just that. You tell her about how peaceful things were in Farglade. How each family planted something different and everypony got together when trouble came up. About how a caravan would come by once a month, at most, to buy any excess produce you had and sell any metal tools you needed. You tell her how fine your life was, and how you started helping in the fields before you even earned your cutie mark.

And then you tell her how everything changed, when one day…

"Until Autumn Cloud came by. He came with one of the merchant caravans, on the turn of the season. But unlike most of the traders, he… he stayed for a while."

The ponies of Farglade didn't have anything against pegasi or unicorns. Of course, the families that had them didn't plant as much as the others, but it's not like you turned back merchants just because they had wings or a horn.

So you and your family didn't have anything against Autumn Cloud at first. Quite on the contrary, in fact. Everypony in your family, yourself included, warmed up to Autumn Cloud almost instantly. The pegasus stallion had a charm about him that you can't really explain, and he always seemed to know what to say to make a stallion laugh, or to make a mare swoon.

And that is probably the reason why you… fell in love with him, back in Farglade.

"He even stayed for a few weeks with us, Miss Copper, even though the rest of the merchants went away after a few days," you say, not even realizing that your hoofs started to tap slightly against the table as you remember how this whole thing began. "He stayed with my family, Pa and Ma loved it how he could help with the clouds and all that… but the thing we really liked the most about him was all the stories he told us, about the big cities he traveled through and the things he saw and…"

You continue telling her all that. But now that you think about all this, now that you are telling this whole thing to another pony and can think about it from another perspective... you feel stupid. You have no idea how things could have turned out any different, but you still feel stupid. Your parents liked him, your siblings adored his stories, and you… you fell in love with him. But now? Now you just feel like the stupid mare you are.

But you didn't feel stupid back then. And you remember that when he started courting you, you felt like the luckiest pony in the world.

And when he asked you, then your parents, if you could leave with him to go to the big city? To start a new life in a place where everything was possible and everything happened? To go with him live in a city where you didn't have to toil in a field or cut wood for a fire?

"Everypony was happy for me, Miss Copper… I was happy for me. Like I just earned my cutie mark all over again. We only had three books in our house, Miss Copper, but one of them was about a farm mare who met a travelling stallion, and the two of them fall in love in the story, and have a happy ending and all that. And that was exactly how I felt…"

That was exactly how you felt. You were so enraptured by what was happening that you didn't even realize a lot of things.

You didn't notice that was being the first time you had ever left Farglade.

You didn't even realize that was the first time you ever entered a train.

Now that you think about it, you didn't even know where you were going, when you followed after him. In your mind, everything would be fine as long as you were with Autumn.

And you kept thinking like that, even when the train finally stopped in Manehattan and you realized how loud and intimidating everything around you was.

"It w-was like… it was like a dream had come true? It was scary, of course. Being so far from home was scary. Being in a place where I didn't know anypony was even more scary. But I… I told myself that the scary parts only made it more real, Miss Copper. I know life isn't a fairy tale. But that just made me think that the bad things were like… like some sort of price, like something I had to put up with, to deserve the good things."

That's how you honestly felt. That's how you honestly thought about all that.

So, every time something bad happened to you, you would just tell yourself that was the price for living the dream. Every time you missed your family, or every time you felt scared about how large the city was, you would just cope with it and say that was the way of things.

After all, you knew who you were. You knew what you were. You realized that you were just a farm mare from a nowhere-village. So, you couldn't just expect that meeting the love of your life and moving to the big city would be easy.

No, you had to earn your happy ending. You had to be a strong mare, and deal with the bad in order to deserve the good.

But the problem was that…

"Problem is, Miss Copper, that…" your look down, realizing the glass of water you are holding is shaking.

You realize the water is shaking, and no matter how hard you focus, you can't make the shaking stop.

You feel something touch your back, and you flinch. Until you realize it's just Miss Copper gently patting your back.

"Problem is, Miss Copper, that the bad things just kept piling up…"

It began with the little things.

You wanted to learn how to write. You know how to read, of course. You know all the letters, and you can work through the longer words if you take your time. But still, you told Autumn that you wanted to learn how to write, so you could do more things and be more useful.

He laughed. The first time you said that to Autumn, he just laughed.

And every time you repeated to him that you wanted to learn how to write, he would laugh a little less.

"He said there was no need. And I believed him, of course. I still didn't know much about the big city, so I eventually just gave up on the idea. I thought, like he said, that I wouldn't really need to know how to write and all..."

But that wasn't the only thing that happened.

Because after that, he started taking you out less and less.

Of course, you completely understood when he stopped taking you out on dates. After all, you had no idea how expensive those things were, and you realized that apart from taking care of your home you weren't really doing much to help.

But then, he began to insist that you didn't accompany him when he went out. No matter the reason. And not much time after that, he just prohibited you from leaving home at all.

"I… I thought he was just ashamed of me," you say, not even noticing that you're biting your lower lip, "I mean, I thought it made sense. Maybe he didn't want everypony to know he was with a farm mare, or maybe I am just ugly or something… But he would always tell me that wasn't it. Autumn would always say I was the prettiest mare he ever met, and that he was just worried the way other stallions were looking at me or something. But still, he told me not to leave the house and… and after that, he would get angry if I even brought up the idea at all. And seeing him angry made me scared, so... so I just stopped asking and…"

And then, Autumn started to get angry about things. He started to get angry at you more and more often.

The first time he shouted at you was when you asked if you could go out with him to help with the shopping, so you could at least do something useful.

After that, he would shout at you over smaller things. Like if your cooking wasn't how he liked, or if your mane wasn't groomed when he got home, or other things like…

"B-but the thing is that he also… after all of that, he would always tell me he loved me, and that he cared. And I would… I would always think that he was right, and that him being angry was my fault. Honest, Miss Copper. Back then I never thought Autumn had done anything wrong…"

Your cheeks flare up as you say that, as you realize how you must look like to Miss Copper. You probably sound like a gullible hillbilly to her, like some stupid mare who fell for the first stallion who ever came into her life and got exactly what she deserved out of it.

That's what you think. But almost as if she can read your mind, Miss Copper once again puts her hoof on your back. And the expression she has on her face, when you look up at her, tells you that she honestly understands what you are saying.

You have no idea why, but you somehow know deep inside of you that Copper is… well, that she doesn't think you're just some naïve, dumb, gullible, idiot, STUPID HILLBILLY PONY WHO-

"Flower, it's okay" she says, calmly bringing a hoof towards your face, and gently brushing your mane aside. And you only realize you started crying again when her hoof clears a few tears on your face. "It's alright Flower, you didn't do anything wrong."

You nod at her, your movements jerky, and you nearly crumble in tears again when you realize that… when you realize just how long it has been, ever since a pony has been this nice to you.

But you take a deep breath, and you continue what you were saying.

"Then he… then he started to…" you look down, not really wanting to admit what you are about to say. "Autumn started to get aggressive, sometimes, when I did something wrong…"

You… you feel ashamed to admit this. For some reason, you don't feel as angry at Autumn as you feel ashamed of yourself, for letting yourself get into a situation like this.

And you feel so ashamed about what started to happen next, that… that you don't really tell Miss Copper how bad things really got.

You don't tell her about the first time he hit you, the first time anypony ever hit you in your life.

You don't tell her how frequent that sort of thing became, or how bad things slowly got.

You don't tell her any of that. You just… tell her the little things that happened during all that. Like how Autumn changed the locks of the front door and threw the keys away, since he could enter and leave the house through the window. Things like that.

"Until finally… something happened this morning. And that's when I knew that I couldn't... I just couldn't..."

Your voice sounds strangely emotionless as you tell her that. As you tell Miss Copper the events that transpired earlier today.

"The thing is, Miss Copper, that me and Autumn, we lived together all these months, but we never really… uhm… Well, my Ma taught me how we're only supposed to do some things after you marry somepony and… Well, me and Autumn haven't married yet. But still... a few days ago Autumn started talking that we had been living together for long enough, and that... that he thought it was time for the two of us to start a family…"

A shiver runs down your spine as you recall how, after he said that, you started piecing together several little things that had happened before.

Like how Autumn always insisted you were the most beautiful mare he ever met.

And how he would every now and then joke that he "picked right" when he decided to go to your village.

And how he would get mad at you whenever you stopped taking care of your mane. Or how he stopped letting you leave the house because he insisted that other stallions were "looking at you".

All of that coupled with the fact that… that Autumn always said you looked ugly when you were bruised. But that you realized that he hadn't really hit you at all these last few days. And in fact, the very last bruised spot you had on your face had disappeared when you woke up this morning.

He even called you perfect when he left home to work, earlier today.

And that was when you realized that...

"I just knew, Miss Copper. I don't know how, or why, but I simply knew it."

You actually chuckle as you say that, the unfamiliar and dry sound of dark humor leaving your mouth without any conscious prompt.

"I somehow knew… form the way he looked at me before he left to work. I knew that if I stayed home today… that if I was there when he got back home, after all that talk about starting a family… I knew from the way he kissed me before flying away through the window… that if I was there when he got back, he would…"

Your eyes are not really focusing on anywhere, as you remember how earlier today you spent hours picking open the… the several locks that Autumn had placed on the door, to keep you locked in.

"Well," you say, almost to yourself, "lucky me I've always been good at opening things."

You say that, and then you stop talking. You think Copper might have a complicated expression on her face right now, but you are not really sure.

You aren't really… thinking about anything, right now.

Although your thoughts return to you, together with a shiver that runs down your spine, as you hear the door to the room slowly open up.

And you look up to see Copper's friend, the frighteningly large pegasus, walk into the room and towards you. Your body freezing up as the large stallion comes closer and closer, taking up more and more of your vision.

You hear Copper say something, but the stallion doesn't seem to care. He simply walks up to you and raise his hoof.

And your whole body comes to life in fear and adrenaline, as you instinctively know what will happen next.

"I-I'm sorry!" you scream, reflexively raising your forelegs in front of your face. Closing your eyes as you try your best to protect yourself from the blow that is about to hit you.

…

But for some reason, his hoof never connects to your face.

And you slowly, dreadfully slowly, open your eyes to see…

"W-what…?" you say, your body still shaking.

As you see the pegasus' hoof right in front of your face, inches away from touching your raised forelegs. His hoof is right there, just about to touch you, but he hasn't moved any further.

The stallion looks annoyed. Actually, he doesn't just look, you can tell the stallion is annoyed. But he is annoyed at… something, maybe at himself, but not at you.

And much to your surprise, there is something about his raised hoof that even feels gentle, somehow.

So, you wordlessly lower your forelegs. To which the pegasus responds by bringing his hoof so close to you that he almost touches you, and then gently pushing aside the mane that is covering most of your face.

"Was it here?" he asks, as he looks intently at your left cheek.

And you immediately understand what he means by that question.

He knows it. You have no idea how, but you know that he knows it.

You are absolutely sure that the place he is looking at doesn't have a bruise, or a scar, or anything that would suggest you had been hurt there. But somehow, you know that the pegasus is looking at the exact place where Autumn struck you for the first time. At the exact place where you have been hit for the very first time in your life.

You know that this doesn't make any sense, this strange certainty you have as the pegasus stares intently at your cheek.

"Y-yes... it was t-there..." but still, you nod at him, answering the question he just asked you.

And as you nod, you can see his expression slowly turn from annoyance to disgust, and then into something even fiercer than that.

But once again, you somehow know that he is not... that the emotions you can see on his expression are not directed at you.

To tell the truth, despite how scary the pegasus is or how fierce his expression is, you actually even feel a bit... safe?

"Cutie mark?" he asks. And you can see Copper tilt her head next to you, not really sure of what the pegasus means by that question.

But once again, you understand what the stallion means. So, you answer him.

"A bunch of… no, four leaves, brown as if during Fall season. Blown by three gusts of blue wind."

The stallion nods.

"Address?"

"I… I don't know? I never picked up on the names of the streets, and…?" you try to say, but as you realize just how little you know your eyes start tearing up once again. But then you look up at the pegasus, and for some reason you don't really understand he actually looks... his presence, and the way he is not being cruel to you despite how scary he is, actually feels encouraging. And you don't want to cry as much as you know you normally would.

So, you stifle your tears, and you try again.

"We… we lived by… close to the train station. The window of my room faced a tall red building and… we lived on the sixth floor, that's all I…"

The pegasus lets out a short neigh, and although he interrupts you with that you are actually glad he gave you a reason to stop talking.

Then he gives you a short nod, and you swear that you hear a low growl coming from somewhere.

"Copper, take care of her. I'll be back later," is all the stallion says, as he gently lets go of your mane, before he turns around and starts walking towards the door.

"What? What do you mean you'll be back later…? Oh… oh no," she says, as if just realizing something, jumping out of her seat and following after the stallion as she continues to talk. "Comet Feet, wait. I know what you're thinking, but we can't do anything that would call attention or-"

"I won't kill him, Copper," the stallion says, interrupting the mare, and making the fur on your coat stand on its end at how easily the pegasus just mentioned that.

But as the stallion says that, he once again looks back at you, his expression so fierce that you think for a few moments his glare alone might cut through you.

Or, to be more precise, he looks at your left cheek. And you know he can see it clearly, even though it is hidden behind your long mane.

"Won't kill him, Copper," he says, exhaling sharply through his nose as he moves towards the door, "just gonna break his jaw."

He says that and, despite Miss Copper's short protests, he is out of the room a few moments later. Leaving you and the mare alone.

Copper Secateur lets out a short sigh, shaking her head for a few moments, before she turns around and faces you once again.

"Alright Flower Serenade, let me tell you what we are going to do next."

She says that, and once again with her disarmingly warm smile she begins to calm you down, as she takes one of your hoofs with her own and begins to talk.

And then, the kindest mare you have met ever since you left your village begins to tell you exactly how she is going to help you.

- - -

She gave you a letter. You realized much later, to your embarrassment, that the letter had really short words, and had hoof-drawn cutie marks to help you recognize who you should talk to.

But still, Miss Copper gave you a letter, and on the next day she took you to the train station.

You didn't see her pegasus friend anymore, and you felt bad about how scared you felt of him. But you told that to Miss Copper, and she assured you he didn't mind. And also that she would make sure to tell him that you felt sorry for how you reacted to him.

But anyhow. She took you to the train station, gave you tickets to a specific train, and then she told you to leave the train only when you reached the station of a place called Ponyville. An earth pony who was friends with her, Miss Copper said, would be waiting for you there.

And once you got there, Miss Copper's letter helped you with several things. Perhaps too many things, you think, but only in the sense that you have no idea how you will ever repay her for her kindness.

You were introduced to a very nice unicorn, who owned a big and fancy restaurant. And as soon as he read the letter Miss Copper had given you, he immediately said he would take care of you for as long as you needed.

You were also offered a job. Several jobs, in fact, since Miss Copper was also (you have no idea how) close friends to a local noble who owned several farms. But again, you were given a job, and you were glad that you were finally being able to feel useful once again.

Finally, you also… Miss Copper's letter also helped you make friends. Because after you were settled in, the nice unicorn invited you to a meeting of sorts. To several meetings, where you began to learn about many interesting things, and talk to many interesting ponies. To the point that a few weeks later you even left the job you had working for Mr. Windy, thanking him profusely for his help of course, and went to work with a local locksmith you became very close friends with.

And one morning, you simply looked around you after you woke up and you realized you were happy. You weren't scared of pegasi anymore, you didn't flinch when anypony near you talked loudly or raised their hoofs, and you were slowly getting better and better at opening things, thanks to what you had been learnings on the meetings.

You have already heard somepony refer to those meetings as a "cult". But to be honest, you don't really agree with that.

To you, the ponies you meet with are your friends. To you, they are like the neighbors that lived close to you in Farglade, who would band together and help each other whenever a problem rose up. To you, they are the kind ponies who, through Miss Copper, managed to help you when you were on the lowest point of your life.

To you, they are like a family, of sorts. You are too ashamed to go back to Farglade, after everything that happened. You are not yet ready to go back to your real family. But the way your life is right now… you honestly don't really mind.

You honestly don't mind. Things are fine the way they are.

And besides, you really want to find a way to pay back to your friends, or cult, or whatever else anypony might call it. And you especially want to pay back what you owe to Miss Copper, for everything she and everypony else has done for you.

So, staying here in Ponyville until you figure out how to do that is the least you can do.

OurLadyOfWires · Aug 24, 2024

[X] Plan Staying at Home and Writing Letters
-[X] A sense of urgency: There has never been any need for this, not for this much at least. No more double-checking, no more zeal. There are far more important things to be done. (5 personal actions. Does not cause suspicion. DEFAULT PICK)
-[X] You don't have time for this. (Costs 0 actions. You will only roll ONE healing dice.)
-[X] The medicine taste is worse than its appearance. But it is exactly what you need, if they are to be believed… (Costs 30 bits. One dice will auto-succeed)
-[X] (Servants) Look for books in Ponyville.
-[X] (Cult Minions) Assist with summoning Windigos.
-[X] (Flourishing Risen) Tail not!Twilight
~~-[X] (Rarity) Call her, you have a lot of things to tell her… and then a few introductions to make. (Induct her into the cult)~~
-[X] (Jade) Search for changeling infiltrators in Ponyville
-[X] (Selene) Knock.
-[X] (Attention of the Laws) Grail: Talk with Rarity.
-[X] (Knock) Find a new location in the Woods.
-[X] Read books: Grail 3, Heart 2, Heart 3.
-[X] Fleeting opportunity: Assist with casting Influences and AotL.
~~-[X] Fleeting opportunity: Write Letter to Father~~
-[X] Fleeting opportunity: Visit Fluttershy
-[X] Help Windy Flakes run the cult.

- - -

You are-

You are…

Who are you again?

You can't remember.

And you don't really care.

You are in the Woods. And you are lost.

You wonder if this is how it felt like. You wonder if feeling like this was the normal state of being, long, long ago. And who knows, maybe some creatures still feel like this even nowadays? Maybe the baser, more simple creatures, who still live and die by instinct, still feel like… like this?

You wonder that because you feel lost, and you are aware of that, but you honestly don't really mind how you feel right now.

And it is a very curious thing. Very curious indeed…

Because you can still think. You still order your body to put hoof after hoof, you still know to avoid places where the unknown sounds become too loud, or too low. You still think, and feel, and act. But despite knowing that you are lost, you do not feel the urge to think "I am lost". Not in the slightest.

But only because you… do not remember the word "I". You cannot think "I am lost" because in here… because in this place there is no true need for a "self". Not in the modern meaning of the word, at least. Not in the complex and overbearing sense that "being yourself" has become.

No, there is no need for that. Here, in the Woods, you are just a pony. Here, in the Woods, you are just lost.

Nothing else is needed, because nothing else exists.

Yes…

Yes.

That's it.

This is what it truly felt like.

In the first forest.

In the first continent.

When the Sun was different, and before ponykind cursed itself with its own God.

This is how the world felt.

There was nothing but the Woods. Consequently, there was no need for anything else.

There was no need for maps, because there was nothing to be mapped. There was no need for tools, because there was nothing to be built. There was no need for a "self", because there was nothing to do but live, and die. Before ponies learned the secrets of words and fire, when older laws were upheld by older creatures.

This is what being in the Woods feels like. This is how it has always felt like. Since ponies walked between its trees, at least.

This is the closes you will ever be, to-

"-…"

Your thoughts, whatever they were, slip away from your mind like water running through coat.

And you… you just stand there. You have no idea what just happened. Were you thinking about something? Why does it feel like it was important? Why… why do you feel as if you have just lost something?

Why are you awake? Why are you asleep?

What was that smell you just felt, of roses and something else?

"Wha… what in Equestria just…?"

You shake your head, feeling the leaves and branches that had stuck to your mane scrape against your side, your whole body feeling somewhat unfamiliar -or maybe turning back into what you think it should feel like- as you try to reorient yourself.

Until you finally remember.

You are Velvet Covers, and you are deep in the Woods.

Although, you do feel somewhat… regretful?

You are not sure how to explain it, but you feel… a bit sad? As if you had just parted ways with an old friend, or as if you had just half-remembered a long-lost period of… well, not of your life, or at least not of your life. But still, you feel nostalgic over something, even if this thing doesn't have a name anymore.

Or never had a name to begin with.

But more importantly, something just jostled you out of your thoughts. Some kind of smell that, you now realize, could only be described by very specific words.

A smell that doesn't belong in the Woods.

"Or rather, a smell that I have never felt before in the Woods," you say to yourself, remembering exactly what you are doing here to begin with.

You are here because you have come to realize, through a rather painful experience, that you don't really know much about the Mansus. You are here because of the ugly, scabbed marks you have on the sides of your dream-body, that are serving you as a constant reminder that there are still too many things about the Mansus that you don't know.

Things that you have to know, things that you must learn, for when you try to reach for the upper levels of the Mansus again.

When, not if.

And as you once again catch a whiff of that smell, as that strange scent once again caresses your nose as if inviting you, and you begin to walk towards its source, you can't help but think that…

"I might have found something new," you say to yourself, as you replace your previously aimless hoofsteps with a more purposeful stride.

Even though it feels that you are now walking against a current, of sorts. As if the Woods, through which you had been peacefully gliding before, are somehow resisting you now.

- - -

You feel bad.

There is something wrong, but you can't exactly tell what.

The air, it feels heavy around you. Not enough for you to feel like you are walking through a mist, but enough for you to feel… strange.

You feel sick… but it is not you that is sick. The air feels sick, as it enters your lung. The moonlight feels sick, as it faintly distorts as it refracts through the invisible miasma about you.

But perhaps the worst part is that this all feels so good. Even though you still feel bad.

And you think that… maybe… maybe you know why.

It's the Woods. They are not as they once were.

You recognize it, because you have already felt this sensation before. When you were in the Shattered Stairways, and you realized just how damaged and ruined the Mansus is. The sensation you are feeling right now is exactly the same, but weaker… more subtle.

The thing you saw on the Shattered Stairways was a wound, a deep chasm of broken paths at the very base of the Mansus.

And the thing you are looking at right now is akin to a… a sore, or perhaps a tumor.

But regardless of the words you use to describe it, you still feel bad. You still feel a deep-seated discomfort that speaks to a primal part of your mind.

Although, curiously, you do not feel that you are in danger.

You are standing behind a tall and dark tree, peeking from behind it like a foal who is playing hide-and-seek. You are at the very edge of the tree line, and just ahead of you there is a clearing of sorts.

And everywhere around you, the air is thick with the perfumed smell of… of something.

Cautiously, you step out from behind the tree, and walk into the sickeningly sweet-scented clearing.

You are not sure of what to do next. There is a small hill, up ahead, and you can clearly tell that the smell is coming from there. You could easily walk up the hill and see for yourself what this is all about.

But still, the painful markings you still carry on your sides remind you that you ought to be cautious.

You look around for a few more moments, trying to see if there is something you didn't notice. Looking perhaps for an old and faded marking of danger, or some sign that you should be more than just careful about what might be on top of that hill.

But you don't see anything. Everything around you is still, and the only things that feel wrong is the fact that the tree line behind you is actually quiet, and the deep discomfort that you have inside of you.

Although…

"Although…" you whisper to yourself, as you once again breathe in the… the flowery scent that now surrounds you.

Although for some reason, you simply know that… whatever is on top of that hill.

Whatever it is that smell like flowers.

You know that…

"That it won't harm me… that it cannot harm me…"

And armed with that certainty, you slowly make your way up the hill, the air around you becoming heavier and heavier as you leave the Woods behind you.

- - -

At the very top of the hill, you find an old and broken well.

You can tell that it was a well, long ago. You can tell that it was once a well for the same reason you can tell it is not a well anymore.

The circular structure remains, about as tall as your legs and made out of Mansus-stone. And you can also see a half-rotten piece of wood jutting out from one of its sides, which was probably the small fixture from which a rope and a pulley was attached, like a normal well of the Wake would have, for the use of a bucket.

But again, you can tell that this thing was a well, but that it isn't a well anymore.

And that is because… there is nothing inside this well anymore.

The well, you can tell at a glance, is dry.

And the soft, flowery scent is coming out of it as if the well was the tip of a chimney, its sweet perfume sticking close to the ground and falling downhill towards the Woods like a transparent waterfall of sorts.

You feel like you are missing something. You feel good, but only because you don't have a choice. And you feel bad, because you can tell there is something deeply wrong about all of this.

But above all else, you don't feel like you are in danger. Because you somehow know that, whatever dried the well…

You know that it cannot harm you. It cannot even find you.

But the wound-like anchors you are carrying on your side tell you that, still, you should not trust these sorts of instincts. The Mansus, you remind yourself, has the habit of putting things inside the head of a pony, in such a subtle way that they forget they shouldn't know those things to begin with.

So, you will not question why it is that the Dry Well, and its flowery scent, cannot harm you.

But you will not rely on that knowledge either.

You do not get any closer to the well than you already have. You do not get closer to it, and you absolutely do not look into it. You simply turn around, knowing that you will remember how to return to this place, if you so wish.

You turn around, and you go back into the Woods, towards the Wake.

Although the flowery scent, that sickly sweet smell of roses and something else, accompanies you the whole way. Even as your mind drifts into the lost-pace of the Woods, and you forget where you have come from and where you are going.

To the point that, when you finally wake up within your husband's embrace, you feel something on the tip of your tongue. A sweet and perfumed rosy petal, that somehow appeared inside your mouth as you slept.

The petal, you know, is as real as your dreams, and it will accompany you for a few weeks before it fades away. So, you place it inside the locket you wear around your neck, pressed against the small picture you have of your family.

To remind yourself that you love them, if nothing else.

You have found the Dry Well. And although you have no idea why, part of you can't help but take this as yet more evidence that something very wrong has happened to the Mansus. Even if this is just a small sign, proportional to how low (or outside?) you are in the House Without Walls.

There is a faint power about the Dry Well, one that you do not know the name of, but that is sweet and pleasant, although you are wary of it. You have gained one scrap of Grail Lore.

Something came back with you. Something small, and perhaps controllable, that you will allow to accompany you for the time being. You are now under the Influence "An Awareness of Appetite" (+10 GRAIL, to disappear at the end of turn 14).

You have also read the books you had decided to read, during the week-long "downtime" your family all but imposed upon you.

Your HEART Lore is now Level 3 (two books successfully read).

Your GRAIL Lore is now Level 3 (one book successfully read).

OurLadyOfWires · Aug 24, 2024

You are Soft Sweeps, and you are absolutely sure nothing strange or distressing is about to happen to you. So sure, in fact, that you are not even thinking about any such possibility.

And how could you? After all, you have a very busy day ahead of you. So, like you do almost every day, you turn your thoughts back to the list of tasks you have to get done today.

The morning sun gently caresses your face as the high winds blow through your mane and tail, your wings outstretched as you every now and then flap them to keep your current altitude. You have just dropped off Silky Stream and Selene at school, and you are on the final leg (or rather, final wing) on your way back, the long road that links the town to the farmlands passing far underneath you in a blur.

But still, you have already flown over this path so many times that you don't even pay attention to it.

"Alright then," you mumble to yourself, "today is a Monday, so I gotta… well, cleaning the fillies' rooms will definitely take up most of the morning and…"

You run over your tasks, trying to figure out how much time you might take in each of them and whatnot. But most importantly, you trying to figure out which of those tasks you should prioritize.

After all, even though you have a lot less responsibilities when compared to the other maids of the Velvet household, Ponpon (and of course, Mrs. Velvet herself) always make sure to remind you just how important said responsibilities are.

Highest among your tasks is, obviously, to take care of the fillies. And that by itself takes up most of your time. You wake up before the fillies do, and (even though nine out of ten times Mrs. Velvet lets you go early) your day only officially ends after the fillies go to bed. Of course, you don't have the slightest complaint about that, even though you did feel out of your depth in the beginning. After all, you have a cutie mark for cleaning, and most of the times nannying requires completely different skills. But all of that was eventually overshadowed by how much you came to care for Silky and Selene.

However, the fact remains that since most of your days is spent with the fillies, you have very little time to take care of your secondary duties. Consequently, unlike most of the maids who have a fixed timetable of chores to follow, you actually have to do a lot of prioritizing and decision-making for your daily routine.

After all, the only truly "free" period of time that you have is when the fillies are at school. But that is less than half of a day, for a list of chores that only got larger ever since Selene arrived a few months ago.

"Not that I need any help, of course. Nope, no second nanny needed," you say to yourself, as you once again banish the idea of anypony but you being assigned to take care of Silky and Selene.

And you're definitely not being overprotective. No sir. But the fillies trust you. And you care for them. Yes, this is strictly professional zeal! The fact that Silky calls you "big sis" has absolutely nothing to do with your dedication to your job.

As you think about all of that, the estate finally comes into your view, the farmlands themselves stretching towards the horizon. And with that, you gently bring your wings closer to your body, slowly beginning to glide down towards your destination.

You push your tentative list of priorities to the side of your head as the mansion grows larger and larger, the previously unidentifiable points of color around the estate turning into discernible ponyservants going about their duties. With that, you give your wings a few final flaps to decrease your speed one last time, and you start angling yourself towards the spot on the garden that is usually kept clear for landings.

Everything goes about normally from then on. You enter the mansion towards one of the side entrances, making a beeline to where you had left your maid uniform (Mrs. Velvet explicitly told you not to take the fillies to school while wearing that, after all). And then you make your way towards Selene's room, since her room usually only takes you half the time to tidy up when compared to Silky's.

Everything goes about normally, that is, until somepony knocks on the door just as you finish changing the bedclothes for new ones.

"Soft Sweeps? Are you in here?"

An immediately familiar voice reaches your ears, followed a few moments later by the sound of the door being timidly pushed open. You turn around right on time to see an earth pony, wearing the same uniform as you are, looking in through a crack on the door.

"Ah, there you are. Gosh, I swear I'll never know how Miss Ponpon always knows where everypony is…" the maid says as she pushes the door open a bit more and steps into the room.

"Oh, hi Tip-top. And yeah, that always creeps me out a little bit. Head maid powers, I suppose," you answer your friend, to which she gives you an honestly agreeing nod.

After all, even though there is an official hierarchy among the household servants, there is also an unofficial hierarchy that you all know about. One that is more aligned with how competent everypony knows you are, or how well respected you are by your fellow maids or Mrs. Velvet and Mr. Stormchaser. And it is no understatement to say that Ponpon sits on the very top of those two hierarchies, both official and unofficial.

"But anyhow, fancy seeing you here this early. Is anything the matter? Actually, you mentioned Ponpon, is she asking for me?"

Tip-top, you know, is usually tasked with cleaning the annexed buildings, and from what you know she helps out in the kitchen every now and then. But the mare also has a very soft hoof, to the point that (as far as the gossips go, at least) Mrs. Velvet has already asked for her by name several times, to take care of some of the more delicate tasks.

And you know for a fact that those rumors aren't entirely unfounded. For example, to this day Tip-top is the only pony you have ever seen cleaning the central chandelier of the main hall. Cleaning the main hall is usually a duty given to pegasi, since it is a several-storey room and you need three non-fliers with a stair to do what one pegasus can do. But again, to this day Tip-top is the only one who you know is sufficiently trusted to clean the large glass (or is it crystal?) chandelier, even if it takes her a whole day on top of a stair to do so.

Which, in turn, also puts Tip-top quite far up on the unofficial pecking order of the household maids.

But gossips and maid-politiking aside, you still have no idea of why Tip-top was looking for you.

"Not Ponpon, Soft," the earth pony says, shaking her head a bit. "she just told me where you were once I started looking. It's Mrs. Velvet who asked me to call you, when I took her a little something from the kitchen on Mr. Stormchaser's orders."

"Huh? Wait… Mrs. Velvet is calling for me?" you ask again, your eyes going slightly wider at that. Not because you are nervous or anything, but more because… well… it's Mrs. Velvet that is calling you. Calling you, instead of Ponpon, or her daughters, or anypony else. You're not nervous, but this is definitely not something normal either. "A-are you sure she is calling for me?"

"That she is, Soft. Now if you excuse me, I'm helping to make today's lunch," she says, giving you a soft bow and leaving the room shortly after.

Leaving you alone.

Not nervous-alone. Just alone-alone.

You are definitely not anxious about this. You are definitely not tense over the fact that you are being called while the fillies are away, which would be the best period of time for you to be thoroughly scolded without the risk of them hearing anything.

Nope! Not. Nervous. At. All!

"Oh, who am I kidding," you say, swallowing down something dry.

You take a deep breath, making sure your uniform is spotless, and then head towards Mrs. Velvet's study room.

- - -

It's not that you are afraid of Mrs. Velvet Covers. In fact, you think it would be very unfair of you for you to be afraid of Mrs. Velvet Covers.

After all, you know she is a very kind mare.

You know that because of how you see her treat other ponies. You know that because of how much you know she loves her daughters, especially with how she literally adopted an unknown filly despite being a noble. And above all else, you know that because of how kind she was (and still is) to you, personally.

You do realize that you have your… issues, with nobleponies in general. And there was indeed a time when you were scared of Mrs. Velvet and her husband. And you even remember how you used to lose sleep, over how worried you were of what could go wrong, when you were assigned to take care of their only daughter.

But that is all in the past. You still respect Mrs. Velvet, of course, but you are no longer afraid of her.

However.

...

However…

Mrs. Velvet Covers still makes you… nervous.

For several reasons. Too many reasons, perhaps.

And you're not even referring to the odd stories that you hear about Mrs. Velvet, that she is a secret overlord or that she practices some sort of black magic or whatever. You know those stories are false, and practically unavoidable due to the fact that she is a unicorn noble. You've heard plenty of variants of those rumors, back in Canterlot, as well as their other versions when the noble is an earth pony or a pegasus.

But still, the fact remains that every now and then something happens, or more precisely Mrs. Velvet does something, that makes you feel… *ahem*, that makes you feel things. Confusion, most of the time, but not exclusively.

Like the time when you put Silky to bed and went to leave the room, but when you turned around to check on her one last time you saw that Mrs. Velvet was somehow right there by the bed.
(That made you feel spooked out.)
Or that day when Selene accidentally broke a vase on Mrs. Velvet's study, and was so distraught that you promised her you'd take responsibility for it. But when you went to tell Mrs. Velvet, she didn't even look up towards you, or let you say anything, before telling you to "tell Selene it was alright" because she never really liked the vase.
(That made you feel very confused.)
Or the morning when you were preparing the fillies' lunchboxes, and you turned around to see that Mrs. Velvet was standing right there wearing a-

*SLAP*

You slap yourself on the face, shaking your head vigorously as you desperately try to turn your thoughts elsewhere.

"And we promised not to think about that, Soft," you say to yourself, your cheeks heating up as you remember-… as you try not to remember… all of that.

You take several deep breaths as you walk down the corridor towards Mrs. Velvet's study, dragging your thoughts by the tail back to the more professional side of things.

Yes. You should definitely not think about that day. Ever again.

You are a maid. You take care of her daughters. She is a respectable married mare. And you are definitely being called to her because of something you did wrong, or to talk about something serious.

"That's right. Get a grip of yourself, Soft. This is important," you say, nodding to yourself, as you reach the door to Mrs. Velvet's study room.

You take another final, deep breath, look over your uniform one last time, and then you give the door a trio of light knocks.

"Come in," you hear Mrs. Velvet's voice form the other side of the door. You push the door open and step in right after.

"Excuse me, Mrs. Velvet," you say, out of habit, as you close the door behind yourself.

?!?!?!

And your mind immediately somersaults, to the point that you almost lose your balance for a few moments.

Wha… what is going on here?!

A lot of things… way too many things happen at the same time.

First of all, again, you just felt a… there is something in the air, a sweet smell that is neither perfume nor roses, that you have never felt before in your whole life.

Secondly, your mind went blank just now. You can still think, and you definitely don't feel bad. But still, you feel like… like there's some sort of fog inside your head?

Goodness gracious. You know it is totally unbefitting of a maid to do this, but you actually shake your head a few times, hoping that you can blink away this… this numbness that suddenly got over you and-

"Softy Softy Sweeps, my dear… I am so happy to see you."

But then, Mrs. Velvet speaks up. She speaks up, and you can almost feel her words caressing against your ears.

"I… what…? Y-you... you are?" you ask, your voice almost numb for reasons you can't explain.

However, all of that happened in the few moments that it took you to enter the room and close the door behind you.

And only after you mumble those words, the sweet aroma on the air still making you feel out of breath, do you finally look up towards Mrs. Velvet.

!!!!!!

You were not ready for that.

Velvet Covers is sitting on her chair, behind her study desk. She is sitting on her, and she is looking at you. Her long mane is flowing down through the side of her body, and she has a hoof under her chin as she watches you with a vaguely pleased smile.

Velvet Cover is right there, and there is absolutely nothing strange about her.

There is nothing strange about her, except for everything.

Your head immediately goes blank as you look at her, and your heart begins to hammer wildly inside your chest. You… you desperately try to think. About something. Anything. But the sweet scent seems to be surrounding you like a vapor, entering your head with every breath you take and somehow clouding your thoughts.

You can't remember what you are doing here. You can't even remember what you were doing before you entered this room.

All you can think about is… is how…!

"Of course, Softy. I am always glad to see you. You are such an… exquisite maid, after all."

Velvet Covers' words fill your head as if they are the only thing allowed in your thoughts. The sweet fog that is filling your mind somehow making way to allow her words in.

Your heart, also, starts to beat even faster. After all, she just praised you, and that makes you equals part nervous and happy. However, her smile… the way she is looking at you, somehow tells you that she didn't just call you here to compliment you with a few words.

Although even if she just wanted to do that, it would be more than enough for you, of course.

"I, uh… t-than-k you Misses Velvet. I-I am really trying my best!"

You say that, you try to mumble a pitiful response through your nervous smile, as you watch Velvet Covers look at you as if you were a particularly tasteful snack.

And by all the clouds in Equestria, you swear you see her lick her lips.

"Oh… I can see that, Softy. I am always watching you, after all."

She says that. And before you can even begin to interpret what she means by that, she gets up from her chair and starts walking towards you.

The sight is… hypnotizing.

Velvet Covers is walking towards you. She is walking towards you and just by watching her you are feeling something that you have never felt before in your entire life.

Her movements are beautifully gracious, down to the way she slightly throws her mane to the side of her hair with a gentle shake of her head. The dress she is wearing, somehow, seems to fit her even better than usual, and your cheeks flare up as your mind forcibly reminds you of what she might be wearing underneath that dress of hers. Flashes of images from that early morning, where she caught you alone, that you have been desperately trying not to think about until now.

Your cheeks flare up at that.

Your entire body flares up at that.

And her smile… By Equestria, her smile…

Her lips…

Your legs are trembling underneath you, to the point that you are almost losing balance despite the fact that you have four legs. But still, you can't bring yourself to stop shaking. You can't stop your body from heating up like a furnace.

And the only thing you can really think about is how you have never been in a relationship your entire life. Something you have never really thought about until now.

Your thoughts almost grind to a halt when Velvet finally stands in front of you.

"Softy dear, is everything alright…?" she asks. Her voice so sweet that, somehow, you can feel your heart flutter with her every word.

You nod. You shake your head up and down to answer her, because you are sure you won't be able to form a coherent sentence if you try to speak.

Your throat is dry. Your mind is numb. Your legs are shaking and your whole body feels warm.

But for some reason, you can't stop thinking that you just want her to come closer to you.

"Ah… that makes me glad," she says. And then she…

Slowly…

Tenderly…

Reaches to you with a hoof, raising it towards you face.

You WILL yourself to stay still. You lock every last muscle of your body, because although you have no idea what she is going to do, you are absolutely sure that you will not know how to react to it.

You stand utterly still. And you can only watch as her hoof, her delicate and smooth hoof, goes towards your face.

The sensation of her touch against your cheek is electric.

It only lasts for a moment. She only touches your cheek to take a stray hair of your mane, and tuck it behind your ear. But still…

Still…

That touch, all by itself, makes you realize just how close she is to you. Just how close her face is to yours. How close her lips are to yours.

How pleased her smile is, as she looks at you as if appreciating a fine glass of wine.

How dry your mouth is, and how simple it would be for her to change that.

"But anyways. I asked for you to come here for a reason. Can I ask you a question, Softy?"

You once again nod in response. Your entire body is paralyzed, and you don't think you would be able to move even if you wanted to. Or rather, you wouldn't be able to move unless she wanted you to.

But still, you nod your head.

Because although she is all but whispering to you, her words tickling against your body as she speaks, you can still hear her clearly. And if you heard her correctly, it seems that she wants to ask you a question.

And oh, how you ache to know what her question is. To know what deep secrets she wants you to reveal to her. To know what you could possibly do, for her.

"Like I said, I can see that you are very… dedicated, Softy."
She says that, and somehow you can feel her inching even closer to you.
"Why, sometimes I don't even know what I would do if you weren't there."

You nod at her, although your movement is now so minute that it is almost imperceptible. After all, her face is so close to yours that you fear your nose will actually brush against hers if you move.

But still, you know that she notices even that. Her pleased smile tells you as much. Her piercing gaze tells you that you are exactly where she wants you to be. That everything is happening exactly as she desires.

"So, it would be wrong of me if I didn't try to… give you something in return, wouldn't it?"
A wave of shock, sudden and unlike anything you have ever felt, rushes through your body. You feel it coming from underneath your chin, and traveling through your body all the way down to the last strand of your tail. And the sensation is so sudden that your hindlegs actually fail you, causing you to suddenly sit on your hinds.
It takes you a few moments to realize that… that this thing you felt… it is her hoof. She is gently holding a hoof under your chin, almost as if caressing you.
"What I mean to say is… Softy, is there anything you want?"

And then, she says those words.

"Is there any way that I can… reward you?"

Her words, those words, they are too much.

The warmth that you feel on your chest and on your cheek, you feel it spread through your body as if some sort of gate had been opened, or as if a dam had been broken. You feel the heat spread through your neck, then your sides, then your wings. You feel it spike and flare up like a flame in certain parts of your body, and then you feel it everywhere else.

This…

This is…

You don't know…

You've never felt…

…

You have no idea what to do. You are breathing so quickly that you feel like you are going to pass out. Her face is so close to yours that you fear you might touch her even if you make the slightest movement. By the sun, she is so close to you that you can feel her breath.

And her breath is sweet!

And by all the powers in Equestria, you KNOW the answer to her question. You KNOW what you want. You even know how to answer her without words!

The answer is right there in front of you. The only thing you want, the only thing you have ever wanted, is to quench the dryness you are feeling in your mouth. And right in front of you is the sweetest, most tantalizing nectar to have ever existed.

You want to do this.

You HAVE to do this. Just close the minute, almost nonexistent distance between your lips, and then…

And then…!

"I… I am… I d-don't…!"

But you can't.

You simply can't.

"Lady V-Velvet, I d-don't…"

You are too afraid to do it. You are too much of a coward.

You have never been in a relationship before. You have never even kissed another pony. What you are thinking of right now, what you want right now… it is beyond you. It is hubris, even.

"I a-am really grateful. B-but I… d-don't want anything, r-really."

So, with an almost Rockhoofian effort, you force those words out of your mouth.

They scrape and scratch painfully against you, as they leave your lips. Those words, they beg you no to be spoken. They beg you that, instead, you turn them into something else. That you ask Mrs. Velvet for that.

But you say those words, those damned and dry words of denial, all the same.

"Ah… I see…"

Mrs. Velvet's look of disappointment, as she distances her face from you, is almost heartbreaking.

But still, you couldn't have. She… you… Silky Stream considers you her sister. You wouldn't be able to face her or Selene if you… Even if Mrs. Velvet clearly intended to…

Your mind is still numb and blank, completely uncapable of rational thought. You are honestly operating on instinct. But still, you know that resisting your urges, your deep and ugly and alluring urges, is the right thing to do.

"I see then. Well, let me know if anything crosses your mind," she says, her slightly disappointed and lonely expression turning a mischievous smile.

And you nod at that, perhaps too vigorously. But still, you understand what she means by that.

This is your cue, this is your chance to leave, to escape, and if you don't take it now you will not be able to resist yourself a second time.

You stand up on your four legs, your hindlegs still trembling perhaps a bit too much. But you stand nonetheless, and give Mrs. Velvet a clumsy bow before turning around and practically lunging for the door handle.

"You really are a good mare," she says as you leave. And much to your surprise she also-

*NEIGH!*

-she also SLAPS your hind, just as you are about to cross the door. And a loud and unsightly sound escapes your lips as the electric sensation crosses through your entire body, the area where she slapped you burning up under your uniform.

And as soon as the door closes behind you, you literally collapse on the floor, heaving with confusion.

"W-what… I… what just happened…?" you say to yourself, desperately breathing in the cool air of the corridor. Which makes you realize just how warm and sweet the air was inside Mrs. Velvet's study room.

Hay, this actually makes you realize just how warm you are. And how… how weird you feel all over.

Your clothes are clinging against your coat with how much you are sweating. Your wings are… they are stiff behind your back, locked in position as if you were about to take flight.

A-and you… you can feel… Your maid uniform has a skirt, that covers most of your tail and your hindlegs… You are going to have to change that skirt a-and…!

You try to stand up, dreading the thought that somepony might walk up into you. Because you have no idea what just happened or what is wrong with you, but you sure as tartarus don't want anypony to see you like this. Y-you have never felt anything like this in your life, but you think you recall Ponpon telling you about… m-maybe you should tell her about this? Maybe she would be able to explain this to you?

Oh, who you are kidding. You weren't even able to bring up with Ponpon the time when you saw Mrs. Velvet on that morning, in the kitchen. You will never be able to talk to anypony about this just now.

B-but still, you can't shake a thought from your mind. A mind-numbing, confusing thought that, from your limited and innocent life experience, can be the only explanation to what you are feeling right now.

"A-am I…?" you say out loud, as you try to stand up on your shaking legs. "Am I in love with Mrs. Velvet?!"

You are way too young for any of this. You know way too little about being a mare to understand any of this.

Surely, this is the only thing that you know of that could possibly explain what just happened to you.

- - -

- - -

- - -

You are Velvet Covers.

And absolutely nothing strange has just happened.

You watch as Soft Sweeps gives you a short bow, and mumbles an "excuse me" as she turns back towards the door. You have no idea why she is acting so stiff, but you don't really think that's much of a problem.

You really like the mare, in all honesty. Like a daughter, mind you. But still, you like her nonetheless. She is honest, earnest and dedicated, to the point that you once again think you struck gold when you decided to appoint her as Silky's caretaker.

To the point where you really meant it when you told Silky, and later Selene, that they should look at Soft Sweeps as an example.

But lately, you have been fearing that Soft Sweeps might not be satisfied with something. So, you called her to your study room to ask if she wanted a reward. Maybe she would like more time off? Or a raise? Or something else that you can't even think of?

However, the mare surprised you once again, and said that she didn't want anything. So, you dismissed her, and you are now watching as she walks out of your study room.

"You really are a good mare," you say as she leaves, and with a flick of magic you close the door behind her.

And you… you think the door might have touched her hind when you closed it, but you are not sure. You have the impression you heard Soft say something, but she might have just whispered something to herself or let out a sigh.

So, with that out of the way, you turn around and head towards your study desk, back to the book you were reading.

However, just as you are about to step away from the door, you hear Soft Sweeps say something.

"A-am… Am I in love with Mrs. Velvet?!"

And you immediately freeze.

Your mind freeze, as you process the words you just heard. Running them over your head to make sure that… that you really heard them, and not something else.

"What? That doesn't make any sense… why would Soft…?"

You turn back towards the door once again. You can clearly sense that Soft Sweeps is still right in front of your door, and your Edge-senses tell you she is particularly defenseless for some reason. But still, you resist the urge to open the door and check on her.

Is… could Soft Sweeps really be…? Well, you know she is rather young. Already an adult, but still desperately innocent in some regards, due to having dedicated herself to work from way too young an age.

But still, even if she is just a confused young mare, could she be in love with you? But why? It doesn't make any sense, unless...

Unless…

"Oh no," you say to yourself, as realization dawns upon you. As you slowly… as you slowly recall what happened just now.

You play back what just happened on your mind. You play back what just happened between you and Soft Sweeps. The words you used, and the way you acted… Or rather, the words you used, and the way you acted.

"Oh no… no, no, no no no... Heavens damnit," you say, slapping a hoof to your forehead as you realize what just happened.

It was so simple, to you. So natural. You honestly didn't even realize you were doing it.

But now that it is done, you can feel it. Like a string made of words and thoughts and needs tied to poor Soft Sweeps. You undo the binding in an instant, with a flick of a thought, and you can feel the leash coming back to you as if a barrel of wine was being filled once again.

Goodness gracious, you feel… extremely conflicted.

Because on one hoof, it is honestly good that you found about this under these conditions. It would be dreadful if some sort of accident occurred somewhere else, or with somepony you don't know or trust.

But on the other hoof, poor Soft must be so confused right now.

"Oh dear… I definitely have to make it up for her somehow…" you say to yourself.

But for now, you know the "damage" is done. And that it is better to let her cool down for a while… You will call Ponpon, and tell her to give Soft a few days… no, the whole week off.

And then, you will have to sit Soft Sweeps down, and have a very long conversation with her.

You have reached the third intensity of GRAIL, and had a realization.

You have acquired a "Leash". You may "Leash" a single pony in your contacts list. That pony will then act towards you as if they were "one step above" on the relationship slide.

The slide is, as a reminder: Acquaintance -> Friend -> Close Friend -> Confidant -> Minion

Only a single pony may be "leashed" at any single moment. (And there is no point in trying this on alicorns, or the Master).

And poor Soft Sweeps couldn't see you eye to eye for a while. But having a long conversation with her about marehood (as embarrassing as it was to her) was a really good training for your own mothering skills. You think you were able to repair your relationship with her without any problems, but the young mare still feels understandably embarrassed every now and then.

OurLadyOfWires · Aug 24, 2024

Today, a pony died in the farmlands.

The day started like any other. You woke up next to your beloved husband, you ate breakfast with your beautiful daughters, and you sat down in your office just as the light of the morning sun began to hit your work desk.

And you worked undisturbed for exactly two and a half hours, until you heard a commotion coming from somewhere nearby.

It was the kind of sound that you almost never heard inside your estate. The sound of ponies, grown ponies, talking loudly over each other. Struggling to be heard over a noise of their own making.

And what made it even more unusual was that the raucous confusion was undoubtedly headed to your office. You could hear it clearly, as the source of the sound worked its way up the stairs and through the corridor, coming towards you. You could hear it even though the door to your office was closed.

But for some reason, you immediately understood that…

That this wasn't just some regular old disturbance. This wasn't just a confusion being wound up by an angry pony. This wasn't just some turmoil that happened between a pair of ponyservants, who were storming towards your office in order to demand that you somehow solved whatever issue happened.

No.

For some reason, you immediately understood that something very sad had just happened.

Although you were not exactly sure why you felt that, at first.

Maybe it was the urgency that you could hear, the way that the stomping hoofs were coming closer almost as if they were instead running away from something else. Or perhaps it was the panic, because as the voices drew closer you could hear that the words being spoken were not as much coherent speech as they were rushed pleas.

Who knows… maybe it was the pain that you heard in those voices.

But regardless, there was some particular detail about the approaching chaos that made you realize the situation was especially grave.

So, you were not surprised when Ponpon opened the door to your office and walked in followed by four farmhoofs.

You were not surprised when you saw their downcast eyes, and their sorrowful expressions.

And you were not surprised by the fact that, despite how loud they were as they almost ran to your office, none of them could utter a single word when they were finally face to face with you.

It was almost as if you already knew what had happened.

So, you wordlessly got up from your chair, and nodded at them to take you to where it happened.

You walked by the maids, who were eerily silent, as you made your way to the entrance hall.

You walked by the servants, who looked openly mournful, as you passed through the garden and the adjoining buildings.

You walked by the heartbroken farmhoofs, as you made your way to the fields. And you saw as they joined your group, walking behind you almost as if you were leading a procession.

But still, nopony uttered a single word.

Until you all reached the place where old Hill Grazer had died.

He was lying on the ground when you reached him. You even dared to think he had a smile on his face.

In fact if you didn't know any better, and if the silence around you wasn't being broken by a stifled sob every now and then, then you might even have thought the old stallion was just sleeping.

But still, you knew that he wasn't. You immediately knew what had happened. So, you did what you had to do. You confirmed the matters with your own hoofs, and then you called for the pony who had found him. It was a formality, if nothing else, but still it had to be done.

It was your duty, as the noble of that estate. These ponies were your subjects, and you owed this to them.

You recall how warm his body felt, thanks to the morning sun, even though he didn't have a pulse. You remember how the mare who found him was trembling, as she tried to explain to you what had happened.

"His heart just gave out," she eventually said, her voice heavy with sorrow almost as if she was to blame. "One moment he was alright, pulling the plow and mumbling his merry tune…"

She almost couldn't finish the phrase, every word she spoke growing heavier with tears and loss.

"And on the next… he wasn't."

There wasn't much to do, after that.

Your first reaction was to attempt to reach his family. However, as you tried talking to the farmhoofs that were in condition to talk, you slowly realized that nopony really knew much about his family.

When you asked them about what old Hill Grazer was like, the only thing everypony could tell you was how nice he was. About how he was kind, and how he gave good advice, and how he would always mumble a merry tune while plowing the fields, and how he felt so much like a grandfather to so many of them. They told you that he was always one of the firsts to arrive in the morning, and one of the last to leave as evening arrived.

But still, nopony really knew much about his family. In fact, nopony even knew where he lived, to the point that you had to look for that information in your own files at your office.

Although, in retrospect, you are thankful for that. You are thankful that nopony knew much about Hill Grazer. Because that meant you were the only one to find out how he lived, when you visited his address.

Hill Grazer left no family behind. His address was that of a small shack on the outskirts of Ponyville, riddled with very few creature comforts, and with a chest filled with what must have been years of unspent payments.

You found no pictures, no letters, no documents, nothing that could point you in the direction of what you should do next. Of whom you should warn, or what he would like somepony to do as a last will.

You didn't learn anything about Hill Grazer, after visiting his empty house, except for the fact that there was nothing to be learned about him.

And that made you feel sad, at first. It felt lonely, to think that the old stallion had died like that, working away at a farm. That the last years of his life, day in and day out, were spent waking up early in an empty home to go to work and returning late at night to find nopony waiting for you.

You felt sad, at first, that you didn't even know what you were supposed to do with his body.

Until…

Until a few days later, when you started to hear… something, in the farmlands.

It began slowly, almost timidly. But sure enough, whenever you were close to an open window that looked out at the farmlands, every now and then you could hear a sound being brought by the winds.

A mumbled tune, coming from the fields. A hummed melody, of sorts.

And as the days went by, you realized that the farmponies had slowly taken to singing a particular tune, as they worked.

The same tune, you are almost sure, that everypony said Hill Grazer would mumble as he worked.

And that was what made you realize it.

You realize that you shouldn't have felt sad, when you learned how Hill Grazer lived. You shouldn't have thought that he was lonely, with how he lived alone. You shouldn't have thought how tragic it was, that he would always be one of the firsts to come to work, and one of the last to leave, because he probably had nothing left to do after leaving work.

No. Thinking like that was wrong of you. Because you spent so much time thinking about what you thought was sad about his life, that you forgot to consider what you knew that made him happy while he was living.

Because old Hill Grazer died as he lived. Working in a farm.

He was beloved by the younger farmhoofs, he always had time to listen and he always knew what advice to give. Everypony said he felt like a grandfather, even some of the farmhoofs that were older than you, and he had a cutie mark of a wheat field ready for harvest.

He passed away doing what he loved: working in a farm. The fact that everypony said he was always mumbling a merry tune as he worked only being further proof that he was never really sad, while he was here.

And you also realized that... that he will never really die. As long as that song continues to be hummed by the ponies, as they work on the farmlands, old Hill Grazer will never truly be gone.

…

You had him buried close to the estate, on one of the hills that overlooks the farmlands. And you had the musical notes of his tune engraved on his tombstone, under the carved image of his cutie mark and name.

You have reached the third intensity of HEART, and had a realization.

Should your health ever reach zero, you will no longer die. Instead, you will enter a state of "Dancing with Death", and will still have a chance to avoid your demise.

Written In Memoriam.

OurLadyOfWires · Aug 24, 2024

[X] Plan Staying at Home and Writing Letters
-[X] A sense of urgency: There has never been any need for this, not for this much at least. No more double-checking, no more zeal. There are far more important things to be done. (5 personal actions. Does not cause suspicion. DEFAULT PICK)
-[X] You don't have time for this. (Costs 0 actions. You will only roll ONE healing dice.)
-[X] The medicine taste is worse than its appearance. But it is exactly what you need, if they are to be believed… (Costs 30 bits. One dice will auto-succeed)
-[X] (Servants) Look for books in Ponyville.
-[X] (Cult Minions) Assist with summoning Windigos.
-[X] (Flourishing Risen) Tail not!Twilight
~~-[X] (Rarity) Call her, you have a lot of things to tell her… and then a few introductions to make. (Induct her into the cult)~~
-[X] (Jade) Search for changeling infiltrators in Ponyville
-[X] (Selene) Knock.
-[X] (Attention of the Laws) Grail: Talk with Rarity.
-[X] (Knock) Find a new location in the Woods.
-[X] Read books: Grail 3, Heart 2, Heart 3.
-[X] Fleeting opportunity: Assist with casting Influences and AotL.
~~-[X] Fleeting opportunity: Write Letter to Father~~
-[X] Fleeting opportunity: Visit Fluttershy
-[X] Help Windy Flakes run the cult.

- - -

The school bell rings, and you watch as the large group of fillies and colts gathered on the school grounds slowly begins to make its way towards the entrance.

Ponyville is a small town, so even though you do not exactly approve of it, you can somewhat understand why there are so very few adults here. Out of the dozens of foals that you saw, only five or six of them came accompanied by an older sibling or parent figure of sorts. Which means, in turn, that you and Stormchaser are standing out a little bit, as the two of you watch the diminishing crowd of young ponies.

But still, you watch as your two daughters, surround by their group of friends, make their way towards the school entrance. Silky giving you one last excited wave before disappearing through the open doors.

You also notice that Selene, rather purposefully, lags behind them, and gives you and your husband a timid wave after all of her friends are out of sight.

And you reply to her wave with a beaming smile, of course, a warm and fuzzy feeling spreading through your chest as you see her blush slightly at your response.

But after that, the school doors are closed, and you begin to hear the faint noise of Cheerilee bringing her class to order. Signaling the beginning of another day of classes for your daughters.

"Sweetheart," you husband says, as soon as it becomes clear that the two of you are done bringing your daughters to school, "I really don't mind doing this at all, of course. But could you tell me again why we are doing this?"

You take a deep breath, steeling yourself for the conversation to come. You knew you would have to talk about this at some point.

Although you are not exactly worried. You know that you and Stormchaser are not about to argue or anything like that. But still, the conversation that you are about to have with him is one that you… well, you just hope to be able to navigate this without any problems.

"Like I told you during breakfast, dear," you respond to him, a pleasant smile spreading through your lips as if you were talking about something completely normal. "I just thought Soft Sweeps was a bit overworked, so I gave her a small vacation. And besides, since you'll be home for a while, I figured there wouldn't be any problem with us taking over some of her chores."

You watch very closely as his face turns into an expected shade of doubt. After all, you know there are several holes in your story, and you know your husband can be annoyingly observant at times.

So, you are trying to predict which hole in your story he is going to take an issue with.

Because earlier this morning, while you were all having breakfast, you suddenly told everypony that Soft Sweeps wouldn't be coming for the rest of the week, and that you and Stormchaser would be taking the fillies to school for a while.

And you dearly hope that your husband makes an issue out of the fact that you did that without talking to him first, the whole Soft Sweeps vacation thing, since that involves somepony that works so close to the fillies.

Or, barring that, you hope he just gets worried over Soft Sweeps and tries to pry out of you why she needed these sudden vacations. Then it will come down to deciding if you should lie to him or not.

But whatever happens, you just hope he doesn't pick up the fact that-

"Yes, I know that, and that's fine by me," he says, interrupting your thoughts. "But let me rephrase the question, sweetheart. Why are you doing this? I could have brought the fillies alone just fine, and we both know you shouldn't be walking this far into town while you're still hurt."

And just like that, Stormchaser brings to attention the one thing you didn't want to talk about. Because how in the heavens are you going to explain to him that you're no longer worried about your wounds because you literally know you won't die that easily?

Curses be your beloved, and how he always worries about you so much!

But annoyances aside, you really have to figure out how to explain to him what you two will be doing next, this morning.

Because if he is already worried over the fact that you came all the way to town on hoof, then you can only imagine how annoyed he will be once you tell him what else you decided to do.

- - -

You are trying your best to keep a relaxed smile on your face.

You are trying your best, and you are failing.

A small drop of sweat forms somewhere on your forehead, but you pointedly ignore it as you wait for your husband to say something. As you wait for him to say anything.

Heavens, by now you just want him to say anything at all, even if it is just an objection or a disagreement. Because to be quite honest, his long silence is starting to make you more than just nervous.

You and Stormchaser are standing in front of the Wildhoof Club, and the conversation that the two of you had while walking here didn't exactly go the way you had planned or hoped.

Quite the opposite, in fact.

Because at first you just said that you wanted to "show him a place that you know".
And then he pried out of you that "actually, okay, you weren't just going there to visit the place".
Until eventually, you finally admitted that you "promised you would help a friend, who manages the place".
And when you said that, his expression immediately went from doubtful to openly frowning.

"So basically," Stormchaser finally says, and your ears immediately perk up at that, "you are here to work."

He says that, and his tone makes it very clear just how unimpressed he is.

Your throat immediately goes dry at that.

"Who? Me? Ahahaha," you try to react as if he had just said a joke, but your laugher comes out extremely awkward. "Come on, Stormy, I'm not here to work. Like I said, I just promised a friend I'd lend a hoof to his business!"

You watch, and your heart starts to beat slightly faster, as Stormchaser's expression turns from a frown into an unamused stare. And you immediately understand just how easily he is seeing through you.

You did not plan this out well enough. He knows you too well.

Your smile cracks a bit more.

"J-just a little help dear, that's all. He just asked me to look over a few ledgers, a-and… and talk through some business ideas, and…"

You try to say something, anything, to throw him off-track.

But much to your horror, Stormchaser… slooooowly raises a single eyebrow, giving you an expression that you have only ever seen him use with Silky, whenever your daughter's own lies became way too convoluted or unbelievable.

And seeing just how much he is not buying it, you finally admit defeat. Your ears dropping as you give up on trying to mislead your dear husband.

"Okay. This is totally work," you say, your face heating up as if you were confessing something, "but it's fun work, dear! I promise I'm just here to help a friend! It's not like what I do in the farmlands, slaving away at those mountains of paperwork or anything!"

Then you brace yourself, as you wait for your husband's frown to turn into what will no doubt be dissatisfaction. After all, there are countless ways that he could make a big deal about this. And to be honest, some of those ways are actually justified. Because to be fair, you are not exactly sure how you would react if the papers were reversed, and if Stormchaser had somehow hurt himself and was refusing to stay at home and rest.

After all, your husband already doesn't approve of you walking around town under normal circumstances, due to your circumstances. So you can't imagine how he is feeling right now given how his sickly, physically hurt wife just surprised him with a long walk to town, followed by her telling him that she also wants to work.

However, to your absolute surprise…

"Pff. Fun kind of work. Sweetheart, you're such a busybody sometimes," he says, rolling his eyes after letting out a small chuckle.

And while he is still laughing at himself, he calmly begins to walk towards the entrance of the Wildhoof Club, looking at the decoration of the place in wonder since this is being his first visit.

Leaving you a few steps behind, absolutely confused.

Relieved, for sure, but confused.

"Wait, Stormy!" you say, snapping out of your daze and trotting after him, not quite believing what he just said right now. "Aren't… aren't you going to say anything else? I mean, it's not that I want you to say anything else, but…!"

You catch up to Stormchaser, and you are not sure if he is smiling at you or at himself as he says those next words.

"Well, of course I'd have preferred it if you had told me about this earlier, sweetheart. Especially with how you said you'll be working. I'd have brought a book if I knew you'd make me wait like this."

He says that, shaking his head in a way that… that you're not exactly sure how to interpret, but that still makes your heartrate slow down, nonetheless.

"But well, if you want to stay by somepony's side, then you also have to be willing to keep up with them, right?" he finishes saying, not even looking back at you as the two of you step into the club together.

And you only realize that a warm smile appeared on your face, after he said those words, much, much later.

- - -

"Well, a pleasure to meet you Windy Flakes. Now if you'll excuse me, I'll go check out the rest of the premises. I'll be back when it's around time for us to go pick up the fillies, sweetheart."
"The pleasure was all mine, Lord Stormchaser! My employees are all at your disposal for anything you need."
"Alright dear, see you soon."

You and Windy Flakes watch as your husband leaves the unicorn's office, closing the door behind himself and leaving the two of you alone.

And to be quite honest, you let you a sigh of relief as soon as the door clicks shut.

That went a lot better than you expected.

"Goodness gracious... thank you, Windy. I'm not sure how that could have gone any better."

Or rather, Windy Flakes behaved himself a lot better than you expected.

"Eh? Why do you say that? Wait, did you honestly think I would ruin my first impression with your husband? Silly Velvet," he says with a mischievous smile, "I'll have you know that I like my furniture not nailed to my ceiling, thank you very much."

"Oh please. That only happened once! And I said I won't do that again."

"Ah yes," he says, following up with a mocking imitation of your voice, "you can trust me, Windy. I promise I won't send my monstrous minions to your house at night, as long as you behave."

"My voice does not sound like that," you immediately reply.

Although neither you nor Windy can quite suppress the smirks you have on your faces.

"But anyhow," you continue, shaking your head slightly, taking a deep breath as you try to sound a little more serious. "Sorry it took me this long to come around… so, how are things going?"

And to that, Windy's smirk also fades. It takes a little longer than yours did. But just like the setting sun, the pleasant Windy Flakes that just introduced himself to your husband slowly disappears.

And although you can't say that the unicorn that you are talking is a completely different one, you also can't say that he is exactly the same. It feels as if you were looking at a painting of a scenery, but that now you turned around to look at the same painting, this time portraying the scenery at night.

The two of you have different worries, now. You two have a lot to do, and very little time to do it, so you dispense with the pleasantries.

"Things are going bad, Velvet. And although I'm not judging you, it certainly didn't help that you made yourself absent for two whole weeks. Especially given what we have to get prepared."

His words are cold, but they are not exactly wrong. Windy Flakes, you know, is just saying things like they are.

He is literally just answering you question.

So, you nod, and you bid him to continue.

"Excluding you and me, Starry is the only one who comes here frequently. And as energetic as she might be, the mare doesn't really have leadership skills. So, added to the fact that the Master made herself scarce, and that her last orders were for us to prepare to cleanse our town of shapeshifting monsters, and then move to attack their lair…"

Windy's horn lights up, and you can tell you that he just unlocked something behind his desk. He then clears the top of his desk with a flick of magic, and place a stack of scroll papers over it shortly after.

"Bottom line is that our ponies are scared, Velvet. Because more than just lessons and teachings, the Master also gave them purpose. She gave them reassurance. It is a lot less scary to study and practice something as frightening as the Lores when you know that the bogeymare in the shadows is looking out for you. None of us would be able to fill in her hoofs under normal circumstances, but it is especially bad right now. I'm only one pony, after all."

You nod at that, and there really isn't much for you to disagree with. On the last cult meeting, the Master left you and Windy in charge, and you can see that she did that for a reason. Copper is busy establishing a whole new branch in Manehattan, and as much as you like Jade Whistle you have to agree with Windy that she, Starry and Comet aren't exactly adequate when it comes to taking care of the cult. Added to the fact that you were also absent for half the entire month...

Well, you decide to ask him the next obvious question.

"Alright. But I'm here now. What can I do?"

Windy beckons you towards his desk, nodding towards one of the scrolls as if he already knew you would ask that.

"Being seen coming to the Club already helps. You do have quite the reputations after all," he says, "but as the Master said, we really have to saddle up for the end of the month. We only have two weeks and a few days, and it really doesn't feel like it will be enough."

"Jade is already checking the town to make a list, for when the time comes. But I figure that most of our troubles are with the expedition itself… what do we know about that?" you ask.

"That's the thing. We don't know anything. I've already felt frustrated with how the Master works before, but this time it really is out of hoof. We don't know who is going with her, we don't know what day exactly our ponies leave. Tartarus, we don't even know where the monster's lair is," he says, and despite his cold demeanor you can actually feel exasperation in his voice. "I don't even know what kinds of equipment we should buy. Are they going to climb a mountain? Should I buy clothing for cold weather? Should I buy weapons? None of those things are cheap, and more importantly none of those can be bought quickly."

You nod at that, pursing your lips as you look over the open scrolls on Windy's desk. All of them containing half-formed plans that try to deal with too many variables while using too little resources.

And you can't help but agree with him that the Master has been… less than helpful in all this.

"The only thing we are pretty sure of, is that the culling will happen when she calls on the cult to move out. I assume it will be on the same night, with her having us hunt down the changelings here and then immediately leave Ponyville," he says, and you nod in agreement.

Although you realize that is not much information at all, and you quietly share in Windy's sentiment of how... maddeningly vague your Master is being during all this.

But still, you will do what you must. You know as much as Windy Flakes, in regards to how or when things will happen, but there is certainly several things you can get done before the month is over.

"I take it that nopony has done any… mystical preparations yet?" you ask.

"No. In fact, despite us having a whole underground dedicated to that, to date nopony has cast any rituals that the Master, or one of us, didn't order to be cast. I frankly thought the ritual circles would see more personal use. But apart from the smallest Attention rituals, nopony really dares to use them. Not even the ones who know a bit more, the ponies that every now and then whisper that they are running an errant for you."

"Right…" you say, as the available options slowly begin to coalesce inside your head. "Okay, hear me out. I'll put those ponies in particular to work. And although I can't promise to be here to give sermons like the Master does, I think I will be able to help with…"

And with that, the two of you begin to plan. You make a shortlist of what ponies might be called by the Master, should she decide to call for anypony at all, and how you two can prepare for as many possibilities as possible while actually committing to as few as you can.

You two continue to talk, Windy's horn flaring up as he furiously writes your mutual decisions on a scroll, until you finally feel your husband approaching.

"This will have to do, for now…" you say, as the unicorn finishes writing down a few last lines of plans and dates on a scroll. "And the room is actually cold, so I think it's better that I leave and meet my husband on the corridor. I'll be able to come in person more often next week, but I'll try to come by in a few days. For Comet Feet's ritual, if nothing else."

"I'll let everypony know what we have in mind then," he answers.

And with that, the two of you-

"…"

"…"

-slooowly let out a deep breath.

And just like that, you and Windy Flakes feel like normal ponies again, as you look at each other.

The room also feels a lot colder than it was before, mind you.

You shake your mane slightly, waving the unicorn a goodbye as you turn around and walk towards the door to meet your husband.

When you hear Windy mumble something behind you.

"Huh… we are really doing this, aren't we?"

You hear that, and there is something in his… tone, that makes you turn around curious.

You turn back towards him, and you see him looking over the scrolls the two of you had been working on these last few hours. You see him looking over the list of the names of ponies, who the two of you think might be called to face an unknown danger. Of the impersonal lists of equipment that he should try to procure, in a tight schedule and a tighter budget. Of the dates where you would order the cult to summon monsters, nightmarish creatures that you don't even fully understand yet, but that you will have your underlings summon in your stead at their own risk.

You see Windy looking at all those scrolls, and you can't exactly tell if what you see in his eyes is hesitation... or wonder.

To be honest, you are not even sure what expression you are wearing yourself, now that you think about it.

You are not really sure… if you are telling yourself that you are doing this because you don't have a choice, or because you personally want to.

- - -

- - -

- - -

You are Stormchaser, and you are currently wondering if you made the right choice.

Well, to tell the truth you are actually sitting in a club lounge, wondering if you should start chatting with one of the club employees just to pass the time. But inside your head, in the personal confines of your mind, you are indeed wondering if you made the right choice.

And the thing is that… you don't know. You're not really sure if a "right choice" even exists to begin with. Most of the times you feel like you are just grasping at straws, to the point that sometimes you even wonder if you can really tell if certain occurrences are good or bad.

Because sure, your wife has been a lot more… active, these last few months. And because of that, you are sure, she has had some problems. Some extremely worrying problems, at times, but you don't really want to think about those things in particular right now.

However, that is the underside of the cloud. The dark, lightning filled part of things, that will obviously cast a shadow underneath it.

But your problem is that... well, if you try to "look at it from the sun-side of the storm", isn't it also true that more good things have been happening than bad things?

Your wife has… she has been traveling around more, even going to Canterlot of all places more than once just this year. She has been less stressed about her family's work. She has been making friends, for Celestia's sake. And that is especially good considering how not long ago, maybe just a few years back, your wife seemed to be almost afraid of leaving the estate. But now she is visited by Rarity, and that other quiet earth pony, almost every week!

By Equestria, you even remember how much trouble you had convincing her to let Silky Stream go to school, and you did that mostly because you thought your wife's fears were starting to rub off on your daughter.

So, while it is true that your Velvet Covers has had some… problems, you also can't help but wonder if the absolute sum of things that are happening isn't turning out to be good.

Because sure, she might have literally just adopted a filly while taking a trip, but you are not sure how things could have worked out any better with Selene.

And sure, she might also have done something to stir up a hornet's nest in Canterlot, some problem with Princess Luna herself of all ponies, but she still relied on you to help her as soon as she came back home.

And on today's particular example, she might have just completely ignored her doctor-appointed rest (after suffering a nearly fatal accident) because she wants to help a friend with… well, with work. And she also tried to sugarcoat it pretty heavily. But hey, at least your wife has friends who depend on her, doesn't she? The reclusive noblemare who lived isolated in the outskirts of Ponyville is, for lack of a better term, all but gone now.

Which is something you know is good, of course.

But still, what are YOU supposed to do about this? Because you know you should be doing something, or at least you are worrying that you should. After all, sometimes you feel like she is doing all of this by herself, and that you have barely been keeping up with her. But there are also times you fear that she will just overdo it while you're not looking, and that it be too late to stop something bad from happening to her.

You… you simply don't know.

"That mare will be the end of me…" you mumble to yourself.

So, as usual, you tell yourself that you will continue what you have been doing, going by the days one at a time.

"Although who knows," you say, clipping a hoof against the side of the lounge chair you are sitting on, "maybe I'm the one who should do something completely unpredictable for a change…"

You chuckle at that. Yes, it would certainly be nice for you to do something completely off the books for once.

Maybe this is your marital dynamic now? Maybe you should be the one who comes back from work one day with a foal and say that you have a new member in the family? After all, you always wanted a colt, and Silky could certainly learn a lot from having a little brother…

You sit back, letting yourself float towards those sillier, less worrying thoughts-

-when you suddenly feel that something very important is about to happen-

-and you almost jump out of the cushioned chair in surprise.

This sensation, the sensation, is a familiar one. It feels as if something has just clicked inside your head. Like somepony just took a picture of you, and the powder-flash of the camera left you slightly blinded for a fraction of a moment.

It is the strangely, intimate sensation that you have to do something. A sensation that you don't have too often, but that you somehow always know that you will regret it if you don't listen to.

Although for some reason, right now it also felt as if you had just received a kick to your guts.

But still, you get off from your chair, shaking your head slightly at the ghostly vertigo you felt just now, and you look around you in search of… well, of something. You have no idea what you are looking for.

It usually happens that you know it when you see it.

And it doesn't take you much searching to find what, or rather who, is making you feel like this.

At the far end of the lounge, by a counter that you think is a small bar of sorts, you see a pegasus who is…

By the sun. Nope, scrap that. You don't see a pegasus. You see a very large pegasus on the other side of the lounge, quietly talking to a Club employee who is sitting behind the counter.

And even from this far away, you can immediately tell that the pegasus is in a bad mood. You can tell that, and the mare dressed in a Club uniform seems to agree with you given nervous she seems to be, as she anxiously talks to the pegasus.

You can faintly hear the pegasus asking something about a "list", to which the mare answers by quickly by shaking her head. The pegasus doesn't seem all that pleased with her answer, giving the mare a scowl that almost freezes her on the spot.

But as soon as the pegasus is done asking… whatever he came here to ask, he turns around and heads towards the exit.

And much to your distress, your "sense" clearly follows after him. To the point that your flank almost begins to itch as the pegasus gets farther and farther away from you.

"Oh, come on, don't do this to me…" you whisper to yourself. Or rather, you whisper to your cutie mark, like you usually do when this sort of thing happens. "Don't tell me I'm supposed to talk to… to that."

Your cutie mark doesn't answer you, of course. Or maybe it does, by giving you the chilling sensation that you're going to miss your opportunity if you don't start moving right now.

So, despite how hesitant you are, you follow after the stallion.

It isn't exactly hard to follow him, given how large he is, and how everypony seems to make a point of getting out of his way as he walks towards the entrance of the club. In fact, it seems that everypony seems to be intent in not even looking at him, whenever he passes by them. All of the club employees seem to become extremely busy or interested in something else whenever the stallion walks by them.

And you can't really blame them. After all, you have already caught up to him for a while now, but you only muster the courage to call out to him when the two of you are but a few hoofsteps away from the exit.

"Excuse me," you hesitantly reach out with a hoof, "could I talk to you for a sec-?"

But he turns around and looks at you before you can even touch his back.

And you freeze on the spot.

You have no idea how he turned so quickly, but the pegasus is now looking at you. He is looking down at you, in fact, with the height difference becoming even more obvious now that you are finally face to face with him.

And his expression alone makes it very clear that he very much does not want to talk to you.

There really is no other way to describe him. The more you look at him, the more you realize just how menacing… how outright dangerous he looks.

To the point that, even though he is just scowling at you, your heart is pounding inside your chest.

You don't even realize that you didn't even finish your question, or that your hoof is still half-raised towards him, your foreleg paralyzed by the primal surge of adrenaline that is running through your body.

You aren't really able to do anything at all, as the stallion looks at you for a few more moments, clearly unamused.

"What?"

And somehow, the single word he utters makes you feel as if you have been physically struck.

You think you hear somepony drop a plate. And you become acutely aware that, suddenly, all of the ponies who had been very pointedly ignoring the pegasus are now looking at the two of you.

And how could they not? You are in danger. Everypony in this room is in danger, now that you made the pegasus stallion angry. You are sure of it, some deep instinct of yours telling you that you should not have approached this pony.

Yes, you can feel it. You can feel your body slowly gearing itself to do a "fight or flight" response. You can feel your heart beating inside your chest, and your wings tensing up as you prepare to fly away as fast as you c-

"Erm… Comet Feet, sir?"

But your thoughts are interrupted by somepony else, an earth pony who very hesitantly approached the two of you at some point.

"That is… this stallion is the Lor-… *ahem*, this is Lady Velvet's husband, sir. The two of them came about earlier this morning, and the Lady is busy talking to Windy Flakes."

The earth pony says that, and you can immediately tell that even doing that much took all of his courage. To the point that the earth pony visibly cringes when the pegasus looks at him.

But still, the pegasus looks at him, and then at you, and then he rolls his eyes. His scowl somehow becoming even more annoyed, but for some reason a lot less frightening, as the earth pony scurries away.

Now, the pegasus merely looks like he is irritated, and not that he… well, you feel a lot less un-safe now, if that even makes sense.

"What-," he says again, and you take a deep breath as you realize that his words didn't hurt you this time, "-do you want? You have been following me. What is it?"

He asks that, and you…

You…

Crap, you don't know how to answer him!

You frantically wrack your thoughts inside your brain, trying to figure out why in Equestria your cutie mark wanted you to do this.

Because you already regret having walked up to him, seeing how the gentlest expression you have seen on his face so far has been "glaring knives". So what the hay are you supposed to do next?!

You try to think about something, anything, but nothing comes to mind!

So, in desperation, you do what you usually do.

Every time something like this happens, every time you get a "feeling" from your cutie mark, things usually work out well when you follow your guts.

With that in mind, you tell the very large pegasus the first thing that comes to your mind.

"There is something very important that I need to tell you," you say, the words forming in your mouth before you can even think about them properly. "And that thing is: you are being an idiot, and you know it."

You say that, and then you immediately freeze, your eyes going wide as you realize too late what you just said.

Your freeze. Your mind freezes. Everypony around you, who were pretending not to be listening but that were paying very close attention, also freeze.

You think you hear another plate being dropped to the ground.

But despite all that, the only thing the pegasus does in response to your words is to take a single step towards you.

Although, of course, that is more than enough for you to understand just how deeply screwed you are.

And your body, without a single conscious order from your brain, takes a step back.

"I-I can exp-plain...!"
"Start explaining."
"I-it's just that… well, the t-thing is that I know you have something g-going on and-"
"So you're saying you know something about me?"
"N-no! Of course not. I-I know nothing about you, Comet sir. Nothing, nothing, absolutely nothing!"

The pegasus continues to walk towards you, your body continuing to jerkily retreat from his approaching figure. And you feel like it's a small miracle that he hasn't pounced at you yet, although a small part of you somehow knows that he wouldn't even need to that much if he really wanted to hurt you.

But still, your panicked mind somehow also understands that… well, that you're running out of time to avoid that! You're running out of time, and you're definitely running out of free room for your back to retreat towards!

"Well then. In that case, your words aren't really making much sense to me. So I think I'm gonna take them at face value."

Your heart nearly leaps out of your chest at that. You have no idea what to do. You don't even know why you decided to do this on the first place!

So, even though doing this put you in this mess in the first place, you once again decide to trust your guts.

And even though pegasi channel their magic through their wings, you almost feel like what you say next is actually caming from your cutie mark.

"I know how it's like to feel like that!" you say.

And somehow, impossibly, that gives the pegasus pause.

Only for a moment. But still, he pauses.

And you dash towards that pause like a weather grunt would dash to a stable cloud during a storm.

"I know how that indecision feels like," you continue.

You know that you are grasping at straws. You know that you have no idea why you are saying this.

But you keep on regardless.

"I know how it feels, to think that you might screw it up if you try to do something, while somehow also being sure that it will end badly if you do nothing. I've been there."

You desperately stare at the looming pegasus' face. Looking for something, anything, that might give you a hint of what to say next. That might give you a hint of whether if you are making any sense to him, or if you are just about to get a hoof on your face for your troubles and your incoherent rambling.

"Hay, to tell the truth I think I might still be there, even though my own thing has been going on for a while now."

You say that, and you feel a chill run down your spine as the pegasus' eyes narrow, his lips turning into an angry curl that you almost thing might become a snarl.

However… for some reason that you absolutely cannot explain….

You somehow know that his anger isn't being directed at you.

Or rather, you instinctively understand that you would be able to feel it, if his anger was being pointed at you.

So, you press on.

"And I know… I know you can already tell, even this early, that this is going to suck. But you have to understand that…" you swallow something dry, realizing what you are about to say again, "that you will be an idiot if you do what you're planning to do."

You close your eyes for a few moments, expecting something very hard and hoof-shaped to hit your face because of what you just said.

But the hoof never comes, and you hesitantly open your eyes to see that the pegasus is…

Yes, he is larger than you. He is larger, and stronger, and outright menacing, and every last bone in your body tells you that he is dangerous.

But despite all that, you can see that… you can see that he is actually looking down at the ground. You can see, behind his pursed and angry lips, that he is frowning.

Hay, now that you think about it, he is actually wearing an expression that you know very well. Even if it is an angrier version of that expression.

So, you take a deep breath, and you don't even realize how much your cutie mark is burning up on your flank as you say those next words.

"But you are absolutely going to regret it, if you walk away…" you hesitate for a moment, steeling yourself as you prepare to take that final risk, "if you walk away from her."

This, you know, is the very definition of a guess. This is you following a hunch of a hunch, drawing both from your own personal experience and from the several times you had to deal with younger pegasi throughout your life.

However…

"Hmpf!" the stallion says, turning around and heading towards the exit, completely ignoring your cowered form.

However… you can tell…

You can tell that those last two words struck a notch inside of him. And you realize that you were right.

Because despite all of that menace, that seemed to surround the pegasus like the fur of his coat... you could still tell that his expression was of a troubled pony. Or rather, a pony who was living through a particular kind of trouble.

And not for the last time, you tell yourself that...

"Mares..." you whisper to yourself, still feeling out of breath. "They'll be the end of us yet..."

But much more importantly, your body almost deflates in relief as you watch the stallion leave the Club, taking to the air with a powerful flap of his wings.

And the "feeling" you had, the one that always comes from nowhere and in the most inopportune of situations, recedes back into your cutie mark like a dissipating cloud.

You take a few more moments to catch your breath, together with everypony in the room to be honest.

And then you shake your head, making your way towards the office areas of the club to go fetch your wife.

You definitely had enough excitement for a good while, after this...

You (Velvet Covers) have caught up to Windy Flakes in regards to Cult matters, and have planned out the required preparations for the coming trials.

The two of you, if nothing too grave occurs, believe that you will be able to handle the cult appropriately. Also, should Windy be called to join the Master in the assault, you will be able to administer the Club in his absence.

And on a less fortunate note, your husband didn't tell you anything interesting once you met him. It seems he suffered through quite a few boring hours while waiting for you. But you will make sure to make up for him later!

OurLadyOfWires · Aug 24, 2024

[X] Plan Staying at Home and Writing Letters
-[X] A sense of urgency: There has never been any need for this, not for this much at least. No more double-checking, no more zeal. There are far more important things to be done. (5 personal actions. Does not cause suspicion. DEFAULT PICK)
-[X] You don't have time for this. (Costs 0 actions. You will only roll ONE healing dice.)
-[X] The medicine taste is worse than its appearance. But it is exactly what you need, if they are to be believed… (Costs 30 bits. One dice will auto-succeed)
-[X] (Servants) Look for books in Ponyville.
-[X] (Cult Minions) Assist with summoning Windigos.
-[X] (Flourishing Risen) Tail not!Twilight
~~-[X] (Rarity) Call her, you have a lot of things to tell her… and then a few introductions to make. (Induct her into the cult)~~
-[X] (Jade) Search for changeling infiltrators in Ponyville
-[X] (Selene) Knock.
-[X] (Attention of the Laws) Grail: Talk with Rarity.
-[X] (Knock) Find a new location in the Woods.
-[X] Read books: Grail 3, Heart 2, Heart 3.
-[X] Fleeting opportunity: Assist with casting Influences and AotL.
~~-[X] Fleeting opportunity: Write Letter to Father~~
-[X] Fleeting opportunity: Visit Fluttershy
~~-[X] Help Windy Flakes run the cult.~~

- - -

You are Velvet Covers, and you are…

…

You are shaken.

You walk out of the Wildhoof Club, your hoofsteps slow and distracted. But to tell the truth, you barely register your surroundings as you make your way out through the entrance and towards your waiting carriage. And that is because your mind is still stuck at the ritual you just helped perform.

Your mind is still stuck at what just happened, and not in a pleasant way. Quite on the contrary, you have to force yourself to suppress the shivers that still come to you, every now and then.

You also have to make a conscious effort to ignore how much your foreleg still hurts, in the place where…

"Afternoon' missus. Shall we be going to your friend's place now?"

A familiar voice snaps you out of your thoughts, and you have to look around for a few moments to realize where exactly you are. Sure enough, you are already a few ways away from the Club now, and right before you stands Blunderer, your carriage puller. The earth pony who seems to be the very definition of a "gentle giant".

You blink a few more times as you wonder for how long you must have been standing there. Long enough for the usually passive earth pony to speak up to you, you suppose.

Well, no time for that. You shake your head and try to focus back on reality.

"Yes, Blunderer. We'll be going to that other address I gave you now… and thank you for waiting, I apologize if that took a bit longer than I thought it would," you say as you enter the waiting carriage, although you realize your voice came out a lot more distracted than you hoped it would.

"No problem at all, missus," he says, thankfully not noticing how out of it you are.

And moments later, you are inside your carriage, your servant beginning to pull it towards your next destination.

"It'll be just a few minutes till we get there, missus. The edge of Everfree s' just a bit after Ponyville's limits," you hear him speak up, as the carriage gently begins to accelerate towards trotting speed.

But you can't even bring yourself to answer him, be it to thank him or anything else.

To be honest, you are not really sure there is anything you can do to stop your mind from thinking back about…

"Anything else I can help you with?"

"No, Windy. We did everything we could when it comes to preparing. Now we can only hope for the best."

"Alright then. I actually wanted to stay and watch, but both the Club and the Cult are seeing way more activity than normal today. I better go upstairs to make sure everything stays under control."

"Well, the Master did put you in charge of Wake affairs, so off you go. And good luck!"

Windy Flakes lets out a small chuckle at your comment, but soon enough he gives you a final nod and turns around to leave, heading towards the staircases that will take him out of the underground section of the club.

Leaving you alone, in front of the door of the ritual chamber.

Although it bears mentioning that you shouldn't be alone. And that is because…

"Comet Feet is late," you say to yourself, as soon as you hear the unicorn close the door behind himself.

And that is already uncharacteristic of the stallion to begin with. But what makes his lateness even worse is the fact that… well, that he is literally the pony who will be performing today's ritual!

"Goodness gracious. All this preparation, and the trouble we are going through, and we end up having a problem as basic and tardiness?" you mumble to yourself, as you exert a not-inconsiderable part of your will to resist pacing back and forth in the underground corridor.

But since you have nothing else better to do, you go over everything one more time. Just to make sure you did everything right so far.

On the personal side of things, you think everything is accounted for. You came here in a carriage, so your husband knows you at least have a servant accompanying you. You also told him that you would be "helping out" in the Club again, which isn't exactly a lie. And you asked Rarity to pass by the Club around this time, just so you could have an extra alibi. So, you really think you will have the entire afternoon, and maybe a bit of the evening, to do as you please without worrying your husband, or anypony else, at all.

And on the… professional side of things. Well, you and Windy made sure to get a hold of all of Jade's cadre, even if it was on a short notice. He made sure that the basic ingredients were prepared beforehoof. And you made sure to prepare a reagent just for this situation.

As you think that, you tap the saddle bag you are carrying one more time, checking with a hoof if the incense you prepared is still there.

That said, you really think you are gathering every possible advantage you can. Comet Feet is stronger in Edge than even you are, you will be leading Jade's Cadre yourself, and you even prepared a reagent for this… Now all that is left to do is cast the ritual.

"Ah, and speak of the pegasus," you say to yourself, as you pick up a scent coming from somewhere aboveground. It is, you can tell, the unmistakable presence of an extremely dangerous pony, who for some reason is also…

Also…

A shiver runs through your body, starting on your nose and running all the way to the end of your tail.

Because for some reason, you can already tell that Comet Feet is also angry. Very, very angry.

…

You decide to… not make any comments about how late he is.

In fact, you decide not to talk to him at all, seeing how you can already tell he won't even bother looking at you as soon as he reaches the underground where you are waiting for him.

"We're here, m'Lady," the voice, Blunderer's voice, comes to you without warning. And it takes you a moment to realize that the carriage has already stopped.

As a matter of fact, it takes you even longer to realize that the carriage isn't merely stopped. Blunderer has already unsaddled himself and is looking at you as he holds the door open, waiting for you to step out.

Goodness gracious, you really are beyond distracted right now.

"But of course," you say, both to yourself and to the stallion. "Thank you, Blunderer. You can wait here, I'm not sure how long this will take."

You say that as you exit the carriage, the stallion dutifully closing the door behind you (although perhaps with a bit too much strength) as soon as you are out.

He then gives you a final nod, and moments later you are heading down towards the familiar path.

Your mind, busy as it is, can only muster a slight bit of relief over the fact that Blunderer did bring you to the right place. After all, it has already happened that the carriage puller had taken you in the wrong direction. But not this time, you think to yourself, as you make your way towards the short stone bridge that runs over the small stream.

And as soon as you cross the bridge you see your destination. The small, plant-covered wooden cottage that is surrounded by all sorts of burrows, nests and assorted homes for small critters.

You hesitate, if only for a moment, wondering if you should really do this today. After all, you have been meaning to visit the recluse Fluttershy for a long while now, ever since you last came here with Comet Feet at the beginning of the month. But still, you wonder if right now is the best time for you to do this.

Because you know that the mare is… quite difficult to talk to. And seeing how much you are not in the best mental state, part of you wonders if rushing to do this right now won't just end with you putting a hoof on your mouth and somehow ruining your tenuous relationship with the mare. Also, considering how the mare somehow became acquaintances with Comet Feet only makes the whole situation even more unusual.

But eventually, you come to a decision.

"Well… I'm only going to get busier on the following days so... if I don't do this now, I'm not sure if I ever will," you say to yourself.

And even though you feel far less confident about this than you wish, you still make your way towards the cottage.

As you get closer, you feel… almost nothing. Just like last time, it takes you a few moments to realize that the faint, almost inexistent presence on the second floor of the cottage is, presumably, Fluttershy.

"Fluttershy?" you say, as loudly as you can without actually shouting, as you knock on the door. "It's me, Velvet Covers. I came by in the beginning of the month with Comet Feet, do you remember? Can I talk to you for a bit?"

You knock on the door a few more times, and a slight change in her scent tells you that she heard you. A few moments later you can tell that she is moving, and soon enough you can sense her coming towards the door.

Although you remind yourself that the mare has not yet answered you, or given any outward sign that she heard you. So, out of courtesy, you keep pretending that you have no idea if she is at home.

And considering how her movement towards the door slowly grinds to a halt, and how her presence becomes even fainter, you can tell just how much she is wondering whether if she should answer you at all.

She makes you wait for a lot longer than you wish she would. And your mind can't help but remember how…

Comet Feet is angry.

You could sense it, the moment he landed near the Club.

You could see it, from the way his eyes were sharp and his jaw was tense, as soon as he came down the stairs and entered your view.

Everypony in the cadre realized it as well, seeing how they all but jumped out of his way as soon as he entered the ritual room, the pegasus wordlessly making his way to the middle of the engraved circle.

The ponies of the cadre mutely look at you, many of them with their eyes wide with trepidation or uncertainty. But it doesn't matter if they are looking at you for an explanation or a reassurance, you won't be able to give them either.

So, instead, you give them instructions. You take your place in the ritual circle, standing on the outer edge of the second configuration, facing Comet Feet.

And the rest of the Cadre follows suit.

And slowly, you begin to focus your mind on the task at hoof.

The ritual you are about to perform is one that will call an Influence, an Edge Influence for Comet Feet. Or rather, Comet Feet will be performing the ritual. You, and the Cadre, will be supporting him as best as you can, but the centerpiece of the ritual will be the pegasus himself.

And this ritual, also, is divided into four steps. Four different phases that can be gradually performed, each slightly more complicated than the last.

Of course, it is possible to not complete all of the phases, seeing how each different step is meant to call an incrementally greater Influence. But you went through a lot of effort to prepare for this ritual in the hopes that Comet Feet will be able to see the ritual to the end.

So now, you wait. You wait for Comet Feet to begin the ritual, where he will speak the opening words in order t-

!!!

Suddenly, a gust of wind flows through the room, interrupting your thoughts and lifting manes and hoods all around.

But before you can say anything, you realize what just happened. And you join the Cadre in looking at Comet Feet with your eyes open wide in trepidation.

Because the wind that just blew through the room came from a single flap of Comet's wings. It came from a single, hateful expression of his anger.

But what is more, you can sense that… you can all sense that, with that movement alone, his anger is all the more apparent. Or rather, he is now wearing his anger, like an ethereal robe or a phantasmagoric saddle.

Your lips turn into a tight line as it dawns upon you that… without the need of words… without the need of words, or instruments, or invocations or anything else…

Comet Feet has reached the first intensity of the Edge Influence. His anger manifesting around him as a thrilling and sharp layer of air.

And with that, the stallion finally looks around, as if finally deigning to recognize the presence of you and the Cadre for the first time. His sharp eyes looking at each of you almost as if his glare alone could hurt you.

"Begin," is all he says.

And as you fumble through your saddle bag in search of the reagent you prepared, you silently wonder if he even needs any of you there to begin with.

You silently wonder if it is safe for any of you to be there, to begin with.

Because every Influence ritual has four steps.

And Comet Feet doesn't seem to have any interest in going about those steps carefully... or safely.

The wooden door creaks as you hear a bolt being unlocked, and you take in a sharp breath as you shake your memories away from your head.

Focus, Velvet. Focus!

"Good afternoon, Fluttershy," you say, drawing from the flowery perfume you still have bound on your locket and putting on your friendliest smile, "it has been a while, hasn't it?"

You say that as the mare timidly opens the door. Prying it open so slowly that you think she might stop at any moment, deciding instead to talk through you while hiding behind a half-open door like she did the first time you met her.

But no. Much to your surprise, the mare fully opens the door.

And you immediately realize something is wrong.

"Uhm… yeah… hello…"

Your eyes go slightly wide as you see… as you try to see what made you think that. Because you know you are right. You know that there is something extremely wrong with the mare in front of you. You just don't know what it is.

Well, she is not a changeling, for starters. And you can see she is not hurt, or sick, or anything else that would make a red flag be raised inside your head. You are also pretty sure her mane isn't any shorter than what you remember it being, and other small things like that.

But still, the lack of those glaring signs just makes you more confused about why you think there is something wrong with her.

Because even if you can't narrow it down to something specific, you can see it in every little detail about the mare.

You can see how she feels uncomfortable right now, but not in her usual pony-shy way, like the first time you met her. No. She looks like… like she is actually suffering, for some reason.

You can see in the way she softly fidgets, and how a few feathers on her wings seem to twitch every now and then. The mare is conflicted. More than that, she is… she is…!

"Would you… would you like to… come in?" she says, almost biting her lips after she finishes saying those words, her eyes aimed so low that you almost think she is talking to your hoofs.

And that's when it clicks inside your head.

Fluttershy is…

She is distraught.

You don't know why. You don't even know if your impromptu visit might be part of the reason she is like this. But you can see the effects of it.

You can see how physically painful it was for her to do something as simple as inviting you into her home.

So, you answer her almost immediately.

"Of course, Fluttershy. Thank you, and please excuse me," you say, not about to waste either her hospitality or her efforts.

And as soon as you enter her house, and she closes the door behind you-

-you realize how strange it is that Fluttershy just invited you into her home to begin with.
-and you realize you just walked into a trap.

You have just walked into a trap. And as soon as Fluttershy closes (and locks) the door behind you, her scent immediately changes.

Her scent changes, and your Edge-senses immediately stiffens your body, your muscles going taut as you are forcibly taken into a state of fight-or-flight.

!!!

!!!

...

And you have to will yourself back into calmness, as you strangle the automatic reaction of your body with the cold grip of logic.

As you almost force your alert body to accept the fact that yes, Fluttershy's scent just changed.

But the change in Fluttershy's presence was minute.

You are not in danger.

She is not about to attack you. The very idea, you instinctively know, is laughable.

But still, something in Fluttershy changed as soon as she closed the door behind you. And you can tell that right now, as the pegasus mare looks at your back, that she is gathering all her courage to do… something.

You slowly turn to face Fluttershy. Your mind, even if against your will and spurred by your Edge-senses, trying to understand what exactly the mare intends to do.

But as you look at her, you see her take a deep breath… and you are not sure if what you see in her eyes is fear or regret, but a few moments later she does speak to you.

"I… I know that… that you are not a biologist… I know that you… I-I mean, I know Comet Feet lied to me…"

Your body freezes as the mare slowly, almost tortuously, says those words. Your body freezes because you are not exactly what to do next. What expression you should wear instead of the polite smile you currently have, or what you should say in answer to that.

But much to your surprise, and with an effort that seems to be almost exhausting, she continues to speak.

"Comet Feet was here… earlier this morning. And he said some things that… well… h-he…"

The mare stops, if only for a moment, and you finally understand what exactly is wrong with her.

You already knew that Fluttershy was, as her name suggests, terribly shy.

You also understand, then, that her shyness translates to her not having too many social skills. If she has any social skills at all, that is. After all, the mare lives as far away from a town, even if that is a town as small as Ponyville, as it is physically possible without actually living in the woods.

Maybe she is scared of doing this sort of thing. Maybe she hates doing this sort of thing. But the fact remains that Fluttershy is wholly incapable of being assertive.

And it seems that… that something happened, earlier this morning, that distressed her so much that she is now willing to confront you. Or rather, that she is willing to do the closest to pressing another pony for answers that she is capable of.

So whatever happened this morning, you think, must be the reason to why Comet Feet was late to the ritual.

And if you are right about this… then you think you know what the mare is about to say next.

You are scared.

You are afraid.

You are terrified.

Your Edge-senses have already given up on trying to explain to you just how dangerous your current situation is. Or rather, how dangerous the stallion in front of you is, right now.

You want to leave. No. You want to flee, to run away from this room, and the Club, and even this town if your legs manage to. And you can tell that the entire Cadre, as well, shares the same sentiment.

But none of you can leave. None of you can even muster the courage to move a single hoof.

Because even more terrifying than staying here, would be… to attract his attention, if you tried to do something as stupid as moving.

"Again."

The third step of an Influence ritual, is the step of "celebration".

The incense you had prepared was lit on the second step, and the thrilling airs that were surrounding Comet Feet were roused into an invisible pyre around his body.

So, covered in that heightened Influence, he then commanded two ponies of the Cadre to "celebrate" the Lore of Edge, so that he might reach the third intensity.

And that celebration took place in the form of a ritual combat, of course.

"Again."

Each pony of the Cadre, yourself included, had a knife as part of your preparations. So, when the two ponies were picked, they both did their best to partake in a mock combat to celebrate the Lore of conflict. They did so with careful, if precise, movements, grazing each other with their knives as if they were actors in a play.

But with an angry flap of his wings, Comet Feet wordlessly made it clear he was not satisfied with that.

"Again."

At his order, the two ponies tried again. This time faster.

Until Comet's glare made it clear that if they did not do it correctly, then he would show them how it was meant to be done.

The third time they tried, their movements actually became violent. Their fear motivating them into more energetic actions.

"Again."

On the fourth attempt, they actually drew blood.

"Again."

On the seventh attempt, they were already panting. In fear, and exhaustion, and pain.

"Again."

On the eleventh attempt, they had already dropped their knives. Hurling themselves at each other, kicking and biting and slamming hoofs against faces. Like ancient ponies might have, before they learned the secrets of bronze and weaponsmithing.

"Again!"

You are not exactly sure when they began to shout.

You are not exactly sure when the desperation settled in.

You are not exactly sure when it was that everypony, both the two combatants and the onlooking Cadre, realized that if they didn't get it right then one of them, or perhaps both, would die.

But at some point, Comet Feet orders them to stop. Or rather, he does not order them to do it again.

One of the ponies collapses, his legs failing and buckling as if he is a puppet who had his strings cut. The other one simply stops, slowly curling up and beginning to sob through his cut lips and bruised face.

However, as you look up towards Comet Feet, you immediately understand the reason as to why he ordered them to stop.

A more foolish pony might have thought that he ordered them to stop because they were no longer needed. After all, you can clearly see, with your panic and with your dread and with your survival instincts screaming in danger, that Comet Feet has reached the third intensity of the Edge Influence.

But no, you know that's not the reason. You know that he didn't order them to stop because he already has what he needs.

No.

You can see that Comet Feet ordered the two of them to stop…

Because they disgusted him.

You can see it, in the way his veins pulse inside his neck. You can see with how the ground strains as he digs his hoofs into it.

Because Comet Feet has reached the understanding that everything around him is worthy if hate.

Or, a more terrifying thought slowly crawls into your mind, it might be that the understanding has reached him. That is, it might be that Comet Feet has just reached, and maybe even crossed, the limit of what powers he is capable of restraining.

But as he looks up at you, his furious gaze causing your throat to go dry and your hairs stand on their end, you realize that he is not done yet.

"The fourth step," he says as he walks towards you, "is the step of enactment."

You already know that. Everypony in this room already knows that. You all know that the highest intensity of an Influence may only be reached by "enacting" a Lore.

But the way Comet Feet just said that, as if he was reading out a death sentence, makes you all realize that perhaps you didn't quite understand what that means.

And that he is about to show you.

Comet Feet walks up towards you. Everything about him, from the way he is moving to the way he is looking at you, making it clear that he could murder you as easily as he is breathing right now.

He walks up to you, and he stops just as he is about to graze against the tip of your horn. The very air around him so sharp, you can feel it, that it almost hurts you.

"Scar me," he says.

And you don't even hesitate. A small part of your mind understands what he is doing. A small part of you remembers a few sermons from your Master, when she taught you about the importance of scars and physical lessons, and how pain might be a teacher in some cases.

But to be honest, you don't really care about that. You obey Comet Feet's words because his tone brooks no disobedience.

So, you take up your own knife with your trembling hoof.

And you slowly…

Fearfully…

Bring it to Comet's chest.

You then touch the sharp tip of your knife against his coat, your heart pounding inside your chest and your whole body going stiff at how terrified you are from being this close to him.

And you sheepishly… push the tip of the knife towards him.

Until you see a drop of blood.

And the drop of blood becomes a small trickle.

After that, despite much as your hoof is shaking, you begin to work on making a wound that might be somewhat straight. And maybe just deep enough to leave a sca-

!!!!!

You yelp, in surprise and in pain. Several ponies in the Cadre jumping back at how suddenly it happens.

Because one moment you were holding the knife with your hoof, doing your best not to drop it in fear as you tried to cut a shallow scar into Comet Feet's chest.

And on the next moment Comet Feet's hoof is grabbing your foreleg. His grip on you so terrible that you almost fear he might break your bones.

You can see that he is glaring at you, his mouth open in a snarl that makes your eyes burn up with terrified tears.

However, to your growing horror, you also realize that the way he is grabbing onto you also means you wouldn't be able to drop the knife even if you tried.

And with a strength that you would not be able to resist even if you mustered all your might, he brings your hoof, and the knife you are holding, closer to his chest.

You can only watch, tears beginning to fall down from your eyes, as the monster that looks like Comet Feet sinks the knife deeper and deeper into his own chest.

"I told you," it says, its face so close to yours that you can smell its breath, the horrid smell of heat, blood and dust making your nose ache, "to scar me."

Until you finally can't take it anymore. You close your eyes, and when you realize you can still see through your closed eyelids you turn your face away. Because you can't bear to watch, even as you feel how it sinks the knife into its chest all the way to the hilt. Even as you somehow feel the knife sinking into its heart. Even as you feel it pull away your foreleg, your hoof still holding onto the knife, and somehow the knife emerging from its chest without a drop of blood, and with nothing but a scar where the knife had been moments ago.

When it lets go of your foreleg, the only thing you can do is hug yourself, your eyes still closed shut as you try to make yourself as small as possible.

And eventually, the monster that looks like Comet Feet leaves.

It takes you, and the rest of the Cadre, a long while before you dare to leave the ritual room.

You look at Fluttershy, as she tries her best to gather whatever little courage she has. You look at Fluttershy, as she braces herself to… to what? To make a stand? To try and pressure somepony else? To make a demand?

You don't know.

And apparently neither does Fluttershy.

It is almost admirable how she tries, then, even if she doesn't know what she is trying to do to begin with.

"He… he came here earlier and… and he said he will be gone for a while."

You can tell from her tone that she is conflicted. Almost scared. Even though she is in her own home, and confronting somepony who she knows has lied to her in the past. Even then, she still looks like she is not sure she should be doing this.

But for some reason, although you can tell just how hesitant she is… no, exactly because she is so hesitant, you can also see that she is forcing herself to do this.

"But I… I mean… even though he said he would come back, he… it sounded like there was a chance he might not... And I…"

You see the mare furtively look at a corner of the room, and you can almost picture that corner as being the place where they had part of this… this conversation? This discussion? This fight?

You don't know either of them well enough to tell.

But you can tell for sure that both of them act very… uncharacteristically, when close to each other.

"And I-I… I told him he didn't have to go… whatever it was, I said he didn't need to do it. Because he looked... uhm... he looked upset... But still, he…"

By the heavens. You actually realize that you have no idea just how hard this is being for her.

Because she clearly has no social skills. It might be that she doesn't even have any friends, and maybe even her family has strained relationships with her.

So this situation she is going through right now... for her, it must be...

Does she even care about other ponies? Has she ever cared about another pony before? Is this the first time she is suffering because she is worried about somepony else? Because as silly as that might sound, you can tell from how distressed she is that this is something very new, and painful, and frightening, for Fluttershy herself.

"A-and he… I tried asking but… he was so vague…! He d-didn't tell me what, o-or why, or when or h-how… And I… I just…!"

Her voice is trembling. Her body is trembling. And for some reason, you can tell that her entire life she never really minded being in the company of nothing but animals and critters. But that right now… for the first time in her life, perhaps, she is truly feeling alone.

As if she had just been taught the meaning of company, pony company that is, only to have it taken away from her.

Fluttershy says all that, and even though she lacks the words, or the courage to say them, you can clearly understand that she left unsaid how much she "wants to know what is going on".

And with that, you decide to…

[] Write in, what you will say and/or do.

You have successfully aided Comet Feet in summoning an Edge Influence.

You will also aid the cult in other Influence rituals in preparation for the assault on the changeling hive.

Regarding your decision on what to say or do to Fluttershy, QM vetoing will apply. But you have a very large latitude on what to do.

That is to say, I trust you to understand what you can or can't do. And if you make a decision, I understand you will be willing to face the consequences. Even attempting (key word being attempting) to induce Fluttershy into the cult right now is acceptable. The only thing I can immediately say that Velvet Feet wouldn't be willing to do is take Fluttershy to see the monster that looks like Comet Feet.

And if you want a rule of thumb, consider this a decision similar to what you did with Cadance. I will write the winning vote down, and it will be carried on into the future.

Other than that, six hours moratorium.

OurLadyOfWires · Aug 24, 2024

[X] Plan Staying at Home and Writing Letters
-[X] A sense of urgency: There has never been any need for this, not for this much at least. No more double-checking, no more zeal. There are far more important things to be done. (5 personal actions. Does not cause suspicion. DEFAULT PICK)
-[X] You don't have time for this. (Costs 0 actions. You will only roll ONE healing dice.)
-[X] The medicine taste is worse than its appearance. But it is exactly what you need, if they are to be believed… (Costs 30 bits. One dice will auto-succeed)
-[X] (Servants) Look for books in Ponyville.
-[X] (Cult Minions) Assist with summoning Windigos.
-[X] (Flourishing Risen) Tail not!Twilight
~~-[X] (Rarity) Call her, you have a lot of things to tell her… and then a few introductions to make. (Induct her into the cult)~~
-[X] (Jade) Search for changeling infiltrators in Ponyville
-[X] (Selene) Knock.
-[X] (Attention of the Laws) Grail: Talk with Rarity.
-[X] (Knock) Find a new location in the Woods.
-[X] Read books: Grail 3, Heart 2, Heart 3.
-[X] Fleeting opportunity: Assist with casting Influences and AotL.
-[X] Fleeting opportunity: Write Letter to Father
-[X] Fleeting opportunity: Visit Fluttershy
-[X] Help Windy Flakes run the cult.

- - -

[x]"Comet Feet... he's strong. Stronger than anyone I know. He has become that strong because he wishes to protect those ponies that can't protect themselves. Ponies like you. When you told him he didn't have to do this... you can guess why he took it badly. It would be like if someone told you you didn't have to take care of your animals. He feels it's his purpose. I'm sorry, but you can't help him with this, and I can't tell you much more without betraying his trust... but you can help him have some peace once he gets back. I'll do my best so he can come back to you once he's done".

You sit down on one of the cushioned seat on the large balcony connected to your room, and you feel the weight of your exhaustion slowly settle in as you ease your body into a seating position.

You are tired. Very tired.

And yes, you do realize it is only a bit past midday. But you just can't help it. There is too much to do, too many plates to keep spinning, too many little details to be mindful about so you don't accidentally worry your loved ones. And most importantly, there is too little time.

Way too little time. And you can say that with confidence because your Master finally deigned to give you, Windy and the cult as a whole something that is both a gift and a curse.

She gave you all a deadline.

Of course, as it befits your Master, she didn't really give you a deadline per se. She did not give you all a clear message, or a day to work with, or even something as vague as a riddle speaking about moon phases and alignments.

But she did give you something… very close to it.

Starry was the first to feel it, and the first to tell you all about it. She came to you and Windy Flakes one day, while you were in the club, looking like a filly in Hearth's Warming. It took you and the stallion several minutes just to get her to say something you could understand, because of how excited she was. And still, all she could say was that "something was coming".

It took you and Windy a lot longer to get a better explanation out of her.

But eventually, you understood what Starry meant by that. And two nights later, you confirmed that she was right. You felt it yourself.

It happened while you were in the Woods, one night. You were in the Woods, studying the Dry Well from afar, when you suddenly had a… a feeling. A sensation of sorts.

And true to Starry's words, there really wasn't any way to describe it other than that something was coming. Because what you felt was a… a foreboding feeling, of sorts. A dreadful certainty of… of restlessness, that something will happen soon. A rising tension that, you realized, came from somewhere deep in the Woods, like a black wind of sorts. As if the Woods itself was slowly tensing up.

You felt it, and following your idea that the feeling, whatever it was, came from the deeper parts of the Woods, Jade and Windy also confirmed it in the following nights. And eventually, the restless winds reached far enough towards the edges of the Woods that even the cultists who had only recently passed the Crossroads could feel it.

Needless to say, that riled up the cult into a frenzy of preparation.

Because the Master will call upon you all soon, you are certain of it.

So, you are tired. Because as soon as you and Windy realized what that sign meant, you began working on your final preparations. Or rather, you had one final meeting where the two of you decided what to prioritize, what you could get done on time, and what you would just have to do without. Because none of you knew if that foreboding sense meant you still had a whole week to work with, or just a single day.

You prepared a last pair of reagents with what little time and resources could be spared. You aided in casting one last Influence of Forge, the most practical and least readied Lore the two of you agreed that should be readied. Windy and his trusted underlings prepared the supplies. And that was it.

Now, there is nothing to do but wait.

And that is why you are sitting, exhausted at how nerve-wrackingly tense these last few days were, and waiting.

Because there really isn't anything you could start preparing now that would be finished on time… or at least that's what that ominous sensation tells you.

There is nothing left for you to do now, but wonder if what you prepared was enough.

"Excuse me ma'am," Ponpon's voice suddenly comes from behind you, and you think you would have jumped up in surprise if you weren't so tired. "Jade Whistle is at the door. May I let her in?"

Wait, she is? You pick up her burned-candle scent a moment later, and you realize that Ponpon is right. You can feel the mare patiently waiting by the front door, at the tail end of the garden.

The fact that you didn't notice Ponpon approaching, and that you failed to realize Jade had also entered your estate, makes you wonder if you dozed off for a second.

You probably did. Ponpon usually lets Jade and Rarity in without asking you. So the fact that she came here first must mean Ponpon intended to make sure you were awake.

It seems that you are more tired than you thought, then… and that's precisely the thing you know Ponpon would have picked up on.

"Yes, Ponpon, please do that. Thank you," you say, blinking a few times and straightening up on your seat. "Could you also bring us some tea? Oh, and Rarity is on the way. Could you let her in when she arrives?"

"Of course, ma'am," the mare says, and moments later you hear, and then feel, her make her way back into the house.

And with that, you prepare yourself to go over everything one last time.

- - -

As pleasant as it is, to spend time with your closest friends, the three of you could not waste the opportunity to talk about some really important things...

-You haven't mentioned your visit to Fluttershy to anypony. And regarding your visit to her, and what you told her, you simply are not sure of how the mare honestly felt about it. Mainly because she didn't say anything at all after you were done talking. She still looked distraught, but no more or less than when you first arrived. She didn't seem to be offended or angry at you, but you can also see how the mare getting angry at anything is nearly impossible… you just don't know. She didn't even thank you. However… she did purse her lips while you said your piece. You think she looked pensive... You can only hope she looked pensive. [Fluttershy will remember what you told her.]

-Rarity told you about the time she dedicated getting integrated into the cult. She was surprised at how many ponies from Ponyville are already a part of it, to the point that the whole town seems to have a "second layer", a secret part to it that is being shared by more and more ponies, to it that is slowly growing. She is also learning about the internal workings of the cult and might ironically become more knowledgeable about it than you in a short while. To the point, perhaps, that she might be able to be an agent in your favor from within, if the situation requires. [Rarity is now a member of the cult. Rarity has not yet met the Master. Rarity still has, as she had before, very large expectations that Twilight will be rescued.]

-Jade Whistle showed you the list. The list had twenty seven names, cutie marks and addresses on it. Neither of you know if the list is worryingly long… or worryingly short. She says she is almost sure she didn't find all of them, and you unfortunately know this isn't just her self-depreciation speaking. Still, it is the best you have, and you hope it will be enough to make the changelings incapable of striking back… with their local assets, at least. She also guaranteed you that none of the foals in town are changelings. And you believe her. [Jade Whistle has generated a Lantern 3 list of the changelings in town. She has rolled "well enough" for her level.]

-Your Flourishing Risen minion has reported to you, about the fake Twilight's movements. The companies that it has been keeping, its habits… It has allowed you and Jade to confirm a few names on her list, and add one more, even if only through circumstantial evidence. But unfortunately, it has not been able to find out how (or if) it communicates with any parties outside of Ponyville, or how (or if) it transports any prisoners, if any, to outside of town. [Flourishing Risen has not unearthed anything useful about the changeling infiltration this turn. Flourishing Risen has given a small bonus to Jade Whistle's efforts. Flourishing Risen's lookout will guarantee the fake Twilight will not be able to escape town during the purge.]

-And your servants, at your behest, presented you with a shortlist of titles they thought might interest you to purchase. You had nearly forgotten about that. [Servants rolled, with bonus, a total greater than 100. Servant book hunt capped at 100.]
--Book, Heart Level 4, "A scientific paper that must be decades old, or perhaps centuries, which makes an attempt at collating what is known about a particular tribe of the distant and enigmatic zebras. It goes into great detail about a certain custom the tribe had of… wearing the skin of large animals that they hunted, in order to harness their strength." Costing 60 bits.
--Book, Forge Level 3, "The book is simply titled 'Chemistry', and your servants reluctantly admitted that was the only word they understood in it. Of course you know they were being dramatic, but that also means that the contents of the book must be way, way beyond what they teach at schools." Costing 30 bits.
--Book, Secret Histories Level 2, "A hefty book detailing the charter rights of some of the smaller villages that dot Equestria. Not old enough to be terribly outdated, but not recent enough to have any legal or academic value either." Costing 15 bits.
-Books will be available for purchase at the beginning of the next voting turn.

- - -

Rarity catches on to the tension that is running between you and Jade Whistle. She has not yet passed through the Crossroads, although she has already been in enough of the smaller cult meetings (even if she has not yet been introduced to the Master) to begin her attempts. But still, she has not yet reached the edge of the Woods to feel what you and Jade have already felt.

But still, she shares your apprehension once you explain to her what you know. How something will happen soon, and the Woods itself seems to be reeling in anticipation.

You are running out of time.

More to follow.

OurLadyOfWires · Aug 24, 2024

You are Selene.

And you are shivering.

And cold.

And you have tears running down your face, even though you are almost not making any noises.

But most importantly, you are holding on to Mrs. Velvet for dear life. Hugging her chest with so much strength that your forelegs hurt. Your petrified grip showing just how terrified you are right now.

"Selene, mommy needs you to listen very carefully… and no matter what happened, mommy needs you to be absolutely honest. Do you understand?"

You nod at her. You nod at her even though you can barely understand what she is saying. Or rather, you do understand what she is saying, but only in a deep and unconscious way. You don't understand Mrs. Velvet's words in the sense that you aren't really thinking about them. In the sense that your mind can't really think about anything at all right now. But still, you nod to her, your eyes closed shut as you try your best to stifle your sobs and focus on the damp softness of her chest fur.

You nod in a way that only a terrified foal that is being held is capable of.

You nod to her… because of what you just told her. And because you understand, even if you don't know how, what you just did. And because her tone of voice, as gentle as she is trying to sound, can't really hide just how utterly serious she is right now.

"O-k… o-oka-y… I p-pr... omise..."

You nod, and you promise, because you don't know what to do. And because you are scared. And because you might have just done something horribly wrong. And because you don't want any of this anymore. And because you just want Mrs. Velvet to hold you and tell you everything will be alright.

You want her to do that, even though you know it won't be alright. You want her to lie to you, even though you know just how badly you messed up.

You want her to tell you that she doesn't hate you, even though you know this is all your fault. Even though you somehow know that it is always your fault, and that everything would be better if you didn't exist and if you weren't around to make everything worse.

"Alright," she takes a deep breath. And you tense up, terrified at both what just happened, and what she might be about to say next. "That door, the one you just told me that you found, hidden in daddy's dreams. The one that you said had his cutie mark engraved on it... did you leave it open?"

Your grip on Mrs. Velvet's chest grows even tighter, and a whimper escapes from your mouth as your tears begin to fall even faster.

- - -
- - -
- - -

You are Selene, and you think you are on to something.

Several somethings, in fact. Too many somethings, to be honest.

Lucky you, you have a diary to keep track of all the stuff that has been going on.

As you look back on these last few months, ever since your memory starts on that train ride with Mrs. Rarity and Mrs. Velvet, you can feel as if something has been happening to you. You are not sure what is giving you this feeling, and you have no idea of where any of this is going (if it's even going anywhere at all), but as you look back you can't help but feel as if… as if something is slowly coming together. Something big.

You feel as if… as if you were looking at a big jigsaw that is slowly coming together. And, just like how Silver Spoon taught you to start by the edges because the pieces are easier to find, you feel like this great jigsaw is slowly gaining some sort of shape.

Although it's not a square shape like jigsaws are supposed to be. It's this weird… strange shape, that reminds you of a…

That looks like a…

You decide to abandon this metaphor.

But still, you know that something is going on. And your suspicions turned into certainty less then a month ago, on that awkward night when you tried to sneak up on Mrs. Velvet's dreams. Sure, you have no idea how she woke up and knew you were there. Maybe it's the shampoo that Silky always puts too much of on your mane?

Anyways, regardless of how Mrs. Velvet woke up, it still happened that that night she literally admitted to you that she doesn't dream. Not like normal ponies do, anyways.

She also admitted to you that something hurt her. Which was something that you knew, first through this nagging and unexplainable feeling, and later through the nightmares that Silky and Mr. Stormchaser had.

But most importantly, Mrs. Velvet also confirmed to you, even if indirectly, that…

That something is going on.

That something is going on with you.

And that you are supposed to be doing something about it.

Or maybe you are wrong about all of this, and you're just going crazy or something. Who knows? Mr. Stormchaser has already promised you that there's nothing wrong with you, but you still don't remember anything from most of your life. That whole "am-knee-zia" that Mrs. Cheerilee explained to you so long ago. So you could just be wrong about all this.

But since you are not sure about whether if you are right or wrong, you have to keep looking into it.

And that is why you are here right now, inside Mr. Stormchaser's dream.

Mrs. Velvet made you a promise. She promised you that she would take care of the monster that hurt her, and you can say with confidence that it was a monster because you saw it, even if only in dreams. She promised you that, but you also made her a promise in return.

You promised you would keep taking care of Mr. Stormchaser and Silky.

And the monster is gone, just like she said it would be, which means that Mrs. Velvet kept to her promise just like you knew she would.

However, that doesn't mean that you have kept to your end of the bargain yet.

Because something is still haunting Mr. Stormchaser.

You are not sure what it is. You are not even sure why you think that. But as you kept practicing this weird magic of yours, going into Silky's dreams, and Soft's dreams, and even the dreams of one of your friends on the rare occasions you manage to not touch anypony after school, you slowly and surely began to notice it.

Everypony else's dreams, they have this… this calm feeling to it. As if they were truly resting while they were asleep, with silly dreams where they have a dream come true, or where they relive their day with a few different details, or where something plain and simply random just happens.

But not Mr. Stormchaser. Not him.

No. Ever since you have met him, ever since the first time you went into his dreams, he has always been dreaming about the storm. About those approaching clouds of blackness that surround the house from all directions. Never quite reaching him, but also never stopping to come close and closer either.

But you only noticed just how wrong that was after a good while. You only realized how… how bad that was, after you realized that nopony else seems to dream like he does.

And you know this is a problem. You aren't a doctor, and you don't even know if dream-doctors exist, but you somehow know that this is bad for him. Sure, it might not be a scary dream, or a hurtful dream, or anything like that. But you still understand that these dreams are heavy. That Mr. Stormchaser is carrying something heavy, inside of him.

So, you have to help him. You want to help him.

After all, you care for him, just like you care for Silky and Mrs. Velvet

So, again, this is why you are here right now. Inside Mr. Stormchaser's dream.

You look around you, taking in the now familiar sight of the entrance hall of your home.

Or rather, at the now familiar sight of the gloomy, dark-covered entrance hall of Mr. Stormchaser's dreams.

There is a bit of moonlight coming from some of the windows, but the place is large enough that you can't really see well with none of the candles being lit. So, you keep your eyes sharp, and your ears raised, as you walk around in the dark. After all, most of the nights you come here Mr. Stormchaser is in the rooftop, looking at the coming storm, but there have been a few times when you bumped into him on the corridors inside the house. And every time you tried to talk to Mr. Stormchaser in here, be it when you went to the rooftop or when you walked into him… well, those conversations never went anywhere.

Even when you tried to be straightforward with him, asking him what was wrong or just telling him that you two were inside a dream, he wouldn't tell you anything useful.

To the point that one time, the last time you tried talking to him, he even shouted at you. And the wave of sadness that you felt from him voice, as he yelled that he was the one who was supposed to be taking care of you, actually made you wake up on the spot.

And you couldn't feel mad or sad at him, for having acted that way. You just couldn't. Not with how you felt after waking up. Not after realizing how he felt, as he did that.

So, stopped trying to talk to Mr. Stormchaser directly, while in here.

And instead, you decided to do something a little more… subtle.

For the last few weeks, you have just been exploring Mr. Stormchaser's dream. You have been exploring this dream-house that he always dreams about, and slowly figuring out what was the same when compared to your real-life house, and what was different. You have also been keeping your progress written down in your diary, and by now you already have a small list weird things that you have noticed so far.

Like how the windows seem to be slightly wider in some places.

Or how Silky's room, and your room, are right next to Mr. Stormchaser's room, instead of being in their normal place on the other end of the corridor.

And how… how you haven't found a single picture of Mrs. Velvet yet. Well, you have found the pictures, they are in their proper places on the walls and whatnot, but they are all blurred and weird.

Like you said, a small list of weird things.

But nothing really useful. Nothing that could help you, even if indirectly, to understand what is wrong with Mr. Stormchaser, and why he can't have a good dream or a peaceful sleep.

So, you continue your search. Night in and night out, making sure Mr. Stormchaser is the last pony you hug goodnight before you go to sleep, as you keep adding more and more entries and weird facts into your diary.

Goodness… you really hope nopony ever reads that.

- - -

You think you have found it, the thing that you are looking for.

Well, you didn't really find it so much as you tripped on it. But the fact remains that you are sure, or almost entirely sure, that this is it.

However, you aren't really focused on what you found, right now. Instead, you are actually thinking about how you found it.

Because unless you are sorely mistaken, you think you know exactly what it is that you just did. Which, if you are right, also means that you might have found out how all of this works.

It actually wasn't that hard. No. It was, in fact, very simple.

You were pacing back and forth in the entrance hall, trying to remember where you should go next. You had already been through the upper floors, and everypony's rooms, several times, and you even looked around the rooftop once, doing your best not to be noticed by Mr. Stormchaser.

But as you paced, your thoughts started to float elsewhere. You thought back on what you did that day, and then the stuff you talked about with Scootaloo, until you idly remembered something that Mrs. Velvet said. Something that you can't remember in what context that she said it in, but that for some reason you could almost remember word for word.

"There's always a way, Selene. Always. The problem is finding it, and then opening the door that is blocking it. But there's always a way."

And as you remembered Mrs. Velvet's words, you immediately tripped on the protruding handle of the trapdoor that was hidden underneath the thick carpet of the entrance hall, falling face first on the ground.

And here you are right now, wondering what the hay just happened.

You are on the entrance hall, sitting on the ground, looking at the large lump that is jutting out from underneath the thick carpet that covers the whole hall.

The large lump, you can tell, is shaped like a mouth-handle. In fact, it is shaped exactly like a handle to a trapdoor. And you know there is a trapdoor underneath the carpet. You tested it, walking and jumping on the area around the lump and hearing the distinct sound of wood the muffled squeaks of rusty hinges.

In fact, the noises were so loud and characteristic that you wondered how you never noticed them before.

Which, in turn, made you realize "how" you found that, and "what" exactly just happened.

Specifically, you realized that the weird trapdoor, somehow hidden under the carpet, simply wasn't there before. In fact, you are pretty sure no such trapdoor exists in real life.

It just appeared there, while you were thinking about it and…

No… it wasn't just that… that didn't make sense.

That didn't make sense because you have been "thinking" about finding something, anything, to help you understand Mr. Stormchaser for a while now. You have been looking around the house, checking everywhere, for almost a whole month now, and this is the first time this happened.

So no, you didn't find this thing just because you willed about it. There was something else going on…

Something that you can't really explain.

But that somehow… somehow you just understand.

As if… as if you had a fifth leg, or a second tail, that you just managed to move and…

"And I really might be going mad," you say to yourself, shaking your head at as you realize you are thinking about having more body parts than you really do.

After all, you are an earth pony! It's not like you have wings or a horn.

"But still…" you say, as you look down at the carpet lump, dimly lit by a faint ray of moonlight coming from one of the high windows. "Still… something did just happen…"

And whatever the explanation for that is, you know that a deep part of you somehow understands it.

And of course, this also means that you now have a way forward!

However, a problem still remains.

That problem being the carpet itself.

Because no matter how much the sudden appearance of a hidden trapdoor might scream that you should explore it, you still have a thick layer of… whatever carpets are made of, between you and it. And for all that you have no idea how carpets work, you think they are nailed to the edges of the walls, or maybe glued to the floor, you know for a fact that you won't be able to bite through it.

"Hmm…" you mumble to yourself, scratching a hoof under your chin, "I think I get what Mrs. Velvet meant by that… I mean, I might have found the way, but I have no idea how to reach it."

You say that, and you slowly narrow your eyes as you look at the offending lump/door-handle.

And an idea slowly forms inside your mind.

"Okay… so…" you say out loud, not sure if you are talking to yourself, or to the dream, or to this weird deep thing you have inside of you that made the trapdoor appear. "So I did… something, and then you appeared… So if I try doing that same thing, but this time for something that will help me go through the carpet, then…"

You close your eyes. Because you have no idea how any of this works, but you think it will help.

You close your eyes, and then you bring your neck down, towards the door.

And then you open your mouth.

And you slowly… bite down, grabbing hold of the handle of the instrument that was not on the ground before. Bringing your neck up once again when you have it firmly held with your mouth.

This time, you felt it. You felt the weird something you have, deep inside of you. You felt it reach out, almost timidly, from the depths of your mind, or your heart, or perhaps of the middle of your forehead or your flank, even though there is nothing in either of those places.

But still, you felt it, as it coursed through your body and somehow changed the dream around you.

And then, you open your eyes, looking curiously at the thing you are holding with your mouth.

"!!!"

A shock runs through your body, and your mouth opens almost reflexively at the sudden fright.

Causing the large knife to fall down on the ground, making a loud metallic noise.

You just stare at it, eyes wide open, feeling your heart hammering inside your chest. Your body frozen solid with the surprise and ingrained fear that you are feeling.

As you look down towards the ground, staring at the knife you were holding just a moment ago. The knife that wasn't anywhere near you a few seconds before, that didn't exist until now.

You try your best to calm down your breath, as you realize that the knife is perhaps as large as the largest knife you ever saw in the kitchen, and you feel like you are doing something wrong just by being this close to it.

Because that is a very large knife. A very dangerous knife.

And fillies shouldn't play around with knives.

But there's more to that. You aren't just afraid of the knife itself. Your wide-open eyes aren't locked at the knife just because it is a knife, and because of all the times that Mrs. Cheerilee, and Ponpon, and Mrs. Velvet, and everypony else told you that you shouldn't ever fool around with that sort of thing.

No. You are like this because of an added detail.

Your heart is hammering inside your chest, as you look at it, because you also realize that… that you made that knife appear.

That you made it appear. That you somehow just brought into Mr. Stormchaser's dream something… something dangerous. Something that could hurt somepony else.

And the worst part is that… well, that this isn't even your dream.

You just realized that, somehow, you just managed to interfere with Mr. Stormchaser's dream. You just changed something that is inside his head.

And that feels like all sorts of wrong.

Does this make you dangerous? Could you actually hurt somepony by doing this?

Could it be that you could somehow change Mr. Stormchaser's dreams so much that you turned it into a nightmare? Can you even be so sure that you haven't already done that before?

What if the clouds around his dreams, the ones that he always dreams about, are somehow your fault?

What if you are the monster? The one that hurt Mrs. Velvet and tried to get into your sister's dreams?!

You step back from the knife, slowly, as if you were somehow at risk of falling into it and getting hurt by virtue of even standing close to it.

And then you look around, as a cold splash of thoughts occurred to you and you begin to wonder if you should even be doing this. If you should even be here, inside somepony else's head, peeking into their very dreams while there are asleep and defenseless.

This feels wrong. All of this feels wrong.

And yet…

"But I…"

And yet, the fact remains that…

"But I promised that…"

The fact remains that you have already come this far.

And what is more, you are doing this, all of this, because you care about Mr. Stormchaser. Because you want to help him. You have to help him.

You wouldn't be able to say that you are part of his family, and that you love him, and Silky, and Mrs. Velvet, if you aren't ready to do this.

If you aren't willing to do this.

Because Mrs. Velvet has already taught you that sometimes it's alright to lie to ponies you love, if it's for the best, hasn't she?

Well, then that also means that sometimes it's alright to do something slightly wrong, something that the ponies you love might not exactly agree to, if you know it's for the best.

"Well… at least I think this will be for the best," you say, as you hesitantly walk back towards the large and heavy knife, picking it up between your teeth. "I hope… this will be for the best."

And with that, you slowly, and very carefully, begin to cut the thick carpet.

You feel like you are doing something very wrong.

You feel like you are a very bad filly, for doing something like this.

You feel like you are doing something much worse than just cutting a carpet. Because the carpet was hiding something, and you know you are inside a dream, where things don't really have to mean what they look like they mean.

But still, you press on.

Because you really, really want to help Mr. Stormchaser.

- - -

The trapdoor revealed stairs.

The stair led you down to a corridor.

The corridor led you down to a hall.

It was an imitation of your house. A mirrored version of the place Mr. Stormchaser dreams about every night.

Except that everything was wrong.

The doors, they didn't take you to the room anymore. They didn't take you to the room, or the kitchen, or the outside. They didn't take you anywhere, not in the sense that it took you to a place.

Instead, they took you to… to scenes? To other places? To the past?

They took you to memories. To Mr. Stormchaser's memories.

And once you realized that, you honestly started to feel wrong about all of that.

Because you knew that you were so deep inside the dream, so deep inside Mr. Stormchaser's mind, that it was absolutely possible that you would see things he wouldn't want you to see.

Behind one door, you saw the first time Silky said a word.

Behind another, a door that lead to him arguing with somepony you didn't know.

Behind yet another, you Mr. Stormchaser hugging Mrs. Velvet. And for some reason, she was crying.

And the deeper you went into the house, the whole place seeming to stretch to give room to more and increasingly older-looking doors, the more that scene became common.

You… stopped opening doors, after a point.

But for all that you felt bad, for all that you knew you were doing something very wrong, you still couldn't bring yourself to leave.

Because you somehow knew, you just knew, that you were still looking for something.

Until you found it.

In a corner that should lead to nowhere in your real house, at the end of a corridor that didn't exist, you found a door.

But that door, unlike all the other doors you saw up to that moment, was different. You could feel that it was special. More than that, you could see that it was special.

Because unlike all the other doors, that one was new and well-kept, polished almost to a shine.

And it had Mr. Stormchaser's cutie mark on it.

…

There was also something… something else, that was different about that door.

…

You sensed it, as you approached it.

…

You felt it, as your hoofsteps took you closer and closer to the door. A looming impression that… that there was something very wrong with that door.

…

You heard it, when you got close enough that you could timidly press your ear against the door. You could hear a faint… a faint sound of wrong, coming from the other side. An echoing, distant, but sickeningly close noise of… of scraping, and licking, and wanting, that for some reason made you nauseous just by listening to it.

…

You could almost see it, trying to force its way through the closed door, trying to crawl in through the gaps that weren't there, and through the keyhole that didn't exist.

…

You felt all of that, and more, as you stood before the closed door that bore Mr. Stormchaser's cutie mark.

And yet…

And yet, your eyes couldn't leave the doorknob.

Because for all that you were scared. For all that you knew that you were doing something wrong…

You have already come this far.

And no matter what, you wanted to help Mr. Stormchaser. You had to help Mr. Stormchaser. Because you cared for him, and he cared for you.

And since you knew that something was hurting Mr. Stormchaser, and making his dreams be heavy and dark… well, everything pointed to you that this thing was what was behind this door, right?

Right…?

Right.

It had to be that.

There was no way you could be wrong about this.

And just like what Mrs. Velvet told you, the fact that you were feeling scared just mean that now was the time to be brave.

Y-you… you were just putting in practice what she taught you. You were helping her.

You were doing this to help your family.

Because you loved them.

So, with a trembling hoof, you slowly reached to the doorknob.

- - -
- - -
- - -

You are Lady Velvet Covers, and right now your thoughts are racing inside your head, your heart beating faster than it ever did before in your life.

It is the middle of the night. And you just woke up because your daughter's scent suddenly and without warning spiked into almost panicked alertness. But since you didn't hear anything, be it a noise or a scream, or feel anything else near her, you merely slipped out of bed without waking your husband.

And when you found her, she latched onto you with a strength that was almost alarming. Crying into your chest, weeping as she hugged you and apologized and tried to say several other unintelligible things at the same time.

But for all that you are trying your best to comfort her, you also realize that you can't. You just can't.

Because Selene, for all that she did it in whimpers and stutters, eventually told you why she is so upset.

And what she told made you freeze on the spot. Your scent suddenly becoming very worried about also keeping track of your husband, as he noiselessly shifts and moves back on your bed. Your hug on Selene becoming more and more of a protective stance. Your mind slowly tracking how many steps away you are from Silky, and how far away your ~~sleeping~~ husband is from your two daughters.

"Selene, sweetheart…" you ask again, trying your best to sound as calm as possible. Because if she realizes how scared you are, then she will get even worse. You have to be strong now. Your daughters need you to be strong right now. "Mommy is going to ask you again… the door in daddy's dream, the one with his cutie mark… did you leave it open…?"

A chill runs down your spine as you feel Selene trying to answer, as you feel her hiccupping breath trying to form words and an answer.

"I… I d-did…"

Your blood turns cold.

You feel your husband get off from your bed.

"I d-didn-t o-ope…n... i-it…"

Selene says that, and you feel your body practically sag with the sudden wave of relief.

"t-the do-oor… W-when I t-touched the-e doork-knob… I-I saw what w-as… w-what was on t-the other s-s-sid… what was behind it, a-and I couldn't…"

You realize that you are covered in cold sweat, and you feel your body untensing so much that it is almost painful. That is, Selene's hug suddenly became a lot more painful now that your body is no longer stiff.

"Shh, shh, it's alright Selene, you didn't do anything wrong. Mommy promises."

With that, you slowly try to calm Selene down, running your hoof through her mane as you hug her back a lot more gently than before.

"B-but… bu-ut I…!"

"Velvet? What happened? What's going on?" you hear Stormchaser's drowsy voice coming from the door, your husband slowly fumbling his way towards you in the darkness of Selene's room.

"Selene had a nightmare," you say, as the stallion reaches the two of you, "nothing you should worry about, love. Go back to bed, I'll go down make her some hot chocolate."

Your husband agrees with what you said with little resistance, giving Selene a soft kiss to the forehead before telling her everything will be alright. Of course, that has almost no effect on the filly, but the two of you know from experience that these kinds of night take time.

So, after your husband is gone, you gently move Selene until she is holding onto your back, and you slowly take her downstairs to give her some much needed treats.

"Don't worry, love, shh, shh… everything will be alright," you promise her as you gently carry her on your back.

You will wait a long time, a whole week at least, before you tell her not to go near those doors. You are sure she will avoid dreams altogether for even longer, considering how terrified she is right now.

But for now, you will take care of her.

In fact, you think as an idea comes to your mind, you think you will tell Silky to invite her friends over for a sleepover. Selene could certainly use the company, and the dreams, of her friends.

Besides, that way you will also have all her friends here for when… it happens. It will certainly make you feel better, that you will ensure that at least they are safe from anything

But for now, the only thing you are really worrying about is making sure your Selene is alright.

Selene has gone deeper into a dream than ever before, and has learned that there are more to them than what the dreamers merely see.

Selene's KNOCK is now Level 2.

Selene has learned about the four Natures, and is reaching closer to her own. Deeper lessons are required now, if she is to reach her true nature.

OurLadyOfWires · Aug 24, 2024

You are Flower Serenade, and right now you are… you are happy.

Yes. You are happy.

But not in an excited, all-consuming way. You are not happy as if you were a filly in a harvest celebration, or as if you had just heard a funny joke and were laughing about it.

No. You are not just happy "right now".

You are happy in the sense that your life is in a happy place. In the sense that you can look at yourself in the mirror every day and, even if you are not smiling all the time, you can tell yourself that… that everything is fine. That you are fine.

And that's what makes this happiness so special.

You have been living in Ponyville for a few months now. But to be honest, you feel like you have done more things during these short few months than all the rest of your life put together.

After all, you have moved to a town that, even though almost everypony says is "backwater and idyllic" seems to have something going on in it almost every day. And compared to the farming community you came from, those few acres of cultivated land dotted every now and then by a house, Ponyville is large enough for you to not have been everywhere in it yet.

But much more excitingly, you have been active in a way you never were before! You have made new friends, you have been learning and growing, and you even managed to become useful at something that isn't just related to a single patch of land that you would work in for the rest of your life.

That's not to say that you don't miss your family. Of course you miss them, and you still love them. But you also… well, you can't really say you miss your old life.

You also… definitely don't miss the time before Ponyville, after you left your family for…

… after you left them for-

You shake your head, realizing you zoned out for a second thinking about… huh, you're not actually sure what it was.

Probably nothing important, you figure.

But enough reminiscing about this and that. You have important things to do today, so you better get to it!

- - -

Your saddle bag sways gently on your side as you walk down the road.

You already know this path well, to the point that you don't even have to think about it as you turn at the correct turns and follow the right streets that will eventually take you to the Wildhoof Club. But even though you know this path well, you still walk slowly as you make your way through it.

Or at least, that's what most of your friends would say, if they were walking with you. But you disagree. You're not the one who walks slowly, it's everypony else that walks too fast! You walk at just the right pace, taking your time to appreciate the tall stone houses everypony has (which still feel slightly strange and novel to you) together with the individual touch that they all seem to carry. You really like how much the scenery around you contrasts with the traditional feeling your family house had. So, just like you always do, you allow yourself to take in that feeling as you calmly stroll towards the Wildhoof Club.

It might be that one day you will get used to this, and that maybe the hustle of a big town like Ponyville will get into you and you will start walking fast everywhere you go like everypony else. But that day hasn't come yet, and there's nopony here to force you to do anything, so you will keep doing things at your own pace.

A few minutes later you reach the Wildhoof Club, its double-door entrance wide open as you walk through it.

And a smile immediately comes to your face.

The first place you walk into as you enter the building is the Red Bar. Of course, since it's the middle of the morning, the large saloon-like hall doesn't really look like a bar at all. Instead, you can see several ponies dressed in club uniform dutifully setting up tables and chairs to transform the place into a nice and cozy restaurant.

And your smile grows slightly wider at that. For several reasons. You are smiling because you have already been among those employees before, having worked at the club for a few weeks after you arrived in Ponyville. Which also means that you know everypony around you. In fact, many of the first friends you made here in Ponyville are among them, seeing how they were the first ponies who you saw every day that didn't hurt you you worked with them.

But you are also smiling because, well, coming to the club also has a second meaning for you. A secret meaning. Because you know that this place is more than just a club. You know that this isn't just a place for ponies to spend their time on leisurely, or just a pleasant place where ponies come to have fun. No, this is much more than that, and you know it. You know about the unused rooms in the back, where meetings take place at specific hours of specific days. You know about the blocked-off corridors upstairs, which can only be accessed by "members" of the club, where they are slowly furbishing a workshop and where they keep the library.

You even know about the entrance to the underground parts of the club, through the hidden trapdoor on the room that's permanently marked as "under renovations".

Of course, you do realize that you are not better than anypony else just because of this, and you know that this doesn't make you special or anything because you are not. But still, it makes you feel happy to know that you are also part of this. To know that you are a part of something that is both a secret and way larger than yourself. That you have been taken in by a group of ponies who were genuinely kind to something like you you, even though they had no obligation to help you.

And, in turn, it also makes you happy that they didn't just take you in and help you, but also made you one of them.

To put it simply, you really like this place. You really like the Wildhoof Club, and you really like being part of the cult.

"Hey there Flowey! Diligent as ever I see," a voice comes to you as you walk through the Red Bar, "the way you still come here almost every day makes some of us think you still work with us."

"Ah, hi there Caramel!" you immediately turn towards the coming mare, right on time to watch Caramel Glow set three different tables with a wave of her glowing horn. "How are you doing? How's the morning been so far?"

"Eh, same as usual," she says, setting up a few chairs around each table with her magic before heading towards you. "Cleaning up the place after last night's afterhours, making sure everything is ready for the lunch rush. And I actually got picked to do this week's inventory, so I have that drag to look forward to."

You giggle at little bit at the way her voice sounds slightly whinny, to which she answers by rolling her eyes.

"But enough about me. You heading up to the library as usual?" she asks, not looking surprised at all when you nod to her, "well, what the hay. I'm pretty sure we're all set up here, and nopony will miss me for just five minutes. I'll walk you there."

"Oh, no no no. You can't use me as an excuse to skimp on work, Caramel. That's all sorts of wrong!" you say, trying to sound as admonishing as your father used to whenever he thought you or your siblings were slacking on the fields.

Although, knowing Caramel Glow, you already know just how much that will work.

"Pff. Try and stop me then," she says, a smirk appearing on her face as she starts walking (ahead of you, even!) towards the corridor that will take you to the stairs up.

You shake your head at her, even though you can't really get rid of the smile you always get on your face when she acts like that.

After all, you know that for all that Caramel Glows tries to act as if she is irresponsible, she really does put a lot of effort into her work. She even mentioned it to you why, once, some time ago. You didn't ask for details, since you can understand not wanting to talk about something, but the mare seems to come from a family where… well, she happened to be the only unicorn born in her family, and from what you understood everypony around her thought she "had it easy" just because she could do magic.

And you completely understood, from her tone and her expression, just how harsh her family must have been to her.

Also, Caramel Glow was the very first friend you made here in Ponyville! So no matter what she does, you always end up looking the other way or giving her a pass. The mare always swearing, through a dramatic smile, that "that would be the last time" she ever did… whatever it was that you would be trying to persuade her not to do.

In the end, it really is like that saying you hear around the club: You can't stay mad at those Grailers.

"Anyways, what are you up to today? Gonna practice your writing again? I think your calligraphy is getting a lot better."

"Thank you!" you say, genuinely happy at her compliment, "but no. Today I'm going to…"

You trail off for a few moments, looking around you to make sure there is nopony in earshot.

"This is actually a secret," you say in a low tone, and Caramel conspiratorially inches closer to you so she can hear your whispers more clearly. "But Mr. Lockpick gave me something, that I brought in my saddle bag. He says it's a test, and I'm going to try doing it today."

"Ohhhh, is that so? My my, Flowey dear, aren't you a favored little star apprentice," she says, making you blush a little bit.

"I-I'm not a favored… Mr. Lockpick doesn't favor me or anything! He is just teaching me what he knows and..."

"Yeah, right… Flowey, honey, old Lockpick is a Chosen. Everypony knows he's the best Knock-user in the Cult, if you're not one of those nutjobs who believes the Loremaster exists. And he not only offered you a job at his locksmith store, but also invited you to live with him. While he teaches you stuff," she says, her whispered words growing more and more amused as she speaks, and her tone of voice making you blush even further. "If that isn't having a higher up favoring you, then I don't know what is."

"W-well… I just think he's really nice…" you say meekly, feeling the mare's amused stare on you as you speak, "he reminds me of my grampa and…"

Caramel interrupts you with a giggle, shaking her head as the two of you walk up the stairs to the second floor.

"By Celestia, Serenade, I have a lot to learn from you… But anyways, what's this test he gave you? How does it work?"

Silently thanking Caramel for changing the subject, the two of you continue to talk as you make your way towards the Bright Library.

The two of you go through the two locked doors, walk by Sharp Eye in his usual guard spot, and head to the part of the Club building where the walls were made thicker, and the windows were discreetly blocked up when the place was refurbished.

Until you finally reach the wooden door itself, with its intricate carving of a large spider, who is catching the rays of the high sun into her webs and spinning them into the shape of a scroll.

And as usual, in the few minutes it took the two of you to reach that place, you have already changed subjects three times, and are currently in the middle of a heated discussion.

"I'm telling you, Caramel, I know just as much as you do. Besides, I really think that is something that would be disrespectful to ask. So no, I don't know how a pony gets picked into the Chosen."

"Booh. You live with one and you don't even try to learn some juicy bits of information?" she says, making a fake expression of shock with her hoof covering her mouth, "but really, though. That's something I've been trying to find out. Because I heard that a pony can become one by doing… something about deciphering riddles in the Woods? Some kind of treasure hunt challenge that, if you manage to finish, will make the Loremaster appear to you."

You tilt your head slightly at that, mirroring Caramel's doubtful expression at what she just told you. After all, that wouldn't be the first time you heard a weird rumor about how you can "summon" the Loremaster if you do this or that.

But of course, you know that those rumors are all fake… even though you did try one of them once, the one where you repeat those words in front of a mirror and…

"But the thing is," Caramel continues, interrupting your thoughts, "I also heard that being a Chosen means a different thing. And that they were picked waaaay back then, before even I entered the Cult… Something about a very important ritual the Master did, and how she shared a secret with the Chosen at the end of it."

You furrow your brow at that. Your mind unconsciously trying to see if you remember something, some memory of what Mr. Lockpick might have told you once, that could align with what Caramel just told you…

Until you realize what is happening, and you immediately shake your head.

"Oh no, I'm not falling for that again Caramel," you say, waving a hoof into the air as if to dismiss a thought bubble that was hanging over your head. "I don't have time to talk about your conspiracy theories. Not today. And besides, you have to get back to work!"

Caramel Glow looks at you as if you had just insulted her, and you can practically see the words "it's not a conspiracy theory, it's the truth!" forming in her mind.

But the mare decides to just give you a short neigh, and you breathe a sigh of relief with how quickly she agreed to drop her (favorite, you must add) subject.

"Well, it seems my best friend isn't willing to learn the secrets I want to share, so have it your way," she says, dramatically waving her mane towards you as she turns to leave, "but don't you come crying once you realize I reached higher than you!"

You have to take a hoof to your mouth to stifle your laughter, but moments later the mare is back to normal and actually waving you a goodbye.

"Anyhow, see you later Flowey! Say a prayer at the shrine for me!"

"Alright, I will. And good luck with the rest of your shift," you say to her retreating back.

And when the mare turns around a corner and disappears from your sight, you turn to face the large wooden door to the Bright Library.

Shaking your head one final time, and trying your best to gather your focus, you go through the door.

- - -

The short candle you have on the reading desk, the one your mother taught you to make so it would last three hours, flickers and dies. Meaning that your time is up.

And you let out a muffled sigh of frustration.

You are inside the Bright Library in one of the more isolated parts near the back.

Of course, when you say "the back" you refer to the most important part of the library. The part that everypony refers to as "the Loremaster's section". The section being named like that because, even though the whole Bright Library is dedicated to the Loremaster, it has also been separated into three distinct sections. Even if only informally.

The Bright Library doesn't have an official librarian. Or rather, nopony has dared to step up to the task in fear of offending the Loremaster. So, the first part of the library, the one closest to the door, is somewhat disorganized, filled with books of all kinds of titles and subjects, and is overall rarely used. That unnamed section of the library having been born more due to ponies bringing books of their own here, as the Bright Library was initially used as a community library of sorts when it was first furbished… or so you heard.

The second part of the library is referred to as "The Discussion". The name coming from how it is filled with short texts and hoof-written scrolls made by several members of the cult. Most of those texts, at first, were written by other cult members, each of them being an informal collection of their own individual views and observations about the Lores. Although according to what you have heard, as time passed, some scrolls began to be written in answer to other scrolls. And as more time passed, the namesake Discussion eventually took shape, turning into the mess of rebuttals and counter-theories that it is today. Covering rows upon rows of bookcases, with texts and arguments that you hear are sometimes outright rude, with some scrolls and papers tucked in between that don't have anything to do with the Lores to begin with.

You mostly avoid that section, seeing how there isn't anything you know you can trust in there, and you don't think you know nearly enough to participate in The Discussion itself.

And at the very back of the library, of course, is the Loremaster's section. The place where, without rhyme or reason, a new scroll will appear every now and then. A scroll that is worth its weight in gold, mind you, that shines light upon some new detail or facet of the Lores with an ease that makes a lot of cult members feel like fumbling foals. The scrolls, whenever a new one appears, are copied exhaustively for cult consumption, slowly filling up the bookcases that are expectantly kept empty in waiting, with the originals being kept under the shrine itself.

So, sitting by one of the more isolated parts near the corner of the Loremaster's section, you let out a frustrated sigh.

You have a copy of "Of Snakes and their Ways" in front of you, the text that you have already read so many times, after Mr. Lockpick pointed it to you as being the go-to text on Knock, that you already know several bits and parts of it by heart.

Although, of course, you realize that knowing a text by heart and understanding it are two different things. Case in point, the second object you have on the desk in front of you, the "test" Mr. Lockpick gave you, still lies unsolved.

Or rather, it still is locked.

The test itself is a small cube, about the size of your hoof. A tiny, closed box with a single keyhole on one of its sides. It's a lock, one that Mr. Lockpick created himself, that he gave you a few days ago when you asked how you would know if you had reached the second step of Knock.

Opening the small box was the test, of course. Something you have been trying to do for a while now, and that you thought you would be able to do after double-checking a part of the text you thought you had misremembered.

But even after three hours of hard work, it seems that… well… that you really aren't good at anything, you worthless, useless mud-pony who's only good for-

You shake your head, realizing you had spaced out for a few seconds. These last three hours of effort must have been more tiring than you thought.

But still, even though you haven't succeeded today, you know that doesn't mean anything! You will keep trying, and you will keep learning, and you are going to open this lock and show Mr. Lockpick how much of a good teacher he is! Just wait and see!

Nodding to yourself, you start packing up your things into your saddle bag. Picking up the several broken lockpicks that are scattered around the reading desk, the few strands of mane you tried to test as pulling levers, and the several other assorted things you tried (and failed) to use to open the lock. Of course, you also put away the copy of the text, placing it back in the bookcase you got it from, and make sure the candle you used to keep time didn't make a mess anywhere.

With all of that done, you make your way out of the library. Making sure, as any sensible pony would, to say a small prayer to the shrine, and its intricately carved statue of a spider sitting on top of a scroll, before you leave.

You do that out of respect, of course, but also because you have already heard more than enough stories about ponies who had misfortune fall upon them, after they benefited from the Loremaster's knowledge without expressing their gratitude for her gifts.

And, as the saying goes, "just because the Loremaster doesn't exist, that doesn't mean she isn't real".

So, you say your thanks, and move out to leave. Making your way to the Red Bar, so you can talk to Caramel Glow one last time before you head back to Mr. Lockpick's home.

- - -

As usual, you passed by the cake shop on your way back home to pick up some cupcakes, the ones that Mr. Lockpick likes and always says that tastes "Glorious". And right after that, you reach his house.

Like many in Ponyville, Mr. Lockpick's home is on the second floor of his shop, the place having a large sign with his cutie mark painted on it over the entrance. So, you are not really surprised to see that the door is open, and the shop is already set up for the day.

However, you are surprised when you don't see Mr. Lockpick behind the counter. Especially given how the old stallion is very particular about not leaving the store unattended.

And as you walk into the store, looking around curiously, your ears perk up as they start to pick up on a faint sound. Your surprise turning into curiosity as you realize that you hear voices, a muffled conversation it seems, coming from the backroom, from the place that Mr. Lockpick uses as a workshop and a storage.

Your curiosity turns a lot more intense as you begin to make out the words of the conversation you are hearing.

"In that case use me, damnit! I'm far better at Knock than her, and you know it!"
"That might be the case, but we all know she has something that you lack. And that makes all the difference."

You hear a voice, Mr. Lockpick's voice, together with somepony else's. In fact, you hear several voices. And they seem to be in the middle of an argument of sorts…

And what is more, Mr. Lockpick sounds… he sounds angry. You have never heard Mr. Lockpick sounding angry before. And from the mention to the Lore of Knock alone you immediately understand that they are talking cult business.

Pursing your lips, not exactly sure what to do, you look around at the shop. Should you pretend you didn't hear anything and go upstairs? Should you… should you make some noise to let them know you arrived? Like Caramel said, Mr. Lockpick is quite important in the cult, so you're sure that whatever he is talking about, it's not something you should be listening to.

But still…

Still…

All the things Caramel Glow said to you, all that stuff about learning more about the cult and Mr. Lockpick, goes up to your head. Even if only for a moment. And your curiosity gets the better of you. Because you can't keep your nose out of anything, even when it's none of your business.

And a few moments later you are slowly, and as silently as you can, walking towards the door. Holding your breath, even, so you can better hear the low voices.

"I don't care about that. And besides, you are not sure about this. None of you are!"
"The text was clear, Lockpick. You read it, so unless you can think of another-"
"To Tartarus with that. I forbid you from doing this! I'm also a Chosen, just like you are! I know what's at stake just like any of you, and I have the same authority as any in our numbers. So I don't care what you say, I'm not letting you do this!"
"The text," another voice speaks up, cutting through the tension in the room as if it was a physical thing, "came from the Hintseekers in our numbers, Lockpick. These orders… came from the Loremaster."
"What?… But… it can't have…"
"And yet it did. Do you think any of us could have written that… those instructions? Do you think any pony could have? The Master made herself scarce, the Enforcer has been seen more around town. Even Jade Whistle herself has been working on the list! This is larger than any of us, Lockpick, you would be a fool not to realize it."
"… but… but even then… you can't be serious about this… I can't just believe that you would be willing t-"

"Before you say anything else, anything you might regret," yet another voice speaks up. This one much closer to the door, speaking so clearly that you immediately realize it's intentional. "Why don't we ask the mare herself what she thinks about this?"

You freeze as you hear that. But before you can even think about moving, the door in front of you swings open.

Revealing Mr. Lockpick, who you can see is both angry and distressed, and four other ponies you do not know by name. But for all that you might not know them by name, you certainly recognize them as cult-goers. Specifically, cult members that are always in the center of a group, or who are always looked at as a reference or for guidance.

In short, they are all Chosen. You are sure of it. Managers personally trusted by Mr. Windy Flakes. Prominent members of the cult's Cadre, who can perform the more complex parts of rituals.

And also, if you heard them correctly, ponies who are somehow able to commune with the Loremaster.

One of the ponies, the stallion who just opened the door, takes a step towards you. Enough to close the distance between the two of you, but not enough to block the view from inside the room.

"Flower Serenade," he says, and you can immediately tell that he is greater in Grail than Caramel Glow ever was, "the cult has need of you. Will you answer?"

You look up at the stallion, your eyes wide in surprise. Your emotions clashing inside of you due to how unexpected this whole thing seems to be, and how unbelievable… how thrilling it is, even, to hear that the cult somehow wants your help. To hear that the cult needs you, in fact.

To hear that it needs you, that for whatever reason there is something that you can do! That a grimy, dumb thing like you can be useful for something!

You can see Mr. Lockpick's worried, tense expression as he looks at you, as if he is forcing himself to stay quiet about something.

You can see the faces of the other Chosen as they look at you half-expectantly, waiting for you answer.

And for all that you know that you should think this over like you should have last time, for all that you know you should at least ask why this worries Mr. Lockpick so much, you decide not to.

Because you decide that... that you will show them! You will show them, and you will show Mr. Lockpick! You will show ~~HIM~~ that you're better than what he made out of you!

You will show them that you can do it. That whatever the cult needs, you will be able to help them as much as they have helped you. And you will show Mr. Lockpick that he doesn't need to worry, because he was the best and kindest teacher you could ask for! You will show them all, you will show YOURSELF, that you're no longer just a defenseless farmgirl who can just be locked away and used up by anypony else!

So, without hesitating, you nod to the stallion.

And you tell him that you will answer the cult's call.

- - -

Within the Wildhoof Club, inside a room that is marked as "under renovations" ever since the club's founding, there is a hidden trapdoor. Behind that trapdoor, there is a stair that goes deep underground. And at the end of those stairs lies a small complex of passages and reinforced doors.

You know that because you have already been there before.

You heard that the underground was smaller, in the past. That it was once nothing more than a corridor that would lead to a few claustrophobic areas. But that is not the case anymore. And whether if it was due to the effort of a few ponies with cutie marks of miners, or if it was through means that might be a little more esoteric, the fact remains that the underground of the club is now large.

Very large, you think. Especially considering that it was dug in secret, and that you have never heard of anypony who saw dirt or soil being carted out of the club.

At the very bottom of the stairs lies a low hall-like chamber, its walls lined with unlocked doors. Some of those doors lead to storage rooms, filled with materials that may be used freely. Some of them have a single circle carved on its wooden front, signifying that the room beyond it is one of the more heavily used ones, that it is one of the rooms that has a large and complex ritual circle engraved on the ground.

However, one of those doors is kept locked, the one that is farthest from the stairs. And it is kept sealed by locks forged through unorthodox and unusual methods, their keys trusted only to very few ponies.

Of course, that door leads to the deeper parts of the club's underground. Or at least, that is what you have heard. You have no idea where it really takes, though, because you have never crossed that door. You have never even seen it unlocked, and neither you nor your friends really knows what is behind it.

But that is changing today. In fact, it is changing right now.

You are going deeper into the cult's underground than you have ever before.

You watch as two of the Chosen who are escorting you take out a different key each, undoing the locks in a specific order that seems almost deliberate.

You follow them, as you pass by larger and heavier doors, looking around you in wonder as you see a pair of doors that have two concentric circles carved upon them. You immediately understand what is behind those doors, remembering the wondrous tales that Caramel once told you, about the things that can be achieved through the more complex rituals.

Although the Chosen that you are following pass by those doors with a casual indifference that is almost shocking.

You go deeper and deeper through the tunnels, ignoring branches in the path that appear to lead to other unknown places, and passing by unfinished tunnels, their support columns built firmly in place but leading towards nothing but unexcavated soil. For now, at least.

Until finally, you come upon a large double door that is at the very end of the last corridor. And even though the door is closed, you can somehow tell just how thick it is, framed with pieces of iron and with large handles that allows for it to be sealed from the outside with a heavy drop bar that lies nearby.

Upon that door, you see engrave a simple symbol. Three concentric circles of different sizes, one inside the other like a trio of progressively smaller rings.

And just by looking at that symbol, you immediately know what is behind that final door.

"Flower Serenade," one of the Chosen say, your body tensing up just from the tone of his voice, "pay close attention to the instructions we are about to give you."

They do not tell you much. But what little they tell you is enough for you to understand just how important your task is.

When they are done talking, they open the doors to the ritual chamber, allowing you to step in.

And you hear the muffled noise of the drop bar being placed upon the door, after they close it behind you. Sealing you within the ritual chamber.

Alone.

You try your best not to feel scared although you should. The cult needs you you are being an idiot again.

And also, you… you have to prove them that you are able of doing this… that you are able to do something nothing you do will ever be enough.

You have to prove that to yourself you will only make things worse.

You always do.

- - -

The ritual chamber is large. Larger than the first chamber of the underground, even, to the point that the lit torches that are hanging from the corners can barely illuminate the whole place. And that, you can tell, is because of the circle itself, which dominates almost the entirety of the chamber's floor.

It is horrifically large, so much that the edges of the outer circle almost touch the walls of the square chamber. In fact, you can clearly see that the chamber itself is spacious out of necessity, and you wonder how much work it took to carve out this room just to fit the circle.

The configuration written into the circle, also, is maddeningly strange. You can grasp that there are three circles, one inside the other, but only because the style in each of them is vastly different. You see a few things that feel vaguely familiar in the middle circle, seeing the waving lines of the snakepath here, and perhaps the dream spirals there. But you don't see anything that you really recognize, let alone understand, anywhere.

But none of that really matters right now. What matters is the instructions that the Chosen told you, before you entered the room.

And true to his words, you see it. At the very center of the innermost circle, you see the materials that you were instructed to use.

You hesitate for a moment, realizing that the next hoofstep you take will bring you into the outer circle itself, the one that sends a shiver down your spine whenever you look at its symbols, and that reminds you of the cold nights you spent trapped inside that place, watching the raindrops run down at your window-

You shake your head, realizing you shouldn't really think about small things like that. You have to focus, you think to yourself, as you do your best to ignore how our heartrate is slowly beginning to grow faster.

You take the step, bringing yourself into the circle. And then you take the next one, and the next, and the next, until you are within the centermost circle.

And then you look at the materials that have been prepared beforehoof.

At the very center of the circle lies a large urn. The thing is shaped like a barrel, being so tall that you think you would only be able to look into it if you stood on your hindlegs, and is made of some dark material that looks like clay or some strange kind of worked mud. Its surface riddled with symbols you don't understand.

And around the urn, forming a small circle around it, there are… several other items.

You swallow something dry as you look at them. The several objects are on the ground, surrounding the urn and forming a loose circle around it. You have been told that there would be "things" around the urn, but now that you see what they are you are thankful that you have been told you should ignore them.

And that is because those objects... they are knives. Knives, and wooden bats, and nails, and harvesting scythes, and… and even a large, heavy thing that your father told you, long ago, is a special kind of instrument used to cut meat from livestock. The sort of thing that isn't really used by ponies, and that you once heard is more commonplace amongst species that consume meat, or who have domesticated animals that do so.

You think that thing is called a cleaver.

But regardless of what it is called you steer clear from it, the same way you keep your distance from all the other sharp, violent objects, as you make your way around the urn, looking for the one thing you have been told to look for.

Until you find it, the one object you have been told you would be using. After a short while, you find the small metal censer you are supposed to light, next to a flintlock that is usually used to light lanterns.

So, as you were instructed, you pick up the censer and open it with a hoof, doing your best to ignore the grim display that is around the urn.

"I'm honestly glad that I'm only going to have to use you," you mumble to the censer, in an attempt to calm yourself down as you nervously light up the contents within the metal object. "I mean, of all the stuff that's here… well, you certainly are the least dangerous…"

The small bundle of furs that is inside the censer lights up as you finish using the flintlock, emitting a dark-looking smoke.

The smoke smells very strange. It has a heavy tang to it that sticks to the fur on your coat. It feels foul, for some reason. Polluted. Even though it doesn't exactly smells bad. And the smell itself reminds you of tar, or maybe of copper, or maybe of the sensation you had on your tongue when you had blood in your mouth.

You don't like the smell you place the censer back where you picked it up from it smells like wrong once again closing the loose circle of objects around the urn you don't LIKE this smell and then you prepare yourself for the next step of your instructions.

You turn to the urn, walking over the censer as you make your way towards it.

Something is wrong with you.

You begin to feel slightly dizzy, noticing that the censer is letting out a surprising amount of fume, especially given how small the bundle of furs inside of it was.

Something… something is… you can't THINK straight-

But still, you force yourself to put up with it, reaching the urn and standing up on your rear legs. Your next instruction was to open the urn, and that the following steps would be written inside of it.

You-… you don't want this anymore… you HATE this…

You feel your mind growing fainter, as if something inside of you… as if this muted, wind-like noise inside of your head was growing louder, taking up more and more of the space you have inside your thoughts and not allowing you to think straight.

STOP being such an idiot. STOP ruining your life with your worthless decisions. STOP. IGNORING. ME.

You push the lid of the urn, forcing your hoofs against the silver-covered edges, the thing being far heavier than you had anticipated. But eventually your strength wins over its weight, and the lid slides away from the urn and falls to the ground with a heavy thump.

I FUCKING HATE YOU. I FUCKING HATE THIS. I FUCKING HATE ME. LET! ME! OUT!

You can barely think straight, your mind struggling with YOURSELF the heavy smell of the smoke as you INSIST ON STAYING IN DENIAL raise your neck over the edge of the large urn too look inside of it.

"…"

And your mind goes completely blank at what you see.

Because inside the urn, you can see-

…

There is nothing inside the urn. There is nothing in there, and the inside of the urn is empty.

There is nopony inside the large, barrel-like urn. You didn't see anypony, tied and gagged inside the urn.

And even if you did see somepony in there, you surely didn't recognize him.

Your tears wouldn't let you take a good look at him, at the pegasus that is lying unconscious inside the urn.

You have never met him.

You don't know him.

You just… don't.

Yes you do.

No. You. don't.

Yes. You. Do.

Y-you… you don't s-see anything. You d-don't even know him and… and…!

And you just can't take it anymore. You feel something crack.

You feel your thoughts, the thoughts you usually have, slip into somewhere else. As if the mute wind that was slowly growing inside your mind finally seized the last bit of rationality you had.

And in turn, you feel… you feel something else come out in its place, a mixture of deadly calm and boiling rage that you somehow understand has always been inside of you. A dirty thing that you have been trying so desperately to bury away underneath your happiness and your friends and your merry new life.

Well, you aren't exactly sure of what just happened, the smell of the censer just isn't letting you think straight. But you do know that you don't feel like hiding that part of you. Not anymore.

Because as you look down into the urn, you realize you have never felt so calm before.

Because as you look down into the urn, you realize you have never felt so FURIOUS before.

You think you have tears running down your face. But you don't care.

You think you hear something breathing heavily, somewhere nearby. But you can't be sure if it is yourself, or the thing that is looking at you from inside the smoke.

You can only really think about one thing. About doing one thing.

With a heaving push, you tip the urn over, disgorging the tied-up stallion that is inside of it. And without thinking twice, you walk around the urn, making your way towards him.

Making your way towards Autumn Cloud, the stallion who you once loved, then feared, and that you now hate.

- - -

You stand on top of him, one of your hoofs planted firmly against his chest. Your breathing is ragged, and you can feel the veins on your neck pulsing every time your heart beats.

You don't know what you are feeling. You can't think over the fog inside your head to understand what this sensation is. This mixture of restlessness and… and pain, that is coursing through every muscle inside your body.

Like an itch you want to scratch. A maddening, tormenting need to do something very specific.

But the thing is, you don't know what that "something" is. You don't know what you want to do, what you need to do, in order to satiate this misery. In order to relieve yourself from the pain.

Or rather, you didn't know what you wanted to do... until Autumn Cloud woke up.

Now… you know exactly what you have to do.

"Hello, sweetheart…" you say, your voice coming out of your throat in a rasp tone, "hello, hello, helloooo…"

Maybe it was the impact that woke him, from when he fell out of the urn. Maybe it was the fumes of the censer, that is slowly filling the room like a heavy fog.

You don't know, and you don't care. The only thing that really matters to you right now is that he is awake, and that he is looking at you.

Tears are running down his face, as he slowly begins to realize what situations he is in. As he tries, and fails, to move, and realizes he is tied. And then tries, and fails, to say something, and realizes he is gagged.

As he struggles helplessly against his bindings, fear becoming more and more apparent on his face as his eyes go wider and wider, darting all around him as he looks around the room, freezing for a few moments every time he looks at you.

You realize you are smiling. That must be why he gets a little paler every time he glances at you.

"Sweetheart, it has been so long…" you say, feeling that the stallion is beginning to tremble as you run your hoofs from his chest to the base of his chin.

The sensation you have inside of you, that feeling of anticipation, and need, and desperation, grows even larger as you use your hoof to restrain his face, forcing him to look at you.

"But I'm back now, Autumn dear… aren't you happy to see me?" you ask.

And you almost feel him whimper as he tries to say something through his closed mouth. Something that sounds too close to begging, or to an apology, or to the panic-filled mixture of both.

Because the question you just asked him was the same question that he asked you. Every. Single. Time. When he got back from work.

A wave of revulsion runs through you as you remember that.

"I SAID-"
-and you bring down your hoof to the side of his face, the hard noise of the blow being accompanied by a muffled shout of pain-
"-AREN'T YOU HAPPY TO SEE ME?!"

The stallion nods, a jerky, terror-filled movement from his head that almost looks mechanic. With more noises coming out from his mouth as a bruise appears on his face.

"Hah… hahahahaha…"

And you laugh at that. The rage you have inside of you swelling up, from your head to your lungs, and from your lungs to the rest of your body, as you look down at the pitiful tied up thing underneath you.

"AHAHAHAHAAHAH"

You hit him on the face again. Once, twice, five times, as he squirms underneath you in a helpless attempt to break free. And with each blow, the scraping feeling you have inside of you gets satiated, just a tiny little bit. With each strike, you feel your mind grow just a bit number, and the thing inside your chest grow just a little heavier.

And you feel good.

Is this how he felt? To have you, locked up and defenseless, exactly where he wanted? To be able to do anything he felt like without the slightest fear of having you fight back?

You stop hitting him when you realize he is bleeding.

But not out of pity. No, quite far from that.

You stop hitting him because this is not being enough. The sensation inside your chest has become too heavy for just this. Because the… this agonizing need you have inside of you, it is turning into something larger than what merely hitting him with your hoofs is capable of satisfying.

No… you need to do more. You NEED to do MORE.

And you are not nearly done paying back everything that the stallion did to you.

"Do you have any idea how it was like?" you ask, as you get off from the stallion and circle around him.

He continues to whimper, making the same sound again and again, which is probably him trying to say something.

Not a minute ago, that sound made you feel a deep sense of satisfaction, as if you were scratching an itch. But now, hearing that… it only makes the rage inside of you boil hotter and hotter.

"To be locked inside that place?" you continue talking without breaking stride, completely ignoring the stallion's growing panic. "To watch you come and go from the window thanks to your damned wings?"

You kick the stallion on his side, hard. The chocking sound he lets out doesn't make you feel anything but anger, anger at how little it takes to hurt him. But still, the kick fulfils its purpose of turning him on his side.

"To know that no matter how far I ran, you would always be able to catch up because you could fly?"

You bite down at the ropes that run around his wings, making sure that you only free up one of them. You only need one of them for now, after all.

"Well," you say, as you immediately stomp down on the wing as soon as you finish untying it, "why don't I show you how it feels to not be able to go anywhere you want?"

Autumn Cloud's screams, even though they are muffled by the blood-soaked gag, becomes even louder as you bite down on his wing and begin to pull it towards you. Using the leverage of the hoof you have at the base of the bone, and every last ounce of strength you can muster, to bend it towards you.

His scream turns into a piercing shriek when the bone finally snaps.

And finally, the growing thing you have inside of you is satisfied once again. But you can already feel it growing once again, and you already know that this will soon not be enough, and the restless need will come to you again.

You begin untying the pegasus' other wing, the restless numbness of your mind giving way to the thought of what you should do after you are done with that.

Your eyes go over the gleaming objects that are displayed in a circle, around the urn, and new ideas come to your mind.

The innermost circle begins to glow.

The thing watching you from inside the smoke smiles.

- - -

You feel like you are scratching an itch. An ugly rash that you have somewhere inside of you.

And every time you scratch it you feel good, but only for a moment. But because you are scratching it, the rash also becoming larger. Turning into a gash, then a wound, then something wider and larger and bone-deep that you wouldn't be able to satisfy even if you had two heads with mouths filled with canines.

But you keep trying.

Because you have to keep trying.

Because the agony will only turn worse if you don't keep trying.

You give it back to Autumn Cloud. You give back to him everything he ever did to you. One time. Then two times. Then ten times. Then a hundred times.

You visit upon him everything he did to you, and then everything he wanted to do to you, and then things that haven't been done in this world ever since the Mansus was forgotten by ponies.

You do all of that, and it still isn't enough.

You do things he would never be capable of doing, and it still isn't enough.

You perform monstrosities that even the Chosen would try to stop you from doing, if they were in this place with you, and it still isn't enough.

You look down at the mangled form of the stallion, watching as he leaks tears and blood and other things from too many places in his body. The ropes that were binding him lay in ruins around him, cut into pieces when you realized you didn't need to waste time untying him if you were about to use a knife. The other objects that were around the urn, as well, are now all around you, some of them still sticking out of his body in the places you left them.

You aren't even sure if the stallion is still breathing. But you don't care.

You know the smoke that fills the room won't let him leave, even if he dies.

However, you don't know what to do next. You have already done everything you could think of, you have even done things you could have never thought of. But still, all of that only made your own affliction grow.

You feel it, inside of you, like a heavy and dense cloud of pain that is weighting you down, numbing your body from the tiredness you should be feeling, but not doing anything about the restless trembling that has taken over your whole body.

You don't want this anymore.

You hate this feeling.

You hate Autumn Cloud, for being here and making you feel all of this.

You hate yourself, for having done all of these things, slowly feeding the painful weight that is inside of you.

You hate the disgusting thought you had, just now, where you wondered if this was how it felt like to be pregnant.

You hate how you remember Autumn Cloud saying that he wanted to "start a family", and how you feel like you are carrying something inside of you that the two of you made together. This heavy mass of weight that you are carrying inside of you.

You hate that the smoke won't let him die. Not until you do one last thing.

But you start doing it regardless, because not doing anything would be even worse.

Your movements are agony.

Your forelegs feel like they are burning, as you pick up the bleeding and unmoving stallion.

The fur on your coat feels like bristles spiking you, as you shove him into the tipped urn.

Your body heaves with effort, muscles clenching up like a fit of cramps as you pull the urn back into an upward position.

And you feel like you are climbing a mountain as you get up on your hindlegs, scaling to the edge of the open urn and looking down at the disfigured thing that is inside of it.

You don't realize the whole circle is shining. You don't even spare a thought at how the smoke of the censer is swirling around you as you look down into the urn.

You don't care anymore. You don't want to care anymore. You hate everything about this, about your life, about this miserable world that has caused you nothing but suffering.

And that hate congeals and coagulates into the thing you are carrying inside of you, scratching your insides as it tries to flee, turning into clouds and smokes and words as they burst out of you.

"I! HATE! YOU!!!" you yell into the urn, towards the stallion, and yourself, and the whole world around you.

And the words come out of you in the form of a raging storm.

It feels like you are throwing up. It feels like your organs are being pulled out. It feels like a hundred hooks are being dragged out of your body through your throat.

But still, you let it all out. All your hate, and your rage, and your pain, and all the nightmares you had before, during, and after you met Autumn Cloud. You let out nightmares that aren't even yours, thoughts of anger and contempt that have been echoed in older places, and spoken by older beings, for longer than you can understand.

And once you are done, the lid of the urn glows into life, hitting you and making you fall to the ground as it flies towards the open urn and slams it shut.

Leaving you lying on the cold ground of the ritual chamber.

…

And it…

And it takes you a few moments to realize…

You feel as if you have just woken up. It takes you a long time to realize what just happened.

You look at your hoofs, seeing how they are soaked in blood all the way to your knees.

You look at your legs, realizing that there are bite marks all over it, the outline of your own teeth clearly visible on your own body.

Your memories don't come back to you as if you were in a trance. Instead, what is happening is that you are simply thinking back to them with more clarity. But that just makes you realize that you were very much conscious as you did all of that. You realize that you wanted to do all of that.

A sick feeling comes from the pit of your stomach as you… as you…

As you realize…

…

You are a monster. You can see that clearly as you think back to your actions just now. You can see it clearly because…

Because of what you just did.

It doesn't matter what Autumn Cloud did to you in the past, or what he wanted to do to you. Because what you just did to him… it was worse. No matter how you look at it, it was far, far worse than any of that. Physically worse. Mentally worse. Metaphysically worse.

It doesn't matter how many lines he crossed, or how wrong he was. Because you… you…

You crossed a worse line. You crossed several worse lines.

And now… now he is trapped in there. Alive. Alone with something that used your hate only as a conduit, to bring forth a hatred that is older and crueler than anything that ever existed in this world.

You… you…

You are not really sure for how long you cried, before the doors were unsealed, and a group of ponies you could barely recognize walked in.

You barely recognize where you are, when they bring you back to Mr. Lockpick's home.

You have no idea how you reached your bed, when you realize you are curled up on it, covered by sheets and hugging your pillow so tightly that it almost hurts.

You don't…

Your mind doesn't…

You…

The only things you can really think about properly are the images on your head, the memories that you keep repeating over and over again.

And also… no matter what you do… no matter how hard you yell or how much you cover up your ears, you still feel like you hear this… this faint noise, coming from somewhere. And even though you try your best to ignore it, you can't help but notice how much that noise sounds like the muffled screams of a pony, coming from inside a sealed urn hidden deep underground.

- - -

- - -

- - -

The first sign they had that the ritual would soon end was when the screams stopped. But still, that was not enough for them to unbar the door. Not by a long shot.

The bone-deep sensation of danger they could still feel, coming from the other side of the door, showed them that the ritual was still in progress. That, or that the ritual had failed, and that the door would need to remain barred for the foreseeable future.

However, after the noises completely died down, and they began to hear whimpers and sobs coming from the ritual chamber, they knew that it was well and truly over.

It still did not prepare them for what they saw, after they went back in.

"This… this was messed up…" said the Grail-one, as he covered the blood-soaked mare with a robe.

He said that as he looked at her state, realizing how numb and unresponsive she was. He said that as he realized both that some of the blood that covered her was her own, and that most of it wasn't.

"This was necessary," said the Forge-one, as he inspected the grounds of the ritual chamber itself.

He said that as he looked at the instruments littered around the place, and how some of them had their edges dulled, while others were missing altogether.

"Necessary? Are you insane? Can't you see what…. what just happened here? What we have done?"

"Yes, I can see. And yes, I still think it was necessary. We have two weeks until the end of the month, and we still have to summon three more Windigos with a ritual nopony had ever attempted before. We will learn from this, and the next one will go smoother."

"Next one? Next one?! Look at this, look at all of this for Equestria's sake! You can't be seriously considering to do another one, let alone three!"

"You're the one who's not thinking straight here. What exactly do you propose we do then?"

"Stop it, of course. Take this matter up. Find another solution! We did something wrong. Something wrong in principle, and definitely something wrong in the ritual itself. We have at least to reach to the Loremaster and ask if-"

"And you think she doesn't know…? Just think for a moment. She didn't just gave us instructions, she gave us instructions and nothing else. This is a test for goodness sake! We were told what to do and left to our own devices exactly so she could see if we could do it! And if we go running back to her, or the Master, or anypony else like scared foals, then I can assure you we will have failed. And if we fail, we will never get another Hint, let alone a chance to get closer to the Glory."

"…"

"Is that what you want?! Knowing what's at stake, knowing how low we still are in the House, is that how you aim to achieve things? Knowing… knowing about the Worms, and the shapeshifters, and all the other things we only hear scrapes and whispers about, even though we are called the Chosen… do you really think we will attain more if we are not willing to do what must be done?"

"I… but we… what… what do you think?"

The Grail-one asked hesitantly, uncertainty clear in his eyes as he looked at another of their numbers.

"This was… fascinating…" the Lantern-one said, as she looked at the sealed urn, passing a hoof over its dark surface, tracing the glyphs inscribed upon it.

She said that as a glint of Lantern ran through her eyes. She said that as she envisioned the next painting she would bring to life, inspired by what she could see… by what she could feel.

"See? Entry Scene agrees as well… now come, we must study what happened. What worked and what didn't work. What was required and what was not. We must iron the kinks out of this ritual, figure out what the Cadre may do to assist in it, and prepare for the next castings. We have a lot to do, and too little time."

"I… We… You are right… I'll ask some mares upstairs to clean up Flower. She can't leave the underground drenched in... looking like this..."

"We'd better not. Entry Scene, could you take care of that? It is best if not a single word of this leaves this place. Not to other ponies lower in the cult. This is Chosen business."

"You are right… let's get this over with."

And after that, they went to work.

It took them a long while to completely clean the ritual chamber. And yet, while they worked, none of them noticed how the smokes that still covered the ceiling, even if only for a fraction of a moment, looked so much like the image of a smiling wolf.

It took them even longer, several days in fact, to be ready for their second attempt.

But still, they carried out their orders.

Because they had to.

Because they needed to.

Because they wished to reach ever closer to Glory, as their betters already have.

The Chosen have successfully summoned a total of four sealed Windigos. In their efforts, they have consumed three stacks of fur.

"A Bundle of Fur" reagent has been removed from the cult's current possessions.

Flower Serenade has received a level of Dread.

"… there are several bridges between the act of causing an ending, and the final end that is brought.
Several bridges that connects the Lores of Edge and Winter.
Peace, Extinction, the Subversion of Edge into Winter.
But for our purposes, the bridge of Agony is to be sought.
Edge, Knock, Winter. Act, Agony, End. Those are the steps to be taken.
To trap that agony in the circle of Knock, to bind it into our service.
However, to bring about agony, malice is required.
Malice is the intent to harm, and herein are the ways in which it may be properly called upon..."

-Excerpts of the instructions, given to Hintseeker Foggy Glow in her dreams by the visage of the Loremaster.

OurLadyOfWires · Aug 24, 2024

"Alright, lights out everypony," you say, a doting smile on your face as you look at the small crowd of foals safely tucked in within the confines of the pillow fort, the thing itself dominating most of Silky's room. "Now, I hope everypony sleeps well. You can all ask Silky or Selene if you need to know where anything is."

"Goodnight Mrs. Velvet!" the answer comes in a chorus, so loud and excited that you can barely make out Silky's slightly different response of 'mommy' from the group.

Of course, you know none of them are about to sleep. They are too excited, none of them look tired at all, and most importantly they all had way too much sugar just a few hours ago.

You know it. They know it. And they know you know it. But still, you will make a point of very loudly closing your door as soon as you return to your room, and you told the servants who will be staying the night to only check on them if they hear something breaking. So, you know that for the foals the night is only beginning.

But frankly, you wouldn't have it any other way. Let them enjoy themselves, you say. Selene needs it, the house could certainly use a bit more of excitement for the weekend, and…

And this way, you have an excuse both to have them around where you know they will be safe, as well as an excuse to ask Soft Sweeps to stay the night for the next few days.

Because you know it will happen soon… so very soon. And you have absolutely no idea how things will go out. So, if nothing else, you will at least make sure that the ponies you care for are close at hoof.

Thank goodness Stormchaser is also home, having taken this last month off after you got hurt.

"Sweet dreams everypony," you say, giving everypony a last glance (even if your eyes stayed on Selene, shivering as she was, for a bit longer) before you close the door.

And then, you very loudly stomp your way to your room, closing the door to your bedroom a lot louder than you usually w-

"PILLOW FIGHT!"

Goodness gracious, Silky couldn't even wait that long? You let out a small chuckle.

Well, let them have their fun.

"Put them to bed, dear?" you hear your husband ask, and as you turn to face him you see him already lying on bed, calmly reading from a book with the light of the lantern from his bedstand.

"Theoretically, yes," you say, watching him smile as he puts the book down, turning to look at you as well.

"You think they'll cause too much trouble?" he asks-

-just in time for the two of you wince, as you hear a loud… dry noise, that very much sounded like a foal crashing against the ground.

You will wrestle your worry to the ground, doing your best to suppress the need to run back there and make sure none of them are hurt.

"Well… we taught the fillies not to play with matches, so I think the house will at least be standing when we wake up tomorrow," you say, trying your best to smile through the muffled yelps the two of you can hear in the distance.

"I think that's the best we can ask for," he says, tapping the bed next to him shortly after, "now come on over, Mrs. Velvet. The bed feels awfully cold without you," he says, a suggestive smile appearing on his face.

"Oh?" you say, knowing exactly what he means with the expression he is wearing. "Whatever you mean by that, Mr. Stormchaser?"

You say that, with clearly feinted innocence, but you still walk towards the bed. Towards his side of the bed, mind you, not walking around it to get up on your side as you usually do.

"Why, nothing at all darling. It's just that the foals are going to be so loud tonight, I'm not sure we will be able to sleep anytime soon… or that anypony will be able to hear anything over the noise they are making, mind you."

You let out a soft chuckle at that. Your first, second and third reaction being to just tell him to behave.

That is, until he made that excellent point of argument just now. After all, the foals will be awful loud tonight just like he said, and even though there are so many of them just on the other end of the corridor…

"Now that you mention it, it does sound awfully unfair that they are the only ones who get to… have fun themselves tonight."

You float the locket away from your neck, sending it to your bedstand without a second thought. But even that is enough for a sweet aroma to fill your room, the smell of petals flowing through the air as if a sweet breeze had just come from somewhere nearby.

Stormchaser's smile grows wider as you place a hoof on his side of the bed, and with a soft push of your good hindleg you make a short jump to climb it-

-BUT BEFORE YOU REALIZE WHAT HAPPENED, STORMCHASER IS GONE.
YOUR HUSBAND IS GONE. YOUR BED IS GONE. YOUR ROOM IS GONE.
AND INSTEAD OF FALLING AT THE SOFT EMBRACE OF YOUR BED, YOU ARE NOW FALLING INTO A SEA OF ROOTS AND BRANCHES, BLACK LEAVES CUTTING AGAINST YOUR COAT AS YOU FALL INTO THE WOODS.

- - -

Conscience comes back to you in a starting fit, and you flail your legs wildly as you realize you can't breathe or see anything.

A few panicked seconds later you can finally tell which way is up, and you realize that the thing that is pressing against your face is in fact the ground. You get on your hoofs moments later, coughing and shaking your head as you try to understand what in the Tartarus just happened, and where you are.

But the answer comes to you almost instantly. As you realize you are coughing out black dirt. As you feel the faint touch of that oh so distant light against your fur, shining down from the very top of the world. As the impenetrable smell of the first forest of the world reaches your nostrils.

You look around, more out of habit than a real need to get your bearings. Because you already know where you are, and you already know that "getting your bearings" here is not really something that can, or should, be done.

Because you are in the Woods.

Or rather, you have been brought into the Woods. You have been summoned, and by a very powerful summons indeed.

And what is more…

The Woods. It is agitated.

"Goodness gracious," you mumble to yourself, your ears perking up as you realize the things you are hearing aren't just the sounds of the wind or of the tree branches scraping against each other.

No. You are hearing screams. Screams, and shouts, and unnatural noises that sound too much like the clicking of claws and the howling of beasts mixed into one. The resulting cacophony almost, but not quite, drowning out the constant sound of the howling winds, as it shakes the trees and blows away loose leaves.

You hear yells. Pony yells. Your body tensing up as you realize those are the sounds of ponies who are panicking.

The yells, you can tell, are almost always being followed by the sound of something… of something else. Something that sounds like a beast with too many legs giving chase, insect claws scraping against the ground as they stampede after a fleeing pony.

Your thoughts begin to race as you try to understand what is happening. As you try to understand why this is happening.

"Talk about a rude awakening. I'm not sure I've ever seen this place so riled up before. Oh, hello there Velvet dear, do you think you will be called as well?"

Until you hear a familiar voice, coming from somewhere behind you. Saying something that finally makes everything click inside your head.

"Baldomare?" you say as you turn to face her.

And as you do that, you feel a slight sense of vertigo.

Baldomare is standing in front of you. However, she is standing at the very bottom of the dark-blue Mansus-stone stairways, the same stairways that would lead a pony towards the Blank Door.

You are absolutely sure the stairs were not there before, but you can see that Baldomare is standing there, avoiding the branches of nearby trees just like they avoid her, as if she is making a point of not wanting to step hoof on the black soil of the Woods.

Which in turn makes you wonder what exactly just happened. You wonder if it was you, or the stairs, that was moved to this place.

Or maybe, you think, it was the Woods that moved you both.

"Of course it's me, dear," she says, bringing her hind down and sitting on one of the steps of the stairs as she talks to you. "Well, it is me as much as it's me who is also in the Wake," she mentions idly.

And you realize that Baldomare is… well she looks as real as you remember her. But that's the thing, she looks as real as you remember her in the Wake, during all the weeks you have seen her.

But you have a faint feeling that she is not nearly as… as what, as radiant? As shining? Well, she is not nearly as herself as you think she was in the Blank Plains.

As if the Baldomare sitting on the stairs before you is merely a reflection of her, or… or a mirage.

"Or a courtesy," she says, nodding to you as if she could read your thoughts. "After all, you were brought here to talk about me, so there's no reason for me not to be present."

She says that, and you can't help but tilt your head slightly.

"Wait, what do you mean talk about you?"

But instead of answering, Baldomare begins to make a slightly annoyed face, as if she was looking at something particularly annoying.

And you realize that she is not looking at you, but instead slightly over your shoulder.

You almost, almost, turn around to face what she is looking at. But you immediately hold yourself.

After all, you know that there will be nothing there if you turned to look.

And yet… you suddenly feel as if you are being watched by something with many eyes… all of them looking down at you, from way, way up high.

The howling of the wind, and the sound of distant screams, becomes even louder. To the point that you can't even hear Baldomare sigh, for all that you can clearly see her doing that.

"Little little Velvet…"

The voice that you hear, a whisper cutting through the cacophony of the woods, is one that you don't recognize. It is not a pony voice, for all that you might know exactly who is speaking.

You are not entirely sure how to react, but the voice continues before you even have the chance. A mixture of anticipation and eagerness covering its words like a sickly sweet honey.

"The time has come, as I promised… but I require something more of you…"

You purse your lips at that, your thoughts racing as you understand exactly what your Master means.

She did this. She did all of this. She brought you here, you have no idea how, so it wouldn't surprise you in the slightest if she had also brought every last member of the cult that she wished.

Which means the probably already knows about all of your preparations. And that she is choosing what she wants. That she is choosing who she wants.

"But not your body, no… that is too frail, too wounded... Still too hurt from the thing that has stained your soul… Worry not, little Velvet, I do not call for your presence…"

You can practically feel as the all-too-many eyes shift away from you, snaking their sight through the root-covered dirt until it reaches the stairs to the House.

Baldomare's expression becomes disgusted as your Master's attention focuses on her.

"The Name, Velvet… give me the Name… her blinding light is required for the shadowy places I shall take our followers… Give me the reins of her bindings, even if temporarily, and you will be rewarded…"

[The Master has NOT called for you to join the assault on the Changeling Hive. But wishes for you to pass on Baldomare's bindings to her, so she may take her to the expedition as her own minion.]

You...

[] Obey. (Baldomare's contract will be passed on to the Master for the duration of the expedition. You will be rewarded.)

[] Object. (You will NOT give the Master Baldomare's contracat, but will order her to go to the expedition as your agent.)

[] Demand. (You will NOT give the Master Baldomare's contract, but will instead demand to be taken to the expedition together with her, and whoever else the Master is calling upon.)

[] Refuse. (You will deny your Master. WRITE IN whatever you will tell your Master instead, seeing how this is clear disobedience.)

Regarding the "passage of contract".
-If you decide to "Obey", Baldomare's contract will be passed to the Master, and WILL be returned to you as soon as she returns from the expedition. So, unless Baldomare dies or is banished, this will not interfere with your ability to control her come next turn.
-Ordering Baldomare to "go to the expedition, and obey the Master as if she was you" is just empty talk. Baldomare will either go as your minion, or as the Master's minion. The certainty of an eldritch contract of binding is the crucial difference between those two things. (That is the difference between "Obey" and "Object").
-Baldomare has not expressed her opinion in any of this... with words, that is.

Why is this relevant?
-A pony's contract to a summoned minion is what makes the creature into a "minion". The summoned creature is required (and in many cases forced) to obey the summoner because of those bindings.
-Baldomare has told you that Names such as herself (and other sapient or higher-intelligence summons) are something of an exception. But the fact remains that her summoned body is still contracted to you, or to whoever else holds the binding.
-In practical terms, passing the bindings to the Master will mean that (theoretically) the Master will be able to:
--Order Baldomare to do anything she desires (you do not know how a creature with the Master's powers would empower the binding contract).
--Banish Baldomare.
--Be sure that Baldomare will not act against her will during the expedition.
--Order Baldomare not to tell you what happened during the expedition, once she returns to you (you do not have the knowledge to know if that is possible, would work, or could be circumvented by Baldomare herself. But this is a point of worry Velvet can think of).

Other points of note.
-You are currently at ONE health point. (Your healing will only occur at the beginning of the next turn).
-You have written your father a letter promising not to leave Ponyville.
-You do not know how long the expedition will last. (This is also valid in the sense that you do not know how long the OTHER ponies called will be away)
-You have no idea about what other assets or ponies the Master has called upon.

Beware of consequences.

Four hours moratorium, further forty-four hours of voting, total forty-eight hours of voting period.

OurLadyOfWires · Aug 24, 2024

The wind howls.

The night deepens.

In the sky, the cold moon seems to come to a stop.

Ponyville is beset by a nightmare.

They all wake up. They are all dragged by their hindlegs, screaming and kicking, back into the Wake. Being pulled by claws and roots and whispers and a will that is older and larger than any of them.

Every last pony who ever set hoof on the Woods is summoned.

They all hear, and they all obey.

Some of them, most of them, merely cower deeper into their beds, knowing that come next morning they will wake up to a town in which something terrible has happened. Although they dare not go back to sleep, carrying the very real fear that they might be hunted, instead of merely pursued, should they go back to their dreams.

Others, however, leave their homes in the dead of the night. Some of them inspired by ambition, others by duty, and many by fear. But their motives matter not to the one pulling the strings.

No. To the puppeteer, it only matters that they fulfill their purpose, by means of the lessons they have been taught.

[The Changeling Purge]

[Marking the targets, cd incremental 20]

[Roll = 60 + 9 (Cult Influence) + 10 (Lantern 2) + 35 (The List) + 10 (A small, quiet town) = 124]

A small, curious crowd slowly forms in the streets, carrying with them all sorts of curious objects. Some of them carry mirrors, others hold candles in their mouths, or diaries, or the glasses they usually wear on their faces. One of them even carries nothing but a dripping bottle, stumbling through the streets and following the shining mirages that she alone can see.

But still, a crowd slowly forms, as the ponies unerringly gather as if they are following a bright beacon.

At the center of the crowd stands a mare. In her hoofs, she holds a list.

The gathering ponies read from the list. And as silently as the crowd gathered, it disperses back into the night, the instrument-bearing ponies heading to the places on the list, in search of the names written on it.

By the end of the night, all the names would have been crossed out of the list, and a few more would have been added before also being crossed.

And for all that the deep shadows of the night cover Ponyville, for some unknowable reason the streets seem strangely bright, as if a harsh light is somehow piercing the darkness.

[The sound of a dropping pin, cd 20/50/100]

[Roll = 62 + 9 (Cult Influence) + 5 (Moth 1) + 10 (Knock 2) – 10 (A small, quiet town) = 76]

Following the dispersing crowd comes a second group.

Some following through rooftops, and cloudtops, and the small alleys that form between the larger houses. Others follow through the middle of the streets, in plain sight for anypony who bothers to look out through their windows, bathing in the pale moonlight. Regardless of which, none of those ponies really seem to have just woken up. Who knows, it might be that they all heard the summons through other, more peculiar dreams.

But still, they reach the marked houses, each of them convening with the keen-sighted ones for particular details that seem to be of little importance. The thickness of the walls, the age of the trees that were cut to make the doors, how loudly the target can hear the outside winds while they were dreaming. Strange questions, all of which are answered with honest seriousness regardless of their oddity.

And with those answers in hoof, they set about their work.

Their task is to prepare, to open, to make way. And that is exactly what they do. As quietly as possible, or as simply as possible when silence is not an option, paths are opened. Locks are undone, loose rooftops are pried open, ponies slither into houses like thieves to whisper deeper dreams to those family members who are not meant to wake up…

And in one particularly unfortunate instance, a brick smashes into a window.

None of them are seen, thankfully, but their work is far from perfect. Trails are left.

And for all that the town does not wake up in panic, it does not rest easily either. Some wake up. Some realize something is wrong. And come morning, some will have quite a few stories to tell, about the frightening sounds they heard in the dead of night.

[The application of force]

[Roll = Irrelevant]

Four strong pegasi are summoned, by a monster wearing the skin of a pony.

One presents himself out of duty.

One presents himself out of fear.

One presents himself out of an owed debt.

And one flees into the night, and his name is added to the list.

But their task is not to kill, or maim, or help, or even to keep watch in the odd case a target escapes. For there is no need for help, and no risk of escape.

No. Their task is simply to clean up. To grab the unbleeding bodies, their necks neatly snapped, and carry them out of town and into the Everfree Forest, to be dropped in a place where they will never be found.

The three of them work exhaustively throughout the night.

And still, the bodies pile up more quickly than they can dispose of them.

Most of the bodies they are commanded to carry are those of monsters. Their shapes returned to its horrific normalcy as soon as their lives leave them. Some of them take a little longer to detransform, maybe because out of cruelty or experimentation their lives manage to last a little longer even though their bodies have been ruined.

Some of the bodies do not revert back into normal, not even as their pony corpses are dropped into the hungry maws of the Everfree Forest.

The three sorely hope that those names had been on the list, that they had been monsters who clung on to life for just a little longer… and not that they had just disposed of collateral damage.

The monster, whose grim trail they had followed, leaves without a word as soon as its task is done.

And the three are thankful for that. They are thankful, and they try their best to ignore how the beast flew away in the direction that the fourth among their number had escaped to.

Because they would hear, in the following morning, that all the names had been struck from the list.

[The solace of dawn, cd 20/50/100]

[Roll = 17 + 9 (Cult Influence) + 10 (Grail 2) = 36]

Come next morning, the town does not wake up in panic.

Not in immediate panic, at least.

But like a fire, panic slowly grows and spreads regardless. A grim story slowly being pieced together by word of mouth, punctuated by the panicked cries of ponies looking for their friends, and foals looking for their parents.

Ponyville wakes up, only to find that the nightmare has not yet ended.

It has only begun.

- - -

- - -

- - -

[X] Obey. (Baldomare's contract will be passed on to the Master for the duration of the expedition. You will be rewarded.)

[You have transferred your contract with Baldomare to the Master. Provided that she survives the expedition, it will be returned to you as soon as the expedition ends.]

[You have received a reward from your Master: A Memory of the Woods, "It is shaped like a grey fruit, but not one you have ever seen. It exists only in dreams, even though you see it hanging from a tree in your garden every time you look out through the window. You wonder how it tastes like, even though part of you already knows" (MOTH Book, Level 5, does not require an action to be read, does not produce a Manifest for the cult, will give you a special dream if eaten).]

You wake up to an empty bed, drooling on your pillow.

Your body is heavy, and you feel as if your mind just woke up to a body that is refusing to let go of its sleeping state.

But that is not to say you can think clearly. Not by a long shot. You look around in confusion for a moment, first realizing your husband is indeed not sleeping next to you, then realizing the door to your room is locked, and then…

Muffled voices come from a distance, from somewhere below you. Loud voices. Thin… young voices?

Your nose, or whatever ethereal snout you have covering it, picks up right after that. Right, the fillies. You can smell the small crowd of ponies gathered around the dining table and… and you think three of them are tackling Soft Sweeps? You are not sure what exactly is happening, but you can sense three foals attacking the poor mare.

Your husband is also present there, and you are not sure if he is trying to control the situation or if he simply gave up at some point…

He also probably locked your door so you wouldn't share the same fate, you suppose.

You'd better get downstairs.

- - -

"HI MOM!"

""Good morning Mrs. Velvet!""

The chorus of slightly different greetings, with glaringly different intensities, comes to you as soon as you reach the dining hall. The place is a mess (for your standards, of course, it's not really that bad), but you can't help but think it's a merry mess.

The cook really gave it his all, you can see, and you think you see enough breakfast to feed twice as many foals as there are currently on the table. And every last foodstuff is either shaped like a pony, has a smiling face drawn with Chantilly, or is especially presentable in some other variance that you could never have thought of.

"Good morning everypony," you say with a smile, your voice still slightly sleepy, as you light up your horn and float your daughter and her pink friend from the distraught Soft Sweeps they had pinned on the ground.

You were going to ask if they had behaved during the night, but looking at how dizzy Soft looks you don't really think you will get the answer you want. So, instead, you just walk over to your husband and plant a quick kiss on his cheek.

"Did I miss anything, dear?" you ask, floating one of the pancakes towards a plate that… well, that isn't currently being used.

And to your question, Stormchaser gives you a look that seems equal part unamused and teasing.

"Technically yes," he says, and your 'not in front of the fillies!' stare is deflected by a wry smile of his.

Neither of you realize Soft Sweeps is looking at you with a… with an expression.

"But if you are talking about our guests, not really dear," he says, waving a hoof at the dining hall and then at the house itself, "house's still standing and all."

You nod, beginning to munch on your pancake as you look down at the six foals, picking up on the conversation they are having about what they should do today. Something about exploring the farmlands, or going to see the river that runs through the property.

Well, your daughters know where they aren't supposed to go, and you are sure Soft Sweeps will keep an eye on them. So you don't really pay much attention to that.

But still, as you think about all that, you can't help but think you are forgetting about something… something important, which was supposed to happen… tonight?

You can vaguely remember a dream you had, but for some reason the details are a bit foggy… the last thing you can really remember is just falling asleep on top of your husband as you were climbing the bed.

You slow down your pancake-eating progress, your sleepy face turning into one of drowsy concentration as you try to wake up more parts of your brain. You are sure that you are missing something, but you can't remember what it is, and-
-and why is there an unknown pony running into your garden?!

You sit up in a starting fit, shaking the table as you do. Although only your husband and Soft Sweeps seem to notice, both of them turning towards you slightly alarmed.

You shake your head, your suddenly-alert mind looking for an excuse even as you track the intruding stranger's progress through your estate, the figure clearly making its way towards your front door.

"I forgot my necklace," you say as you make your way out of the room, your excuse working on Soft Sweeps, but not so much on your husband who tilts his head in confusion.

But you don't really have time to worry about that. And before anypony can say anything you are already out of the dining hall, closing the door behind you to slightly muffle the loud conversation the fillies are having.

You practically trot through the entrance hall, not worrying about the few curious glances you draw from the nearby servants. Your senses entirely focused on the presence that is all but galloping through the garden, making a beeline to the front door you are heading towards.

The presence passes through a few servants as it runs. You think you can even hear a few questions and alarmed words being thrown after it, coming from the nearby window.

But none of the servants outside feel threatened? Alarmed, for sure, but you can't tell that any of them feel like they are in danger.

The presence, also, is definitely running with urgency. But more as if it was prey running from danger, instead of a predator running towards it.

Not a threat?

Your previously tense expression turns into one that is merely vigilant as you reach the entrance hall. And not a moment later the intruder reaches the other side of it, a desperate and loud knocking coming to the door right after.

"Hello? Is anypony in there?! I need to speak with somepony!"

A few servants gather around you as the unknown voice of a mare reaches you. Under normal circumstances one of them would answer the door, and call for Ponpon if they thought the situation merited your attention. But, most unusually, you are literally standing right by the front door, so they aren't exactly sure of what to do except wait for you to do something.

Which you don't mind at all, of course. Part of you feels that the mare on the other side of the door is not a threat, but having servants close at hoof can't hurt seeing how desperate that pony is acting.

The yelling, and the banging at the door, die out as soon as you open the door with your magic.

"Oh, thank goodness! Listen ma'am, I need to speak with mah, sister. I need to take 'er home and it's urgent! Is she in there? Can I come in?!"

The mare all but overwhelms you with how quickly she speaks. In fact, she is not even looking at you as she says her words, and you can clearly tell that she is actually looking over you, peeking into your house with an expression that is close to panic. To be honest, for a moment you almost think she is just going to shove you aside and gallop into your home.

But she doesn't. You can tell from the gardeners that are gathering behind her, their expressions a mixture of alertness and shock, that she had no problems running past them, but she seems to be holding herself by sheer force of will to not do that to you.

"Hold on, calm down miss," you try to say, raising a placating hoof as the mare literally trots in place, "you said you are one of the fillies is your sister? I'm-"

"Calm down?! Miss, this ain't the time to be calm! APPLE BLOOM, ARE YOU IN THERE?!" the mare cuts through you, stopping her trot for a moment only to bring a hoof to her mouth as she yells into your house.

Your ears ring painfully for a few moments at how surprisingly loud the yell is.

Alright, that does it.

[Lassoing the prize pony, breakpoints 30/60/90]

[Roll = 24 + 14 (Diplomacy) + 15 (Grail) + 5 (Beautiful) + 10 (An Awareness of Appetite) = 68]

"Just calm down for a moment... and I'm sure we can sort this out," you say, still managing to sound both firm and placating even over the slightly painful ringing in your ears.

You see the mare take in another breath, and for a dreadful moment you think she will just call for her sister again.

But something sweet manages to slip into that breath and, together with your words and tone, she calmly exhales a few moments later.

Well, saying that she did it calmly might be stretching it. But you can see that the mare is a holding herself a lot better than before. Her eyes are still looking over you and into her home, almost in a mixture of pleading an panic, but at least the trotting-in-place has stopped.

And seeing how the mare is calming down, you decide to go in that direction even further.

"Now, please, why don't you come in? You said you were Apple Bloom's sister, right? I am Velvet Covers, my daughter was the one who invited your sister over."

You normally wouldn't let an unknown pony in easily like this. Especially one who claims to be a relative to one of your daughter's friends, while said foal is within the safety of your house. However, being a pony also has its perks, and a quick glance at the orange mare's cutie mark as she steps in through the door tells you that she at least has something to do with apples. You try to rack your brain to see if you remember her, from the Sisterhooves Social event you went with your family, or in any other circumstance you had been at the Apple Clan's farm, but nothing really comes to mind. You can only remember how her matriarch, and her oldest grandson, looked like.

But still...

"Ah'm sorry, ma'am... Lady Velvet, is it?" the mare says, taking off her hat and putting it against her chest, the way she looks flustered telling you that she noticed how hard you winced just now. "My name is Applejack, and yes, Apple Bloom is my sister."

Still... something tells you that you can trust the mare. You are not sure what, but she looks awfully dependable.

"And ah'm sorry if this is sudden, but I really need to take 'er back home right now," she says, her voice firm.

Well. You are sure Apple Bloom herself will give you all the confirmation you need if this is indeed her sister. Because for all that you can see the mare is honest, your motherly instincts simply won't let you just take her word for it.

However, that doesn't mean you can't at least talk to the mare.

"Well, we were ready to have the fillies over for the whole weekend. But of course, I'll have her brought here right away. Still... did something happen?

The mare opens her mouth to answer almost immediately, surprise clear in her face as she looks at you as if you had two heads. However, she closes her mouth before she says anything, her surprise turning into confusion, and slowly into understanding as she thinks about something.

"Hang on... you do live a ways from town and... wait, so you haven't heard about it?!"

You tilt your head slightly at the mare's reaction, your eyes narrowing as you… as that annoying thought, that you are somehow forgetting about something important, comes back to you now of all times.

"No, why?" you ask, honestly curious, "is anything the matter?"

"Oh, hey Applejack. What're you doing here?"

But a voice, one that you recognize as being from one of your daughter's friends, interrupts the two of you. Bringing up an immediate reaction out of the orange mare.

"Oh, goondess gracious Apple Bloom, ah'm so glad yer' alright. Go get your things girl, we have to go home right now," the mare says that, her voice a mixture of urgenct and honest relief.

Although Apple Bloom's only reaction to her words is to stand there, looking at her sister with a confused expression.

Moments later the other fillies, your daughters included, file out of the dining hall to see what is going on. And with Applejack's panic now under control, she seems to realize what sort of crowd she has around her.

But still, you can see that she has not forgotten your previous question, and that she has something very dire to say. So, she turns to you and quickly whispers something, before turning back to her sister.

"Listen ma'am, I don't know what happened. Nopony knows. But the whole of Ponyville is turned upside down because… there were kidnappings," her voice grows even lower, as if she couldn't believe what she was saying, or didn't even want to say those words. "Breaking-ins, robberies, whole families disappeared, just like that."

Your eyes go wide as the mare says that. But before you can say anything she is already going towards her sister, talking over the filly's protest as she insists that Apple Bloom packs her things and gets ready to leave.

And at that moment, your remember the dream you had this last night, realization dawning upon you like a bucket of cold water.

- - -

Things are looking bad.

As soon as that orange mare, Applejack you think was her name, said that, everything clicked inside your head.

The first thing you did was call your husband and Ponpon, to tell the head maid to gather all the servants and control any situation before it appeared. You gave her orders to let the servants go home, offer them a place to stay in the servant's quarter, or to do anything else she would need in order to avoid a panic.

After that, you grabbed all the fillies, your daughters included since you wouldn't let them out of your sight in the near future, and took them back to Ponyville. Foals were returned to their panicked parents, even if you had to cheat to find Silver Spoon's parents, given how they had left home and were on their way to yours. And soon enough your group was reduced to yourself, your husband, and your own fillies (and Scootaloo, since the orange filly said her parents were out of town).

And the five of you find yourselves in a Ponyville that is in the middle of an uproar.

Everywhere you look you see either three or more ponies having a very tense conversation, or a pony that is outright galloping in one direction or another. Yelling for a name, or asking if somepony saw a member of their family, or trying to find a close friend. Definitely, you can immediately tell, the result of this being a place where everypony knows each other even if indirectly. You already know what happened, but you had no idea that Ponyville being a small town would make the impact this much worse.

And of course, it doesn't take long for you to hear from word of mouth, as you walk around town… well, to be honest, you hear way too many things.

"It was dozens, maybe hundreds of ponies! All of them gone!"
"I heard there was a trail of blood in one of the houses…"
"Why in Equestria isn't the Guard doing anything?"
"They caught one, right? I heard they did!"
"The Mayor, I need to speak with the Mayor, it's urgent! Where is she?!"

You hear way too many things, see way too many panicked ponies, and you can tell that the entirety of Ponyville is teetering on the verge of a full-out chaos. Nopony is doing anything stupid... at least not yet. Nothing is on fire, nopony is acting aggressively, but you can still tell things are bad.

And you realize this is definitely not a place you want your daughters to stay any longer than absolutely necessary.

"Stormchaser, take them home," you say, and you see your husband hesitating for only a second, giving you a meaningful glance of worry, before he takes the of with the three fillies.

You understood what he meant with that stare. He trusts you to not to do anything stupid or dangerous, while also understanding that him taking the fillies away is simply the greater priority. And in return, you could tell that he also understood that you will stay behind only to do what is absolutely necessary, such as figuring out what the hay is happening, before returning home safely.

And you set out to do just that, making your way to the Wildhoof Club as quickly and furtively as possible.

Because after you remembered what happened in your dreams, you also immediately understood what has caused this whole mess. So, you go looking for Windy Flakes as quickly as possible.

But as soon as you find him, before you even get the chance to ask him anything, he immediately turns to you with an expression that is by far the most tense you have ever seen him wearing.

"Velvet, the detective arrested Starry Dancer."

With those words alone, you realize how bad things are.

[You have quickly convened with Windy Flakes, and have learned the following.]

-The Changeling Purge happened this last night. Apparently, almost everypony in the cult was "visited" by the Master. Windy himself woke from his own sleep with orders to go to the club and coordinate the departure of the expedition from there. He stayed there to distribute the supplies that had been prepared beforehoof, and to help them with any of their needs before they left.

-From what he knows, Comet Feet, all the ponies you cast an extra Influence on (one Forge Influence and one Winter Influence), as well as the four Windigos and their summoners, were called. They departed with a few carts of supplies in the beginning of the night, with Comet flying after them as soon as he was done with the Changeling Purge.

-The town's panic comes from the Changeling Purge itself. From what he knows, no changelings really escaped, although there could be more in hiding. But some of the breaking-ins left more traces than just the disappearing ponies. And come this morning, the cultists who were instructed to try to keep the town from panicking, by playing the calm voices in the crowds, were not nearly as effective as it was hoped.

-Nopony knows when, or why. But the guards that Windy has on a payroll managed to tell him that the detective from the Capital arrested Starry Dancer first thing in the morning. He is not sure if that means there are traitors (pony traitors, that is) in the cult, or if something worse happened. She was not involved in the Changeling Purge as far as he saw, but she might have received orders from the Master to act during the night that he simply did not have any contact with.

-You have absolutely no idea when the Master and the other ponies who set out will return. The two of you, you understand, remain in charge of the cult.

Knowing that, you decide to…

Regarding Starry Dancer:

[You must pick ONE. These actions will be performed by cult members under Windy's instructions and will not fail.]

[] Starry might talk. Knowing that a member of the Inner Circle was arrested so easily might make a panicked cultist talk. Tartarus, the detective might even decide to ship her to Canterlot. Better to break her out. (Break Starry Dancer out the usual way, with hooded ponies and muscle. Will calm down the cult. Will tip off Dull Glass that something large is going on. Starry Dancer will be hidden away somewhere safe.)

[] Knock, Moth, and the bits to make your friends in the Guard look away. Break her out, without leaving a trace. (Break Starry Dancer out without leaving a trace. Will calm down the cult. Will not leave solid evidence for Dull Glass to examine. Starry Dancer will be hidden away somewhere safe.]

[] Leave her.

Regarding the uproar that is going on around town, and the efforts that Dull Glass is no doubt making during the panic:

[Pick TWO. These actions will be performed by yourself, personally]

[] Tail detective Dull Glass. He is doing something, and knowing where his eyes were during these crucial first hours will be of the utmost importance. (Discover some of the things Dull Glass will do, on the aftermath of the Changeling Purge, without his knowledge).

[] Approach Dull Glass. He followed protocol by introducing himself to you, as Ponyville's highest ranking noble, when he came to town. So now, in the wake of a disaster, you will offer your time and influence to aid him, your beloved town, and by extension the Crown in these trying times. (Become closer to Dull Glass, with all that will entail. You have no idea what his reaction might be, and you have no idea of what he already knows or suspects).

[] Clear the trails. Call what few ponies know about Moth and discreetly go to the "crime scenes". You can't unmake a disappearance, but you can downplay the traces that were left behind and clean up before anypony has the chance to properly investigate them. (Decrease the amount of evidence left by the cult).

[] Starry Dancer was hired by the Mayor after being personally vouched by you. Go talk to the Mayor, and convincingly express your surprise and shock, before this seed has any chance to sprout. (Cut off any suspicions there might be connecting you and Starry Dancer from Mayor Mare's point of view).

[] Mayor Mare will address Ponyville in a rushed meeting in the Town Hall. Be there. Your presence as Ponyville's only noble will certainly help her show that things are under some level of control. (Help calm down the town at large. Place yourself as more approachable figure of authority in these trying times).

[] Plenty of ponies will not be able to go to the Town Hall meeting. Plenty of ponies are not in any state to do anything, right now. Plenty of ponies don't even know exactly what just happened. Go around Ponyville, make sure you are seen, and more importantly make sure your story is the one that spreads the quickest by word of mouth. (Help calm down the town at large. Reduce overall suspicion of "what happened" in a way that benefits the cult).

[] Rein the cult in. The cult is part of the town, and the town is part of the cult. Panic, especially amongst the lower levels, is spreading as quickly through the cult as it is through Ponyville. Join Windy Flakes in making sure nopony does, or says, anything stupid. (Calm the cult down, and lower the chance of suspicion being drawn to the Wildhoof Club, both the cult and the club).

[] Run late. (Picking this option allows you to pick an EXTRA option from those above. Will worry your family, as you will return home far later than it is sensible).

You are now acquaintances with Applejack.

Your contact with Windy Flakes has revealed to you that he is now a Branded.

Your Flourishing Risen is no longer usable, and soon will permanently take root. You have ordered him away, and he has been removed from your current assets.

Vote in PLANS. With a single plan having all decisions, both regarding Starry Dancer and what to do in town. Town votes that has more than two actions must have four actions, with the two actions picked, the "run late", and the extra action chosen.

This will decide what you will do right now, as well as what you will focus your attention on until the expedition returns. The results of these actions, their impacts, and anything that may follow up will carry on and be the subject of the beginning of the next turn.

Four hour moratorium, further forty-four hours of voting, 48h total.

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

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Uh-oh, better hide those FOALS!

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