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

[Solace2117]

So I've seen some people mention putting off Velvet's SH sacrament next turn, but I'm hesitant considering how we tend to consistently delay things. We may just have to call an influence next turn assuming we can use them for Sacraments, I don't know if that's been confirmed, but I don't think they count as rituals, so it should be fine.
I got to thinking about reagents. In this thread it says they could only be used in rituals which means we would only be able to use one or the other. In the original thread though it says in rituals or very specific narrative circumstances. I believe we got to Forge 3 and gained the ability to craft reagents because of the threads decision to interact with a Velvet from another history. From that standpoint it would make sense her reagents would help, at least with the SH Sacrament. Don't know if Ourladyofwires has made statements one way or another, but it's a thought if we can afford it since we can craft 1 Reagent a turn without using an action. May just be overthinking it, but trying to work out ways to get everyone on board with the Sacrament next turn.

 

[OurLadyOfWires]

So!

Sorry for the sudden, and maybe untimely posts. I'd like to say a few words before we continue.

To make it very short, I am glad people liked this last update! This part of the story was several years in the making, and it involved out joint effort. But I am really happy that, at least that last scene, was to your liking.

I also wanted to make sure there we had around a day to just... well, revel in our victory. This was a result several years (and ten entire turns) in the making, and we accepted a lot of sacrifices to make sure this happened.

Still, the story needs to move on! So this is what will happen.

I have just finished writing the next update. I will post it right now.

I also plan on making all the way to the next vote today, so we can start discussions and planning throughout the week.

And... well, that's basically it!

I hope you are all doing well.

Oh, and last but not least. Yes, Luna is back. And yes, I too want her to speak to everyone, and to make her a central part in Velvet's life (and now, her plans) as we move forward. But those kinds of things take time, and need to happen organically. So, let's take this one pony and one chapter at a time, shall we?

Thank you kindly for reading my story. And let's see what happens next!

 

[Greased]

I hope everyone on the old site comes over to see this because it is awesome!

 

[Pittauro]

So I've seen some people mention putting off Velvet's SH sacrament next turn, but I'm hesitant considering how we tend to consistently delay things. We may just have to call an influence next turn assuming we can use them for Sacraments, I don't know if that's been confirmed, but I don't think they count as rituals, so it should be fine.
I got to thinking about reagents. In this thread it says they could only be used in rituals which means we would only be able to use one or the other. In the original thread though it says in rituals or very specific narrative circumstances. I believe we got to Forge 3 and gained the ability to craft reagents because of the threads decision to interact with a Velvet from another history. From that standpoint it would make sense her reagents would help, at least with the SH Sacrament. Don't know if Ourladyofwires has made statements one way or another, but it's a thought if we can afford it since we can craft 1 Reagent a turn without using an action. May just be overthinking it, but trying to work out ways to get everyone on board with the Sacrament next turn.

Click to shrink...

Problem is, next turn is the LUNA RETURNS turn. We quite literally might not have the time, especially considering we need to summon Axe and scry for the Frangiclave too, among who knows what other fleeting moments actions. Like talking to Comet.

Way I see it, we can MAYBE (and probably will HAVE to) afford to delay a turn, but not more than that. turn 20 we HAVE to take an SH sacrament action, and I'd prefer two.

for forge 3, yeah, I think we got 3 scraps of lore from picking that alternate history as something we'd keep from that nat100 in SH search. We kept 3 scraps of Forge, AND we got the Lantern 6 book. We were tempted to risk taking a Dread in addition to Fascination to ALSO meet Neighnia, but we were warned off that while solving ONE Dread or Fascination is the work of a turn, two might be the work of multiple turns, and 3 bring us a step away from a game over.

And that, sadly and differently from the game, Dread and Fascination do NOT cancel each others out...

I don't think we can use Reagents to help... but then again, an SH reagent COULD theoretically make sense as something that would help us. It would be up to Bird, of course.

Influence (especially from Baldomare) is the easy option though. And by the way if we study the two Forge Books we have we could reach Forge 4 and then we'd be able to make lvl 4 reagents too. (though they'd cost 80 bits, so not cheap)

I also wanted to make sure there we had around a day to just... well, revel in our victory.

Click to shrink...

I feel like the other horseshoe is about to drop now!

Oh, and last but not least. Yes, Luna is back. And yes, I too want her to speak to everyone, and to make her a central part in Velvet's life (and now, her plans) as we move forward. But those kinds of things take time, and need to happen organically. So, let's take this one pony and one chapter at a time, shall we?

Click to shrink...

well, time for this first NEW chapter then!

...I'll read, comment, and then go to sleep.

I hope everyone on the old site comes over to see this because it is awesome!

Click to shrink...

well, everyone who still enjoys the quest. I remember a few people expressing plenty of bad feelings near the end... hopefully they didn't follow us here.

I kinda didn't understand that thing some said about how Bird basically had an abusive relationship with his readers.

I mean, alternating positive and negative feelings feel like something that makes a story BETTER to me. If a story can make me feel STRONGLY, that's a mark in its favor, even when they're negative feelings. Especially if there's also good moments to counter them.

 

[DelightedOne]

Worse, we might need to explain Mareinette.

Click to shrink...

Oh, that one is easy: We needed to climb the Mansus to make sure no one else would become the supreme god of reality and she was in the way and also because if we didn't summon her someone else would and you don't want a Name against you, we should know one tried to kill us last month.

 

[OurLadyOfWires]

You are Selene.

And you are Luna.

And more importantly, you are currently being… well, this has long passed the point of fawning. You are pretty sure you are currently being inspected.

In the most loving way possible, of course. But still.

"-and you're just so tall! Me and Stormy practically have to look up to talk to you!"

"Mom…"

But really, you are actually impressed, and maybe even a little curious.

Because how is it possible for a pony to be hugging you tightly, and at the same time be far enough to look at your entire body?

Is… is something going on? You swear to the stars there is only one of your mom here with you. But how is she even doing this?!

"And your wings are beautiful! Just look at these feathers, Stormy. There's… there's actually a hue to them, isn't there?"

"Mom…"

"Velvet, Sweetheart…"

When did she get under your wings? And how are her forelegs still around your neck as she does that?!

Even your dad is chiming in now. And you can tell by his expression that he is also… confused? Surprised? Maybe even worried?

It's not something bad or intrusive, but… Well, it is kind of getting overwhelming?

"And by the heavens that horn. I've never seen such a perfect horn in my entire li-"



"Mom!"
"Velvet, could you please… just a little bit?"
"Oh, right… I'm, uh, sorry…?"



Your mother finally steps back, and you… well, maybe you let out a small sigh of relief.

But still, you know this is just the way she is. In fact, this is nothing compared to that one time you got sick and she…

… no, wait, too many memories. A part of you, one that feels more experienced and mature, is telling you that you will need some time alone to parse through everything you have inside your head.

So, it is best that you focus on the here and now for the time being.

Which means that…

"Ah, no, I really mean it. I'm sorry Sel-… Luna…? Actually, how do we want you to call you? No, no, I'm not trying to change the subject. I'm really sorry that-" your mom starts to say, her face honestly apologetic.

But you interrupt her by raising a hoof.

"Mom, it's fine. Really. I know a lot of things happened and… well, I also realize there's a lot of things I just don't know yet," you say.

And you really mean it.

Because you just woke up and… well, did you just wake up? Or did you return? Or did you just start existing? By the moon, this situation is so complicated that you don't even know what words to use.

To be honest, you don't even know what just happened. You have this confident sensation that this is all good. However, you still have an entire library's worth of memories in your head, that you both "already know" and "realize you should review" at the same time.

Furthermore, you are also aware that there are things that you simply didn't know. Neither as Selene nor as Luna.

And most importantly, none of you have the time to start working on any of those things right now.

So, the best thing you can do is focus on your priorities.

"So, I know we need to talk. We need to sit down, and start figuring out what to do next," you continue. And both your parents nod. Their expression slowly turning from joy and relief to…

Well, they are still clearly happy, but you can tell that the reality of the situation is finally starting to sink in for everypony. Including yourself.

"However, before that happens, there is something I need to do. And there is something I need you two to do for me. Can you please help me with this?" you ask.

Although the two ponies were already nodding in affirmative even before you finished your question.

"Yes, of course!"

"Anything you need, just name it."

Both of them say, almost at the same time.

And the sincerity in their voices actually puts a smile on your face.

"Thank you," you say with a smile. "So, the thing I need you to do is…"

You begin to speak more softly, each of your words being quieter than the last.

And you light up your horn as you do that, the soft purple glow barely illuminating anything around you. Your magic flowing through you like a familiar gust of wind.

"… I need you two to rest for a while. You two look like you haven't slept at all tonight."

You say that, and you watch as their eyes slowly begin to close. Their bodies growing heavier as they begin to slump against each other.

You think your mother is trying to say something, but she only manages to mumble something before your magic finishes making her fall asleep.

After that, you gently float the two of them back towards the large sofa. And the two ponies settle down together, lovingly hugging each other, without any interference from you.

And you just look at them, for a few more seconds, before you take your leave.

You don't feel bad for doing this. The two of them look exhausted, and... well, you are not a filly anymore. You realize they must have gone through a rollercoaster of emotions. They really just need some timeout right now.

And you, on the other hoof, have a few promises to keep.

"I'll be back soon, then we can take care of the future," you say to the two of them. "I promise."

Moments later, you are gone.



- - -



Your first stop is… your sister's room.

Your younger sister, mind you.

Well, this isn't really her room. This is a dream. Her dream.

Because she is still sleeping, and you weren't sure if you wanted to wake her up.

Actually, you are not sure of what you are going to do.

Because you have to talk to her. You just have to tell her.

But is that… a good idea?

After all, you are not a filly anymore. You know that your actions have consequences, and that sometimes it's best not to reveal certain things.

You are not a filly anymore. And most important of all, she still is.

So wouldn't it be better if you just… didn't tell her? Would it be better if you figured out something else?

…

Pff, who are you kidding? You are not that kind of pony. You aren't afraid of lying, but you are not going to do this to her.

After all, she is your sister. And you made her a promise.

So, you step into her dream-room.

And as expected, she is already awake. She is lying on her bed, as if she had just woken up. But still, she looks at you the moment you open her door.



"Hey, Silky, I-"

"Who are you?!"



But the moment you look at her, you realize she is scared. She is peeking at you from under her blankets, as if trying to hide, and you can tell that she is wide-eyed and frightened.

And you freeze, from her sudden reaction. Because you are not sure what to do next. You don't even know how to react.

Because right now, you are Selene. Or at least you look like Selene. You are currently in your Selene-like body, and you know for a fact that the only thing she can see right now is the perfectly ordinary filly who has lived with her all this time.

However, you also know that… that Silky has always been good at noticing things.

You also remember the very first day you met her, when your mother brought you into her house for the first time. When you were still scared and lonely, and she somehow knew just what to do as she took you by the hoof and helped you start your new life.

You knew she saw something in you back then.

The same way she can see something in you right now.

"Silky, what are you talking about?" you ask. Although you can tell your voice is not as confident as it should be. "It's me, Silky. I'm Selene."

You say that, as you cautiously take a few steps towards her bed.

But for every step you take, Silky pushes herself away from you. Pressing her back against the wall, and keeping her blankets between the two of you like a barrier.

"No you're not!" she yells, her voice scared. "You're not Selene. You're not my sister! What did you do to her?!"

And her words… make you feel a strange pain inside your chest. For too many reasons.

You stop walking towards her. You don't want to scare her any more than she already is. More than that, you didn't want her to be scared at all.

And the confident expression you had on your face, as you entered her room, is completely gone now.

"I… Silky, I…" you try to say something, anything, but you are at a loss for words.

What should you say to her? What can you say to her?

And before you realize it, your hind hits the floor, and you are sitting on the soft carpet of her room as you…

"Silky… it's me. I'm Selene. Don't you recognize me...?"

The words leave your mouth before you can think about them.

And slowly, painfully slowly, you can see that Silky's expression is…

Well, you can tell that she believes you. At least a little bit.

But you can also tell that the fear she has on her face is being replaced by…

"Y-you… you are Selene? Is… is that really you?"

… you can do nothing but watch, as her expression is slowly overcome by sadness.

"But… but what happened to you? Why do you look so…?" she asks, her words trailing off.

Still, there is no need for her to finish that question. You know exactly what she is asking you.

"I just woke up, Silky," you say. But as you admit those words, and you watch her expression become sadder and sadder, you begin to understand the implications of what that means. "I guess I just… grew up?"

Because everything happened so quickly, everything happened so suddenly, that you didn't really have the time to… to realize what this means.

It didn't really dawn upon you how this will change your life, from now on.

And most of all, you didn't realize how this would affect everypony else around you.

But Silky did. Of course she did. Of course this was the first thing she thought about.

After all, up until now you were with her all day, every day. You two were one of the most important parts of each other's world…

And more importantly, the two of you always thought things would stay like that.

"You… but we…" she starts to say, but suddenly she stops. Her grip on her blankets faltering as something else begins to overcome her.

And before you realize it, her blankets have completely fallen off. And you are looking at a Silky Stream who is… alone, hugging herself, pressing her back against the wall of her room as she just…

As she just begins to cry.

"… you grew up… without me? B-but what about… weren't we meant t-to… to grow up together?"

And once again, you have no idea of what you should do. You don't even know if there is anything you can do.

Because nothing you could ever tell her will change that fact that… she is right.

After all, the two of you really did everything together, didn't you?

You went to school together. You ate together. She let you sleep on her bed when you had nightmares. You helped with her homework, when she wasn't sure of what to do.

You made new friends together. You learned new things together. Everyday was a new adventure the two of you explored together. And just like she said, the two of you were growing up together. Like every sibling should be, the two of you were best friends who lived in the same house, and shared your lives with each other.

But now… didn't you just leave her behind?

"I… Silky, I'm… I'm sorry," you say, your own face growing sadder as this particular reality of your new life begins to settle in.

After all, you might be more than just Selene, now.

But you are also definitely less than Selene was before.

And the pony who will probably be the most affected by that is right in front of you.

"Y-you… b-but what happened…? Why?" she asks, still trying to hold back her tears.

She asks that, and you don't know what to tell her.

…

So, you just show her.

A soft glow envelops your body, as you easily change her dream so you can take on another form. And moments later, you are looking down at her due to your height, rather than looking up at her because she is still on her bed.

And after that… Silky Stream just stares at you.

She doesn't look shocked or surprised. You think she always knew something about you was different. And you don't think she suspected it was this. But still, she doesn't look surprised.

She doesn't look scared, either. Even though she is inside her room, with a pony she had never seen before in her life, she still doesn't look scared.

She just looks…

Sad.

After the longest time, she finally looks down, as if she had accepted something.

"… okay…" is all she says.

But the way she says it, as if she had just accepted she had lost something… it doesn't just break something inside of you.

It shatters your heart.

Because from that word alone, she already told you everything you need to know.

From that word alone, you can already tell that… that she understands it. That she accepts it, even.

She understands that her sister is gone now.

She understands that she will have to grow up alone, without her very best friend.

And even though she doesn't want any of that to happen, she accepts that you have to do it regardless.

After all, you are a Princess. And even a young filly like her understands that a Princess is just meant to do more important things. They have a whole world to take care of, after all.

"Can you… Mrs. Princess Luna, I-I'm sorry for asking this but… could you at least let me dream about Selene, every now and then? I… I just don't want to forget her and stuff…" she says, in a tone so low it's barely a whisper.

And you…

When did your vision get so blurry?

You wipe the tears that are beginning to fall from your eyes.

And you make a decision.

You have no idea how this will impact everything else, moving forward.

You have no idea how much context you are even missing. Because it will probably take you days or weeks to catch up to speed, and figure out what in the night sky your mother has been doing all along.

But you also don't care.

You have a promise to keep.

And you are still Selene. Even if you also happen to be more than just her.

"Silky, I'm not here to tell you I'm going to leave," you say, making your way towards her bed and climbing it without a second thought.

Your sister doesn't recoil away from you. But she doesn't seem encouraged by your words either.

Still, you sit in front of her on that small bed, and you continue to tell her the decision you have just made.

"Do you remember the promise we made, during my first month here? Do you remember what you told me on that night, when I still felt like I was all alone?"

You ask that, and she gives you a weak nod. Her expression making it very clear that she remembers it, and that she also realizes that your promise just can't be kept anymore.

However, that's where she is wrong.

"Well, I am going to keep that promise. More than that, I want us to make a new promise to each other. Right here, and right now. Because I am not going to leave you, but I also… am going to need your help."

You say that, and for the very first time Silky looks at you with… not hope, but perhaps confusion?

And as you wipe the tears from her cheeks, as you explain to her exactly what you are going to do, a small smile appears on her face.

You have no idea how you are going to make this work.

You don't even know if it will be practical. And you… you definitely will need to bring in your parents as well.

But you will all figure it out. Together.



And most importantly, you are not leaving your sister.



...

The two of you stay together, just chatting on her dream-bed, for a lot longer, after you two make that promise.

And after that, the two of you just... stay there, keeping each other company.



"S-so… uhm… am I the little sister now"
"Pfff, you are worried about that? Well, I guess you are."
"Okay… and uhm, can I… Can I look at your cutie mark? I mean, I always hoped we'd get ours closer to each other but…"
"Of course you can, you don't even have to ask!"
"And I… can I keep calling you Selene?"
"I'd love it if you did, sis."



Still, no matter what happens moving on, you know this was the right decision to make.

And when you leave her dream, you can tell that she has a smile on her face, as she sleeps away the rest of the early morning.



- - -



Time moves differently when you are inside dreams. Or rather, you can take a lot of liberties with the flow of time, when you are inside a pony's dream.

That is a skill you have learned a long time ago, but that thankfully still seems to be like second nature to you.

It's… strange. Everything you try to do is easy and familiar. And yet, every time you try to do something, from walking around with your long legs to using magic, you get that a feeling that you are trying it for the first time. Going into somepony's dreams is no different.

Of course, that also has the worrying implication that you don't innately know the limits of what you can do. And you realize you might just hit a dead end, where you suddenly realize that "no, you actually never could do this". Which is its own cause for concern.

But none of that matters right now.

What matters is that, again, you can make time move differently in dreams.

So, even though you spent a lot of time with Silky just now, until she fell back asleep lying on your flank…

It was still night, or perhaps early morning, when you left her dream.

The sun has not yet risen.

And you hope your other sister will be asleep.

…

The motions are all pleasantly familiar, so you don't even need to think about them. You go back to your room, you barricade the door with something sufficiently heavy, and then you start meditating on your bed.

You will wander around the Dreamlands later. And parse through everything you… remember about it, in due time.

For now, you immediately jump into your sister's dream door.



And moments later, you are inside Celestia's dream.



"Thank the stars you are still asleep, dear sister," you say to yourself.

And then you just…

…

You actually just stand there, for a while.

Because it has just… it has just been so long.

A sensation of vertigo, or perhaps something stronger, overtakes you. And the Luna-side of your memories, the one that remembers your dear Celestia and everything that came before that, comes rushing through you.

You… you have so much to tell her. You have so much you want to do with her.

You feel so happy that you might just start laughing, and you feel so scared you might as well be frozen in place. Because how has she been? Does she miss you? Can she forgive everything you did?

You shake your head, spreading your legs under you as if you are afraid of falling down. And you remember…

You vaguely remember the life you had before that great blackness in your mind…

And you remember the precious few months you spent with her, after your first return. And how confused you were, and how hard you were on yourself, and how patient and loving she was as the two of you were finally together after so long, and…!

Your legs are moving before you can even think about it.

You just want to meet your sister again, this time for good!



With that thought, you begin to navigate her dream, trying to find her as soon as possible.



Celestia's dream is…

Now that you think about it, you can't remember the last time you were here. The two of you were often asleep when the other was awake, so you always had the chance to visit her, but you don't quite remember doing it.

Well, you don't really remember anything from the distant past. And you weren't really doing much during the time you were with her, after your initial return.

Still, her dream is… it is actually quite large.

You first appeared on a small forest, or perhaps a lush garden. But you knew what direction you had to go, to make your way towards her, so you soon made your way out of the garden.

And you found yourself in…

Well, this certainly isn't Canterlot. But perhaps it's how she wishes Canterlot will become, in the future?

You are currently looking at a great castle. Or perhaps a city? No, it is definitely a castle that is the size of a city. Made out of marble and gold, its perfect white reflecting the overhead midday sun in all of its splendour.

You think the castle is perched on top of a mountain, but the scenario breaks out when you try to look towards the far distance. Or perhaps, this is the whole top of Mount Canterlot that was carved into a castle.

Either way, you can see that the design is as grand as your sister's vision.

It is very… nostalgic, to see something like that. To see a visual reminder of all the plans your sister told you, about the future she has in mind for ponykind.

You stretch your wings, and you take to the air. Making your way towards the great castle as quickly as possible.

As you fly over the tall walls, you can see that the entire palace is being patrolled by guards. Faceless ponies who seem to be made out of metal and marble, walking around in organized groups. But still, none of them seem to notice you, or at least they did not seem disturbed if they did notice you. So, you fly to the central building, and you land on a large plaza that leads to a great door made out of solid gold.

Soon enough, you enter a place that seems to be a throne room.

And ah… you don't really have the words to say how happy you are.



Because there she is!



The throne room is immense. Its walls are tall, with great mosaics and metal windows on its ceiling. Great banners cover the walls, and a grand red carpet stretches from the door where you stand to the base of the throne.

And on that large, golden throne fitted with jewels, your sister is waiting.

Atop that great throne of the Sun, sits Celestia.

She gives you an honest, proud smile as she looks at you. Her eyes telling you more than her words ever could.

You are finally back.

And she has been waiting for you all this time.



"Luna, my dearest sister. I am so glad you have finally returned."



Her voice sounds strong, echoing through the great room almost as if she is trying to hug you with her words.

Still, even that feels pleasant. Even that feels…

"Yes, sister. I am back. And… and it is so good to see you again," you say, not even bothering to hide the emotions from your voice.



"Yes. Now that you are back, now that we are together, we can finally fulfill our purpose."



Her voice, once again, feels heavy in the air. Almost as if her every movement, even when she opens her mouth, causes the air to shake.

No, it's more than that, it's almost as if she is making everything shake.

And that feels… strange, now that you think about it.

You start to make your way towards her, but you can't help but steal some glances here and there as you do.

"Of course, sister. Of course. Still, I missed you so much that… well, how have you been? I have so many things to tell you, Celestia. And…"

Your words trail off, and you stop.

Something… something is not right.

Celestia's expression is… she is smiling yes, but you were so happy to see her that you thought it was a smile of joy. You thought it was a smile full of love and happiness.

But now that you think about it, she almost seems… eager?

That is a positive emotion, of course, but still…

She notices your pause, of course, and you watch as she slowly leans on her throne, merely arching her head towards you-



!!!!!!!!!!!



-and the whole castle, no the whole world trembles as she does that. As if everything around you was straining from just that small movement of hers.

"Sister is… is everything alright?" you ask, not being able to hide the concern in your voice.

And in response to that, Celestia just smiles.



"Of course, dear sister. Of course. Everything is perfect. And everything will be better, once you help me."



She says that, and as her words echo through the air, you realize that…

This strange feeling…

It's not that her words are echoing through the air. Instead, it is as if the very air is trying to fight back against her words. As if the very walls are pushing them back, or perhaps trying to keep them within the confines of this room.

As if this entire world was trying to…

"Help you…? Of course, Celestia, I will help you with anything you need," you say, willing yourself to remain calm. Forcing your hindlegs not to take that half-step back they so desperately want to.

However, the way she is saying that… the way she is wording that…

"But… but what do you need help with, Celestia?" you ask.

To which she answers by… chuckling?

She chuckles, and then she laughs, and you can only watch in horror as she begins to cackle. The sound of her mirth bouncing against the walls, and the very ground shaking as it tries to resist her movements.



"What else, dear sister. I need you to RELEASE ME."



She says that, and all at once you realize how wrong you are.

You finally notice that, yes you found your sister… You have found her a long time ago.

Your dear sister, your Celestia, is all around you. In every brick of every wall. In every piece of gold that makes up this castle.

In every link of the chains that bind the thing upon the throne. In every part of the mechanical guards that patrol this prison.

You have been in Celestia's presence this entire time.

Even as you were talking to the thing that is chained upon the golden throne.



"Why do you hesitate, dear sister… Why do you PAUSE? Do you not WANT me to be FREE? ARE we not MEANT to be TOGETHER?!"



The thing thrashes in its throne. And the chains, the ones you could not see before but that are now painfully visible, strain to keep her in place.

And the creature itself, now, is far more clear to your eyes. You can now see her in all of her terrible glory. From the yellow of her irises within the black of her eyes, to the fiery feathers on her wings, that are beginning to belch smoke and fire.



"I AM DOING THIS FOR YOU, LUNA! THIS IS ALL FOR YOU! WE BELONG TO EACH OTHER, AND NOTHING WILL EVER CHANGE THAT. NOW RELEASE ME! SET ME FREE AT ONCE!!!"



She thrashes and pushes and throws herself against the confines of her chains. The links of gold and willpower straining to keep her in place, stretching and buckling as they stop the Celestia-thing from moving even another inch.

And all around you, the dream grows hotter.



"BREAK THESE WALLS, DAMN YOU! BREAK THESE CHAINS, AND THIS PRISON, AND THIS STUPID CONSCIENCE THAT IS KEEPING ME HERE! LET ME FREE, SO WE CAN REIGN OVER THE WORLD AS WE ARE MEANT TO!!!"



She is beginning to glow.

No, she is beginning to burn. And the golden throne strains as it tries to hold back what is slowly becoming a localized sun. More than just that, you begin to hear things, coming from the outside. Beyond the throne room, throughout the whole castle, you can hear horns being blown, hoofsteps of metal running, and the unmistakable sound of something very large being closed shut.

It hurts to look at her. It hurts to be in her presence. You can feel a very real, very physical pain as her blinding presence begins to burn your fur. But for a moment, you can't help but freeze from the sheer shock of all this.

The great golden doors behind you begin to move, a legion of guards closing them shut, moving over the corpses of their own companions as they begin to melt from the heat. The windows on the high ceiling are blocked by heavy slabs of marble, carried into position by unseen winged guards. And all around you, you feel like you are being buried alive, locked inside a tomb with the thing that looks like your sister.

And you feel like you are going to burn alive if you stay in this place for even a second longer.

Your horn lights up. The angry sun in front of you realizes what you are doing-



"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! WHY ARE YOU NOT-!?!"



-and you suddenly wake up on your bed, heaving with effort as if you were drowning. The faint smell of burned fur filling your nostrils one last time before your mind accepts that none of that really happened.

…

It was all just a dream…

…

You… do not think it is wise for you to go to your sister yet.

…

And you… you think you should… well you definitely can't…

…

A knock comes to your door, and you let out a small yelp as your heart nearly jumps out of your chest. The familiar voice of Soft Sweeps comes through the door right after, telling you it is time to wake up for breakfast.

A-and you… you decide to…

"I-I'm… I'm coming," you say out loud towards the door.

And then you light up your horn, a wave of magic running through your body until you are a filly once again.

Yes, this is… this is what you are going to do. You think you are in shock, but… everything will be alright if you just go downstairs and have breakfast.

You are Selene. You are a filly with a blank flank, who just woke up on the last day of a weekend.

And... and everything is fine...

Everything will be fine, as... as long as you...





Selene has made a new promise to her sister, one that she will not break. She will continue to be Silky Stream's sister, and the two of them will continue to journey through life together. The logistics of HOW she will keep this promise is still... well, she will figure it out.

Princess Luna has made the decision that, for now, it is best she doesn't reveal herself to her sister. Something happened to her. It did not feel as intrusive and disgusting as it did with herself, but the end result felt just as evil. Celestia is still in there, but she is entirely focused on keeping that evil in check. So it is best if Luna... doesn't upset that balance. She also learned that...

Spoiler: The mentality of the Sun - Better understood

7 or higher: ???

6: ???

5: ???

4: ???

3: ???

2: Daybreaker is born, shackled by her regretful creator. The result of this battle of wills will define the future of Equestria. (???)

1: Daybreaker has come, and Equestria shall slave under the glare of the sun. (Introduce "hyperthermia" mechanic)

0 or lower: "Lady Coelle's actions are not alien to ponykind. But a mirror of their consequences certainly is."

For now, she should really just talk to her parents, and decide what to do next.

And what about her third sister? Later, later, you will have time for her soon.

More to follow.

 

[Solace2117]

Problem is, next turn is the LUNA RETURNS turn. We quite literally might not have the time, especially considering we need to summon Axe and scry for the Frangiclave too, among who knows what other fleeting moments actions. Like talking to Comet.

Way I see it, we can MAYBE (and probably will HAVE to) afford to delay a turn, but not more than that. turn 20 we HAVE to take an SH sacrament action, and I'd prefer two.

Click to shrink...

And that's all fair, but there's always something more to do. You may be right, but I'm going to try to find a way to make it work.
Though it'll all depend on if Bird allows it or not.

 

[spiderhellian]

SORRY WHAT

EDIT: I FORGOT RULE #1: THIS IS A HORROR STORY.

 

[BritBiscuit]

Wow what a twist, Daybreaker being a seperate personality in Celestia which she is constantly struggling not to slip into, really puts into perspective the whole Candance seeing Celestia as having a bubble and her locking herself in a room for days with sounds of violence.

And the other sister knowing that Selene is different straight away, really goes to show how she's grown more perceptive over the last few months like everyone else has like Scootaloo, and really showing the family bonds they still share.

Edit: I wonder if when she meets her 3rd sister Soft Sweeps, due to Luna being wiser and more versed with magic, mixed with Selene's Lore, would the amalglamation see a glimpse into the Wolf bound by her Mother to act as a heart to a daughter gone too soon, and if so would it even matter? Soft is still her sister, in fact for most of the time she has known Soft she has had the Wolf within her, would this allow her in future to (if she ever finds out) see that Velvet's Regrettable actions, though they may invoke a being of agony who brings harm to the world, were born of love and good intentions and allow Luna/Selene/Lunene to forgive or understand her mother.

 

[jelloloaf]

Something happened to her. It did not feel as intrusive and disgusting as it did with herself, but the end result felt just as evil. Celestia is still in there, but she is entirely focused on keeping that evil in check.

Click to shrink...

On the bright side, we could potentially get another daughter out of it, so let's not jump to panic and despair immediately.

 

[angelsadvocate666]

…Yeah. Yeah that tracks. Aaaaand now the arms race makes sense.

 

[Lorrie]

I wonder who 'Lady Coelle' would be, Wolf-Celestia?

Also, hyperthermia huh, probably would involve somehow placting Dawnbreaker regularly, or just straight up defeating her, in order to prevent global warming.

 

[spiderhellian]

Found the reference to Coelle in Cultist Simulator:

Coelle: A flower-girl whose corpse washed up on the shores of Port Noon after she drowned herself. She is a Name of the Wolf, likely due to being consumed by despair and "unmaking" herself.

Click to shrink...

In the harbour of Port Noon, an unknown hand has jammed a lump of cinnabar into the very end of the breakwater. It is a memorial to Coelle the flower-girl, whose body washed up there after she drowned herself. She was not the first and she will not be the last. My wolf-self will curl here to sleep, and the Wolf-Divided will come to me and thrill me with his hatred.

Click to shrink...

So "Lady Coelle's actions" = suicide. The mirror of their consequences... would have been Wolfy, and pretty bad!

 

[BritBiscuit]

Also, hyperthermia huh, probably would involve somehow placting Dawnbreaker regularly, or just straight up defeating her, in order to prevent global warming.

Click to shrink...

Well to beat Hyperthermia you just need to dish out some Hypothermia. RELEASE THE WINDIGOS AND WOLVES UPON THE LAND, BLOT OUT THE SUN!

 

[BlueSteel_Null]

who is Lady Coelle, I get that 1 is basically Evil Celestia but what does 0 mean.

 

[angelsadvocate666]

7 or higher: "The Paragon of Harmony walks upon Equestria. None shall find her wanting."

6: "The morning sun comes, and the horrors of the night flee from its bright gaze."

5: "Bowed, but unbroken. Shaken, but still determined. The sun's light was warmer, before, but its light is still there."

4: "The clouds are too heavy, too numerous. The sun is still there, but we cannot reach it, and it can no longer reach us."

3: "Will the sun ever rise again? It might have forsaken us. It might just not care anymore."

2: "The sun blazes with wrath. Her will shall no longer be denied."

1: "Dawnbreaker has come. If the Moon will not rise, then the Sun will never set."

0 or lower: "The Sun was divided, and this is its wound."

Click to shrink...

7 or higher: "The Paragon of Harmony walks upon Equestria. None shall find her wanting."

6: ???

5: ???

4: ???

3: ???

2: Daybreaker is born, shackled by her regretful creator. The result of this battle of wills will define the future of Equestria. (???)

1: Daybreaker has come, and Equestria shall slave under the glare of the sun. (Introduce "hyperthermia" mechanic)

0 or lower: "Lady Coelle's actions are not alien to ponykind. But a mirror of their consequences certainly is."

Click to shrink...

Here are the two seperate versions, for reference.

God, I was wondering what new crisis Bird planned to keep us busy with. This wasn't really expected, but it's not surprising either.

 

[jelloloaf]

Hmm. I always associated the wolf with biting cold, curious to see how a sun portrayal will work.

 

[Random Anon]

...
Ok, this wasn't a result I was expecting.
I'm also not sure just letting time pass will help all that much.
Seems like we have to help Cadance Quest with reducing Celestia's Heat first?

 

[BritBiscuit]

Hmm. I always associated the wolf with biting cold, curious to see how a sun portrayal will work.

Click to shrink...

Probably the Agony of a dying man in a desert, the sun scorches the land, nothing shall grow, all will wither away. Water the lifeblood of the land is purged and all who consume it to survive will follow.
A blasted wasteland of pain and torment spreading from Canterlot, the agony of its residents lengthened by the railways of Equestria bringing water to those deemed necessary by the Dawnbreaker, acting as veins for the countries new everdiminishing lifeblood as it bleeds to death slowly from self inflicted wounds.

 

[DelightedOne]

IiiiiiIhhhhhhh. Velvet mothering Luna is so fucking adorable.

And Silky SH is high as always.

2: Daybreaker is born, shackled by her regretful creator. The result of this battle of wills will define the future of Equestria. (???)

1: Daybreaker has come, and Equestria shall slave under the glare of the sun. (Introduce "hyperthermia" mechanic)

0 or lower: "Lady Coelle's actions are not alien to ponykind. But a mirror of their consequences certainly is."

Click to shrink...

Oh oh. Okay... Breaking this down so I can process it properly.

Daybreaker was born but is shackled by Celestia-Fuck. I didn't think she existed already, I thought Celestia was just on the path to becoming her. We need to help her but for that to happen Luna needs to tells us about this.
It also feels like a good plot hook for the return of the Elements if Twilight recovers, like the 2 parts specials that happen at the beginning and end of almost every season of MLP.

Coelle? That is a Name of the Wolf... That ascended by killing herself... We dodged a bullet with this one. In hindsight it was pretty obvious what Celestia would do if the Wolf option was rolled.

It is nice to know my theory that Alicorns here work just like their canon versions when it comes to developing unhealty mindsets that result in split-personalities with psychopatic traits caused by extreme stress is right, now lets hope Cadance stays sane.

 

[BlueSteel_Null]

Hmm. I always associated the wolf with biting cold, curious to see how a sun portrayal will work.

Click to shrink...

The Wolf-divided is Agony, Winter, isn't exactly what the wolf is, because Winter includes acceptance, and a kind of peace.

 

[BlueSteel_Null]

It is nice to know my theory that Alicorns here work just like their canon versions when it comes to developing unhealty mindsets that result in split-personalities with psychopatic traits caused by extreme stress is right, now lets hope Cadance stays sane.

Click to shrink...

Evil cadance would be terrifying, There is a reason why many gods, fear their gods of love.

 

[Gyldir]

Selene has made a new promise to her sister, one that she will not break. She will continue to be Silky Stream's sister, and the two of them will continue to journey through life together. The logistics of HOW she will keep this promise is still... well, she will figure it out.

Princess Luna has made the decision that, for now, it is best she doesn't reveal herself to her sister. Something happened to her. It did not feel as intrusive and disgusting as it did with herself, but the end result felt just as evil. Celestia is still in there, but she is entirely focused on keeping that evil in check. So it is best if Luna... doesn't upset that balance. She also learned that...

Spoiler: The mentality of the Sun - Better understood

7 or higher: "The Paragon of Harmony walks upon Equestria. None shall find her wanting."

6: ???

5: ???

4: ???

3: ???

2: Daybreaker is born, shackled by her regretful creator. The result of this battle of wills will define the future of Equestria. (???)

1: Daybreaker has come, and Equestria shall slave under the glare of the sun. (Introduce "hyperthermia" mechanic)

0 or lower: "Lady Coelle's actions are not alien to ponykind. But a mirror of their consequences certainly is."

For now, she should really just talk to her parents, and decide what to do next.

And what about her third sister? Later, later, you will have time for her soon.

More to follow.

Click to shrink...

Dear dice.
You spotted little cunts.
Go fuck yourself.



Another great update @OurLadyOfWires.
Btw, was this a new roll, or just another consequence of the old one?

 

[angelsadvocate666]

Dear dice.
You spotted little cunts.
Go fuck yourself.



Another great update @OurLadyOfWires.
Btw, was this a new roll, or just another consequence of the old one?

Click to shrink...

This was an old one, made back when Celestia first broke out of Chrysalis's control. Just… it had different flavor text.

Anywho, it really is a shame we can't just throw copious amounts of Incision of the Heart at this mess.

 

[OurLadyOfWires]

Another great update @OurLadyOfWires.
Btw, was this a new roll, or just another consequence of the old one?

Click to shrink...

Consequences of the old one. That's also why the higher rolls weren't revealed, since they weren't reached.

Also, did several small changes and typo-fixes. Apologies for not having caught them before. For example, I simply didn't see the "result 7" so-

Here are the two seperate versions, for reference.

God, I was wondering what new crisis Bird planned to keep us busy with. This wasn't really expected, but it's not surprising either.

Click to shrink...

-Angel's helpful quotes have them incorrectly (by my own fault, not his).

Anyhow, working on what comes next. Time to talk to mom and dad.

This might take a while, but I fully intend on having you guys up for voting by the end of the day.

Back to work.

 

[BritBiscuit]

Lads the occultists in their ritual chambers have been working away and have come up with a solution to all our problems, they say that clearly the way to stop Dawnbreaker is to get Luna to open Celestia's door and slam it shut after a Worm gets in so we have a spicy new problem to deal with! They definatly aren't subverted Worm Hosts and they definatly haven't subverted me either.
We should try it what could possibly go wrong!

 

[DelightedOne]

The Wolf-divided is Agony, Winter, isn't exactly what the wolf is, because Winter includes acceptance, and a kind of peace.

Click to shrink...

That is what Edge is for, the Winter is just the secondary Lore... because the Wolf is the most suicidal being in existence, actually the only reason the Wolf wants to die is because it is Agony.

 

[angelsadvocate666]

But yeah. Guess we're not telling Celestia shit. And unless Selene just… decides not to mention that the Princess on the throne is currently waging a mental war against her evil half—as evil as the Worms, by her own reckoning—Velvet will almost definitely be moving to address this mess. Yay…

Hmm. I don't really know what we can do, but hopefully we can pull Cadence in on things? She should probably know too. We're almost certainly going to need some kind of Lore nonsense to deal with this, too, so maybe we can convince her it's fine?

 

[BritBiscuit]

That is what Edge is for, the Winter is just the secondary Lore... because the Wolf is the most suicidal being in existence, actually the only reason the Wolf wants to die is because it is Agony.

Click to shrink...

The Wolf-divided is Agony, Winter, isn't exactly what the wolf is, because Winter includes acceptance, and a kind of peace.

Click to shrink...

I'd say that the Winter aspect of the Wolf is desiring endings, its own most of all, and the Edge is the conflict of getting that ending, fighting for its own death against its own immortality, bringing pain to the world to make it all end just a bit faster.

 

[spiderhellian]

Velvet will almost definitely be moving to address this mess

Click to shrink...

We will?

Like, really, what does addressing this mess even look like? What on earth can we do?

I don't really like the idea of being one wrong step from hyperthermia, but other than avoiding worsening things by being a good Director and not pissing her off further... I can't think of what a 'positive' action actually looks like?

EDIT: I dunno, maybe Luna will have ideas. But it might be worth re-reading Fair Trial's PoV:

"Prove it to me, Fair Trial. Show me that the right pony, in the right place, can still make a difference. Show me that your ancestors did not die when I buried them, and that their foals, their betters, still share the land with me."

Click to shrink...

She will be watching you.

Her patience with everypony else is already spent. Her faith in your fellow ponies has already faded away. And you are the last pony she will ever pay attention to.

You are the last proof of concept. The final test, after a string of failures. The aggressive shakedown of centuries of tradition, all for the sake of putting her right pony on the spot she deems to be the right place.

Click to shrink...