Seventh Starfall: Beyond the Pale [Visual, postdated for after the Closing Ceremonies]

[stormbroken]

[It's about two hours after the appearance of the Pale Pony, and everything that came with it. You might think that things would calm down again, but no.

This time, Flare Star fires up a scroll that she basically pulled straight away from Dust and starts talking, about as seriously as many ponies have ever heard out of her - the exceptions being Queen Chrysalis (who got to hear the tone when she was attacking the pegasus) and Zecora (whom she helped during Nightmare Night).]

The cards've been played. I don't know what kind of feeling that was that I felt back there, but I know it is evil. No more playing around, no more wasting time trying to understand.

I'm not saying that we don't still need to research this nag, far from it. In fact, we need to centralize our research, so that everypony has the same access to it. It's only right in times of war to allow your soldiers to know of the enemy they fight.

She pulls us all in at random, focusing on those with powers, and then every month, she culls. A few more get drawn into her, possibly for keeps. By standing before us today, by proving that she exists, she has declared war. Not on Equestria, but on every last one of our worlds.

Buck compassion, and buck caring for a pony so far gone that she'll steal souls for her own gain.

She needs to die.

Who's with me?

Comments

[passing_thru_rider]

How about we start with finding Discord and telling him that messing with what we have is too dangerous now.

[stormbroken]

Last I heard, Discord was only taking away things ponies found in the dungeons.

You know, the same dungeons that seem to have an intimate tie to the Pale Pony and may in fact have artifacts that LOOK like things from your own worlds but are really from ones she's already devoured?

If you're talking about the Games thing, I doubt that will be an issue again.

[Visual]

[scienceintensifies]

[Ah, someone of action. This is someone Linksano can get behind.]

You've got my support. Anything you need, I'll be all too happy to provide.

[Visual]

[stormbroken]

Information, power, solidarity.

We need to know what this thing is, more than just digging up old myths can give us. We need to know how to kill a god, or in the worst case scenario, destroy an entire universe. We need to stick together as a cohesive unit and not fall apart to petty squabbles and in-fighting.

[kungfublackfrog]

[He thought he was done with war after Exsilium but no matter what, he would always be dragged in.]

I agree that she needs to be stopped.

[morphitudinous]

No mercy...right?

[Billy wishes things were still as simple as back then. That he could still have faith that nothing the universe threw at them could be too horrible. But sometimes you have to swallow your ideals and fight.]

[Visual]

[foolish_seal]

As if that wasn't obvious already.

[As much as he'd like to storm the castle now and be done with it, he knows they can't. Too many unknowns, too many obstacles. Still, hasn't stopped him before.]

I'll be there.

[Visual]

[stormbroken]

Good. Keep Dash on the level about the situation, she's one of your more powerful allies.

[Visual]

[cape_and_wizard_hat]

I get dibs on defeating it.

[Visual]

[stormbroken]

This goes beyond pride or beyond glory. She dies for the safety of all of our worlds. No dibs, just do it.

[Visual]

[weekwizard]

While I agree we need to take care of this problem as quickly as possible, we cannot do it overnight. However, I am working on a method to centralize our efforts. I shall have it ready sometime this weekend; I only need to finish a few protective enchantments.

[Visual]

[stormbroken]

Make it happen. There's no more waiting about this.

[Visual/Very Private]

[firstofthefallen]

[Yes. Yes.

She takes issue with the use of the word evil just from experience, but all else that Flare has to say? Lucifer had agreed with the moment the Pale Pony had dared to speak.

Lucifer doesn't bother to conceal her identity this time, and she has no doubt that with the glowing red and blue eyes and the aura of darkness around it, nor the reverberating voice, that Flare will have any doubt who it is. In all honesty, Lucifer was certain that Flare still suspected after their first conversation, even though she may have thrown her slightly off track.

And Lucifer certainly can't contain it's smile as it speaks.]

She believes, in her callousness, that it can bind the soul to it and understand it. That a soul is merely a bit of information, and not the will of a living and free creature.

Let us see how her knowledge can serve her when we crush her skull, her essence filtering through the cosmos as blood stains grass.

She dies.

[Visual/Very Private]

[stormbroken]

[She'd almost be smug hearing that voice, if the situation was different. Now it was serious, in the light of a sincere crisis, and Flare only could manage a slight smirk. Who better to take down a god?]

She dies.

[Flare's expression then hardens after that agreement, wings tucking tight against her.]

I'd honestly much rather let her erupt from the inside out - let those souls she's apparently absorbed burst out of her like parasprite larva yearning to break free. Then, the only one to be lost is the creature that caused it all.

[wizardofharmony]

Yes. Kill it with fire, ice, lightning, acid, wind, and the light of dawn - then take her head and smash her crown to be sure.

You've my Art and my life to face this, Flare. That CREATURE would bring all worlds grey days and starless nights. I will not allow it.

Text

[callmeyork]

Let the fighters fight. I'll work on the "research" part here.

If you need anything specific looked at, let me know.

[Visual]

[robotfightclub]

And who exactly is gonna lead us?

[Visual]

[stormbroken]

If need be? I will. Buck the princesses, buck the elements, let ponykind carve its own destiny with its own hardened hooves.

[Don't make her play hardball, Arcee. She's holding her tongue just because she knows bringing up who the Pale Pony may have hostage is a good way to set you off.]

[Visual]

[surpriserainbows]

...You're right man.

[Surprise is....calm certainly isn't the word. Is she afraid? Hell yes she is. But she's far from having the kind of panic attack that one could expect of her. She's nervous, and jittery, and she fidgets as she sits.

But she keeps looking dead on at the scroll. She doesn't look away when she speaks at least.]

I...uh. I dunno what I can do. To help I mean. But...

Whatever it is...I'm gonna try.

We can't let something like this keep going on.

[Once upon a time, when she was a few years younger and far more optimistic about the world, she'd let the horror and terror of what her world was like crush her. And it crushed her so thoroughly because she'd accepted it, and her position in helping to propagate it.

But here and now, a bit older and - thanks to those in this Equestria, braver - she won't just sit and let that happen again.

Maybe she can do little. But she'll do that bit as best as she can.]

[Visual]

[stormbroken]

[Numb. Numb is the word for Flare when she finally responds to Surprise.]

Somethin' tells me it's gonna take all of us. Lemme know anything you hear, or see, or anything. Tell me all about your trip to the Archives, later. Seems important.

[She needs a drink.]

[visual]

[thedoctorsmate]

Nobody is killing anybody.

[Donna's glare is hard.]

Gathering up intel to stop that thing, sure, but we are not going to stoop to that. This isn't war, it's one horrible person. And we are not soldiers.

[visual]

[misplacedxsheath]

Hmph, speak for yourself.

*Given the scars and the three blades he's carrying, this guy is obviously a fighter.*

[just_as_planned]

By all means, share information. I regret to admit that my arrival has left me a bit lost.

[stormbroken]

There're others that are better to give it than me. They tend to be purple unicorns.

[Translation: Ask Patchy, she's the infodump pony.]

[thefreedomreign]

[His voice is gravely serious when he responds. This is the thing that took his sister. He will have a hand in its defeat.]

Count me in.

[misplacedxsheath]

Good to know.

[misplacedxsheath]

Evil is a subjective concept, but it's certainly among the more selfish and despicable beings I've met. Given my history, that's no small feat.

Before confronting it, however, research should be top priority. Everybody saw the barrier it created...our first priority should be finding a way to overcome that, as even those of us who were able to move under its gaze would be useless if it can stop us with a simple wall of force.

[stormbroken]

[By the time she gets to Mar's message, she's calmer and... much more tired. The rage has ebbed into despair and evened out into numbness.]

Agreed.

...Tell me. What experience you got leading troops?

[neighfeni]

As much as Ah'd like nothin' better, if what Miss Applejack saw is any sign, that might kill more than jus' her.

[misplacedxsheath]

Given her apparent nature, it's entirely possible that removing the souls she's absorbed may already be necessary to harm her in the first place.

At the very least, it would certainly be part of any intelligent plan to defeat her, even if there weren't lives at stake.

[marearcana]

[Twilight gives herself a few hours to prepare this response. She, as one of the worst affected by her sudden appearance, recognized that jumping into this kind of thing after experiencing as much sheer terror as she did was a bad idea.]

I agree. Having a central access to the same knowledge will be one of the best ways we can prepare for this inevitable confrontation. We've all seen what secrecy and classified information have done in the past.

[Although she feels terrible, saying that and withholding what she knows about Pollo's situation regarding Mechakara from him.]

But how can we be sure destroying her won't also destroy everything and everyone inside her, as well? Some of my best friends, and presumably some you've met during your time here... more than just us are hanging in the balance here.

I want to save them.

[stormbroken]

[By this time, Arcee's managed to talk Flare down from her violent fervor... barely. And she's left with more than a little mild despair.]

We may need to make the call, somewhere along the line. I'm all for the power of miracles, but all I've seen these past few years are smoke and mirrors, weapons masqueraded as "for the greater good".

If anypony can figure out how to pull it off, it's a Twilight, though.

[Damn magical uberpferds.]

[text]

[millionbitpipes]

[The writing is a little shaky still.]

Didn't know we were even debating that.

[text][private]

[stormbroken]

sorry i wasn't there

[visual]

[like_a_dragon]

Uh...

[For a second she was debating whether or not she wanted to say anything, but... no, yeah. This is too important.]

[So when the feed comes on there's a fierceness that she has kept hidden away. Only the ones that they thought were the true culprits of the murders in her homes has seen her this determined.]

Okay, yeah, you're right. We need to get rid of her.

But I seriously think you're underestimating what you're dealing with, here. That thing is able to rip us from our homes, it can make us into these... these... shapes!

And worst of all, it can make us disappear with a blink of it's eyes.

I'm all for gung-ho enthusiasm, but we need to seriously think smart before we go jumping into this pit. If she's as powerful as everybody says, we may only have one shot at this.

[visual]

[stormbroken]

There's no proof that humans turning into ponies is because of her. That could just be Equestria itself doing that.

[She's arguing that because honestly, she knows Chie is right, and she just. Nnnh. That thing hurt, whatever it was.]

[poolicide]

You know, the last thing I expected following me from home was war talk.

But I guess I lucked out again.

[stormbroken]

Don't stay outside during any lightning storms.

[needsteaplz]

Our hooves have been forced that's for sure. As much as I rather not kill, it's clear we don't have much of a choice. It's one thing to travel to another world but to be pulled unwillingly into one is a different story. Soul stealing is a huge taboo in my world and she shall pay for her crimes.

[misplacedxsheath]

Nakagawa, we should speak in person.

[kuukai]

I'm not sayin' yer wrong, but ya got an idea how ta do it? Seems like she's the one in control here. No one was able ta hurt it at the Games.

We even sure it's vulnerable?

[stormbroken]

Everything is vulnerable. It's just a matter of findin' the right weak point.

[Visual]

[theytookmypants]

[there's some brief deliberation on his part.]

I'm in...while I don't think murdering her will solve anything...I do think she deserves to get knocked around a bit...a lot a bit....

Regardless, whatever she is, she needs to be stopped for everyone's safety.

[Visual]

[stormbroken]

...Don't worry. You're in the majority there, it seems.

It's not something we can ignore, though.

[fckingcazadors]

I'm with you, except I have no idea how we'd strike back against...that.

*That doesn't make him afraid of it, he's dealt with some big bads previously, it just makes him frustrated.*

[stormbroken]

That's what we'll need to figure out, isn't it?

[weaponizedgems]

Flare, I understand the desire to act, I truly do. However, We cannot do much until the research gives us a few more answers. You cannot kill something if you do not know what exactly it is.

[Or just what kind of fire power is needed to destroy such things as eldritch abominations. ]

[stormbroken]

...Someone's gotta fire up the troops. Slipstream ain't here any more.

[Three guesses where she is, Rarity.]

[Private]
Plus, it's like someone else said... maybe I was just... lashin' out at how damn powerless we are right now.