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.

[marearcana]

About that first thing: actually no, not quite.

One of the alternate me's was taught summoning magic at some point before that happened, and when it did she forgot how to use it.

In the same vein, I'd reverse-engineered one of Rainbow's paramagics, but after that I couldn't remember how to do it. I looked at the notes for months, and honestly I still can't figure out how I did it.

[stormbroken]

Wait, what?

So Discord is making you dumber?

[Because that's how the dots connect.]

[marearcana]

You could say that, and it wouldn't be wrong...

It's more likely that he's sealed portions of at least my and her magic memory, though, since it's just those few things.

[You know, like muscle memory, but for spellcasting.]

[stormbroken]

And you haven't protested this? Said anything to Princess Celestia?

[marearcana]

[...well...]

How did I never think of that?

[stormbroken]

...seriously?

[OH SUN HAVE MERCY, ALL THE PRINCESSES IN THIS EQUESTRIA ARE UTTERLY INSANE.]

[marearcana]

Well what did you expect, that she and I aren't ponies just like you?

[Newsflash, they are!]

[stormbroken]

...yes, but Discord is not.

"Discord's magic has made me forget things" is.... kind of one of those things that you should really get looked at? You know, the same way you'd get a broken wing looked at, except with more alicorn intervention.

[She's saying that you really should've called your doctor about this one, and preferably not Dr. Scido.]

[marearcana]

If I could have solved this myself I wouldn't still be in this situation. I'll ask them - Discord and Celestia both - when I get the chance.

[Which depending on certain developments may not be for quite some time.]

[passing_thru_rider]

I was referring to the Games issue. I'm certain at least one life could have been spared had he not been selfish.

[stormbroken]

There's no tellin'. I could play the other side and say that Discord holdin' everyone's powers back is the reason why more ponies didn't die.

I wasn't there. I only got secondhand. Far as I've heard it was complete and utter panic, though - imagine if someone had tried to use their full power t'bust through that shield and missed.