HOOVESWEEK 9

[ponymeisters]

[Morning, Equestrians! It’s that time again, and the newsponies have a new, fresh stock of Equestria's most-read magazine!

Sadly, its back to normal...]




Celestia inexplicably hearing voices for Nightmare Night, an ancient monster stalking the lands on Hearth's Warming...with a friend like Discord, the Element of Kindness will never want for an enemy - and nor will anypony else who is not an off-worlder, thanks to her! Is it time for Celestia to wake up and see the truth?


Other Top Stories Include:

Title: Chaos vs. Kindness
by Timberwolf Blitzer

Title: The Fright Before Hearth's Warming (And the Psychotic Apple Hoarder Who Didn't Help)
by Gelt Buck

Title: Skyfire: Setting the Sky (and a Town) on Fire
by Rosy Hooves


BUT WAIT! THERE'S MORE:


-A discussion on the rat infestation in Ponyville. Proerty values are definitely going to go down at this rate!
-Princess Cadence's shipping wall is discussed, and how its been causing friction between established couples.
-Princess Luna has not been immune to the madness, as reports of her trapping ponies in their dreams have been reported from around the world. Is Nightmare Moon not too far away?
-The excavations at Stalliongrad continue, but as our expose reveals, the influx of off-worlders stealing items has become a problem for those fighting to preserve these special ruins.
-A talking toy car? Our science editor discusses whether this strange phenomenon is fact, or fiction.
-An editorial about being held hostage by yogurt zombies. The verdict: not bad, if you're willing to give up dairy.
-In foaleign news, we look at the Hearth's Warming pictures of Duke and Duchess of Cambridle's first born son!

So come one, come all, and read HOOVESWEEK! Only 5 bits a copy - now and forever!










[Oh, you thought it was over? The ponies of Ponyville likely haven't even gotten their muzzles off the ground when, out of warning, a courier is rushing around, handing the off-worlder ponies - and a few of the natives, though not Princess Twilight Sparkle, Cadence, either Luna, or Captain Celestia, notably - an envelope addressed to them.

What is in it is...well...



((OOC: For those three winners of the Writing Contest among the playerbase, they received their copy of Hoovesweek the night before the issue hit stands. They got their invitations at the same time everypony else, though.

Original picture credit is here.))

Comments

[chatwithdeath]

... He mentioned you because we knew another Homura who was with us. You don't have to hear the details though.

[Better she doesn't... hear the details.]

[weakbutwilling]

He...

[She looks down.]

He'd mentioned, um, games.

[Gulp.]

K-killing games.

[chatwithdeath]

That's right... Do you want to know?

[She asks because really, she doesn't have to. It was another Homura.]

[weakbutwilling]

I...I do. If its all right.

[Its still Homura. It can't be helped.

Had she been at full power, she would have already likely known, anyhow. Omnipotent, omniscient of possibilities to come, and that passed. As it was, both good-for-nothing and the devil knew, declining the knowledge merely delayed them knowing when they were restored to full power.

Just as long as Madoka isn't involved. She could handle it.]

[chatwithdeath]

... If you want to know.

[She doesn't have to know... but Naomi explains how they were recruited by the Future Foundation in another world, one where despair had resulted in 'The Tragedy' and was still cleaning up. Apparently, another they had recruited had gone AWOL, heading home to complete some plan after being infected by a computer virus. Twenty-eight of them went in, almost reached their target, but were captured.]

[Memories wiped, there began the killing game; or more, were introduced to it. Still, at this point, Naomi focuses on speaking about Homura herself, how she was as Homura is before her until the forth week where she began growing wings and summoning familiars, but still was unable to leave the school. The motive of the week didn't help and it subsequently led to... well...]

[weakbutwilling]

Wings.

[Oh, that...that sounded nice. It did. She can never admit it out loud. But her in the killing game?...Sloppy, so sloppy...]

Th-then...you know? About...Madoka...

[chatwithdeath]

You spoke of her during the incident, but I do recall more details before the mission and after its conclusion.

[weakbutwilling]

[She has no reason to lie. That much Homura knows.]

If that's true...I-I know I'm asking a lot of you, just having met me, but you must promise not to tell her anything you know.

Its...its very important.

[chatwithdeath]

I promise. It isn't my place to reveal details about yourself.

[weakbutwilling]

...Thank you, Ms. Kimishima.

Its...Madoka's in danger here. Even if it doesn't seem like it.

[chatwithdeath]

You're welcome.

Hm... If you say she is. [She nods and turns her head] I'm going to be looking into reasons why Calice might be doing this.

[weakbutwilling]

Knowledge...but...the way she acted the last time, I don't know.

[chatwithdeath]

She's possibly seeking an answer. Still, what's the question she wants answered?

How was she behaving?

[weakbutwilling]

W-well, she was...throwing a temper tantrum. She was tricked by the princesses and was very angry as a result!

[chatwithdeath]

Can you really blame her? We'll have to consider better understanding why she started this.

[weakbutwilling]

I don't know. She seemed to want to disprove friendship, but when the princesses turned it back onto her...

[chatwithdeath]

Friendship? [Again, that seems strange.] How exactly did they turn it on her?

[weakbutwilling]

Well! They and Zetta - the evil overlord - they set up a situation where it looked like he put the world in danger and they were enemies. And Calice came out, and then, they revealed they were actually working together to draw her out and study her.

[chatwithdeath]

That manner of deceit... I see.

[She nods] Then if that's to be done again, she'll be more cautious. Our approach will have to change.

[weakbutwilling]

Given how angry a lot of ponies were, I doubt the princesses will risk it again.

[chatwithdeath]

Make sense. They wouldn't want to upset their vassals too much otherwise risk further backlash.

[weakbutwilling]

Yeah...its...also why everyone gets so mad about Hoovesweek. Its almost like its trying to make everyone angry at one another.

[chatwithdeath]

They probably are. Stand strong; that's all you can do... and trust each other over these words.