mylittlejamjar | 8th Sign: A State of Emergency [Visual][Locked from whatever scroll took that first visual]

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8th Sign: A State of Emergency [Visual][Locked from whatever scroll took that first visual]

[Not long after that little event with the Princesses, Patchouli opens the scroll to address everypony. She appears to be working on a spell in the middle of the road as she speaks.]

I am assuming you all saw what just transpired.

There is no time to lose. We need defenses set up and the general populace evacuated somewhere safe. We shall also need whatever information we can on what that thing is and the best way to combat it. Until then, stay out of the main thoroughfares on the north side of town, towards Canterlot. It will be a dangerous place, and not because of that creature.

[The spell finishes casting, and a large glyph appears on the road for a moment before fading away. It's still there, but hidden.]

Let us deal with this quickly; I'd rather not have to deal with two threats for long.

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And far be it for us to stop them from doing what they feel is right. [He pauses.]

I seem to recall several have already took a trip to Tartarus once before. Do you think rescuing those powerless princesses would help our circumstances any?

Morale and information, perhaps, but it will be a risky venture. I do not know how deep that place is, and it may be too late by the time we find them.

Information that we can just as well find here is pointless to go scavenging in parts unknown. No, it's not worth the risk.

... I have my own sources. I'll consult them first, but... I ask, let's ourselves in the know. A joint effort is the one thing we can count on when challenging an almighty foe.

Yes. A single, clear threat has its way of rallying even enemies together against it. I will be making inquiries myself once I have finished here.

... Indeed...

[That's something he... isn't quite sure how to get around himself, really. Perhaps observing how this Tirek creature operates would be... useful for him. The last thing he wants to do is repeat its mistakes and drive the whole town against him when the positions have reversed.]

... You mentioned you can enchant books, yes? I had a thought. What if... in addition to our fortifications, we were to combine our abilities, magic and psychokinesis, to bring to life a Guardian, if you will? To hold off the creature for a reliably extended period.

A guardian? Hm. Elaborate, if you will.

[Ganondorf used his magic some time ago to imbue a regular Snowtarman so that it strengthened into a Snowtarman Deluxe. Magic mixes well with PSI, Giegue found. So this might be worth an experiment in itself.]

Animating an inanimate object is a basic skill. But it's possible to empower them in the process, granting them a degree of sentience and quite a lot of strength.

That's what a Guardian is, an animated object that has transcended, becoming a force to be reckoned with. I doubt it can defeat Tirek, but it will fight him as long as it needs to in tandem with our other defenses.

Edited 2015-03-29 19:52 (UTC)

If it means we can provide a defense without risk of being drained ourselves, I feel it should be worth a try.

[Even in the midst of a crisis, Patchouli's curiosity can get the better of her. She really wants to see where this could lead.]

Have you any specific object in mind?

A spare train car, perhaps. A particularly valuable gem or mineral. An ancient tree. [But he won't mention anything about the animals in Everfree Forest. He's lending this much help to the ponies. They needn't know about his ability to place lesser minds under his thrall.]

One of these will do nicely.

A train car will do. We will need to make use of the train for supplies, so having a sentry on the tracks protecting it may prove useful.

Give me a few moments to prepare and I shall meet you at the train station.

Excellent. I'll be on my way, then.

[He had to admit it. He wanted to know what would come out of this just as much. The average Sanctuary Guardian could put up quite a fight, but they were created when Giegue was at his strongest. How much would this magician's magic make up for his missing power, he's eager to find out.]

Very well.

[Patchy rolls up the scroll to continue working a short while longer. Once there's some form of defense pointed towards Canterlot, she proceeds to the train station to meet with Giegue.]

[The white rat has been scurrying along the tracks, examining the trains left stationed in Ponyville. They seemed to fit in well with the bright aesthetic that the population in this realm was so fond of. Which one? Which one to choose.

One of the lead locomotives? Or maybe a cargo car to surprise Tirek with the goodies inside. Decisions, decisions. Should Patchouli arrive, she'll hear a voice inside her head ring...]

Pleased to meet you in person. I was just surveying our choices.

[She probably should have expected as such, but the sudden voice does take her by surprise. She shakes it off quickly enough, however. She answers back vocally, assuming the rat can hear her.]

It is up to you. I might recommend a leading car, but you most likely know of the process better than I.

Yes. That works. Because a leading car can react appropriate to Tirek without being chained down by two other cars.

[From around one of the trains, a white rat crawls out into view. It levitates itself into the air so that it would be within view of Patchouli. Though a flying rat may not be much of a special occurrence given her experience with the occult.

He turns back to the train.]

This seems one seems to work just like any other. I'll lead the process by beginning to bring it to life. Once it opens up to its consciousness, you can begin to enchant it. That should achieve the results we seek.

[Crossing streams is usually a bad idea, but Giegue needed to keep the door of power opened for Patchouli to act. Any novice PSI user couldn't dream of doing this precisely because such an act required dividing their minds, and welcoming the influence of an outside force into it like magic would only tear it apart. But Giegue is a master and he's familiar with the process enough to experiment to this extent.]

Edited 2015-03-29 21:28 (UTC)

Very well. Proceed when you are ready; I will do what I can as I figure out the best way to handle the enchantments.

[Pathcouli produces a large tome, opening it to a seemingly blank page as she moves to the selected train car. She's not done anything like this before, working with psionics, but she was good at learning on the fly.]

You'll get the hang of it. Let's begin.

[Giegue raises his claws toward the front car of the train. He closes his eyes as the waves of his thoughts become more pronounced. Patchouli may be sensitive to it with her background in magic. The gravity all around intensifies accordingly to the force of Giegue's thoughts.

Sparks flicker. An aura of red pulsates around the train car, the target becoming an extension of Giegue's will. In the air all around are 'words' now. Suggestions of great intensity that matter and even reality bend to it.

Rise.

Arise.

You who crosses the bridges of borders, awaken.

Awaken to your hate. Hate the invader. The one that brings ruin into your Sanctuary.

The one that invades, despise. The Sanctuary that you find solace in, defend. The one that brings destruction, destroy.

Despise. Defend. Destroy. Despise. Defend. Destroy. Despise. Defend.

Though the words are not directed at Patchouli, the intensity can be felt on the skin, especially when standing this close to the PSI user. The train... moves. On its own. Smoke rushes out of its stack. The train wriggles, rocking from side to side. It is achieving sentience.]

The doorway... is opening.

Edited 2015-03-30 01:27 (UTC)

Understood.

[At his signal, Patchouli begins weaving her own magic into the train. Hesitantly at first, testing the powers inside, but it only takes her a few seconds to feel the way the energies are flowing, and she's able to add further to it.]

[Her magic doesn't have much in the way of raw power, compared to some other magic users, but it more than makes up for it in complexity and intricacy. Many small elements, each working off one another to achieve a greater purpose, all budding off the psionic core of sentience. She builds off that instilled emotion, instilling in it elements that will benefit its purpose. Metal and Wood, to build its own tracks and domain, and Fire, to fuel its rage, and, as a last resort, engulf itself before its target could.]

[The train shakes and spasms. Fiery veins are being drawn through the sides of the front car and smoke bursts through the stack. The pilot at the front cracks in half and opens up, like metallic fangs, smiling. Flames shoot out of the new maw. Imbued with magical might and the words of life, the Adamant Train comes to being.

Giegue drops his focus and looks up, smiling at what came of his and Patchouli's united effort. If Ness had been forced to fight this, who knows if he could come out victorious.]

... I'd regard that as a success.

Not my usual... choice of aesthetic, but I suppose it worked.

[Patchouli has to take a moment to catch her breath; she may be a powerful magician, but her health limits what she can do. She'll be fine in a minute, however.]

[The tome she carried now has text written on the page it was turned to. Notes taken on the event, for future use.]

I will have to remember this method. It seems like an interesting avenue to study...

[Through the train's roars, Giegue hears the exhaustion in Patchouli's voice. ... Hm.]

... Are you alright? The endeavor didn't take too much out of you, I hope.

[His way of being concerned if anything.]

I will be fine. My health merely gets in the way of my stamina, at times.

[She takes a few short breaths, steadily getting longer as he recovers and is sure she won't go into an asthma attack.]

Nonetheless, this is not something I'd want to do for prolonged periods of time.

Hm. [Must be difficult. With all that power, but such a frail body. It's... rather like how he is right now, isn't it?]

Then we won't be creating more Guardians today. In any case, this Adamant Locomotive will buy us time, but not much more than that. ... We'll still need answers in the end.

Time is what we need right now, so it will serve its purpose well. I may arrange to send it out alongside another group, to provide added support.

If we require more time in the coming days, I will be able to assist in making another.

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8th Sign: A State of Emergency [Visual][Locked from whatever scroll took that first visual]

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