mylittlejamjar | 40th Lance ↟ | The Test of Will [Visual/Action, backdated to 16th, FILTERED SO MUCH FROM SHANKS]

Entry tags:

40th Lance ↟ | The Test of Will [Visual/Action, backdated to 16th, FILTERED SO MUCH FROM SHANKS]

[It's been a long day, even if it's this early in it, and Nephenee's been pacing since her talk with Shanks. First one end of this hallway, then the other, just trying to think of everything that can be done to fix this.

Well, and occasionally berating herself for not checking on the deed like she should have. Logically, she knows she didn't know a lot about property laws when she was handed the Commune's reins, but she can't help feeling a tad responsible, and guilty.

Despite that, though, laying into herself won't solve the problem, and she knows it. If anything, giving into old habits would make it harder to save this place.

Doesn't mean she doesn't feel she owes everyone an apology, however. But that's not the only reason she comes onto the scrolls, looking pensive and tired. From the looks of things, she's outside, in Ponyville proper, and when she speaks, it's to more than just those with scrolls.]

...Reckon everypony's seen the announcement. Ah..gotta few things to say about that.

[The Sentinel's eyes close as she weighs her words, breathing.]

...First off, Ah need to apologize to everypony, 'Specially those who live or have lived in the Commune before, an' everyone who depends on this place. Ah...

...Ah slipped up. [A steeling breath to keep her anger down.] Ah let myself get overwhelmed when Ah was handed the Commune's leadership by Princess Luna, an' that's why this is happenin' now. Don't matter that Ah didn't know nothin' the laws regardin' all this racket, Ah still shoulda checked more thoroughly, an' asked more questions.

[Swallowing, she continues, opening her eyes, and a familiar edge lies behind them:]

..But no matter how much Ah get down on myself 'bout that, it ain't gonna change what's happenin' now. In a week, the bank's closin' on the final bids for the land the Commune sits on. We have that long to raise at least 1.5 million...

...Gotta admit, that scares me a lil'. Ain't even seen that much money before...it'll be rough goin', for sure.

But we ain't ever let that stop us, have we? Somehow, we'll do this...we hafta.

But Ah can't do this alone...the Commune probably can't either...So...Ah'm officially askin' for everypony's help.

The Commune is a symbol, Ah think, o'folks comin' together, despite bad times an' circumstances. It's been around since the beginnin', when we first arrived, an'..somehow, despite a lot o'bad stuff? It's still standin'...jus' like us. Jus' like Ponyville proper.

An' more importantly...it's home for a lotta folks. An' Ah've had my Home threatened too many times to count. Ah dunno what Shanks has planned - can't be nothin' good -, but we gotta stop him, else we lose our homes, an' else he gains another foothold to use against not jus' Newponies, but Equestria as a whole. We can't let that happen...

Ah'm gonna do everythin' Ah can to fix my mistake, an' make it up to everypony...but Ah need y'all's help to do that.

[Pushing aside every scrap of pride that once upon a time prevented her from seeking help when her first home was threatened, every bit that said she had to be the sole anchor point upon which all rested, that she had to be the one to fix things, she looks out to all of those over the scrolls, and to all those across Ponyville, from her rooftop precipice, and asks with all her heart:]

Please...help me save not jus' my Home, but all the homes that are there, so Ah can do that...an' so we can continue to help this place.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I can't help you. I'm currently in the process of rewriting my stories.

[...Nephenee isn't going visual for this. She doesn't want to risk actually acting on her feelings about that. It's Trixie's choice, and her right, as disappointing as it is to hear.]

I see. Thank you for letting me know regardless.

[It's discouraging to hear that as the first response. But she'll deal.]

[It's some fifteen minutes before Trixie responds back.]

Okay, I know I can't perform any shows right now, but... As a native, it might impede progress if I set my cart up as if I was going to have a performance...

We'll do everything we can, I promise.

[She and the others may not live at the Commune anymore, but she couldn't allow Shanks to get away with something like this.]

Thank ya, Sis, Ah really appreciate it. 'Everythin' we can' is all we can do.

[Neph's 'everything' is probably different than others', but the same principle is there.]

...Ah jus' can't fail them.

[...Is this what Queen Elincia felt like? When her world closed in and the Duke of Felirae attempted a coup?]

[There are none of Greil's Mercenaries to save them but those willing to help...no Shinon to save them from the noose, no Ike to save them from destruction.]

[She just hopes and prays their best will be enough. Just like she did then.]

I know. We'll try to find a way to stop this.

I'm here for you, sugarcube. Anything you need, I promise.

Though I'm thinking even my very best bake sale won't be enough this time---if I can throw myself at making anything more valuable, I'll be on the lookout.

If everyone pulls together, off-worlder and native pony alike, we can do this.

Of course, my dear, I'd be happy to help! You don't have to carry this burden by yourself.

[Mama Saori to the rescue! Shanks, you should've known better than make her adopted daugther cry like this. Hell hath no fury like a mama who's also a downgraded goddess.]

I have a few ideas in mind to help out so don't worry we will make it to our goal.

Edited 2015-08-19 09:37 (UTC)

This isn't just your responsibility, Neph. I've been keeping track of our accounts, and I should have known about any missed payments. We have been paying taxes on the land, though. There's that. I didn't realize we didn't own the land outright, though.

[Donna's drooping a bit, but perks up.]

We've faced worse than Shanks, though. I've got some good connections with the spa ponies. Reckon we can pull together there through a special on treatments. A portion of the proceeds go to help pay for the Commune.

Hm... Ah like that idea! There's a bunch rich folks who go there,that might help!

[Her face turns contemplative, however.]

Ah had a thought as Ah was lookin' over that broadcast again...

Ya worked in money stuff before, don't the bank usually tell ya if you're past due? We never got anythin' or any pony tellin' us... An' it ain't like nopony knew Sir Nemo died. It was a big thing, even when Ah got here...

[This feels fishy...]

[Donna looks uncertain for a long moment.] I've... been a temp at banks and things like that. I'm not... I'm not really an expert or anything. [Should this be something she knows? It should. It would be what they need right now. But just a temp, not a proper accountant or clerk or anything. She's just a temp.]

I dunno. I'm sorry, Nephenee. I don't remember anyone telling us anything. I didn't throw away any letters. I can go back through the file, but I don't remember anything being sent.

[Welp, ace job, Neph, you made her feel bad.]

Aw, it's alright, Miss Donna...why don't we both go down to the bank, find out what's goin' on? It ain't sittin' too well with me that we apparently didn't get nothin'...

[Plus Donna looks like she could use a hug. Please don't beat yourself up! That's Neph's job!]

Edited 2015-08-21 11:20 (UTC)

[That's really not Nephenee's fault so much as Donna's generally poor self-esteem cropping up at an inopportune moment.]

Yeah. Yeah! I can meet up with you for that.

[Think positive, Donna. She tries to psyche herself up, to pull herself from that way of thinking, the spiral. They can still fix this.]

Should I come over to your place?

Ah can meet ya at the front o'the Commune. Ah'm headed that away soon anyways.

[But first, she needs to make a quick pitstop...]

Say, 10, 15 minutes?

Right. See you then.

[Donna rolls up her scroll and immediately dives for her filing cabinet. Every bit of mail they've received from the bank is picked through, from the earliest that she has on record to now. It's all just tax notices and specials. Nothing about payments.

She's waiting in front of the Commune, looking a little nervous as she keeps an eye out for Nephenee. When she does spot her, the Earth pony raises a foreleg in greeting.]

Ready to go?

[Cirno had focused on her project for a while, trying to ignore the scrolls before taking off and hiding away so she could let out her anger safely and not hurt anyone else. When she appears on the scrolls, there is some frost on the leaves about her.]

Sis...I can help! I can make ice cream and try and sell it to people...I wanna finish the memorial but...This is more important.

Ah know ya wanna finish it, sweetie...but thank ya for the help. We'll need every bit we can get. An' ice cream would be a great idea! It's sure hot enough ya can probably make a good sell. Ah'll help ya make some flavors up to do, too, so it ain't jus' vanilla, strawberry, an' chocolate.

[Like lil' sis, like big sis...gotta beat up stuff occasionally to let energy out!]

[And after not letting herself feel for a while, it was needed!]

Okay! I can go around and ask people what flavors they'd want. Maybe ask on the scrolls to...but Shanks has to be stopped.....and not the way I know.

[Yes...throwing danmaku at the jerk isn't the answer fairy.]

[There's a small crease at the corner of his lips that twitches as he smiles. You upset his daughter, didn't you Shanks...you shouldn'ta done that.]

I'll forward my life savings to you, Sea Breeze...I'll also see if there isn't anything I can't help with in the politics of this matter. There's a few tricks of the trade to buy us more time.

[He is going to make this a PR nightmare for you Shanks.]

[Oh dang it, Crmsn, your daughter is sad just at the thought of taking that much from you...but...they need everything they can get...]

A-Ah...Ah promise to pay ya back as Ah can, Dad...Ah appreciate anythin' ya can do.

...Much as Ah hate to ask...Ah gotta know for seein' how we're doin'...How much...?

[She's not going to be so stupid and guilt-filled to reject it.]

It's paltry compared to the amount on the table, but letting that blackguard pull one over on us would be far worse an affair I think.

[Three years of dutiful service to the Night Market with few expenses and working on the side...Crmsn was nothing if not scrupulous when it came to dealing with money.]

Last I checked it was around one-hundred thousand. It's not much but it's a good start.

I am currently opening up commissions for enchanted clothing, jewelry, barding and arms. Should anyone wish to adventure in search of treasure to pay the cost, send them to me to be outfitted.

And good luck. We'll all need it.

Thanks, Miss Lucia. Hopefully we can get a party or two together...there's gotta be some sorta treasure lyin' 'round, ya know?

[Neph, this is not one of Liz's D&D campaigns. Treasure doesn't just lie ar-oh, who are we kidding? There's surely something somewhere.]

I'd join you if the risk were not so certain and the reward so uncertain. As it stands, I feel my talents are better placed in the home front.

(Her face is apologizing as she says it.)

I'm sure that if we all pull together, we shall prevail against this unwelcomed issued.

[Rarity is contemplating just how much she is able to help out when it comes to raising the needed bits.]

Well, we've beaten worse...

'Course, our enemies before now usually didn't require a buncha money to beat...

But yeah, we'll defeat him...somehow. It's jus' not an option to lose.

You do have a point. Fighting with finances is completely different than a battlefield fight.

But, I'm just we shall prevail. As you said, loosing is not an option.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

40th Lance ↟ | The Test of Will [Visual/Action, backdated to 16th, FILTERED SO MUCH FROM SHANKS]

[Visual]

[Text]

[Private Text]

[visual]

[visual]

[visual]

visual

[Visual]

[visual]

[visual]

[visual]

[visual]

[visual]

[visual]

[visual]

>[action]

no subject

no subject

no subject

[Visual]

[Visual/private]

[Visual/private]

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject