Dear reader! Whether you are new here, archive-reading and whatnot, or you are already someone who has been with us for quite a while, I would like to say a few words that I believe are best kept close to mind.
-This is an MLP quest. And more importantly, none of us are gratuitously cruel. So good things will happen on this quest, and I hope that enough good things have already happened to prove that.
-This is also a horror quest, so bad things will happen. Bad things might happen to good characters if you are not able to protect them, and you most certainly will not be able to intervene if you lack the tools to do so.
-And finally, this is a quest in which you jostle with powers greater than yourself, with all that it entails.
Please, do keep those things in mind as you go forward. But ultimately, this is also a quest in which it is hoped we all have fun! So if any of the above points is not exactly your cup of tea, or somehow make the experience as a whole "not worth it", then this quest might not be for you. Which is fine! Individual tastes are a thing, so don't think any more about it if you don't want to read anymore. And regardless, I hope you have a lovely day!
Readers should take their own mental health into consideration when voting and not subject themselves to triggering narrative elements like rape or constant mental torture of a friend just for the Greatest Good of a world that doesn't exist.
If those are fine for you or Regrettable is even more triggering, then GREAT! More power to you. But you aren't a bad or selfish person for picking the option that keeps the characters you've emotionally connected with safe. [REDACTED for spoiler warning]
This is a high intensity quest that doesn't hold back when it comes to horror and negative consequences. Take care of yourself.
I think is more of her being an intently good person. Like we had options to make velvet really evil afther the Luna nightmare sequence. So her goodness was not an guarantee.
The author does not intend to (and should not be interpreted as intending to) break the site's Terms of Service or site rules at any point.
None of the above subjects are condoned, glorified or encouraged by the author, and their presence in this story is purely for narrative purposes.
If you do not wish to be exposed to any of the subjects cited above, you should STOP READING IMMEDIATELY.
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- - -
- - -
[X] Plan Too Many Plans + Rarity Wildhoof
-[X] 3 personal actions
-[x] You are under attack!
--[X] Deny it
-[x] You are wounded!
--[X] You don't have time for this.
--[X] You either don't care, or you don't have enough bits to care.
-[X] (Servants) Ask for a specific Lore artifact (Edge 3)
-[X] (Steppes) Help with negotiating with Hills
-[X] (Rarity) Fleeting opportunity: The Wildhoof Club investigation
-[X] (Fluttershy) Clean Jade's old house
-[X] (Jade) Memory of Light
-[X] (DoA) Make Wrong Keys
-[X] (Selene) Knock
-[X] (AotL) Grail: Twilight
-[X] (Knock) Explore the Woods
-[X] Fleeting opportunity: Twilight Sparkle
-[X] Fleeting opportunity: Mayor Mare
-[X] Teach our family Lores
The train finally begins to slow down.
Ears perk up.
With purpose, this time. It begins to slow down intentionally. Not because it is losing speed thanks to its upward path. Not because the spiraling incline of the mountain is causing its own weight to drag against it. No.
Nostrils flare.
The train is finally slowing down because you are about to arrive in Canterlot.
Eyes shine from the dark.
And as you look out through the window of your cabin, you can't help but feel… pensative.
She is here.
The very last conversation you had with Stormchaser comes to mind. And you feel something dry in your throat as you recall it.
She is here!
"I… Stormy, I really don't think this is a good idea anymore."
A wide mouth drools with anticipation.
"What? Why?"
A long tongue, gifted, scrapes against the ground.
"I just don't. And you know why. I don't think I… I really should just…"
Fur bristles in excitement.
"Sweetheart, just listen to yourself. You know you are talking nonsense. You know you can do this."
It quiets down its voice.
"But this is not just about me, Stormy. I'm worried about the fillies. What… what if… I'm just worried that I won't be here anymore."
It flees into the shadows.
"Velvet, Velvet… sweetheart… calm down. You are just going to be away for a few days. That doesn't make you a bad parent."
It watches.
"But doesn't it make me an absent mother?"
But most of all, it quietly waits.
"My job keeps me away for almost an entire month at a time. Am I an absent father?"
Because she is here.
"What? No! Of course not. You're the best daddy they could ever have an-"
She is here, so it is no longer needed.
"And that's my point, sweetheart."
She is here, so it will bide its time.
"… I… I walked straight into that one, didn't I…"
It will hide.
"Heh. Maybe you did."
And wait.
"…"
And listen.
"But more than that. Velvet, we had this exact same conversation maybe a year ago, when we first took Silky to school, remember?"
And LEARN.
"… yeah…"
Because its actions are not required where she treads.
"I even remember that back and forth. I said Silky wasn't a foal anymore, you said she wasn't a mare yet either, I said she is slowly becoming one…"
For the progenitor's actions will always eclipse that of the progeny.
"She still isn't a mare, though…"
Still, there is something more now.
"Of course not. But she also isn't afraid of the dark or of sleeping alone anymore. Besides, she has Selene. And we both know that it's not like we are leaving them alone in the house like-"
Something else.
"I still can't believe we haven't heard from Scootaloo's parents…"
Something new.
"Exactly. But back to my first point. We had this same conversation a year ago, but we decided to let Silky go to school, right? And how did that turn out?"
A blank space, previously untouched.
"… it was the best thing we ever did for her…"
Her territory. Her home. Her den.
"Exactly! So, I know you get nervous when it comes to our daughters. I do too. But you have to trust them that they will be alright. And you have to trust us that we did good enough so far."
There is another one, there.
"I guess…"
The oldest. The last. The least hated.
"You get used to it, love. Trust me. And your train is set to leave tomorrow, so why don't we go spend some time with them?"
It has not yet met her.
"Okay…"
Time for a visit.
A loud whistle rings from outside the train. Steam blossoms from a metal chimney. The slight shake of brakes bring you out of your reverie.
You bite down your hesitation. Stormchaser was right. Stormchaser is right. Your daughters will be alright, and you are here to do something important. Something that's for their safety, even.
With that in mind, you get up from your seat as the train comes to a complete stop.
Time to find out what this is all about.
- - -
Canterlot has… changed.
Yes, it has definitely changed.
Although, strangely, it is hard to tell exactly how.
In fact, you think you can only tell because you have already been here before. Because you have, maybe a few months ago, walked these exact same streets that lead from the train station to the castle.
But the few things you notice are… only very subtle.
The Catastrophe, as it has been called, happened about two months ago. Information about it has been sparse, and the fact that you live in Ponyville meant that you heard even less about it. Not a lot of information really "trickles down" to Ponyville. Not a lot of ponies really travel there, spreading word of mouth, when compared to the other much larger cities.
And the few ponies that did go to Canterlot close to the Catastrophe (or even during it, like Soft) weren't really that talkative about the tragedy itself.
Of course, you have also been here yourself maybe a month ago. But you were brought in a flying carriage the last time you visited, and you were taken straight into the Royal Castle. So you didn't really have the opportunity to see… any of this.
Because you can already spot several small things that are slightly out of place.
There seems to be… less buildings around, for starters. The streets seem to be a little bit wider, and you swear that the silhouette and profile of the houses you are walking by don't really match with your memory.
On top of that, you can understand why the capital feels less lively, but you also think that it feels a bit empty. There are still ponies walking around the streets, there is still commerce and busybodies going around. But still, you… it feels like…
Well, everypony seems to be doing something. Nopony really seems to be there just for the sake of being there. You pass by shops that are full, but also by parks that are entirely empty. And given how this is the capital of Equestria, given how this is where the Princesses live, that emptiness honestly feels out of place.
Canterlot feels strange. That is the only way you can describe it. Whether if it is because of the serious, purposeful way everypony seems to act… whether if it is because everything feels slightly displaced, as if every building had been razed and rebuilt from the ground up… whether if it is something else. You don't really know.
But you feel your own legs walking slightly faster, as if this tense atmosphere has also begun to cover you.
Because if you had nothing but your eyes, you wouldn't be able to tell that this place was struck the hardest by the Catastrophe. You wouldn't be able to believe that this entire city had been in flames very recently, and that the fires were so intense that you could see them from Ponyville. Going just by what your eyes can see, you can't really find any evidence about that event at all.
But when it comes to what you can feel…
You purse your lips. Because you think you understand why Cadance has been so tense, every time you saw her.
- - -
The closer you got to the Royal District, the more familiar things became.
And for a moment, you thought you had that… impression, just because of familiarity.
You thought the noble boroughs felt less changed just because you used to live here. You thought everything looked normal just because you could recognize them more easily, so you could confirm that nothing really changed.
But that thought didn't really last long.
Because unlike most of Equestria… unlike even the ponies who live here in Canterlot, you know what really happened during the Catastrophe.
You know the nature of the "monsters" that attacked Canterlot.
So, that thought of familiarity didn't last long at all. And you quickly understood why the noble districts felt unchanged.
It felt unchanged because it was unchanged.
It felt unchanged because the emotion-eating, love sucking monsters that attacked this place realized that… that they wouldn't find much nourishment here.
So of course the noble district felt untouched. It felt untouched because it was left untouched.
It did not suffer nearly as much as the entire city around it did.
The more you walked through those familiar streets, the more that thought came to your mind.
However, that familiarity immediately ended once you reached the Royal Castle.
The Royal Castle had also… changed.
Starting with the fact that the surrounding Royal District was heavily guarded. To the point that you were sure that you could always look around and see at least one guard if you really tried to look for them.
After that, your entry to the Royal Castle was entirely barred, even if only while they checked for your name on a list, and cast a few spells on you that you were not entirely sure what they were meant for.
Still, the greatest change was far more… blatant, than just the added security.
Because unlike the nebulous changes in the city, you definitely remembered the Royal Castle well enough to be sure that some of those towers were not there before. You were sure that the top of the enormous structure had definitely changed.
But much more than that, on the massive courtyard at the front of the castle itself, there was now something new.
It looked like a brazier. A massive silver-and-gold brazier, shaped like a bowl and placed over an enormous altar of dark stone. The brazier wasn't lit, but the contents of the brazier itself made it very clear that… that at some point it had been lit.
Because on the enormous brazier, there were ashes. A small mountain of fine, pitch-black ash, that seemed to be at least three ponies tall.
And you can tell that this thing is not just… ornamental. You can see the burn-marks and the char-stains that make it very clear that this brazier had actually been used. And that it was used again, and again, and again. In fact, you can even tell that those ashes are not just… symbolic.
You had heard morbid whispers that Princess Celestia herself would cremate the dead ponies that were recovered during the aftermath of the Catastrophe, everyday at the strike of midday. You weren't entirely sure if those rumors were true.
But as you look at the monument that now dominates the courtyard, you think that… well, you think that the family members who did survive the Catastrophe never really got the ashes of their cremated loved ones.
No plaque or sign identifies the enormous brazier. In fact, you don't even think anypony can really approach it. You sense the telltale of a magical barrier surrounding it, as you walk around it. So you can't help but think it has been left there, undisturbed by cleaners or even the wind, ever since it was last used.
The guard that was assigned to accompany you doesn't say anything as you make your way through the courtyard. And you don't really have it in you to ask.
- - -
"Lady Velvet! It is so good to see you."
Those are the first words that come out of Shining Armor's mouth. Right before he cordially takes one of your hoofs and kisses it.
"Ah, it is also very good to see you too, Captain. And I am glad that you are… well?"
And you answer him, of course. But your own answer is partially delayed. In fact, it even takes you a few moments to realize that you are probably being rude for staring so much.
But how can you not stare? How can you not be slightly shocked, even?
Because the first thing you notice, as soon as you are taken to Shining Armor, is that there is a horn on his forehead. A complete, healthy horn, that is.
"Well, the doctors told me not to do any heavy activity for a few more weeks. But according to them I am making a bit of a speedy recovery," he says with a smile, "even though my sides just decide to start aching every now and then."
You nod at Shining Armor's words, and you practically will yourself to stop looking at his forehead. Because true to his words, he really looks a lot better than he did just ten days ago. And for all that he looks tired, and that you can tell he is putting up a bit of a tough front, you can also see just how sturdy the unicorn is.
But still… well… hello? Unicorn? Horn?
You have to bite down the question, just as it forms in your mouth. Because he hasn't mentioned it yet, so shouldn't you stay quiet as well? Is that the polite thing to do?!
"Although it's not captain anymore," he says with a small sigh, causing you to raise a questioning eyebrow.
Which he immediately notices, of course. Or, you can tell from his expression, he had been meaning to complain about it all along, and just takes the opportunity as soon as it presents itself.
"You see, Princess Cadance saw fit to retire me after my recent wounds," he says with a harsh, clearly bitter tone. His voice so grave that it even surprises you. "Because apparently, my recent wounds have made me unfit for duty and…"
He says that, until he finally can't take it anymore, and suddenly starts smirking. His harsh voice turning into a chuckle of sorts for a few moments.
"I'm just joking, I'm just joking. None of that really happened," he says, the fake-bitterness completely gone. "Well, most of it didn't happen at least."
He says that as he looks up at his forehead.
"This is a fake, for starters. And as much as I hate to admit it, I can't really go around doing dangerous things if I can't do magic anymore. So unfortunately, I really am not captain anymore."
You feel a mixture of relief, as he finally says that. Well, you definitely don't feel relieved over the fact he is still wounded, or that he was basically fired from his job. But you are partially glad that you are not going insane, and you are actually relieved that the stallion still seems to be in high spirits despite everything.
"Oh, Shining, I am… well, I'm sorry about the Royal Guard. But still," you say, not being able to hide your curiosity any longer. "Is it really a fake? I… I honestly can't even tell."
"I sometimes can't tell either, and I only remember when I actually try to use magic," he says, with an unexpectedly good-humored smile. "But yes, it is. Cadance had it done for me, and although I actually didn't want to accept it at first… Well, it was a gift from her, so I wear it for her."
You give him a slow nod, and you begin to follow after him as the stallion turns and begins to walk deeper into the castle.
"But much more importantly, I'm not in the Royal Guard, but I am not going to sit idly either. Not while everypony, Cadance most of all, is working their hinds off!"
"Oh? Well, I am sure the Princess will be glad to have you advise her more closely," you say. And despite everything you know, you really say those words without wryness or malice.
Because you really mean it. You understand how Cadance would want Shining to stay closer to her, after what happened. And now that he can't go soldiering anymore, having him help her in her royal duties actually makes sense.
You think that, and you can tell from Shining's expression that you know what you are thinking.
Which only makes you tilt your head when he gives you a knowing smile.
"Actually, I won't be working with Princess Cadance. Not directly, at least."
He says that as the two of you begin walking down a long set of stairs. Wide, alicorn-sized, but clearly not as fancy as the places that see more of the Princesses' presence. And you immediately realize you are making your way into the underground tunnels beneath the Royal Castle, that you have heard crisscross and connect the entirety of the Royal District around it.
"But as the Deputy of the soon-to-be founded Lunar Bureau, please allow me to give out chief her first tour through the building."
- - -
Deputy Shining Armor, for all that you will take some time to get used to calling him that, takes you to the place that will become the headquarters of the Lunar Bureau.
Although, to be entirely honest, saying that it is still under construction would be doing it a disservice.
Like most of the important buildings in the Royal District, the Lunar Bureau's headquarters is connected to the Royal Castle through large underground passageways. You had already heard about such passages, given how their existence isn't really a secret, but you had never really visited them either. Still, they are large enough for Celestia and an entourage of hanger-ons to navigate comfortably, and even though they are not lavishly kept with pieces of arts and don't boast a red carpeted floor, they are still well-made and elegant.
They are also, of course, apparently secure. And even though you don't see guards patrolling it, every passage that leads to another government building seems to be either tightly sealed, or actively guarded by at least two members of the Royal Guard.
Still, soon enough the two of you finally enter the Lunar Bureau itself.
The place is… unassuming, to say the least. It is larger than you thought it would be, but it is also far emptier than you expected. Shining Armor walks you through a respectable maze of offices, briefing rooms and other things besides, but at first glance everything he shows you seems to be the bones of an administrative center.
Which makes sense, of course. You understand that the Lunar Bureau will be… investigative, in nature.
But still, you can tell that there is bound to be more about it.
And Shining Armor fulfills those expectations of yours once he takes you to a rather out-of-the-way part of the building. Leading you to a particularly heavy and locked door.
Which reveals more stairs that will take you down.
"And finally, these are the… well, the more secure areas."
As you make your way downstairs, you don't really sense a shift in atmosphere. It is not as if the air is becoming cold and damp, or the rooms and corridors are less illuminated. But still, you can tell that you are going down.
You can tell that this part of the Bureau is carved into the mountain itself, rather than built over it. You can tell that the walls around you aren't really walls, but instead the face of the mountain over which Canterlot is built.
And in this underground section, you find…
"Is this place a prison?"
Well, it was to be expected. But you find barred and secure cells.
They are all empty, of course. And just like the previous offices you visited were unstaffed, you can tell this place is also not operational.
Still, you watch as Shining Armor purses his lips as he answers you.
"Cadance said that Princess Celestia called this place a jail. Or rather, she said Princess Celestia explained the Bureau needed a jail, for… temporary confinement."
Shining Armor says that, but you can already tell how much doubt he is putting on the word "temporary".
And honestly? A part of you shares his concerns.
"But well, there are a lot of cells here… A lot of cells, and down the other corridor we also have a secure storage. And not for us to store our things. We have a small armory, and other storage places upstairs. Instead, this is to store whatever we find, and whatever you think needs to be kept here."
He says that, and you can't help but feel a small shiver on your back.
Because although Shining Armor is giving you a tour, you had not really thought that he was giving you a tour on a place you are going to take charge of. It might sound silly in hindsight, but you actually felt like a tourist as he showed you around.
That is, until he reminded you that…
Well, that these are your cells, inside your jail. And that your actions might very well result in ponies being thrown here.
But as you think about that, as you think about the fact that you are looking at what amounts to an underground prison, you can't help but remember that…
"Wait… wait a minute…" you say as you look around.
And you don't really look at the corridors and prison cells around you. In fact, you look back at the direction you came from.
Because you can tell that you are underground. You can tell that you are indeed inside the mountain itself.
But strangely enough, you just realized that…
"Hold on… Shining, we entered the Bureau through that underground passage, right?"
You ask that, and you see a small smirk appear on Shining's face. Which doubles your suspicions that you are finally catching up to something.
"But after you began showing me around… I don't remember us ever taking a stair that went up."
And with that, Shining only answers you with a smirk. He then begins to walk deeper into this jail complex, and waves a hoof for you to follow.
"You are correct, Lady Boss," he says.
And after walking down a few more corridors and turning a few corners, he finally takes you to a rather large hall.
It is not really a tall room, and you understand why, but it is still large enough to be called a hall anyways. Lining up the walls, you see sleek dark-and-purple carriages waiting to be used, their wheels carved with faintly glowing feather sigils that make it clear they are the flying kind.
But much more importantly, you can see that the farthest wall of the hall is… Well, it isn't.
It is fake. And you can sense the illusion spell, coupled with a safety barrier, even from this far away.
"We do have a section that is aboveground," he says, as it finally dawns upon you what all of this means. "But Princess Celestia gave us the unique position of being perched on the very tip of Canterlot. Our carriages and ponies will leave through here whenever we need them to, and we can bring in whatever we find without any eyes in the capital being able to spot us."
You slowly nod as he says those words.
Because sure enough, Canterlot is perched on a tall mountain, but by sheer necessity the city grows by carving into the mountain itself. So only the oldest districts, such as the Royal District itself, is anywhere near the edges of the mountain. But the rest of the city has expanded in the opposite direction, and is built upon solid stone rather than creating an entire platform of clouds.
Which means that somehow, the Lunar Bureau was built in the most discreet and central place in all of Canterlot. It is at the same time out of the way and unseen, while being in a place that is technically more prestigious than the Royal Castle itself.
And even though building the Bureau on an unmarked site in the middle of nowhere would have added to its secrecy… well, that just wouldn't make sense. After all, the Lunar Bureau must also be within walking distance of the throne.
Because this place was built for Princess Luna.
"Ah…" you say, as the reality of the situation sinks in.
And Shining Armor does give you a few moments.
"Well, would you like to visit your office? It's on the aboveground section, together with a few other things."
You can only nod as you walk after him. Your eyes lingering on the large illusory wall at the face of the mountain for just a few moments longer.
- - -
The aboveground section is… sufficiently large. Or at least, it is large enough to not call too much attention, given its position in the Royal District.
It is not as big as most governmental buildings that surround the Royal Castle. But it is still mansion-sized. In fact, it even looks a little bit like a mansion.
But most importantly, or perhaps most glaringly, you can immediately tell the place was made with the size of an alicorn in mind.
Large halls, wide doors, tall corridors. The presence of an especially large (and especially rich) seat in every room that has seats. Always in a central position, always in the most important spot. This place is meant to be have regular ponies working in it, you can tell, but it is also clearly meant to see the presence of an alicorn.
And on the second floor, you find the place where this is most obvious.
The office that Shining Armor takes you to is at the end of a long corridor. Its open doors made of the richest wood, its interior lined with empty bookshelves, large sofas for privy meetings, a map of Equestria that dominates one of the walls, and an office desk that seems to have been made to put all other desks to shame. Its central window is as large as the wingspan of four pegasi, and it has the unique view of an unobstructed Equestria from the edge of Canterlot. A view that you know almost nopony has ever seen. A view that even the lower towers of the Royal Castle don't have access to.
And you can tell at a glance that… this is not your office. This place was not made to be your office.
"I hope it doesn't feel nearly as strange to you as it felt for me, when I was named Deputy. But well. Commissioner Velvet Covers, allow me to show you the Director's Office."
He says that as the two of you look into the room through the open doors.
You can sense that, despite his words, Shining Armor actually seems hesitant to enter the place.
And as you read the golden plaque placed over the door, with the words "Director Luna" carved on them, you think you understand why.
You can tell that everything in this room was put there with… passion. You can feel that passion lingering even now.
To the point that a part of your mind insists that the correct word to use would be "obsession," rather than just passion.
Still, you think it's best… not to enter this place without a reason. As if even stepping hoof into it, if you are not there to clean or perhaps pay your respects, might somehow be offensive to somepony else.
"And right to our left, we have the Commissioner's Office itself. This is where you will be giving us orders from."
He says that as he opens the door to your left, leading you to a… well, to a very fancy office, you must admit, but one that is a lot more tame and grounded when compared to what you just saw.
"Back in the Guard we would refer to you as an Executive Officer, but I know that probably won't mean anything to you. Still, until we have a director, you will be our top pony as the Commissioner. My door is right in front of yours, so I figure you will be able to yell at me if you need anything."
You nod at his words. And you can already see what he means by that. In fact, you even think you understand what this place's architect had in mind.
Because at the end of a long corridor, you have the double doors leading to the Director herself. And flanking her office, by the corridor's walls, are the doors to the Commissioner, as well as…"
"So you are telling me your room is the one that has Secretariat written on top of it? Shining, are you sure your rank here is… was it Deputy? Shouldn't I call you Secretary Shining Armor instead?" you say, with a small smile on your face.
And you watch as the stallion scowls slightly at that, as if you had just mentioned something that… well, that everypony else seems to also have caught on to almost immediately.
"Lady Velvet, if I can please ask you not to let that spread among staff as well. I mean, I am officially Deputy, and…" he says, trailing off.
But from his tone of voice, you can already tell that at least one other pony must have said the same thing. No, that at least one other pony has already made fun of him over this as well.
"Oh my, from Captain to Secretary? Tsk, tsk, tsk, Cadance must be so disappointed in you," you say, watching the poor stallion let out a sigh.
"Anyways, there's still some other things I have to show you," he says, trying his best to ignore your snickering.
And you follow after him, trying your best to wipe the smug smile off your face.
- - -
In the end, you had… a lot to go over.
It is already night, and you would be lying if you didn't say you are tired.
You have been given a room in the Royal Castle, in a section that you already know is meant for guests. However, given how… well, given how you heard that nobles aren't really allowed to strut around the place anymore, this part of the castle is a lot emptier than you remember.
Not that you mind that. In fact, it's even better this way. The castle still has a small legion of serfs and servants working on it, but you think it's also empty enough for you to be able to come and go without anypony making too much of a fuss about it.
And given how you will probably make this room something like a home away from home, you are somewhat glad you don't have any "neighbors" living in the adjacent rooms.
Still, you are tired, and you are about ready to go to sleep. You went over a lot of things with Shining Armor. But despite a whole day's worth of walking and talking with him, you realize you have only really seen the physical parts of the Bureau. Matters about staff, capabilities, and most importantly responsibilities are still matters that you will cover in the near future.
In fact, you will be told about several important things tomorrow.
You know that because, near the end of the day, a runner informed you and Shining that you have been summoned for an audience with Princess Celestia tomorrow.
And you can't help but feel… slightly nervous at that.
However, your thoughts about privacy and exhaustion are suddenly broken, as somepony knocks on your door.
"Velvet Covers? May I come in?"
Although, unexpectedly, they are replaced by a happy feeling as you hear it is Cadance's voice.
"Cadance? Please, come on in!" you say, lighting up your horn and unlocking the door.
And sure enough, Princess Cadance enters the room right after.
You are happy to see her, of course. But you are also surprised. Any mention of her to Shining was met with a very understandable mention of how busy she is, spoken with a worried voice. So, to think that you would be able to see her today… in fact, to think that she came to see you.
Well, it just makes you feel glad. Honored, for sure, given how she is a Princess. But mostly glad that you are seeing another familiar face.
"Velvet, I just spoke to Shining. I didn't know you were arriving today!" she says, closing the door behind her and turning to face you. "I'm so glad that you are here and…"
But as soon as she looks at you, the mare freezes.
The pink mare freezes, her eyes going wide, and she practically gawks at you for a few seconds.
"… and? Cadance, is everything alright?" you ask, feeling slightly worried as the seconds go by.
And your worry only grows as you realize her expression is… at first shocked, but then concerned, until finally it just becomes devastated.
"Oh no… o-oh… no, no, no, nononono..." Cadance says, practically in a whimper. Although you can tell she didn't even mean to say that. The words just come out of her mouth.
But before you can even react, the mare walks towards you.
And then she hugs you.
"Cad-?"
"No, no, no… Velvet, I am so... so sorry…!"
Cadance doesn't just bring you into a hug, she practically embraces you. Her forelegs and even her wings coming around you, as she all but pulls you into her chest.
And more than just worried, you are also confused. Because you don't even have time to react before you realize she is also crying.
"I-I… y-you… didn't e-even have to c-come here… not after…!" she tries to say, her words being choked out by a sudden torrent of tears.
And you don't know what to do?
You don't even know why this is happening?!
Until it strikes you.
Because you don't feel tired. You don't need to feel tired unless you want to. But you are sure you look the part.
And maybe Shining Armor didn't realize it because he is putting on a strong face himself. But other ponies did. Other ponies who know you better and are a little more observant, such as Stormchaser and Ponpon, certainly realized it.
They realized that you look weak. That you look slightly thinner, and the white in your eyes is slightly strained.
Perhaps as if you had too little blood in your body.
And Cadance noticed it.
But much, much more than that, you realize Cadance probably noticed you also lost something else. Because you know she has some… additional senses, given how she is an alicorn. The only problem is that…
Well, you thought you convinced her that she was wrong, the last time you two met.
But apparently, you didn't. And Cadance still thinks that you are… that you were expecting.
And given how you lost your Grail Influence since the last time you two met, and that you look weak and tired…
Oh dear…
[] She is your friend. Tell her she was wrong, and that you are just a frail mare. Show her proof.
-Will reveal your "Scarred" trait to Cadance.
[] Go with the lie.
-Your "Scarred" trait will go completely unnoticed for (at least) until the end of Turn 17.
-Cadance will be very, very sad.
Both options will have additional narrative effects.
Mm. On the one hand, if we're very lucky we could theoretically make a play for removing Scarred still, using this as cover. On the other hand, I still don't think we're likely to get it—not least because we're probably going to spend most of our money on the Edge artifact, and we need a lot of money for other things—and I don't want to make Cadence sad.
My issue with not going with the lie is that Candance is still going to realise that she sensed something akin to Velvet having a pregnancy that is suddenly gone. Telling her the truth about us being frail is all well and good but it doesn't actually explain why she can no longer feel the Grail influence.
Lying just covers our tracks far better and reduces the amount of questions she's going to ask, i think lying is for the best even without taking FR into account. Idk how Velvet is supposed to explain the missing influence without pretending a miscarriage happened
Lying just covers our tracks far better and reduces the amount of questions she's going to ask, i think lying is for the best even without taking FR into account. Idk how Velvet is supposed to explain the missing influence without pretending a miscarriage happened
Velvet seemed to think she had already convinced Cadence the Influence wasn't a pregnancy, so there's probably a semi-logical explanation, which I assume can just as easily be explained as temporary since it was always going to be.
[x] She is your friend. Tell her she was wrong, and that you are just a frail mare. Show her proof.
I feel that the lie is completely unneeded, and is one that is easily found out. Even if it holds, I can easily see it getting back to the kids and husband. What would they feel if they thought they lost a sibling/child. Also Wouldn't stormy think we were having an affair as he hasn't really been around enough to have conceived a child.
Velvet seemed to think she had already convinced Cadence the Influence wasn't a pregnancy, so there's probably a semi-logical explanation, which I assume can just as easily be explained as temporary since it was always going to be.
I took that more as Candance indulging her and thinking to herself that Velvet just hasn't noticed she's pregnant yet and is in denial. Clearly Candance wasn't convinced by Velvet if her first thought upon seeing her is that Velvet has had a miscarriage, we can probably explain away the influence but i think it'll plant a little seed in Candances mind something funky is going on.
She an Alicorn of Love, she knows a pregnancy when she sees one and Velvet not actually being pregnant is going to ring some alarm bells. This is like her entire main thing, if she can't accurately sense a pregnancy then something is not right
This is exactly what I thought was going to happen when she saw us, unfortunately.
Though I'm not really sure why showing her how weak we are would be reassuring. It would... just explain why a miscarriage happened, really. But I won't argue it working.
[X] She is your friend. Tell her she was wrong, and that you are just a frail mare. Show her proof.
I feel like having the physical embodiment of Love (who is already sensitive to family things) be in a fake-miscarriage induced depression for the entire visit would be just too mean. Also, she's one of the few ponies in a position of leadership that isn't either discredited or on the verge of a nervous breakdown.
There is the fact that it only guarantees it won't be noticed till the end of Turn 17... and we still won't be ready for the ritual then.
...I do get the feeling that we may be getting free medicine from Candance this turn, though, depending on what we pick. Not something to rely on, but given what she did for Shining she would probably consider it a minor favor for a friend.
I took that more as Candance indulging her and thinking to herself that Velvet just hasn't noticed she's pregnant yet and is in denial. Clearly Candance wasn't convinced by Velvet if her first though upon seeing her is that Velvet has had a miscarriage, we can probably explain away the influence but i think it'll plant a little seed in Candances mind something funky is going on.
She an Alicorn of Love, she knows a pregnancy when she sees one and Velvet not actually being pregnant is going to ring some alarm bells. This is like her entire main thing, if she can't accurately sense a pregnancy then something is not right
Well yes, Cadence definitely wasn't convinced, but Velvet's not stupid. If she thought even for a second that she had managed to explain it then there has to be some explanation that she—a very paranoid pony who knows very well that a single hint of eldritch bullshit will end with her dead—thought sufficient enough to stand up to examination. Even by, yes, an Alicorn capable of physically sensing pregnancies.
This is exactly what I thought was going to happen when she saw us, unfortunately.
Though I'm not really sure why showing her how weak we are would be reassuring. It would... just explain why a miscarriage happened, really. But I won't argue it working.
From what I can tell it's basically "I have shitty health at the best of times, so a semi-severe sickness can knock me on my ass pretty hard" which would also explain why she's no longer "covered in love" as Cadence put it. Worry and care, certainly, but sick ponies on the edge of death shouldn't really be doing Grail type actions.
I'd like to call some things to everyone's attention.
We are planning on expending our savings on a Edge artifact, to assure the smooth sailing of Selene's lessons and Luna's return. This very turn, we're sending our servants looking, so we'll be spending them out before next turn, and after that we will still need bits for their many, many uses.
One of the probable 'rewards' of bringing Luna back with the additional boost of a well-run Lessons sequence and having taught the family about the Lores more specifically and whatever the Knock 2&3 researches yield is, y'know, immense assistance on introducing the Lores in particular and positive favor in general. We have a path here to running the Forge's Redemption above-board, albeit in a fair few turns what with the existing Selene timeline and possible queuing with Shining Armor's horn, not to mention a (imperfect) explanation of where that metaphysical shroud came from. There is the intensity issue, but time passes and memories blur and Cadence isn't approaching this with a attitude of suspicion or mystery-raveling.
This phrasing makes me nervy. If nothing else, consider her reaction upon eventually learning of the lores: There is no way the Alicorn of Love doesn't look into Grail, she has a relevant sensory modality and everything. There remains the question of what particular stance ends up being taken on Velvet's previous knowledge and/or involvement.
And azereath has a very good point about imagined lost siblings. Stormchaser would understand how and why things played out in this way, but the children...
[X] She is your friend. Tell her she was wrong, and that you are just a frail mare. Show her proof.
[X] She is your friend. Tell her she was wrong, and that you are just a frail mare. Show her proof.
Yeah, I don't see us being able to use Forge's redemption for a few turns yet, and Luna will, hopefully, be back by Turn 19. Spending maybe an extra turn at 2 health sucks but...
Velvet's new job is honestly kind of a meme for anyone who knows her personally, even putting aside the Cult ties. A random minor noble and mid-level administrator who has spent the majority of her life running farms out in the boonies, has a history of poor mental stability, and before adulthood didn't even leave her room much at all, If I remember what few tidbits we have of her past correctly. Also the rest of her family is shady as fuck, and she stands out as being the innocent child.
Doesn't that all sound like an excellent choice to run a Secret Service?
I feel like many people will wonder if the "good" Velvet is actually so good she managed to trick the princess, and possibly even her family, in believing she's the "good" Velvet she's said to be...
funny how they'd be both right and wrong at the same time.
Why must SHE have such a connection that HERMEMORY cannot be TORN away? Why must SHE even evoke such questions? Why is the HATRED of HER so DIM but the DESIRE for HER so BRIGHT?
Hmm. Now, this is the most interesting part, both for the immediate consequences and future consequences. Because both of these are revealing a weakness of Velvet's but in different ways.
Telling her the truth is, one, something Velvet doesn't really talk about. She, in fact, takes great pains to cover her scar, and is a big sign of trust. It also, however, recontextualizes literally everything Velvet has done during the quest that Cadence knows about. Her hard work, her dangerous undertakings both against the Changeling Queen and rescuing Twilight, her acceptance of the Bureau job. All of it was done as a "frail mare" with a rather terrible scar.
On the other hand, using the lie, is either something that will be revealed later—and mean that Velvet was so embarrassed over her wound she was willing to let Cadence believe she had a miscarriage to cover it—or even if Cadence doesn't connect the scar and realize the miscarriage was a falsehood, still paints Velvet as the sort of pony who would still come to work despite having a miscarriage just recently, and someone who would swear up and down that she was never actually pregnant. Which stinks a lot of denial.
[X] She is your friend. Tell her she was wrong, and that you are just a frail mare. Show her proof.
I don't think we'll be doing FR next turn anyway, and the italics on very, very sad makes me a bit nervous for Cadance, considering how much stress she's already been under lately.
I think i'll abstain from this vote, without knowing why Velvet was so confident in her influence alibi that was apparently good enough to stand up to someone who can literally sense pregnancies i don't think i can vote in good faith. I'm not convinced Candance won't have her suspicions but i also think a fair point was brought up about how once Lores are more well known Candane will probably connect the dots and sniff out Velvets lie.
@BirdBodhisattva, if we go with the lie, will we do so in a manner that doesn't cause Cadence to realise it was a lie, if/when she learns about our scar?
Because considering the lack of trust that might indicate (depending on how exactly we reveal the Lores to them), that's pretty near to a deal-breaker.
