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.
[X] She is your friend. Tell her she was wrong, and that you are just a frail mare. Show her proof.
Yes this seems to be a bit out of characters to me Im aware. But honestly the other way would be worse, so time to suck it up and plan the bullshit we need to do to justify using the spooky healy power.
[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.
She's the Alicorn of Love and kids are, like, the ultimate expression of that. Her best friend losing one before she even got to know it? That's going to hurt. It's going to hurt a lot.
[X] She is your friend. Tell her she was wrong, and that you are just a frail mare. Show her proof.
With what I've seen of the math and the timeline, our chances of discretely healing ourselves within the next turn or two were razor-thin. While Velvet does lie, she does her best to keep them to a minimum with people she cares about.
The Wolf is a yandere who is realizing their obsession for the first time. Because the Wolf has been chasing us long before we found him in the knives.
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.
It felt unchanged because the emotion-eating, love sucking monsters that attacked this place realized that… that they wouldn't find much nourishment here.
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.
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.
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.
I don't really want to build up more lies. Or to make Cadence very, very sad. Also, I think we're realistically not going to be able to heal Scarred before Luna returns anyway, and there are at least two other things we'd want to use the Forge's Redemption on that can't possibly be concealed, so there's not much cost to committing to it.
[X] She is your friend. Tell her she was wrong, and that you are just a frail mare. Show her proof.
To take a guess? She wanted to commit each of her failures to memory. Ignoring that those ponies had happy living lives and people who love them. Turning them into monuments of her own selfish hatred.
...Is Paranoia going to visit Soft Sweeps? that's NOT good news! (or it could be talking about Evil, but I don't think so).
congrats, Bird. our wolfy son is really really creepy... and at the same time unreasonably endearing in some strange and twisted way.
...wait, it doesn't mean Silky, right? it would certainly make sense if the last wolf spawn, the daughter, was meant to be Silky...
fun thought, but from the perspective of a being of evil and hate like a wolf-spawn, Velvet becoming the Bureau's leader, a confidant of the Alicorns, must seem like a mastertroke of evil planning! Assuming they're capable of that kind of reasoning.
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.
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.
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.
"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."
...This SHOULD be good... at least for now. he has the leash, after all. And if we kept the leash until after we "discovered" the lores, and convinced him to be the first official test subject of the Forge's Redemption... that could be an easy way to get him as confidant, if we can hide the cult connections...
Hopefully we won't have any problems... but we shouldn't have any until we remove the leash at the earliest.
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.
If we reveal the scar, we're giving up our chance of using the Redemption of the Forge until we can make the lores semi-public.
If we don't, Cadance will believe we had a miscarriage. We'll also probably never be able to use a grail influence again, basically, unless we can somehow convince her it's not what it looks like AND that it's also nothing bad.
I imagine if we reveal the scar we can have her believe that the miscarriage was natural/inevitable, that basically she felt the early stages of a pregnancy that was doomed from the start. Still bad, but... probably not as bad for her. I think I've read somewhere that a miscarriage in the first trimester can go unnoticed relatively easily.
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
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.
mh... as a matter of fact, this give us an excuse for going deep into the lores the moment they're "discovered" by the Bureau.
After all, imagine, from Cadance's point of view: Velvet, her dear friend, a wonderful mother and wife, just learned of a ritual that can restore her ability to have children. She got overzealous and did the ritual without first informing the alicorns, but she succeeds, proving the value of the lores.
And then she offers to do the same for Shining and Twilight's horns. if that doesn't convince the Alicorns that the lores are worth using, NOTHING will.
We're betting on being able to either introduce the lores through Luna, or faking a "discovery" by a Bureau team (for example by hiding a copy of the library into the canterlot expedition site and having it be accidentally discovered by our agents), but if it works it would solve most of our problems.
Of course it also means we'll be stuck at 2 health max for a few more turns at least, and that might be a problem with Mareinette...
it might be worth it though.
Also getting not only the 20 bits for the ritual, but the 45 bits for a lvl 3 reagent or, even worse, the... presumably 90 bits for a lvl 4 reagent... it's a lot to ask. And it's by itself enough money to basically fund half of the canterlot expedition, possibly more if we get some of the money back.
I'm leaning towards telling her, but I'd like to see if @BirdBodhisattva has something to add about the lie we used first, why we thought she believed us, and why we think she didn't.
[X] She is your friend. Tell her she was wrong, and that you are just a frail mare. Show her proof.
With what I've seen of the math and the timeline, our chances of discretely healing ourselves within the next turn or two were razor-thin. While Velvet does lie, she does her best to keep them to a minimum with people she cares about.
Technically speaking, we'd have better than even odds... BUT if we fail we'd get hurt all over again, which would be difficult to hide and could lead to MORE narrative problems.
Nope right out of that. Explicitly, Cadence will be sad, and things are on a knife edge already without depressing one of the lynchpins of our new environment. This isn't worth lying about, even if she becomes more curious as to what she saw in us if it wasn't a baby. Furthermore, honesty will make it easier to use ourselves as a "test bed" for turning a scar into a lack of wound in the future using a ritual, which I think is the first step to convincing the Alicorns to letting us heal their favorite people's horns (Twilight, Shining Armor).
I'm against this particular lie. She's a friend, and in Equestria that can help through plenty of misunderstandings.
[x] She is your friend. Tell her she was wrong, and that you are just a frail mare. Show her proof.
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?"
[X] She is your friend. Tell her she was wrong, and that you are just a frail mare. Show her proof.
To add to the discussion, what will happen if we get another strong grail influence. Will she sense it and will we have to lie again? Maybe looking into ways to hide influence might be a good idea (Moth?) considering how often we use them and how much time we will be spending with alicorns soon.
IMO it's not a proper negaverse without some made-up comments as well. (Text in spoilers are copied from the original, also I'm assuming that the scenes from the real updates that had Cadence were also put in from her perspective between the planning update and leaving.)
For Harmony and Love! – A Princess Cadance Quest Replies
It takes you far, far longer than you would like to admit to finally… get things under control?
Oh, who are you kidding. You didn't get things under control. You don't have anything under control. Your life is as much of a mess as Equestria currently is. But unlike Equestria, you don't have Celestia and a dedicated group of ponies trying to fix things.
And by Celestia, your arrival in Ponyville couldn't have been more calamitous.
Because couldn't you have chosen your words a bit better? It's enough that the Princess of Love (of Love) arrived in Ponyville in a ball of desperation and magic. But couldn't you have not have yelled at the top of your lungs about "my Shining Armor"? Seriously, that was years of secrecy thrown down the drain in the spam of a second!
Everypony within earshot knew what was going on. You are sure that several ponies outside of earshot somehow had the thoughts imprinted on them. And for all that you care, the whole town already knows it by now, due to gossiping. To Tartarus that you made everypony "swear" they wouldn't tell, you have been in the Royal Castle for long enough to know how those things go.
And then there was Twilight… because oh boy… did she give the two of you a piece of her mind. She is, after all, the smartest cookie you have ever known, and she was the first to connect the dots. You haven't seen her in over a year, but you are pretty sure she wasn't able to breathe fire before.
Finally, there is also the fact that you are here. You are here, and not in Canterlot. And every second that you spend here means that several delicate situations are evolving without your attention. Or worse, that some important things are grinding to a halt because you are not there to instruct them on their next step.
And yet…
And yet, despite all that, you can't help but feel… Well, not panicked at least?
You aren't nearly as nervous as you thought you would be, or as you thought you should be. After all your arrival here feels… like it was beyond your control?
Because Shining is here. He is here, he is hurt, and that just means you can't be anywhere else. It's that simple.
What is more, given how the doctor was explicitly against you teleporting him away, you know you will be here for at least a few days. Again, when the chips are down it really is that simple.
So you don't really feel nervous because… there isn't really anything you can do but wait?
If nothing else, now that the dust has settled, the only feeling you are left with is relief. Relief that you still got the best deal out of a horrible situation. Relief that Shining is still alive and smiling. And relief over the fact that, somehow, he was the one who calmed you down, and not the other way around.
Because even now he still manages to be the solid bedrock that you are standing on. And you know that as long as you have him you will never truly fall.
So. Now that the really important things are settled, you really have nothing to do but wait.
Which takes you to your current situation.
You are currently in a garden. A small garden (at least when compared to your standards) within a relatively simple estate, that for some reason is situated some distance away from the town itself.
Standing next to you is Lady Velvet Covers. And naturally, the estate before your eyes is her own residence.
Which is also the place she invited you to stay for as long as you are in Ponyville.
Because of course, nopony would gainsay your decision to stay in Ponyville once you declared your intent to do so. And everypony immediately reached the logical conclusion that the local nobility was the only party that was remotely adequate to host you.
Perhaps you guided that conversation a bit more than you should have, even if nopony noticed. And perhaps you are imposing a little bit on Lady Velvet herself, given how nervous she looks. But you honestly can't let another opportunity to talk to her pass you by, given how intent you are in recruiting her.
And besides, again, she looks nervous, but you really hope to… change that.
Because even though you are a Princess, and even though you know this intimates everypony (even your own Shining) you still hope that she… that she won't. You still hope that she realizes that you honestly think of her as a friend. And most of all, you hope that she manages to see you for the mare you really are, like so precious few ponies are able to.
After all, many of the ponies you could confide with… aren't around anymore. In fact, you think you only have Shining and Twilight left. Their parents, with whom you were so close, aren't around anymore. And Princess Celestia, well…
Anyhow. You truly hope to be able to just spend some more time with her.
"Here we are, Princess… I know it's n-… I mean, I realize this place isn't adequate for one of your stature. But I humbly welcome you to the Velvet estate," the mare says, with a clearly embarrassed tone.
And as you look up at her estate, you can't help but think that…
[Something radiates from her. Oh, but could it be that she is…?!]
50 - Love has taken residence in this house. (Your stay goes without a hitch.)
80 - There is... something about Lady Velvet that... (Additional voting option!)
120 - There is something about her family, even! (Bonus ???)
???- ???
Still, you can barely hear her words as she says that. Because as you look up at the estate, you realize that…
That you love this place.
"Lady Velvet, this place… it's simply wonderful!" you say, before you even realize the words came out of your mouth.
"Yes, I sincerely apologize f-… wait, what?" she answers, partially stupefied.
But you can certainly see is, even if she can't. For some reason, you just know that…
That this is a place where relationships were tested and proven.
And that this is a place where foals can be safely raised.
And most of all, that this place is… quite literally untouched by the things that you have felt everywhere else. In all the other cities you have been to.
Even in Canterlot itself.
And what is more, the more you look at it the more obvious it becomes. You can all but see how the feelings that cover this place all but radiates from the mare standing next to you. Like a dress she wears or a perfume that hangs from her coat.
In fact, as you look at the mare more closely, you think you can even sense… something else from her?
Oh, you definitely do. You can't wait to ask her all about it!
"I-I mean, if you say so my Princess," the mare says, tripping over herself even as you hold back your laughter. And you surely hope she doesn't notice it, because you are definitely not laughing at her. You simply… you simply feel happy!
Because this thing coming from her, you just feel like you missed it so much!
"But still, if it's not too rude of me, could you please wait here for a short minute? I… well, it's late in the night, and I want to make sure everypony is here to greet you before you step in?" she says, not understanding your sudden mirth but still trying to keep herself composed.
You give her an understanding nod to her request, and moments later the mare is all but running into her house.
And you? You can't help but smile.
You will remain in the Velvet estate for a few days. At least until Shining is healthy enough for the magical overload of a teleportation spell. During your stay there…
[PICK THREE OPTIONS]
[X] You spend most of your time with Shining Armor, of course. What else can you possibly do? (Shining Armor immediately recovers one health. You immediately recover one sanity.)
[] You practically helped raise her. And even though she isn't your sister-in-law (yet) you truly think of her as a little sister. Given what she has been through, you decide to spend a good amount of time with Twilight Sparkle. (Gain more information on Twilight Sparkle. Will incur further voting. Might incur loss of sanity.)
[X] You spend a lot of time with Lady Velvet herself. The mare, thankfully, seems even less intimidated by you now, and you truly hope she thinks of you more as a friend than as a Princess. Of course, this will also do a world of good for you. (Immediately recovers three sanity. Gain +5 to recruitment.)
[X] You immediately develop a rapport with Lady Velvet's daughter. Her biological one, at least. Although both of them are so covered with love you can barely tell the difference. But through the adorable filly, you also become much closer to the mother herself. (Gain +15 to recruitment.)
[] You spend a lot of time with Lady Velvet's daughter. The adopted one, that is. Although both of them are so covered with love you can barely tell the difference. Still, the quiet filly turns out to be quite… interesting, once she opens up with you. (Gain +5 to recruitment, and notice something interesting.)
[] You spend a lot of time with Lady Velvet's daughter. The… the maid one? Wait, what? No, really, it turns out the maid that reached you in the castle was also her daughter? Or at least an equivalent? Your conversation with her is… interesting. (Learn more information on Lady Velvet Covers, and notice something interesting.)
[] After you finally convinced him to stop bowing, and that he was not being discourteous, and that yes he really could stop bowing… you were able to get to know Lady Velvet's husband a bit better. The pegasus was quite insightful. (Gain +10 to recruitment. Learn more information on Lady Velvet Covers.)
Naturally, your presence in Ponyville inevitably causes things to happen around you…
[PICK ONE OPTION]
[] Your Shining is hurt, and you will be damned if you don't move heaven and earth to take care of him. A letter from you had the best physicians in Equestria gather in Ponyville at the drop of a horseshoe. (Shining Armor immediately recovers one health. You return to Canterlot more quickly, and will have less bad things waiting for you due to delay.)
[X] Your Shining is hurt, which means something hurt him. Your presence here might discourage a repeated attempt at him, but you will be damned if you don't take every available measure to keep him safe. You will summon every member of your Royal Guard that you can spare. (Guarantees no further attacks on Shining Armor, while he recovers. Gain experience in "The Nature of Love" because… reasons.)
[] Being in Ponyville doesn't mean you can't continue your work towards stabilizing Equestria. In fact, your presence here might be an opportunity to impact things from a previously unseen angle! (Opens further voting towards your broader goals.)
And finally, you also felt…
[Breakpoint 80 reached! - PICK ONE]
[X] "Congratulations on your pregnancy!" (Gain experience in "The Nature of Motherhood".)
[] Finally nothing. You were educated and you were elegant. (Gain +5 to recruitment.)
SkavenInfiltrator writes:
So, hanging out with Shining is basically mandatory, we all agree right? +3 Sanity from Lady Velvet is kinda insanely good (pun intended), so I think that's also locked in. If we want to finish Recruitment, we need to get 15 more progress after meeting with her, so either we play with her first daughter or we talk with her husband and don't talk about her pregnancy.
As for the final option, I vote we bring the guard. Getting back fast would be nice, but we have no idea who or what attacked him and, well, getting "The Nature of Love" up should help us quite a bit with understanding and improving our abilities. ColoredMare writes:
It looks kinda like she has some sort of version of our love powers? Dress and Perfume being red like that is a pretty strong indication that it's not just her pregnancy, it's something magical too. It makes sense too- she somehow made a strong love-bond with both her adopted daughter and a maid?!?!? Like, if it were just her adopted daughter, ok she's a very loving mare. But her maid being effectively a daughter too? She's collecting them like a keptomaniac. Doesn't really fit with her cutie mark though... Hopefully if I'm right she'll be able to help us learn to use our love magic better.
Agreed with Skaven, we need to finish recruitment now. However, I refuse to vote for any plan that doesn't bring up the pregnancy. We're the Alicorn of Love, if we don't do that it's as antithetical to our very existence as ignoring Shining would've been. Also, we only unlocked that option because we passed the check for it, it's obviously better. abab42 writes:
I'm telling you, something's up with Lady Velvet. We still have no idea where her adopted daughter came from, and her apparently being clean of her family's mafia business just means that she's better at staying hidden. We're supposed be fighting the mafia and other criminals, not inviting them into our confidence!
And how the hell did she find Twilight anyway? SophisticatedUmbra writes:
You're just being paranoid, seriously. We already decided to start recruiting Velvet and we haven't seen anything to make us think we can't trust her. We can get Velvet fully recruited this turn, and finally get some progress on getting out of AP hell! Plus we can get our Sanity meter out of the danger zone entirely just by talking to her? Not sure if it was worth revealing our relationship with Shining and whatever crises will be waiting for us once we return to Canterlot, but this is a lot of useful stuff.
As for Twilight, she probably just found her outside the town or something. I'm sure Shining asked when he arrived and if it was something important he'll tell us. Static53 writes:
Velvet might be dark, but that's no reason to skip over her. She's obviously good considering how much she helped with the Luna search and didn't even ask for anything afterwards. abab42 writes:
Obviously good? She's just cultivating our favor! At the very least we need to get both the general information (husband or maid) and the notice something (adopted or maid). We can't trust her, we've barely met her! Sunlit Vista writes:
I'm guessing her cutie mark magic gives her some sort of ability to read something about where people are? Like, she found and rescued Selene from whatever horrible situation that was, she found Twilight, she probably found Luna but something got there before we could.
I'm guessing the "notice something" is just whatever her love magic is (considering the two who we'd notice it with are her two non-biological daughters) and the information is just some generic backstory stuff. I don't see a need to hard-confirm either when we could instead advance our skills and still recruit her.
In the unlikely event that she turns out to actually be evil we'll notice and then either Celestia will vaporize her or we'll lock her in the dungeons or whatever. Surely she knows that just as well as we do, I don't see why she would risk it.
In the end, your stay in Ponyville was short. Too short.
Still, it was a breath of fresh air. One that you didn't even realize how much you needed.
And what is more, despite everything that happened, you think you can actually count this whole ordeal as a win!
Because even though what happened to Shining was dreadful, you think you will finally have the leverage to convince him to stop doing so many dangerous things. Which in turn will give you an excuse to stay even closer to you than he was before! And no amount of dashing looks or thrilling whispers will be able to convince you otherwise…
Or at least you hope that's the case. Shining Armor can be quite… convincing at times.
But still!
Of course, you also managed to recruit Velvet Covers. And more importantly, you finally managed to make her drop the "Princess" when she talks to you!
Yes, things are finally looking up for Team Cadance.
However, all good things must come to an end. Temporary as they may be. So, after saying your goodbyes to each member of her family, you finally found yourself alone with the mare herself.
"The doctor said he didn't know how his reaction to magic might have been… affected," you say, still hesitating to mention what happened to Shining's horn. Still, Velvet is nothing but understanding as you two speak. "But he guaranteed me he is good to be carried away."
Of course, the doctor himself was an earth pony, so he couldn't really test Shining. Also, he cautioned you that teleportation is an incredibly advanced magic, so he couldn't really know how magic of that caliber might affect a pony. Especially a unicorn who was still experiencing… traumatic feedback to magical nerves.
But again, you have your ways. Shining Armor is ready to be taken away.
You are sure of it.
"I'm really glad to hear it, Cadance. And I wish him an even speedier recovery," Velvet says. And after maybe half a second of silence, she lets out a short sigh, "and I guess I'll see you soon?"
You understand her hesitation, of course. But more than that, you are thankful for what her hesitation means.
"Yes, I'll see you soon.. And Velvet?" you say, looking the mare in the eye. "Thank you. I mean it. I already told you that you can count on me, but I can't tell you how thankful I am for this. It's not… I can't just say that I will be there for you. I also need you to know that I'm thankful that you'll be there for me."
You say that, putting a hoof on her shoulder.
And for a single moment the mare tenses up.
"Hearing a Princess say that I'll be there for her is… quite intimidating," she says.
But before you can even react, she lets out a short laughter.
The kind of laughter that is clearly nervous, but in a good way. The laughter of a pony that is clearly thinking…
"But what the hay, let's do this!" she finishes.
And before you realized it, you also joined her in her laughter.
Because in the end, you two really were kindred spirits. In the end, the two of you really were just a pair of overwhelmed and stressed mares that were biting way more than you could chew, and who had no idea of what the future had in store.
Still, the two of you laughed for quite a while.
After all, despite everything that life has thrown at you two, are still glad that you found each other.
Regardless of your choices, you have regained one sanity!
Was this the first time ever? Perhaps yes, at least ever since you became an alicorn. But you moved the world itself to your bidding, and upon your arrival ponies could not help but prostrate themselves. For the first time in years, you truly felt like the Princess of Love. Gained experience in Alicornae progression.
Line, hook and sinker! You have successfully recruited Lady Velvet Covers. According to previous voting, she will automatically be assigned to the Lunar Bureau.
You have made progress in your current mission "Equestria's Torchbearers"! -3 to Celestia's Ire. "Candidates Recruited" increased to 3/5.
Lady Velvet Cover's information has been added to Contacts and Names threadmark!
"Lady Velvet Covers. Unicorn. Noblemare. Mother. A mare you met by chance, and yet another example of how nobility can sometimes smother its own talents rather than cultivate them. She has a penchant of appearing in places where you don't expect her to be, but somehow that always seems to be for the best. She has a lovely family, and you have made no secrets that you hope to one day have one just like hers. But most importantly, she is a rare friend in a world that seems to be intent on placing you on a pedestal, and one of the few ponies who sees you as a mare rather than an alicorn."
Name: Lady Velvet Covers
Council Position: Head of the Lunar Bureau
Harmony Affinities:
Generosity [+++]: She is a competent pony who avoids the spotlight. A mare who exhausted herself searching for somepony else's sister out of love. A noblemare who adopted a commoner. And if you need any more confirmation, look no further than the namesake's Element Bearer, who practically gravitates around her.
Kindness [+]: She loves her family. She loves whoever she perceives as her family. She loves everypony who loves her family. And the love she has for those groups is almost palpable to your senses.
Magic [+]: She has a gift, of sorts. Even you can tell. You are not sure if it was twisted, if it was badly raised, or if it was simply never nurtured. But she has something inside of her, even if it a diamond still in the rough.
Laughter [--]: She didn't go into much detail. But you did your background checks, and you can put one plus one together. She was ousted from succession of her family's title. She was relegated to a minor position in a backwater town. And the other things you discovered under the table were somehow even more grim. She did not lead… a happy life.
Loyalty [UNKNOWN]: You know she is loyal to her family, but that's a given. (You might gleam more of her affinities if you get to know her better.)
Honesty [UNKNOWN]: Everypony has secrets. But if you can't trust her, who else can you trust? (You might gleam more of her affinities if you get to know her better.)
Positive perks:
[The Good Velvet]: Your background check came through. Her family is shady, but she isn't. (Unaffected by Noble Affiliations).
[How did you get here?]: She seems to have a hoof everywhere. Or at least, everywhere that matters. Somehow… (May add her bonus to the tasks of other Council members)
[Mother]: You have already picked your foals' names. And the logistics to get them are as irrelevant as they are inevitable. Still, here is a pony that might help you… facilitate your own journey, by virtue of experience. (Might be able to teach you lessons for "The Nature of Motherhood")
[OTHER POSITIVE PERKS UNKNOWN] (You might learn more if you get to know her better.)
Negative perks:
[Clear priorities]: You will never blame her for this, but you know her family will always come first. (This Council member has a clear weak spot. Enemies might potentially learn of this).
[OTHER NEGATIVE PERKS UNKNOWN] (You might learn more if you get to know her better. But surely, it can't be that many?)
EarthenGrounds writes:
Well, uhh... that's kinda creepy. She might be clean of her family's mafia but that "How did you get here?" trait is really suspicious. Also, uh "But surely, it can't be that many?" Unknown loyalty and honesty? I'm not sure if that's just baiting us to be paranoid or an actual hint that we've f*cked up. absolutelyperfect writes:
Remember that those are just affinities. High loyalty could mean she's loyal to us or that she's loyal to her family (or, y'know, the family, but we've already discounted that). High honesty sounds absolutely horrible for someone running what is basically going to be the pony FBI and will be busy spying on our own citizens. She's obviously a good pony and that's good enough for me. ColoredMare writes:
So, uh, y'know how I joked about her being a kleptomaniac for daughters? Scootaloo's sleeping at her house too. I'm starting to get worried that she might actually have something about that. Still, even if she's so early that she still doesn't think she's pregnant, her new daughter will be good for her.
I'd say "and hopefully prevent her from stealing any more" but honestly, it seems like all her daughters (and likely Scootaloo too soon) are happy to be hers so... Magus of Heart writes:
Seriously, what's up with the royal guard we brought? Ponyville was a great proof that some places in Equestria are still doing fine but why the heck did that many of them become love-saturated? Surely they couldn't all have gotten into relationships with Velvet's maids in the short time we were there! Too bad we couldn't investigate without dropping something important... Static53 writes:
Like I said earlier, Velvet's by far our best option and it's great news that we've recruited her and have a good friendship going so far. I anticipate that she will do great things. Terrible, yes, but great.
Ok but seriously as long as we don't get between her and her family the only terrible things she'll be doing will be directed at our enemies. EveningOfPeace writes:
I'm just glad Celestia's ire has dropped enough from recruiting Velvet that she's not going to go apocalyptic over us not rushing back. I shudder to imagine what she would do this time considering her last one had her almost murdering a pony (and us stopping her meant that the meter stayed pretty high even after that). abab42 writes:
Well, congrats. We've got an acting director that clearly has something important about her that we don't know. All we can do now is hope.
[X] She is your friend. Tell her she was wrong, and that you are just a frail mare. Show her proof.
"A pony bit me in a dream!"
"Three times!"
"Wanna see the scar?"
.
Besides this, I am surprised Shining was fired/demoted to clerical duty. I was under the impression from Berrytwist that you still can shoot lazer even if you're hornless, and that's a fine weapon a Captain could have.
Sure it might not be a mighty shield, but I guess Cadence probably insisted.
EDIT. Whoops, I quoted someone instead of voting. Corrected.
