[IC] STOMP Super Spooktacular Special!

[CoffeeHorse]

"Okay!"

MISTY used HYDRO PUMP!

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More of a show, thought Amber? Ponies always seemed terribly impressed when she used her metalworking magic, although she still felt she could do a better job taking the time to do the work by hoof in most cases. But Swifty couldn't know about that, and it wouldn't be much help with Harmony; what could they have in mind?

Her expression of perplexity washed away as the willowy pegasus hit Harmony with a water blast. "Good work, Miss Monsoon!" she said.

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"I think you missed some ... better get her again." Maple added.

---

Having retreated a couple of measured steps from the blast zone before detonation, Amber stepped up to Harmony to assess the effects.

---

Though he now felt decidedly less singed than before, Scarlet did carefully close the bottle and put it away. He was about to stand up and insist on going back out to continue the hunt... until he remembered that, of course, he couldn’t. Not yet anyway.

Huffing in frustration, Scarlet turned to Swifty as a couple of questions struck. First though, Scarlet needed something to drink.

Well, something else to drink anyway.

”Swifty, do you have something non-alchoholic to drink?”[color]

Spreading out his copy of their ever expanding list of clues, notes and suppositions, Scarlet tried to wrestle some meaning ou! t of the cryptic writings.

”Seek the Knife that ma—aaaaiiii!!”

Scarlet yanked up the papers and jumped skyward as Misty Hydro Pump went off.

”Maple,” he called down to the shapeshifted unicorn. ”i think a second strike might be more than a little unnecessary. And uncalled for.”

---

 

[CoffeeHorse]

Though he now felt decidedly less singed than before, Scarlet did carefully close the bottle and put it away. He was about to stand up and insist on going back out to continue the hunt... until he remembered that, of course, he couldn’t. Not yet anyway.

Huffing in frustration, Scarlet turned to Swifty as a couple of questions struck. First though, Scarlet needed something to drink.

Well, something else to drink anyway.

”Swifty, do you have something non-alchoholic to drink?”[color]

Spreading out his copy of their ever expanding list of clues, notes and suppositions, Scarlet tried to wrestle some meaning ou! t of the cryptic writings.

”Seek the Knife that ma—aaaaiiii!!”

Scarlet yanked up the papers and jumped skyward as Misty Hydro Pump went off.

”Maple,” he called down to the shapeshifted unicorn. ”i think a second strike might be more than a little unnecessary. And uncalled for.”

---

Though he now felt decidedly less singed than before, Scarlet did carefully close the bottle and put it away. He was about to stand up and insist on going back out to continue the hunt... until he remembered that, of course, he couldn’t. Not yet anyway.

Huffing in frustration, Scarlet turned to Swifty as a couple of questions struck. First though, Scarlet needed something to drink.

Well, something else to drink anyway.

”Swifty, do you have something non-alchoholic to drink?”[color]

Spreading out his copy of their ever expanding list of clues, notes and suppositions, Scarlet tried to wrestle some meaning ou! t of the cryptic writings.

”Seek the Knife that ma—aaaaiiii!!”

Scarlet yanked up the papers and jumped skyward as Misty Hydro Pump went off.

”Maple,” he called down to the shapeshifted unicorn. ”i think a second strike might be more than a little unnecessary. And uncalled for.”

---

"I think I would have to agree with our cobalt friend here, We wouldn't want to make a bigger mess of the ballroom then it already is. You'd also risk getting poor Miss Sparks notes wet after all the work she put into them." Swift Tart says, seeming less concerned for Harmony then Scarlet is.

Harmony has slid across the room with the combined efforts of the slime and the water. Even if you couldn't immediately see her, all you'd need to do is follow the slime trail. She looks to be recovering right as Amber walks up to her, trying to get to her feet while soak and on slippery marble flooring.

---

"Harmony?" asked Amber as she approached her, trying to set aside her mixed feelings at Harmony's return to consciousness. "Are you alright?" she asked, finding herself reluctant to close the distance between them, thinking of what the others said about Harmony's previous brainwashed equicidal activities.

---

Scarlet dropped back to the ground and walked over to stand with Amber, waiting to see how shaken and in what mindset Harmony would wake. Quietly, he said.

2color=#ff0000]”Ms. Amber, i can think of two possibilities here. The ‘Kinder” option is that Harmony blacked out as soon as ‘Rasophaes’ minions took control of her body. She will still have to told what happened, but she might be spared some pain.

Alternatively, Harmony was fully concious, but being puppetted. Forced to watch what happened, with no way of stopping it.”[/color]

---

 

[CoffeeHorse]

Scarlet dropped back to the ground and walked over to stand with Amber, waiting to see how shaken and in what mindset Harmony would wake. Quietly, he said.

”Ms. Amber, i can think of two possibilities here. The ‘Kinder” option is that Harmony blacked out as soon as ‘Rasophaes’ minions took control of her body. She will still have to told what happened, but she might be spared some pain.

Alternatively, Harmony was fully concious, but being puppetted. Forced to watch what happened, with no way of stopping it.”

---

"After everything that's happened tonight, how much pain could she possibly be spared?" Static asked with a sigh. "She already doesn't trust any of us. I doubt secrets would help matters."

---

”i meant watching yourself murder somepony while you’re trapped in your own head. It’ll be bad enough just having to tell her without her having seen it.”

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"I know what you meant. And either way, it's beyond our control. She should know what's happened."

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"Not being the one to have actually done the thing ..doesn't seem to be of much concern for her." Maple adds.

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[CoffeeHorse]

Static snorts.

[That's for certain!]

[I could hug her right now for saying that.]

Static walks over and gives Maple a hug.

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"Not being the one to have actually done the thing ..doesn't seem to be of much concern for her." Maple adds.

Swift Tart looks to Maple and walks over to the changeling. Their usual jovial demeanor drops. "And with that attitude, those like her never will. Harmony is a stranger here, and has suffered more then any of you. You can not like a pony, yet still show them compassion. It takes work, sometimes hard and very annoying work," They say slightly under their breath, "to overcome beliefs of others; not everything can be solved by hugging it out despite what certain princesses will have you believe. Don't be the monster she thinks you are. Don't be sneaky, don't try to find ways to attack her, don't find ways to let harm come to her. Focus on doing good, like saving her sisters. If she's upset because changelings took something away, show you're different by giving something back." They state and lets out a deep breath before slipping back to their usual demeanor.

Harmony huffs as she shakes herself off, sending a bit of water flying everywhere. "No, I am not. I am soaked and my clothes are ruined. This night just continues to get worse." She replies and looks to Amber a moment before she sets down the small saddle bag she carries, opening it to show off a small sewing kit with needles and thread. "I doubt even I could easily fix this on such short notice." She says, it begin hard to tell if she's trying to distract herself or is just self conceited about her appearance.

---

Scarlet sighs. Trying again to explain, he says.

”What i’m hoping for is that this gets her to see the real danger she’s in stomping around this place, angry at everything. Perhaps she might finally realise that it is better—and safer—for her to stay here and let us do what we do best.”

---

"Well, at least you're back to normal," Static says to Harmony as she starts sewing. "What's the last thing you remember?"

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Maple's new face wasn't having any of it. "I'm not sure I asked for your opinion. Tart" Maple smiles... not sweetly, as she recalled how this stallion - mare whatever, didn't lift a hoof to see if she was okay as she lay half-conscious on the floor.

---

 

[CoffeeHorse]

Sewing wasn't metalworking, but Amber understood structural stress and the behavior of materials under load. "That won't work very well if the fabric is wet," said Amber slowly. "You should put the dress aside to repair later," she said, inching her way toward Harmony as if she were a wounded animal to put a hoof on her foreleg.

---

"Oh, I'm ever so sorry Mr. Spectrum - I wasn't aware I was speaking to you." Maple's normal voice sounds hollow and forced as it's artificial sweetness slides out of the unfamiliar face.

"Isn't it perfectly fine to just blurt out mean things because we feel like it. I must have picked that up somewhere recently."

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Scarlet just stared, his expression both disapproving and disappointed.

”No, you weren’t talking to me, he said sharply. ”Doesn’t mean i’m not going to comment on your sarcasm, nor your sickly sweet ‘Oh, other ponies have been mean to me, so i’m gonna be mean and spiteful back’ attitude. I always thought you were better than that.

We’ve got enough darkness going on tonight without you taking verbal potshots at people out of childish pettyness.”

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"There've been a lot of pot shots tonight, Scarlet...more than a few directed in her direction. It would be nice if we could all take a collective chill pill, but it's not right to tell her not to keep her chin up when she's been taking it on the chin all night. Let her vent!"

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"Maybe Rhapsody was right about both of us." Maple said. not taking her eyes off Scarlet... part of her knew he meant well, but tonight was not the night for sweet 'turn the cheek' everything is fun Maple. That Maple wanted nothing more than to give him a hug and say she was sorry. It wasn't going to happen.

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