private Deep Science 1x1 with Blitz Boom

[Blitz Boom 4,739]

@Illiad Easle

(Null and Cherish)

On 2025-10-08 at 10:54 PM, Illiad Easle said:

Null felt a bit of extra cold despite the chill of her vengeful cloak, like someone with freezing hooves was pressing against her. Nine spoke up, 'I think that's the ghost there, trying to get inside. There is a spirit here, once quite vengeful. I'll see what it wants.'

There was a moment of quiet before Null spoke again, 'It claims to be Rare, the filly that Elef was with before. It says that Elef didn't kill her, that she died on the sharp rocks by accident, but she thought that Elef had bitten her.'

'It seems that Elef believes himself responsible too, what a strange case... Regardless, the spirit now wants Elef spared. I'm not a practiced necromancer, so I can't tell if the spirit is speaking truthfully, nor do I know what Arcade or Elef will believe, but it seems... plausible.'

Arcade still seemed to be psyching himself up to do what he believed needed to be done, and Elef was still resigned to that outcome. Null would have to speak carefully to diffuse the situation. And quickly, as the noise from the tunnel was growing closer.

"Look at her. Both of you. The kid were was cut on the rocks, she even said so. And if she'd been unlucky, those wounds could've gotten a lot worse. Like it did with Rare.

Elef, I've been there, and it's easy to blame yourself, and think that it's all your fault, when someone you care about gets hurt. But this wasn't you. Not then, not now. It were an accident, just like it were now.

You haven't hurt her, even if you had the chance, have you? She's bleeding, but you're not going in to do anything. You're not a monster, Elef."

Cherish would get up on her hooves, and get closer to Elef, trying to see if she could give him a hug, or if not that, stand next to him, eyes closed, and her head leaning on his shoulder, to show that she trusted him, and wasn't going to leave him.

Bad things had happened here, and if she were unlucky, she could've ended by these rocks too, but she were more lucky than his friend had been, and she didn't blame him. She felt bad for Elef. Her friend, who hadn't hurt her, and she believed Rare when she said, that it hadn't been him either back then.

She wanted to go home, but she wanted him with them. He hadn't done anything wrong, and shouldn't be punished for that. Especially not by the stallion with the knife.

If only they had some way of proving what had happened, like how it seemed Rare had talked to both herself and Null.

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(Void)

Sound ahead, either meant an enemy, or her friend and the other pony. Either way, it meant that she needed to get in there, but the hole were still too small, so she would dig, and wouldn't stop, until eventually she'd be able to get through herself. Even if that meant she'd be the last to enter, after the rest made entry.

It might well get a bit more loud, the more effort she put into digging through, but she were completely unaware of how it were perceived by those inside.

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(Ranger)

On 2025-10-08 at 10:54 PM, Illiad Easle said:

She turned to Speck as well, "You shouldn't steal, not from Kozue, not from anyone. If you're hungry or need something I can get it for you, if you just take things it could get you or I into trouble. What if that picture is cursed? You could end up spreading it around or carrying it with you like you did that rune for Basher."

Bah, she'd forgotten to feed Speck before, she'd surely do it again. Speck had to be smart, store food. Right? Given the limited mental capacity of the paper fox, the effects wore off much faster than for Kozue.

Kozue were going to say something. Words that later on, he'd definitely regret, if they were anything like the words in his head right now. Yet, those very words brought him pause, and made him question what were wrong here.

While yes, it were hard for others to truly understand the kitsune - mostly that were intentional, as the secrecy were safer for them - he had come to enjoy educating about that, rather than exclude others, and look down upon them for not understanding. And those last words? For Ranger? That wasn't him. Or it was, but it wasn't like he should be thinking, and he knew it. It was vile and hateful, for no other reason than she were talking poorly about a picture.

The very picture they were now fighting over. A mere photo, and they were acting like this... No, it wasn't right.

"I... No, you're right. This isn't how I am supposed to act, or think. I'm sorry. Both of you.  I should've listened."

His ears and tail drooped somewhat, as he felt shame. He had fallen for a trap, and gotten engrossed fully by it. Something that had clearly been stuck in that room with a purpose, but he had been a fool thinking of easy ways out of the reality that they lived in. The kitsune wouldn't get a blessed savior, to pull them from the ashes. They had to do it themselves.

The thoughts were likely to pester him for a time more, but being aware, at least he could probably reason against the horrid ways his mind had gone down. To think he had actually thought such vile things about Ranger, and threatened to unmake Speck. That was horrid.

Speck's mind was smaller, and not as capable as Kozue's, but it still felt shame, being scolded like this. Maybe it should think more before it acted another time... Even though, if the picture were bad, it seemed a good thing it had stored it somewhere else, yes?

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(Grey)

On 2025-10-08 at 10:54 PM, Illiad Easle said:

'Keep your focus on Red, at least until the shield fails. Agents inside are moving to secure the Host.'

Red wouldn't be hard to find, having apparently gotten used to her new wings she hovered above the top of the tower watching the others work on breaking the shield.

Well, the plan to burst through a window wasn't gonna work, which were good in one aspect, he supposed. Sure it kept them outside, but so were Red and her followers. Though judging from the look of the inside, she had some in there already, that were likely looking for a way to shut this down. Maybe it wasn't as unplanned and rash, as Yannit had thought?

They seemed to have agents inside too, so at least The Grey weren't defenseless on this, but it did leave them with the unenviable task of dealing with Red. Which considering she were surrounded by her minions, and stronger than before, seemed like it were bound to go poorly, if they just rushed in. They had to try and find an opening, right?

Well, he wasn't the one in charge right now, Yannit were, and she had told him to follow his lead, as well as what to do in case a few scenarios might play out, where she needed him to take action fast.

For now, they were circling the dome, seemingly aiding in the attacks, as later arrivals. But Yannit did observe what happened with the changelings with interest. The followers were seemingly told to attack them, but the effort weren't intent on killing so far, more intercepting and shooing off. Which did work really, as though the changelings here had volunteered to aid, they weren't keen on dying for nothing, and would rather pester at the edges, and wait for more reinforcements, than to go in and get team diffed. Though if they could get someone a bit away, to where they could snatch them up, and put them to sleep, before carrying them off, they would. But as they were apparently ordered to stay close, that wasn't gonna work as well, or efficient yet.

Others still, would realize who they were up against, and left. Red had a certain... Reputation, and though she had changed, some would know her enough to figure it were her, or at least be concerned it might be. For them specifically, that'd be enough.

An opening would come, sooner or later. Either when they had bigger numbers and could begin to whittle down the enemy forces properly, or when Red messed up, and got inattentive. Though right now, she seemed all too focused on her troops, and thus, too difficult to go after. Too well protected too, as if she needed it.

On 2025-10-08 at 10:54 PM, Illiad Easle said:

If he had been to the party before, he would know that it was about time for the dancefloor. Even if he hadn't, that seemed to be where the flow of ponies was headed. On the band stage a pegasus was setting up a DJ deck while another ran cables up to the speakers and lights above the floor. The Host was on the mic while the floor was crowded, but the time dilation enchantment wasn't running yet. So he could cross the floor without strangeness. There was no sign of Ninja though.

He could make it to the Host, but what would he say or do? Even from here the Host seemed a bit... intoxicated.

Mongoose wasn't really the sort to be invited to parties, or seek them out, so the only time he had been here before, were when his business with The Grey sent him here the last time. He heard stories of course, and did see some last time, but thankfully, things were calmer than that this time. At least the weird dance floor wasn't being active right now it seemed, as he tentatively went near it, to get towards The Host, who had been surprisingly easy to find. Though he didn't look to be at his full senses... Well, someone near him might answer, that were more at it than him, if he approached, yes?

So he'd go towards The Host, trying to get his attention. Though the crowd were not the best for that, so he likely had to get past that to get to that. And to make him hear him too, of course.

So he'd ideally move past the crowd as fast as he could, which might mean going around it instead, or above, worst case. Either way, he'd keep going until he were near The Host, or managed to get the attention of a bodyguard of his. Likely Ninja, whom he had not seen yet, but that were well in line with his usual reputation.

"Uhm... Excuse me? M-Mr Host, sir? There's a small army, attacking your hotel, and I think they're aiming to kill you. Probably your guests too.

I've been sent to try and help. You, I mean, not them. I'm not with the murdering army."

In fairness to Mongoose, there were a reason why Yannit generally spoke for him, as he didn't adapt well to situations being suddenly abnormal like this, and him having no one to rely on to make him shut up, before he said something dumb.

So he were confused, in a rush, somewhat scared, and so far out of his depth, that the ocean beneath him seemed bottomless. So unless They Grey intervened in his head, he'd just truthful and blunt. An improvement in his mind, as he barely stuttered, and actually did something social on his own, which he hadn't always been that good at. Though if Yannit were here, she'd have smacked him in the back of the head.

[Illiad Easle 3,246]

@Blitz Boom

(Null & Cherish)

On 2025-10-29 at 9:07 AM, Blitz Boom said:

You haven't hurt her, even if you had the chance, have you? She's bleeding, but you're not going in to do anything. You're not a monster, Elef."

Null's words gave them both some pause, and a small amount of relief on the part of Arcade, but he didn't stand down yet, especially when Elef spoke.

"It doesn't matter. It's only a matter of time."

He looked at Arcade, "I saw... I saw what happened to Ayjay, when you had to... take care of her. I'm infected too."

"Even if I didn't bite her, it's my fault she died."

On 2025-10-29 at 9:07 AM, Blitz Boom said:

Cherish would get up on her hooves, and get closer to Elef, trying to see if she could give him a hug, or if not that, stand next to him, eyes closed, and her head leaning on his shoulder, to show that she trusted him, and wasn't going to leave him.

When Cherish approached, Elef lunged, not towards her, but towards Arcade, almost aiming for his knife, nimbly dodging around Null if she were still in the way, only to be stopped by Nine's tendrils grasping him mere inches away from the jagged blade, which Arcade pulled back in shock.

Elef thrashed in the shadowy grip, begging to be killed, before falling more or less limp, sobbing.

Arcade moved beside Null, keeping his front towards Elef. His expression deeply conflicted at Elef's pain.

He spoke softly so that Cherish wouldn't overhear, "I... I'm sorry I stormed off earlier. I can see that this is much more complicated than I thought it was. What... what should we do? He's right... about Ayjay. She got infected and turned violent pretty quickly. I... I don't know why Elef never turned like she did. Maybe he didn't actually get infected? Or it's different for him? I... I don't want to risk it just being delayed, and having him turn one day while he's with your sister and the others."

 

The noise from the tunnel was getting closer, so Arcade turned to leave, "I'm going to make sure we aren't getting trapped in here. I wasn't too careful getting up here, so there could be monsters trying to follow."

With that he turned to leave, back to the tunnel.

 

On 2025-10-29 at 9:07 AM, Blitz Boom said:

If only they had some way of proving what had happened, like how it seemed Rare had talked to both herself and Null.

Nine was quiet, thinking during the events and discussion between Arcade and Elef, "While I'm not great at Necromancy, I've got some experience in mental magics. I could maybe convey a message from the spirit to Elef, since it seems he's resisting the spirit from being able to speak to him. Hopefully this spirit is truthful. Alternatively, I could likely bring the spirit with us, take it to a proper necromancer, and maybe they can serve as a more proper medium?"

"With Elef subdued though, we should look at leaving. Once we're somewhere safe we'll have more time to figure out a plan."

 

(Crow)

It took some doing, but she eventually got through enough of the tunnel to reach the T, and there she was face to face with a smaller than average white unicorn wielding a jagged knife. "Best you went back the way you came, there's monsters in here and nothing of value to scavenge."

 

(Ranger)

Ranger nodded, a bit surprised that her words had been enough to cow them both into giving up the fight, but she wasn't about to push the matter any further than she had to. "Good, let's get moving again, we're almost there."

She led the way again, this time with the proper protection of Kozue's invisibility charm, stopping at a large area with a big hole torn in the otherwise solid back wall. "Here's the last place we were, before Null saved us, luckily no one died here. Which means that the last place we need to go is..." She turned down another hallway, revealing a crowd of monsters bunched around a small opening in the wall, all of them trying to squeeze into it but failing as the others jostled for position. "...where they're all trying to go."

She looked thoughtful, though Kozue might not be able to see it on account of the invisibility, "Maybe some sort of distraction? Could you make an illusion on the other side of them to draw them away? Maybe with some noise or scent to attract them?"

 

(Mongoose)

On 2025-10-29 at 9:07 AM, Blitz Boom said:

"Uhm... Excuse me? M-Mr Host, sir? There's a small army, attacking your hotel, and I think they're aiming to kill you. Probably your guests too.

I've been sent to try and help. You, I mean, not them. I'm not with the murdering army."

The host looked even more intoxicated up close, but when he spoke softly he seemed quite coherent, "Yeah, I'm aware, I'm trying to keep the guest casualties to a minimum by pretending to not be a threat while Ninja Briar takes them out. Could you get off the stage? You're blowing my cover."

Before he could do so however, the pegasus setting up the deck plugged in the last cable and turned it on, getting everyone's attention with a record scratch, cutting off the host's mic, before a new song began to play. The tone was discordant, like several different songs trying to play all at once, and a small rift opened up in the dance floor as it clashed with the runes.

A second pegasus swooped down to kick the Host into the rift, following several of the guests that had fallen in when it opened. Those who didn't fall in who were still on the dancefloor seemed entranced by the song.

The pegasus who kicked the Host into the rift landed beside Mongoose, "You care about saving the Host? Better go in and save him then." Before attempting to throw Mongoose in as well.

 

(Yannit & Craven)

Something shifted inside the party, like a hue shift in the emotional atmosphere that they could detect through the dome. A number of the ponies inside were now curious, and a bit frightened, with more fear growing towards the center of the penthouse where the dance floor was. The shield also flickered, letting a few of the pegasi who had been swooping in through, maybe even one of the two of them, if they were close enough, before it hardened again. This got Red to have her followers redouble their efforts. They seemed convinced it couldn't hold out much longer.