FoE RPG G0 - #018 Nightmare: The Empty Halls

[19:18]<SpiritOfFate>	Group 0: *Epitaph* - Session #18 starts now
[19:54]<SpiritOfFate>	Your Epitaph will be written and forgotten here
[19:54]<SpiritOfFate>	=====================================
[20:01]<SpiritOfFate>	It comes with a chill in the middle of the night. The comfort and dreams of the peaceful night melt away. The weight on your necks, backs and hooves drag you down. Each of you is alone in a vast, ancient hall of cracked walls and decay, far older that Equestria or the land you have traveled through. Each of you see large mirror in the center of the hall.

****
Split into Nightmares
****

[21:28]?	Wintergreen glances at Firefly in slight concern, moving away from Ignis and trotting quickly towards Hawkeye. "Hawkeye!" she calls, her voice slightly uneasy, "Firefly is alright?"
[21:28]?	Ignis looks at the globes, shaking his head a bit.
[21:29]?	Firefly waves over to Wintergreen. "Miss Green, I'm ok! Hawkeye thinks some bad thing is messing with our heads!"
[21:29]<SpiritOfFate>	You all can hear Sotho's voice, further into the darkness
[21:30]<Hawkeye>	"She's fine, she's fine," Hawkeye says, sounding incredibly relieved. "Here y'all go." She nudges Firefly and gestures to Wintergreen. "Ah cain't say what, but... if it's gettin' in our heads, it's prolly a spirit of some kind. Let's go find Stripes and tell whatever this is that we ain't playin."
[21:30]<Ignis>	"And we seem to have found the last...."
[21:30]?	Wintergreen nods, breathing a sigh of relief at Firefly's apparent safety. She quirks her ears as she hears Sotho, nodding to the others. "Let's find him and get out of... wherever 'here' is."
[21:32]?	Firefly flutters over to Wintergreen and lands on her back. "Liberty Dream, Ties? Can you help us find Mr. Sotho?"
[21:32]<SpiritOfFate>	The two bubbles float ahead towards Sotho.
[21:32]?	Hawkeye pulls the bolt back on her rifle, checks the chamber, and slams it shut again. "This way. Ah can hear him," she says, and begins galloping toward the sound of Sotho's voice, following the bubbles of light.
[21:33]?	Ignis follows le group.
[21:33]?	Wintergreen follows, careful not to bounce Firefly off of her back.
[21:34]?	Firefly points in the direction the bubbles are heading. "We will rescue Mr. Sotho and all the good ponies!"
[21:34]<SpiritOfFate>	Soon you can find Sotho, standing by a large mass darker than dark, as if the essence of this being was pure nothingness.
[21:35]?	Sotho smiles as he looks back, seeing his friends. "You are nothing against all of us. Us friends working together
[21:36]?	Hawkeye moves over to stand by Sotho's side and nudges the zebra. "Y'all got any idea what this is or where the hay we are?" She asks the zebra. "Because we ain't playin' its game. All you folks are all I got left, an anything what thinks it can take y'all away is sorely mistaken."
[21:37]?	Ignis stares at the deep mass of darkness, staring at it from above. "We are not having any of your spirit crap today, whenever the hell you are!"
[21:38]?	Firefly flutters over and lands on Mr. Sotho's back. "Our friendship is stronger than you! It ties us together, and our hope will keep us going!"
[21:39]?	Wintergreen smiles. "You can't fool us, and we'll never be beaten as long as we're together."
[21:42]<SpiritOfFate>	The blue bubble grows into flames and sprouts into a pony shape, pushing back the darkness around you and showing a pristine marble floor. Liberty fully appear standing between you and the dark being. A faint purple glow covers all of you.
[21:44]<SpiritOfFate>	The dark being opens several fanged grins, sending a dark tendril towards Liberty
[21:45]?	Hawkeye fires at the tendril. "Uh-uh! Nobody hurts muh friends!"
[21:45]?	Wintergreen tries to put herself between the being and liberty, using herself as a shield.
[21:45]?	Sotho nods. "We will defeat anything that will happen to us, for we have Hope, and friendship." He says, gaining a fighting stance
[21:46]?	Ignis attempts to scoot off to that stupid being and simply shove it...it might be simple-minded, but...it was a spirit, it had no power over him.
[21:46]?	Firefly growls up at the spirit and flies down next to Liberty and flares her wings, angrily. "Nuh-uh! Liberty Dream and Ties are my friends! Your not allowed to hurt my friends!"
[21:59]<SpiritOfFate>	A blue light covers Wintergreen, shielding her as the tendril strikes. The blue spirit splits into specters that surround each and every one of you. A blue Pepper touches Hawkeye's gun, covering it with this light, then a small colt moves closer. The specter of Royal_Lace shows among them, a zebra mare approaches Sotho, two pegasi approach Firefly and many other specters gather, bestowing their glow to each of them, a bright line flows between
[21:59]<SpiritOfFate>	 Ignis and Wintergreen
[22:00]<Hawkeye>	A smile grows on Hawkeye's face. "Now y'all are outnumbered," she says to the darkness. "Best crawl back to whatever place y'came from, or y'all are going t'get hurt."
[22:00]?	Firefly looks up at the spiritual pegasi next to her. "Momma? Poppa?"
[22:01]?	Sotho smiles lightly at the zebra mare. "You look beautiful dear." He looks at the spectre. "Do you see now? You think our bonds areo ur weakness, but actually, they make us stronger then you could ever be."
[22:02]?	Wintergreen smiles, moving close to Ignis and staring down the dark form.
[22:03]?	Ignis envelops Wintergreen, smirking as he watches that little spirit....he looked pretty pitiful now.
[22:03]?	Hawkeye puts a hoof on her spectral colt's head and nods to Pepper. Whatever happened now... she was ready for it.
[22:04]<SpiritOfFate>	Liberty grins, her glow spreading over the ponies. The two pegasi caress Firefly's mane and all specter disappears, their light gathering on the ponies weapons and hooves
[22:13]<SpiritOfFate>	The mass of darkness moves closer, towering Ignis and raising 9 crooked tendrils
[22:17]?	Sotho leaps at the darkness, attacking it as many times as he can
[22:22]<SpiritOfFate>	The large mass of darkness recedes on the spots it is striked but still towers over the group
[22:30]?	Firefly starts to fly around the spirit at high speed leaving a flaming contrail as she kicks the spirit twice in the same tendril. She keeps flying around, ducking and weaving to avoid the spirit's attacks.
[22:33]<SpiritOfFate>	The tendril leans away, the light from the strikes making it slowly shrivel
[22:36]?	Wintergreen unholsters her energy pistol, raising it with her muzzle and firing a shot a two separate tendrils.
[22:38]<SpiritOfFate>	One of the shots dig a hole into the weakened tendril, which falls off.
[22:40]?	Hawkeye feels a closer kinship with her new friends now than she had before, but she still does her best work at a distance. She runs a good distance away, then turns and readies her spirit-charged rifle to protect her friends. "Just try, you rancid pile o' hate an' bile," she says. "Just TRY to hurt one o' muh friends." She chuckles. "One last huzzah, eh, Pepper? Well, let's do this."
[22:42]?	Ignis takes his police pistol and lays a deadly salvo of lead upon the tendrils, with righteous, blazing fury.
[22:50]<SpiritOfFate>	The salvo blasts glowing holes into four tentacles
[22:53]<SpiritOfFate>	The creature turns back in retaliation, bringing 3 tentacles down at Ignis and reaching to grab Firefly with other 3
[22:56]<Hawkeye>	"Oh no y'all don't." Hawkeye blasts one tentacle with her spirit-powered gun as it strikes at the young dragon, then whirls to blast the one attacking Firefly. Neither of her friends are in as much danger as the Shadow Beast thinks they are!
[22:57]<SpiritOfFate>	The two tentacles cringe back with the shots, but the others continue their assault
[23:01]<SpiritOfFate>	Two tentacles slice Ignis hide, even through the protective glow. Firefly manages to escape one, but the other tangles into her leg.
[23:01]?	Ignis stirs, but carries on valiantly. "Is that all you got?"
[23:05]?	Sotho growls as he sees the tentacle grabbing Firefly. "Let go of her!" He punches the tentacles, the focues back to the main body
[23:06]<SpiritOfFate>	The tentacle breaks apart, releasing Firefly but the main body still stands strong.
[23:15]?	Firefly kicks at the offending tentacles before flying off, hopefully out of the creature's reach. She spins around in mid-air, and readies for an opening.
[23:18]<SpiritOfFate>	Another tentacle falls off, the creature squirming.
[23:20]?	Wintergreen aims her pistol at the main mass, firing four shots to try and end the creature.
[23:22]<SpiritOfFate>	The shots dig further into the massive mass of darkness, but it shows no sign of receding.
[23:22]?	Hawkeye grits her teeth. This isn't going as well as she'd hoped. "C'mon, C'MON," she growls, changing targets to try and protect Ignis. "Take it down!" she shouts. "Ah gotcha covered!"
[23:25]?	Ignis taps his pistol as it sprouts more lead in all of its raging glory, settling down bullets at the creature's main body. "This thing ain't got a future!" He roars!
[23:31]<SpiritOfFate>	The holes push deeper into the dark mass. It coils into itself. Shadows of decrepit slaves rise and trot towards it, merging into the mass, which sprouts all of its tendrils again. "...it is too early to reap these." It says.
[23:35]<SpiritOfFate>	It shrinks to the alicorn form again.
[23:35]<Ignis>	"I shoulda knew..."
[23:35]?	Hawkeye lowers her rifle and begins trotting back toward Sotho and the alicorn. She doesn't have anything pleasant to say, so remains silent as she approaches.
[23:36]?	Wintergreen keeps her pistol up, wary of the creature as she moves to Ignis' side.
[23:38]?	Firefly sees the dark alicorn and flutters down beside Sotho. She keeps a wary eye on the alicorn, but her hind legs are shaking slightly.
[23:39]?	Sotho doesn't lose his battle vigilance, but he looks at the Alicorn. "Do you understand now?"
[23:40]?	Ignis shakes its head in pure scorn. "Its another pitiful Celestia wannabe who happens to be an eldritch spirit of...bad and mean things. It won't ever learn..."
[23:41]<Hawkeye>	"Ah don't see what there is to understand," Hawkeye says, standing next to the shaman zebra. "We won, y'all lost. If this was s'posed to teach us something, y'all are a terrible teacher."
[23:44]?	Firefly snorts in disgust at the dark alicorn. "Go away you big meanie pants! Stop hurting other ponies!" Firefly flares her wings to try and be big and intimidating. Compared to the big alicorn, it isn't very effective.
[23:45]<SpiritOfFate>	"No more than time is needed to wear this semblance of will. This does not end our gamble. I will be there when the end comes." The dark alicorn turns away from Sotho and disappears with the darkness, leaving a blank expanse of dreamscape.
[23:46]?	Hawkeye blinks. "Well...now what?" She looks at her friends. "Game over?"
[23:46]?	Wintergreen frowns, looking around the area. "...Not sure."
[23:46]?	Firefly looks around. "Well...uh...we wake up?"
[23:46]?	Ignis shrugs. "I guess...unless he has more stupid mirrors..."
[23:47]?	Sotho shakes his head. "No, infact, I think this is more a battle won." He chuckles. "Well, we could..." He looks ahead, looking for a mirror.
[23:51]<SpiritOfFate>	You start to float apart to each other, fading back to your own dreams
[23:51]?	Hawkeye nuzzles Firefly. "Good work, short stuff. Wouldn't have found the others without you. Sweet dreams!"
[23:52]?	Firefly waves to Hawkeye and the others. "Buh-bye everyone!"
[23:53]?	Wintergreen yawns. "Sleep well, Firefly. Little fillies need their rest."
[23:53]<Sotho>	"May the rest of your dreams be pleasent everyone." He smiles. "Thank you, for being my friends."
[23:53]?	Hawkeye tips her hat. "It's muh pleasure, all. Night night."
[23:54]?	Ignis blinks tiredly. "Night...." He voices before drifting off mid-air.
[23:54]?	Firefly flies around and gives everyone a hug and a kiss before she fades into her own dreams.
[00:03]?	Sotho slowly rubs his eyes, waking up groggily from that nightmare, holding onto Firefly in a snuggle-hug.
[00:03]?	Hawkeye wakes from her sleep with an unfamiliar sense of accomplishment and happiness. She rolls out of the blankets and sheets with a smile on her face, and dons her eyepatch and hat before looking around. Is Buck awake? It doesn't matter. The day's going to start grand, no matter what else happens.
[00:05]?	Wintergreen nuzzles Ignis, sleeping comfortable now that the dream, or nightmare, was over. She is still tired after certain late night activities, and is snoring quietly.
[00:06]?	Firefly wakes up, looking around but snuggled next to Sotho. "Momma...Poppa?" Firefly's voice quavers in the silent apartment.
[00:06]?	Ignis doesn't feel like leaving the bed....it was so comfy, and since the two already made a home out of it, it was pointless to. He clings to Wintergreen as he slumbers peacefully.
[00:07]<Sotho>	He pets her lightly. "It's okay Firefly. We'll find them soon enough."
[00:08]?	Hawkeye wanders over to Buck's bed and nudges the unicorn stallion. "Hey," she says. "Wake up, sleepy-head. Y'all got a bright new day ahead of y'all and you're wastin' it."
[00:09]?	Firefly shakes slightly. "But...they were there. Are they ok?"
[00:13]<Sotho>	He nods. "My wife was there too." He pets her. "I think those spectres were those we feel closest to us."
[00:14]?	Firefly nods her head. "But there ok? We can go rescue them?" Firefly turns her head and looks back at Sotho, eyes brimming with tears.
[00:15]<Sotho>	He nods. "Of course we can, We will rescue them!" He nuzzles and holds the filly close.
[00:16]?	Firefly nods again, sniffling. "Ok." Firefly gets huggled by Sotho for a bit before she speaks again. "Mr. Sotho?"
[00:16]<Sotho>	"Yes?" He asks her
[00:18]?	Firefly giggles. "I'm hungry. Can we eat some breakfast?"
[00:19]<Sotho>	He nods. "I might have something to make." He smiles
[00:21]?	Firefly nods twice. "Ok." She climbs out from the snuggle-hug and heads over to the table. Her project from the night before is sitting half-finished. Two of the suits of armor have been taken apart and are being put back together into leather cloaks.
[00:24]<Sotho>	He gets up himself and goes looking for left over food, he may have made a good sized meal last night, but it doesn't mean it was entirely finished
[00:27]<SpiritOfFate>	Buck turns to Hawkeye and stretches. "One more, one less. It's good to sleep the much I want for a change."
[00:28]?	Sotho collects any food left and puts it towards Firefly. "Here, eat up!"
[00:29]?	Hawkeye chuckles. "Well, Ah ain't one to deny a stallion his beauty sleep, but..." She leans in close and touches her nose to Buck's. "Let's just say... there's better things one can do with a mornin'... Is th'door locked?"
[00:31]?	Firefly finishes up making the cloaks, looking up at Sotho. "Thank you Mr. Sotho! I think we have enough cloaks for everyone...uh...I think. I can't really count good." The filly starts eating her food.
[00:32]<Sotho>	He nods smiling. "Thats fine Firefly." He pets her. " so... that wasn't just a dream."
[00:33]?	Sotho counts the cloaks. "We are only missing two cloaks dear." He adds
[00:34]<SpiritOfFate>	Buck smiles, catching onto the mare's hint. "Yup, I got the key."
[00:34]?	Firefly nods. "It was weird. What's that evil princess?"
[00:36]<Hawkeye>	"Well, then," Hawkeye says, climbing up onto the bed. "Let's get your grand adventure an' tour of the world off to a fine start, then, shall we?"
[00:36]<Sotho>	"Evil princess?"
[00:37]?	Firefly cocks her head. "She was like Princess Luna, but scary. She was the tentacled monster-thing."
[00:40]<SpiritOfFate>	Buck wraps his hooves around Hawkeye. "Can't think of a better way."
[00:42]<Sotho>	"I never gathered it was a female." He thinks. "I've seen it before. A while back.. It made a contract with me, the details I'm not too sure of."
[00:43]?	Firefly frowns. "What is being a girl have to do with it?"
[00:47]<Sotho>	"Nothing." He says. "I just never thought of it as female. or male for that matter. It's a monster."
[00:48]?	Firefly nods. "Oh...ok." Firefly keeps eating, not really sure what to say.
[00:49]<Sotho>	He smiles and sits down. "But... I'm glad you all helped me, I would have been defeated if not for all of you."
[00:50]?	Firefly smiles up at Sotho. "Nothing can my hurt my friends." Firefly giggles. "But it was scary when it grabbed my leg."
[00:51]<Sotho>	"I hurt it to make it let go though!"
[00:52]?	Firefly giggles. "Yeah! We were awesome!"